JP2013244690A - Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically delete a standby print job, without any operation on an operation screen of an image forming apparatus by a user.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: a determination means determining whether or not tracking information is added to a print job transmitted from an information processing apparatus; a specifying means analyzing the tracking information, to specify the image forming apparatus to which the same print job as the print job is transmitted within a set time, when it is determined that the tracking information is added to the print job by the determination means; and a deletion request transmission means transmitting the deletion request of a standby print job to the image forming apparatus specified by the specifying means.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program.

In recent years, many have built network printing systems that connect multiple PCs, workstations, and other hosts and multiple MFPs to a LAN for reasons such as increasing print efficiency and effectively utilizing equipment. It has become to.
Normally, in such a networked system environment, a PC or workstation that creates a print job to be a single print output and an MFP that prints the print job are installed at a remote location.
For this reason, an error that can be recognized only when the output result of a print job created on a PC or the like is taken to the MFP that has been output, such as a paper jam in a printer or a copier, jamming, out of supply of toner, recording paper, etc. In some cases, the output of the print job is not completed.
In such a case, when it is desired to complete the output in a hurry, there are many cases where the user immediately outputs the data again to another MFP. Also, when the output instructed MFP is blocked during the output of a large amount of jobs, there is a case where the output is again output to another MFP.
At this time, if nothing is done, the first print job of the MFP instructed to be output remains as a standby print job, and the standby job is output and may be left unattended.
In Patent Document 1, a different MFP is selected from the operation screen of the MFP, the print job is transferred and the proxy output is performed, and when the user selects the transfer of the print job, the standby print job is deleted to solve the problem. I am trying.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-6562

  However, in Patent Document 1, user operation on the operation screen of the MFP is necessarily required.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that a standby print job can be automatically deleted without a user operation on an operation screen of an image forming apparatus.

  In view of this, the present invention determines that whether or not tracking information has been added to a print job sent from an information processing apparatus, and that the tracking information has been added to the print job by the determining means. The tracking information is analyzed, a specifying unit for specifying an image forming apparatus to which the same print job as the print job is transmitted within a set time, and a standby print job to the image forming apparatus specified by the specifying unit Delete request transmitting means for transmitting the delete request.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to automatically delete a standby print job without a user operation on the operation screen of the image forming apparatus.

2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a client PC and an MFP. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a printing system. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a client PC and an MFP. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the management table of tracking information. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the tracking information creation process of a resident application. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing in the MFP. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a standby print job control process according to the first exemplary embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control process for standby print JOB according to the second exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a message for notifying that a part of a standby print job has already been output.

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

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a client PC and an MFP. The client PC is an example of an information processing apparatus (computer). An MFP (Multi Functional Peripheral) is an example of an image forming apparatus (computer).
The client PC 300 includes a CPU 1 that executes document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets), and the like are mixed based on a document processing program stored in the ROM 3 program ROM or the external memory 11. . Further, the CPU 1 comprehensively controls each device connected to the system bus 4.
In addition, in the program ROM of the ROM 3 or the external memory 11, an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as OS) that is a control program of the CPU 1 is stored.
The font ROM of the ROM 3 or the external memory 11 stores font data used for the document processing. Various data used when performing the document processing or the like is stored in the data ROM of the ROM 3 or the external memory 11.

The RAM 2 functions as a main memory and work area for the CPU 1. A keyboard I / F 5 controls key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown). The display I / F 6 controls display on the display 10. The external memory I / F 7 controls access to the external memory 11 such as a hard disk (HD) or a flexible disk (FD). The external memory 11 stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, printer drivers, and the like.
The printer I / F 8 is connected to the MFP 150 via a predetermined bidirectional interface 22 and executes communication control processing with the MFP 150. Note that the CPU 1 executes, for example, outline font development (rasterization) processing on the display information RAM set on the RAM 2 to enable WYSIWYG on the display 10.
The CPU 1 opens various windows registered based on commands instructed by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the display 10 and executes various data processing. When executing printing, the user can open a window related to print settings, and set the printer processing and print processing method settings for the printer driver, including selection of a print mode.

