JP2010052254A - Printer and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique which makes it possible to suppress waste of consumables by managing printing when a printer is used by two or more users. <P>SOLUTION: If a print job is transmitted from PC2 and received by the printer 1 (S102:Y), it is determined in S103 whether the print job concerned is related with managing user information or general user information. When receiving the print job related with the general user information (S103:N), it is stored in HDD14 without printing (S104). When receiving the print job related with the managing user information (S103:Y), the print job related with the managing user information is printed on a form by a printing part 15 in S106, and continuously the print job stored in HDD14 is printed in S105. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing system.

  Conventionally, it is assumed that a plurality of personal computers are connected to one printer, and a plurality of users (users) use one printer. In this type of usage, the user of each personal computer can easily use the printer, which increases the cost of consumables such as paper, toner or ink, wastes resources, or accelerates the deterioration of the printer. There was a fear.

Therefore, in order to manage the use of the printer for each user, there is a technique for setting user management information by the administrator. For example, as shown in Patent Literature 1, user management information is held in an administrator host computer, and when a user executes printing with a printer, the user management information is referred to, so that printing for each user is performed. There are proposals for technologies that limit the above.
JP 2001-188663 A

  In the above technique, a user who is restricted from printing cannot execute printing with a printer, which may be inconvenient for a user who wants to print. That is, in the above technique, since user printing is excessively managed, there is a problem that some users cannot use the printer suitably.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing system capable of executing print management and suppressing waste of consumables.

  In order to achieve this object, a printing apparatus according to claim 1 includes a printing unit that prints a print job on paper, a storage unit that stores the print job, and a control unit that controls the printing and storage. The print job is associated with sender information of a sender who has transmitted the print job, and further includes a determination unit that determines the sender information of the print job, and the control The printing unit, when the determination unit determines that the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit include two or more different numbers of the sender information. A print job stored in the storage unit and the received print job.

  The printing apparatus according to claim 2 is the printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sender information is information for individually identifying each sender, and the control unit includes: Until the determination unit determines that the two or more different predetermined numbers of sender information are included, the storage unit stores the print job, and the determination unit determines that the predetermined number of sender information is included. Accordingly, the printing unit prints the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints a print job on paper; a storage unit that stores the print job; and a control unit that controls the printing and storage. The print job is associated with the sender information of either the general user information or the management user information about the sender who sent the print job, and the judgment for judging the sender information of the print job is made. And the control unit causes the storage unit to store the print job when the determination unit determines that the received print job is associated with the general user information, and determines the determination. If it is determined that the received print job is associated with the management user information, the print job or the print job and the storage unit are recorded in the print unit. Characterized in that to print the print job that is.

  A printing apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the printing unit is arranged before a print job stored in the storage unit. In addition, the received print job of the object for which the determination unit determines to permit the printing is printed.

  A printing apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the display unit displays information relating to a print job stored in the storage unit. And a selection unit that selects whether or not printing by the printing unit is possible for the print job displayed on the display unit.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the display unit displays information about a print job stored in the storage unit, and is displayed on the display unit. A selection unit that selects whether the printing unit can print or not, and the control unit prints the latter print job among the stored print job and the received print job at the printing unit. Thus, printing is stopped, and the printing unit stores the print job stored in the storage unit permitted to be printed by the selection unit.

  A printing apparatus according to a seventh aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the printing apparatus is communicably connected to a computer, and the storage unit The information processing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits information about the print job stored in the storage unit to the computer.

  In addition, the printing apparatus according to claim 8 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the printing apparatus includes the sender information associated with the print job. When a print job that is communicably connected to the corresponding computer and is stored in the storage unit is printed, the print job is printed on the computer according to the sender information associated with the print job. It is characterized by providing a notification unit for notifying information to the effect.

  A printing apparatus according to a ninth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein a print job stored in the storage unit is stored in the storage unit. When a predetermined waiting time elapses, the control unit causes the printing unit to print a print job stored in the storage unit.

  A printing apparatus according to a tenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to the ninth aspect, wherein the predetermined waiting time is set for each piece of sender information.

  The printing apparatus according to claim 11 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control unit is configured to perform each of the determination units in a predetermined time zone. Depending on the determination, the storage unit stores the storage or the printing unit performs the printing, and outside the time zone, the received print job is printed on the printing unit regardless of each determination of the determination unit. It is characterized by making it.

  A printing apparatus according to a twelfth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the printing apparatus is configured to start printing last executed by the printing unit. When a predetermined time elapses, a power saving mode that keeps power consumed by the printing apparatus low is executed. When the power saving mode is being executed, the control unit performs each determination of the determination unit. Accordingly, the determination unit is configured to store the memory in the storage unit or cause the printing unit to perform the printing, and to determine the predetermined time from the end of the previously executed printing to the execution of the power saving mode. The received print job is printed on the printing unit regardless of the above determinations.

  A printing apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, in which the printing unit includes the received print job and the printing job. In accordance with printing of a print job stored in the storage unit, a power saving mode is executed in which the power consumed by the printing apparatus is kept low.

  A printing apparatus according to a fourteenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein a plurality of paper ejections ejects the paper printed by the printing unit. And the sheet on which the print job stored in the storage unit is printed and the sheet on which the received print job is printed are discharged to different sheet discharge units. .

