JP2010055492A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system capable of notifying a print server on a network of printing completion of print data of a printer side unconnected to the network. <P>SOLUTION: Print management data are downloaded to a memory card of a portable terminal device 2 from the print server 1 through the network 3, the memory card is extracted from the portable terminal device 2 and connected to the printer 4, the printer 4 reads the print management data in the memory card, prints print data of a print job included in the print management data, and writes printing completion information in the memory card, the memory card is reconnected to the portable terminal device 2, and the portable terminal device 2 reads the printing completion information in the memory card and transmits the printing completion information to the print server 1. This enables the printer 4 unconnected to the network 3 to print the print data, and also enables the printing completion information to be returned to the print server 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system that downloads print data from a print server to a memory card of a portable terminal, removes the memory card from the portable terminal, connects to the printing apparatus, and prints the print data in the memory card with the printing apparatus. .

  As is well known, some network systems are provided with a print server and a printing apparatus. In this system, print data is transmitted and received from the print server to the printing apparatus, the print data is printed on the printing apparatus side, and when this printing is completed, this is notified from the printing apparatus to the print server. When the print server receives the print completion notification of the print data, the print server deletes the print data from the print server and saves the storage capacity of the print server.

  However, if there is a printing device that is not connected to the network, the print data cannot be transferred directly from the print server to the printing device. For example, a portable terminal can be connected to the print server and The print data is downloaded to the memory card of the terminal, the memory card is removed from the portable terminal and connected to the printing apparatus, and the printing data in the memory card is read and printed on the printing apparatus side.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a photo direct printer in which a memory card is attached to a printing apparatus and print data in the memory card is printed by the printing apparatus.
JP 2006-150911 A

  However, when downloading print data from the print server to the memory card of the mobile terminal as described above, connecting this memory card to the printing device, and reading out the print data in the memory card on the printing device side and printing it, Even if the printing of the print data is completed on the printing device side, this print completion is not notified to the print server. Therefore, the print data remains without being deleted from the print server, and the storage capacity of the print server is wasted. It sometimes occurred. For this reason, for example, it is conceivable to delete the print data from the print server when the print data is downloaded from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal or after a certain time has elapsed since downloading. Since the print data is deleted without confirming the completion of printing of the print data by the apparatus, the print data cannot be printed when the print data print fails.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and provides a printing system capable of notifying a print server on a network of the completion of printing of print data on a printing apparatus that is not connected to the network. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a print server storing print data, a portable terminal having a removable memory card, and a printing apparatus that prints the print data. In a printing system that downloads print data to a card, disconnects the memory card from the portable terminal, connects to the printing device, and prints the print data in the memory card with the printing device, the printing device includes the memory card When the print data is printed, the print completion information is written in the memory card, and when the memory terminal is reconnected, the portable terminal reads the print completion information in the memory card and transmits it to the print server.

  For example, when the print completion information indicates successful printing, the print server deletes print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal from the print server.

  The print server continues to store the print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal without deleting it from the print server when the print completion information indicates that the print has failed.

  Further, the print server transmits to the portable terminal that the print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal is to be stored without being deleted from the print server.

  In addition, when the print completion information indicates that printing has failed, the portable terminal requests the print server to re-download print data from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal.

  In the present invention, print data is downloaded from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal. When the printing device is connected to the memory card of the portable terminal and prints the print data in the memory card, the printing device writes the print completion information to the memory card. When the memory card is reconnected, the portable terminal reads the print completion information in the memory card and transmits it to the print server. As a result, the print server is notified of the print completion information of the print data downloaded from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal. The print server can determine the print status of the print data based on the print completion information.

  For example, the print server deletes the print data downloaded to the memory card of the mobile terminal when the print completion information indicates successful printing. As a result, the storage capacity of the print server can be saved.

