JP2008198172A - Image formation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation system capable of improving convenience by setting an expiration date in a job and effectively using a storage medium of an image forming apparatus even when the image formation system does not have a calendar function. <P>SOLUTION: In the image formation system in which an image forming apparatus main body 1 which does not have a calendar function is connected to a network terminal 3, a job J1 related to image formation processing inputted to the image forming apparatus main body 1 from the network terminal 3 through a network line 2 is stored as a job J2 in a storage medium 8 in the image forming apparatus main body 1 and image formation processing is subsequently executed, an expiration date is attached to the job J1 and the job J2, the present time upon outputting or inputting the job J1 is acquired and updated, the updated present time and the expiration date are monitored by a printer controller 7 installed in the image forming apparatus main body 1, and the job J2 reaching the expiration date is eliminated from the storage medium 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system.

  Conventionally, when a job including image data, driver data, etc. is sent from a terminal such as a computer connected via a network, the job is sent with an expiration date added to the job, and the image is received. In the processing apparatus, a job with an expiration date is held in the storage unit, and the time limit means (real time clock) as a calendar function in the image forming apparatus is compared with the expiration date at regular intervals, etc., and the job exceeding the expiration date Is deleted from the storage unit, so that it is possible to reduce forgetting to delete a job and prevent useless use of a storage area for the storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  At this time, the expiration date of the job is, for example, when the job created using the software installed in the network terminal is subjected to image forming processing from another network terminal, etc. From the viewpoint of improving convenience such that additional image forming processing can be executed even if the same software is not installed, or additional image forming processing can be executed directly from the image forming apparatus side, etc. This is used as a job deletion function different from the function for automatically deleting jobs immediately after the image forming process.

  In addition, in the case of a model that performs image formation processing after temporarily holding it in a storage medium such as a hard disk provided in the image forming apparatus, a job that may perform such reuse (re-image formation processing) If an expiration date is not set, it will be kept permanently.

Basically, such jobs that need to be retained permanently are rare, and in many cases, unnecessary jobs continue to be retained in the storage medium, and the operation panel of the image forming apparatus is used for reuse. When re-outputting a job using a remote tool of a network terminal or the like, not only is the operation of selecting a desired job very troublesome, but also the occurrence of fragmentation inside a storage medium with a limited capacity is possible. As a result, there arises a problem that it becomes a factor that causes a decrease in performance.
JP 2006-127429 A

  However, in the image forming system configured as described above, for example, an image forming apparatus such as a printer dedicated machine with low cost performance physically has a time measuring means (real time clock) as a calendar function. Some image forming apparatuses that do not have such timekeeping means have a problem that the expiration date cannot be set.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can improve the convenience by setting an expiration date for a job even when the image forming apparatus and the platform do not have a calendar function. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system capable of realizing effective use of a storage medium.

  In the image forming system of the present invention, an image forming apparatus main body having no calendar function is connected to a network terminal via a network line, and an image forming process input from the network terminal to the image forming apparatus main body through the network line is performed. In the image forming system for executing the image forming process after storing the related job in the storage unit in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the expiration date is added to the job by the expiration date adding unit, and the job time is acquired by the current time acquisition unit. The current time at the time of output or input is acquired, the current time is updated by the current time updating unit, and the current time and the expiration date updated by the current time updating unit by the job control unit installed in the image forming apparatus main body And the job that has reached the expiration date is stored in the storage means. And deletes.

  In this case, the expiration date is preferably added manually by a user of the network terminal or automatically by a printer driver when the job is output from the network terminal, and the job is added to the image forming apparatus main body. May be automatically added by the job control means.

  The current time is preferably automatically added to the job using a calendar function possessed by the network terminal when the job is output from the network terminal. When a job is input, it may be automatically acquired from the network terminal through the network line, or may be manually added by a user of the network terminal when the job is output from the network terminal. .

  Further, the current time is preferably updated every time a new job is input to the image forming apparatus main body, and may be updated using a counter value installed in the image forming apparatus main body.

  At this time, it is preferable that the job control means deletes the job that has reached the expiration date from the storage means when detecting a predetermined trigger.

  The image forming system of the present invention can improve the convenience by setting an expiration date for a job even when the image forming apparatus or the platform does not have a calendar function, and the storage medium of the image forming apparatus is effective. Use can be realized.

