JP2011008407A - System and device for controlling print - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To safely and surely distribute a document to each user who participates in an event.SOLUTION: A print control device (information management server) includes at least: an information management means for managing event information including an event ID and the user ID of a participant and user information including the act schedule of the user and printer information including the installation place of a printer; an acceptance means for accepting the print data of a document; a document management means for managing the print data and attribute designation information including event ID to distribute the document and the print time of the document in association; and a distribution means for specifying an event based on the attribute designation information, and for specifying the user who participates in the event based on the event information, and for specifying the location of the user based on the user information, and for distributing the print data to the printer corresponding to the location of the user, on the print time.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control system and a print control apparatus, and more particularly to a print control system and a print control apparatus that distribute documents in accordance with a schedule.

  In a company or the like, printing apparatuses (image forming apparatuses) installed in each office are connected to a network, and a user can output a document from a desired printing apparatus. Here, when the user himself / herself instructs the printing of the document, the document may be output from the printing apparatus selected by the user himself / herself, but when the planner of an event such as a meeting prints the document distributed to the participants, It is preferable to output a document from a printing device installed in the vicinity of the conference room in accordance with the event holding time. Against this background, various methods have been proposed for controlling document output in conjunction with an event schedule.

  For example, Patent Document 1 below includes information acquisition means for acquiring schedule information indicating a meeting place and installation location information indicating the installation location of each image forming apparatus from the management device, and includes schedule information and installation location information. An image forming apparatus that transmits image information to another image forming apparatus selected based on the image forming apparatus is disclosed.

  Patent Document 2 below includes an output management server and an output device management server. The output management server obtains information related to the output device from the output device management server, and determines a transmission processing start time based on the schedule information. An output system that starts transmission processing of an output file to an output device that is an output destination before the transmission processing start time is disclosed.

  Patent Document 3 below includes a computer that manages a schedule database, a plurality of printers, and a printer server. The printer server receives a file to be used and a location where the file is needed from the schedule database. A schedule database linked printing system for outputting to a printer selected corresponding to the location is disclosed.

JP 2007-295245 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-4508 JP 2000-172462 A

  However, since all the above prior arts only output a document based on event schedule information, the following problems arise.

  For example, each user who participates in the event is not always waiting in the conference room at the time of the conference, but may be working in another place until just before. In such a case, it is preferable to output the document after confirming the user's location. Conventionally, since the document is output uniformly based on the schedule information of the event, the output document is left unattended and another document is output. There is a problem that the document cannot be reliably delivered to each user.

  In addition, there are various document contents and locations where printing devices are installed, and security must be taken into account when outputting documents. Conventionally, documents are output according to event schedule information regardless of the user's location. As a result, the output document can be browsed, and there is a problem that the risk of information leakage increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a main object thereof is to provide a print control system and a print control apparatus capable of delivering a document safely and reliably to each user participating in the event. There is to do.

  To achieve the above object, a print control apparatus according to the present invention includes event information including information identifying a scheduled event, information identifying a user who participates in the event, and a user including user action schedule information. Information managing means for managing information, printing apparatus information including installation location information of the printing apparatus, receiving means for receiving print data of a document, information for identifying the print data, and an event for distributing the document; Document management means that associates and manages attribute designation information including information that designates the printing time of the document, specifies an event based on the attribute designation information, and participates in the event based on the event information Identifying the user, identifying the user's whereabouts based on the user information at the printing time; And distribution means for distributing the print data to a printing apparatus corresponding to the whereabouts of the user, the one in which at least comprises.

  According to the print control system and the print control apparatus of the present invention, a document can be delivered safely and reliably to each user participating in an event.

  The reason is that when a document is submitted in the print control apparatus (information management server), an event is specified from attribute designation information associated with the document, and the event is participated based on pre-registered event information. The user's whereabouts based on pre-registered user information, the printing device corresponding to the user's whereabouts based on the pre-registered printing device information, and a document on the printing device This is because the printing is instructed.