  Further, the print server continues to store the print data without deleting it when the print completion information indicates that the print has failed. Further, the print server may notify the portable terminal that the print data is continuously stored. As a result, the failed print data can be downloaded again from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal, the memory card can be connected to the printing device, and the printing data in the memory card can be printed again on the printing device side. .

  Further, when the print completion information indicates that the print has failed, the mobile terminal requests the print server to re-download print data from the print server to the memory card of the mobile terminal. This simplifies the procedure for re-downloading print data.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a printing system of the present invention. The printing system of this embodiment includes a print server 1, a portable terminal device 2, a personal computer 5, a network 3 that connects various devices to each other, a printing device 4 that is not connected to the network 3, and the like.

  The network 3 is a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, or the like, and can connect a terminal device such as a printer in addition to the print server 1, the portable terminal device 2, and the personal computer 5.

  The print server 1 includes a control unit 11 such as a CPU, a storage unit 12 such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a readable / writable memory (RAM), and a communication unit 13 such as a LAN card. The control unit 11 reads out and executes a program from the HDD onto the RAM, controls the storage unit 12 and the communication unit 13, and performs various processes. For example, the communication unit 13 receives a print job from the personal computer 5 on the network 3, creates print management data including the print job, stores the print management data in the storage unit 12, or print management data Is transmitted from the storage unit 12 and the print management data is transmitted from the communication unit 13 to the mobile terminal device 2 and other terminal devices on the network 3.

  The mobile terminal device 2 includes a control unit 21 such as a CPU, a storage unit 22 such as an HDD or a RAM, a communication unit 23 such as a LAN card, an input unit 24 including a numeric keypad, a direction key, a determination key, and a small liquid crystal display. An output unit 25, a memory card input / output unit 26, and the like are provided. The memory card input / output unit 26 includes a slot into which a memory card (not shown) is removably inserted, and can read and write various data to and from the memory card inserted and connected to the slot. The control unit 21 reads out and executes a program from the HDD to the RAM in response to an operation input of the input unit 24 by the user, controls the communication unit 23 and the memory card input / output unit 26, and performs various processes. For example, the print management data from the printer server 1 on the network 3 is received by the communication unit 23, and the print management data is written into a memory card inserted and connected to the slot of the memory card input / output unit 26. The written print completion information is read, and the print completion information is transmitted from the communication unit 23 to the print server 1 on the network 3 and the like.

  The printing apparatus 4 includes a control unit 41 such as a CPU, a storage unit 42 such as an HDD or a RAM, a printing unit 43 that performs printing processing of recording paper, an input unit 44 including a numeric keypad, a direction key, a determination key, and a memory card. A memory card input / output unit 45 is provided. The control unit 41 reads out and executes a program from the HDD to the RAM in response to an operation input of the input unit 44 by the user, controls the printing unit 43 and the memory card input / output unit 45, and performs various processes. For example, the print management data is read from the memory card inserted and connected to the slot of the memory card input / output unit 45, the print data is extracted from the print management data, and the print unit 43 prints the print data on a recording sheet, Data print completion information is written to the memory card via the memory card input / output unit 45.

The personal computer 5 includes a CPU, an HDD, a memory, a display device, an interface, a keyboard, a pointing device, and the like, and loads an operating system (OS) and various application software running on the OS from the HDD to the memory. The CPU executes the OS and application software to perform various processes. For example, a print job is generated, and the print job is transmitted to the print server 1 via the network 3. In the printing system having such a configuration, for example, the print job is transmitted from the personal computer 5 to the print server 1 via the network 3. . When receiving the print job, the print server 1 generates print management data including the print job, and stores the print management data in the storage unit 12.

  Next, a procedure for transferring a print job from the personal computer 5 to the print server 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in the personal computer 5, when the user performs an input operation on the print function of the application and issues a print instruction to the printer driver installed in the personal computer 5, a print job is generated by the printer driver (S <b> 401). ).

  When the print job is generated, the personal computer 5 transmits the print job and the IP address (or the host name of the PC) to the print server 1 through the network 3 (402).

