JP2014178738A - Print controller, program, and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten time required until a start of printing after a user inputs a print instruction from a printer specified as a normally used printer, compared to a conventional technique, in a print controller which provides a function for causing a printer to execute a print job in response to a print execution instruction input by a user from the printer after causing storage means to store the print job transmitted without specifying a printer for the print job.SOLUTION: A print server 10 comprises: a print job acceptance section 12 for accepting a print job whose output destination is not specified; and a print job transmission section 14 for transmitting the print job to a standard printer set to correspond to a person who has input the accepted print job before a print execution instruction is input. A printer 20 comprises a print job execution section 24 for, when a print job specified by the print job execution instruction is held in a print job holding section 25, executing the held print job.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing control apparatus, a program, and a printing system.

  When a plurality of printers can be used from one personal computer (PC), a print driver for each printer is installed on the PC, and one of the printers is set as a normal printer. Note that devices such as image forming apparatuses having a printing function are collectively referred to as “printers” or “printing apparatuses”. When a user instructs printing to a desired printer, that is, when a print job is transmitted to a desired printer for execution, the user needs to specify a printer to which the print job is to be sent. In the case of transmission, designation of the transmission destination of the print job can be omitted.

  In addition, when the user instructs printing, the user transmits the print job to the print server without specifying the printer that executes the print job, stores the print job, and then operates the printer that wants to execute the print. There is a technique for causing a print job to be taken out from a print server and executing printing.

JP 2001-216116 A JP 2012-064004 A

  The present invention has a function of causing a storage unit to store a print job transmitted without specifying a printing apparatus, and then causing the printing apparatus to execute a print job in accordance with a print execution instruction input by a user from the printing apparatus. An object of the printing control apparatus to be realized is to shorten the time required from when a print execution instruction is input by a user from a printing apparatus designated as a normal printing apparatus to when printing is started compared to the conventional printing apparatus. .

  The print control apparatus according to the present invention causes a storage unit to store a print job transmitted without designating a printing apparatus, and then causes the printing apparatus to perform a print job in accordance with a print execution instruction input by the user from the printing apparatus. In a print control apparatus that implements a function for executing a print job, a reception unit that receives a print job in which the printing apparatus is not specified, an acquisition unit that acquires identification information of a printing apparatus specified as a normal printing apparatus, and the reception Transmission means for transmitting the print job accepted by the means to the printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition means before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user. Features.

  In addition, when the print job transmitted by the transmission unit is executed by a printing apparatus other than the transmission destination of the print job, an instruction unit that instructs the printing apparatus that is the transmission destination of the print job to delete the print job It is characterized by having.

  And a deletion control unit configured to control deletion of the print job stored in the storage unit when the print job transmitted by the transmission unit is executed by a printing apparatus that is a transmission destination of the print job. And

  Further, the normally used printing apparatus is set for each user.

  Further, the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the printing apparatus transmitted in association with the print job received by the reception unit as identification information of a printing apparatus that is normally used.

  The program according to the present invention causes a storage unit to store a print job transmitted without specifying a printing device, and then executes the print job on the printing device according to a print execution instruction input by the user from the printing device. A computer in a print control apparatus that realizes a function of causing the computer to receive a print job for which the printing apparatus is not designated, an obtaining means for obtaining identification information of a printing apparatus designated as a normally used printing apparatus, and the receiving means The function is to cause the received print job to function as a transmission unit that transmits to the printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user. is there.