  Next, an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of the image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of a routine of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a correlation diagram among the expiration date adding unit, the current time acquiring unit, and the current time updating unit in the image forming system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing another example of the routine of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the expiration date setting routine of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to an image forming apparatus main body (printer main body) 1 having no calendar function and a network line 2 to the image forming apparatus main body 1. And a personal computer 3 and a server 4 as network terminals, and an Internet line (network line) 6 connected to the server 4 via an Internet router 5. In the present embodiment, the server 4 serves as at least a print server and an Internet server (including a mail server). However, the server 4 may have a LAN configuration not connected to the Internet line 6.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus main body 1 includes a printer controller 7 as job control means, and a large-capacity hard disk for storing a job related to image forming processing output from the personal computer 3 via the printer controller 7. A storage medium 8 as storage means, a ROM 9 storing control information for various controls by the printer controller 7, and an image forming unit 10 for executing image forming processing based on the job J2 stored in the storage medium 8. For example, a counter 11 that counts a predetermined time to activate a sleep mode (power saving mode) is provided.

  The counter 11 can be used for updating the current time, which will be described later. However, unlike the time measuring means (real time clock) as a calendar function, the counter 11 counts a predetermined time and elapses of the predetermined time. Alternatively, it is reset at a predetermined timing (for example, a new job process), and may be omitted when the sleep mode is not provided.

  On the other hand, the personal computer 3 as a network terminal has an OS (operating system) and various software installed on a large-capacity hard disk (not shown), and forms images and documents created using the various software. Can be output to the image forming apparatus main body 1. Further, in the personal computer 3, a driver 12 suitable for the image forming apparatus main body 1 is installed in a large-capacity hard disk (or installed in the server 4) in order to output the job, and a job J1 generated by the driver 12 is generated. Can be temporarily stored in the memory 13 and then output to the image forming apparatus body 1 through the network line 2.

  The job J1 includes various parameter settings, current time, and the like in addition to image data actually processed by the image forming unit 10 such as an image or a document created by using the various software described above. It is out.

  At this time, the current time can be superimposed on the job J1 as the current time information by using the calendar function provided as a standard in the personal computer 3 as the current time information.

  By the way, in the image forming system of the present invention, since the image forming apparatus main body 1 does not have a calendar function, the hardware resources (network terminal) on the LAN configuration such as the personal computer 3 described above are effective. A time limit adding unit, a current time acquiring unit, and a current time updating unit are provided.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the driver 12 is used as an expiration date adding means, and the driver 12 adds an expiration date (regardless of user manual setting or default value automatic setting) to the job J1. it can. In addition, the printer controller 7 is used as an expiration date adding unit, and an expiration date (regardless of a default value or a set value) stored in the ROM 9 is added when the job J1 is received, and a job J2 is generated and stored in the storage medium 8. You may do it. It is also possible to use these two expiration date adding means (driver 12 and printer controller 7) in combination and give priority to the longer (or shorter) expiration date.

  Further, using the calendar function of the personal computer 3 that outputs the job J1 as the current time acquisition means, the driver 12 can add the current time of the calendar function to the job J1 as current time information. Also, using the printer controller 7 as the current time acquisition means, the current time is acquired from the current time information resource through the personal computer 3 or other personal computer 3 that outputs the job J1, the server 4, the Internet router 5, or the Internet line 6. Thus, the current time can be added to the job J2 as current time information. Furthermore, using the personal computer 3 or the image forming apparatus main body 1 as the current time acquisition means, the user can manually set the current time and add it to the job J1 or job J2. The current time acquired by these functions may be stored in the storage medium 8 or another memory (not shown) separately from the job J2.

  Further, the current time can be updated each time a new job J1 is input to the image forming apparatus main body 1 by using the calendar function of the personal computer 3 that outputs the job J1 as the current time update means. Further, the counter 11 is used as the current time update means, and the count value of the counter 11 is set to the current time acquired using the above-described current time acquisition means when the image forming apparatus body 1 is turned on or when the first job J1 is input. Can be added to update the current time.

  Next, a job J2 deletion example 1 in the image forming system of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

(Step S1)
In step S1, when a print execution operation is performed on an image or a document created using various software of the personal computer 3, the driver 12 generates a job J1 and stores it in the memory 13, and the process proceeds to step S2. Transition.

(Step S2)
In step S2, before the job J1 is called from the memory 13 and output through the network line 2, the driver 12 adds an expiration date to the job J1 and proceeds to step S3. The expiration date may be added before the job J1 is stored in the memory 13 in step S1, but it is effective immediately before the output in consideration of the relationship with the output timing (for example, the output of the time-specified job J1). It is preferable to add a time limit.

