JP2011254341A - Output control method, management apparatus, terminal, program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for allowing a sender of FAX to confirm whether or not a recipient side of FAX confirms issuance notification of FAX from the sender of FAX, and the fact that FAX has been output by an output apparatus of the recipient side of FAX certainly.SOLUTION: A management server 12 receives output instruction information including IP address of a transmission source terminal 13, IP address of an issuance destination printer 18 and output data from the transmission source terminal 13. The management server 12 makes a storage store the received output data temporarily. The management server 12 obtains IP address of a transmission destination terminal 14 corresponding to IP address of an issuance destination printer 18 from the storage. The management server 12 sends an issuance notification message of output data to the transmission destination terminal 14. The management server 12 outputs the output data to the issuance destination printer 18 and sends an output completion notification message to the transmission source terminal 13 when receiving information indicating output acknowledgement from any of the transmission destination terminal 14 or information indicating confirmation of the issuance notification message.

Description

  The present invention relates to a function for notifying issuance when a form printing instruction is issued, and a function for notifying that printing confirmation has been performed.

  In service operations in local governments such as government offices, some specific forms are issued only at the main government building. If a business form such as a counter service corner other than the main government office requires the corresponding form, send the form output from the main office by fax, or send a print instruction from the main office to the printer at that office. The business is carried out in the flow. For this reason, the staff of the main government office must notify the staff of the office when the form is output to a remote office by fax or printer. Conventionally, this communication is generally made by telephone. However, when the fax recipient and the fax machine are separated, the fax recipient confirms the receipt of the fax, so it may be necessary to move to the location of the fax machine and check the fax reception. . In order to solve this problem, for example, a system that notifies FAX transmission by e-mail is known (see, for example, JP-A-2003-174549).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-174549

  In the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the FAX receiver and the FAX apparatus are separated, the FAX receiver confirms the FAX reception, so it is not necessary to frequently move to a place where the FAX apparatus is located and check the FAX reception. . Further, since the fax sender simply sets the email address of the recipient, the email is automatically sent to the fax recipient, so that the labor of sending the email is saved.

  On the other hand, in the local government service business, various procedures may be required after receiving the fax on the fax receiver side. In this case, it is necessary to notify the fax sender that the procedure has been completed.

  However, in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the FAX sender confirms whether or not the FAX receiver has confirmed the FAX issuance notification from the FAX sender, and the FAX is surely output to the FAX receiver. I can't know if it was output with.

  The present invention confirms whether or not the FAX sender has confirmed the FAX issuance notification from the FAX sender on the FAX receiver side, and that the FAX has been reliably output by the output device on the FAX receiver side. It is an object to provide a technology that can be used.

  One means for solving the above problem will be described. The present invention is an output control method in a management device configured to be connectable to a plurality of terminals and output devices. The management device includes a storage unit, a control unit, and an output unit, and the storage unit stores terminal identification information and the output device identification information in association with each other. Then, the control unit receives output instruction information including first terminal identification information, output device identification information and output data from the first terminal, stores the received output data in the storage unit, and receives the reception The storage unit is searched based on the output device identification information, the second terminal identification information associated with the output device identification information is acquired, and the second terminal identification information is transmitted to the second terminal based on the second terminal identification information. When an output data issuance notification message is transmitted and information indicating output approval or information indicating confirmation of the issuance notification message is received from the second terminal, the output data is output to the output device, and An output completion notification message is transmitted to the first terminal.

  According to the present invention, whether or not the FAX sender has confirmed the FAX issuance notification from the FAX sender on the FAX receiver side, and that the FAX has been reliably output on the output device on the FAX receiver side, Can be confirmed.

It is a figure which shows the output control system 1 whole structure example. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a management server 12. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of a transmission source terminal 13. FIG. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the transmission destination terminals 15-17. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of a notification management DB 215 included in the management server 12. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of a history management DB 216 provided in the management server 12. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of a terminal information DB 217 included in the management server 12. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of an installation location list DB 218 included in the management server 12. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing of a print instruction function 311 provided in the transmission source terminal 13. 10 is a flowchart showing processing of an issue notification message transmission function 211 provided in the management server 12. 14 is a flowchart showing processing of an issue notification message reception function 411 and a print approval function 412 included in transmission destination terminals 15 to 17. 10 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a printing function 212 and a printing completion notification message transmission function 213 included in the management server 12. 10 is a flowchart showing processing of a print completion notification message reception function 312 and a notification message confirmation function 313 that the transmission source terminal 13 has. 7 is a flowchart showing processing of a notification completion function 214 provided in the management server 12. It is a figure which shows the example of the issue notification message displayed on the display part 403 of the transmission destination terminals 15-17. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print completion notification message displayed on a display unit 303 of a transmission source terminal 13. FIG. It is a figure which shows the other example of the issue notification message displayed on the display part 403 of the transmission destination terminals 15-17.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration example of a form (output data) output control system 1 according to the present embodiment. The output control system 1 includes a management server (management device) 12, a transmission source terminal 13, a transmission destination terminal group 14, and an issue destination printer (output device) 18 connected to a network 19.