  When the CPU 1 executes processing based on a program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 3 or the like, processing related to the software configuration of the client PC 300 and the flowchart of the client PC 300 described later is realized.

In MFP 150, CPU 12 outputs an image signal as output information to printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected to system bus 15 based on a control program or the like. The control program is stored in the program ROM of the ROM 14, the external memory 21, or the like.
In addition, a control program of the CPU 12 is stored in the program ROM of the ROM 14. The font ROM of the ROM 14 stores font data used for generating output information. The data ROM of the ROM 14 stores information used on the host computer in the case of a printer without the external memory 21 such as a hard disk.
The CPU 12 can communicate with the host computer via the input unit 16 and can notify the client PC 300 of information in the printer.

The RAM 13 is a RAM that functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 12, and is configured such that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The RAM 13 is used as an output information expansion area, an environment data storage area, NVRAM, and the like. Access to the external memory 21 such as the hard disk (HD) and the IC card is controlled by a memory controller (MC) 18.
The external memory 21 is connected as an option and stores font data, an emulation program, form data, and the like. The operation unit (operation panel) 20 is provided with switches for operation, an LED display, and the like. Further, the number of external memories is not limited to one, and at least one external memory is provided so that an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages with different language systems can be connected in addition to built-in fonts. It may be configured. Furthermore, an NVRAM (not shown) may be provided to store printer mode setting information from the operation panel 20.

  When the CPU 12 executes processing based on a program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 14 or the like, processing related to the software configuration of the MFP 150 and the flowchart of the MFP 150 described later is realized. Note that the MFP 160 has the same configuration as the MFP 150.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of the printing system. 2, the printing system includes an MFP 150, an MFP 160, and a client PC 300. These are connected via a network (LAN) 22. The MFP 150 has a copy function, a print function, a data transmission function, and the like. For example, the MFP 150 prints image data received from the client PC 300.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the client PC and the MFP.
When the application 301 prints a document, the printer driver 303 is called via the graphic engine 302, and a print job (print job) is generated by the processing of the printer driver 303. In addition to normal print instructions, job attributes include information that can identify each user and the output MFP. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 as an example, “file name (JOB name)”, “user name”, “client PC IP address”, “output destination device IP address”, “output device name”. , "Output time" is included. The resident application 305 can extract and manage these as tracking information from the print job (or the print instruction content of the print job). That is, the tracking information is information indicating which user has transmitted which print job to which image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tracking information management table.
Further, the MFP 150 includes a print job receiving unit 151, a print job control unit 152, a standby print job control unit 153, and the like as software configurations.
The print job receiving unit 151 receives a print job. The print job control unit 152 controls the print job. The standby print job control unit 153 controls the standby print job.
In addition, in the process of each step of the flowchart shown below, it demonstrates as what the software shown in FIG. 3 processes.

<Embodiment 1>
The first embodiment will be described below.
First, the tracking information creation processing of the resident application 305 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of tracking information creation processing of the resident application 305.
When the resident application 305 detects the generation of the print job on the client PC 300 (Yes in S401), the process proceeds to S402.
In S402, the resident application 305 extracts tracking information from the print job.
In S403, the resident application 305 refers to a management table as shown in FIG. 4 that manages tracking information.

In S404, the resident application 305 determines whether the tracking information of the previous day is included in the tracking information managed based on the processing of S403. If there is tracking information for the previous day (yes in S404), the resident application 305 proceeds to S405. If there is no tracking information for the previous day (no in S404), the resident application 305 proceeds to S406.
In S405, the resident application 305 clears the management table (deletes tracking information managed by the management table).
In step S <b> 406, the resident application 305 determines whether the same print job as the print job is being output within a set time (for example, within 10 minutes). If the resident application 305 determines that the same print job as the print job has been output within the set time, the process advances to step S407, and the same print job as the print job is output. If it is determined that it is not, the process proceeds to S408.
In step S <b> 407, the resident application 305 adds tracking information corresponding to the generated print job and transmits the tracking information to the system spooler 304 via the printer driver 303. Here, the corresponding tracking information is the tracking information of the same print job. That is, the tracking information includes the IP address (output destination device IP address) of the device that holds the same print job as the print job, that is, the standby print job (standby print job).
In step S408, the resident application 305 registers and manages the extracted tracking information as new tracking information in the management table.

