JP2009146336A - Printing system, and method of controlling printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system which reduces trouble in sorting print results when a client requests a plurality of print jobs in a shared network printer. <P>SOLUTION: This printing system comprises a personal computer and a printer. The personal computer has a group setting means which generates the printing jobs, transmits them to the printer and sets a plurality of print jobs as group jobs which constitute one group. The printer has a printing control means which prohibits printing of other printing jobs than the group jobs from the start of the first print job in the set group jobs till the end of the last print job in the group jobs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a printing system that controls a print job.

  The following printing systems are known for printing systems that control print jobs. When a group job, which is a job that is a collection of a plurality of scheduled print jobs, is received from the information processing apparatus that is the transmission source of the group job until reception of the plurality of print jobs included in the group job is completed. The received print data is prohibited.

  Further, there is known an invention that prohibits reception of print data from an information processing apparatus that is a transmission source of the group job even if reception of any one of the plurality of print jobs is completed (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is premised on a group job on which scheduling printing has been performed, and the reception of a job not based on scheduling from the transmission source is completed until the completion of reception of the group job in which the scheduling printing transmission source is grouped. Ban.

  On the other hand, an invention is known in which a host computer creates print data having interrupt enable / disable information between a plurality of pages and transmits it to the printer, and the printer determines the interrupt timing based on the interrupt enable / disable information ( For example, see Patent Document 2).

In the invention described in Patent Document 2, print data having interrupt enable / disable information between a plurality of pages is created, and the interrupt is controlled based on the interrupt enable / disable information in the print data. Whether or not interrupts are possible is not determined.
JP 2006-56069 A JP 2003-29606 A

  Conventionally, when a client submits a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer, there is no guarantee that the plurality of jobs are printed together. In this case, normally, print jobs submitted from each client are executed sequentially, so that jobs of other clients may enter between jobs. When a plurality of print jobs are executed together, there is a problem that the confirmation of printed matter on the paper discharge tray and the translation work must be carefully performed.

  Further, in the above conventional example, when a client submits a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer, if a print product instructed by another client is sandwiched, the print product sandwiched between them is displayed. There is a problem that there are many errors to take away.

  The above-described conventional example prohibits reception of other jobs, and there is a problem that it is impossible to determine whether or not an interrupt is possible between a plurality of jobs.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system that can reduce the complexity of sorting print results when a client submits a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which, when a client submits a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer, prints instructed to be printed by other clients are not sandwiched between them. To do.

According to the present invention, in a printing system including a PC and a printer, the PC generates a print job, transmits the print job to the printer, and sets a plurality of print jobs as a group job which is one group. The printer belongs to the group job from the start of printing of the first print job of the set group jobs to the end of printing of the last print job of the group jobs. A printing system having a printing control unit that prohibits printing of other print jobs that are not printed.

  According to the present invention, when a certain client inputs a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer, it is possible to reduce the complexity of sorting print results.

In addition, according to the present invention, when a client inputs a plurality of print jobs to a shared network printer, there is an effect that a printed matter instructed to be printed by another client is not sandwiched between them.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system PS1 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In the printing system PS1, a PC (personal computer) generates a print job, transmits it to a printer, and performs print job group settings. The print job is sequentially transmitted to the printer, and the printer controls printing based on the group setting of the print job and performs printing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printing system PS1.

  The printing system PS1 includes a PC 10, a printer 20, and a network line 30.

  The PC 10 includes a CPU 11, a system bus 12, a ROM 13, a memory 14, a keyboard 15, a display 16, and a network interface controller 17.

  The ROM 13 holds a control procedure of the CPU 11 that controls the entire system of the PC 10. The memory 14 holds information necessary for processing of the printing system PS1, holds processing information of the PC 10, a work area, and the like, and is configured by a RAM or a hard disk.

  The keyboard 15 sends an instruction to the PC 10. The display 16 displays a dialog such as print settings. The network interface controller 17 performs a network port connection interface for connecting the PC 10 and the printer 20 via the network line 30. Each information of the PC 10 goes back and forth via the system bus 12.

  The printer 20 includes a CPU 21, a system bus 22, a ROM 23, a memory 24, a control panel 25, a display 26, a network interface controller 27, and a printer unit 28.

  The CPU 21 controls the entire system of the printer 20. The ROM 23 holds a control procedure of the CPU 21 and the like. The memory 24 holds information necessary for processing of the printing system PS1, holds processing information of the printer 20, a work area, and the like, and is configured by a RAM or a hard disk.

