JP2007241530A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve the load distribution of print processing in a plurality of printers. <P>SOLUTION: The next job is prepared, and transmitted from a center controller 10 to a local controller 20 according to the circumstances of print processing in printers 30a to 30e installed in local areas 2-1 and 2-2 and the progress circumstances of the job transmitted from the center controller 10 to the local controller 20 for performing printing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system that controls a printing process in a printer provided in each of a plurality of local areas.

  In recent years, processing called so-called on-demand printing has become possible as the performance of printing systems has improved. On-demand printing is to create print data for each order and provide printed matter. Using this on-demand printing, it is becoming possible to create and distribute printed materials having the same or different contents to a plurality of customers.

  By the way, as printers that perform on-demand printing as described above, offline printers that can operate independently may be used. In such offline printers, the operation status is different for each offline printer. Since it is only managed, the operation status of a plurality of offline printers cannot be centrally managed.

In view of this, an offline printer monitoring apparatus that monitors the operating status of a plurality of offline printers in a server connected to a plurality of printers via a network has been considered (see Patent Document 1). If such an offline printer monitoring apparatus is used, even if a plurality of offline printers are installed in a remote place, it becomes possible to centrally manage the operation status of each.
JP 2004-295305 A

  However, in the offline printer monitoring apparatus as described above, only the operation status of a plurality of offline printers is monitored, and job information for printing with the offline printers is managed by each offline printer. When the load of printing processing is uneven among a plurality of offline printers, there is a problem in that jobs are distributed manually, which takes time.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printing system capable of distributing the load of printing processing in a plurality of printers.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
At least one printer and a local control unit connected to the printer, acquiring the status of printing processing in the printer, and transmitting a job for printing to the printer according to the status are provided. A printing system for controlling printing processing in a plurality of local areas,
Job creation means for creating a job according to the printer;
Center control means connected to the local control means in each of the plurality of local areas and transmitting the job created by the job creation means to the local control means connected to a printer corresponding to the job. And
The local control means transmits the status of print processing in the printer acquired from the printer connected to the local control means, and the progress status of the job transmitted from the center control means to the center control means,
The center control unit manages the status of print processing in the printer and the job progress status transmitted from the local control unit,
The job creation means creates a job according to the status of print processing in the printer and the progress status of the job managed by the center control means.

  In the present invention configured as described above, in each of the plurality of local areas, the print processing status in the printer is acquired by the local control means, and the print processing status in the printer is transmitted to the center control means. Being managed. In the local area, the job transmitted from the center control unit is transmitted from the local control unit to the printer corresponding to the job, so that the print processing by the job is performed. It is transmitted from the means to the center control means and managed. In the job creation means, when a job for printing on the printer occurs, a job is created according to the print processing status in the printer and the job progress status, which is managed by the center control means. Is sent to the local control means connected to the printer. Thereafter, in the local control means, the job transmitted from the center control means is transmitted to the printer in accordance with the type of the job and the status of the print processing in the printer, and the printer performs the print processing according to the job. Will be done.

  In this way, the next job is created according to the status of the printing process in the printers provided in the plurality of local areas and the progress status of the job transmitted from the center control means to the local control means for printing. Since the data is transmitted from the center control means to the local control means, the print processing load is not biased in printers provided in a plurality of local areas.

  Further, in the local control unit, when there is a vacancy in the printing process of the connected printer, it may be possible to request the center control unit to send a job. In this case, the job creation unit vacates the printing process. A job corresponding to the printer in which the occurrence has occurred is created, and the job is transmitted to the local control means that is requested to transmit the job.

  In addition, when a job is created using resource information on the local area, the resource information may be transmitted to the center control means and registered in the database.

  As described above, in the present invention, according to the status of print processing in printers provided in a plurality of local areas, and the progress status of a job transmitted from the center control means to the local control means for performing printing, Since the next job is created and transmitted from the center control means to the local control means, and printing processing is performed by the printer provided in the local area, the printing processing in the printers provided in the plurality of local areas is performed. Load distribution can be achieved.