  The printing system according to the present invention includes a plurality of printing apparatuses, a storage unit that stores a print job transmitted without specifying a printing apparatus, and a storage unit that stores a print job transmitted without specifying a printing apparatus. And a print control device that implements a function for causing the printing device to execute a print job in response to a print execution instruction input by a user from any of the printing devices. Receiving means for accepting a print job in which a printing apparatus for executing printing is not designated, obtaining means for obtaining identification information of a printing apparatus designated as a normally used printing apparatus, and print job accepted by the accepting means. The print execution instruction for the print job is sent to the printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before being input by the user. A transmission unit configured to hold the print job transmitted by the transmission unit, and a print job designated by a print execution instruction by a user held in the holding unit. And an execution unit that executes the print job held in the holding unit without acquiring the print job from the print control apparatus.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, after accumulating the print job transmitted without specifying the printing apparatus in the accumulating unit, the printing apparatus receives the print execution instruction input by the user from the printing apparatus. In a print control apparatus that implements a function for executing a print job, the time required from when a print execution instruction is input by a user from a printing apparatus designated as a normal printing apparatus to when printing is started compared to the conventional case. It can be shortened.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to delete an unexecuted print job transmitted to a normally used printing apparatus.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to delete a print job stored in the storage unit and not executed.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a desired printing apparatus can be set for each user as a printing apparatus used normally.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a normally used printing apparatus can be set for each print job.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, after accumulating the print job transmitted without designating the printing apparatus in the accumulating means, the printing apparatus receives the print execution instruction input by the user from the printing apparatus. In a print control apparatus that implements a function for executing a print job, the time required from when a print execution instruction is input by a user from a printing apparatus designated as a normal printing apparatus to when printing is started compared to the conventional case. It can be shortened.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, after accumulating the print job transmitted without designating the printing apparatus in the accumulating unit, the printing apparatus is informed according to the print execution instruction input by the user from the printing apparatus. In a print control apparatus that implements a function for executing a print job, the time required from when a print execution instruction is input by a user from a printing apparatus designated as a normal printing apparatus to when printing is started compared to the conventional case. It can be shortened.

1 is a block configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention. It is a hardware block diagram of the server computer which forms the print server in this Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a printer in the present embodiment. 6 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of standard printer information set and registered in a standard printer information storage unit according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing for accepting a print job that is performed by the print server according to the present exemplary embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a print job execution process performed by the print server according to the exemplary embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing at the time of execution of a print job performed by the printer according to the present embodiment.

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

  FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a configuration in which a PC 2, a print server 10, and a printer 20 are connected to a network 4. FIG. 1 shows functional blocks necessary for the description of the present embodiment, and various functional blocks not used for the description are omitted from the drawing.

  The print server 10 corresponds to a print control apparatus according to the present invention. The print server 10 according to the present embodiment stores a print job transmitted without specifying the printer 20 in the storage unit, and then prints the print job to the printer 20 in accordance with a print execution instruction input from the printer 20 by the user. Implement the function to execute jobs. More specifically, the print server 10 stores the print job transmitted from the PC 2 without specifying the printer 20 in the storage unit. Thereafter, when the user who has submitted the print job moves to the printer 20 that the user wants to execute printing and operates the printer 20 to input a print execution instruction, the print server 10 follows the print execution instruction. In response to the job transmission request transmitted from 20, the print job is taken out from the storage means and transmitted to cause the printer 20 to execute the print job.

  This function is a print control function called on-demand print or print anywhere, but in the present embodiment, a function described later is added to this print control function.

  The printer 20 is a printing device. As described above, when a user performs a print execution instruction operation to execute printing, the printer 20 acquires a corresponding print job by transmitting a job acquisition request to the print server 10. ,Run. Note that only a single printer 20 is shown in FIG. 1 because the printers 20 need only have the same configuration.

  The PC 2 is an information terminal device used by a user who wants to print. The PC 2 transmits a print job to the print server 10 in order to cause any one of the printers 20 to execute printing in response to a user operation. When the print control function described above is used, the PC 2 does not need to designate the printer 20 that executes printing in the print job to be transmitted to the print server 10.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a server computer forming the print server 10 according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, the server computer forming the print server 10 may be realized by a general-purpose hardware configuration that has existed in the past. That is, the computer is configured by connecting the CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, HDD controller 35 connected to the hard disk drive (HDD) 34, and network controller 36 provided as communication means to the internal bus 37 as shown in FIG. The Further, as shown in the figure, an input / output controller 51 for connecting a mouse 38 and a keyboard 39 provided as input means and a display 40 provided as a display device may be connected.