  Also, after printing, based on the default delivery mode set in the user information, the security level of the document set in the attribute designation information, the security level of the printing device set in the printing device information, the user location confirmation result, etc. This is because it is determined whether to immediately discharge or wait for paper discharge, and in the case of paper discharge standby, the document is discharged according to the instruction.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a print control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the document input device which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information management server which concerns on one Example of this invention, and the function of a control part. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus and functions of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of control of the printing control system which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the document attribute designation | designated format based on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the registration procedure of the user schedule which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the registration procedure of the event schedule which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the submission (Scan submission) procedure concerning one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the submission (Web submission) procedure concerning one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the preparation procedure of the delivery schedule which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the Push delivery procedure which concerns on one Example of this invention.

  As shown in the background art, there is known a method of outputting a document at an estimated time and place where an event occurs in conjunction with an event schedule, but the conventional method takes a user's schedule into consideration. Therefore, there is a problem that a document cannot be output from a device according to the user's location. In addition, the conventional method outputs a document regardless of the situation, and there is a problem that security cannot be ensured.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, event information, user information, and printing apparatus information are registered in advance in an apparatus (information management server) that controls the printing apparatus, and a document to be printed is submitted. Then, the event is identified from the attribute designation information associated with the document, the user participating in the event is identified based on the event information, the location of the user is confirmed based on the user information, and the printing apparatus information Based on this, the printing device corresponding to the user's whereabouts is specified, and the print job is transmitted to the printing device so that the document is output at the time designated by the attribute designation information. Also, based on the default delivery mode set in the user information, the security level of the document set in the attribute designation information, the security level of the printing device set in the printing device information, the user location confirmation result, etc. And instructing whether to discharge immediately after printing or to wait for discharge according to the distribution mode.

  Thereby, the submitted document can be delivered to each user safely and reliably, and the convenience for the user can be improved.

  In order to describe the above-described embodiment of the present invention in more detail, a printing control system and a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a print control system according to the present exemplary embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a document input device, and FIG. 3 is a configuration of an information management server and functions of a control unit. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printing apparatus and the function of the control unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an outline of the control of the print control system of the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a document attribute designation format. FIGS. 7 to 12 are flowcharts showing the print control procedure of this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the print control system according to the present embodiment includes one or a plurality of document input devices 10 that submit a document to be printed, and a print control device that receives a document submission and issues a print instruction ( Hereinafter, it is referred to as an information management server 20) and one or a plurality of printing apparatuses 30 that execute printing based on a printing instruction. These include Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, FDDI (Fiber-Distributed). They are connected by a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) defined by a standard such as Data Interface. Hereinafter, each device will be described in detail.

[Document input device]
The document input device 10 is a computer device or an image forming device. As shown in FIG. 2A, the computer device includes a control unit 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, and the like. 2B, the image forming apparatus includes a control unit 11, a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 14, and an image reading unit. 15, a paper feeding unit 16, a printing unit 17, a post-processing unit 18, and the like.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a, a memory 11b such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 11c, a communication I / F unit 11d, and the like. Are connected via a bus. The CPU 11a controls each part. The memory 11b is a part that temporarily stores various data read from the HDD 11c and the communication I / F unit 11d, and the stored data is processed by the CPU 11a, and the HDD 11c and the communication I / F unit 11d as necessary. Forwarded to The HDD 11c stores a program for the CPU 11a to control each unit, information on the processing function of the own device, and the like are read by the CPU 11a as needed and executed on the memory 11b. The communication I / F unit 11d establishes a connection with a device connected via a communication network, and executes data transmission / reception.

  The control unit 11 of the computer device has a function as an application for creating a document or a printer driver that instructs printing of the document. Document data created by the application is printed by a printer driver using a PCL (Printer Control). It is converted into print data in a page description language (PDL) such as Language (PS) or PS (Post Script), and transmitted to the information management server 20 via the communication I / F unit 11d.

  Further, the control unit 11 of the image forming apparatus has a function of transmitting print data of a document scanned by the image reading unit 15 to the information management server 20 via the communication I / F unit 11d.

  The display unit 12 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL (electroluminescence) display, and the like, and displays various screens. The operation unit 13 includes buttons and switches, and performs various settings and instructions. The display unit 12 and the operation unit 13 may be separate devices, or may be an integrated device provided with a pressure-sensitive operation unit (touch panel) 13 in which transparent electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern on the display unit 12. Good.