  In the print server 1, the print job and IP address from the personal computer 5 are received by the communication unit 13 (S403). In response to these receptions, the control unit 11 generates a print management data ID and a print failure flag, and stores the print management data including the print job, IP address, print management data ID, and print failure flag in the storage unit 12. Then, the print management data storage number N in the storage unit 12 is incremented by one and updated (S404). Then, the control unit 11 transmits information indicating that the storage of the print management data is completed from the communication unit 13 to the personal computer 5 through the network 3 (S405).

  When the personal computer 5 receives the completion of storing the print management data from the print server 1 (S406), the personal computer 5 displays this on the screen of the display device and notifies the user (S407).

  In this way, a print job is transmitted and received from the personal computer 5 to the print server 1, and print management data including a print job, an IP address, a print management data ID, and a print failure flag is stored on the print server 1 side.

  FIG. 3 shows the configuration of print management data stored on the print server 1 side. 3 shows a plurality of print management data D1, D2,..., The number N of print management data is stored at the head thereof, and the print management data is sequentially stored following this storage number N. Has been. Each of these print management data D1, D2,..., A print management data ID for identifying the print management data, a print failure flag F indicating success or failure of printing of the print data, a personal computer that created the print job, etc. The print job creation source address indicating the IP address of the print job and the print job J.

  The stored number N of print management data is updated according to the increase or decrease of the print management data. The initial value of the printing failure flag F is “OFF” indicating that printing has failed, and is updated to “ON” when printing of the print job J is successful, as will be described later. The print job J includes print data (such as text and images) and a print format.

  Here, if a printer (not shown) different from the printing apparatus 4 is connected to the network 3, a print job is sent from the print server 1 to the printer via the network 3, and the printer side When the print data of the print job is extracted and printed, and this printing is completed, this fact can be notified from the printer to the print server 1 via the network 3. When the print server 1 receives the print completion message, the print server 1 can delete the print job from the print server 1 to save the storage capacity of the print server 1.

  However, since the printing apparatus 4 is not connected to the network 3, a print job is directly transmitted / received from the print server 1 to the printing apparatus 4, or printing completion is directly transmitted from the printing apparatus 4 to the print server 1. Cannot send or receive.

  Therefore, in the printing system according to the present embodiment, the print management data is downloaded from the printer server 1 to the memory card of the mobile terminal device 2 via the network 3, and the memory card is removed from the mobile terminal device 2 to the printing device 4. The printer 4 is connected, the print management data in the memory card is read out by the printing device 4, the print data of the print job included in the print management data is printed, and the print completion information is written in the memory card. Further, the memory card is reconnected to the portable terminal device 2, and the print completion information in the memory card is read by the portable terminal device 2 and transmitted to the print server 1. As a result, printing data can be printed by the printing apparatus 4 not connected to the network 3, and printing completion information can be returned to the print server 1.

  Next, a procedure for transferring print management data from the print server 1 to the printing device 4 via the memory card of the portable terminal device 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in the portable information terminal 2, when the input unit 24 is input by the user and a print management data transfer request is made, the print management data transfer request is sent from the communication unit 23 via the network 3 to the print server 1. (S501).

  In the print server 1, the communication unit 13 receives a print management data transfer request from the portable information terminal 2. In response to this transfer request, the control unit 11 searches the storage unit 12 and, if there is print management data in the storage unit 12, reads all the print management data from the storage unit 12 and stores these print management data. Transmission is performed from the communication unit 13 to the portable information terminal 2 through the network 3 (S502).

  In the portable information terminal 2, each print management data from the print server 1 is received by the communication unit 23 (S503). The control unit 21 writes the received print management data to the memory card via the memory card input / output unit 26 (S504). At this time, it is preferable to notify that the download of the print management data has been completed by displaying on the screen of the display device in the portable information terminal 2 or the like.