  In addition, in the local control unit, when there is a vacancy in the printing process of the connected printer, the center control unit is requested to send a job. In a configuration in which a job is created and the job is transmitted to the local control unit that is requested to transmit the job, it is possible to further effectively use printer resources provided in a plurality of local areas.

  In addition, the information processing apparatus includes a database in which resource information used for printing in the printer is registered. In the local control unit, the resource information used for printing by a job created in the local area is transmitted to the center control unit. In the configuration in which the resource information transmitted from the local control unit is registered in the database, even if a job is created using the resource information in the local area, the resource information is stored in the database. Register and manage all at once.

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

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

  As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment is provided in each of the center area 10, the resource database 16 and the job creation device 17, which are center control means provided in the center system 1, and the local areas 2-1 and 2-2. The local controller 20 and the printers 30a to 30e are local control means. In this embodiment, two local areas 2-1 and 2-2 are provided, two printers 30a and 30b are provided in the local area 2-1, and three printers 30c are provided in the local area 2-2. ˜30e are provided, but the number is not limited to this. The center controller 10 and the local controller 20 are connected to each other, and perform transmission / reception of the status of printing processing in the printers 30a to 30e, transmission and reception of jobs for printing by the printers 30a to 30e, and progress of the jobs. . In addition, the printers 30a to 30e are different in type from the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d and the printers 30b and 30e, and perform printing by executing a job corresponding to the type. In other words, jobs created for the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d cannot be executed by the printers 30b and 30e, and jobs created for the printers 30b and 30e can be executed by the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d. Can not.

  A job creation device 17 provided in the center system 1 is operated by a job creation engine, and creates jobs for printing on the printers 30a to 30e according to the types of the printers 30a to 30e. is there.

  The center controller 10 sends the job created by the job creation device 17 to the job type, the status of print processing in the printers 30 a to 30 e transmitted from the local controller 20, and the center controller 10 to the local controller 20. This is transmitted to the local controller 20 according to the progress status of the transmitted job, and includes a database management unit 11, a job management unit 12, a job distribution unit 13, a printer status management unit 14, and a job. The transmitter 15 is configured.

  The database management unit 11 manages the resource database 16 in which resource information used for printing in the printers 30a to 30e is registered, and gives the resource information registered in the resource database 16 to the job creation device 17 or the job creation device 17 The resource information used for the job created in step 1 is registered in the resource database 16. Here, the resource information registered in the resource database 16 includes content information and attribute information used for printing in the printers 30a to 30e. As the attribute information, if the type and location of the printer that performs printing are determined, the type is set.

  The job management unit 12 registers and manages the jobs 40-1 to 40-n created by the job creation device 17 as data files, and the local controller 20 for each of the jobs 40-1 to 40-n. Manage the progress of jobs sent from.

  The printer status management unit 14 manages the status of print processing in the printers 30a to 30e transmitted from the local controller 20 for each printer 30a to 30e.

  The job distribution unit 13 sends the transmission destinations of the jobs 40-1 to 40-n created by the job creation device 17 and managed by the job management unit 12 to the jobs created by the job creation device 17. Sorting is performed according to the type, the status of print processing in the printers 30a to 30e managed by the printer status management unit 14, and the progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-n managed by the job management unit 12.

  The job transmission unit 15 transmits the jobs 40-1 to 40-n managed by the job management unit 12 to the local controller 20 distributed by the job distribution unit 13.

  The local controller 20 displays the print processing status in the printers 30a to 30e acquired from the printers 30a to 30e connected to the local controller 20 and the progress status of the job transmitted from the center controller 10 in the printers 30a to 30e. The job transmitted to the controller 10 and distributed from the center controller 10 according to the type of the job and the status of the printing process in the printers 30a to 30e are transmitted to the printers 30a to 30e. The printer status management unit 21, the job management unit 22, the job reception unit 23, the job distribution unit 24, and the job transmission unit 25.