  Since the PC 2 in the present embodiment is a computer as with the print server 10, its hardware configuration can be illustrated as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the printer 20 according to the present embodiment. The printer 20 in the present embodiment is assumed to be realized by an image forming apparatus equipped with various functions such as a print function, a copy function, and a scanner function. The image forming apparatus is an apparatus incorporating a computer. In FIG. 3, the CPU 41 controls the operation of various mechanisms mounted on the apparatus such as the scanner 44 and the printer engine 46 in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 49. The address data bus 42 is connected to various mechanisms to be controlled by the CPU 41 and performs data communication. The operation panel 43 receives instructions from the user and displays information. The scanner 44 reads a document set by a user and stores it in the HDD 45 or the like as electronic data. The HDD 45 stores print jobs received from the print server 10 via the network controller 47, electronic documents read using the scanner 44, and the like. The printer engine 46 prints an image on output paper in accordance with an instruction from a control program executed by the CPU 41. The network controller 47 connects the network 4 and is used for exchanging data exchanged with the print server 10. The RAM 48 is used as a work memory during program execution and a communication buffer during electronic data transmission / reception. The ROM 49 stores various programs relating to control of the apparatus, encryption of electronic data, and transmission / reception of electronic data. By executing various programs, each component described later exhibits a predetermined processing function.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the print server 10 includes a communication processing unit 11, a print job reception unit 12, a standard printer acquisition unit 13, a print job transmission unit 14, a print job management unit 15, a print job storage unit 16, and a standard printer information storage unit. 17. The communication processing unit 11 performs communication processing between the PC 2 and the printer 20 via the network 4. The print job reception unit 12 is provided as a reception unit, and receives a print job transmitted from the PC 2 and not designated by the printer 20 that is the print execution destination. The user can designate a normally used printer from the printers 20 in which the print driver is installed in the PC 2, but the standard printer obtaining unit 13 provided as an obtaining unit designates each user as a normally used printer. The identification information of the printer 20 is acquired.

  The print job transmission unit 14 is provided as a transmission unit, and the print job received by the print job reception unit 12 is acquired by the standard printer acquisition unit 13 before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user. The data is transmitted to the printer 20 identified by the identification information. The print job management unit 15 manages print jobs stored in the print job storage unit 16. In particular, the print job management unit 15 according to the present embodiment is provided as an instruction unit. When the print job transmitted by the print job transmission unit 14 is executed by a printer 20 other than the transmission destination of the print job, the print job management unit 15 The printer 20 as the job transmission destination is instructed to delete the print job. Further, the print job management unit 15 is provided as a deletion control unit. When the print job transmitted by the print job transmission unit 14 is executed by the destination printer 20 of the print job, the print job management unit 15 stores the print job in the print job storage unit 16. Control the deletion of the print job.

  The print job storage unit 16 is a storage unit that stores a print job transmitted from the PC 2. The print job storage unit 16 indicates, for each print job, a job ID for identifying the print job, a user ID for specifying a user who has input the print job, electronic data to be processed, or a storage location of the electronic data. Information, the reception date and time of the print job, and the like are stored in association with each other. The print job storage unit 16 may have the same data configuration as before.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data configuration example of standard printer information set and registered in the standard printer information storage unit 17 in the present embodiment. The standard printer information is configured by associating a user ID for identifying a user with a standard printer ID as identification information of the printer 20 designated as a printer that is normally used by the user. In the present embodiment, a normally used printer is also referred to as a “standard printer”.

  The components 11 to 15 in the print server 10 are realized by a cooperative operation of a computer that forms the print server 10 and a program that operates on the CPU 31 mounted on the computer. The print job storage unit 16 and the standard printer information storage unit 17 are realized by the HDD 34 installed in the print server 10. Alternatively, the RAM 33 or an external storage means may be used via a network.

  The printer 20 includes a communication processing unit 21, a print job reception unit 22, a print execution instruction reception unit 23, a print job execution unit 24, and a print job holding unit 25. The communication processing unit 11 performs communication processing between the PC 2 and the print server 10 via the network 4. When a print job not targeted for execution by the print job execution unit 24 is sent from the print server 10, the print job reception unit 22 receives the received print job and holds it in the print job holding unit 25. Let The print execution instruction receiving unit 23 receives a print execution instruction input by the user operating the operation panel 43. The print job execution unit 24 transmits a job acquisition request for the print job specified in the print execution instruction to the print server 10 in accordance with the print execution instruction received by the print execution instruction reception unit 23, thereby executing the print job to be printed. Get and execute. However, the print job execution unit 24 according to the present exemplary embodiment provided as an execution unit, when the print job designated in the print execution instruction by the user is held in the print job holding unit 25, prints from the print server 10. The print job held in the print job holding unit 25 is executed without acquiring the job. The print job holding unit 25 holds the print job received by the print job receiving unit 22.

  Each component 21-24 in the printer 20 is implement | achieved by cooperation operation | movement of the program mounted on the computer mounted in the printer 20, and the CPU41 mounted in the computer. The print job holding unit 25 is realized by the HDD 45 or the RAM 48 mounted on the printer 20.

  Further, the program used in this embodiment can be provided not only by communication means but also by storing it in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. The program provided from the communication means or the recording medium is installed in the computer, and various processes are realized by the CPU of the computer sequentially executing the program.

