JP2012162041A - Image forming apparatus, method of controlling the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To preferentially delete a print job that matches an attribute to be deleted from among a plurality of print jobs, which are saved in a saving means, in a reprint mode.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus processes the print jobs by switching between a normal print mode and a reprint mode. The apparatus includes deciding whether the received print jobs can be saved in the saving means, when a save job control unit 412 receives the print jobs to be saved in the saving means (S204). When the save job control unit 412 decides that the print jobs can not be saved in the saving means, the print job matching the attribute to be deleted is preferentially deleted from among the plurality of print jobs saved in the saving means (S205).

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that reprints print data received from a data processing apparatus in accordance with a reprint instruction, a control method for the image forming apparatus, and a program.

In this type of image forming apparatus, there is a user request to print another part of the same document after printing a certain document. In such a case, a function of reprinting without retransmitting print data (print job) from the data processing apparatus is called a reprint function (for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, when the user operates the panel of the image forming apparatus, the document is printed in accordance with a reprint (hereinafter referred to as “reprint”) instruction.
In a normal printing process, the image forming apparatus stores a print job transmitted from the data processing apparatus in a storage device inside the image forming apparatus, and deletes the print job stored in the storage apparatus after the printing process is completed. .

  However, in the reprint mode based on the reprint technology, the image forming apparatus executes control to continue to save until the storage device is full without deleting the print job stored in the storage device even after the printing process is completed. . Accordingly, the user can print again the same print data as the print data once printed by the reprint instruction by the panel operation of the image forming apparatus without retransmitting the print data from the data processing apparatus.

In the reprint mode, the image forming apparatus automatically saves the received print job in the job spool area in the storage device. Therefore, when the job spool area in the storage device becomes full, any job in the job spool area is reserved in order to secure an appropriate amount of free area in the job spool area for storing the next received print job. Must be deleted.
Specifically, in the example shown in Patent Document 1, when a print job is received, the print job with the oldest saved date and time information is deleted from the print jobs saved in the job spool area, and the next print job is saved. The control to secure the area to do is executed.

JP 2001-63158 A

When reprinting is mounted on an image forming apparatus, all print jobs are automatically stored in the image forming apparatus, and therefore, there is a case where jobs with a low possibility of reprinting are also stored.
As described above, in the reprint mode, it is necessary to delete one of the stored jobs in the job spool area in order to free an area for storing a print job to be received next when the job spool area becomes full.

Here, in a configuration in which the print job with the oldest stored date and time information is deleted, a stored job with a high possibility of reprinting may be deleted before a stored job with a low possibility of reprinting.
In addition, since print jobs to be reprinted are displayed in a list when reprinting is performed, there is a problem that it becomes difficult for a user to select a job to be reprinted when the number of unnecessary stored jobs increases.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to perform printing that matches an attribute to be deleted from among a plurality of print jobs stored in the storage unit in the reprint mode. It is to provide a mechanism that can delete jobs with priority.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism capable of reducing the number of print jobs to be displayed when displaying a print job to be deleted to the user by limiting the number of print jobs to be stored in the storage unit in the reprint mode.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.
An image forming apparatus that processes a print job by switching between a normal print mode and a reprint mode, and displays a print job received from a data processing apparatus and printed in the reprint mode, and a processing result of the print job A storage unit that stores a plurality of jobs in association with attributes; a determination unit that determines whether the received print job can be stored in the storage unit when a print job to be stored in the storage unit is received; And a control unit that preferentially deletes a print job that matches an attribute to be deleted from a plurality of print jobs held in the storage unit when it is determined that the determination unit cannot hold the print job. To do.

According to the present invention, in the reprint mode, a print job that matches the attribute to be deleted can be preferentially deleted from among a plurality of print jobs stored in the storage unit.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the reprint mode, it is possible to limit the number of print jobs to be stored in the storage unit and reduce the number of print jobs to be displayed when displaying the print job to be deleted to the user.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a system configuration including an image forming apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the controller shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the data flow control of the controller shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the preservation | save job management table which a preservation | save job control part manages. It is a figure which shows UI screen displayed on a panel interface part. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a print job end timing in the image forming apparatus.

Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Description of system configuration>
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a system configuration including an image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, an example in which the printer 102 is used as an example of the image forming apparatus will be described. Note that the image forming apparatus shown in the present embodiment is configured to be able to process a print job by switching between a normal print mode and a reprint mode.
In FIG. 1, a data processing apparatus 101 is configured by a computer having a network communication function and functions as a supply source of image information to the printer 102. Needless to say, the image forming apparatus applied in the present embodiment is not limited to a laser beam printer, but may be a printer of another printing system such as an ink jet printer. Further, the present invention can be applied to any one having a color / monochrome engine.

In the printer 102, the controller 302 generates raster data for each page based on image information (for example, page description language (hereinafter referred to as PDL)) supplied from the data processing apparatus 101, and sends it to the printer engine 303. To do. In the present embodiment, the print control information and the PDL data are referred to as a print job.
The printer engine 303 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum based on the raster data supplied from the controller 302, and transfers and fixes the electrostatic latent image on a recording medium (electrophotographic method). Fix image data on recording paper.

Used as a user interface for displaying information to be notified. At this time, the controller 302 receives a desired operation instruction from the user via the panel unit 301. Further, the controller 302 displays processing contents of the printer 102 and warning contents to the user via the panel unit 301.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the controller 302 illustrated in FIG.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 401 denotes a panel interface unit that performs data communication with the panel unit 301. Reference numeral 409 denotes a CPU which receives settings and instruction contents from the user via the panel unit 301 via the panel interface unit 401.
A host interface unit 402 is bidirectionally connected to the data processing apparatus 101 such as a host computer via a network. An intermediate data creation unit 403 performs processing for converting a print job received from the data processing apparatus 101 via the host interface unit 402 into intermediate data in a form that can be easily handled in the printer 102.

Reference numeral 404 denotes a ROM that holds processing described in the present invention and other control program codes executed by the printer 102. Reference numeral 405 denotes a RAM which functions as a work memory for the CPU 409. The data stored in the RAM 405 by the CPU 409 includes print data received via the host interface unit 402, intermediate data generated by interpreting the print data, a bitmap generated by rendering the intermediate data, and other data. There are various temporary processing statuses required for processing.
Reference numeral 421 denotes a secondary storage that stores print data and other log information received via the host interface unit 402. The secondary storage 421 is configured by an HDD, an SD card, or the like.
An engine interface unit 406 is connected to the printer engine 303 for communication. A CPU 409 described later recognizes the state of the printer engine 303 via the engine interface unit 406. Reference numeral 407 denotes a DMA control unit.

The CPU 409 transfers the bitmap data stored in the RAM 405 to the engine interface unit 406 via the DMA control unit 407. Further, the CPU 409 controls devices connected to the CPU bus 420 based on the control program code stored in the ROM 404. A rendering unit 408 develops a bitmap image in accordance with the contents of the intermediate data stored in the RAM 405.
Reference numeral 410 denotes a nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) that holds setting information of the printer 102. A media interface unit 411 reads and writes various data such as image data, program data, and device setting data from a removable medium 304 such as a USB memory.

A stored job control unit 412 is a program module stored in the ROM 404. The program is stored in the RAM 405 of the controller 302 and executed by the CPU 409.
Note that the CPU 409 controls the storage job control unit 412 to store the print job received from the data processing apparatus 101 in the RAM 405 or the secondary storage 421 and to delete the stored print job from them. Configured to do.
A CPU bus 420 includes an address, data, and control bus. Each device corresponding to the above 401 to 410 can access all devices connected to the CPU bus 420.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of data flow control of the controller 302 shown in FIG.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 501 denotes a reception buffer, which is logically secured in the RAM 405. A job spool area 502 is logically secured in the RAM 405 or the secondary storage 421. The reception buffer 501 has a smaller capacity than the normal job spool area 502. An image spool area 503 is logically secured in the RAM 405. Note that, in the reprint mode, the job spool area 502 stores a plurality of jobs in association with a print job received from the data processing apparatus and printed and an attribute indicating a processing result of the print job. Here, the attribute indicating the processing result corresponds to the processing result shown in FIG.