  The printer status management unit 21 manages the status of print processing in the printers 30 a to 30 e acquired from the printers 30 a to 30 e for each printer 30 a to 30 e and transmits it to the center controller 10.

  The job receiving unit 23 receives a job transmitted from the center controller 10.

  The job management unit 22 manages the job received by the job reception unit 23 for each job, and transmits the progress status in the printers 30 a to 30 e to the center controller 10 for each job. In this embodiment, among the jobs 40-1 to 40-n managed by the center controller 10, jobs 40-1 to 40-8 are transmitted to the local controller 20 in the local area 2-1, Assume that jobs 40-9 to 40-23 are transmitted to the local controller 20 in the local area 2-2 and are managed by the local controllers 20 in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, respectively.

  The job distribution unit 24 sends the transmission destinations of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 managed by the job management unit 22, the types of the jobs, and the printers 30a to 30m managed by the printer status management unit 22. Sort according to the status of the printing process in 30e.

  The job transmission unit 25 transmits the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 managed by the job management unit 22 to the printers 30 a to 30 e distributed by the job distribution unit 24.

  Hereinafter, processing in the printing system configured as described above will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the printing system shown in FIG. In the following description, the job creation device 17 creates a job 40-24 corresponding to the printer 30a, and the job 40-24 is transmitted from the center controller 10 to the local controller 20 in the local area 2-1. Assume that the job 40-24 is transmitted from the local controller 20 to the printer 30a, and the printer 30a performs print processing according to the job 40-24.

  In the printers 30a to 30e in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, the status of the printing process in the printers 30a to 30e is transmitted to the local controller 20 (step S1). The status of this print processing is, for example, jobs 40-1 to 40-23 managed by the local controller 20 that have already been given to the printers 30a to 30e but have not yet been printed. That is, it indicates how many jobs are spooled in the printers 30a to 30e, and the congestion / vacancy status of the printing process in the printers 30a to 30e can be grasped by the amount of the spooled jobs. At this time, the progress status of the job being printed by the printers 30a to 30e and the operating status of the printers 30a to 30e are also transmitted to the local controller 20.

  The print processing status and operation status transmitted from the printers 30a to 30e are received by the printer status management unit 21 of the local controller 20 (step S2), and the printer status management unit 21 receives each printer 30a to 30e connected thereto. The status of the printing process and the operating status are managed (step S3). Thereby, in the local controller 20, the status of the printing process and the operation status in the connected printers 30a to 30e are grasped.

  The job management unit 22 manages jobs 40-1 to 40-23 transmitted from the center controller 10. That is, in the job management unit 22, of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 transmitted from the center controller 10, which job is transmitted to the printers 30a to 30e, and which job is still transmitted to the printers 30a to 30e. Is not managed for each of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23. Thereby, the progress status of the job transmitted from the center controller 10 is managed. As described above, the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 transmitted from the center controller 10 differ depending on the types of the printers 30a to 30e, and the jobs are created according to the types of the printers 30a to 30e. Jobs 40-1 to 40-23 are created by the apparatus 17, and are transmitted to the local controller 20 connected to the printers 30a to 30e corresponding to the jobs.

  The printer status management unit 21 transmits the print processing status and operation status transmitted from the printers 30a to 30e to the center controller 10 for each printer 30a to 30e. The progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 transmitted from is transmitted to the center controller 10 for each of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 (step S4).

  The printing status and operation status of the printers 30a to 30e transmitted from the local controller 10 are received by the printer status management unit 14 of the center controller 10, and the progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 is determined by the center controller. 10 job management units 12 (step S5).

  Then, the printer status management unit 4 manages the print processing status and operation status of the printers 30a to 30e transmitted from the local controller 20, and the job management unit 12 manages the job transmitted from the local controller 20. The progress status of 40-1 to 40-23 is managed (step S6). Thereby, in the center controller 10, the status of the printing process in the printers 30a to 30e for each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2 is grasped for each type of the printers 30a to 30e. In the job management unit 12, the jobs 40-1 to 40-n created by the job creation device 17 are managed by being assigned job IDs, and are therefore managed by the job management unit 12. Among the jobs 40-1 to 40-n, the progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 identified by the job ID transmitted from the local controller 20 together with the job progress status is managed. .

