JP2007001044A - Printer and method for processing job interruption - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer arranged such that interruption processing of a job can be carried out efficiently while taking account of the job interrupted, and to provide a method for processing job interruption. <P>SOLUTION: A print control section 202 compares the sheet conveyance time after sheet conveyance of a job interrupted is performed at an output section 209 until print processing is completed with the decomposition time until decomposition processing of the first page of a copy job for which interruption is requested is completed at an image processing section 205. When the sheet conveyance time is longer than the decompose time, print processing of the remaining pages of the job interrupted is performed continuously. When the sheet conveyance time is shorter than or equal to the decompose time, print processing of the job interrupted is stopped temporarily and print processing of the interrupting job, i. e. the copy job, is performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus through a communication line, and that receives image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language as a copy job, and in particular, a copy job from the image reading apparatus. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a job interrupt processing method capable of efficiently interrupting in consideration of the interrupted job processing state.

  Generally, a printer forms a queue in a queue when a plurality of print jobs are requested to be printed at the same time, or when another print job is requested while a print job that has been previously requested for printing is being printed. The data is stored in order and printed out sequentially. At this time, it is possible to change the print order by performing an interrupt process for interrupting a print job requested to be printed later in the print job forming the queue.

  In this interrupt processing, it is possible to interrupt a print job that is in a print waiting state, and it is also possible to stop and interrupt a print job that is currently in a print state.

  For example, in the former case, since the print job in the print state is not stopped, the interrupt process can be performed only by controlling the order of the print jobs. On the other hand, in the latter case, it is necessary to stop the print job that is currently in a print state, and to switch the job to be printed to an interrupt job.

  Usually, in this case, the print job is interrupted in units of pages, and processing for switching the target of the print processing to the print job to be interrupted is performed. Then, printing is resumed from the page following the print job that has been interrupted when printing of the interrupted print job is completed.

  As a result, the interrupt unit can be performed in units of pages, not in units of print jobs, so finer interrupt processing is realized.

  However, even if finer interrupt processing is realized in units of pages, the time required to complete the interrupted print job (hereinafter referred to as “interrupted job”) is shorter than the time required for interrupt processing In some cases, it may be more efficient to print the interrupt job after printing the interrupted job.

  To improve user operability during printing in the printer mode when switching from the printer mode to the copy mode in a printing apparatus having a printer mode and a copy mode that can connect the image input apparatus and the information processing apparatus. As the related art, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1.

In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, inter-page interrupt printing is performed in which interrupt printing is performed after completion of a page being printed, or interrupt printing is performed between printer jobs in which interrupt printing is performed after completion of printing of a printer job being printed. It is also possible to set an interrupt level for determining whether to do so.
JP2002-234233

  However, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, an interrupt print threshold for determining an interrupt is set in advance, and the threshold and the status of the printer job being printed, that is, the progress of printing, the number of remaining pages, or remaining data Although it is configured to determine the interrupt by comparing the amount, efficient processing by interrupt processing is not considered because the processing performance of the device (printing device) that performs these processes and the time required for comparison are not considered There is a problem that output cannot be performed.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printing apparatus and a job interrupt processing method capable of performing efficient job interrupt processing in consideration of a job to be interrupted.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a printing apparatus connected to an image reading apparatus through a communication line and receiving image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language as a copy job. Interrupt detection means for detecting an interrupt request of the copy job, decomposing processing time calculating means for calculating a time required for decomposing the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detecting means, and interrupting by the copy job A paper transport time calculating means for calculating the time required for paper transport per page of the interrupted job, and a decomposing process time calculated by the decomposing process time calculating means for the paper transport calculated by the paper transport time calculating means. If it is longer than the time, the interrupt detection means Characterized by comprising the interrupt control means for executing the interrupt job without performing an interruption process of the copy job has been detected.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the interrupt control unit is configured to perform the paper transporting time calculated by the paper transporting time calculating unit, which is calculated by the paper transporting time calculating unit. If it is shorter than the time taken for the interrupted job, the interrupted job is stopped, and the copy job is interrupted before the interrupted job that has been stopped.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the interrupt control unit includes a determination unit that determines a break of an interrupted job that is in a print output state at the time of the interrupt request detected by the interrupt detection unit. And the copy job is interrupted at the break of the interrupted job determined by the determining means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job interrupt processing method in a printing apparatus which is connected to an image reading apparatus through a communication line and which describes image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language and accepts it as a copy job. The interrupt detection means detects the copy job interrupt request, and the decomposing processing time calculation means calculates the time required to decompose the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detection means, and interrupts the copy job. The paper transport time calculating unit calculates the time required to transport the paper per page of the interrupted job, and the decomposing processing time calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating unit is related to the paper transport calculated by the paper transport time calculating unit. If it takes more time than Characterized by comprising performing an interrupt control for printing out the interrupt job without performing write processing.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a job interrupt processing method in a printing apparatus which is connected to an image reading apparatus through a communication line and which describes image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language and accepts it as a copy job. The interrupt detection means detects the copy job interrupt request, and the decomposing processing time calculation means calculates the time required to decompose the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detection means, and interrupts the copy job. The paper transport time calculating unit calculates the time required to transport the paper per page of the interrupted job, and the decomposing processing time calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating unit is related to the paper transport calculated by the paper transport time calculating unit. If it is shorter than the time, the interrupted job It is stopped by the stop means, characterized in that to interrupt the interrupt job before the interrupt job has been stopped by the stopping means.

