JP2009000917A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve usability of a user by avoiding complication of output materials relating to a plurality of print jobs as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: When it is judged that a job accepted by a job acceptation section is a printing moderation set job according to a result of judgment by a moderation setting judgment section, the job management section acquires an operating condition relating to a print job in a standby state and assigns a print-out relating to the printing moderation set job to a vacant time zone according to the acquired operating condition. As a result, the print-out relating to the printing moderation set job is assigned to the time zone which is different from that for the print job in the standby state and is vacant, and then to be carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a job management function, and in particular, can avoid the complication of output materials related to a plurality of print jobs as much as possible to improve user convenience. The present invention relates to a possible image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, a plurality of information processing apparatuses provided for each user (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as user terminals) are connected via a network, and a print job is received from each user terminal. A print job having a job management function for executing a print job to be managed in a predetermined order is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  An image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a paper type information acquisition unit, a determination unit that determines whether or not a job can be output with a currently loaded transfer paper based on the paper type information, a control unit, The control means notifies the job determined to be output by the currently loaded transfer paper by the determination means, and outputs the order of the jobs that cannot be output by the currently loaded transfer paper. Control to change after possible jobs. For example, when the “Confirm” button is pressed, a job that can be output with the currently loaded transfer paper is displayed. When the “aggregate” button is pressed, the executable jobs are aggregated and the output order is changed to the top, that is, the order of jobs that cannot be output with the currently loaded transfer paper is changed after the outputable job. To be made.

  According to the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to efficiently process a job.

  However, in such a conventional job management technique, for example, when the image forming apparatus performs print output based on a command from each of a plurality of user terminals via a network, for each user related to a plurality of print jobs. When output products are discharged to a common paper discharge tray, output products for each user may be complicated. In this case, a certain user may accidentally take away another person's output. In such a case, if the output that has been taken away by someone else is a confidential item, an unexpected trouble that cannot be overlooked can be caused.

JP 2006-25137 A

  The problem to be solved is that there is a possibility that output materials related to a plurality of print jobs may be complicated.

  The present invention aims to avoid as much as possible the complications of output materials related to a plurality of print jobs, and to improve the convenience of the user, with a plurality of user terminals via a network. A receiving unit that receives print jobs from the plurality of user terminals, and a job management unit that manages the plurality of print jobs received by the receiving unit. An image forming apparatus configured to execute in a predetermined order, further comprising: a determination unit that determines whether the print job received by the reception unit is a job related to a modest print setting; The job management unit determines whether the job received by the receiving unit is a modest print setting job as a result of the determination by the determining unit, and the job management unit performs an operation related to the waiting print job. Obtains the situation, the printed output according to the conservative print setting job, the most important feature to assign the vacant time zone based on the acquired operation status.

  The present invention is configured by connecting a plurality of user terminals via a network, receiving means for receiving a print job from the plurality of user terminals, and a job for managing the plurality of print jobs received by the receiving means An image forming apparatus configured to execute a print job to be managed in a predetermined order, wherein the print job received by the receiving unit is a job related to a discreet print setting Determination means for determining whether or not the job management means determines that the job received by the reception means is a modest print setting job as a result of the determination by the determination means , Acquire the operating status related to the waiting print job, and print the print output related to the low-profile print setting job to a vacant time zone based on the acquired operating status. As a result, the print output related to the low-profile print setting job is different from the standby print job, and the output related to the plurality of print jobs is executed as a result of being assigned and executed in a free time zone. It is possible to avoid the complication of the output and the output output related to the low-profile print setting job as much as possible, and contribute to the improvement of the convenience on the user side.

  As a result of the determination by the determination means, the job received by the reception means is to avoid the complication of the output materials related to the plurality of print jobs as much as possible and to contribute to the improvement of the convenience on the user side. When it is determined that the job is a low-profile print setting job, the operation status related to the standby print job is acquired, and the print output related to the low-profile print setting job is vacant based on the acquired operation status. Realized by job management means assigned to the time zone.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, a digital multifunction peripheral is exemplified as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and printing is performed from an information processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a user terminal) such as a personal computer connected to the multifunction peripheral via a network. An example will be described in which a job is received and job management is executed for the received print job.

[Schematic configuration around the digital MFP]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram around a digital multi-function peripheral.