  The management server 12 performs transmission of the issue notification message to the destination terminal group 14, transmission of the print completion notification message to the transmission source terminal 13, printing control of the form, message notification management, and form issue history management. This management server 12 is installed in, for example, the business office A10.

  The source terminal 13 selects the form issuance destination printer 18 and sends the print instruction information to the management server 12, and receives the form print completion notification message from the management server 12 and displays it on a display unit such as a display. It is a terminal for doing. This transmission source terminal 13 is installed in, for example, the office A10.

  The transmission destination terminal group 14 includes a plurality of transmission destination terminals 15 to 17. These destination terminals 15 to 17 receive a report for issuing a form from the management server 12 and display it on a display unit such as a display. When print approval for the form (confirmation of form issuance notification) is performed, the print approval is issued. This is a terminal that transmits information to the management server 12 (information indicating that the form issue notification message has been confirmed). These transmission destination terminals 15 to 17 are installed in, for example, the business office B11.

  The issue destination printer 18 receives the print instruction information including the form data from the management server 12 after the print approval of the form is performed at any one of the destination terminals 15 to 17, and outputs the form It is a printer. This issuance destination printer 18 is installed in, for example, the business office B11.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the management server 12. As illustrated in FIG. The management server 12 includes a storage unit 200, a control unit 201, and a network interface unit 202. The storage unit 200 includes a program 210 including an issue notification message transmission function 211, a print function 212, a print completion notification message transmission function 213, and a notification completion function 214, and a notification management database (hereinafter, “database” is referred to as “DB”). 215, history management DB 216, terminal information DB 217, and installation location list DB 218 are stored. The program 210 is loaded from the storage unit 200 to a memory (not shown) by the control unit 201 and executed. The management server 12 can be realized by a general computer.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the transmission source terminal 13. As illustrated in FIG. The transmission source terminal 13 includes a storage unit 300, a control unit 301, a network interface unit 302, a display unit 303, and an input unit 304. The storage unit 300 stores a program 310 including a print instruction function 311, a print completion notification message reception function 312, and a notification message confirmation function 313. The program 310 is loaded from the storage unit 300 to a memory (not shown) by the control unit 301 and executed. The transmission source terminal 13 can be realized by a general computer.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17. The destination terminals 15 to 17 include a storage unit 400, a control unit 401, a network interface unit 402, a display unit 403, and an input unit 404. The storage unit 400 stores a program 410 including an issue notification message reception function 411 and a print approval function 412. The program 410 is loaded from the storage unit 400 to a memory (not shown) by the control unit 401 and executed. The destination terminals 15 to 17 can be realized by a general computer.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the notification management DB 215 included in the management server 12. The notification management DB 215 is a DB that stores the transmission history of the issue notification message and the print completion notification message. As shown in FIG. 5, the notification management DB 215 includes a management number 501, a transmission source terminal IP address 502, an issue destination printer IP address 503, a transmission destination terminal IP address 504, an issue notification date 505, The notification time / minute / second 506, the print completion date / time 507, and the print completion time / minute / second 508 are stored in association with each other. Here, the IP address is information for uniquely identifying a computer to which the IP address is assigned, and is information indicating a data destination. The source terminal IP address 502 stores the IP address of the source terminal 13. The issue destination printer IP address 503 stores the IP address of the issue destination printer 18 selected by the transmission source terminal 13. The destination terminal IP address 504 stores the IP address of a terminal in the same segment as the issue destination printer 18. The destination terminal IP address 504 is extracted from a terminal information DB 217 described later. Further, in the issuance notification date 505 and the issuance notification hour / minute / second 506, the date and time when the management server 12 transmits the issuance notification message to the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17 is stored. The print completion date 507 and the print completion time / minute / second 508 store the date and time when the management server 12 sent the print completion notification message to the transmission source terminal 13.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the history management DB 216 included in the management server 12. The history management DB 216 is a DB that stores a form issuance history. As shown in FIG. 6, the history management DB 216 includes a management number 601, a transmission source terminal IP address 602, an issue destination printer IP address 603, a form ID 604, a print completion date 605, and a print completion time / minute / second. 606 are stored in association with each other. Here, the source terminal IP address 602 stores the IP address of the source terminal 13. The issue destination printer IP address 603 stores the IP address of the issue destination printer 18 selected by the transmission source terminal 13. Further, the form ID 604 stores information (form ID) for identifying the form for which printing has been instructed at the transmission source terminal 13. In addition, the date and time when the print completion notification message is transmitted to the transmission source terminal 13 is stored in the print completion date 605 and the print completion time minute second 606.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the terminal information DB 217 included in the management server 12. The terminal information DB 217 is a DB that stores terminal information, and is created in advance and stored in the storage unit 200 of the management server 12. As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal information DB 217 stores a printer IP address 701, a terminal IP address 702, and an installation location code 703 in association with each other. The printer IP address 701 stores the IP address of the printer, the terminal IP address 702 stores the IP address of the terminal, and the installation location code 703 stores the installation location code of the location where the terminal and the printer are installed. The printer IP address 701 is associated with at least one terminal IP address 702.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the installation location list DB 218 included in the management server 12. The installation location list DB 218 is a DB that stores the installation location names of devices, and is created in advance and stored in the storage unit 200 of the management server 12. As shown in FIG. 8, the installation location list DB 218 stores an installation location code 801 and an installation location name 802 in association with each other.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing of the print instruction function 311 provided in the transmission source terminal 13. When the selection screen of the printer that issues the form is displayed on the display unit 303 of the transmission source terminal 13 and the issue destination printer 18 is determined, the print instruction function 311 displays the IP address of the transmission source terminal 13 and the Print instruction information including the IP address and form data to be printed is transmitted to the management server 12 via the network 19 (step S101).