  The ADF 14 of the image forming apparatus is a part that automatically conveys one or a plurality of documents to the image reading unit 15.

  The image reading unit 15 of the image forming apparatus is a part that optically reads an image of a document placed on a platen, and a light source that scans the document and a CCD that converts light reflected by the document into an electrical signal ( Charge coupled devices) and an A / D converter for A / D converting electrical signals.

  The paper feed unit 16 of the image forming apparatus includes a paper tray that stores paper of various sizes. Further, it includes a part for sending out the stored paper to the printing unit 17.

  The printing unit 17 of the image forming apparatus includes constituent elements necessary for image formation using an image forming process such as an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method, and is designated based on image data read from the image reading unit 15. An image is formed on the printed paper and sent to the post-processing unit 18.

  The post-processing unit 18 of the image forming apparatus outputs the paper conveyed from the printing unit 17 after finishing processing desired by the user such as punching, stapling, and bookbinding according to an instruction from the control unit 11.

  In FIG. 2B, the configuration of the apparatus having the scanner function, the printing function, and the post-processing function is described. However, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment reads the document and sends the print data to the information management server 20. Since it is sufficient if transmission is possible, the paper feeding unit 16, the printing unit 17, the post-processing unit 18, and the like can be omitted.

[Information management server]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the information management server 20 includes a control unit 21, a display unit 22, an operation unit 23, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the control unit 21 includes a document management function, a submission acceptance function, a printing apparatus information management function, an event schedule management function, a user schedule management function, a push distribution function, and a standby job execution instruction function. Etc. The above functions may be executed as hardware, or may be configured as a control program that causes a computer to execute the above functions, and the control program may be operated on the control unit 21. Hereinafter, each function will be described in detail.

<Document management function>
Document management functions include document storage, attribute management, user interface, and the like. Document storage provides a function of storing print data of a document transmitted from the document input device 10. In attribute management, information (hereinafter referred to as attribute designation information) that specifies an attribute of a document having an event ID, a print completion time (such as xx minutes before the event start), and a document security level (such as High / Low) as necessary. ) And the print data of the document in association with each other. The user interface provides a user interface that allows the attribute designation information to be edited.

<Submission acceptance function>
The submission acceptance function includes document submission, attribute OCR (Optical Character Reader) decoding, and the like. Document submission provides a function of accepting document submission from the document input device 10. The attribute OCR decoding provides a function of interpreting attribute designation information by OCR when attribute designation information is added when a document is submitted.

<Printer information management function>
The printing device information management function includes printing device information management, a user interface, and the like. In the printing apparatus information management, information on the setting location, the security level (such as High / Low) of the printing device (or installation location), the capability of the printing device, the network capability, etc. for all the printing devices 30 to be output (hereinafter referred to as “printing device information management”). , Called printing device information). The user interface provides a user interface that enables editing of the printing apparatus information. Note that the printing apparatus information only needs to include at least information for specifying the installation location of the printing apparatus 30.

<Event schedule management>
Event schedule management includes event information management, user interface, and the like. Event information management includes event ID, event name, holding time, overall status, participant user ID list and individual statuses (the status is completed after receiving a reception response) (hereinafter referred to as event information). .) Is provided for managing functions. The user interface provides a user interface that allows the event information to be edited. The event information only needs to include at least information for identifying an event and information for identifying a user who participates in the event.

<User schedule management function>
The user schedule management function includes user information management, a user interface, and the like. User information management includes the ID and name of an event in which each user participates, an E-mail address, a default delivery mode specified by the user, an action schedule (time and place), a document list scheduled for distribution, and a user carrying A function of managing information for specifying a portable terminal (hereinafter referred to as user information) is provided. The user interface provides a user interface that allows the user information to be edited. The user information only needs to include at least information for specifying the user's action schedule.