  Thereafter, in the center controller 10, when a job 40-24 for printing by the printers 30 a to 30 e is managed and generated by the job management unit 12 (step S 7), first, in the job creation device 17, the printer status The status of print processing in the printers 30a to 30e for each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2 managed by the management unit 14, and the local areas 2-1 and 2-2 managed by the job management unit 12 The progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 in the local controller 20 is confirmed (step S8), the print processing status in the printers 30a to 30e for each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, and the local area 2- 1 and 2-2 according to the progress of jobs 40-1 to 40-23 in the local controller 20. Job is created Te (step S9).

  Here, a process for creating a job for printing by the printers 30a to 30e will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining job creation processing in the printing system shown in FIG.

  In the job creation device 17, in order to create a job for printing by the printers 30a to 30e (step S21), resource information such as content information used for printing is used. When using what is registered in the resource database 16 (step S22), the job creation device 17 accesses the resource database 16 via the database management unit 11 of the center controller 10 (step S23).

  As a result, the resource information registered in the resource database 16 is given to the job creation device 17, and the job creation device 17 creates a job using the resource information registered in the resource database 16 (step S24). Here, the job refers to resource information such as image data and text data constituting print data to be printed by the printers 30a to 30e, information indicating how this resource information is assembled and printed, a file The printer 30a to 30e can perform printing processing by using this job. In the job creation device 17, first, the print processing status in the printers 30 a to 30 e for each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2 and the jobs 40-1 to 1 in the local controller 20 in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2. The degree of congestion of the printing process is calculated for each type of printers 30a to 30e according to the progress status of 40-23.

  For example, as described above, the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d and the printers 30b and 30e are different types, and the jobs 40-1 to 40-1 transmitted from the center controller 10 in the local area 2-1. 40-8, the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30a is 1, the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30b is 2, and the number of jobs not yet transmitted to the printer 30a by the local controller 20 is 2. The number of jobs not transmitted to the printer 30b is 3, and among the jobs 40-9 to 40-23 transmitted from the center controller 10 in the local area 2-2, the jobs are spooled to the printer 30c. The number of jobs is 1, the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30d is 2, and the printer 30 The number of jobs spooled to 3 is 3, the number of jobs not yet transmitted to the printer 30c by the local controller 20 is 3, the number of jobs not yet transmitted to the printer 30d is 3, and has been transmitted to the printer 30e. Assume that the number of jobs that do not exist is three. Since the types of the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d are different from the types of the printers 30b and 30e, the degree of congestion of the printing process in the types of the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d is (1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3) / 3 = 4. The degree of congestion in the printers 30b and 30e is (2 + 3 + 3 + 3) /2=5.5, and the degree of congestion in print processing in the types of the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d is lower.

  Therefore, the job creation device 17 creates jobs according to the types of the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d.

  After the job is created by the job creation device 17, when this job is transmitted to the center controller 10, the jobs 40-1 to 40 -40 created by the job creation device 17 in the job management unit 12 of the center controller 10. -N is registered as a data file with a job ID that can identify the job (step S25).

  When resource information such as content information used for printing that is not registered in the resource database 16 is used, the job creation device 17 uses the resource information to access a job without accessing the resource database 16. It is created (step S26).

  After the job is created by the job creation device 17, when this job is transmitted to the center controller 10, the jobs 40-1 to 40 -40 created by the job creation device 17 in the job management unit 12 of the center controller 10. -N is registered as a data file with a job ID that can identify the job (step S27).

  Further, the resource information used for the job creation is transmitted from the job creation device 17 to the center controller 10, and the resource information transmitted from the job creation device 17 is stored in the resource database 16 in the database management unit 11 of the center controller 10. Registration is performed (step S28).

