JP2011090599A - Information processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To overcome the problem in an information processing apparatus, wherein when using a function of automatically processing the preceding print job when the succeeding job is printable, even if an error occurs in a printer and a function of keeping printing order together, either function is restricted. <P>SOLUTION: In the information processing apparatus, by temporarily stopping print jobs necessary to keep the printing order in the information processing apparatus in a lump before the succeeding print job is automatically processed, it is prevented that the printing order becomes wrong. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method that perform print job control in order to maintain a printing order.

In general, if a job being printed on a printing device is stopped due to a paper out error, the subsequent print job will continue to print until paper is replenished or the job with the paper out error is canceled. I need to wait. In order to solve this, in Reference 1, if a subsequent print job can be printed, the print job in which a paper-out error has occurred at the head is temporarily stopped, and the subsequent job can be printed first. (Hereafter, this function is called the auto promote function)
On the other hand, in the document 2, an application for controlling printing has a function of protecting the printing order by collectively processing a plurality of print jobs in order to obtain a printing result desired by the user. This function is often used when printing preprinted paper where printing order is important. (Hereafter, this function is called the group job function)

JP 2001-195214 A JP-A-2005-174122

  In an environment where two functions exist as described above, there is a problem that if one of the functions is prioritized, one function cannot be used.

  For example, if priority is given to the auto-promote function, the printing order cannot be maintained. If priority is given to the group job function, there is a problem that the printing process stops when a paper out error occurs.

In an information processing apparatus comprising means for transferring job data to a plurality of external processing devices and means for monitoring a plurality of previous term external processing devices,
The external processing device has a function to perform processing first when there is a print job that can be executed subsequently when the print job becomes unexecutable,
A means of handling multiple print jobs as a group;
Means for temporarily stopping all print jobs in a group before processing of a print job that can be executed subsequently is performed when one print job in the group becomes unexecutable;
A printing control apparatus comprising:

  Even in an environment where a function that prints priority on subsequent jobs that can be printed in order to reduce downtime and a function that groups and handles print jobs to maintain the printing order are used together, both functions are not impaired. Coexistence is possible.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information processing apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the memory map of RAM of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the memory map of FD of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process of the print job of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the memory map of the print device information of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the memory map of the print job information of this invention. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing for controlling a print job in a group when the automatic promotion setting of the present invention is set. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing for controlling a temporarily stopped print job according to a state of a print device according to the present invention.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing system of the present invention. It is assumed that a plurality of network printers are connected in this system.

  In FIG. 1, reference numerals 102, 103, 104, and 105 denote network printers that are print control apparatuses, and are connected to the network 106 via a network interface (not shown). The print control apparatus analyzes a print job including print data transmitted from the server computer 101, converts it into a dot image page by page, and prints it for each page. Of course, the printers 102, 103, 104, and 105 can be applied to various types of printers such as a laser beam printer using an electrophotographic method, an inkjet printer using an inkjet method, and a printer using a thermal transfer method. .

  Reference numeral 101 denotes an information processing apparatus as a server (hereinafter referred to as a print server) according to the present embodiment. The information processing apparatus 101 is connected to the network 106 via a network cable and stores files used in the network, Or monitor. The print server 101 manages a plurality of printers connected to the network 106. As a configuration, the print server 101 is a general information processing apparatus, and a print control program program is connected to 104, 105, and the like.

<Configuration of information processing apparatus>
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In the information processing apparatus, the server 101 has the same or equivalent hardware configuration. Therefore, it demonstrates as a block diagram explaining the structure of a server.

  In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a CPU which is a control means of the information processing apparatus, which executes an application program, a printer driver program, an OS and a network printer control program of the present invention stored in a hard disk (HD) 206, and stores it in a RAM 205. Controls temporary storage of information and files necessary for program execution.

  Reference numeral 202 denotes a ROM as storage means, which stores various data such as programs such as basic I / O programs, font data used in document processing, and template data.

  Reference numeral 203 denotes a network interface, and the information processing apparatus exchanges data with an external apparatus via the interface 208.

  Reference numeral 204 denotes a keyboard which is an instruction input unit. The user instructs the print server 101 to input device control command commands and the like.

  Reference numeral 205 denotes a RAM as temporary storage means, which functions as a main memory, work area, or the like of the CPU 201.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes external storage means, which is a hard disk (HD) that functions as a large-capacity memory, and stores an application program, a printer driver program, an OS, a network printer control program, and related programs. Furthermore, the spool means that is the spool means is a server spooler in the print server 101.

  A display 207 is a display unit that displays commands input from the keyboard 204, the states of the printers 102 to 105, and the like.

  Reference numeral 208 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) drive as storage medium reading means, and a program or the like stored in the FD 209 as a storage medium can be loaded into the computer system through the FD drive 208. Note that the storage medium is not limited to FD, but may be any CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, PC card, DVD, IC memory card, MO, memory stick, and the like.

  Reference numeral 209 denotes a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) as a storage medium, which is a storage medium storing a computer-readable program.

