JP2015139981A - Image forming apparatus and control method for the same, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing a printing job without duplication and a control method for the same, and a program.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus makes a user select any one operation from among an operation in which execution means executes an unprinted job, an operation in which all printing jobs are executed, and an operation in which the printing job is not executed, when the user logs in, and executes the unprinted job, which has not been executed yet, of the printing jobs capable of being executed by a pending printing function.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method therefor, and a program.

  In recent years, in order to ensure security, data for executing a print job input from a printer driver (hereinafter referred to as “job data”) is temporarily stored in the hard disk of the image forming apparatus, and the user operates the image forming apparatus. There is an image forming apparatus that executes a print job by using stored job data after authentication from a copy unit.

  When storing the job data, the image forming apparatus stores and manages bibliographic information, which is information related to the print job. The bibliographic information may be managed by a storage device other than the image forming apparatus in which job data is stored.

  The image forming apparatus displays a list of the authenticated user's bibliographic information on the operation unit, and the user selects desired bibliographic information from the displayed list and issues a print instruction, whereby a corresponding print job is executed. .

  Further, for the purpose of improving operability, there has been proposed an image forming apparatus that automatically starts printing by omitting a selection operation by a user when job data of the authenticated user is stored after user authentication. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-223180 A

  However, in the image forming apparatus proposed in Patent Document 1, when a print job is automatically executed using stored job data, a print job that has been executed in the past and has already been printed is executed again. The Rukoto.

  As described above, the conventional technique executes a print job that has already been executed.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of executing a print job without duplication, a control method therefor, and a program.

  In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 can execute the print job by logging in to the image forming apparatus by a user who has transmitted job data for executing the print job from the host apparatus. An image forming apparatus having a reservation printing function, wherein the user authenticates the user in order to log in to the image forming apparatus, and the user is authenticated by the authentication means to the image forming apparatus. And executing means for executing an unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function when the user logs in.

  According to the present invention, when a user logs in, an unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed is executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function. can do.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. 3A is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the PC in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a software configuration of the PC. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating various types of information stored in an HDD of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating various screens displayed on an operation unit of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 2. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of job data transmission processing executed by the CPU of the PC of FIG. 3 and job data reception processing executed by the CPU of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of automatic printing processing executed by a CPU of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1.

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

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming system 100 including an image forming apparatus 102 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming system 100 includes an image forming apparatus 102 and a PC 101, and is connected via a LAN 105.

  The PC 101 serving as the host device transmits job data including PDL data for causing the image forming apparatus 102 to execute a print job, to the image forming apparatus 102. The image forming apparatus 102 that has received the job data temporarily stores the normal print function for printing immediately after reception, job data, bibliographic information to be described later, and the like, and after authenticating the user, uses the stored job data to execute a print job. A reserve print function to be executed.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 102 will be described. The image forming apparatus 102 includes a controller unit 201, an operation unit 207, a scanner 210, and a printer 211.

  The operation unit 207 displays various types of information to the user according to instructions from the controller unit 201, receives user operation instructions, and outputs them to the controller unit 201.

  The scanner 210 outputs image data obtained by optically reading a document to the controller unit 201. The printer 211 uses the printing image data output from the controller unit 201 to print an image on a recording medium such as paper.

  The controller unit 201 includes a CPU 202, a RAM 203, an operation unit interface 206, a network interface 208, a ROM 204, an HDD 205, and a device interface 209, which are connected by a system bus 212.

  The CPU 202 controls the entire image forming apparatus 102 by controlling the controller unit 201. The RAM 203 is used as a work area for the CPU 202 and stores various data and various programs.

  The operation unit interface 206 is an interface between the controller unit 201 and the operation unit 207. The network interface 208 is an interface with the LAN 105.

  The ROM 204 stores various programs such as a boot program and various data. The HDD 205 stores various data such as various programs and image data. A device interface 209 is an interface between the scanner 210 and printer 211 and the controller unit 201.

  In the image forming system 100 described above, the PC 101 transmits job data as an example, but a tablet, a smartphone, or the like may transmit job data.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 102 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the software 301 of the image forming apparatus 102 includes a UI control unit 302, an authentication unit 303, a data management unit 304, a storage control unit 305, a network control unit 306, a job management unit 307, and a job control unit 308. The A program for executing these software is stored in the RAM 203, the ROM 204, or the HDD 205, and is executed by the CPU 202.