In the following, the flow of data processing will be described in accordance with the steps described later in FIGS.
If the reception buffer 501 is empty, the host interface unit 402 receives print data from the data processing apparatus 101 and stores it in the reception buffer 501 (S601). When the stored job control unit 412 receives a notification that print data has been stored in the reception buffer 501, the stored job control unit 412 confirms that the job spool area 502 has a space of the same size as the capacity of the reception buffer 501.
If there is no space in the job spool area 502, the stored job control unit 412 waits until the space is available, and if there is space, saves it as a print job in the job spool area 502. Then, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the print job in the reception buffer 501 and empties the reception buffer 501 (S602).

Further, as will be described later with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the saved job control unit 412 also asynchronously performs a process of deleting a saved job stored in the job spool area 502.
The intermediate data creation unit 403 reads a print job stored in the job spool area 502 under the condition that the image spool area 503 has a space of a predetermined size, and performs PDL interpretation processing (intermediate data creation processing). Do.
The intermediate data created by the intermediate data creation unit 403 is stored in a buffer logically secured in the RAM 405. The rendering unit 408 starts rendering processing according to the intermediate data stored in the buffer, and stores the bitmap image generated by the rendering processing in the image spool area 503 (S603). The engine interface unit 406 transfers the bitmap image in the image spool area 503 to the printer engine 303 via the DMA control unit 407 while synchronizing with the printer engine 303 (S604).

(Description of reprint mode)
The controller 302 shown in FIG. 2 includes a “reprint mode” in addition to the normal mode in which print data is received from the data processing apparatus 101 and is printed, and the “reprint mode” and the normal mode are set in the user menu of the main body. It can be switched by setting.
In the present embodiment, in the “reprint mode”, a print job that has been printed once is stored in the job spool area 502, and the stored print job is printed again according to a print instruction from the user at another timing. It is a mode to do.

When the “reprint mode” is set, the controller 302 causes the stored job data automatically stored in the job spool area 502 to remain without being erased via the stored job control unit 412 even when the print job is completed. To control.
At this time, when the reprint mode is set, the saved job control unit 412 manages the saved job according to a saved job management table described later with reference to FIG.

The controller 302 performs control to display the job stored in the job spool area 502 as a job list that can be reprinted on the panel unit 301 via the panel interface unit 401. An example of a display screen on the panel unit 301 showing a reprintable job list will be described later with reference to FIG.
If there is a reprint instruction from the user via the panel unit 301 for the reprintable job list displayed on the panel unit 301, the controller 302 controls to reprint the stored job as the instruction target.

  The controller 302 executes control to change the erasure timing of the stored job stored in the job spool area 502 when the “reprint mode” is set and when the normal mode is set. The stored job erasure process procedure when the “reprint mode” is set will be described later with reference to FIG. The stored job erasing process procedure when the normal mode is set will be described later with reference to FIG.

(Description of stored job management table)
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a saved job management table managed by the saved job control unit 412 shown in FIG. In this example, in the reprint mode, a print job received from the data processing apparatus 101 and printed in the saved job management table and an attribute indicating the processing result of the print job are associated with each other in the job spool area 502 for a plurality of jobs. A saved example is shown.
The saved job management table shown in FIG. 4 is a saved job management table for managing all saved jobs stored in the job spool area 502 by the saved job control unit 412. The saved job management table is saved in a management area in the job spool area 502.
When the stored job control unit 412 transfers the print data stored in the reception buffer 501 to the job spool area 502, the stored job control unit 412 determines whether the transfer data is data of a new job. When the stored job control unit 412 determines that the transfer data is a new job, it interprets the job information portion of the print data, extracts the job information, and newly registers it in the stored job management table. Here, the job information includes information such as job ID, job owner, job name, job size, and job type. At the same time, the saved job control unit 412 registers the time saved as a new job as the saved time information of the target job.

  Further, the saved job control unit 412 registers or updates the final print time of the target job in accordance with the print end notification from the engine interface unit 406. Also, the saved job control unit 412 monitors the job status in the spool area, and if the print job is canceled before printing is completed or if the end result is an error, the target job on the saved job management table is displayed. Information on the processing result is assigned to the column of.