  In this way, a transfer request for print management data is issued from the portable information terminal 2, and after the print management data is transferred from the print server 1 to the memory card of the portable information terminal 2, the user inserts the memory card into the memory of the portable information terminal 2. The memory card is removed from the card input / output unit 26 and inserted and connected to the memory card input / output unit 45 of the printing apparatus 4.

  In the printing apparatus 4, when a memory card is inserted and connected to the memory card input / output unit 45, an input operation of the input unit 44 is performed by the user, and the memory card input / output unit 45 instructs to read the memory card. Then, the control unit 41 sequentially reads each print management data from the memory card through the memory card input / output unit 45 (S505), and prints the print job included in the print management data every time the print management data is read. The data is printed on the recording paper (S506), and it is determined whether the print data has been successfully printed (S507). If the printing of the print data is successful (“Yes” in S507), the control unit 41 changes the print failure flag F of the print management data including the print data that has been successfully printed from “OFF” to “ON”. If rewriting and updating are performed (S508), and printing of the print data fails ("No" in S507), the print failure flag F of the print management data including the print data for which printing has failed is maintained at "OFF". (S509).

  Accordingly, all the print management data in the memory card is read sequentially, and every time the print management data is read, the print data of the print job included in the print management data is tried, and the print data has been successfully printed. Then, the print failure flag F of the print management data including the print data is updated to “ON”, and if the print data print fails, the print failure flag F of the print management data including the print data is set to “ “OFF” is maintained.

  When the processing of all the print management data in the memory card is completed, the control unit 41 of the printing apparatus 4 completes printing indicating whether or not the print data has been successfully printed for each print data of the print management data. Information is created, and print completion information of print data of all print management data is stored in the memory card through the memory card input / output unit 45 (S510). At this time, it is preferable to notify that the storage of the print completion information to the memory card is completed by displaying on the screen of the display device in the printing apparatus 4 or the like.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the print completion information. This print completion information is created for each print management data, and includes a print management data ID and a print failure flag F indicating whether printing of the print data has failed.

  Next, when the storage of all the print completion information to the memory card is completed, the user removes the memory card from the memory card input / output unit 45 of the printing device 4 and inserts the memory card into the memory card of the portable terminal device 2. Insertion connection is made to the output unit 26.

  In the mobile terminal device 2, when the memory card is inserted and connected to the memory card input / output unit 26, the input unit 24 is input by the user, and the memory card input / output unit 26 instructs to read the memory card. In response, the control unit 21 reads each print completion information from the memory card via the memory card input / output unit 26, and transmits the print completion information from the communication unit 23 to the print server 1 via the network 3 (S511). ).

  In the print server 1, each print completion information from the portable information terminal 2 is received by the communication unit 13 (S 512), and the print completion information is temporarily stored in the storage unit 12.

  In this way, the print management data is downloaded from the printer server 1 to the memory card of the portable terminal device 2, this memory card is connected to the printing device 4, and the printing job includes the print job included in the printing management data in the memory card. Print data is printed, and print completion information is written to the memory card. Then, the memory card is reconnected to the mobile terminal device 2, and the print completion information in the memory card is read by the mobile terminal device 2 and transmitted to the print server 1.

  Next, post-processing based on print completion information by the print server 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the control unit 11 of the print server 1 sequentially reads each print completion information from the storage unit 12 (S601), and each time the print completion information is read, the print failure flag F of the print completion information is set to “OFF” and “ It is determined whether it is “ON” (S602). If the print failure flag F of the print completion information is “ON” (“ON” in S602), the control unit 11 prints the print management data indicated by the print management data ID of the print completion information. Since this printing has succeeded, this print management data is deleted from the storage unit 12 (S603). As a result, the storage capacity of the storage unit 12 is reduced.