  A printing apparatus according to a fifteenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourteenth aspects, in which a printing job stored in the storage unit is printed by the printing unit. In this case, a notification unit that performs a notification operation is provided.

  A printing apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, wherein a discharge section that discharges the paper printed by the printing section; A lower discharge mechanism that discharges the paper with the print side of the paper facing down, and an upper discharge mechanism that discharges the paper with the print side of the paper up. The sheet on which the print job stored in the storage device is printed is discharged by the upper discharge mechanism.

  A printing apparatus according to a seventeenth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixteenth aspects, in which the control unit determines the received print job as the determination unit. Regardless, a switching unit that switches the printing unit to perform printing is provided.

  The printing system according to claim 18 is a computer that transmits a print job, a printing device that prints the received print job on paper, a storage device that stores the received print job, and the printing and storage. And a control device that controls communication, wherein the print job is associated with sender information of a sender that has transmitted the print job, and the print job The control device further includes a determination device that determines sender information, and the control device has a predetermined number of the transmissions of two or more different for the received print job and the print job stored in the storage device. And printing the received print job and the print job stored in the storage device in response to the determination that the user information is included. To.

The printing system according to claim 19 is a computer that transmits a print job, a printing device that prints the received print job on paper, a storage device that stores the received print job, and the printing and storage. And a control system that controls communication with each other, wherein the print job is a transmission of either one of general user information and management user information about a sender who has transmitted the print job. And a determination device that determines the sender information of the print job, and the control device associates the print job received by the determination device with the general user information. If it is determined that the print job is stored in the storage device, the received print job in the determination device is the management user. If it is determined to be associated with the distribution, to the printing apparatus, characterized in that to print the print jobs stored with the print job or the print job in the storage device.

  The printing system according to claim 20 is the printing system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the computer includes a display unit for displaying information, and the control device is stored in the storage device. Information on the stored print job is displayed on the display unit.

  The printing system according to claim 21 is the printing system according to claim 20, wherein the computer selects whether to allow the printing apparatus to print the print job displayed on the display unit. It comprises a part.

  A printing system according to a twenty-second aspect is the printing system according to the eighteenth or nineteenth aspect, wherein the computer is configured to display a display unit for displaying information and a print job displayed on the display unit. A selection unit that selects whether to allow printing by the printing device, and the printing device determines that the determination device permits the printing before a print job stored in the storage device Printing the received print job of interest, and the control device stops printing when the latter print job of the stored print job and the received print job is printed by the printing unit; Information on the print job stored in the storage device is displayed on the display unit, and the print job stored in the storage device that is permitted to be printed by the selection device is displayed in advance. Characterized in that to print by a printing device.

  A printing system according to a twenty-third aspect is the printing system according to any one of the eighteenth to twenty-second aspects, wherein the storage device, the determination device, and the control device are managed as one. It is a device.

<Invention of Claims 1 and 18>
Even if a print job is received from only one or a single type of sender, it is stored in the storage unit without printing, and when a print job is received from another sender, both print jobs are printed. That is, by printing a print job that is always associated with different sender information at one time, there is a possibility that a sender who wants to collect printed paper sees the printed paper of another sender. Thus, printing is monitored mutually, and senders who understand this are difficult to perform useless printing, and as a result, mutually restrict printing of other senders.

<Invention of Claim 2>
The sender information is information for individually identifying each sender, and when a print job associated with two or more different sender information is received or stored, the print jobs are printed. Is a situation where there is a high possibility that there are two or more predetermined number of senders around the printing apparatus.

  In such a situation, a print job transmitted from the outside is printed together with a print job associated with other sender information, so what kind of printing is performed by the sender who transmitted each print job. Are likely to be monitored each other.

<Invention of Claim 3 and Claim 19>
The print job associated with the general user information is always stored in the storage unit, and the stored print job is printed when the print job associated with the management user information is received. A sender having user information can view, that is, manage, printing of a sender having general user information when collecting his / her printed paper.

<Invention of Claim 4>
It is possible to provide a printed sheet quickly to a sender who has transmitted a print job immediately before printing. In particular, after a print job associated with the management user information is printed as in claim 2, the print job stored in the storage unit can be monitored by the sender of the print job.

<Invention of Claim 5>
By determining whether or not each print job stored in the storage unit displayed on the display unit of the printing apparatus can be printed, it is possible to reduce the possibility of printing by useless print jobs.

<Invention of Claim 6>
Only print jobs sent immediately before printing are printed and stopped, and the possibility of printing by useless print jobs is reduced by determining whether other print jobs displayed on the display unit of the printing device can be printed. Is possible. In particular, after printing a print job associated with the management user information as in claim 2, it is possible for the sender of the print job to determine whether or not the print job stored in the storage unit can be printed. Become.

<Invention of Claims 7 and 20>
The print job information stored in the storage unit can be confirmed by a computer.

<Invention of Claim 8>
It is possible to notify the sender who has transmitted the print job stored in the storage unit that printing is to be executed.

<Invention of Claim 9>
Since the print job stored in the storage unit is printed after a predetermined waiting time elapses, it is possible to prevent the print job from being printed indefinitely.

<Invention of Claim 10>
Since it is possible to freely set a predetermined waiting time for each piece of sender information, it is possible to manage printing. In addition, for example, the setting is performed by an administrator, so that the user can be managed accurately.

