JP2006268338A - Job flow verification method, verification program, and flow control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a job flow verification method, verification program, and flow control unit capable of verifying a series of flows without a complicated structure in a print system for generating printed matter by performing the series of jobs. <P>SOLUTION: In the print system 1 for having processing parts 2 to 6 connected via a network 8 a series of jobs according to a specified job flow to generate printed matter, the flow control unit 7 creates a verification flow in accordance with functions owned by the processing parts 2 to 6 on the basis of the prescribed job flow, creates a series of verification jobs on the basis of the series of jobs, and then has the processing parts 2 to 6 verify the series of verification jobs according to the verification flow. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a job flow verification method, a verification program, and a flow control apparatus applied to a printing system that generates a printed matter by performing a series of jobs such as preprocessing, printing processing, and accounting processing.

  Due to the widespread use of digital print functions such as direct mail, booklet creation, and small-scale publishing in the print market, the target market has also become diverse. A system for efficiently processing by defining delivery, billing, etc. as a workflow is provided (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  On the other hand, in a printer system in which a computer and a printer are connected via a print server, a printer system has been proposed in which sample printing is tried and then entire printing is performed in order to prevent a large amount of wasted printed matter from being generated. (For example, see Patent Document 2.)

  Also, a printer has been proposed that performs a series of fictitious printing operations in a pseudo printing mode under the control of a pseudo printing slave processor so that a failure can be detected without consuming printing paper (for example, (See Patent Document 3).

JP 2004-310746 A JP 2002-347316 A JP 11-191054 A

  However, the system of Patent Document 1 merely discloses a method for effectively processing a plurality of workflows, and the system of Patent Document 2 is intended for image quality adjustment and confirmation for obtaining a print result as a desired result. I'm just doing it. The printer of Patent Document 3 is premised on a pseudo processor, and the configuration is complicated.

  In the future, it will be necessary to verify that the series of flows that make up the entire process will automatically flow correctly due to the complexity of the processes that make up printing. However, conventional systems and printers can handle such verification. It is not.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a job flow verification method, a verification program, and a flow control apparatus that can verify a series of flows without complicating the configuration in a printing system that generates a printed matter by performing a series of jobs. It is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing system that generates a printed matter by causing a plurality of processing units connected by a network to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow. According to the corresponding verification flow, there is provided a job flow verification method including a verification step for causing the plurality of processing units to perform a series of verification jobs corresponding to the functions of the plurality of processing units.

  According to the above-described job flow verification method, a series of flow verification can be realized by making a series of verification jobs according to the functions of a plurality of processing units.

  The processing unit includes what is generally referred to as an apparatus, and also includes an apparatus (for example, a post-processing apparatus) that is connected to another processing unit (for example, a printing apparatus) without being connected to a network.

  A configuration may be provided that includes a creation step of creating a verification flow based on the predetermined job flow and creating a series of verification jobs based on the series of jobs. This reduces the number of verification job formation errors.

  The creation of the verification job is performed by correcting the minimum information necessary for operation verification among the base jobs. For example, the minimum amount of printing required for verification is set, the minimum number of pages required if imposition is necessary, and one volume if binding processing is required. At this time, in order not to be charged, a dummy customer ID is assigned as a verification job attribute value. The result notification is sent to the verification destination instead of the original destination.

  The verification step may include a restoration step for returning the state changed in the verification step to the original state. As a result, the actual flow can be executed immediately after the verification step is completed.

  The plurality of processing units may include a processing unit that does not have a verification function for performing a verification job and returning a changed state to the original state. As a result, various systems can be configured according to the target printed matter, and the degree of freedom in configuration is increased.

  There are processing units that have a verification function and those that do not have a verification function.A processing unit that does not have a verification function does not cause any inconvenience even if verification is performed. There are things that do not cause inconvenience if the job attribute value is changed.

  Therefore, in the verification step, if there is no inconvenience for the processing unit that does not have the verification function, the corresponding verification job may be performed, or the verification may be skipped and not performed. In many cases, the verification may be performed by changing the attribute of the corresponding verification job.

