JP2011112916A - Charging job - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem of an environment where a charging job and non-charging job coexist, wherein the charging job must be processed preferentially so as not to make a user wait before a composite machine, but when it is always preferential to the non-charging job, the non-charging job is interrupted before it is completed within a short time and the user is made to wait until the charging job is completed. <P>SOLUTION: When a charging job is intended to be started while a non-charging job is being executed, the non-charging job under execution is made preferential when the remaining processed amount of the non-charging job under execution is smaller than a threshold. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to the priority of charging jobs.

  Some multifunction devices installed in an Internet cafe or the like can be attached with a billing management device such as a coin vendor. Then, the amount of the job is calculated from the number of prints of the job, the paper size, the color mode, and the like, and the user is charged using the coin vendor attached to the multifunction machine. Generally, charge jobs include copy jobs, print jobs, FAX jobs, and the like. However, there is a case where the operation is not charged depending on the job. For example, a copy job is charged by a coin vendor attached to the multifunction device, but a print job is charged in advance by a server or the like, and the multifunction device is not charged and only print processing is performed. Operation. In such an environment, the charging job and the non-charging job coexist. The charging job here means a job for charging with the function of the multifunction peripheral. Further, the non-billing job means a job that is not charged by the function of the multi-function peripheral, and includes jobs that have already been charged by the server or the like and have been submitted as described above.

  Usually, in a billing job of a multi-function peripheral, there is a possibility that a cancellation or jam may occur for some reason. Therefore, the final amount cannot be determined until the job is completed. Therefore, in the case of a charging job, the user needs to wait in front of the multifunction device until the job is completed. However, in an environment where both the charging job and the non-charging job as described above coexist, if a large number of non-charging jobs or a large amount of non-charging jobs are input, all users who want to use in the charging mode will be The problem arises that you have to wait for a while to complete.

  As a conventional technique for solving the above problem, there is a technique in which, when a non-billing job is executed, if the charging job is input, the non-billing job is interrupted and processing is performed with priority on the charging job. In this embodiment, there is considered a case where a customer enters a charge job and a store clerk inputs a non-charge job in a multifunction machine installed in a convenience store or the like. For this reason, there is no problem even if the charged job submitted by the customer is always prioritized over the non-charged job submitted by the store clerk.

JP 2008-219770 A

  However, in an environment where customers can submit billing jobs and non-billing jobs that do not need to be billed by the MFP because they have been billed by the server, such as an Internet cafe, the billing jobs are always given priority even during execution of the non-billing jobs. If you do, you will feel unfair. In addition, if a non-billing job is completed with only a few sheets, but it is interrupted by the charging job, it will be inconvenient for the customer who has entered the non-billing job.

Job control means for executing a job relating to image data;
Charged job control means for charging the job control means, Non-charged job control means for not charging the job control means, and execution job selection means for giving priority to the charged job control means over the non-charged job control means And a threshold setting means for determining whether or not to immediately interrupt the running job when the charged job is submitted during execution of the non-charged job, and the charged job is submitted during execution of the non-charged job. In this case, when the remaining processing of the job being executed is less than the threshold, the image forming apparatus waits until the job being executed ends.

In an environment in which a charging job is given priority over a non-charging job, if the remaining processing of the non-charging job being executed is small, the user who has input the non-charging job is not waited.

Diagram Job execution priority Billing mode processing flowchart Standby screen example Standby screen example Flow chart of job execution processing Job submission process flowchart

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

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of the proposal. The multi function device (101) includes a printer device (102), a scanner device (103), an operation unit (104), and a control unit (105). The multifunction machine (101) is connected to the PC (107) via the LAN (106). Further, the multifunction peripheral (101) is connected to the charge management apparatus (108).

  Here, the copy process will be described. When the user inputs a copy job from the operation unit (104), the control unit (105) causes the scanner device (103) to copy a document in accordance with the paper size information and color mode information set by the operation unit (104). Get image data. The control unit (105) performs image processing on the acquired image data in accordance with information designated by the user through the operation unit (104). The control unit (105) sends image data to the printer apparatus (102) and starts printing.

  Next, the printing process will be described. When a print job is input from the PC (107) via the LAN (106), the control unit (105) performs a PDL expansion process and is designated by the user through the PC (107) or the operation unit (104). Image data for printing is created according to the information. The control unit (105) sends image data to the printer apparatus (102) and starts printing.

  The control unit (105) can cancel a job even in the middle of a copy job or a print job if printing is started once but it is desired to cancel printing for some reason. The reason for canceling the job is a shortage of the balance of the charge management device (108).