  In this way, jobs 40-1 to 40-n for printing by the printers 30a to 30e are created by the job creation device 17 and registered in the center controller 10.

  Next, in the job distribution unit 13, the type of job created by the job creation device 17, the status of print processing in the printers 30a to 30e for each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, and the local area 2-1. , 2-2, the local controller 20 that distributes 40-24 created by the job creation device 17 is set according to the progress status of the jobs 40-1 to 40-23 in the local controller 20 (step S10).

  Here, job distribution processing in the job distribution unit 13 will be described.

  Since the job 40-24 created by the job creation device 17 corresponds to the type of the printer 30a, 30c, 30d, it is distributed from the printers 30a, 30c, 30d. As described above, the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30a is 1, the number of jobs not yet transmitted to the printer 30a by the local controller 20 is 2, and the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30c is The number is 1, the number of jobs spooled in the printer 30d is 2, the number of jobs that have not been transmitted to the printer 30c by the local controller 20 is 3, and the number of jobs that have not been transmitted to the printer 30d is 3. If there is, the degree of congestion of the printing process in the printers 30a, 30c, and 30d is (1 + 2) = 3 for the printer 30a, (1 + 3) = 4 for the printer 30c, and (2 + 3) = 5 for the printer 30e. Therefore, the degree of congestion of the printing process in the printer 30a is the lowest. Therefore, the job distribution unit 13 distributes and transmits the jobs 40-24 created by the job creation device 17 to the local controller 20 connected to the printer 30a (step S11).

  The job 40-24 transmitted from the job transmitting unit 15 of the center controller 10 is received by the job receiving unit 23 of the local controller 20 provided in the local area 2-1 (step S12).

  When the job receiver 24 receives the job 40-24 transmitted from the job transmitter 15 of the center controller 10, the job distribution unit 24 of the local controller 20 confirms the type of the received job 40-24. In step S13, the printer 30a corresponding to the type of the job 40-24 is set as a printer that distributes the job 40-24 (step S14). Note that the printer status management unit 21 manages the status of print processing in the printers 30a and 30b. Therefore, when there are a plurality of printers corresponding to the type of the job 40-24, the job distribution unit 24 checks the status of print processing of the plurality of printers, and the number of spooled jobs among the plurality of printers is determined. A small number of printers are selected, and jobs 40-24 are distributed to the printers. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the printer 30a in the local area 2-1 is set as the printer that distributes the job 40-24.

  When the printer 30a that distributes the job 40-24 is set by the job distribution unit 24, the job 40-24 received by the job reception unit 23 is transmitted from the job transmission unit 25 to the printer 30a (step S15). ).

  The job 40-24 transmitted from the job transmission unit 25 of the local controller 20 is received by the printer 30a (step S16), and the printing process is performed according to the received job 40-24 (step S17).

  In the printer 30a, the status is transmitted to the local controller 20 along with the printing process.

  In the printing system shown in FIG. 1, a job transmission request can be sent from the local controller 20 to the center controller 10 when there is a vacancy in the printing process in the printers 30 a to 30 e. The process will be described below.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing when a job transmission request is made from the local controller 20 to the center controller 10 in the printing system shown in FIG.

  In the printers 30 a to 30 e in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, the status of the printing process in the printers 30 a to 30 e is transmitted to the local controller 20 (step S 31), and is transmitted from the printers 30 a to 30 e. The status of the printing process is received by the printer status management unit 21 of the local controller 20 (step S32).

  The printer status management unit 21 of the local controller 20 confirms the status of the received print processing in the printers 30a to 30e, and if there is a vacancy in the print processing in the printers 30a to 30e (step S33), the center controller A job transmission request is issued to 10 (step S34). In this embodiment, it is assumed that there is a vacancy in the printing process in the printer 30a provided in the local area 2-1.

  The job transmission request issued from the local controller 20 is received by the printer status management unit 14 of the center controller 10 (step S35).