(Step S3)
In step S3, when the job J1 is called from the memory 13 and output through the network line 2, the current time is obtained from another network device (for example, the server 4 with high reliability of the current time), and the current time is obtained from the driver. 12 is added to the job J1 and the process proceeds to step S4. The expiration date may be added before the job J1 is stored in the memory 13 in step S1, but in consideration of the relationship with the output timing (for example, the output of the time-specified job J1, etc.) It is preferable to add a time. The current time may be acquired from the server 4 or the like when the image forming apparatus main body 1 is turned on.

(Step S4)
In step S4, the driver 12 actually outputs the job J1 created on the memory 13 to the predetermined image forming apparatus main body 1 and proceeds to step S5.

(Step S5)
In step S5, when the job J1 is input for the first time after the power is turned on, the counter 11 starts counting with the current time included in the job J1 as the current time, and the current time is already set. The current time is updated every predetermined count-up of the counter 11 (before the count is reset), and the process proceeds to step S6.

(Step S6)
In step S6, the printer controller 7 performs job processing relating to normal image forming processing such as parameter setting and drawing processing from the received job J1, and proceeds to step S7.

(Step S7)
In step S7, the printer controller 7 stores the job J1 processed in step S6 as the job J2 in the storage medium 8 and proceeds to step S8.

(Step S8)
In step S8, the printer controller 7 transfers the job J2 processed in step S7 to the image forming unit 10 and proceeds to step S9.

(Step S9)
In step S9, the image forming unit 10 executes image forming processing based on the received job J2, and the process proceeds to step S10.

(Step S10)
In step S10, the printer controller 7 determines the expiration date of the job J2 stored in the storage medium 8 at a predetermined time (when the image forming process of the job J2 is completed, at the time of user operation (specific or unspecified), Ready, etc.). By comparing with the current time and searching for an expired job J2, if the expired job J2 is stored, the job J2 is deleted from the storage medium 8.

  The job J2 deletion routine described above is merely an example, and the combination of the expiration date addition unit, the current time acquisition unit, and the current time update unit is arbitrary.

  Hereinafter, Example 2 of deleting the job J2 in the image forming system of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5, but it goes without saying that other examples are possible.

(Step S11)
In step S11, when a print execution operation is performed on an image or a document created using various software of the personal computer 3, the driver 12 generates a job J1 and stores it in the memory 13, and the process proceeds to step S12. Transition.

(Step S12)
In step S12, before the job J1 is called from the memory 13 and output through the network line 2, the driver 12 adds an expiration date to the job J1 and proceeds to step S13. The expiration date may be added before the job J1 is stored in the memory 13 in step S1, but it is effective immediately before the output in consideration of the relationship with the output timing (for example, the output of the time-specified job J1). It is preferable to add a time limit.

(Step S13)
In step S13, the driver 12 actually outputs the job J1 created on the memory 13 to the predetermined image forming apparatus main body 1 and proceeds to step S14.

(Step S14)
In step S14, when the job J1 is input for the first time after the power is turned on, the current time included in the job J1 is set as the current time, and when a new job J1 is input, the job J1 is changed to the job J1. The current time is updated based on the added current time, and the process proceeds to step S15.

(Step S15)
In step S15, the printer controller 7 performs job processing relating to normal image forming processing such as parameter setting and drawing processing from the received job J1, and proceeds to step S16.

(Step S16)
In step S16, the printer controller 7 stores the job J1 processed in step S15 as the job J2 in the storage medium 8 and proceeds to step S17.

(Step S17)
In step S17, when the job J2 is stored in the storage medium 8, the expiration date based on the expiration date information stored in the ROM 9 by the printer controller 7 is added to the job J2, and the process proceeds to step S18.

(Step S18)
In step S18, the printer controller 7 transfers the job J2 processed in step S15 to the image forming unit 10 and proceeds to step S19.

(Step S19)
In step S19, the image forming unit 10 executes image forming processing based on the received job J2, and the process proceeds to step S20.

(Step S20)
In step S20, the printer controller 7 determines the expiration date of the job J2 stored in the storage medium 8 at a predetermined time (when the image forming process of the job J2 is completed, at the time of user operation (specific or unspecified), Ready, etc.). By comparing with the current time and searching for an expired job J2, if the expired job J2 is stored, the job J2 is deleted from the storage medium 8.

  Note that the above-mentioned expiration date may be, for example, a date (including detailed time designation) or the like after a predetermined time has elapsed, such as 12 hours after the current time when the job J1 is output or input. .

  Further, regarding the deletion timing (steps S10 and S20), in addition to the timing described above, the presence or absence of the job J2 to be deleted may be confirmed every time the current time is updated.