(Description of reprint instruction screen)
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen for the panel interface unit 401 illustrated in FIG. 2 to accept a reprint instruction.
FIG. 5A shows a job menu screen for operating a job stored in the job spool area 502. On this job menu screen, “reprint” is selected (inverted display state) by the user via the panel unit 301. At this time, the panel interface unit 401 displays (B) of FIG. 5 according to the job owner information of the stored job management table via the stored job control unit 412.

  FIG. 5B is a screen for displaying a reprintable owner list, and is a screen for inputting job owner information for instructing reprinting. For example, “UID0004” is selected by the user via the panel unit 301 on this screen. At this time, the panel interface unit 401 displays the reprintable job list shown in FIG. 5C according to the job name information corresponding to the job owner “UID0004” via the saved job control unit 412.

  FIG. 5C is a screen showing a job list that can be reprinted by the job owner “UID0004”, and is a screen for inputting job information for instructing reprinting. For example, on this screen, the “share table” is selected by the user via the panel unit 301. At this time, the panel interface unit 401 obtains job ID information (JID001) corresponding to the job name “share table” via the saved job control unit 412 and displays a reprint start confirmation screen shown in FIG. indicate. Note that the screen shown in FIG. 5C is an example in which a list of print jobs stored in the storage unit so as to be reprinted is displayed by display control of the stored job control unit 412.

In the reprint start confirmation screen shown in FIG. 5D, when “Yes” is selected by the user via the panel unit 301, the panel interface unit 401 sends the job ID “JID001” to the saved job control unit 412. Instructs reprint start. Then, the saved job control unit 412 generates a reprint job in accordance with the reprint start instruction of the job ID “JID001” from the panel interface unit 401.

(Job deletion processing in normal mode)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to a processing procedure in which the saved job control unit 412 deletes a saved job in the normal mode. Each step is realized by the saved job control unit 412 in which the CPU 409 executes the control program stored in the ROM 404, the secondary storage 421, or the like, as described above.
Note that the processing procedure for erasing a saved job in the saved job control unit 412 differs depending on whether the secondary storage is used or not.
When the secondary storage is used, the saved job control unit 412 can generate a saved job according to a user instruction. Further, the stored job control unit 412 does not delete the stored job according to the user instruction unless there is a deletion instruction from the user.

In step S101, the stored job control unit 412 determines whether the secondary storage 421 is set to be used. If it is determined in S101 that the secondary storage 421 is set to be used, the saved job control unit 412 waits until there is a print job job end notification from the engine interface unit 406 in S102. When the storage job control unit 412 receives the job completion notification of the print job from the engine interface unit 406, the storage job control unit 412 determines whether the print job targeted for completion notification is a print job instructed to be stored by the user (S103). .
In step S <b> 103, the storage job control unit 412 repeats the processing from step S <b> 102 when determining that the end notification target print job is a print job instructed to be stored by the user.
On the other hand, if the stored job control unit 412 determines in S103 that the job to be notified of completion is not a print job instructed to be stored by the user, the stored job to be notified of completion is deleted from the job spool area 502 in S104. . The saved job control unit 412 repeats the processing from S102 after deleting the saved job to be notified of completion from the job spool area 502.

  On the other hand, if the saved job control unit 412 determines that the secondary storage 421 is not set to be used in S101, the saved job control unit 412 receives a PDL interpretation end notification from the intermediate data creation unit 403 in S105. Wait until. Here, when it is confirmed that the stored job control unit 412 has received the PDL interpretation completion notification from the intermediate data creation unit 403, the stored job to be notified of completion is deleted from the job spool area 502 in S 106. The saved job control unit 412 then deletes the saved job to be notified of completion from the job spool area 502, and then repeats the processing from S102.

