JP2007328651A - Printing processing system and printing processing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To process printing in settings compatible with the model of a destination printing device even when the settings of a printing processing instruction sheet are not changed for the model of the destination printing device. <P>SOLUTION: A printing processing instruction sheet describing printing instructions compatible with each processing function dependent on each printer model of first to third printers 11 to 13 is created on a client 14, and the created printing processing instruction sheet is sent as transmission data in a set with print data from the client 14 to any one of the first to third printers 11 to 13 directly or via a server 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a print processing system and a print processing program.

  In a print processing system including a printing apparatus such as a printer and a print instruction apparatus that issues a print instruction to the printing apparatus, transmission data sent from the print instruction apparatus to the printing apparatus when printing is executed is printed. In addition to the data, a print processing instruction document in which instruction contents related to the print processing are described is a set. One print processing instruction is associated with one printed matter, and the setting content in the print processing instruction is a setting unique to the printing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Therefore, in a print processing system in which a plurality of printing devices of different models are connected via a network, print data printed by a certain type of printing device is reprinted by a printing device of a model different from the printing device. In such a case, it is necessary to change the setting of the print processing instruction in accordance with the processing function of the output destination printing apparatus.

JP 2004-252505 A

  The present invention can perform print processing with a setting corresponding to the processing function of the output destination printing apparatus without changing the setting of the print processing instruction sheet corresponding to the processing function of the output destination printing apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a print processing system and a print processing program.

  The print processing system according to claim 1 creates a plurality of printing apparatuses and a print processing instruction sheet describing a print instruction content corresponding to each of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and the print processing instruction sheet together with the print data. And a print instructing device for sending to any one of a plurality of printing devices.

  The print processing system according to claim 2 is the print processing system according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction device is configured to assign the print instruction content to an instruction content common to the plurality of printing devices and to the plurality of printing devices. It is characterized in that it is created separately from the instruction contents.

  The print processing system according to claim 3 is the print processing system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of printing apparatuses are different in at least a part of a processing function of print processing, and the print instruction apparatus is the plurality of printing apparatuses. A print processing instruction sheet describing the contents of the print instruction corresponding to each processing function is created.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the print processing system according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of queues are set in the printing apparatus, and the print instruction apparatus performs printing corresponding to the plurality of queues. It is characterized in that a print processing instruction document describing the instruction content is created.

  6. The print processing program according to claim 5, wherein a creation step for creating a print processing instruction describing a print instruction content corresponding to each of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and the plurality of printing apparatuses together with the print processing instruction along with print data. It is characterized by having a computer execute each process with the transmission step sent to either.

  According to the print processing system of claim 1, the print processing with the setting corresponding to the output destination printing apparatus is performed without changing the setting of the print processing instruction sheet corresponding to the output destination printing apparatus. Can do.

  According to the print processing system of claim 2, compared with the case where the number of print processing instructions corresponding to the processing function of the printing apparatus is transmitted together with the print data, the processing function corresponding to each of the plurality of printing apparatuses is supported. Since the common parts of the print processing instructions can be combined into one, the data size of the print processing instructions can be made compact.

  According to the print processing system of the third aspect, the same transmission data can be transmitted to the printing apparatus having different processing functions, and the printing process can be performed with the setting corresponding to the processing function of the output destination printing apparatus.

  According to the print processing system of the fourth aspect, it is possible to perform different print processing for each queue (queue) of the transmission destination with the same transmission data.

  According to the print processing program of claim 5, the print processing with the setting corresponding to the output destination printing apparatus is performed without changing the setting of the print processing instruction sheet corresponding to the output destination printing apparatus. Can do.