  The control panel 25 transmits an instruction to the printer 20. The display 26 performs display. The network interface controller 27 performs a network port connection interface for connecting the printer 20 and the PC 10 via the network line 30. Each information of the printer 20 goes back and forth via the system bus 22.

  That is, the CPU 11 and the ROM 13 are examples of group setting means for generating a print job, transmitting it to the printer, and setting a plurality of print jobs as a group job that is one group.

  The CPU 21 and the ROM 23 are examples of print control means. This print control means does not belong to the group job between the start of printing of the first print job of the set group jobs and the end of printing of the last print job of the group jobs. This means for prohibiting printing of the print job.

  The group setting means is a means for setting a print job in a group setting ON state as the group job. Further, the group setting means is means for generating group setting end information indicating that the setting of the group job is completed when the group setting is made for all the print jobs that should constitute the group job.

  In addition, the group setting means enables the group temporary release setting for the print jobs belonging to the group job even when the group setting is ON, and sets the print job in the group temporary release state as a single job, It is a means not to belong.

  The group setting means is a means for associating the group ID for each group with a print job in the group setting ON state.

  In addition, the print control unit is a unit that suspends printing of a print job belonging to each group job set by the group setting unit. The print control means is a means for printing a single job not belonging to a group job, receiving the group setting end information, and printing the print jobs belonging to the reserved group job collectively.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an area arrangement 40 in the memory 14 of the PC 10 used in the printing system PS1.

  The area arrangement 40 in the memory 14 includes a group flag 41, a group temporary release flag 42, and a group job ID 43.

  The group flag 41 indicates whether or not print job grouping is set. The group temporary release flag 42 indicates a temporary group release state when the print job grouping is set. In this state, the print jobs are not grouped as the same group, but are printed as a single job.

  The group job ID 43 is an ID associated with print jobs belonging to the same group, and is associated with the same group job ID. The group job ID 43 is assigned a unique ID for each group.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an area arrangement 50 in the memory 24 of the printer 20 used in the printing system PS1.

  The area arrangement 50 in the memory 24 includes a group job index counter 51 and a group job index 52.

  The group job index counter 51 represents the number of group job indexes for managing received print pending group jobs in the printer 20. The number of group job indexes is the number of groups of print pending group jobs that have been received simultaneously.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface for group setting in the PC 10 that generates a print job used in the printing system PS1 and transmits the print job to the printer.

  As shown in FIG. 5A1, a [Group] button 60 for setting grouping is provided in a dialog such as a driver property. When the button 60 is pressed, a group dialog in another window shown in FIG. 5 (a2) is opened. When the “end group” button 61 is pressed, subsequent print jobs are set as print jobs in the same group until the end of the group.

  In the same window, a [temporary group cancellation] check box 62 is provided. When this [temporary group cancellation] check box 62 is checked, the print job checked in this state is a single job even during group setting. The grouped print jobs are listed in a list 63. This list 63 does not indicate that print jobs in the same group remain in the PC 10. Even in the group setting state, the print jobs listed in the list 63 are sequentially transmitted to the printer.

  When the [Group] button 60 is pressed in association with the group flag 41 and the group temporary release flag 42, the group flag 41 is turned ON, and when the [Group end] button 61 is pressed, the group flag 41 is turned OFF. .

  Also, by checking the [Group Temporary Cancellation] check box 62, the group temporary cancellation flag 42 is turned ON, and by checking off, the group temporary cancellation flag 42 is turned OFF.

  Furthermore, as another example, as shown in FIG. 5 (b1), a dialog in which a [group] check box 64 and a [temporary group release] check box 65 are provided in a dialog such as a driver property can be considered. . In this case, grouping is set by checking the [Group] check box 64.

  Subsequent print jobs are set in the same group until the group is terminated by checking off the [Group] check box 64. However, if the [temporary group cancellation] check box 65 is checked, a job printed in this state becomes a single job even during group setting.

  Similarly, it is conceivable to associate the [Group] check box 64 with the group flag 41 and the group temporary release flag 42. In this case, the group flag 41 is turned on by checking the [Group] check box 64, and the group flag 41 is turned off by checking off.

  Also, by checking the [Group temporary release] check box 65, the group temporary release flag 42 is turned ON, and by checking off, the group temporary release flag 42 is turned OFF.

  Next, processing in the printing system will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the printing system PS2.