  Next, the operation in this embodiment will be described. There are processing executed when the user issues a printing instruction from the PC 2 until printing is executed by the printer 20, and processing executed when the user issues a printing execution instruction from the printer 20. First, a print job reception process performed by the print server 10 when the user issues a print instruction from the PC 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the user wants to cause any printer 20 connected to the network 4 to execute printing, it issues a print instruction to the print server 10. The PC 2 transmits a print job to the print server 10 in response to this print instruction.

  In the print server 10, when the print job reception unit 12 receives a print job sent from the PC 2 via the communication processing unit 11 (step 101), the print job reception unit 12 registers the print job in the print job storage unit 16 (step 102). Further, when the print job reception unit 12 receives a print job, the standard printer acquisition unit 13 acquires a user ID that inputs the print job from the received print job, and uses the user ID as a key as a standard printer information storage unit. By searching 17, the standard printer of the user is specified (step 103). When the standard printer is specified, the print job transmission unit 14 transmits the print job received by the print job reception unit 12 to the specified standard printer (step 104).

  Note that either the process of registering the accepted print job in the print job storage unit 16 or the process of transmitting it to the standard printer may be performed first or may be performed in parallel.

  Thereafter, the user moves to the printer 20 that wants to execute printing, selects an electronic document to be printed from the printer 20, and issues a print execution instruction. The processes executed in accordance with the print execution instruction are shown in FIGS. This will be described using the flowcharts shown.

  The user receives user authentication from the print server 10 by inputting authentication information from the printer 20 that wants to execute printing, and the name of the electronic document specified by the print job registered in the print server 10 by the user. Is displayed on the operation panel 43. When the user selects an electronic document to be printed by performing a predetermined operation from the operation panel 43 and instructs the execution of printing by pressing the print execution button displayed on the operation panel 43, the print execution instruction in the printer 20 is performed. The accepting unit 23 accepts the print execution instruction (step 211). When the print execution instruction is received by the print execution instruction receiving unit 23, the print job execution unit 24 checks whether the print job corresponding to the selected electronic document to be printed is held in the print job holding unit 25. If the print job is held (Y in step 212), the print job execution unit 24 extracts the print job from the print job holding unit 25 (step 213) and executes the print job (step 216).

  On the other hand, when the print job is not held in the print job holding unit 25 (N in Step 212), the print job execution unit 24 acquires the print job by performing the same process as the conventional one. That is, the print job execution unit 24 transmits a job acquisition request for the print job to the print server 10 (step 214).

  In the print server 10, when the information sent from the printer 20 is a job acquisition request (N in step 111, N in step 112, Y in step 114), the print job transmission unit 14 sends the corresponding print job to the print job storage unit 16 and sent to the requesting printer 20 (step 115).

  In the printer 20, when a print job is transmitted from the print server 10 in response to the job acquisition request, the print job execution unit 24 acquires the print job (step 215) and executes it (step 216).

  The printer 20 in the present embodiment executes a print job as described above. When the user causes the printer 20 that is not a standard printer to execute printing, the printer 20 executes a print job after acquiring a print job from the print server 10 in the same manner as in the past.

  On the other hand, when the user causes the standard printer to execute printing, the printer 20 uses the print job already held in the printer 20 without acquiring the print job from the print server 10 according to the print execution instruction. Run. That is, since the print job has already been acquired from the print server 10 before the print execution instruction is input by the user, it is not necessary to acquire the print job via the network at the time of print execution.

  When the printer 20 finishes executing the print job, the printer 20 notifies the end of execution of the print job by transmitting end notification information to the print server 10 (step 207). The completion notification information includes the job ID of the completed print job and the user ID of the user who submitted the print job and executed it.

  In the print server 10, when the information sent from the printer 20 is the end notification information from the standard printer (Y in Step 111 and Step 112), the print job management unit 15 is stored in the print job storage unit 16. The print job is deleted (step 113). If the information sent from the printer 20 is end notification information from a printer 20 other than the standard printer (N in step 111, step 112, N in step 114, Y in step 116), the print job Since it is sent to the user's standard printer and held in the print job holding unit 25 of the standard printer, the print job management unit 15 instructs the user's standard printer to delete the print job (step 117). . The printer 20 that has received the deletion instruction deletes the print job held in the print job holding unit 25 in response to the instruction.