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

  A print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention creates a print processing instruction document describing a plurality of printing apparatuses and print instruction contents corresponding to the plurality of printing apparatuses for each of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and The print instruction device sends the instruction sheet together with the print data to one of the plurality of printing devices (in a set), and a relay device interposed between the plurality of printing devices and the print instruction device.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the print processing system according to the present embodiment includes, for example, three printers (a plurality of printers) that have at least a part of the print processing processing function due to different printer models (models). A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13, these printers 11, 12, and 13, a client computer (hereinafter simply referred to as “client”) 14 that is a print instruction device, and a relay device A server computer system (hereinafter simply referred to as “server”) 15 is connected to each other via a network 16 so that they can communicate with each other.

  In this client-server type print processing system, for example, the following three print forms X, Y, and Z are conceivable as print process forms. However, the three printing forms X, Y, and Z listed here are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these.

  In the printing form X, as shown in FIG. 2A, data to be printed (hereinafter referred to as “print data”) is sent directly from the client 14 to, for example, the printer (A) 11 as an output destination, and the printer ( A) A print path form indicated by a dotted line in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, the printing form Y temporarily stores the print data output from the client 14 in the server 15, and sends the print data from the server 15 to, for example, the printer (C) 13 as an output destination. (C) This is a form of a print path indicated by a one-dot chain line in the drawing in which the print process is performed in 13.

  In the printing form Z, as shown in FIG. 2C, the print data is sent directly from the client 14 to the output destination, for example, the printer (B) 12, and the printer (B) 12 performs the printing process once. Data is stored in the data storage device of the printer (B) 12, and then the print data stored in the data storage device is sent to another output destination, for example, the printer (C) 13 to send the printer (C). 13 is a form of a printing path indicated by a two-dot chain line in the drawing in which the printing process is performed again at 13.

  In any of the printing forms X, Y, and Z, printing is performed from the client 14 to the printer (A) 11, (B) 12, (C) 13 or the server 15 as in the case of the known printing process. In addition to the data, a print processing instruction document in which the instruction contents related to the print processing are described is sent as a set, and the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 are described in the print processing instruction document. Printing processing is executed in accordance with the instruction content.

  Here, the processing functions of the printing processing of the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 will be described.

  The printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 have different print processing functions depending on the printer model. Here, as processing functions common to the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13, for example, processing functions such as setting of the number of copies, setting of paper size, setting of single-sided printing / double-sided printing, and the like. Can be mentioned. The processing functions unique to the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 include, for example, processing functions such as setting of post-processing functions such as stapling processing and setting of color options (color / monochrome). Can be mentioned. That is, the processing function unique to the printer is a part of the processing function of the printing process depending on the printer model.

  For the printer (A) 11, (B) 12, (C) 13, a print processing instruction sent as a set with print data directly from the client 14 or via the server 15 is sent to the client 14, for example, Request items representing a print creation request, such as designation of the number of copies to be printed, designation of paper size, designation of single-sided printing / double-sided printing, designation of post-processing function, designation of color options, are described in a predetermined format. The print processing instruction is electronic data.

  In creating this print processing instruction, in this embodiment, the processing function determined by each printer model of all the printing apparatuses (here, printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13) in the system is provided. After grasping, a print processing instruction sheet describing the contents of the print instruction corresponding to each processing function, that is, a print processing instruction sheet corresponding to each printer model of the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13. Created by the client 14, and the created print processing instruction is sent as print data and a set as transmission data to the printer (A) 11, (B) 12, or (C) 13 directly from the client 14, or the server 15 It is characterized by being sent via.

  Creation of the print processing instruction is performed by the client 14. A basic configuration of a computer (client computer) constituting the client 14 is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a computer 20 constituting the client 14 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, an I / O circuit 22, a ROM 23, a RAM 24, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device 25, and the like. These components are connected via a bus line 26.

  The CPU 21 controls processing executed by the client 14. The I / O circuit 22 manages input / output with peripheral devices, specifically, the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, (C) 13 and the server 15. The ROM 23 stores processing programs for various processes executed under the control of the CPU 21. The RAM 24 is a primary storage device used when executing various processes. The HDD 25 stores print data including a print processing instruction sheet processed under the control of the CPU 21.