  According to the present invention, when the time required for paper conveyance of the interrupted job is shorter than the time required for printing one page of the interrupted job, the interrupted job is printed after the interrupted job is printed. With the configuration, there is an effect that it is possible to perform efficient print output.

  In addition, since interrupt processing is performed in consideration of the boundary of the print job in the print processing state when an interrupt request occurs, interrupt printing can be performed without interfering with the interrupt job print result. It becomes possible, and there is an effect that handling of printed matter becomes easy.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing apparatus and a job interruption processing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  A description will be given using a scanner as an example of the image reading apparatus in the present invention and a printer as an example of the printing apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image forming system configured by applying a printing apparatus and a job interrupt processing method according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a scanner 100 and a printer 200 are connected via a communication line in this image forming system, and copy processing (hereinafter referred to as “copy processing”) in which image data read by the scanner 100 is printed out by the printer 200. Is realized). A job that is processed by the printer 200 when a copy request is made from the scanner 100 to realize this copy process is called a “copy job”.

  The communication lines at this time include local lines such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) cables and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1284 cables in addition to LAN (Local Area Network) cables and telephone lines. Further, it can be connected by a plurality of lines at the same time.

  The printer 200 not only realizes communication with the scanner 100 but also realizes communication with a client computer (not shown) at the same time.

  For example, during a print output process of a print job requested to be printed from a client computer, a copy request can be received from the scanner 100 and the copy job can be processed together with the print job.

  In addition, a copy job interruption request can be issued from the scanner 100 to the printer 200. The copy job requested to be interrupted has the highest priority with respect to other jobs printed by the printer 200, and the printing process is performed first.

  The scanner 100 at this time includes a reading unit 101, an image processing unit 102, a storage unit 103, a display unit 104, an input unit 105, and a scanner interface 106.

  The reading unit 101 includes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like, creates image data that is image data obtained by optically reading an image of the entire document, and transfers the image data to the image processing unit 11. To do.

  The image processing unit 102 temporarily stores the image data transferred by the reading unit 101 in the storage unit 103 and performs processing such as color conversion processing, screen processing for converting resolution and gradation, and the processed image data. Is processed in PDL (Page Description Language).

Then, by transferring the image processed image data to the scanner interface 106, a copy request is made from the scanner to the printer.

  The storage unit 103 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores programs and various parameters for realizing each function of the scanner. In addition, it has a temporary area for temporarily storing image data read by the reading unit 101.

  The display unit 104 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and the input unit 105 is a user interface configured by buttons, a cross key, or the like. When a button provided on the input unit 105 is pressed, a screen on which an instruction to start reading a document can be displayed on the display unit 104.

  The scanner interface 106 is an interface that realizes communication with the printer 200, and simultaneously realizes network connection using a LAN cable in addition to connection via a local line such as a USB cable or an IEEE 1284 cable. When transferring the image data read by the reading unit 101 to the printer 200, a copy request is transferred.