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing of the issue notification message transmission function 211 provided in the management server 12. The issue notification message transmission function 211 receives the print instruction information (step S101 in FIG. 9) transmitted from the transmission source terminal 13 (step S201), temporarily stores the form data to be printed in the storage unit 200, and The terminal information DB 217 is searched based on the received IP address of the destination printer 18, the terminal IP address associated with the IP address of the destination printer 18 is acquired (step S202), and the acquired terminal IP address is assigned. The issuance notification message as shown in FIG. 15 is transmitted to the destination terminal (step S203).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing processing of the issue notification message reception function 411 and the print approval function 412 included in the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17. The issue notification message reception function 411 receives the issue notification message (step S203 in FIG. 10) transmitted from the management server 12 and displays it on the display unit 403 (step S301). The print approval function 412 receives information indicating print approval when the approval button (FIG. 15) of the issuance notification message is pressed on any of the destination terminals 15 to 17 (step S302). Is transmitted to the management server 12 (step S303).

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the processing of the print function 212 and the print completion notification message transmission function 213 provided in the management server 12. When the printing function 212 receives information indicating printing approval from any one of the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17 (step S401), the printing function 212 reads the form data temporarily stored from the storage unit 200, and performs printing processing to the issue destination printer 18. Implement (step S402). After executing the printing process, the print completion notification message transmission function 213 transmits a print completion notification message as shown in FIG. 16 to the transmission source terminal 13 (step S403). Further, the print completion notification message transmission function 213 performs control to delete the issue notification message displayed on the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17 (step S404). In step S401, if the print function 212 does not receive information indicating print approval from any of the transmission source terminals 15 to 17 even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the print function 212 does not receive information indicating print approval. Or a message indicating that an error has occurred is transmitted to the transmission source terminal 13.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing of the print completion notification message reception function 312 and the notification message confirmation function 313 that the transmission source terminal 13 has. The print completion notification message reception function 312 receives the print completion notification message (step S403 in FIG. 12) transmitted from the management server 12 and displays it on the display unit 303 (step S501). Further, when the OK button (FIG. 16) of the print completion notification message is pressed, the notification message confirmation function 313 receives information indicating that the print completion notification message has been confirmed (step S502), and sends this to the management server 12. Transmit (step S503).

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing of the notification completion function 214 provided in the management server 12. When the notification completion function 214 receives information indicating that the print completion notification message has been confirmed from the transmission source terminal 13 (step S601), the notification completion function 214 updates the notification management DB 215 and the history management DB 216 (step S602). Specifically, the communication completion function 214 uses the IP address of the transmission source terminal 13 as a key, the management number 501 of the notification management DB 215 (FIG. 5), the transmission source terminal IP address 502, the issue destination printer IP address 503, the transmission destination Record the terminal IP address 504, the issue notification date 505, the issue notification time / minute / second 506, the print completion date / time 507, the print completion time / minute / second 508 (step S602), and the IP address of the source terminal 13 The management number 601 of the history management DB 216 (FIG. 6), source terminal IP address 602, destination printer IP address 603, form ID 604, print completion date 605, and print completion time / minute / second 606 are recorded as keys (step) S603). In addition, the form data to be printed temporarily stored in the storage unit 200 is deleted (step S604).