<Push delivery function>
The Push distribution function includes user position confirmation, print completion prediction, distribution mode selection, reception response barcode printing, Push distribution execution, evidence of output destination printing apparatus, and the like. The user position confirmation provides a function of confirming the position information of the target user using GPS information of the mobile terminal. The print completion prediction provides a function for calculating the time required from the start of Push distribution to the completion of print output in the printing apparatus that is the output target of the submitted document, based on the capability of the printing apparatus, network bandwidth information, and the like. The distribution mode selection provides a function of selecting a distribution mode according to the distribution mode algorithm shown in Table 1. The receipt response barcode printing provides a function of printing a receipt reply barcode (including user identification information and URL information of the receipt response destination) on the first page of the document. The push distribution execution provides a function of distributing a document to a printing apparatus in the vicinity of the user's position in either a discharge standby mode or an immediate discharge mode. The evidence notification of the output destination printing apparatus provides a function of notifying the target user of the information of the output destination printing apparatus by E-mail simultaneously with the execution of Push distribution.

<Standby job execution instruction function>
The standby job execution instruction function provides a function for issuing a discharge instruction for a document that has been distributed in Push in the discharge standby mode and is in a standby state.

[Printer]
As shown in FIG. 4A, the printing apparatus 30 includes a control unit 31, a display unit 32, an operation unit 33, an ADF 34, an image reading unit 35, a paper feeding unit 36, a printing unit 37, The post-processing unit 38 and the like are included. The functions of each unit are the same as those of the document input apparatus 10 (image forming apparatus), and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. However, since the printing apparatus 30 may execute printing after waiting for discharge, the HDD 31c performs printing. Data obtained by ripping (rasterizing) the data is stored, and the display unit 32 displays a list display screen of documents in a discharge standby state. In addition, the operation unit 33 enables a discharge instruction of a document in a discharge standby state.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the control unit 31 has functions such as a push distribution reception function, a mode analysis function, a result notification function, an image processing function, and a ripping function. The above functions may be executed as hardware, or may be configured as a control program that causes a computer to execute the above functions, and the control program may be operated on the control unit 31. Hereinafter, each function will be described in detail.

<Push delivery acceptance function>
The push distribution acceptance function provides a function of accepting push distribution of a document from the information management server 20.

<Mode analysis function>
The mode analysis function provides a function for interpreting whether the paper discharge standby mode or the immediate paper discharge mode is selected.

<Result notification function>
The result notification function provides a function of notifying the information management server 20 of the status (status) of its own device and a response to receipt of the document.

<Ripping function>
The ripping function provides a function of analyzing a print job distributed by Push and ripping (rasterizing) a corresponding document.

<Image processing function>
The image processing function includes image recognition, image area determination, color information analysis, color data replacement, and the like. Image recognition provides a function of identifying data by analyzing ripped (rasterized) data. The image area determination provides a function of determining an image area. The color information analysis provides a function for analyzing color information constituting each image. The color data replacement provides a function of converting each part of an image into a color printable by the printing apparatus 30 with reference to a previously stored table.

  In FIG. 4, the configuration of the apparatus having the scanner function, the printing function, and the post-processing function is described. However, the printing apparatus 30 according to the present embodiment only needs to be able to execute printing in accordance with an instruction from the information management server 20. The ADF 34, the image reading unit 35, the post-processing unit 38, and the like can be omitted.

  Next, an outline of the control of the printing control system having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

(1) Submission A user who serves as an event secretariat submits a document to be distributed by a method such as a scan posting from an image forming apparatus, a Web posting from a computer apparatus, or a network posting by attaching an e-mail. Also, document attributes are specified to define how the document is distributed. As a document attribute designation method, a format page as shown in FIG. 6 is inserted as a page top or a separate file (the corresponding page is not printed in a distributed document), or after the submission, the information management server 20 There is a method of associating attribute designation information with the user interface of the document management function. In the case of Scan posting, document submission can be facilitated by permitting handwritten input of attribute designation information.

(2) Push distribution The information management server 20 accepts the submission of the document by the submission acceptance function, and sends the printing device 30 near each user based on the attribute designation information, event information, user information, printing device information, and the like. Then, push distribution of the print job for instructing the printing apparatus 30 to print the submitted document is executed. At that time, one of two types of modes, ie, a discharge standby mode and an immediate discharge mode is designated.