<Invention of Claim 11>
By storing the print job in accordance with each determination of the determination unit in a predetermined time zone, for example, the print job is stored in a time zone when there are few users using the printing apparatus, so that the print job is stored. It is possible to use the printing apparatus without storing the print job during other time periods.

<Invention of Claim 12>
When the printing apparatus is in the power saving mode, there is a high possibility that there is no user around because the printing apparatus is not being used. Therefore, when the printing apparatus is in the power saving mode, it is necessary to control printing so that the print job is stored, and it is possible to use the printing apparatus without storing the print job during other time periods. .

<Invention of Claim 13>
Since the printing apparatus prints a plurality of print jobs at once, once printing is executed, it may take time until the next printing is executed. Therefore, the power saving mode is executed immediately after printing the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit, thereby reducing the power consumption of the printing apparatus.

<Invention of Claim 14>
The paper on which the print job stored in the storage unit is printed and the paper on which the received print job is printed can be separately managed by a plurality of paper discharge units.

<Invention of Claim 15>
Since the sender who sent the print job stored in the storage unit does not know when the print job printed in the storage unit is printed, the notification job of the notification unit causes the print job to be printed. The sender can recognize it.

<Invention of Claim 16>
The printed paper on which the print job stored in the storage unit is printed is printed with the printing surface facing upward, so that the possibility of being viewed by other users increases, and the user performs unnecessary printing. More can be prevented.

<Invention of Claim 17>
By switching so that the received print job is always printed, it is possible to satisfy the needs of various users.

<Invention of Claim 21>
By determining whether or not each print job stored in the storage unit displayed on the display unit of the computer can be printed, it is possible to reduce the possibility of printing due to a useless print job.

<Invention of Claim 22>
Only print jobs sent just before printing are printed and stopped, and the possibility of printing by useless print jobs is reduced by determining whether other print jobs displayed on the display unit of the computer can be printed. It is possible. In particular, after printing a print job associated with the management user information as in the nineteenth aspect, it is possible for the sender of the print job to determine whether or not the print job stored in the storage unit can be printed. Become.

<Invention of Claim 23>
Since the storage device, the determination device, and the control device are configured by one management device, collective management is possible.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the printing apparatus and the printing system of the present invention will be described in detail.

[First embodiment]
First, the first embodiment will be described.

<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a printing system. A printer 1 as an example of a printing apparatus of the present invention and a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “PC”) 2 as an example of a computer of the present invention.
Are connected via the network 3. A plurality of PCs 2 are connected to the network 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the printer 1 in FIG.

  The printer 1 and the plurality of PCs 2 are communicably connected via a network 3 via a network I / F (not shown), and data can be input and output between the devices.

  The printer 1 includes a hard disk (hereinafter referred to as “HDD”) 14 and a printing unit 15 which are examples of a storage unit, and stores or prints a print job. In addition, the printer 1 includes an operation unit 16 as an example of a selection unit that inputs data and instructions using a push button or the like, a display unit 17 such as an LCD, a notification unit 18, and a clock unit 19.

  Each unit is controlled by a control circuit 10 including a CPU 11, a ROM 12 and a RAM 13. The control circuit 10 executes each operation to be described later based on a program stored in the ROM 12, and functions as an example of a determination unit, a control unit, a transmission unit, a notification unit, and a switching unit.

  The HDD 14 is for storing print jobs and other data. The printing unit 15 is for printing a print job received from the PC 2 on paper. The display unit 17 is for displaying a print job stored in the HDD 14, and the operation unit 16 is a user instruction for permitting or deleting printing of the print job stored in the HDD 14. Is for entering.

  The notification unit 18 includes a light emitting unit such as an LED or a sound output unit such as a speaker. When the printing unit 15 prints a sheet, the light emitting unit and the sound output unit emit light and output sound. This is to notify the sender who has transmitted the print job that the printing has been executed. The notification by the light emission of the notification unit 18 may be replaced with the display on the display unit 17. The clock unit 19 is a well-known timer and is used for measuring time, elapsed time, and the like.

  Further, the printer 1 is attached with a sorter 100, and the paper printed by the printing unit 15 is discharged to one of the plurality of paper discharge units 111.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the sorter 100.

  The sorter 100 has a receiving port 4 connected to a paper discharge port of a printer 1 (not shown) as well as known ones, and a sheet that has entered from the receiving port 4 by a direction switching claw 103 provided in the vicinity of the receiving port 4. The paper is sorted into a transport mechanism that discharges the paper as it is, and a reversing mechanism that reverses the front and back.

  A drive unit such as a solenoid (not shown) is connected to the direction switching claw 103, and when the paper discharge is executed in the normal paper discharge, the drive unit guides the paper to the transport mechanism on the lower side of the drawing. Then, the direction switching claw 103 operates, the sheet passes through the lower side of the separation claw 103 and is conveyed between the conveyance guide plates 110 by the relay roller 108 and the conveyance roller 109, and a plurality of paper discharge units 111 by a known distribution mechanism 112. The paper is discharged to either of these.

  When paper discharge is executed in reverse paper discharge, the direction switching claw 103 operates to guide the paper to the reversing mechanism on the upper side of the drawing by the driving unit, and the paper passes through the upper side of the separation claw 103. By the rotation of the reversing entrance roller 104, the reversing guide plate 107 is conveyed in the direction opposite to the conveying mechanism.