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the issue notification message. The data is transmitted from the management server 12 to the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17 and displayed on the display unit 403 of the transmission destination terminals 15 to 17. Another example of the issue notification message is shown in FIG.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print completion notification message. The data is transmitted from the management server 12 to the transmission source terminal 13 and displayed on the display unit 303 of the transmission source terminal 13.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  According to the above-described embodiment, whether or not the FAX sender has confirmed the FAX issuance notification from the FAX sender on the FAX receiver side, and the FAX is surely output from the output device on the FAX receiver side. That you can confirm.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the printing instruction of the form is performed from the business office A10 to the business office B11 is described as an example, but the case where the printing instruction is performed from the business office B11 to the business office A10 is also described. Can be applied.

  In addition, the above-described embodiment can be applied to a case where a print instruction is given to different floors in the same office connected via a network, not limited to remote offices. The print target is not limited to a form, but may be other output data (data files such as documents and image files).

  Further, the above-mentioned issue destination printer 18 may be another communication device (multifunction device or the like) as long as it has a function of outputting output data such as a form.

  Further, the program included in each computer described above may be stored in advance in a storage unit included in each computer, may be stored in a storage medium readable by the computer, or may be stored on a network. You may make it download from another computer as needed and store it in a memory | storage part.

  Further, each function of the program may be realized by hardware.

  The present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof.

12 ... Management server, 13 ... Source terminal, 15, 16, 17 ... Destination terminal, 18 ... Issued printer, 19 ... Network, 200, 300, 400 ... Storage unit, 201, 301, 401 ... Control unit, 202 302, 402... Network interface unit, 303, 403.

Claims (8)

An output control method in a management device configured to be connectable to a plurality of terminals and output devices,
The management device includes a storage unit, a control unit, and an output unit, and the storage unit stores terminal identification information and the output device identification information in association with each other,
By the control unit,
Receiving output instruction information including first terminal identification information, output device identification information and output data from the first terminal;
Temporarily storing the received output data in the storage unit;
Search the storage unit based on the received output device identification information to obtain second terminal identification information associated with the output device identification information,
Based on the second terminal identification information, send the output data issue notification message to the second terminal,
Upon receiving information indicating output approval or information indicating confirmation of the issuance notification message from the second terminal, the output data is output to the output device, and an output completion notification message is transmitted to the first terminal. Send,
An output control method characterized by the above. By the control unit,
Receiving information indicating that the output completion notification message has been confirmed from the first terminal;
Storing the first terminal identification information, output device identification information, second terminal identification information, issuance notification date and time of the output data, output completion date and time, and the output data identification information in the storage unit;
Deleting the temporarily stored output data from the storage unit;
2. The output control method according to claim 1, wherein: An output control method in a terminal configured to be connectable to a management device and an output device,
An input unit, a control unit, and a display unit;
The control unit receives an output data issue notification message from the management device,
Displaying the output notification message of the received output data on the display unit;
Via the input unit, information indicating output approval or information indicating confirmation of the issue notification message is received,
Transmitting information indicating the received output approval to the management device;
An output control method characterized by the above. A management device configured to be connectable to a plurality of terminals and output devices,
The management device includes a storage unit, a control unit, and an output unit, and the storage unit stores terminal identification information and the output device identification information in association with each other,
The controller is
Receiving output instruction information including first terminal identification information, output device identification information and output data from the first terminal;
Temporarily storing the received output data in the storage unit;
Search the storage unit based on the received output device identification information to obtain second terminal identification information associated with the output device identification information,
Based on the second terminal identification information, send the output data issue notification message to the second terminal,
Upon receiving information indicating output approval or information indicating confirmation of the issuance notification message from the second terminal, the output data is output to the output device, and an output completion notification message is transmitted to the first terminal. Send,
A management device characterized by that. The controller is
Receiving information indicating that the output completion notification message has been confirmed from the first terminal;
Storing the first terminal identification information, output device identification information, second terminal identification information, issuance notification date and time of the output data, output completion date and time, and the output data identification information in the storage unit;
Deleting the temporarily stored output data from the storage unit;
The management apparatus according to claim 4. A terminal configured to be connectable to a management device and an output device,
An input unit, a control unit, and a display unit;
The control unit receives an output data issue notification message from the management device,
Displaying the output notification message of the received output data on the display unit;
Via the input unit, information indicating output approval or information indicating confirmation of the issue notification message is received,
Transmitting information indicating the received output approval to the management device;
A terminal characterized by that.   A program for causing a computer to execute the output control method according to claim 1.   A storage medium storing a computer-readable program, wherein the program according to claim 7 is stored.

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