(3) Discharge standby In (2), the print job designated in the discharge standby mode is loaded until it is ripped (rasterized) by the printing apparatus 30 and waits for discharge.

(4) Standby Job Execution Instruction For a print job that is in a standby state, a user can issue a discharge instruction to the information management server 20 by the following means.
-Instruction from printing device 30-Reply to evidence notification E-mail-Instruction from user interface of information management server 20

(5) Status notification Each printing device 30 that has received a print job from the information management server 20 notifies the information management server 20 of its own status (print job reception completion, print completion based on the print job, print standby, etc.). To do.

(6) Receipt response The user notifies the information management server 20 that the document has been received by the following means.
-Registration by the printing device 30-Reply to the evidence notification E-mail-Registration from the user interface of the information management server 20-Rescan of the receipt response barcode

  The detailed operation of the print control system of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In the following description, it is assumed that printing device information such as the setting location, the security level of the installation location, and the capability of each printing device is registered in the information management server 20 in advance.

[User Schedule Registration Flow: See Fig. 7]
First, each user logs in to a device connected to the print control system via a network (S101), operates the operation unit of the device, and schedules itself (event ID and name, E-mail address, default delivery mode). , An action schedule (time, place), a document list scheduled to be distributed, information for specifying a mobile terminal, etc.) are input (S102). Thereafter, the control unit of the apparatus transmits the input user information to the information management server 20.

  The control unit 21 (user schedule management function) of the information management server 20 registers the transmitted user information in the HDD 21c or the like (S103).

  In this example, the user information is transmitted to the information management server 20. However, in a system including a schedule management server, for example, the user information is registered in the schedule management server, and the user is registered in the information management server 20 from the schedule management server. Information may be transmitted and user information may be updated in the information management server 20.

[Event Schedule Registration Flow: See Figure 8]
First, a user who plans an event logs in to a device connected to the print control system via a network (S201), operates the operation unit of the device, and schedules the event (event ID, event name, holding time, overall status, A participant user ID list and individual statuses are input (S202). Thereafter, the control unit of the apparatus transmits the input event information to the information management server 20.

  The control unit 21 (event schedule management function) of the information management server 20 registers the transmitted event information in the HDD 21c or the like (S203).

[Scan submission flow: see FIGS. 9 and 11]
A user who provides a document operates the operation unit 13 of the document input device 10 (image forming apparatus) to select a scan mode (S301), and causes the image reading unit 15 to scan the document and attribute designation information (S302). Thereafter, the control unit 11 transmits print data and attribute designation information of the scanned document to the information management server 20. When setting the attribute designation information on the information management server 20, only the print data of the document needs to be transmitted to the information management server 20.

  The control unit 21 (document management function) of the information management server 20 reads the attribute designation information sent together with the print data of the document or the attribute designation information input through the user interface of the document management function (S303). The attribute designation information is associated and registered in the HDD 21c or the like (S304).

  Next, the control unit 21 (document management function) creates a delivery schedule (S305). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, a distribution schedule for each event participant is generated based on user information, event information, printing device information, and attribute designation information registered in advance (S501). A Push distribution timer for each person is generated (S502).

  For example, the user who participates in the event corresponding to the event ID of the attribute designation information is specified, and for each user, the print completion time of the attribute designation information, the event information holding time, the time calculated by the print completion prediction, etc. Based on this, the delivery time of the document is determined. Also, the output destination printing apparatus is determined based on the action schedule of the user information of the event information and the installation position of the printing apparatus information.

  Next, the control unit 21 (document management function) creates evidence notifying that the submission of the document has been completed as necessary, and returns the stored information to the document input device 10 (image forming device) (S306). ).

  The document input apparatus 10 (image forming apparatus) outputs the received evidence reply as necessary and ends the process (S307).

[Web submission flow: see FIGS. 10 and 11]
The user who provides the document operates the operation unit 13 of the document input device 10 (computer device) to display the browser screen on the display unit 12, and selects the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the information management server 20 (S401). The print data of the document to be submitted is uploaded (S402).

  The control unit 21 (document management function) of the information management server 20 determines whether attribute designation information is attached to the print data (S403).

