JP2007237473A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To find out a required job at a glance on the printing apparatus side among jobs stored on which printing is requested. <P>SOLUTION: When displaying a job controlling screen is indicated, a controlling part controls a displaying part so that the kind and the content of the job containing a document number or the like are displayed based on attribute information of a printing job stored in a storing part, and controls the displaying part so that the condition and the progressing situation of each printing job are investigated and the result is displayed. In this instance, a user is specified by user ID and password. When the user can not be specified, the kind, the condition, the content, the progressing detail and the like containing the document number and the like of the job are displayed. When the user can be specified, the kind, the condition, the content, the progressing detail containing the document number and the like of the job are displayed, and a reduced image 38 stored in the storing part corresponding to the printing job is displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly, to a printing apparatus capable of browsing information on a print job that has been requested and stored.

  Some printing apparatuses such as printers and multi-function peripherals include a display unit, an operation panel, and the like, so that information about jobs requested for printing can be browsed. In such a printing apparatus, by operating the operation panel, document names arranged in the output order and the job status are displayed on the display unit, thereby browsing the stored print job information. be able to.

  On the other hand, there has also been proposed a printing system in which a personal computer or the like is connected to a network and displays details of a job for which printing is requested.

For example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the CPU of the host computer acquires management information created for a print job that has been transferred to a printer and spooled, and thumbnail information corresponding to each print job. The management information is analyzed, a list of print jobs spooled in the printer is displayed on the CRT, a desired print job is designated in the list, and thumbnail information of each page based on the designated print job is displayed. The thumbnail information corresponding to the page to be printed is selected from the displayed thumbnail information. With this configuration, the contents of each page of the print job spooled in the printer device can be confirmed as an image, and an intended page can be selected and designated.
JP 2001-282476 A

  However, when browsing the print job information requested and stored, the document name and job status are displayed as character information, and it is difficult to find desired job information at a glance. There's a problem.

  Further, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since thumbnail images are created and stored for all pages of each print job, there is a problem that the processing load is large and a storage device having a large storage capacity is required. There is.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the print job information can be browsed on the computer side that requested printing, but the print job information cannot be browsed on the printing apparatus side.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to enable a printing apparatus to find a desired print job at a glance from among jobs that have been requested and stored. And

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 stores print data included in a print job to be printed and job attribute information of the print data, and a reduced image of a part of the print data is stored in the print data. Storage means for storing corresponding to the print job, display means for displaying the status of the print job stored in the storage means, and instruction means for instructing the display means to display the status of the print job When an instruction to display the status of the print job on the display unit is instructed by the instruction unit, the print job status of each print job is determined based on the job attribute information corresponding to each print job stored in the storage unit. Control means for displaying the status and controlling the display means to display the reduced image stored in the storage means corresponding to each print job. It is characterized in Rukoto.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the print data included in the print job to be printed and the job attribute information of the print data are stored in the storage unit, and a reduced image of a part of the print data is stored in the print job. Correspondingly, it is stored in the storage means.

  Further, the display unit displays the status of the print job stored in the storage unit, and the instruction unit displays the print job status on the display unit.

  In the control unit, when an instruction to display the status of the print job on the display unit is instructed by the instruction unit, the control unit sets the print job status based on the job attribute information corresponding to each print job stored in the storage unit. The display unit is controlled to display the status, and the display unit is controlled to display the reduced image stored in the storage unit corresponding to each print job. That is, when checking the status of each print job by looking at the display means, the user can search for a desired print job by looking at the reduced image. The printing apparatus can find a desired print job at a glance.

  Note that, as in the invention described in claim 2, the present invention further includes an acquisition unit that acquires a print job and a reduced image created in advance corresponding to the print job, and the print job acquired by the acquisition unit. And the reduced image may be stored in the storage means so as to correspond to each other. That is, in the case of a print job or the like, printing is performed by acquiring a reduced image created in advance together with the print job from a personal computer or the like by the acquisition unit, and storing it in the storage unit so that the print job and the reduced image correspond to each other. When displaying the job status on the display means, a reduced image can be displayed.

  The control means controls the display means to display only the status of each print job when there is no reduced image corresponding to the print job in the storage means, as in the third aspect of the invention. You may do it.