  The printing system PS2 includes a PC 10a, a PC 10b, a printer 20, and a network line 30.

  The PC 10a and PC 10b are the same as the PC 10.

  The PC 10a and the PC 10b assign a group job ID 43 to the print job based on the group flag 41 based on the dialog shown in FIG. First, the PC 10a assigns the job ID 43: A1 to Job A1 from the bottom by “group flag 41: ON, group temporary release flag 42: OFF”.

  The next job is set as a single job by “group flag 41 (GRPF): ON, group temporary release flag 42 (REFF): ON”, and the group job ID 43 (GRPJID) is not given, and is processed as it is as JobA2. . Thereafter, the same applies, but when the group flag 41: ON is changed to OFF, the group is completed, and therefore the group job ID 43: A1 is assigned to the end command job. That is, the print job of JobA1 is printed.

  Also in the PC 10b, the group job ID 43 is not given as a single job by “group flag 41: OFF” from the bottom, and is processed as it is as JobB1. The next job is given group job ID 43: B1 to JobB2 by "group flag 41: ON, group temporary release flag 42: OFF". The same applies hereinafter.

  On the other hand, when the printer 20 alternately receives print jobs from the PC 10a and PC 10b, the reception queues are group job ID 43: A1 / Job A1, Job B1, Job A2, group job ID 43: B1 / Job B2,. . Here, the received job is analyzed, and print control of the job is performed. In this case, since the group job ID 43: A1 / JobA1 is a group job, printing is suspended, JobB1 is printed, JobA2 is printed, group job ID43: B1 / JobB2 is suspended, and so on. Become.

  The single job is directly passed to the print queue. A group job is managed and held as a group job index 52 for each same group based on each group job ID 43.

  In the reception queue, the group job ID 43: A1 / end job is received and the end of the group of the group job ID 43: A1 is clearly indicated. In response to this, in order to print the group job ID 43: A1 job and the group job ID 43: A1 / Job A1, A3, A4 managed by the group job index 52, they are successively transferred to the print queue. As a result, the job is printed in the order of JobB1, JobA2, JobB3, group job ID 43: A1 / JobA1, A3, A4, JobA5 without interrupting a single job between the jobs set as a group.

  Next, processing in the printing system PS1 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print dialog process in the print system PS1. S1 to S5 indicate steps.

  First, initialization processing is performed (S1), and the group flag 41, the group temporary release flag 42, and the group end flag are turned off. Next, it is determined whether or not an event that means the acquisition of a mouse or a key has occurred (S2). If No, the event is continued, and if Yes, in S3, the [Group] button 60 is selected. It is determined whether or not the button has been pressed. If No, it is determined whether or not an end is instructed (S5), and if instructed, the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in S3 that the [Group Print] button has been pressed, group dialog processing is performed (S4), and similarly to No in S5, the process returns to S2 to wait for an event to occur.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the group dialog processing shown in FIG.

  S6 to S13 indicate steps. First, initialization processing is performed (S6), the group flag 41 is turned on, and the group temporary release flag 42 is turned off. Next, it is determined whether or not an event that means capturing of a mouse or a key has occurred (S7). If No, the event is continuously waited. If Yes, in S8, [Temporary group release] check is performed. It is determined whether the box 65 has been pressed. If Yes, the group temporary release flag 42 is turned ON (S9). If No, it is determined whether or not the [Group End] button 61 has been pressed (S10). If it is determined Yes in S10, the [group end] flag is turned ON. If No, it is determined whether or not termination is instructed (S12). When termination is instructed, both the group flag 41 and the group temporary release flag 42 are turned off (S13), and the process is terminated, as in S11. On the other hand, if it is determined in S12 that the end is not instructed, the process returns to S7 and waits for the occurrence of an event as in S9.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of group processing in the printing system.

  S14 to S19 indicate steps. First, it is determined whether or not the group flag 41 is ON (S14). If Yes, it is determined whether the group temporary release flag 42 is OFF (S15). If Yes, the group job ID 43 is added to the job (S16), and the process proceeds to S17 as in the case of No in S14 and S15.

  In S17, it is determined whether or not the group end flag is ON. If Yes, the group job ID 43 is added to the group end command job (S18). Further, the group end flag is turned off (S19), and the process is ended as in the case of NO in S17. The group job ID 43 added to the job is a unique ID for each group.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of printer processing performed by the printer 20 in the printing system.