  If the attribute designation information is not attached, the document print data is registered in the HDD 21c or the like (S404). When the attribute designation information is input by the document input device 10 (computer device) (S405), the print data of the document is associated with the attribute designation information (S406). Thereafter, a delivery schedule is created in the same manner as described above (S407).

  On the other hand, when the attribute designation information is attached, the attribute designation information is read (S408), and the document print data and the attribute designation information are associated with each other and registered in the HDD 21c or the like (S409). Thereafter, a delivery schedule is created in the same manner as described above (S410).

[Push delivery flow: see Fig. 12]
First, the control unit 21 (Push delivery function) of the information management server 20 monitors the delivery timer generated when creating the delivery schedule (S601), and determines whether or not the delivery execution time has come (S602). When the distribution execution time comes, the position of the user who distributes the document is confirmed using the GPS information of the portable terminal held by the user (S603). The confirmation of the user position is not limited to the method using the GPS information of the mobile terminal, and any method that can confirm the user's position may be used.

  Next, the control unit 21 (Push delivery function) selects a delivery mode (S604). Specifically, a predetermined algorithm (based on at least one of the default distribution mode of user information, the document security level of attribute designation information, the output device security level of printing device information, and the user location confirmation result in the above step ( According to Table 1, the paper discharge standby mode or the immediate paper discharge mode is selected.

  For example, when the user designates the immediate paper discharge mode, it is necessary to consider information leakage if the security level of the document is high. However, if the user is in the vicinity of the printing apparatus, it is necessary to change the immediate paper discharge mode. (See B in Table 1). Also, regardless of whether or not the user is in the vicinity of the printing apparatus, it is determined that there is no need to change the immediate paper discharge mode even when the security level of the printing apparatus is high (see D and E in Table 1). On the other hand, when the security level of the document is high, the security level of the printing apparatus is low, and the user is not in the vicinity of the printing apparatus, there is a high possibility of information leakage, so the mode is changed to the discharge standby mode (see C in Table 1). .

  Next, the control unit 21 (Push delivery function) prints a receipt reply barcode including user identification information and URL information of the receipt response destination on the first page of the document (S605). Then, information specifying the distribution mode is written into the print job instructing to print the document, the print job is pushed distributed to the printing apparatus specified in the distribution schedule, and the information of the output destination printing apparatus 30 is sent to the target user. E-mail is used to notify the evidence (S606). If the user is acting according to the schedule, the printing device is the printing device closest to the user's whereabouts, but if the user is not acting as scheduled, the user refers to the printing device information. A printing apparatus close to the location of the printer is determined, and the print job is distributed to the printing apparatus by Push.

  The control unit 31 (Push delivery acceptance function) of the printing apparatus 30 receives a print job from the information management server 20 (S607), and the control unit 31 (ripping function) analyzes the print job and rips the corresponding document. (S608).

  Then, the control unit 31 (mode analysis function) determines whether the delivery mode specified in the print job is the discharge standby mode (S609), and when it is not the discharge standby mode (in the case of the immediate discharge mode). Then, the printing unit 37 is controlled to print the document, and the paper is immediately discharged (S610).

  On the other hand, in the paper discharge standby mode, the ripped data is stored in the HDD 31c or the like (S611), and a standby job execution instruction is awaited. Then, the user operates the operation unit 33 of the printing apparatus 30 to notify the information management server 20 of the execution of the standby job, or the user replies to the E-mail of the evidence notification transmitted from the information management server 20. When the user operates the operation unit 23 of the information management server 20 to instruct execution of a standby job, the control unit 21 (execution instruction function for standby job) of the information management server 20 is in a standby state in the printing apparatus 30. A document discharge instruction is sent, and the printing apparatus 30 discharges the document according to the instruction (S612).

  Next, the control unit 31 creates evidence for notifying the user that the document has been discharged, and transmits the evidence to the user (S613). The user who has received the evidence notification receives the document from the printing apparatus 30, operates the operation unit 33 of the printing apparatus 30, responds to the E-mail of the evidence notification, or receives and returns a response printed on the first page of the document. When the document reception confirmation is performed by reading the barcode for use or operating the operation unit 23 of the information management server 20 (S615), the control unit 21 of the information management server 20 displays the status of the printing apparatus 30. Update (S616).