  Examples of the processing unit having a verification mechanism include an apparatus having a dedicated verification function such as a sample printing function, a draft printing function, and a test printing function, and a database or repository having a verification mode or cancellation function.

  The processing unit that does not have a verification function includes a notification processing unit that performs mail service, a fax unit that performs fax (transmission), a general printer, a finisher, a database that stores job information that cannot be canceled, and print data. There are repositories to store.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a verification program for causing a computer to execute the above job flow verification method. According to this verification program, verification of a series of flows is automated.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flow control apparatus that is connected to a network together with a plurality of processing units and that generates a printed matter by causing a plurality of processing units to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow. A flow control apparatus comprising: a control unit that causes a plurality of processing units to perform a series of verification jobs according to functions of the plurality of processing units according to a verification flow corresponding to a predetermined job flow. I will provide a.

  According to the above flow control device, a series of verifications can be realized by making a series of verification jobs according to the functions of a plurality of processing units.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flow control apparatus that is connected to a network together with a plurality of processing units and that generates a printed matter by causing a plurality of processing units to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow. Creating means for creating the verification flow based on a predetermined job flow, and creating the series of verification jobs according to functions of the plurality of processing units based on the series of jobs; and the verification flow And a control unit that causes the plurality of processing units to perform the series of verification jobs according to the above.

  According to the above flow control apparatus, it is possible to realize a series of flow verifications, and it is possible to reduce the time for creating a verification job and reduce the formation error of the verification job.

  According to the present invention, in a printing system that generates a printed matter by performing a series of jobs, the configuration is not complicated, and a series of flows can be verified.

  FIG. 1 shows a printing system to which a job flow verification method according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. The printing system 1 includes a preprocessing execution unit 2, a printing unit 3, a charging processing unit 4, a notification processing unit 5, an archive processing unit 6, and a flow control device 7 for the purpose of obtaining a printed matter as a result of a series of processes. The network 8 is connected.

  The pre-processing execution unit 2 has a function (hereinafter referred to as “verification function”) that returns a changed state by performing a verification job (hereinafter referred to as “verification function”). In normal mode, color adjustment and image synthesis are performed on print data. , Preprocessing such as font expansion, preprocessing such as optimization processing (hereinafter referred to as “processing A”), and in the verification mode, processing A is simplified or partially executed (hereinafter referred to as “processing”). After the verification, the processing B is invalidated and restored to the original print data (hereinafter referred to as “processing C”).

  The printing unit 3 does not have a verification function. In the normal mode, the printing unit 3 performs a process of printing print data on a sheet (hereinafter referred to as “process D”). In the verification mode, the same process as the normal mode is performed. Although it is configured to perform D, it does not have a function of invalidating the process D performed in the verification mode. A post-processing unit that performs post-processing such as sorting may be connected to the printing unit 3.

  In the normal mode, the billing processing unit 4 performs billing processing (hereinafter referred to as “processing E”) according to the number of printed sheets, the amount of data, etc., but does not have a verification function.

  The notification processing unit 5 does not have a verification function. In the normal mode, the notification processing unit 5 performs a process (hereinafter referred to as “process F”) for notifying a print status to the mail address of the person who ordered the printed matter by mail (hereinafter referred to as “process F”). In the mode, the same processing F as in the normal mode is performed, but since the notification cannot be invalidated, the notification destination is replaced with a test notification destination unlike the normal mode.

  The archive processing unit 6 has a verification function. In the normal mode, the archive processing of print data that is no longer necessary after the accounting process (hereinafter referred to as “process G”) is performed. The same process G is performed, and after the verification, a process of deleting archive data obtained by the process G (hereinafter referred to as “process H”) is performed.

  The flow control device 7 creates a verification flow and a verification job (including a verification job attribute value), as well as a preprocessing execution unit 2, a printing unit 3, a charging processing unit 4, a notification processing unit 5, and an archive processing unit. 6 (hereinafter also referred to as “each unit 2 to 6”) is controlled to perform a series of processes.