Thereafter, when it is determined by a sensor (not shown) that the sheet has passed the end of the direction switching claw 103, the sheet is conveyed from the trailing end to the conveying mechanism by the reversing roller 105 and the hitting roller 106, and the normal discharge is performed. Similarly, the sheet is conveyed between the conveyance guide plates 110 by the relay roller 108 and the conveyance roller 109 and discharged to any one of the sheet discharge portions 111.

  In the present embodiment, the paper printing surface is discharged downward onto the paper discharge unit 111 during normal paper discharge, and the paper printing surface is directed upward onto the paper discharge unit 111 during reverse paper discharge. It is configured to be discharged. Further, the configuration of each unit for normal paper discharge corresponds to the lower paper discharge mechanism, and the configuration of each unit for reverse paper discharge corresponds to the upper paper discharge mechanism.

  The PC 2 is a commonly used personal computer, and is a device that transmits print data to the printer 1 under the control of a control circuit such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM (not shown). The PC 2 includes an operation unit 20 as an example of a selection unit configured by a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, and a display unit 21 configured by a CRT, an LCD, or the like.

<Composition of print job>
The print job is data such as a document or a drawing transmitted from the PC 2 to the printer 1 and printed on a sheet by the printing unit 15. Since the print job here is a group of data transmitted from the PC 2 to the printer 1 once, it may be data for one page of paper or data for a plurality of pages depending on the print job.

  The print job is associated with sender information for specifying the sender. The sender information consists of two types of general user information and management user information, and information that can identify the sender may be distinguished into the two types. The information that can specify the sender is, for example, a PCID that is an ID unique to each PC2, a login user ID for logging in to use the PC2, and the like. For example, management user information is assigned to a store manager, and general user information is assigned to another employee.

  Based on the program in the control circuit 10, the printer 1 can determine whether the sender who transmitted the print job is the management side or the management side based on the general user information or the management user information. Further, when the printer 1 receives a print job, it executes storage or print processing.

  In this embodiment, when a print job associated with general user information is received, the print job is stored in the HDD 14. When a print job associated with management user information is received, the print job is placed on a sheet by the printing unit 15. Print. When a print job associated with the management user information is printed, the print job stored in the HDD 14 is also printed.

  With this configuration, it is possible to manage printing of a print job associated with general user information. That is, it is impossible to print by a sender having general user information alone, and a sender having general user information can always print a print job together with printing by a sender having management user information. Accordingly, it can be said that printing of a sender having general user information is managed by a sender having management user information.

  The sender information can be input while being displayed on the display unit 17 by a button operation on the operation unit 16, or can be transmitted from the PC 2 and stored in the HDD 14 or the like.

A waiting time is set for a print job associated with general user information. When there is a print job in the HDD 14 that exceeds the predetermined standby time measured by the clock unit 19 after the print job is received by the printer 1 or stored in the HDD 14, all the print jobs stored in the HDD 14 Are printed even for print jobs associated with general user information.

  In this embodiment, in principle, the print job associated with the general user information is not printed alone, but is associated with the general user information when the print job associated with the management user information is printed. When a print job can be printed, but a sender with administrative user information does not send a print job to the printer for a long time, this prevents the sender with general user information from being printed indefinitely. You can avoid that. It is desirable that the waiting time can be arbitrarily set by a sender having management user information according to a normal time interval for executing printing.

  The waiting time may be set in advance for each general user information by a sender having management user information. The standby time is input together with general user information by a button operation on the operation unit 16 and stored in the HDD 14 or the like. In this case, when the print job is stored in the HDD 14, the general user information of the print job can be referred to. Alternatively, when the print job is transmitted from the PC 2, information indicating the standby time is attached to the print job, and the print job and the standby time may be stored in the HDD 14 or the like.

  With this configuration, a sender having management user information can manage printing to some extent for each sender having general user information.

<Storage and printing process>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing storage and printing processing in the printer 1.

  The printer 1 periodically reads out and executes a program for executing the storage and printing processes shown in this flowchart by the control circuit. If no print job is stored in the HDD 14 (S101: N) and no print job is received from the PC 2 (S102: N), the process waits until a print job is received.

  When a print job is transmitted from the PC 2 and received by the printer 1 (S102: Y), it is determined in S103 whether the print job is associated with management user information.

  If it is determined that the print job is not associated with the management user information but is associated with the general user information (S103: N), the print job is stored in the HDD 14 in S104, and the process will be described later. After the processing from S108 to S110, the process returns to S101. If a print job associated with general user information is further received from the PC 2 thereafter, the same processing is performed and the print job is stored in the HDD 14. That is, even if there are a plurality of print jobs associated with the general user information, they are stored in the HDD 14 without being printed.

  In the state where the print job is stored in the HDD 14, it is determined in S101 whether or not the waiting time of each print job stored in the HDD 14 has passed for at least one print job.

  When the waiting time of at least one print job has elapsed (S101: Y), all print jobs stored in the HDD 14 are printed on paper by the printing unit 15 in S105.