  The printer 200 includes a printer interface 201, a print control unit 202, a decompression processing unit 203, an output control unit 204, an image processing unit 205, a storage unit 206, a display unit 207, an input unit 208, and an output unit 209. Is done.

  The printer interface 201 realizes connection with the scanner 100 or a client computer (not shown), and simultaneously realizes communication using a plurality of communication interfaces. For example, it is possible to receive a copy request from the scanner 100 connected via a USB cable and accept each print request from a client computer connected via a LAN cable.

  Further, an interrupt request from the scanner 100 is received and notified to the print control unit 202.

  The print control unit 202 includes a decompression processing control unit 203 and an output control unit 204, and controls print requests and copy requests received by the printer interface 201. These requests are subjected to a decomposing process by the decomposing process control unit 203 and then subjected to a printing process by the output control unit 204. A series of processes of the decomposing process and the printing process at this time is called “printing process”.

  The image data requested to be printed from the client computer is stored in the image data storage area of the storage unit 206, and a print job for the image data is created. The created print jobs are sequentially stored in a queue of the storage unit 206.

  The image data requested to be copied from the scanner is also stored in the image data storage area of the storage unit 206, and a copy job for the image data is created. The created copy jobs are sequentially stored in a queue of the storage unit 206.

  Further, the print control unit 202 performs an interrupt process in response to an interrupt request from the scanner 100. The copy job corresponding to the copy request requested to be interrupted is made higher than the priority of other jobs. The copy job having the highest priority is placed at the head of the queue of the storage unit 206 and is interrupted.

  The processing procedure of the interrupt processing at this time and its job scheduling are shown in FIGS. Further, the flow of interrupt processing is shown in FIGS.

  In the interrupt processing at this time, the image processing unit 205 completes the decomposing process for the first page of the copy job for which the output unit 209 transports the interrupted job until the printing process is completed and the printing process is completed. Compare the decomposing time to the time.

  As a result of the comparison, if the paper conveyance time is longer than the decompression time, the remaining pages of the interrupted job are continuously printed.

  On the other hand, if the paper transport time is shorter than or equal to the decompose time, the interrupted job printing process is temporarily stopped, and the copy job printing process, which is an interrupt job, is started.

  The sheet conveyance time is obtained from the output control unit 204, and the decomposing process time is obtained from the decomposing process control unit 203 for comparison.

  The decomposing process control unit 203 requests the image processing unit 205 to perform the decomposing process in response to an instruction from the print control unit 202, and accepts the end of the decomposing process from the image processing unit 205. Upon completion of the decompression process, a print process request is made to the output control unit 204.

  In addition, the image processing unit 205 calculates a decomposing process time required for decomposing the first page of the job. Normally, the decomposing process time of a print job requested by a client computer is shorter than the decomposing process time of a copy job requested by a scanner.

  The output control unit 204 manages the output unit 209 and grasps the state of print processing by the output unit 209. At this time, the status of the printing process can be grasped for each page of the job, and the stop and restart of the sheet conveyance are controlled for each page. In the print process of the copy job requested to be interrupted, the print process is performed based on an instruction from the print control unit 202.

  For example, if the print control unit 202 determines that the time required for the decomposing process of the first page of the copy job requested to be interrupted is shorter than or equal to the print processing time of the interrupted job, the page in the print process state After the print processing, the interrupt job print processing is prioritized.

  The output control unit 204 grasps the time required for the printing process per page for each setting of the printing process. For example, the printing time when monochrome printing is performed on one side of A4 size paper, the printing time when full color printing is performed on both sides of A4 size paper, and the like are grasped.

  The image processing unit 205, also called a decomposer, converts the data described in the PDL requested to be copied from the scanner 100 into a format that can be output by the output unit 209 based on the request for the decomposition process from the decomposition processing control unit 203. To do. The converted data is stored in the image data storage area of the storage unit 206 by the print control unit 206. This series of processing is called decomposition processing.

  The storage unit 206 includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and includes an image data storage area for storing image data and a queue for storing a print job or a copy job by a FIFO (First-In First-Out) method. Stores programs and parameters for realizing various printer functions.

  The image data storage area has a temporary area for temporarily storing image data, and is an area that is temporarily stored when performing conversion processing or the like.