(Job deletion processing in reprint mode)
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to a processing procedure in which the saved job control unit 412 deletes a saved job in the reprint mode. Each step is realized by the saved job control unit 412 in which the CPU 409 executes the control program stored in the ROM 404, the secondary storage 421, or the like, as described above.
In step S <b> 201, the saved job control unit 412 waits to receive a print data reception notification from the host interface unit 402. The print data reception notification is generated when the host interface unit 402 receives print data from the data processing apparatus 101 and stores it in the reception buffer 501 in step S601.
After confirming that there has been a print data reception notification from the host interface unit 402 in this way, the saved job control unit 412 determines whether or not there is a predetermined size of space in the job spool area 502 in S202. Here, the empty of the predetermined size may be, for example, an empty of the same size as the reception buffer 501.

The saved job control unit 412 obtains a value obtained by subtracting the total job size in the saved job management table from the size of the entire job spool area 502. If the stored job control unit 412 determines that the obtained value is smaller than the size of the reception buffer 501, it determines that there is no space of a predetermined size, and proceeds to S204 to delete any stored job.
On the other hand, in step S <b> 202, the saved job control unit 412 obtains a value obtained by subtracting the total value of job sizes in the saved job management table from the size of the entire job spool area 502. If the stored job control unit 412 determines that the size is not smaller than the size of the reception buffer 501, the stored job control unit 412 determines that it is not necessary to delete the stored job, and the process proceeds to S203.
In step S203, the saved job control unit 412 saves the received job in the spool area, and repeats the processing from step S201.

If it is determined in S202 that one of the stored jobs needs to be deleted, the stored job control unit 412 determines in S204 whether the canceled job is spooled. Specifically, the saved job control unit 412 refers to the saved job management table shown in FIG. 4 and determines whether a job canceled before printing is completed is spooled in the job spool area.
If the stored job control unit 412 determines in S204 that a job canceled before completion of printing is spooled in the job spool area, the process advances to S205. In step S205, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the job received at the oldest time from the canceled jobs, and proceeds to step S207.

In step S207, the job control unit 412 stores the print job held in the reception buffer in the spool area, and returns to step S201.
On the other hand, if the stored job control unit 412 determines that the print job canceled in the job spool area 501 in S204 is not spooled, the stored job with the oldest printing time is deleted, and the process proceeds to S207. Specifically, the saved job control unit 412 refers to the saved job management table shown in FIG. 4, deletes the saved job with the oldest printing time, and proceeds to S207. In step S207, the print job held in the reception buffer is stored in the job spool area 502, and the processing from step S201 is repeated.
As a result, the stored job control unit 412 can preferentially delete a print job whose attribute associated with the print job stored in the job spool area 502 is a cancel job.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. This example corresponds to a processing procedure in which the stored job control unit 412 monitors the end state of a job stored in the spool area in the reprint mode in the reprint mode. Each step is realized by the saved job control unit 412 in which the CPU 409 executes the control program stored in the ROM 404, the secondary storage 421, or the like, as described above. Hereinafter, a process for preferentially deleting a print job that matches an attribute to be deleted from among a plurality of print jobs held by the saved job control unit 412 when a print job to be held is received will be described. Specifically, the saved job control unit 412 determines whether or not the received print job can be held in the job spool area 502. A process for preferentially deleting a print job that matches an attribute to be deleted from among a plurality of print jobs held by the saved job control unit 412 according to the result will be described.
In step S301, the saved job control unit 412 determines whether a print job saved in the spool area has been canceled before printing is completed. If the stored job control unit 412 determines that the job stored in the spool area has been canceled before printing is completed, the process proceeds to S303. In step S303, the saved job control unit 412 sets in the saved job management table that the target job has been canceled, and repeats the processing from step S301.