  Whether or not the end notification information sent from the printer 20 is from the standard printer is determined based on the combination of the user ID included in the end notification information and the printer ID of the printer 20 that is the transmission source of the end notification information. May be determined by collating with

  It should be noted that processing may be performed so that the print job is automatically deleted when a predetermined time has elapsed since the printer 20 was held in the print job holding unit 25 without explicitly instructing deletion of the print job in step 117. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the standard printer is set for each user. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be set for each print server 10, for example. Alternatively, it may be set for each print job. Specifically, the user may designate a standard printer each time a print instruction is given. The print server 10 acquires the printer ID sent in association with the print job sent from the PC 2 as the printer ID of the standard printer, and prints the print job in association with the printer ID of the standard printer. Register in the job storage unit 16. Alternatively, the printer ID of the standard printer may be associated with the job ID of the print job and registered in the standard printer information.

  In this embodiment, one standard printer is set for each user as a destination to which a print job is transmitted before a print execution instruction is input. Increasing the number of standard printers increases the number of printers 20 that shortens the time from when a print execution instruction is input to when printing is started. In other words, setting a plurality of standard printers is also conceivable. However, when the number of standard printers is increased, print jobs that are not executed are transmitted via the network. In other words, transmission of useless print jobs may cause a decrease in network performance.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, only the normally used printer that is considered to be the most frequently used is set as the standard printer to suppress the degradation of the network performance, and early printing is performed only for the standard printer that is frequently used. The start was realized.

  In the present embodiment, the printing system that causes the printer 20 to execute a print job has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to a system that executes a job other than printing.

  2 personal computer (PC), 4 network, 10 print server, 11 communication processing unit, 12 print job reception unit, 13 standard printer acquisition unit, 14 print job transmission unit, 15 print job management unit, 16 print job storage unit, 17 Standard printer information storage unit, 20 printer, 21 communication processing unit, 22 print job reception unit, 23 print execution instruction reception unit, 24 print job execution unit, 25 print job holding unit, 31, 41 CPU, 32, 49 ROM, 33 , 48 RAM, 34, 45 Hard disk drive (HDD), 35 HDD controller, 36 Network controller, 37 Internal bus, 38 Mouse, 39 Keyboard, 40 Display, 42 Address data bus, 43 Operation panel, 44 Scanner, 46 Printer Jin, 47 network controller, 51 output controller.

Claims (7)

Print control for realizing a function of storing in a storage unit a print job transmitted without specifying a printing device, and then causing the printing device to execute a print job in accordance with a print execution instruction input by the user from the printing device In the device
Accepting means for accepting a print job in which the printing apparatus is not designated;
An acquisition means for acquiring identification information of a printing device designated as a normal printing device;
A transmission unit configured to transmit the print job received by the reception unit to a printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user;
A printing control apparatus comprising:   When the print job transmitted by the transmission unit is executed by a printing apparatus other than the transmission destination of the print job, an instruction unit that instructs the printing apparatus that is the transmission destination of the print job to delete the print job The print control apparatus according to claim 1.   And a deletion control unit configured to control deletion of the print job stored in the storage unit when the print job transmitted by the transmission unit is executed by a printing apparatus that is a transmission destination of the print job. The print control apparatus according to claim 1.   The printing control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the normally used printing apparatus is set for each user.   The acquisition unit acquires the identification information of a printing apparatus transmitted in association with the print job received by the reception unit as identification information of a printing apparatus that is normally used. Print control device. Print control for realizing a function of storing in a storage unit a print job transmitted without specifying a printing device, and then causing the printing device to execute a print job in accordance with a print execution instruction input by the user from the printing device Computer in the device,
Accepting means for accepting a print job in which the printing apparatus is not designated;
An acquisition means for acquiring identification information of a printing device designated as a normal printing device;
A transmission unit that transmits the print job received by the reception unit to a printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user;
Program to function as. A plurality of printing devices;
Storage means for storing print jobs sent without specifying a printing device;
A function of storing a print job transmitted without specifying a printing device in the storage unit, and then causing the printing device to execute a print job in accordance with a print execution instruction input by a user from any of the printing devices. A print control device to be realized;
Have
The print control device includes:
Accepting means for accepting a print job in which a printing apparatus for executing printing is not designated;
An acquisition means for acquiring identification information of a printing device designated as a normal printing device;
A transmission unit configured to transmit the print job received by the reception unit to a printing apparatus identified by the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit before a print execution instruction for the print job is input by the user;
Have
The printing apparatus includes:
Holding means for holding the print job transmitted by the transmission means;
When the print job designated by the print execution instruction by the user is held in the holding unit, the print job held in the holding unit is executed without obtaining the print job from the print control apparatus. Execution means;
A printing system comprising:

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