  When the print control unit 202 accepts an interrupt request, the copy job requested to be interrupted is arranged at the head of the other jobs stored in the queue.

  A display unit 207 and an input unit 208 are user interfaces installed in the printer 200, and are used when instructing the printer 200 such as various settings for the printer 200 and acquiring information from the printer 200.

  The output unit 209 performs print processing of image data requested to be output in accordance with an instruction from the output control unit 204 of the print control unit 202. In the printing process, printing is performed by conveying a printing sheet on a sheet conveyance roll (not shown) according to the image data requested to be output.

  Further, in the printing process of the output unit 209, when the preceding sheet reaches the vicinity of the exit of the sheet conveying roll, the conveyance of the next sheet can be started.

  As a result, an optimum interrupt process can be performed in consideration of the time required for the decomposing process and the time required for paper conveyance in response to an interrupt request from the scanner 100.

  FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing job scheduling for interrupt processing in the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a sequence showing job scheduling related to print output of a copy job in response to a copy job interrupt request from a scanner during print output of a print job requested by a client computer (3 pages per job). The figure is shown.

  Each page constituting the print job and the copy job is printed by performing two processes: a decomposing process for expanding the page by the decomposer and a printing process for printing the page expanded by the decomposing process by the output unit. Is called.

  Decomposition processing is performed in units of pages. The printing process includes a sheet conveyance process for printing, and the time required for the sheet conveyance is fixed for each printer. The decompression process at this time is illustrated as “DP”, and the printing process is illustrated as “PR”.

  First, FIG. 2A is a sequence diagram showing job scheduling when printing a print job requested by a client computer (a print job of 3 pages per job), and the decomposing process “DP1” for the first page. The printing process “PR1-1” is performed after “−1” is performed.

  Then, in the decomposer (image processing unit 205 shown in FIG. 1), when the decomposition process “DP1-1” for the first page is completed, the decomposition process “DP1-2” for the second page is started. When the decomposing process “DP1-2” for the second page is completed, the printing process “PR1-2” can be started by the output unit 209 shown in FIG. 1, but the printing process “PR1-1” for the first page is possible. Since it is not finished, wait for it to finish. At this time, in the continuous printing process, the next sheet can be transported without waiting for the complete discharge of the preceding sheet, and this state is indicated by the symbol 20.

  In other words, when the leading end of the preceding sheet is placed near the exit of the transport roll that transports the sheet, transport of the next sheet is started.

  Similarly, the decomposing process “DP1-3” for the third page, which is the last page, is started after the decomposing process “DP1-2” for the second page is completed, and the printing process “PR1-3” for the third page is performed. This is performed after the printing process “PR1-2” for the second page is completed.

  Next, FIG. 2B is a sequence diagram showing job scheduling when a copy job interruption request is made from the scanner during the decomposing process “DP1-3” on the third page. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram when processing is performed with the highest priority given to a copy job.

  At the timing when the interrupt request is made, the decomposer performs the decomposing process “DP1-3” for the third page of the print job that is the interrupted job by the decomposer, and the output unit 209 performs the printing process for the first page. Is in a state.

  When the interrupt request is received, the decomposing process “DP1-3” of the interrupted job is finished, then the copy job from the scanner requested to be interrupted is subjected to the decomposing process “DP_A”, and subsequently the printing process “PR_A” is performed. During this time, the processing of the interrupted job is in a state where both the decomposing processing and the printing processing are stopped, and after waiting for the copy job printing processing “PR_A” to end, 2 of the interrupted job that is the continuation of the processing before the interruption. The page printing process “PR1-2” and the page 3 printing process “PR1-3” are performed.

  At this time, if the printing process “PR1-1” for the first page is not completed at the start of the printing process “PR_A” of the copy job requested to be interrupted, the printing process “PR_A” is awaited after completion of the printing process “PR1-1”. "I do.

  FIG. 2C is a sequence diagram showing job scheduling when an interrupt request is issued from the scanner during the decomposing process “DP1-3” on the third page of the interrupted job, as in FIG. 2B. This is a sequence when the interrupted job printing process is continuously performed.

  This means that if the interrupted print job can be printed before the completion of the decomposing process of the copy job requested by the scanner, the printing process is performed.

