JP2006168063A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining printing data from a storage service and printing it when a notice that the printing data on the storage service is renewed is received, in the image forming apparatus having a pull print capability. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus receiving an indication on printing from a client and obtaining the printing data from an external server to perform the printing, has a registering means for performing a registration of a notice to the external server designated by the indication on the printing, and a notice receiving means for receiving the notice from the external server. When the notice is received from the external server, the image forming apparatus obtains the printing data from the external server and performs the printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of receiving a print job via a network and outputting the print job.

  In recent years, Web service technology has attracted much attention on the Internet. Web service is a technology for loosely combining various services distributed on a network. By using this technology, it is possible for the program to dynamically select an appropriate service without human intervention, and it is expected from various industrial fields as a technology that automatically performs the intended processing. .

  Data exchanged in this Web service is described in XML (extensible Markup Language), and the XML data is communicated on the network using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). This SOAP is specified to use HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) in the lower layer, and can be easily used on the Internet like Web browsing and e-mail. It has become.

  By applying this Web service technology to the printing technology, various merits that have not existed before are born. A conventional printer can implement print jobs and device management using SOAP as a print service by implementing a Web service. It is expected that printers to which such Web service technology is applied will be developed more and more in the future.

  On the other hand, a pull print technique in which a printer performs printing in cooperation with a storage service on a network has been developed. In pull printing, print data is stored on the storage service, and the client transmits only the URL information of the print data to the printer. The printer that has received the URL of the print data analyzes the URL, connects to the storage service in which the print data is stored, receives the print data, and performs printing.

  The advantage of this pull printing method is that since the client does not need to hold print data, a print instruction can be issued from a terminal having a small storage area such as a PDA. In addition, a technology has been developed that uses this pull printing method to perform pull printing periodically by designating a time by specifying a time or a single printing instruction.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an image forming apparatus that has a reservation unit that reserves execution of a job and can have a periodic patrol mode in which pull printing is performed at regular time intervals. By having such a periodic patrol mode, it becomes possible to automatically print at the timing of the periodic patrol without giving a print instruction each time the print data on the storage service is updated. In addition, printing is performed only when data has been updated from the previously printed data, so that printing of exactly the same data is not repeated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-134125

  However, in the print reservation method using the periodic patrol mode as described above, there is a problem that even if the print data on the storage service is updated, printing is not performed until the next periodic patrol timing. In addition, if the time period of the regular visit is shortened in order to reduce this problem, there is a problem that unnecessary inquiries to the storage service increase.

  The present invention is for solving the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a storage service when an image forming apparatus having a pull print capability receives a notification that print data on the storage service has been updated. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of acquiring print data from the printer and printing.

  The present invention has the following configuration as one means for achieving the above object.

  In an image forming apparatus that receives a print instruction from a client, obtains print data from an external server, and performs printing, a registration unit that performs notification registration with respect to the external server specified by the print instruction, and the external server An image forming apparatus comprising: a notification receiving unit configured to receive a notification; and when receiving the notification from the external server, print data is acquired from the external server and printed.

  According to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus having a pull print capability, an image forming apparatus capable of acquiring print data from the storage service and printing when receiving a notification that the print data on the storage service has been updated. Can be provided.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction example of a printing system to which the present invention can be applied in this embodiment. The image forming apparatus 101 is connected to a network and can communicate with the host computer 102 and the storage service 103. Upon receiving a print instruction from the host computer 102, the image forming apparatus 101 receives a print job from the storage service 103 and performs printing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer will be described as an example. In the printer 200 of FIG. 2, reference numeral 12 denotes a printer CPU (CPU), which comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 15 based on a control program stored in a program ROM of the ROM 13. An image signal as output information is output to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected via the printing unit interface 16.

  Further, a control program executable by the CPU 12 is stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13. Further, the font ROM of the ROM 13 stores font data (including outline font data) used when generating the output information, and the data ROM of the ROM 13 stores information used on the host computer. Is remembered.

  The CPU 12 can communicate with a host computer on the network via the network interface unit 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM, which mainly functions as a main memory and work area of the CPU 12, and is configured such that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown).