  This machine can use at least one function among print output, fax transmission, mail transmission, and data transmission, and is controlled by the main control unit 11 including a microcomputer and a dedicated hardware circuit. As an input / output device connected to the main control unit 11 and responsible for various functions, this machine includes a scanner unit 21, an image processing unit 31, an engine unit 41, an operation panel unit 51, a facsimile communication unit 61, and an HDD (hard disk drive) 63. In addition, a network I / F (interface) unit 65 is provided.

  The main control unit 11 includes a scanner controller 13 that performs operation control for realizing a scanner function, a facsimile controller 15 that performs operation control for realizing a facsimile function, and a printer controller that performs operation control for realizing a printer function. 17 and a copy controller 19 for controlling the operation for realizing the copy function are incorporated, and the overall operation of the apparatus is controlled.

  The scanner unit 21 includes an image irradiation lamp 23 and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 25 constituting a scanner (not shown). The scanner unit 21 irradiates the document with the image irradiation lamp 23, receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor 25, reads an image from the document, and outputs image data corresponding to the read image to the image processing unit 31. .

  The image processing unit 31 includes a correction unit 33, an image processing unit 35, and an image memory 37. The image processing unit 31 processes the image data read by the scanner unit 21 with the correction unit 33 and the image processing unit 35 as necessary, and stores the processed image data in the image memory 37, the engine unit 41, Output to the facsimile communication unit 61 or the like. The correction unit 33 performs predetermined correction processing such as level correction and Y correction on the image data read by the scanner unit 21. The image processing unit 35 performs various types of processing such as image data compression or expansion processing and enlargement or reduction processing.

  The engine unit 41 includes a sheet conveying unit 43 including a sheet feeding cassette and a sheet feeding roller (not illustrated), an image forming unit 45 including a photosensitive drum, an exposure device, a developing device, and the like (not illustrated), a transfer roller (not illustrated), and the like. And a fixing unit 49 including a fixing roller (not shown). The engine unit 41 uses image data read by the scanner unit 21, image data transmitted from a client PC (personal computer) or the like by a LAN (Local Area Network) via the network I / F unit 65, and the facsimile communication unit 61. The image is printed on paper using image data such as fax data received from an external facsimile machine. Specifically, the paper transport unit 43 transports the paper to the image forming unit 45, the image forming unit 45 forms a toner image corresponding to the image data, the transfer unit 47 transfers the toner image to the paper, The fixing unit 49 fixes the toner image on a sheet to form an image.

  The operation panel unit 51 includes a touch panel unit 53 and an operation key unit 55. The operation panel unit 51 is used for a user to perform operations related to a scanner function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like, and gives an operation command and the like by the user to the main control unit 11.

  The touch panel unit 53 includes a touch panel unit that combines a touch panel and a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays various operation screens, for example, information regarding the document size, copy size, number of copies, and the like when executing the copy function. In addition, operation buttons for inputting various operation commands are displayed when the user touches the corresponding part.

  The operation key unit 55 includes a plurality of operation keys for receiving user operation inputs. For example, a key input operation of a required function can be performed from various functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. This is used when the user selectively executes, or when the user inputs a copy number or a copy execution command.

  The facsimile communication unit 61 includes an encoding / decoding unit (not shown), a modem unit (not shown), and an NCU (Network Control Unit) (not shown). The facsimile communication unit 61 transmits image data of a document read by the scanner unit 21 to a facsimile apparatus or the like via a telephone line, or receives image data transmitted from the facsimile apparatus or the like.

  The HDD (hard disk drive) 63 stores image data read by the scanner unit 21 and various data such as an output format set in the image data. The image data stored in the HDD is not only used inside the printer driver, program, and recording medium, but can be confirmed from the client PC or the like via the network I / F unit 65 as necessary, or the client PC Or a predetermined folder such as an FTP server.

  The network I / F unit 65 uses a network interface (10 / 100Base-TX) or the like to control transmission / reception of various data to / from a user terminal 67 such as a client PC connected via a LAN. Specifically, the network I / F unit 65 receives, for example, a print job request signal transmitted from the user terminal 67 and transfers the received signal to the main control unit 11, while the main control unit 11 receives the information related to the management schedule of the corresponding print job request returned from 11, and transfers the received information to the user terminal 67.