  The flow control device 7 is configured to be able to perform preprocessing (data processing), print processing, finishing, billing processing, notification processing, print data archiving, and delivery processing (preparation) as verification targets. Then, pre-processing (data processing), printing processing, billing processing, notification processing, and print data archiving are targeted for verification.

(Configuration of flow control device)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the flow control device 7. The flow control apparatus 7 includes an operation mode instruction unit 70, a flow registration unit 71, a flow registration table storage unit 72, a job registration unit 73, a job table storage unit 74, a processing result storage unit 75, a verification function management table storage unit 76, and an execution. The job data generation unit 77 is provided.

  The operation mode instruction unit 70 instructs the execution job data generation unit 77 to select a normal mode or a verification mode selected by a switch (not shown). Here, the switch is not limited to a physical switching device, and includes an operation of selecting a mode on a screen.

  The flow registration table storage unit 72 stores a flow registration table, and the flow registration unit 71 registers one or a plurality of flows defined in the flow registration table.

  The job table storage unit 74 stores a job table, and the job registration unit 73 registers jobs (including job attribute values) in the job table.

  The processing result storage unit 75 is a part for storing the processing result when it is necessary to return the processing result to the flow control device 7 when the processing result of the preprocessing execution unit 2 is transferred to the printing unit 3. If the processing result of the preprocessing execution unit 2 is directly transferred from the preprocessing execution unit 2 to the printing unit 3 or the printing unit 3 can directly acquire the processing result from the preprocessing execution unit 2, the processing result storage unit 75 is omitted. It is also possible to adopt the configuration described above.

  The verification function management table storage unit 76 stores a verification function management table for registering management information related to the verification functions of the units constituting the system 1.

  The execution job data generation unit 77 creates a verification flow corresponding to a series of processes based on the job flow, and a verification job (verification job) corresponding to the functions of the units 2 to 6 based on the series of jobs. (Including attribute values), and in accordance with the verification flow, the verification job (including job attribute values) is passed to each unit 2 to 6 and the verification process, and the restoration process for restoring the state changed by the verification to the original state It is what you want to do.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the verification function management table. This is an example in which entries are registered in the table for five of the seven processes of pre-processing (data processing), printing processing, finishing, print data archiving, billing processing, notification processing, and delivery processing (preparation). In the figure, N / A means that there is no content to be registered. Further, it is assumed that the processes A to H represent different processes.

  In the verification function management table 9, the contents are registered corresponding to the items of “process”, “verification function”, “normal process”, “verification process”, “verification job attribute”, and “post-verification process”. Has been.

In the column of “Verification function”, information indicating whether or not the verification function is provided is registered. “Yes” indicates that the verification function is provided, and “No” indicates that the verification function is provided. The case where it does not have is shown. The contents of the process executed in the normal mode are registered in the “normal process” item column, and the contents of the process executed in the verification mode are registered in the “verification process” item. In the column of “Verification job attribute”, job attribute values to be replaced in the verification mode are registered.
The post-verification process to be performed after executing the verification process is registered in the column of the “post-verification process” item.

  When the verification process does not exist (N / A), it means that when the verification process is performed, the process cannot be returned to the original state and is skipped in the verification mode.

  In addition, when a level is provided in the verification process, it can be expanded by preparing a row corresponding to the level. For example, it is possible to selectively make some operations the same as the actual processing.

(System operation)
Next, the operation of the system 1 will be described by dividing it into verification information creation, verification processing, post-verification processing, and normal processing.

(1) Creation of Verification Information Creation of verification information will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C show the flow, job, and job attribute values in the normal mode, respectively. FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C show the verification mode in the verification mode, respectively. A verification flow, a verification job, and a verification job attribute value are shown as information. Note that the verification flow and the verification job include a flow and a job for restoring the changed state after verification.