  The RAM 19 is used as an output information expansion area, an environment data storage area, and the like. Access to the external storage device 14 such as a hard disk (HD) or IC card is controlled by a disk controller (DKC) 20. The hard disk is connected as an option and stores font data, an emulation program, form data, and the like, and is used as a job storage area for temporarily spooling a print job and controlling the spooled job from the outside.

  Reference numeral 201 denotes an operation panel, which allows the user to input various types of information from software keys. The above-mentioned external storage device is not limited to one, and at least one external storage device is provided. In addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages with different language systems can be connected. It may be configured. A non-volatile memory 24 stores printer mode setting information from the operation panel 201 for each user and each group.

  Although not shown, the printer 200 can be further equipped with various expansion devices such as a finisher for performing a stapling and sorting function and a double-sided device for realizing a double-sided printing function. Those operations are controlled by the CPU 12.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a software program configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The printer control unit 301 is a module that controls the printing unit interface 16 and performs operations such as transmission of image data to the printer engine 17 and control of a paper discharge position.

  In addition to converting the received print data into a printable data format, the job control unit 302 performs various print-related controls such as the number of copies and double-sided printing control, and performs notification registration for the storage service as described later. The network communication driver 307 controls the network interface unit 18 and controls data transmission / reception with the network. The TCP / IP protocol control unit 306 includes a module that controls the TCP / IP protocol, and uses the network driver 307 to perform data transmission / reception control in accordance with the TCP / IP protocol.

  The HTTP server control unit is a module that controls the overall protocol as an HTTP server, analyzes an HTTP request packet received from a client, performs appropriate processing, and transmits data to a higher-level application such as the SOAP control unit 304 or the job control unit 302. In addition, control is performed to return an HTTP response packet to the client in accordance with an instruction from the upper application. The SOAP control unit 304 is a module for controlling the SOAP protocol, analyzes data in the XML format received from the client using the XML parser 303, and calls an appropriate module of the job control unit 302. In addition, control is performed so that data to be returned to the client is converted into XML data and returned to the client via the HTTP server control unit 305.

  The XML parser 303 is a module that inputs XML format data and outputs an analysis result. The data acquisition unit 309 is a module that acquires print data from an external storage service. When a data reception request is received from the job control unit 302, the data acquisition unit 309 calls the SOAP control unit 304 or the HTTP client control unit 308, receives the print data, and receives the job control unit. Return to 302. The HTTP client control unit 308 controls protocol processing as an HTTP client. The notification receiving unit 310 receives a notification message transmitted from the external storage service via the SOAP control unit 304 and requests the data acquisition unit 309 to receive data.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a transmission / reception sequence of commands and data exchanged between the host computer 102, the image forming apparatus 101, and the storage service 103 in this embodiment.

  First, a print request is transmitted from the host computer to the image forming apparatus (S401). FIG. 5 is an example of print request packet data called CreateJob transmitted to the image forming apparatus at that time. This data is described in the XML format. The CreateJob packet is a command for instructing the image forming apparatus to start a job, such as a request source user name (<requesting-user-name> tag), an instruction regarding job processing (<job-instruction> tag), and the like. Is described. The <job-instruction> tag includes a <copy> tag for setting the number of copies to be printed, a <sides> tag for setting double-sided printing, a <finishing> tag for setting print finishing, and the like. The job is processed based on the value set in. The <job-instruction> tag includes a <source-uri> tag and a <source-file-id> tag, and the URL of the storage service in which the print data is stored and the specified storage service, respectively. A file identifier for uniquely identifying print data is set.

  The <repeat> tag has a Boolean value. If it is false, print data is received from the storage service only once, and the process ends. If it is true, a notification is received from the storage service as described later. Each time print data is received and printed. Further, the <job-instruction> tag can optionally include a <notification-instruction> tag. In this <notification-instruction> tag, notification information about the job is described.

  In the example of FIG. 5, a <notification-recipient> tag for setting a notification destination and an <event> tag for setting a notification condition are described as notification information. The image forming apparatus performs event transmission processing based on the values set in these tags.