At this time, the PC 2 corresponding to the general user information of the print job stored in the HDD 14 is used.
On the other hand, it is preferable that information notifying that the printing of the print job has been executed is transmitted and the information is displayed on the display unit 21 in the PC 2. Alternatively, a person around the printer 1 may be informed that printing is being executed or has been completed by light emission or sound output from the notification unit 18.

  When a print job associated with the management user information is received in S103 (S103: Y), the print job associated with the management user information is printed on paper in the printing unit 15 in S106. . The print job associated with the management user information may be printed after being stored in the HDD 14 or may be printed without being stored. When the printing is completed, in this embodiment, printing of the printer 1 is stopped in S107. However, after printing the print job associated with the management user information, the general user information stored in the HDD 14 is continuously printed. The associated print job may be printed.

  In the present embodiment, the print job associated with the general user information stored in the HDD 14 is displayed on the display unit 17 of the printer 1. For example, information that can identify the sender that sent the print job, bibliographic information such as the number of pages in the print job, the print job is a color or monochrome print job, and an image to be printed by the print job Is displayed.

  A user such as the sender of the print job can instruct the deletion or printing of the print job by looking at this display. For example, after storing the print job in S104 or after stopping printing in S107, when the print unit is selected and deleted by the operation unit 16 while looking at the display unit 17 (S108: Y), The print job is deleted from the HDD 14 (S109). Alternatively, when an instruction to print the selected print job is given (S110: Y), the print job is printed (S105). If no print instruction is given (S110: N), the process returns to S101.

  Since the user who can perform this operation is desirably a user having management user information, it is desirable that the operation unit 16 is locked so that no one can perform the operation. This lock can be released by a known release method such as password entry.

  The paper printed by the printing unit 15 is selectively discharged to a plurality of paper discharge units 111 by operating the direction switching claw 103 and the distribution mechanism 112 in the sorter 100 based on the sender information.

  Preferably, the paper printed by the print job associated with the general user information is subjected to the above-described reverse discharge, and the number of discharges corresponding to the print job is sequentially performed from the top to the bottom with the print side up. Distributed to the unit 111. The paper printed by the print job associated with the management user information is not reversed, and is discharged from the lower stage of the paper discharge unit 111 that contains the paper printed by the print job associated with the general user information. The paper is discharged on the paper unit 111 with the printing surface facing down.

  In the case of an apparatus having a single paper discharge unit 111 and a reversing mechanism, a sheet printed by a print job associated with the management user information is discharged onto the paper discharge unit 111 with the print side down. Then, the sheet printed by the print job associated with the general user information is discharged with the printing surface facing down.

In addition, the above described reverse discharge is omitted, and sheets printed by either the print job associated with the management user information or the print job associated with the general user information are overlapped on one discharge unit. The paper may be discharged. The printing order of both print jobs may be arbitrary.

  Furthermore, when printing by the printing unit 15 is completed, the printer 1 immediately shifts to a power saving mode in which power consumption can be suppressed.

  The storage and printing processing in this embodiment has been described above.

  In this embodiment, the print job associated with the general user information is always stored in the HDD 14 in S104. As a result, a sender having general user information is restricted from printing, and when a print job associated with management user information is printed, the print job associated with general user information can also be printed. The sender associated with the user information can check what has been printed by the print job associated with the general user information when collecting the printing paper, that is, manage the sender having the general user information. Is possible. In order to realize this, any device having S102, S103, S104, S105, and S106 may be used.

  Even when the sender having the management user information does not execute printing, the print job associated with the general user information can be appropriately printed in S110. Further, since printing is always executed according to the determination result of S101, it is possible to solve the problem that a sender having general user information cannot execute printing indefinitely.

  Further, when printing is executed in S105, information indicating that the print job is to be printed is transmitted to the PC 2 that transmitted each print job, or the notification process by the notification unit 18 is performed. It is possible to solve the problem that the stored print job was printed in an untimely manner.

  Further, when the printing in S105 is executed, the printed paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit with the print side up, so that the printed paper is a person around the printer 1 or the printed paper. It becomes easy to be seen by other users who came to collect.

  Therefore, it is difficult for the sender who has transmitted the print job to secretly execute printing, and therefore, there is an effect of preventing unnecessary printing for the sender who intends to perform unnecessary printing.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described.

  Note that description of parts common to the first embodiment is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the overall configuration and the printer configuration are the same as those in the first embodiment.

<Composition of print job>
The sender information of the print job in this embodiment may be only information that can identify the sender. For example, a PCID that is an ID unique to each PC2, a login user ID for logging in to use the PC2, etc. <Storage and Print Processing>
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing storage and printing processing in the printer 1. The processes of S101, S102, S104, and S105 are the same as in the first embodiment.

In the process of this embodiment, when a print job is received (S102: Y), the sender information of the print job and the sender information of the print job stored in the HDD 14 are acquired (S2).
01). In a state where no print job is stored in the HDD 14, two or more types of sender information do not exist in one newly received print job (S 202: N), and the received print job is stored in the HDD 14 ( S104). It should be noted that after the newly received print job is stored in the HDD 14, the processes of S201 and S202 may be executed.

  Thereafter, when a print job is further received, it is determined whether the newly received print job and all the print jobs stored in the HDD 14 include two or more predetermined numbers of different sender information (S202). That is, the number of senders who have transmitted print jobs is counted. Therefore, even if a plurality of sender print jobs having the same sender information are stored, the number to be counted is only one. The predetermined number is preferably set by an administrator who manages the printer 1 or the like.