  Thereafter, in the center controller 10, when a job for performing printing by the printers 30a to 30e is managed by the job management unit 12 (step S36), the job creation apparatus 17 has a vacant print process. A job is created according to the type of printer (step S37), and the job distribution unit 13 is set to transmit the generated job to the local controller 20 that issued the job transmission request. A job is transmitted to the controller 20 (step S38).

  The job transmitted from the job transmitting unit 15 of the center controller 10 is received by the job receiving unit 23 of the local controller 20 in the local area 2-1 (step S39).

  In the local controller 20 in the local area 2-1, since the printer status management unit 21 manages that the printer 30 a is empty, the job received by the job receiving unit 23 is transferred to the job transmitting unit. 25 to the printer 30a (step S40).

  The job transmitted from the job transmission unit 25 of the local controller 20 is received by the printer 30a (step S41), and printing processing is performed according to the received job (step S42).

  Thus, according to the status of the printing process in the printers 30a to 30e provided in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, and the progress status of the job transmitted from the center controller 10 to the local controller 20 for printing. Thus, the next job is created and transmitted from the center controller 10 to the local controller 20, so that the printing processing load is not biased in the printers 30a to 30e provided in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2. Thus, it is possible to distribute the load of printing processing in the printers 30a to 30e provided in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2.

  Note that the job creation device 17 may be configured to be remotely operable without being provided in the center system 1 in which the center controller 10 is provided.

  In each of the local areas 2-1 and 2-2, priority is given to the printers 30 a to 30 e, and the maximum number of jobs spooled by the printers 30 a to 30 e is set. When the number of jobs spooled in the printers 30a to 30e is the maximum number when the job is distributed in the dividing unit 24, the printer with the highest priority among the printers whose number of jobs has subsequently decreased is set to the next. It is also possible to distribute jobs.

  Further, when the local resource information in the local areas 2-1 and 2-2 is used as resource information such as content information used for printing and is not registered in the resource database 16, the local controller 20 It is also conceivable that the resource information transmitted from the local controller 20 is registered in the resource database 16 in the database management unit 11 of the center controller 10.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the printing system of this invention. 2 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the printing system shown in FIG. 1. 4 is a flowchart for explaining job creation processing in the printing system shown in FIG. 1. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing when a job transmission request is made from the local controller to the center controller in the printing system shown in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

1 Center system 2-1, 2-2 Local area 10 Center controller 11 Database management unit 12, 22 Job management unit 13, 24 Job distribution unit 14, 21 Printer status management unit 15, 25 Job transmission unit 16 Resource database 17 Job Creation device 20 Local controller 23 Job receiver 30a-30e Printer 40-1-40-n Job

Claims (3)

At least one printer, and a local control unit that is connected to the printer, acquires the status of print processing in the printer, and transmits a job for printing to the printer according to the status are provided. A printing system for controlling printing processing in a plurality of local areas,
Job creation means for creating a job according to the printer;
Center control means connected to the local control means in each of the plurality of local areas and transmitting the job created by the job creation means to the local control means connected to a printer corresponding to the job. And
The local control means transmits the status of print processing in the printer acquired from the printer connected to the local control means, and the progress status of the job transmitted from the center control means to the center control means,
The center control unit manages the status of print processing in the printer and the job progress status transmitted from the local control unit,
The job creation means is a printing system that creates a job in accordance with the status of print processing in the printer and the progress status of the job managed by the center control means. The printing system according to claim 1,
The local control unit requests the center control unit to transmit the job when there is a vacancy in print processing of a printer connected to the local control unit,
The center control means manages the request for transmission of the job from the local control means,
The job creation unit creates a job that is managed by the center control unit in response to a request for transmission of the job and that corresponds to a printer in which a vacancy has occurred in the printing process. . The printing system according to claim 1 or 2,
A database in which resource information used for printing in the printer is registered;
The local control means transmits resource information used for printing by a job created in the local area to the center control means,
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the center control unit registers resource information transmitted from the local control unit in the database.

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