  In addition, as in the invention described in claim 4, the present invention further includes a specifying unit that specifies a user based on identification information included in the attribute information, and the control unit prints the user specified by the specifying unit. The display unit may be controlled to display a reduced image only for the job. That is, identification information such as a user ID and a password is included in the attribute information, a specifying unit for specifying the identification information is provided, and a reduced image is displayed only for the user's print job specified by the specifying unit. Since the reduced image is not displayed to other people, confidentiality can be ensured. At this time, the control means controls the display means to display a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image for the print job other than the user specified by the specifying means as in the invention described in claim 5. Alternatively, as in the invention described in claim 6, when the user is not specified by the specifying unit, the display unit is controlled so as to display a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image. May be.

  On the other hand, the control means of the present invention displays a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image when there is no reduced image corresponding to the print job in the storage means as in the invention described in claim 7. You may control to do.

  As the alternative image, for example, as in the invention described in claim 8, an image representing a file type (for example, an image representing word, Excel, text, JPEG, PDF, etc.), an image representing a user type At least one of an image representing a job type (for example, an image representing copy, print, scan, fax transmission, report, etc.) and an image representing a page description language (PDL) type for describing a print image A predetermined image may be applied.

  The control means of the present invention displays reduced images of all jobs when the characteristic means specifies that the user is a predetermined machine administrator, as in the ninth aspect of the invention. The display means may be controlled as described above.

  As described above, according to the present invention, print data included in a print job and job attribute information of the print data are stored, and a reduced image of a part of the print data is stored corresponding to the print job. When an instruction to display the status of the image is instructed, the reduced image stored in correspondence with each print job is displayed along with the status of each print job based on the job attribute information corresponding to each stored print job. By checking the displayed reduced image, it is possible to find a desired print job at a glance on the printing device side from among the jobs that have been requested for printing and stored. effective.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described as a multi-function machine having a plurality of functions such as a printer, a copy, a scanner, and a facsimile. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various printing apparatuses can be applied. Can do.

  A printing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a network management unit 12, a facsimile transmission / reception control unit 14, a scanner unit 16, a display unit 18, an operation panel 20, an image output unit 22, an image processing unit 24, a storage unit 26, The control unit 28 controls the above-described plurality of functions.

  The network management unit 12 is connected to a network 30 such as the Internet or a local network, and communicates with an external device connected to the network 30. For example, the network management unit 12 controls reception of a print request from a client computer (PC) 32 connected to the network 30 or prints from the printing apparatus 10 to the image log server 34 connected to the network 30. For example, transmission control of a reduced image of a part of a print job is performed.

  The facsimile transmission / reception control unit 14 is connected to a public line such as a telephone line network (not shown), and controls transmission / reception of data to / from other facsimile apparatuses.

  The scanner unit 16 reads an original placed on an original placement table (not shown) by photoelectric conversion and generates image data representing an original image.

  The display unit 18 displays various setting screens of the printing apparatus 10 and screens such as a list display of print jobs, and screen selection and the like are operated by the operation panel 20. The display unit 18 may be a touch panel including the operation panel 20.

  The storage unit 26 temporarily stores, as a print job, print data received by the network management unit 12, data received by the facsimile transmission / reception control unit 14, print data such as image data generated by reading a document by the scanner unit 16. Further, when storing the print job in the storage unit 26, the attribute information of the print data is stored together. As the print data attribute information, for example, a user ID, a password, a file name, a file type, a file size, and the like can be applied.

  The image processing unit 24 performs various image processing on the print data handled by the printing apparatus 10. For example, the image processing unit 24 performs image processing such as generating a reduced image obtained by reducing a part (for example, the first page) of the print data. At this time, the generated reduced image is stored in the storage unit 26 in association with the print job.

  The image output unit 22 performs printing by recording an image based on the print data stored in the storage unit 26 on a recording medium such as paper.

  In the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, when a print instruction is issued from the client PC 32, a print request from the client PC 32 connected to the network 30 is sent as a print job via the network management unit 12. Once stored in the storage unit 26. At this time, in addition to the print data to be printed as a print job, attribute information (for example, attribute information such as user ID, password, file name, file type, and file size) included in the header of the print data is also stored in the storage unit 26. Is remembered. Further, in the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when there is a partial reduced image (for example, a reduced image of the first page) of the print data created by the client PC 32 or the like, the reduced image is received at the same time. The image output unit 22 performs printing on a recording medium such as a sheet based on the print data stored in the storage unit 26 corresponding to the print job.