Next, control of print JOB in MFP 150 to which the print JOB is re-input (re-output) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of information processing in the MFP.
In step S501, the print job receiving unit 151 of the MFP 150 receives a print job.
In step S502, the print job control unit 152 determines whether tracking information is added to the print job. If the print job control unit 152 determines that the tracking information is added to the print job, the process proceeds to step S503. If the print job control unit 152 determines that the tracking information is not added to the print job, the process proceeds to step S506.
In step S506, the print processing unit 154 outputs the received print job as it is.

In step S503, the print job control unit 152 analyzes the added tracking information, and acquires analysis information as a result of the analysis. The analysis information includes “file name (JOB name)”, “user name”, “client PC IP address”, “output destination device IP address”, “output device name”, “ “Output time” is included. The print job control unit 152 identifies the MFP (MFP 160 in the example of the present embodiment) holding the standby print job from the output destination device IP address from the analysis information. The print job control unit 152 notifies the standby print job control unit 153 of the analysis information. MFP 160 is an example of a first image forming apparatus. MFP 150 is an example of a second image forming apparatus.
In step S504, the standby print job control unit 153 transmits the standby print job hold request and the acquired analysis information to the specified MFP (MFP 160).
In step S505, the print processing unit 154 outputs the received print job.
In step S <b> 507, the print job control unit 152 determines whether output of the print job has been completed. When the print job output is completed, the print job control unit 152 proceeds to step S508, and when the print job output is not completed, the process of step S507 is repeated.
In step S508, the standby print job control unit 153 transmits a standby print job deletion request to the specified MFP (MFP 160) (deletion request transmission).

Next, the control of the standby print JOB of the MFP 160 that is first instructed to be output by the client PC 300 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a standby print job control process according to the first embodiment.
In step S <b> 601, the standby print job control unit 153 of the MFP 160 receives a standby print job hold request and analysis information from the MFP 150.
In step S602, the standby print job control unit 153 determines whether there is a target standby print job indicated by the analysis information. If there is no target standby print job, the standby print job control unit 153 ends the process shown in FIG. 7. If there is a target standby print job, the process advances to step S <b> 603.

In step S <b> 603, the standby print job control unit 153 transmits an output hold request for the target standby print job indicated by the analysis information to the print job control unit 152. The print job control unit 152 holds the output of the standby print job based on the output hold request.
In step S <b> 604, the standby print job control unit 153 determines whether a request for deleting the standby print job is received from the MFP 150. If the standby print JOB control unit 153 receives the standby print JOB deletion request from the MFP 150 (deletion request received), the process proceeds to step S605. If the standby print JOB deletion request has not been received, the standby print JOB control unit 153 proceeds to step S604. repeat.
In step S <b> 605, the standby print job control unit 153 deletes the standby print job from the print job control unit 152. The print job control unit 152 deletes the standby print job.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.
In the second embodiment, when a request for holding a standby print job is issued to the MFP 160 that has first instructed the output from the MFP 150 to which the print job has been re-input (re-output), a part of the print job has already started to be output. The control will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the standby print job control process according to the second embodiment.
The processes in S701 and S702 are the same as the processes in S601 and S602 in FIG.
In step S703, the standby print job control unit 153 determines whether the target standby print job indicated by the analysis information has already started printing based on the print control information from the print job control unit 152 or the like. . If the target standby print job has already started print output, the standby print job control unit 153 advances the process to step S704. If the target standby print job has not yet started print output, the standby print job control unit 153 advances the process to step S706. Proceed.
The process of S706 is the same as the process of S603 of FIG.

In step S <b> 704, the standby print job control unit 153 transmits to the print job control unit 152 an output stop request for the standby print job whose print output has been started. The print job control unit 152 stops the output of the standby print job based on the output stop request.
In step S <b> 705, the standby print job control unit 153 identifies the client PC (user) instructed to output from the received analysis information, and notifies the corresponding client PC (user) of a message as illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a message for notifying that a part of the standby print job has already been output.
The process of S707 is the same as the process of S604 of FIG.