  As described above, in this embodiment, when user information, event information, and printing apparatus information are registered in advance, and attribute designation information is added to a document for submission, the information management server 20 generates an event for attribute designation information. The user who participates in the event is identified from the ID, and a distribution schedule for each user is created. When the distribution time comes, the user's position is specified, the printing device close to the user's location is specified, and a print job is sent to the printing device. Push distribution. Further, the distribution mode is determined based on the default distribution mode, the document security level, the security level of the printing apparatus, the user position confirmation result, and the like, and the print job specifying the distribution mode is distributed by Push.

  This makes it possible to reliably deliver the submitted document to the user and to reliably prevent leakage of information printed on the document.

  The present invention is not limited to the description of the above embodiment, and the configuration and control method of the information management server 20 can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  The present invention is applicable to a print control apparatus that controls printing of a printing apparatus and a system including the print control apparatus.

10 Document Input Device 11 Control Unit 11a CPU
11b Memory 11c HDD
11d Communication I / F part 12 Display part 13 Operation part 14 ADF
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Image reading part 16 Paper feed part 17 Printing part 18 Post-processing part 20 Information management server 21 Control part 21a CPU
21b Memory 21c HDD
21d Communication I / F unit 22 Display unit 23 Operation unit 30 Printing device 31 Control unit 31a CPU
31b Memory 31c HDD
31d Communication I / F unit 32 Display unit 33 Operation unit 34 ADF
35 Image Reading Unit 36 Paper Feeding Unit 37 Printing Unit 38 Post-Processing Unit

Claims (6)

Event information including information identifying a scheduled event and information identifying a user who participates in the event, user information including user action schedule information, and printing apparatus information including installation location information of the printing apparatus; Information management means for managing
A receiving means for receiving print data of a document;
Document management means for managing the print data in association with attribute specifying information including information for identifying an event for distributing the document and information for specifying a printing time of the document;
An event is identified based on the attribute designation information, a user who participates in the event is identified based on the event information, a user's location is identified based on the user information at the printing time, and the user's location Distribution means for distributing the print data to a printing apparatus corresponding to
A printing control apparatus characterized by that. In a print control system including one or more printing devices that print a document, and a print control device that instructs the printing device to print the document,
The print control device includes:
Event information including information identifying a scheduled event and information identifying a user who participates in the event, user information including user action schedule information, and printing apparatus information including installation location information of the printing apparatus; Information management means for managing
A receiving means for receiving print data of a document;
Document management means for managing the print data in association with attribute specifying information including information for identifying an event for distributing the document and information for specifying a printing time of the document;
An event is identified based on the attribute designation information, a user who participates in the event is identified based on the event information, a user's location is identified based on the user information at the printing time, and the user's location Distribution means for distributing the print data to a printing apparatus corresponding to
A printing control system characterized by that. The attribute designation information includes a security level of the document,
The distribution means selects a mode for discharging after printing the document or a mode for holding the discharge according to the security level of the document, and adds the information specifying the selected mode to the print data for distribution. And
The printing apparatus executes a printing process according to a designated mode;
The print control system according to claim 2. Including the security level of the printing device in the printing device information;
The distribution unit selects a mode for discharging paper after printing a document or a mode for holding paper discharge according to the security level of the printing apparatus, and adds the information specifying the selected mode to the print data for distribution. And
The printing apparatus executes a printing process according to a designated mode;
The print control system according to claim 2. Including information enabling the user's whereabouts to be specified in the user information;
If the user's whereabouts specified by the action schedule information is different from the user's whereabouts specified by the information, the distribution means designates a mode for holding the paper discharge after printing the document, Deliver print data,
The printing apparatus executes a printing process according to a designated mode;
The print control system according to claim 2. The printing apparatus includes:
When a mode for holding paper discharge after printing a document is designated, rasterization processing is performed on the print data, the rasterized data is stored in a storage unit, and then the paper discharge is instructed. Execute printing and paper ejection based on the rasterized data.
The printing control system according to claim 3, wherein the printing control system is a printing control system.

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