  S20 to S26 indicate steps. First, initialization processing is performed (S20), and 0 is set in the group job index counter 51. It is determined whether or not there is an analysis target reception job (S21). If there is no analysis target reception job, it is determined whether or not an end instruction has been given (S22). If No, the process returns to S21 and Yes. If there is, the process ends (S23).

  On the other hand, if Yes in S21, as a print control process, it is determined whether or not the group job ID 43 is added to the job (S24). If No, a normal job process is performed as a single job (S25). ),Print. If Yes, group job processing is performed (S26).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of group job processing performed by the printer 20 in the printing system PS1.

  S27 to S35 indicate steps. First, it is determined whether or not the job is an end command job indicating the end of the group job (S27). If No, in S28, it is confirmed by the group job index 52 that the job with the group job ID 43 already exists in the hold state. Here, it is determined whether or not there is a group job ID 43 (S29). If it is not, it is the first time, so the group job index counter 51 is incremented (S30), and the process proceeds to S31 in S29, as in the case of Yes. . In S31, the job is registered in the group job index 52, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is a termination command job in S27, it is recognized in S32 that the group job of the group job ID 43 is terminated. Further, the print job pending for the group job ID 43 is acquired by the group job index 52 for printing. In order to print the print pending job of the acquired group job ID 43, job processing is performed (S33), and this is repeated until all the group jobs are completed (S34). When all the processes are completed, the group job index counter 51 is decremented (S35), and the process is terminated.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system PS1 that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system PS1. It is a schematic diagram explaining the area | region arrangement | positioning in the memory of PC10 used in printing system PS1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an area arrangement in a memory 24 of a printer 20 used in the printing system PS1. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface for group setting in the PC 10 that generates a print job used in the printing system PS1 and transmits the print job to the printer. FIG. It is a figure which shows printing system PS2. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print dialog process in the print system PS1. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the group dialog process shown in FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of group processing in the printing system. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of printer processing performed by the printer 20 in the printing system. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of group job processing performed by the printer 20 in the printing system PS1 illustrated in FIG. 10.

Explanation of symbols

PS1, PS2 ... Printing system,
10 ... PC,
11 ... CPU,
12 ... System bus,
13 ... ROM,
14 ... Memory,
15 ... Keyboard,
16 ... Display,
17 ... Network interface controller,
20 ... printer,
21 ... CPU,
22 ... System bus,
23 ... ROM,
24 ... Memory,
25 ... Control panel,
26 ... display,
27 ... Network interface controller,
28 ... Printer unit,
30: Network line.

Claims (7)

In a printing system comprising a PC and a printer,
The PC includes a group setting unit that generates a print job, transmits the print job to the printer, and sets a plurality of print jobs as a group job that is one group.
The printer does not belong to any other group job between the start of printing the first print job of the set group jobs and the end of printing of the last print job of the group jobs. A printing system comprising: a print control unit that prohibits printing of a print job. In claim 1,
When the group setting means sets a print job in the group setting ON state as the group job, and sets the group for all the print jobs that should constitute the group job, the group setting means A printing system which is means for generating group setting end information to be displayed. In claim 1,
The group setting means sets a print job in the group setting ON state as the group job. Even in the group setting ON state, the group setting means enables the group temporary release setting for the print job belonging to the group job, and sets the group temporary release state. A printing system characterized in that a certain print job is a single job and does not belong to the group job. In claim 1,
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the group setting means is a means for associating a group ID for each group with a print job in a group setting ON state. In claim 2,
The print control unit suspends printing of a print job belonging to each group job set by the group setting unit, causes a single job not belonging to the group job to be printed, receives the group setting end information, and A printing system which is means for collectively printing print jobs belonging to a held group job. A printing system including a PC and a printer, wherein the PC includes a group setting unit that generates a print job, transmits the print job to the printer, and sets a plurality of print jobs as a group job that is a group. In the printing system to
Printing of other print jobs that do not belong to the group job between the start of printing of the first print job of the set group jobs and the end of printing of the last print job of the group jobs A printer having a print control means for prohibiting printing. In a printing system comprising a PC and a printer,
The PC has a group setting step of generating a print job, sending the print job to the printer, and setting a plurality of print jobs as a group job which is one group;
The printer does not belong to any other group job between the start of printing the first print job of the set group jobs and the end of printing of the last print job of the group jobs. A printing system control method comprising a print control step for prohibiting printing of a print job.

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