The process of S708 is almost the same as the process of S605 of FIG. More specifically, when it is determined to be no in the determination of S703 and the process proceeds to S708 through S706, the process in S708 is the same as the process of S605 in FIG. On the other hand, if it is determined to be yes in S703 and the process proceeds to S708 via S704 and S705, the standby print job control unit 153 performs the following process in S708. In other words, the standby print job control unit 153 outputs a part of the standby print job, and then deletes the standby print job whose output is reserved from the print job control unit 152. The print job control unit 152 deletes the standby print job.
In this embodiment, even if a part of the standby print job is output, the output is immediately stopped, wasteful paper output is suppressed as much as possible, and a message is also notified to the user to prevent it from being left as much as possible. can do.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

  As described above, according to each embodiment described above, it is possible to automatically delete a standby print job without a user operation on the operation screen of the image forming apparatus.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.・ Change is possible.

Claims (10)

Determining means for determining whether or not tracking information is added to the print job sent from the information processing apparatus;
When the determination unit determines that tracking information has been added to the print job, the tracking information is analyzed to identify an image forming apparatus that has transmitted the same print job as the print job within a set time Means,
A deletion request transmission means for transmitting a standby print job deletion request to the image forming apparatus specified by the specifying means;
An image forming apparatus. When the determination unit determines that the tracking information is added to the print job sent from the information processing apparatus, a standby print job hold request is transmitted to the image forming apparatus specified by the specifying unit. A transmission means;
Output means for outputting a print job sent from the information processing apparatus;
Further comprising
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the output unit completes outputting the print job, the deletion request transmitting unit transmits a standby print job deletion request to the image forming apparatus specified by the specifying unit. . A deletion request receiving means for receiving a standby print job deletion request from the image forming apparatus;
A deletion unit that deletes a standby print job that is requested to be deleted by the deletion request received by the deletion request reception unit;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: Receiving means for receiving a hold request for a standby print job from the image forming apparatus;
A holding unit for holding the output of the standby print job requested to be held by the hold request received by the receiving unit;
Further comprising
The deletion unit deletes the standby print job whose output is held when the deletion request receiving unit receives a deletion request for the standby print job whose output is held by the holding unit. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 3. Receiving means for receiving a hold request for a standby print job from the image forming apparatus;
Stop means for stopping output of the standby print job when output of the standby print job requested to be held by the holding request received by the receiving means has already started.
Further comprising
The deletion unit deletes the standby print job whose output is stopped when the deletion request reception unit receives a deletion request for the standby print job whose output is stopped by the stop unit. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 3. A management means for managing trace information about the print job;
An adder for adding the tracking information to the print job when the same print job as the print job transmitted to the first image forming apparatus is to be transmitted to the second image forming apparatus within a set time;
An information processing apparatus. An information processing method executed by an image forming apparatus,
A determination step of determining whether or not tracking information is added to the print job sent from the information processing apparatus;
When the determination step determines that tracking information has been added to the print job, the tracking information is analyzed to identify an image forming apparatus that has transmitted the same print job as the print job within a set time Steps,
A deletion request transmission step of transmitting a deletion request for a standby print job to the image forming apparatus specified in the specifying step;
An information processing method including: An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus,
Management steps to manage tracking information about print jobs;
An addition step of adding the tracking information to the print job when the same print job as the print job transmitted to the first image forming apparatus is to be transmitted to the second image forming apparatus within a set time;
An information processing method including: On the computer,
A determination step of determining whether or not tracking information is added to the print job sent from the information processing apparatus;
When the determination step determines that tracking information has been added to the print job, the tracking information is analyzed to identify an image forming apparatus that has transmitted the same print job as the print job within a set time Steps,
A deletion request transmission step of transmitting a deletion request for a standby print job to the image forming apparatus specified in the specifying step;
A program for running On the computer,
Management steps to manage tracking information about print jobs;
An addition step of adding the tracking information to the print job when the same print job as the print job transmitted to the first image forming apparatus is to be transmitted to the second image forming apparatus within a set time;
A program for running

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