On the other hand, if the stored job control unit 412 determines in S301 that the print job stored in the job spool area has not been canceled before printing is completed, the process proceeds to S302. In step S <b> 302, the job control unit 412 determines whether the print result of the saved job saved in the job spool area is a normal end or an error end. The term “error termination” here means an error that occurs when a work memory is insufficient during interpretation of PDL or an attempt is made to print a PDF with a password, and is not an error such as a jam.
If the stored job control unit 412 determines that the print result of the job stored in the job spool area is an error end in S302, the process proceeds to S304. In step S304, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the error-completed saved job from the spool area, and simultaneously deletes the job information from the saved job management table shown in FIG. Thereafter, the processing from S301 is repeated.
On the other hand, when the stored job control unit 412 determines that the print result of the job stored in the job spool area 502 is normal end in S302, the processing from S301 is repeated.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the print job end timing in the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. In this example, the stored job erase timings in the reprint mode according to the job end result and the job type (job attribute) are listed. Hereinafter, an example of processing for deleting the print job stored in the spool area 502 based on the job type and the processing result by the stored job control unit 412 will be described.
In the example shown in FIG. 9, in the reprint mode, the control shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is executed, and the conditions for the deletion timing processing of various jobs are set.
Here, the various jobs include a print job canceled before completion of printing, a print job that ended in error, a secure print job as a job type, a linked FAX job, and a print job with the same name sent to the printer by the same user. It is. Here, the secure print job refers to a job that executes a print job by checking the attribute associated with the print job stored in the storage unit with authentication information input from the user.
[Print Job Deletion Example 1]
First, the cancel job is as described above, and when the next job is received when there is no free space in the spool area, the cancel job is preferentially deleted. The error job is also as described above. If the end result of the job stored in the job spool area is an error, the stored job control unit 412 immediately deletes the job from the job spool area.

Next, when the job stored in the job spool area 502 is a secure job, the timing when the stored job control unit 412 deletes the job will be described.
Here, the secure job is that the user assigns a password to the print job from the data processing apparatus 101 and transmits it to the printer 102. Thereafter, when the user inputs a password on the panel unit 301 of the printer 102, the saved job control unit 412 prints the print job when the password matches the password assigned by the user in the data processing apparatus 101.
[Print Job Deletion Example 2]
When the print job is a secure job, it is not preferable to leave data in the printer for a long time from the viewpoint of security. Therefore, when the saved job control unit 412 is in the normal mode instead of the reprint mode, the secure job is deleted from the job spool area 502 at the end of printing. Specifically, when the print job stored in the spool area 502 is a secure print job, the stored job control unit 412 controls to delete the secure print job when the print processing is completed after the secure print job is stored. It is realized by executing.
[Print Job Deletion Example 3]
In the reprint mode in which a secure job is a reprint target, the job is deleted from the job spool area 502 when a certain time has elapsed since the end of printing. Specifically, when the print job stored in the spool area 502 is a secure print job, the stored job control unit 412 executes control to delete the secure print job when the stored storage period has passed a predetermined period. It is realized by.
In addition, the saved job control unit 412 does not permit a plurality of reprints, and deletes them from the job spool area 502 when one reprint is completed. Of course, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the user can set the time until deletion and the number of reprints allowed.

[Print Job Deletion Example 4]
Next, the erase timing of the linked FAX job in the reprint mode will be described.
Here, linked FAX means that the number of MFPs having FAX functions is limited, a plurality of printers not having FAX functions are installed, and FAX data received by the MFP is transferred to the printer as if there were a plurality of FAX machines. It is a function that realizes the same function as that introduced.
At this time, the SEND function, which is already common, is used for data transfer from the multifunction device to the printer.
In the linked FAX, generally, the FAX data is deleted from the printer when printing is completed. For this reason, even if the characters are blurred, it is basically impossible to print again. The phenomenon that characters are blurred may occur during printing in the toner LOW state.
Therefore, in the reprint mode, the job is not deleted from the job spool area 502 and is a reprint target only when the toner is LOW when the FAX printing is completed.
When the linked FAX job to be reprinted is reprinted at a time other than toner LOW, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the job data from the job spool area 502 at the same time as printing is completed.
On the other hand, depending on the settings of the multifunction device, there is a configuration in which FAX data remains on the multifunction device side. In this case, FAX data can be acquired from the multifunction peripheral by operating the printer without spooling the job on the printer side, and printing is possible.