  In order to display the operation content related to the print job setting in the user terminal 67, the user terminal 67 includes a display device 69. Further, the user terminal 67, for example, a conservative setting unit that sets a conservative print function for a print job related to a document that requires confidential management in order to avoid a situation where output materials related to a plurality of print jobs are complicated. 71 and a display control unit 73 that performs control to display operation contents related to the modest printing function setting.

  In order to avoid as much as possible the situation where the output matter related to the print job is confused with the output matter related to the plurality of print jobs when the print job related to the conservative setting is received from the user terminal 67. The main control unit 11 includes a job reception unit 75 that receives a print job from the user terminal 67, a job management table 77 for managing the print job received from the user terminal 67, and a job reception unit ("accepting means" ) A conservative setting determination unit (corresponding to “determination means” of the present invention) 79 that determines whether or not the print job received in 75 is a job related to conservative print settings, and conservative settings As a result of the determination by the determination unit 79, when it is determined that the job received by the job reception unit 75 is a modest print setting job, the job management table 77 is displayed. In addition, the job management unit (this book) has a function of acquiring an operation status related to a waiting print job and allocating a print output related to a low-profile print setting job to an available time zone based on the acquired operation status. Corresponds to “job management means” of the present invention.) 81.

[Operation of Image Forming Apparatus According to Present Invention]
Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows an operation flowchart of the image forming apparatus.

  In the following, unless otherwise specified, in order to avoid a situation in which output materials related to a plurality of print jobs are confused, a user who attempts processing related to a print job on this machine is a user via the user terminal 67. The operation will be described on the premise that an operation for inputting identification information and a password (authentication information) is performed, and a conservative print setting input operation is performed for a print job related to a document requiring confidentiality management.

  In response to the print job of the corresponding document with the above-described modest print setting, the main control unit 11 checks the input user identification information and the like, and the user who has logged in by collating the user identification information registered in advance. Login authentication related to whether or not is a legitimate user. As a result of the login authentication, when the login user is recognized as a regular user, the main control unit 11 receives a print job for the corresponding document (step S11).

  Next, the main control unit 11 determines whether or not the print job received in step S11 is a job related to discreet print settings (step S12).

  As a result of the conservative setting determination in step S12, unlike the above assumption, when it is determined that the print job accepted in step S11 is not a job related to the conservative print setting, the main control unit 11 performs the normal operation. According to the rule, a process of assigning the job to an appropriate time zone in the management schedule is performed (step S13).

  On the other hand, as a result of the conservative setting determination in step S12, when it is determined that the print job accepted in step S11 is a job related to the conservative print setting as described above, the main control unit 11 With reference to the management table 77, the operating status relating to the waiting print job is acquired (step S14), and the print output relating to the modest print setting job is vacant in the management schedule based on the acquired operating status. A process of assigning to a certain time zone is performed (step S15).

  After the assignment process to the management schedule in step S13 or S15, the main control unit 11 executes various job processes including a print job in accordance with the assigned management schedule (step S16).

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the job management unit 81 indicates that the job received by the job reception unit 75 is a modest print setting job as a result of the determination by the moderation setting determination unit 79. When the determination is made, the operation status related to the waiting print job is acquired, and the print output related to the modest print setting job is assigned to a vacant time zone based on the acquired operation status. The print output related to the discreet print setting job is in a different time zone from the print job on standby, and as a result of being assigned and executed in an available time zone, the output output related to a plurality of print jobs and the discreet print It is possible to avoid the complication of the output product related to the setting job as much as possible, and contribute to the improvement of convenience on the user side.

  By the way, even if the print output related to the discreet print setting job is assigned and executed in a vacant time period by performing the discreet print setting for the print job related to the document requiring confidential management, the administrator of the document If the corresponding print job can be executed when the user is at the print output site, the convenience is further enhanced.

  From such a viewpoint, the job management unit 81 may be configured to execute the print output related to the low-profile print setting job after waiting for permission of the corresponding user. In this way, when the administrator of the document is at the print output site, the corresponding print job can be executed. As a result, the output matter related to a plurality of print jobs and the conservative print setting job It is possible to completely avoid the complication of the output product according to the above, and to greatly improve the convenience on the user side.

  In addition, as one approach to avoid the confusion between the output matter related to multiple print jobs and the output matter related to the discreet print setting job, the output matter related to the discreet print setting job is commonly used. If the output is differentiated from the output product related to the print job, the convenience is further enhanced.