  When the number of different pieces of sender information associated with all the print jobs reaches a predetermined number (S202: Y), the last received print job in S105 is stored in the HDD 14 in the same manner as in the first embodiment in S105. All stored print jobs are printed.

  With this configuration, printing is executed only when there is a high possibility that a predetermined number of users exist around the printer 1, so that the printed paper can be seen by other users. There is sex. Therefore, it is difficult to secretly useless printing, and as a result, printing can be limited.

  Note that the first print job printed in S105 is preferably the last received print job. That is, a user who uses such a printer 1 is highly likely to confirm the operation of the printer 1 immediately after transmitting a print job. Therefore, printing the print job transmitted by the sender of the last received print job is a printing method in accordance with the user's awareness.

  Similarly to the first embodiment, by using the sorter 100, a sheet printed by the last received print job and a sheet printed by a print job previously stored in the HDD 14 are divided into a plurality of sheets. The paper may be distributed to the paper discharge unit 111, or the latter paper may be discharged with the print side up. Further, the former sheet may be discharged onto one sheet discharge unit 111 with the printing surface facing down, and the latter sheet may be stacked thereon with the printing surface facing up. Without using the sorter 100, both sheets may be stacked on a single sheet discharge unit in any order.

  Further, as in the first embodiment, after the printing by the printing unit 15 is completed, the mode may be shifted to the power saving mode immediately.

  Similarly to the first embodiment, printing may be stopped after printing the last received print job, and then printing of the print job stored in the HDD 14 may be started by a predetermined operation. Alternatively, a print job stored in the HDD 14 may be displayed on the display unit 17 and a print job may be selected and printed.

[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described.

  Note that a description of parts common to the first and second embodiments is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the overall configuration and the printer configuration are the same as those of the first and second embodiments, and the configuration of the print job is the same as that of the first embodiment.

<Storage and printing process>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing storage and printing processing in the printer 1. S10
The contents of the processing from 1 to S110, S201, and S202 are the same as those in the first and second embodiments.

  In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not a print job is associated with management user information (S103), and there is a predetermined number of different sender information associated with all print jobs stored in the HDD 14. Both determinations (S201) are made. That is, this embodiment is an embodiment in which the first embodiment and the second embodiment are combined.

  As a result, the print job is printed according to the determinations of S101, S103, and S201, so the possibility of printing is higher than in the first and second embodiments.

[Fourth embodiment]
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described.

  Note that description of parts common to the first to third embodiments is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the overall configuration and the printer configuration are the same as those of the first to third embodiments, and the configuration of the print job is the same as that of the first embodiment.

<Description of management time and power saving mode>
In this embodiment, a management time zone is set. Within the management time zone, the processes of S101 and S103 to S110 of the first embodiment are executed. However, outside the management time zone, the printer 1 executes printing immediately upon receiving a print job. That is, the process executed in the first embodiment is managed based on the management time.

  For example, the management time zone is set when printing needs to be managed, such as at night when there are few people using the printer 1, and conversely, there are many people who use the printer 1 during the daytime and the management is performed mutually. Do not set the management time zone. The measurement of the management time zone is performed by the clock unit 19. That is, the management time zone is set in the clock unit 19 from, for example, 6:00 pm to 9:00 am the next day, and is out of the management time zone during normal work.

  Further, in the present embodiment, unlike the first to third embodiments, after printing by the printing unit 15, the mode of the printer 1 shifts to the power saving mode after a predetermined time has elapsed due to the measurement of the clock unit 19. If a print job is received before the printer 1 shifts to the power saving mode, printing is immediately executed. Note that the period up to the transition to the power saving mode is highly likely that the sender who sent the print job will collect the printed paper, so even if the print job received during that period is printed immediately It can be said that the state is managed.

  If the printer 1 is in the power saving mode when a print job is received, the processing from S101 and S103 to S110 is executed.

<Storage and printing process>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing storage and printing processing in the present embodiment. The contents of the processing from S101 to S110 are the same as in the first embodiment.

  In this embodiment, if it is determined that a print job has been received in S102 (S102: Y), it is determined in S301 whether the printer 1 is within the management time. If it is not within the management time zone (S301: N), the printing unit 15 immediately prints the print job in S303.

  On the other hand, if it is within the management time zone (S301: Y), whether or not the printer 1 is in the power saving mode is determined in S302. If it is determined that the current mode is not the power saving mode (the period from when printing is performed by the printing unit 15 until the mode is shifted to the power saving mode) (S302: N), the print job is printed at S303, and the power saving mode If it is determined that the mode is set (S302: Y), the processes from S103 to S110 are executed as in the first embodiment. When the print job is associated with the general user information (S103: N), the print job is stored in the HDD 14 in the power saving mode (S104), but when the print job is associated with the management user information. (S103: Y), the power saving mode is canceled once and printing is performed as in the known apparatus. The printer returns to the power saving mode again after a certain period of time from printing.

  With this configuration, printing of a print job is managed according to the time zone or the mode of the printer 1.

  The management time is preferably set by a sender having management user information.