  After the completion of the decomposing process “DP1-3” on the third page of the print job being processed at the time when the interrupt request is made, by the time when the decomposing process “DP_A” of the copy job from the scanner requested to be interrupted is completed. When it is determined that the interrupted job printing process is finished, the interrupted job is printed. This state is illustrated by symbol 21.

  In this case, after completion of the decomposing process “DP1-3”, when the decomposing process “DP_A” of the copy job that is an interrupt job is completed, the printing process “PR2” of the second page of the interrupted print job is completed. Therefore, the print processing “PR1-2” of the interrupted print job is executed.

  The time required for the decomposing process of the copy job from the scanner is longer than the decomposing time of the print job from the client PC. This is because the time required for the conversion process to raster data and the storage of the converted raster data in the memory is required for the decomposing process of the copy job.

  As a result, interrupt processing can be performed for each page processing (decomposing processing and printing processing), and more efficient interrupt processing can be performed.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing another job scheduling of interrupt processing in the present invention.

  FIG. 3 shows a sequence when two print jobs requested to be printed from the client computer are continuously printed out.

  First, the print job to be printed first is a job composed of all one pages, and the print job to be subsequently printed is a job composed of all two pages. At the time of interrupt processing, it is conscious of breaks in units of jobs, and interrupt processing is performed after completion of printing in units of jobs. 3A is similar to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3B is similar to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

  If an interrupt occurs when the second page of the second print job shown in FIG. 3C is being subjected to the decomposing process “DP2-2”, the scanner waits for the end of the decomposing process of the print job being printed. Decomposing the interrupt job from

  When the interruption occurs at the time when the decomposing process “DP2-2” for the second page of the second print job is being executed and the decomposing process is performed for the last page of the print job, the end of the decomposing process “DP2-2” is completed. At the same time, the decomposing process “DP_A” of the copy job from the scanner which is an interrupt job is performed.

  At this time, the print processing “PR2-1” and the print processing “PR2-2” of the interrupted print job are continuously performed even while the decompose processing “DP_A” of the copy job is being executed. Then, simultaneously with the completion of these printing processes (“PR2-1” and “PR2-2”), the interrupt job printing process “PR_A” is started.

  By performing the interrupt process in consideration of the break of the job during the printing process, the output print results are collected in units of print jobs, so that the printed material can be handled easily.

  It should be noted that a configuration may be adopted in which print output is performed with the job cut line in mind for each decomposing process and printing process. A sequence in this case is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of interrupt processing in the image processing system of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 shows a flow of processing of the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 2C, and is a flowchart when a print job is interrupted in units of pages.

  Processing is started when a copy job interrupt request is issued from the scanner to the printer, and it is determined whether there is a page of a print job that is in the state of print output processing by the printer at the timing of the interrupt request (S401). If the page is not in the state of print output processing in the printer (NO in S401), that is, if the job requested for printing is ready to be printed out, the print output processing of the copy job requested for interruption is performed. (S402). The print output process at this time indicates a series of processes for performing the print process by performing the decompose process as described above.

  On the other hand, if there is a page in the print output processing state on the printer at the timing of the interrupt request (YES in S401), then whether the page in the print output processing state is in the decomposing process. Judgment is made (S403). If it is determined that the decomposing process is not being performed (NO in S403), it is determined that the printing process is being performed, and the decomposing process of the copy job requested to be interrupted is started (S405). When the page of the print job of the interrupted job is not in the decomposing process, the decomposing process of the copy job that is the interrupting job can be started immediately.

  If it is determined that the page of the print job in the print output process is undergoing the decomposing process (YES in S402), the process waits for the end of the decomposing process (S404), and the copy requested for interruption. The job decomposing process is started (S405). At this time, the print output process of the interrupted print job (“interrupted job”) is temporarily stopped.

  Before the completion of the decomposing process for the first page of the started copy job, it is determined whether there is a print job for which the interrupted job print process is to end (S406), and if there is a print job to be ended (YES in S406). Executes print processing of the print job (S407). That is, processes that do not interfere with the printing process (decomposing process and printing process) of the copy job that is an interrupt job are performed in parallel.

  During the decomposing process of the copy job, the printing process at the output unit shown in FIG. 1 is possible, so this printing process is performed by the print job of the interrupted job. However, since it is assumed that it does not interfere with the printing process of the copy job, the printing process of the interrupted job is finished before starting the printing process of the copy job.