  When the system administrator operates a switch (not shown) to select a verification mode, the operation mode instruction unit 70 of the flow control device 7 detects that the verification mode is selected by a switch (not shown) and executes the detection signal. To the job data generation unit 77. The execution job data generation unit 77 that has received the detection signal performs the verification function management shown in FIG. 3 based on the flow 10a shown in FIG. 4A registered in the flow registration table in the flow registration table storage unit 72. The verification flow 11a shown in FIG. 5A is created with reference to the table 9. Further, the execution job data generation unit 77 uses the verification function management table based on the job 10b and the job attribute value 10c shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C registered in the job table in the job table storage unit 74. 9, the verification job 11b and the verification job attribute value 11c shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C are created.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the verification flow 11a is created so as to execute processes B and D, skip log writing, and processes F, G, C, and H. A temporary value (verification job attribute value) is set as the notification destination when the process F is executed. In accordance with the verification flow, the verification job is transferred to each unit 2-6. During the verification operation, a value obtained by partially rewriting the job attribute value is passed to a specific process.

(2) Verification process The preprocess execution unit 2 creates a print image from process B different from the normal process, for example, from an external database, and executes preprocess only on a small part of a certain customer group a. The customer group a is recorded, the printing unit 3 performs the same processing D as the normal processing, the charging processing unit 4 does not perform the verification processing, and the notification processing unit 5 is the same as the normal processing. The processing (however, the notification destination is the test notification destination) F is performed, and the archive processing unit 6 performs the same processing G as the normal processing, that is, archives the print data used for printing. In this way, the verification process ends. When the verification job is passed to the preprocessing execution unit 2, the processing result is transferred from the preprocessing execution unit 2 to the flow control device 7, and the processing result is temporarily stored in the processing result storage unit 75 and then verified. The data is transferred to the printing unit 3 together with the job.

(3) Post-verification processing The pre-processing execution unit 2 deletes the processing C for invalidating the processing B, for example, the customer group creation record recorded in the processing B, and the printing unit 3, the charging processing unit 4 and the notification processing. The unit 5 does not perform post-verification processing, and the archive processing unit 6 performs processing H that invalidates the processing G, that is, deletes archive data. In this way, the post-verification process ends.

(4) Normal processing When the system administrator determines that there is no problem in the system 1 by the verification processing and the post-verification processing, the normal mode is selected by operating a switch (not shown), and an operation mode instruction of the flow control device 7 is given. The unit 70 detects that the normal mode is selected by a switch (not shown), and transmits a detection signal to the execution job data generation unit 77. The execution job data generation unit 77 that has received the detection signal follows the job in the job table storage unit 74 in accordance with the flow 10 a shown in FIG. 4A registered in the flow registration table in the flow registration table storage unit 72. The jobs 10b and job attribute values 10c shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C registered in the table are transferred to the preprocessing execution unit 2, the printing unit 3, the charging processing unit 4, the notification processing unit 5, and the archive processing unit 6. To pass a series of processing.

  The preprocessing execution unit 2 performs processing A, for example, information for each specific customer group from an external database as preprocessing, performs print image generation processing, and stores image generation completion in the external database. The printing unit 3 performs processing D as printing processing, the charging processing unit 4 performs processing E as charging processing, the notification processing unit 5 performs processing F as mail notification, and the archive processing unit 6 performs processing G as data archiving processing. I do. Thereby, the target printed matter is generated.

(Effects of the first embodiment)
According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(A) Since a common verification job is used in the entire flow, creation of verification information is simplified.
(B) By creating a copy of the verification flow from the actual flow, it is not necessary to prepare the verification flow individually. In addition, design errors in the verification flow itself can be prevented. When the original flow is modified, it is not necessary to be aware of the consistency of the verification flow. The flow verification at the time of job execution also creates a verification job from the original job, so that the system administrator does not have to create a verification job.
(C) A system having a verification mechanism can perform verification as close to actual operation as possible by using the function. Even if there is no verification mechanism, flow execution can be verified according to the level.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the verification operation is performed immediately before the job is executed and the system administrator switches to the normal mode when there is no problem. Switching may be performed, or switching may be performed according to user designation.
As a result, the flow can be verified at a level according to the purpose of the user. For example, the flow can be verified from the level at which the actual data processing result is desired to the level at which the flow moves for the time being.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the second embodiment, job information for verification is created for each process in the flow.