  In addition, the switching for executing the processing of S101 and S103 to S110 in the present embodiment may be switched simply according to an instruction from a sender or the like having management user information.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the first embodiment is applied has been described. Of course, the same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[Fifth embodiment]
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described.

  Note that description of parts common to the first to fourth embodiments is omitted.

  In this embodiment, the configuration of the printer and the configuration of the print job are common to the first embodiment.

<Overall configuration>
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an overall configuration in the present embodiment. In the first embodiment, the printer 1 and the plurality of PCs 2 are connected to the network 3. However, in this embodiment, the server 200 is newly connected to the network 3 so that data can be input and output between the devices. Has been.

  In the present embodiment, the print job transmitted from the PC 2 is always received by the printer 1 via the server 200. The server 200 includes a storage unit, a control unit, and the like (not shown). The server 200 of the present invention corresponds to a storage device, a determination device, a control device, and a switching unit.

<Storage and printing process>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing storage and printing processing in the present embodiment. In this embodiment, in the first embodiment, this process is executed by the control circuit 10 of the printer 1, but in this embodiment, this process is executed by the server 200.

  The processing of S101 to S104 and S108 to S110 itself is the same as that of the first embodiment, but since the place where the print job is stored in S104 is in the server 200, the processing in S101 to S103 and S109 is in the server 200. It is a process to be executed.

In the processing from S405 to S407, the printer 1 performs the processing from S105 to S in the first embodiment.
Each command is transmitted from the server 200 to the printer 1 so as to operate in the same manner as 107.

  In the present embodiment, print jobs are managed by the server 200 instead of the printer 1. Therefore, the HDD 14 of the printer 1 does not need an area for storing a print job, and there is no problem even if the processing speed of the control circuit 10 is low. That is, the present invention can be applied even to a low-spec printer 1.

  In the present embodiment, the printing system to which the first embodiment is applied has been described. Of course, the printing system to which the second to fourth embodiments are applied can be similarly applied.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the print job received immediately before is printed first in S106 and S105 of the second embodiment, but the print order of the print jobs may be arbitrarily determined. .

  (2) Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, information indicating that a print job is to be printed is transmitted to each PC 2 in S105. However, the information may not be transmitted.

  Further, the notification process by the notification unit 18 performed in S105 may be omitted. Further, when the printed sheet is discharged from the printer 1 in S105, it is discharged by reverse discharge, but may be discharged by normal discharge.

  (3) In the first and fourth embodiments, the deletion instruction in S108 is performed by the operation unit 16 and the display unit 17 of the printer 1, but the operation unit 20 and the display unit 21 of the PC 2 as in the fifth embodiment. May be executed. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the print job deletion instruction stored in the HDD 14 or the server 200 is executed at a predetermined timing (S108 or S408), but may be at any timing. In this case as well, it is desirable that the user is a specific user described above (a user who has management user information, a user who manages a sender who has general user information, etc.).

  (4) Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the specific standby time has elapsed in S101, the print processing of the print job stored in the HDD 14 or the server 200 is executed. Good. That is, the print job may be stored until printing is executed based on the determination in S103 or S201. In this case, it is not necessary to set a waiting time for each print job.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the standby time used in the determination of S101 is set for each sender information. However, the same standby time is set for all print jobs regardless of the sender information. May be.

  (6) Further, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 has been described as an example of a printing apparatus. However, the printing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to a printer, and may be a device such as a copying machine or a multifunction machine. Although the configuration of the printing unit 15 is not particularly described in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the printing unit 15 can be printed, such as an electrophotographic configuration, an inkjet configuration, and a dot impact configuration. Any configuration may be used.

  (7) In the fourth embodiment described above, the storage unit and the control unit (not shown) are provided in the server 200. However, these units may be separate devices.

  (8) Further, in the above-described embodiment, the notification unit 18 is provided in the printer 1. However, the notification unit 18 may be provided in another device such as the server 200 or may be another device connected to the network 3. May be.

It is a conceptual diagram of the printing system in 1st to 3rd embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the printer 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of the sorter 100. FIG. It is the flowchart which showed the memory | storage and printing process in 1st embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the memory | storage and printing process in 2nd embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the memory | storage and printing process in 3rd embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the memory | storage and printing process in 4th embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram of the printing system in 5th embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the memory | storage and printing process in 5th embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Printer 2 PC
10 control circuit 11 CPU
14 HDD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Printing part 16, 20 Operation part 17, 21 Display part 18 Notification part 19 Clock part 100 Sorter 111 Paper discharge part 200 Server

Claims (23)