  Subsequently, the image forming apparatus returns a response to the print request (S402). FIG. 6 is an example of response packet data for the CreateJob packet of FIG. The CreateJob response packet includes information such as a result code (<result-code> tag) for the CreateJob command and an identifier of the generated job (<job-id> tag).

  Next, the image forming apparatus transmits a data reception request to the storage service (S403). FIG. 7 shows an example of data reception request packet data called ReadData that is transmitted to the storage service at that time. The ReadData packet is a command for acquiring the URL of the specified file from the storage service, and includes a request source user name (<requesting-user-name> tag), a file identifier (<file-id> tag), and the like. Information is described.

  The storage service generates a URL for acquiring the file specified by the <file-id> tag from the outside, and returns a response (S404). FIG. 8 is an example of response packet data for the ReadData packet of FIG. The ReadData response packet includes information such as a result code (<result-code> tag) for the ReadData command and a URL (<data-source-uri> tag) generated for file acquisition.

  Thereafter, the image forming apparatus transmits an HTTP / GET command as shown in FIG. 9 to the received file acquisition URL (S405), receives the substance of the print data (S406), and specifies the job specified in the print request packet. Print processing based on the above.

  Next, the image forming apparatus transmits a notification registration request to the storage service (S407). FIG. 10 is an example of notification registration packet data called SubscribeFileNotification sent to the storage service at that time. The SubscribeFileNotification packet is a command for notifying the storage service when an event related to the specified file occurs, and requesting user name (<requesting-user-name> tag) and file identifier (<File-id> tag) and information related to notification (<notification-instruction>) are described. The <notification-instruction> tag includes a <notification-recipient> tag indicating a notification destination, an <event> tag indicating a notification condition, and the like.

  In the example of FIG. 10, the notification destination specifies the image forming apparatus and “file update” is specified as the notification condition. Based on the values set in these tags, the storage service stores the registration information as an internal table as will be described later, and returns a response (S408). FIG. 11 is an example of response packet data for the SubscribeFileNotification packet of FIG. The SubscribeFileNotification response packet includes information such as a result code (<result-code> tag) for the SubscribeFileNotification command and an identifier (<notification-subscription-id> tag) assigned to the registration information.

  When notification registration is performed as described above, an event that a file has been updated in the storage service thereafter is notified to the image forming apparatus (S409).

  FIG. 12 shows an example of notification packet data called Notify transmitted from the storage service to the image forming apparatus. The Notify packet is a command for notifying that an event related to the specified file has occurred, and describes the requesting user name (<requesting-user-name> tag) and event information (<notification> tag). The <notification> tag includes a <trigger-event> tag indicating the type of event that occurred, a <file-id> tag indicating a file identifier, and the like, and the image forming apparatus receives a notification as shown in FIG. 12 from the storage service. Then, the processing of S403 to S406 is repeated again, and the updated file is printed.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the image forming apparatus that has received a print request from the host computer.

  First, when the job control unit 302 in the image forming apparatus receives a print request in step 1301, the print setting described in XML is analyzed and a response is returned in step 1302. Next, in step 1303, a data reception request is transmitted to the data acquisition unit 309 along with the storage service URL (specified by the <source-uri> tag) and the file identifier (specified by the <source-file-id> tag). Upon receiving the data reception request in step 1304, the data acquisition unit 309 transmits a data reception request to the designated storage service in step 1305, and receives data from the storage service in step 1306. In steps 1305 and 1306, packets are exchanged as shown in S403 to S406 in FIG.

  In step 1307, the received data is transmitted to the job control unit 302. In step 1308, when the job control unit 302 receives print data, the job control unit 302 performs setting related to the job from the analysis result in step 1301. In step 1309, the job control unit 302 transmits data to the printer control unit 301, and printing is performed by the printer engine 17. Next, in step 1310, the job control unit 302 determines the value of <repeat> that has been analyzed in step 1301. If the value is false, the process is immediately terminated. If it is true, the storage service is notified and registered in step 1311, and the process is terminated. At the time of notification registration, packets are exchanged as shown in S407 to S408 of FIG.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating processing when receiving a notification registration from the image forming apparatus in the storage service.