  In the client 14 composed of the computer 20 having such a configuration, the creation of the printing process instruction is executed according to the procedure of the printing process instruction creating process described below under the control of the CPU 21.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure when creating a print processing instruction sheet. Here, for convenience, an instruction regarding a processing function common to the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 is described as “super instruction”, and the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, (C ) The instruction regarding the processing function unique to 13 is described as “sub-instruction”.

  First, it is determined whether or not the super instruction is set (step S11). When the super instruction is set, the processing functions common to the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 are determined. It is possible to set items, specifically, the number of copies, paper size, single-sided printing / double-sided printing (step S12), and then execute super instruction setting (step S13).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the sub instruction is set (step S14). If the sub instruction is not set, the process of creating the print processing instruction is finished when the super instruction is set. When setting the sub instruction, the printer for setting the sub instruction is selected (step S15). As an example, if the printers (A) 11, (B) 12 of the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, (C) 13 have a post-processing function such as stapling, these printers ( A) 11 and (B) 12 are selected as printers for setting the sub instruction.

  When a printer is selected, items of processing functions unique to the selected printer, specifically, items such as post-processing functions can be set (step S16), and then sub-specified settings are executed (step S17). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not setting of the sub instruction is continued, that is, whether or not there is still a printer for setting the sub instruction (step S18). If setting of the sub instruction is continued, the process returns to step S15. The processes in steps S15 to S18 are repeated until it is determined in step S18 that there is no printer for setting the sub instruction.

  Then, when it is determined that there is no printer for setting the sub instruction, that is, when the setting of the sub instruction is finished, a series of processes for creating the print processing instruction is finished.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the print processing instruction sheet created in this way is set with the super print processing instruction sheet 51 in which the super instruction is set and the sub instruction setting unique to the printer (A) 11. The sub-print processing instruction 52 for the printer (A) and the sub-print processing instruction 53 for the printer (B) in which the sub-instruction specific to the printer (B) 12 is set, such as PostScript. Print data 54 described in the printer description language in the form of transmission data 50 in combination with the printer (A) 11, the printer (B) 12, the printer (C) 13, or from the client 14 via the server 15. Will be sent.

  The printer (A) 11 that has received the transmission data 50 directly from the client 14 or via the server 15 in any of the printing forms X, Y, and Z shown in FIGS. (B) 12 or the printer (C) 13 refers to the print processing instruction sheets 51, 52, 53 and prints and outputs the print data 54 in accordance with the contents of the print processing instruction sheets 51, 52, 53.

  Specifically, for example, the printer (A) 11 or the printer (B) 12 prints and outputs the print data 53 in the designated number of copies on the paper size designated by the super print processing instruction 51, and If execution of the staple process is instructed by the sub print process instruction sheets 52 and 53, the staple process is executed on the printed sheet.

  On the other hand, the printer (C) 13 does not have a post-processing function, and the transmission data 50 transmitted from the client 14 to the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 in common is the printer. Since the sub-printing process instruction for (C) is not included, only the super-printing process instruction 51 is referred to, and the specified number of copies is set to the paper size designated by the super-printing process instruction 51. Only print data 53 is printed and output.

  Note that the printing form Z shown in FIG. 2C assumes the case of a production-type printer. That is, in a production-type printer, print data used for one-time printing is stored and is often reprinted (reused) later. Even when reprinting such print data once printed with a printer of a different printer model, a print processing instruction for the printer to be reprinted is created in advance and sent as a set with the print data. When printing, it is not necessary to reset the print processing instruction part of the transmission data for the printer that performs reprinting.

  A creation step for creating a print processing instruction sheet describing the contents of print instructions corresponding to the processing functions of the printers (A) 11, (B) 12, and (C) 13 according to the processing procedure in the series of processing sequences of FIG. Each process of the transmission step in which the print processing instruction created in this creation step is sent to the printer (A) 11, (B) 12, (C) 13 directly or via the server 15 together with the print data is performed by the client. A program to be executed by the computer 20 (see FIG. 3) is a print processing program according to the present embodiment.