  The charge management device (108) is a device for calculating the amount of money from the number of prints, the paper size, the color mode, etc. in the job that the user wants to execute, and charging on the spot. Specifically, billing by a coin vendor, a prepaid card, and electronic money is raised. In addition, the charging method includes a sequential charging for charging for each sheet discharge and a collective charging for charging at a time before printing. Here, the charge management apparatus (109) calculates the necessary amount, but the multifunction peripheral (101) may calculate the amount.

  FIG. 2 shows the priorities of the charging job and the non-charging job. The job execution list (201) includes a charged job execution list (202) and a non-charged job execution list (203). The charging job execution list (202) is composed of a plurality of charging jobs, and the non-charging job execution list (203) is composed of a plurality of non-charging jobs. The non-billing charging job means a job for charging with the function of the multifunction machine. The non-billing job means a job that is not charged by the function of the multi-function peripheral, and includes a job that has already been charged by a server or the like and has been submitted.

  Usually, in a billing job of a multi-function peripheral, there is a possibility that a cancellation or jam may occur for some reason. Therefore, the final amount cannot be determined until the job is completed. Therefore, in the case of a charging job, the user needs to wait in front of the multifunction device until the job is completed. For this reason, it is necessary to prioritize the charging job over the non-charging job as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the charging mode process. The control unit (105) starts the process (S301) by the user operating the billing management apparatus (108). In (S302), it is checked whether or not a coin has been inserted into the charge management apparatus (108). If no coin is inserted, a standby screen is set in the operation unit (104) (S304). FIG. 4 shows an example of a standby screen. At this time, the operation by the user is prohibited, and the charging job processing is also prohibited. If a coin is inserted in (S302), the standby screen is canceled (S303). Next, in step S305, it is checked whether a non-billing job is being executed. If a non-billing job has not been executed, the process ends (S312). If a non-billing job is being executed in (S305), the remaining time for processing the job being executed is calculated in (S306). Next, in (S307), a threshold value that is a criterion for whether to immediately suspend the job being executed is acquired. This value may be fixedly held in the multifunction peripheral or may be set by the user. In (S308), it is checked whether the remaining time of the job being executed is larger than a threshold value. If it is greater than the threshold value, it is determined that the job will not end immediately, and the job being executed is interrupted (S309). If it is equal to or smaller than the threshold value in (S308), a message is displayed on the operation unit (104) to the effect that the job being executed will end soon. FIG. 5 shows an example of a standby screen. In the pop-up display of (501), it may be displayed how long the job being executed is completed. In (S311), the process waits until the job being executed ends. At that time, the pop-up display time of (501) may be updated. After the job being executed ends, the process ends (S312).

  FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of job execution processing. When starting the processing (S601), the control unit (105) checks whether there is a job execution list (201) to be executed in (S602). If there is no job, there is no job to be processed, and the process ends (S607). If there is a job execution list to be executed in (S602), it is checked in (S603) whether there is a charging job in the job execution list. If there is a charging job, the first charging job (204) is selected from the job execution list (201). If there is no charging job in (S603), the first non-charging job (207) is selected from the job execution list (201). After selecting a job to be executed in (S604) or (S605), the selected job is executed in (S606).

  FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of the job input process. When the control unit (105) starts the process (S701), the control unit (105) accepts job input in (S702). In (S703), it is checked whether or not it is currently in the charging mode. If it is not the charging mode, it is added to the job execution list (201) as a non-charging job in (S706). If the billing mode is set in (S703), the amount put in the billing management apparatus (108) is checked in (S704). If the amount necessary for executing the job received in (S702) has not been input, the processing is terminated without doing anything (S707). In step S704, if the necessary amount has been input to the charge management apparatus (108), it is added to the job execution list (201) as a charge job. Then, the process ends (S707).

Claims (3)

Job control means for executing a job relating to image data;
Charged job control means for charging the job control means, Non-charged job control means for not charging the job control means, and execution job selection means for giving priority to the charged job control means over the non-charged job control means And a threshold setting means for determining whether or not to immediately interrupt the running job when the charged job is submitted during execution of the non-charged job, and the charged job is submitted during execution of the non-charged job. In this case, when the remaining processing of the job being executed is less than the threshold, the image forming apparatus waits until the job being executed ends. In claim 1,
When a charge job is submitted during execution of the non-charge job, the image forming apparatus is configured to wait until the job being executed is completed if the remaining time of the job being executed is less than the threshold value. apparatus. In claim 1,
When a charge job is input during execution of the non-charge job, and the remaining number of jobs being executed is less than the threshold value, the image formation is waited until the job being executed ends. apparatus.