  The flow control device 7 creates a first verification job and a first verification job attribute value for the preprocessing execution unit 2, the printing unit 3, the billing processing unit 4, and the archive processing unit 6, and the job and job The attribute value is passed to the preprocessing execution unit 2, the printing unit 3, the charging processing unit 4, and the archive processing unit 6. Subsequently, the flow control device 7 creates a second verification job and a second verification job attribute value for the notification processing unit 5, and passes the job and job attribute value to the notification processing unit 5.

  6 (a) and 6 (b) show first and second verification job attribute values 12a and 12b, respectively. Only when the process F for verifying notification is executed, the normal notification destination address (n@xx.yy.jp) is replaced with the test notification destination address (test@xx.yy.jp). The notification processing unit 5 performs processing F at the time of verification, and transmits an email to the test notification destination address (test@xx.yy.jp).

  According to the second embodiment, since specific attributes are dynamically rewritten and passed by processing, the operation is complicated as compared to the first embodiment, but verification closer to actuality is performed. Can do.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a printing system to which a job flow verification method according to a first embodiment of the invention is applied. It is a block diagram of a flow control apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a verification function management table. (A), (b), (c) is a figure which shows the flow in the normal mode, a job, and a job attribute value, respectively. (A), (b), (c) is a diagram showing a verification flow, a verification job, and a verification job attribute value in the verification mode, respectively. (A), (b) is a figure which shows the job attribute value for a verification which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing system 2 Preprocessing execution part 3 Printing part 4 Charge processing part 5 Notification processing part 6 Archive processing part 7 Flow control apparatus 8 Network 9 Verification function management table 10a Job flow 10b Job 10c Job attribute value 11a Verification job flow 11b Verification Job 11c for verification job attribute value 12a first job attribute value for verification 12b second job attribute value for verification 70 operation mode instruction unit 71 flow registration unit 72 flow registration table storage unit 73 job registration unit 74 job table storage unit 75 Processing result storage unit 76 Verification function management table storage unit 77 Execution job data generation unit

Claims (10)

In a printing system for generating a printed matter by causing a plurality of processing units connected by a network to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow,
A job flow verification comprising: a verification step for causing the plurality of processing units to perform a series of verification jobs according to the functions of the plurality of processing units in accordance with a verification flow corresponding to the predetermined job flow. Method.   The job flow verification according to claim 1, further comprising a creation step of creating the verification flow based on the predetermined job flow and creating the series of verification jobs based on the series of jobs. Method.   The job flow verification method according to claim 1, wherein the verification step includes a restoration step of returning the state changed in the verification step to the original state.   2. The job flow verification method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of processing units include a processing unit that does not have a verification function for performing a verification job and returning a changed state to an original state.   5. The job flow verification method according to claim 4, wherein the verification step causes the processing unit not having the verification function to perform the corresponding verification job when no inconvenience occurs. .   The job flow verification method according to claim 4, wherein the verification step skips verification for a processing unit that does not have the verification function.   The job flow verification according to claim 1, wherein the verification step causes a processing unit that does not have the verification function to perform verification by changing an attribute of the corresponding verification job. Method.   A verification program for causing a computer to execute the job flow verification method according to claim 1. In a flow control apparatus that is connected to a network together with a plurality of processing units and causes a plurality of processing units to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow to generate a printed matter.
Flow control comprising: control means for causing the plurality of processing units to perform a series of verification jobs corresponding to the functions of the plurality of processing units in accordance with a verification flow corresponding to the predetermined job flow apparatus. In a flow control apparatus that is connected to a network together with a plurality of processing units and causes a plurality of processing units to perform a series of jobs according to a predetermined job flow to generate a printed matter.
Creating means for creating the verification flow based on the predetermined job flow, and creating the series of verification jobs according to functions of the plurality of processing units based on the series of jobs;
And a control unit that causes the plurality of processing units to perform the series of verification jobs according to the verification flow.