  From such a point of view, the job management unit 81 may be configured to provide an index indicating that the discreet print setting job is completed after the print output related to the discreet print setting job is completed. Here, “providing an index indicating that the discreet print setting job has been completed” means, for example, that after the discreet print setting job is completed, a paper larger than the paper used in the job is inserted. The insertion sheet may be a blank sheet on which nothing is printed, or it may be clearly indicated that the insertion sheet is for discriminating discreet print setting jobs. In this way, a user who comes into contact with the output material related to the low-profile print setting job can recognize at a glance that it is the output material related to the low-profile print setting job. Therefore, it is possible to avoid confusion between the output matter related to the output matter and the output matter related to the modest print setting job, thereby contributing to the improvement of the convenience on the user side.

  In addition, the job management unit 81 may be configured to allocate a discharge destination related to a print output related to a low-profile print setting job to a discharge destination different from a normal print job. As a result, a user who comes into contact with an output material that exists at a different discharge destination from that of a normal print job can recognize at a glance that this is an output material related to a low-profile print setting job. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the confusion between the output materials related to a plurality of print jobs and the output materials related to the low-profile print setting job, thereby contributing to the improvement of convenience on the user side.

[Others]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the invention read from the claims and the entire specification or the technical idea, and image formation accompanied by such changes The apparatus is also included in the scope of the technical scope of the present invention.

  That is, for example, in the embodiment of the present invention, in order to avoid the confusion between the output matter related to a plurality of print jobs and the output matter related to the discreet print setting job, the print output related to the discreet print setting job is The mode assigned to the vacant time zone based on the operating status related to the waiting print job has been described by way of example. However, the “vacant time zone based on the operating status related to the waiting print job” means any time The problem is whether to say a belt.

  In view of this, in view of the object of the present invention, such as “prevention of complications of printed output”, execution schedules of waiting print jobs and low-profile print setting jobs to the extent that complications of the print output can be prevented Need only be allocated to different time zones. Note that the waiting print job mentioned here includes a print job that has been input after the reception of the low-profile print setting job as a matter of course, including a print job that is waiting at the time of reception of the low-resolution print setting job.

  Finally, the present invention may employ a configuration in which a print output related to a modest print setting job is assigned to a time zone immediately before the shutdown of the image forming apparatus. In other words, the time zone immediately before the shutdown of the image forming apparatus can be adopted as an embodiment of the vacant time zone based on the operating status relating to the print job on standby. In this way, it is possible to perform the print output related to the low-profile print setting job in the time zone immediately before the shutdown of the image forming apparatus. As a result, it is possible to perform the initial purpose without adjusting the troublesome management schedule. Can be achieved.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram around a digital multi-function peripheral that is an operation control target of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is a flowchart figure which concerns on operation | movement of the user terminal in which the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention was installed.

Explanation of symbols

11 Main Control Unit 67 User Terminal 71 Discreet Setting Unit 73 Display Control Unit 75 Job Accepting Unit (Accepting Unit)
77 Job management table 79 Discreet setting determination unit (determination means)
81 Job management section (job management means)

Claims (5)

A reception unit configured to connect a plurality of user terminals via a network, receiving a print job from the plurality of user terminals, a job management unit managing a plurality of print jobs received by the reception unit; An image forming apparatus configured to execute a print job to be managed in a predetermined order,
A determination unit that determines whether the print job received by the reception unit is a job related to a modest print setting;
The job management means includes:
As a result of the determination by the determination unit, when it is determined that the job received by the reception unit is a modest print setting job, the operation status related to the standby print job is acquired and the modest print setting job is acquired. An image forming apparatus characterized by allocating a print output according to the above to a vacant time zone based on the acquired operating status. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The job management means includes:
An image forming apparatus, wherein a print output related to the modest print setting job is executed after the permission of the corresponding user is executed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The job management means includes:
An image forming apparatus, wherein after the print output related to the discreet print setting job is completed, an index indicating that the discreet print setting job is completed is provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The job management means includes:
An image forming apparatus, wherein a discharge destination related to a print output related to the modest print setting job is assigned to a discharge destination different from a normal print job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The job management means includes:
An image forming apparatus, wherein a print output related to the modest print setting job is assigned to a time zone immediately before the shutdown of the image forming apparatus.

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