  The print processing program according to this embodiment may be installed in the client computer 20 in advance. However, it is not limited to being installed in the client computer 20 in advance, and is provided (distributed) by wired or wireless communication means, but also stored in a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM. It is also possible to do.

  In the above-described embodiment, the print processing instruction is created corresponding to a plurality of printers having different processing functions due to different printer models, that is, corresponding to each of the plurality of processing functions. When a plurality of printer queues are set, it is possible to create a print processing instruction corresponding to each of the plurality of printer queues.

  In a production-type printer, a plurality of printer queues can be set for one printer. Therefore, different settings are used for each printer queue. For example, the queue 1 in one printer (A) 11 is set to “print using plain paper”, and the queue 2 is set to “print using recycled paper”. Considering the case, when print data is transmitted to the queue 1 in the same printer (A) 11, printing is performed on plain paper, and when print data is transmitted to the queue 2, printing is performed on recycled paper.

  Taking this case as an example, as shown in FIG. 6, the super print instruction 51 is set to “print 10 copies”, and the sub print instruction 52A for queue 1 of the printer (A) is set. Sets “color printing” and designates “monochrome printing, two-sided printing, double-sided printing” in the sub print instruction 52B for queue 2.

  Then, the super print instruction 51, the sub print instruction 52A for queue 1 and the sub print instruction 52B for queue 2 created in this way are transmitted as a set of print data 54 as transmission data. Different print results are obtained for each destination queue with the same transmission data. In this example, the printer queue 1 prints 10 copies on plain paper in color, and the printer queue 2 prints 10 copies on recycled paper on both sides, duplex, and monochrome.

  As described above, the present invention has been described using the embodiment. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the embodiment, and various modifications can be made to the embodiment without departing from the gist of the invention. Various changes or improvements can be added, and forms to which such changes or improvements are added are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a client server type print processing system in which the server 15 is interposed between the three printers 11, 12, 13 and the client 14 is described as an example. The invention is not limited to application to a client-server type print processing system, and can be similarly applied to a print processing system in which the server 15 is not interposed.

  Also, the number of printers is not limited to three. Further, the printing apparatus is not limited to a printer, and may be an image processing apparatus called a so-called multi-function machine having a printing function.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of a print processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating three printing modes X, Y, and Z in a client-server type print processing system. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the basic composition of a client computer. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process sequence which produces a printing process instruction document. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of transmission data including a super print processing instruction, a sub print processing instruction, and print data. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram when a print processing instruction is created corresponding to each of a plurality of printer queues.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer (A), 12 ... Printer (B), 13 ... Printer (C), 14 ... Client, 15 ... Server, 16 ... Network, 20 ... Client computer, 50 ... Transmission data, 51 ... Super print instruction processing document , 52, 52A, 52B, 53 ... sub print instruction processing document, 54 ... print data

Claims (5)

A plurality of printing devices;
A print instruction device that creates a print processing instruction document that describes the contents of a print instruction corresponding to each of the plurality of printing devices, and sends the print processing instruction document to one of the plurality of printing devices together with print data. A print processing system. 2. The printing according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction device creates the print instruction content separately for instruction content common to the plurality of printing devices and instruction content unique to the plurality of printing devices. Processing system. The plurality of printing apparatuses are different in at least a part of the processing function of the printing process,
The print processing system according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction device creates a print processing instruction sheet describing a print instruction content corresponding to each processing function of the plurality of printing devices. A plurality of queues are set in the printing apparatus,
The print processing system according to claim 1, wherein the print instruction device creates a print processing instruction sheet describing a print instruction content corresponding to the plurality of queues. A creation step of creating a print processing instruction sheet describing the contents of the print instruction corresponding to each of the plurality of printing apparatuses;
A print processing program that causes a computer to execute each process of sending the print processing instruction together with print data to any of the plurality of printing apparatuses.

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