  A system bus 210 controls the flow of data in the computer that is the print server 101.

<Explanation of memory map>
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the memory map of the RAM 205 shown in FIG. 2, and is a memory map in a state where the network printer control program loaded from the FD 209 is loaded into the RAM 205 and can be executed.

  In this embodiment, the network printer control program and related data are directly loaded from the FD 209 into the RAM 205 and executed. However, in addition to this, the network printer control program is already loaded into the RAM 205 from the HD 206 in which the network printer control program is installed. It may be.

  The medium for storing the network printer control program may be a CD-ROM, CD-R, PC card, DVD, or IC memory card in addition to the FD. Further, it is possible to store the network printer control program in the ROM 202, configure this as a part of the memory map, and execute it directly by the CPU 201. In addition, software that realizes the same function as each of the above devices can be used as an alternative to a hardware device.

  The network printer control program may be simply referred to as a print control program. The print control program includes a program for controlling the order of print jobs in the print server 101, and for notifying the end of printing of a print job, a request for changing the print destination, and the like.

  Reference numeral 301 denotes a basic I / O program, which has an IPL (Initial Program Loading) function for starting the operation of the OS by reading the OS from the HD 206 into the RAM 205 when the power of the control device is turned on. This is the area that contains the program.

  Reference numeral 302 denotes an operating system (OS), and 303 denotes a network printer control program, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 205. Reference numeral 304 denotes related data, which is stored in an area secured on the RAM 205. Reference numeral 305 denotes a work area in which an area for the CPU 201 to execute the printer control program is secured.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory map of the FD 209 illustrated in FIG.

  In the figure, reference numeral 400 denotes the data contents of the FD 209, 401 denotes volume information indicating data information, 402 denotes directory information, 403 denotes a network printer control program which is a print control program described in the present embodiment, 404 Is the related data. The network printer control program 403 is a program based on the flowchart described in the embodiment. In the present embodiment, the server 101 has the same configuration.

<Print job control system>
Next, a print job control system that controls jobs and performs suspension, restart processing, substitution processing, and the like in the present embodiment will be described. Note that the print processing of this print job control system is executed by the above-described print control program.

<Print job processing>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating processing of a print job issued from an application. In this system, a print job issued from a general application such as MicroSoft (registered trademark) is processed in the print job control system. Represents what will be done.

  In the figure, reference numeral 500 denotes a server, which indicates a machine on which a module of the print job control system operates (corresponding to the server 101).

  Normally, when printing is instructed, the application program 501 generates a series of drawing commands via the graphic function of the OS, and passes them to the Windows S (registered trademark) spooler 503 via the printer driver. The Windows S (registered trademark) spooler 503 takes a procedure of passing print job data to the port monitor selected by the user and transmitting it to the print device.

  In this embodiment, the user designates a print job control system port monitor (hereinafter referred to as a job control port monitor) 504 in advance to print. The application program 501 generates a drawing command via a series of OSs.

  Upon receiving the drawing command, the PDL printer driver 502 generates print data and transmits it as print job data to the job control port monitor 504 instead of the port monitor that transmits the print job data to the print device. The job control port monitor 504 does not transmit print job data to the print device 507 but transmits it to a print service (hereinafter referred to as job control print service) 505 for the print job control system. The print job data is held in the HD 205 until the job control print service 505 determines that the job is complete.

  The job control print service 505 communicates with each print device 507 by using the device information control module 506, manages information such as a device state and a job state notified from the device, and also provides a predetermined information to the device. It has a function to give instructions. For example, during printing execution of each communicable device (printing apparatus), it acquires statuses such as power control status, failure information (paper jam), paper feed stage information, etc. Obtain information and perform operations such as pausing and canceling print jobs.

  The job control print service has a function of transmitting data held in the HD 205 to a plurality of print devices. For example, when an error occurs, it has a function of canceling a print job in the print device, changing the print settings and the print start page, and resending the print job to a normal print device.

  In this embodiment, as a method of handling print jobs as a group, a method as disclosed in JP-A-2005-174122 is assumed, but the method of handling print jobs as a group is not particularly limited.

  A print job control system print manager (hereinafter referred to as a job control print manager) 509 allows the user to check the status of the print job in the job control print service 505 and to operate the print job. A program for providing a user interface (UI).

  The job control print manager 509 transmits / receives information to / from the job control print service 505 via the software interface (API) of the job control print service 505, and mainly an external print device managed by the job control print service 505. It has a function to acquire the state information as an event. The types of event notifications include error / warning information notifications such as warning that the toner level is low, communication failure between the client and device, memory shortage, and full output tray, and the normal state has returned from the error state. Notification of normal information is assumed.

<Print from print application 501>
Next, printing from the print application 501 in the present embodiment will be described.

  The PDL printer driver 502 converts a series of drawing commands generated by the application program 501 into a PDL file that can be interpreted by the print device 507.

  As described above, the PDL file is guided from the Windows S (registered trademark) spooler 503 to the job control print service 505 via the job control port monitor 504.