  For example, as a specific deletion timing (trigger) of an expired job, as shown in FIG. 3, the comparison timing between the expiration date of the job J2 at the end of the image forming process of the job J2 or the user operation and the current time Other than the above, subtasks (such as polling) always monitor whether the expiration date has expired, when the main power supply (not shown) is restarted, every predetermined time, etc. One or more of these are optional It is also possible to realize simultaneously by the combination.

  As a trigger related to the above-described job processing, it is preferable from the viewpoint of cost performance that the image forming process of the job J2 is ended or the main power source (not shown) is restarted.

  Furthermore, as a job search method for determining whether a job has expired, it is possible to search using a routine as shown in the flowchart of FIG. This routine is processed sequentially.

(Step S21)
In step S21, when there are a plurality of jobs stored in the storage medium 8, the printer controller 7 that has received the above-described erasure processing start trigger develops the plurality of jobs in the RAM 14 (see FIG. 2) and determines the expiration date. A plurality of jobs are sorted in ascending order, and the process proceeds to step S22.

(Step S22)
In step S22, the printer controller 7 determines whether or not the expiration date has been reached for a plurality of jobs developed and sorted in the RAM 14, and the process proceeds to step S23 for the job that has reached the expiration date. If the job has not reached the expiration date, the process proceeds to step S24.

(Step S23)
In step S23, the printer controller 7 deletes the job that has reached the expiration date from the storage medium 8, and ends this routine. A plurality of jobs developed on the RAM 14 are deleted at the same time as the main power supply (not shown) is turned off.

(Step S24)
In step S24, the printer controller 7 calculates the remaining time from the current time of the job that has not reached the expiration date to the expiration date. The calculated remaining time can be used according to the type of trigger. Further, the remaining time may not be calculated, or may be used as the expiration date update information.

  Therefore, when the routine of step S24 is completed, the process may loop to step S22 and the job may be deleted when the expiration date is reached, or the routine shown in FIG. 6 may be ended.

  As described above, according to the image forming system of the present invention, even when the image forming apparatus main body or the image forming apparatus activation platform (OS) does not have a calendar function, by providing pseudo time information, An expiration date can be set for the job, and the resources of the storage medium of the image forming apparatus main body can be effectively used.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming system of the present invention is applied to a printer-dedicated device. However, for example, a network multifunction device having a printer function and a copier function (including a scanner function) is used. Of course, the present invention can be applied to all image forming apparatuses having no calendar function.

  At this time, a facsimile machine or a multifunction machine equipped with a facsimile function is basically equipped with a calendar function for recording the transmission / reception date and time, but as described above, other networks equipped with a calendar function. If the current time (current date and time) is obtained from the terminal, a multifunction machine having a facsimile function can be obtained.

1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a main part of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a correlation diagram of an expiration date adding unit, a current time acquisition unit, and a current time update unit in the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a routine of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the other example of the routine of the image forming system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of an expiration date setting routine of the image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus main body 2 ... Network line 3 ... Personal computer (network terminal)
4 ... Server (network terminal)
5. Internet router (network terminal)
7: Printer controller (job control means)
8. Storage medium (storage means)
12 ... Driver 13 ... Memory 14 ... RAM

Claims (9)

An image forming apparatus main body having no calendar function is connected to a network terminal via a network line, and a job relating to image forming processing input from the network terminal to the image forming apparatus main body through the network line is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body. In the image forming system for executing the image forming process after storing in the storage means in
The expiration date is added to the job by the expiration date adding unit, the current time at the time of output or input of the job is acquired by the current time acquisition unit, the current time is updated by the current time update unit, and the current time is updated in the main body of the image forming apparatus. An image forming system comprising: monitoring a current time updated by the current time updating unit by the installed job control unit and the expiration date, and deleting the job that has reached the expiration date from the storage unit. .   The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date is manually added by a user of the network terminal or automatically added by a printer driver when the job is output from the network terminal.   The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date is automatically added by the job control unit when the job is input to the main body of the image forming apparatus.   4. The current time is automatically added to the job by using a calendar function possessed by the network terminal when the job is output from the network terminal. The image forming system according to any one of the above.   5. The current time according to claim 1, wherein the current time is automatically acquired from the network terminal through the network line when the job is input from the image forming apparatus main body. Image forming system.   6. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the current time is manually added by a user of the network terminal when the job is output from the network terminal. .   The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the current time is updated each time a new job is input to the image forming apparatus main body.   8. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the current time is updated using a counter value installed in the image forming apparatus main body.   The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the job control unit deletes the job that has reached the expiration date from the storage unit when a predetermined trigger is detected. .

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