  If there is no print job for which the interrupted job print process ends before the decomposing process for the first page of the copy job that has started (NO in S406), or the interrupted job that has undergone the print process is printed. When the process is executed, and further, when the decomposing process is performed in the process of S403, it is determined whether the decomposing process of the interrupted copy job has been completed (S408).

  If not completed (NO in S408), the process waits until the process is completed, and if completed (YES in S408), the print job printing process is started (S409). Waiting for the end of the printing process (S410), the printing process of the interrupted job that has been temporarily stopped is resumed (S411).

  By such processing, interrupt processing corresponding to the end timing of interrupted job printing processing and interrupt job (copy job) decomposing processing can be performed.

  Further, the time required for the entire printing process including the copy job requested to be interrupted is minimized, and an efficient print output is enabled in a short time.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of another example showing the flow of interrupt processing in the image processing system of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 shows a flow of processing of the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 3C, and is a flowchart in the case where an interrupt is performed for each print job.

  Processing is started when a copy job interrupt request is issued from the scanner to the printer, and it is determined whether there is a page in the print output processing state at the timing of the interrupt request (S501). If there is no page in the print output process state (NO in S501), that is, if the print request job is ready to be printed, the print output process of the copy job requested to be interrupted is performed. (S502).

  On the other hand, if there is a page in the print output processing state at the interrupt request timing (YES in S501), then whether the page in the print output processing state is undergoing the decomposing process. Judgment is made (S503). If it is determined that the decomposing process is not in progress (NO in S503), it is determined that the printing process is in progress, and the decomposing process for the page of the copy job requested to be interrupted is started (S509).

  The decomposing process of the copy job performed when it is determined that the decomposing process is not in progress at this time is for the following reason.

  When a queue is formed in the storage unit queue shown in FIG. 1 and a print job is stored, the decomposing process is sequentially performed for each page of the print job, but the decomposing process is in progress. This is because the absence of a print job page indicates that all pages of the print job stored in the queue have been subjected to print output processing, or that the page is waiting for print processing.

  If it is a decomposing process (YES in step S503), it is determined whether the page in the decomposing process is the last page of the print job (S504). If it is determined that the page is not the last page (NO in S504), an interrupt is performed for each print job, and therefore, the interrupt job is performed after the decomposing process for all pages of the print job including the page in the decomposing process is completed. Perform decomposing process for copy job.

  For this reason, first, it is determined whether or not the decomposing process of the page determined not to be the last page is completed (S505), and after the decomposing process is completed, the printing process of the page is started (S506). Then, the decomposing process for the next page is started (S507), and it is determined again whether the page on which the decomposing process is performed is the last page of the print job (S504).

  If it is not determined that the page is the last page (NO in S504), the processes from S505 to S507 are repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the page is the last page (YES in S504), it waits for the decomposing process for the last page (S508), and starts the decomposing process for the copy job requested to be interrupted (S509).

  If there is a print job that has not been subjected to the decomposing process in the interrupted job before the start of the decomposing process for the interrupted copy job, the printing process (decomposing process) related to the print job exists. , Print processing) is temporarily stopped.

  When the copy job decompression process is started, the process waits for the completion of the decompression process (S510). Further, when the decomposing process is completed (YES in S510), it is determined whether or not the final page of the print job which is an interrupted job is completed (S511). If it has not ended (NO in S511), it waits until it ends. When the printing process for the last page is completed (YES in S511), the printing process for the copy job of the interrupt job is performed (S512), and the completion of the printing process for the interrupted copy job is waited (S513).

  When the copy job printing process ends (YES in S513), it is then determined whether there is an interrupted job that has been temporarily stopped for the copy job interrupt process (S514). If it does not exist (NO in S514), the process is terminated. If it exists (S515), the print output process of the interrupted print job is restarted (S515).

  By such processing, an output result for each print job can be obtained and efficient interrupt processing can be performed.

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing job scheduling in consideration of a job break for each of the decomposing process and the printing process.

  FIG. 6 is similar to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

  FIG. 6 shows an interrupt process in consideration of a job break in each of the decomposing process and the printing process at the time when the interrupt request is generated (during execution of the decomposing process “DP2-2”).