  Further, when a facsimile transmission is made from another facsimile machine or the like to the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the data transmitted by the facsimile transmission / reception control unit 14 is received and stored in the storage unit 26 as a print job. Remembered. If a reduced image of the data transmitted at this time is attached, the reduced image is simultaneously received and stored in the storage unit 26 corresponding to the print job, and the data stored in the storage unit 26 is stored. The image output unit 22 performs printing on a recording medium such as a paper sheet.

  When the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment uses a copy or scanner function, the scanner unit 16 reads an original image to generate image data representing the original image and temporarily stores it as a print job in the storage unit 26. Remembered. At this time, when generating the image data, a reduced image of a part of the print job (for example, the first original) is generated and stored in the storage unit 26 corresponding to the print job. Then, the image output unit 22 performs printing on a recording medium such as paper based on the image data stored in the storage unit 26.

  Here, a job management screen for confirming a print job requested to the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. The job management screen is displayed on the display unit 18 by operating the operation panel 20.

  When display of the job management screen is instructed by the operation panel 20, the control unit 28 displays the job type including the document number and the content of the job based on the attribute information of the print job stored in the storage unit 26. In addition to controlling the display unit 18, the display unit 18 is controlled so that the status and progress of each print job are investigated and the result is displayed. That is, the status of each print job is displayed on the display unit 18 as a print job list.

  In the conventional job management screen, when display of the job management screen is instructed by the operation panel 20, a document number or the like is displayed as a list of print jobs stored in the storage unit 26, for example, as shown in FIG. The job type, job status, job content, job progress details, and the like are displayed as character strings. In the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. Job type, job status, job contents, and job progress details including character strings, and a reduced image 38 stored in the storage unit 26 corresponding to the print job is displayed. By displaying the reduced image 38, a desired print job can be found at a glance.

  Next, processing performed by the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing when registering a print job in the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 100, it is determined whether the requested print job is a print job or a facsimile job. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 102, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 108.

  In step 102, it is determined whether or not a reduced image corresponding to the print job has been transmitted from the print job request source. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 104. If the determination is negative, step 106 is performed. Migrate to

  In step 104, the print data and attribute information included in the print job are stored in the storage unit 26, and the reduced image received corresponding to the print job is stored in the storage unit 26 corresponding to the print job. Finish registration.

  If the determination in step 102 is negative, that is, if there is no reduced image corresponding to the print job, the process proceeds to step 106 where print data and attribute information included in the print job are stored in the storage unit 26. Finish registering the print job.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step 100 is negative and the process proceeds to step 108, it is determined whether or not the requested print job is a copy or a scanner job. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 110 and the result is negative. If so, the process proceeds to step 114.

  In step 110, a reduced image is created from a part of the document read by the scanner unit, and the process proceeds to step 112. For example, a reduced image of the image data obtained by reading the document on the first page is created.

  In step 112, image data (print data) and attribute information generated by the scanner unit 16 reading the original image are stored in the storage unit 26, and the reduced image created in step 110 corresponds to the print job. The registration of the print job is completed after being stored in the storage unit 26.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step 108 is negative, that is, if the job is not a copy or scanner job, the process proceeds to step 114 to determine whether the job is a report job. That is, it is determined whether the report is a report of a print job output at a predetermined timing or various reports related to the printing apparatus 10, and if the determination is negative, the process is terminated and other processes are performed. If so, the process proceeds to step 116.

  In step 116, a reduced image of the report is created, and the process proceeds to step 118. The print data and attribute information of the report job are stored in the storage unit 26, and the reduced image created in step 116 corresponding to the report job. Is stored in the storage unit 26 and the registration of the print job is completed.

  Next, in the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, processing when the operation panel 20 is operated to display a job job management screen will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow when the display of the job management screen is instructed in the printing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the display of the job management screen is instructed, first, in step 200, a user ID and password input screen is displayed, and the process proceeds to step 202.

  In step 202, it is determined whether or not a user ID or password has been input on the operation panel 20. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 204 to determine whether or not another operation has been performed on the operation panel 20. Is done. If the determination is affirmative, the display process of the job management screen is terminated and other processes are performed. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 202 to determine whether a user ID or password has been input.