A printing section for printing a print job on paper;
A storage unit for storing the print job;
A control unit for controlling the printing and storage;
A printing apparatus comprising:
The print job is associated with sender information of a sender who sent the print job,
A judgment unit for judging the sender information of the print job;
The controller is
In response to the determination unit determining that the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit include two or more different numbers of the sender information, A printing apparatus that prints the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The sender information is information for individually identifying each sender,
The controller is
Storing the print job in the storage unit until the determination unit determines that the two or more different pieces of sender information are included,
In response to determining that the determination unit includes the predetermined number of pieces of sender information, the determination unit causes the printing unit to print the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit. A printing device. A printing section for printing a print job on paper;
A storage unit for storing the print job;
A control unit for controlling the printing and storage;
A printing apparatus comprising:
The print job is associated with sender information of either one of general user information and management user information about the sender who sent the print job,
A judgment unit for judging the sender information of the print job;
The controller is
If the determination unit determines that the received print job is associated with the general user information, the storage unit stores the print job in the storage unit;
When the determination unit determines that the received print job is associated with the management user information, the print unit or the print job and the print job stored in the storage unit are stored in the print unit. A printing apparatus characterized by causing printing. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The printing apparatus, wherein the printing unit prints the received print job for which the determination unit determines to permit the printing before the print job stored in the storage unit. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:
A display unit for displaying information on the print job stored in the storage unit;
A selection unit for selecting whether or not printing by the printing unit is possible for the print job displayed on the display unit;
A printing apparatus comprising: The printing apparatus according to claim 4,
A display unit for displaying information on the print job stored in the storage unit;
A selection unit for selecting whether or not printing by the printing unit is possible for the print job displayed on the display unit;
With
The control unit stops printing when the latter print job is printed by the printing unit among the stored print job and the received print job, and the storage unit is allowed to print by the selection unit A printing apparatus that causes a print job stored in the printer to be printed by the printing unit. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The printing apparatus is communicably connected to a computer;
A printing apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit information related to a print job stored in the storage unit of the storage unit to the computer. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The printing device is communicably connected to a computer according to the sender information with which the print job is associated;
When a print job stored in the storage unit is printed, a notification unit that notifies the computer according to the sender information associated with the print job that the print job is printed A printing apparatus comprising: A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
When a predetermined standby time elapses after the print job stored in the storage unit is stored in the storage unit, the control unit prints the print job stored in the storage unit at the printing unit. A printing apparatus characterized by being caused to perform. The printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined waiting time is set for each piece of the sender information. A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The controller is
In a predetermined time zone, according to each determination of the determination unit, the storage unit stores the storage, or the printing unit performs the printing,
Outside the time zone, the printing apparatus causes the printing unit to print the received print job regardless of the determinations of the determination unit. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The printing device executes a power saving mode that keeps the power consumed by the printing device low when a predetermined time has elapsed from the end of the previous printing performed by the printing unit,
The control unit is
When the power saving mode is being executed, according to each determination of the determination unit, the storage unit stores the storage, or the printing unit performs the printing,
In the predetermined time from the end of the previously executed printing to the execution of the power saving mode, the printing unit is caused to print the received print job regardless of the determinations of the determination unit. Printing device to do. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
The printing apparatus has a power saving mode in which the power consumed by the printing apparatus is kept low in response to the printing unit printing the received print job and the print job stored in the storage unit. The printing apparatus characterized by performing. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
A plurality of paper discharge units for discharging the paper printed by the printing unit;
The printing apparatus, wherein the paper on which the print job stored in the storage unit is printed and the paper on which the received print job is printed are discharged to different paper discharge units. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
A printing apparatus, comprising: a notification unit that performs a notification operation when the print unit prints a print job stored in the storage unit. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
A paper discharge unit for discharging the paper printed by the printing unit;
A lower discharge mechanism that discharges the paper with the printing surface of the paper facing down;
An upper discharge mechanism that discharges the paper with the print side of the paper facing up;
With
The printing apparatus, wherein the sheet on which the print job stored in the storage device is printed is discharged by the upper discharge mechanism. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein
The printing apparatus, comprising: a switching unit that switches the print unit to print the received print job regardless of the determination by the determination unit. A computer to send the print job;
A printing device for printing the received print job on paper;
A storage device for storing the received print job;
A control device for controlling the printing and storage;
Is a printing system that is communicably connected,
The print job is associated with sender information of a sender who sent the print job,
A determination device for determining the sender information of the print job;
The control device includes:
In response to the determination device determining that the received print job and the print job stored in the storage device include two or more different numbers of the sender information, the printing device includes: A printing system that prints the received print job and a print job stored in the storage device. A computer to send the print job;
A printing device for printing the received print job on paper;
A storage device for storing the received print job;
A control device for controlling the printing and storage;
Is a printing system that is communicably connected,
The print job is associated with sender information of either one of general user information and management user information about the sender who sent the print job,
A determination device for determining the sender information of the print job;
The control device includes:
If the determination device determines that the received print job is associated with the general user information, the storage device stores the print job in the storage device;
When the determination device determines that the received print job is associated with the management user information, the print device or the print job and the print job stored in the storage device are stored in the print device. A printing system characterized by printing. A printing system according to claim 18 or claim 19,
The computer includes a display unit for displaying information,
The control system causes the display unit to display information on a print job stored in the storage device. The printing system according to claim 20, wherein
The printing system includes a selection unit that selects whether the printing apparatus can print a print job displayed on the display unit. A printing system according to claim 18 or claim 19,
The computer
A display for displaying information;
A selection unit that selects whether or not printing by the printing apparatus is possible for the print job displayed on the display unit;
With
The printing device prints the received print job for which the determination device has determined to permit the printing before the print job stored in the storage device;
The control device stops printing when the latter print job is printed by the printing unit among the stored print job and the received print job, and information on the print job stored in the storage device Is displayed on the display unit, and a printing job stored in the storage device permitted to be printed by the selection device is printed by the printing device. The printing system according to any one of claims 18 to 22,
The printing system, wherein the storage device, the determination device, and the control device are one management device.