Therefore, when the FAX data remains on the multifunction device side, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the job from the job spool area 502 when printing with the printer is completed.
More specifically, when the stored job control unit 412 is a print job that prints image data received from another image forming apparatus, the following is performed according to the toner density set in the engine that prints the print job. It is realized by controlling. In other words, when the toner density is high, the saved job control unit 412 does not save the received print job for which print processing has been completed in the job spool area 502. On the other hand, when the toner density set in the engine that prints the print job is low, the save job control unit 412 saves the print job that has been received and the print processing is completed in the job spool area 502.
[Print Job Deletion Processing Example 5]
Next, the erasure of data in the reprint mode regarding the job of the same name transmitted from the same user to the printer by the stored job control unit 412 will be described.
In the reprint mode, the saved job control unit 412 registers job information in the saved job management table when saving data from the reception buffer 501 to the job spool area 502. At the time of registration, if jobs with the same job owner, the same job name, and the same size are already registered in the stored job management table, they are handled as the same print job from the same user registered in the table.
Here, when the same name job from the same user as the print job already registered in the saved job management table is set as the reprint target, the same job name is displayed in the reprint list. Therefore, the saved job control unit 412 deletes the older saved job saved in the spool area when printing is completed. If printing is not completed and an error occurs, the newly received stored job is deleted.
Specifically, the saved job control unit 412 saves the print job received and printed in the spool area 502, and the attribute associated with the print job saved in the spool area 502 has the same job name. This is realized by executing control for deleting a print job having a long storage time from print jobs having the same user name.

The representative job type has been described above. However, in the present invention, the point is to change the erasing timing of the auto-save job according to the job type of the print job and the end result of the print job. The present invention can also be applied to other job types.
According to the present embodiment, when the job spool area is full, data that is determined to have a low possibility of reprinting is preferentially deleted from jobs automatically stored, thereby leaving a print job with a high possibility of reprinting. be able to. In addition, by deleting the data that is no longer likely to be reprinted according to the job type as a result of the end of the print job, the number of jobs to be displayed in the reprint list can be reduced, and the user can easily select the print job to be reprinted. It becomes like this.

  Each process of the present invention can also be realized by executing software (program) acquired via a network or various storage media by a processing device (CPU, processor) such as a personal computer (computer).

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications (including organic combinations of the embodiments) are possible based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are excluded from the scope of the present invention. is not.

101 Image forming apparatus 102 Client PC

Claims (9)

An image forming apparatus that processes a print job by switching between a normal print mode and a reprint mode,
A storage unit for storing a plurality of jobs in association with the print job received from the data processing apparatus and printed in the reprint mode and the attribute indicating the processing result of the print job;
A determination unit that determines whether the received print job can be stored in the storage unit when a print job to be stored in the storage unit is received;
A control unit that preferentially deletes a print job that matches an attribute to be deleted from among a plurality of print jobs held in the storage unit when the determination unit determines that the job cannot be held;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display control unit that displays a list of print jobs stored in the storage unit so as to be reprintable.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit preferentially deletes a print job whose attribute associated with the print job stored in the storage unit is a cancel job.   If the attribute associated with the print job stored in the storage unit is a secure print job for executing a print job by collating with authentication information input from a user, the control unit The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the secure print job is deleted when a predetermined storage period has elapsed.   When the attribute associated with the print job stored in the storage unit is a secure print job for executing a print job by checking with authentication information input from a user, the control unit The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the image data is stored in the storage unit, the secure print job is deleted when print processing is completed.   In the case where the control unit is a print job that prints image data received from another image forming apparatus, and the toner density set in the engine that prints the print job is high, the control unit receives and performs print processing. When the completed print job is not stored in the storage unit and the toner density set in the engine that prints the print job is low, the received print job that has been received and printed is stored in the storage unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is stored.   The control unit stores the print job that has been received and has been subjected to print processing in the storage unit, and the attribute associated with the print job stored in the storage unit is the same job name, and the same user name 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a print job having a long storage time is deleted from the print jobs. An image forming apparatus control method for processing a print job by switching between a normal print mode and a reprint mode,
A storage step of storing the print job received from the data processing apparatus and printed in the reprint mode and the attribute indicating the processing result of the print job in the storage unit for a plurality of jobs;
A determination step of determining whether or not the received print job can be stored in the storage unit when a print job to be stored in the storage unit is received;
A control step of preferentially deleting a print job in which attributes of a plurality of print jobs held in the storage unit match an attribute to be deleted,
An image forming apparatus control method comprising:   A program for causing a computer to execute the control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 8.

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