  On the other hand, when the user ID or password is input and the determination in step 202 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 206 to determine whether there is a job for the user. The determination is performed by searching the attribute information stored in the storage unit 26 and determining whether there is a print job corresponding to the user ID or password. If the determination is negative, step 208 is performed. , The list of print jobs is displayed, and the process ends. That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, the attribute information of the print job stored in the storage unit 26 is read, and the print job list is displayed only with the character string as in the conventional case.

  If the determination in step 210 is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 212 where a print job list is displayed and a reduced image corresponding to each print job of the user is registered in the storage unit 26. In this case, a reduced image is displayed and the process ends. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, in addition to the list of conventional print jobs, a reduced image 38 corresponding to the print job is displayed, and the desired print job can be confirmed at a glance on the printing apparatus 10 side. it can. Further, since the reduced image 38 is displayed only for the print job corresponding to the user ID and password, the reduced image 38 is not displayed to other people, and confidentiality can be ensured.

  In the present embodiment, a user is specified by a user ID or a password, and when a reduced image corresponding to the specified user is registered in the storage unit 26, only the corresponding print job is displayed as a reduced image. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if a reduced image is registered when the display of the job management screen is instructed without obtaining a user ID or password, a storage unit corresponding to the print job is stored. All the reduced images stored in 26 may be displayed.

  In the present embodiment, a print job in which a reduced image corresponding to the user specified by the user ID or password is not registered in the storage unit 26, or the case where the user is not specified by the user ID or password is not performed. Although only the character string is displayed, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, for a print job other than the specified user, a substitute image 40 instead of the reduced image 38 is displayed. Alternatively, when the user is not specified, the substitute image 40 may be displayed in addition to the print job list by the character string. For example, as the substitute image 40, an image representing a file type (for example, an image representing copy, print, scan, fax transmission, report, etc.), an image representing a user type, an image representing a job type (for example, copy, print) Scan, fax transmission, report, etc.) and at least one image representing a page description language (PDL) type (eg, an image representing PostScript, ART, HPGL, PCL, etc.) An image can be prepared in advance as an icon image and used as a substitute image.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the reduced image is displayed when the reduced image of the user's print job specified by the user ID and password is specified. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If it is specified from the user ID or password that the machine administrator is determined in advance, all reduced images may be displayed.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when a reduced image is displayed, an example in which the reduced image of the first image is displayed as an example is not limited to this, and the reduced image to be displayed can be selected. It may be configured.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a diagram showing an example of a job management screen displayed only with a character string, and (B) is a diagram showing an example of a job management screen displaying a reduced image corresponding to a print job. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow when registering a print job in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing flow when an instruction to display a job management screen is given in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the job management screen which displayed the image instead of a reduction image.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printing apparatus 18 Display part 20 Operation panel 24 Image processing part 26 Memory | storage part 28 Control part 40 Alternative image

Claims (9)

Storage means for storing print data included in a print job to be printed and job attribute information of the print data, and storing a reduced image of a part of the print data in association with the print job;
Display means for displaying the status of the print job stored in the storage means;
Instruction means for instructing the display means to display the status of the print job;
When an instruction to display the status of the print job on the display unit is instructed by the instruction unit, the status of each print job based on the job attribute information corresponding to each print job stored in the storage unit Control means for controlling the display means so as to display the reduced image stored in the storage means corresponding to each print job;
Printing device with   The storage unit further includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire the print job and the reduced image created in advance corresponding to the print job, and the storage unit stores the print job acquired by the acquisition unit and the reduced image corresponding to each other. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus stores the information.   The control unit controls the display unit to display only the status of each print job when the reduced image corresponding to the print job does not exist in the storage unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 2.   The display unit further includes specifying means for specifying a user based on identification information included in the attribute information, and the control means displays the reduced image only for the print job of the user specified by the specifying means. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the printing unit is controlled.   The control means controls the display means to display a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image for the print job other than the user specified by the specifying means. 5. The printing apparatus according to 4.   The control means controls the display means so as to display a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image when a user is not specified by the specifying means. The printing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5.   The control means controls to display a predetermined substitute image instead of the reduced image when the reduced image corresponding to the print job does not exist in the storage means. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.   The substitute image includes at least one predetermined image of an image representing a file type, an image representing a user type, an image representing a job type, and an image representing a language type for describing a print image. The printing apparatus according to claim 5.   The control means controls the display means to display reduced images of all jobs when the characteristic means specifies that the user is a predetermined machine administrator. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

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