  At the time of the interrupt request generated during the execution of the decomposing process “DP2-2”, the decomposing process is in the state of performing the decomposing process “DP2-2” of the last page of the print job. The decomposing process “DP_A” of the copy job requested to be interrupted is started. Also, since the printing process at the time when the interrupt request is generated is in the execution state of the printing process “PR1-1” of the first print job composed of all one page, The printing process “PR_A” of the copy job, which is an interrupt job, is performed before the printing process “PR2-1” of the second print job.

  Then, after the print job printing process “PR_A” is completed, the print job printing process “PR2-1” and the printing process “PR2-2” are performed.

  Even with such processing, it is possible to print out in units of print jobs as shown in the sequence diagram of FIG.

  With the above processing, in the image processing system of the present invention, the decomposing processing and the printing processing of the print output processing can be controlled independently.

  This makes it possible to perform efficient interrupt processing.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within a range not changing the gist thereof.

  The present invention is applicable to a job interrupt function, and is particularly useful for performing efficient print output without printing the interrupt target job when the time required for print output of the interrupt target job is short. It is.

1 is a system configuration diagram of an image forming system configured by applying a printing apparatus and a job interrupt processing method according to the present invention. The sequence diagram which shows the job scheduling of the interruption process in this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows the other job scheduling of the interruption process in this invention. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of interrupt processing in the image processing system of the present invention. The flowchart of the other example which shows the flow of the interruption process in the image processing system of this invention. The sequence diagram which shows the job scheduling which considered the break of a job for every decomposing process and printing process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Scanner 101 Reading part 102 Image processing part 103 Storage part 104 Display part 105 Input part 106 Scanner interface 200 Printer 201 Printer interface 202 Print control part 203 Decompose control part 204 Output control part 205 Image processing part (decomposer)
206 Storage unit 207 Display unit 208 Input unit 209 Output unit

Claims (5)

In a printing apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus via a communication line and that receives image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language and accepts it as a copy job,
An interrupt detection means for detecting an interrupt request of the copy job;
A decomposing process time calculating unit for calculating a time required for decomposing the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detecting unit;
Paper transport time calculating means for calculating the time taken for paper transport per page of the interrupted job interrupted by the copy job;
If the decomposing processing time calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating means is longer than the time required for paper conveyance calculated by the paper conveying time calculating means, the copy job interrupt processing detected by the interrupt detecting means is not performed. A printing apparatus comprising: an interrupt control unit that executes an interrupt job. The interrupt control means includes
If the time required for print development calculated by the print development time calculation means is shorter than the time required for paper conveyance calculated by the paper conveyance time calculation means, the interrupted job is stopped and the interrupted interrupted The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the copy job is interrupted before a job. The interrupt control means includes
Determination means for determining a break of an interrupted job that is in a print output state at the time of an interrupt request detected by the interrupt detection means,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the copy job is interrupted at a break of the interrupted job determined by the determination unit. In a job interrupt processing method in a printing apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus by a communication line, and that reads image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language and receives it as a copy job,
An interrupt detection unit detects an interrupt request for the copy job,
The time required for decomposing the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detecting means is calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating means,
The paper transport time calculation means calculates the time required for paper transport per page of the interrupted job interrupted by the copy job,
An interrupt that prints out an interrupted job without performing an interrupt process when the decomposing process time calculated by the decomposing process time calculating unit requires more time than the time required for the sheet conveying calculated by the sheet conveying time calculating unit A job interrupt processing method comprising: performing control. In a job interrupt processing method in a printing apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus by a communication line, and that reads image data read by the image reading apparatus in a predetermined page description language and receives it as a copy job,
An interrupt detection unit detects an interrupt request for the copy job,
The time required for decomposing the first page of the copy job detected by the interrupt detecting means is calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating means,
The paper transport time calculation means calculates the time required for paper transport per page of the interrupted job interrupted by the copy job,
If the decomposing processing time calculated by the decomposing processing time calculating means is shorter than the time required for paper conveyance calculated by the paper conveying time calculating means, the interrupted job is stopped by the stopping means,
A job interrupt processing method, wherein an interrupt job is interrupted before an interrupted job stopped by the stop means.

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