  The job control print service 505 performs transmission when the print device 507 can transmit the print job.

  In a general Windows S (registered trademark) print system, the PDL printer driver 502 converts a series of drawing commands generated by the application program 501 into a PDL file that can be interpreted by the print device 507. As described above, the PDL file is transferred from the Windows S (registered trademark) spooler 503 to the print device 507 via the Window S job control port monitor 508.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a memory map of the print device information 600 managed by the print management application 501 in this embodiment.

  An IP address 601 is an IP address set in the print device, and the job control print service 505 specifies a print device based on the information and performs communication such as a print instruction.

  The device status 602 is the status of the print device 507, and the job control print service 505 acquires the information to determine the status of the print device (normal, no paper error, jam, no toner, etc.).

  The auto-promote setting 603 is information set in the print device 507, and when it is valid, when a paper out error occurs, if there is a job that can be printed in a subsequent job, the print job with the paper out error is overtaken. Indicates that printing is in progress.

  The auto-promote transition time 604 is information set in the print device 507, and indicates a time until a process for overtaking a succeeding printable job at the time of a paper out error is started.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a memory map of the print job information 700 managed by the print management application 501 in this embodiment.

  A job ID 701 is an ID uniquely assigned to a print job managed by the job control print service 505, and is used for specifying the print job.

  A job status 702 indicates the status of a print job managed by the job control print service 505 and is updated by the job control print service 505. The main job status includes printing, waiting for printing, completion, and error.

  The group ID 703 is an ID assigned by the job control print service 505 when a plurality of print jobs are handled as a group.

  The number of printed faces 704 indicates the paper ejected by the print device 507, and is acquired and set by the job control print service 505 from the print device 507.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process for controlling a print job in a group in the present embodiment when automatic promotion is set.

  In step S 801, the job control print service 505 accesses the print device 507 using the device control control module 506, and acquires the automatic promote setting 603 and the automatic promote transition time 604.

  In step S <b> 802, the job control print service 505 acquires the device status 602 from the print device 507.

  In step S803, the job control print service 505 determines whether the device status acquired in step S802 is a paper-out error, and if it is a paper-out error, the process proceeds to step S804. If it is not a paper-out error, the process ends.

  In step S804, the job control print service 505 determines whether the automatic promote setting acquired in step S801 is valid. If it is valid, the process proceeds to step S805. If it is not valid, the process ends. To do.

  In step S805, the process waits until the automatic promote transition time elapses.

  In step S <b> 806, the job control print service 505 identifies a print job in which the group ID 703 is set among print jobs input to the print device 507, and issues a pause command to all the print jobs. .

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling a print job that has been paused in order to maintain the print order according to the state of the print device according to the present exemplary embodiment.

  In step S <b> 901, the job control print service 505 determines whether there is a printable print device that is managed.

  If there is a print device that can be printed, the process proceeds to step S902. If there is no print device capable of printing, the process proceeds to step S903.

  Here, whether or not printing is possible is determined from the device status 602 of the printing device. Examples of candidate print devices to be substituted include a method set in advance by a user and a method for searching on a network, but are not limited here.

  In step S902, the job control print service 505 transfers all the print jobs temporarily stopped in step S806 to the print device specified in step S901.

  In step S903, the job control print service 505 accesses the print device 507, and determines whether paper is being supplied. If it is found that the paper is replenished, the process proceeds to step S904. If the paper is not replenished, the process ends.

  In step S904, the job control print service 505 determines whether a print job in which a group ID is not set is printed by the automatic promotion function among the managed print jobs. If it is printed, the process proceeds to step S905, and if not, the process proceeds to step S906. This determination is performed in order to prevent a print job that has been paused from being mixed with a discharge of the subsequent job when a subsequent job is being printed.

  In step S905, the job control print service 505 instructs the print device 507 to start printing from the first print job of the group to which the temporarily stopped print job belongs. If the instruction cannot be given, resubmit from the first print job of the group.

  In step S906, the job control print service 505 instructs the print device 507 to resume the print job temporarily stopped in step S806.

Claims (4)

In an information processing device (505) comprising means for transferring job data to a plurality of external processing devices (507) and means for monitoring a plurality of previous term external processing devices,
The external processing device has a function of performing processing first when there is a print job that can be executed subsequently when the print job becomes unexecutable,
Means (505) for handling a plurality of print jobs as a group;
Means for temporarily suspending all print jobs in a group before processing of a print job that can be executed subsequently is performed when one print job in the group becomes impossible (S806);
A printing control apparatus comprising:   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a printing unit configured to perform alternative printing of all print jobs in a group to the printing apparatus when there is a printing apparatus capable of executing the paused print job. Print control device.   The printing according to claim 1, further comprising means (S906) for resuming all the paused print jobs when the paused print jobs can be executed by operating a printing apparatus. Control device.   When restarting the paused print job, if a subsequent print job other than the group has been printed first, it has means for starting from the first print job in the group (S905). The printing apparatus according to claim 1.

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