  If the print failure flag F of the print completion information is “OFF” (“OFF” in S602), the control unit 11 prints the print management data indicated by the print management data ID of the print completion information. Therefore, the print management data is continuously saved without being deleted from the storage unit 12. Further, the control unit 11 rewrites the print failure flag F of the print completion information from “OFF” to “ON” (S604), and then creates a print job from the print management data indicated by the print management data ID of the print completion information. The original address is extracted, and the fact that printing of the print job has failed is transmitted from the communication unit 13 to the personal computer or the like of the print job creation source address via the network 3 (S605).

  When the personal computer 5 receives information that printing of the print job has failed (S606), the personal computer 5 displays this fact on the screen of the display device and notifies the user (S607).

  Further, since the control unit 11 of the print server 1 continues to store the print management data without deleting it from the storage unit 12, the mobile terminal device communicates that the print management data is stored from the communication unit 13 through the network 3. 2 to send.

  In the mobile terminal device 2, when the communication unit 23 receives a message indicating that the print management data is to be saved from the print server 1, in response to this, the control unit 21 communicates a retransfer request for the stored print management data. The data is transmitted from the unit 23 to the print server 1 via the network 3. In response to this, the processing from S502 onward in FIG. 5 is repeated, and the print management data once failed in printing is downloaded again from the printer server 1 to the memory card of the portable terminal device 2, and this memory card is printed. Connected to the device 4, print data of the print job included in the print management data in the memory card is printed by the printing device 4, print completion information is written to the memory card, and the memory card is reconnected to the mobile terminal device 2. Thus, the print completion information in the memory card is read by the mobile terminal device 2 and transmitted to the print server 1.

  In this way, when the print completion information is transmitted / received from the portable terminal device 2 to the print server 1 and the print failure flag F of the print completion information is “ON”, it is indicated by the print management data ID of this print completion information. Since the print management data is deleted from the storage unit 12, the storage capacity of the storage unit 12 can be saved. If the print failure flag F of the print completion information is “OFF”, the print management data indicated by the print management data ID of the print completion information is continuously stored without being deleted from the storage unit 12, and this print The management data is downloaded again from the printer server 1 to the memory card of the portable terminal device 2, and the printing device 4 prints the print data of the print job included in the print management data in the memory card, so printing failed. You can try printing the print data again.

  The mobile terminal device 2 transmits a request for retransfer of the stored print management data to the print server 1 in response to reception of the print management data stored from the print server 1. When the print completion information is transmitted from the portable terminal device 2 to the print server 1, a retransfer request for print data in which the print failure flag F of the print completion information is “OFF” is transmitted to the print server 1. Also good.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the example which concerns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printing system of the present invention. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a transfer procedure of a print job from a personal computer to a print server in the printing system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of print management data stored on the print server side in the printing system of FIG. 1. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for transferring print management data from a print server to a printing device via a memory card of a mobile terminal device in the printing system of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printing completion information in the printing system of FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating post-processing based on print completion information by a print server in the printing system of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Print server 2 Portable terminal device 3 Network 4 Printing device 5 Personal computer 11, 21, 41 Control part 12, 22, 42 Storage part 13, 23, 43 Communication part 24, 44 Input part 25 Output part 26, 45 Memory card insertion Output section

Claims (5)

A print server storing print data, a portable terminal having a detachable memory card, and a printing device for printing the print data are downloaded from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal. In a printing system that removes from a portable terminal and connects to a printing device, and prints the print data in the memory card with the printing device,
When the printing device prints the print data in the memory card, the printing device writes the print completion information to the memory card,
When the portable terminal is reconnected to the memory card, the portable terminal reads the print completion information in the memory card and transmits the information to the print server.   The print server according to claim 1, wherein the print server deletes the print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal from the print server when the print completion information indicates success of the print. system.   The print server continues to store the print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal without deleting it from the print server when the print failure is indicated by the print completion information. The printing system according to 1.   The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the print server transmits to the portable terminal that the print data downloaded to the memory card of the portable terminal is to be stored without being deleted from the print server.   The portable terminal requests the print server to re-download print data from the print server to the memory card of the portable terminal when printing failure is indicated by the print completion information. 5. The printing system according to 4.

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