  The storage service always waits for reception of notification registration from the outside in step 1401. When the notification registration is received, the content is analyzed in step 1402 and added to the internal table. The internal table is as shown in FIG. 15, and one table is generated for each notification registration. Thereafter, the process returns to the step 1401 for waiting for reception of the notification registration.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing processing when a stored file is changed in the storage service. Changes to the file must be made by the user who created the file or the administrator of the storage service, either by directly editing the file on the storage service or by sending the file edited on the host computer to the storage service and replacing it. Is called.

  When the storage service detects an update of the file in step 1601, in step 1602, the created internal table of FIG. 15 is searched to determine whether there is a notification registered for the updated file. If the notification is not registered as a result of the search in step 1602, the process returns to step 1601. If the notification is registered, a Notify packet is generated in step 1603, transmitted to the registered destination, and then the process returns to step 1601.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating processing when the notification reception unit 310 of the image forming apparatus receives a notification from the storage service.

  In step 1701, the notification receiving unit always waits for a notification packet from the outside. When the notification packet is received, the content is analyzed in step 1702 to acquire the URL of the storage service and the identifier of the updated file. Thereafter, in step 1703, a data reception request is transmitted to the data acquisition unit 309 together with the storage service URL and the file identifier, and the process returns to waiting for the notification packet.

  As described above, the data acquisition unit 309 receives the data from the storage service and transmits the data to the job control unit to perform printing.

  In the above embodiment, the print request transmitted from the host computer to the image forming apparatus includes the URL of the storage service and the file identifier. However, only the URL of the file is specified, and the image forming apparatus directly receives the HTTP / GET. A configuration in which a file is received by a command is also possible.

  In the above embodiment, the notification packet transmitted from the storage service to the image forming apparatus is a SOAP message as shown in FIG. 12, but the notification receiving unit 310 of the image forming apparatus has an e-mail receiving means, The service may be configured to send a notification message to the image forming apparatus by electronic mail. This is effective in an environment where there is a firewall or the like between the storage service and the image forming apparatus, and a SOAP notification packet cannot be transmitted to the image forming apparatus.

1 is a block diagram showing an example of construction of a printing system to which the present invention can be applied. Block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus Block diagram for explaining the software program configuration of the image forming apparatus Sequence diagram for sending and receiving commands and data exchanged between the host computer, image forming device, and storage service The figure which shows the example of the CreateJob packet transmitted to an image forming apparatus from a client The figure which shows the example of the response packet with respect to a CreateJob packet The figure which shows the example of the ReadData packet transmitted to a storage service from an image forming apparatus The figure which shows the example of the response packet with respect to a ReadData packet The figure which shows the example of the HTTP / GET packet for data acquisition The figure which shows the example of the SubscribeFileNotification packet transmitted to a storage service from an image forming apparatus. The figure which shows the example of the response packet with respect to a SubscribeFileNotification packet The figure which shows the example of Notify packet transmitted to an image forming apparatus from a storage service A flowchart for explaining processing of an image forming apparatus that has received a print request from a host computer Flowchart illustrating a process when receiving a notification registration from the image forming apparatus in the storage service The figure which shows the example of the registration table which a storage service hold | maintains Flow chart showing processing when a change is made to a saved file in the storage service A flowchart showing processing when a notification is received from the storage service in the image forming apparatus

Explanation of symbols

101 Image forming apparatus 102 Host computer 103 Storage service

Claims (6)

In an image forming apparatus that receives a print instruction from a client, acquires print data from an external server, and performs printing.
Registration means for performing notification registration with respect to the external server designated by the print instruction;
Notification receiving means for receiving notification from the external server,
When the notification is received from the external server, print data is acquired from the external server and printing is performed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction is described in XML.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction includes an address of an external server that holds print data and an identifier capable of uniquely identifying the print data on the external server.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction includes a URL of print data.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification is described in XML. Having an e-mail receiving means;
The notification registration means registers an email address for the email receiving means to receive an email,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification is performed by electronic mail.