  The UI control unit 302 receives information input by the user through the operation unit 207 via the operation unit interface 206, and transmits the information to the authentication unit 303, the data management unit 304, and the job management unit 307.

  Further, the UI control unit 302 receives responses from the authentication unit 303, the data management unit 304, and the job management unit 307, and transmits the information to the operation unit 207 via the operation unit interface 206.

  The authentication unit 303 performs user authentication processing based on the authentication information received from the UI control unit 302 and transmits an authentication result.

  The data management unit 304 stores the data requested by the UI control unit 302, the network control unit 306, and the job management unit 307 by the storage control unit 305, and reads the data requested by the storage control unit 305. Send to requester.

  Further, the data management unit 304 receives a response from the storage control unit 305 and transmits the information to the UI control unit 302, the network control unit 306, and the job management unit 307.

  The storage control unit 305 stores the data requested from the data management unit 304 in the HDD 205, reads the data requested from the data management unit 304 from the HDD 205, and transmits the storage result or the read result to the data management unit 304. .

  The network control unit 306 receives a request from the PC 101 connected to the LAN 105 or another image forming apparatus (not shown) via the network interface 208. Then, the network control unit 306 requests the data management unit 304 and the job management unit 307 to perform processing according to the received request.

  Further, the network control unit 306 receives responses from the data management unit 304 and the job management unit 307. Then, the network control unit 306 transmits the received response to the PC 101 or other image forming apparatus connected to the LAN 105 via the network interface 208.

  The job management unit 307 receives job execution requests from the UI control unit 302 and the network control unit 306 and manages jobs. Then, the job management unit 307 requests the job control unit 308 to execute the job.

  In addition, the job management unit 307 requests the data management unit 304 to store data or to read data. Further, the job management unit 307 receives responses from the data management unit 304 and the job control unit 308, and transmits the job status to the UI control unit 302 and the network control unit 306.

  The job control unit 308 receives a job execution request from the job management unit 307 and controls operations of the scanner 210 and the printer 211 via the device interface 209. Further, the job control unit 308 receives the operation statuses of the scanner 210 and the printer 211 via the device interface 209 and transmits them to the job management unit 307.

  FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the PC 101 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the PC 101.

  3A, the PC 101 includes a CPU 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, an HDD 404, an input device 405, a display device 406, and a network interface 407.

  The CPU 401 controls the entire PC 101. The ROM 402 stores various programs such as a boot program and various data. The RAM 403 is used as a work area for the CPU 401 and stores various data and various programs.

  The HDD 404 stores various data such as various programs and image data. The input device 405 is a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like that receives user operation instructions. The display device 406 displays various information to the user. The network interface 407 is an interface with the LAN 105.

  In the case where the PC 101 is a tablet or a smartphone, a configuration in which the HDD 404 is excluded from the configuration described above is a general configuration.

  Next, in FIG. 3B, the software 501 of the PC 101 includes an application 502 and a printer driver 503. A program for executing these software is stored in the RAM 403, the ROM 402, or the HDD 404 and executed by the CPU 401.

  The application 502 is software that creates and edits image data and document data using an input device 405 such as a pointing device or a keyboard while viewing the display device 406 of the PC 101, for example. The user uses the application 502 to create image data and document data.

  The printer driver 503 creates data according to the specifications of the image forming apparatus 102 from the image data and document data, and transmits the data to the image forming apparatus 102.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing various information stored in the HDD 205 of the image forming apparatus 102 in FIG.

  FIG. 4A shows an example of a bibliographic information list.

  In FIG. 4A, a bibliographic information list 801 is a list of bibliographic information including date / time, user name, storage location, print job name, print setting, and printed flag.

  The date / time indicates the date / time when the print job data is received. The user name indicates the name of the user who sent the print job data from the PC 101. The storage location indicates a location where job data is stored in the HDD 205, and is represented by a path in the present embodiment.

  The print job name indicates the name of the print job. In this embodiment, the file name of image data or document data is used. The print setting indicates settings relating to printing, such as single-sided or double-sided printing, color or monochrome, or aggregate printing for printing a plurality of pages on one recording medium.

  The printed flag is a flag indicating whether or not the print job has already been printed. If printing has been completed, printing has been completed, and otherwise printing has not been performed.

  Of the bibliographic information described above, the user name, print job name, and print settings are acquired from the received job data.

  FIG. 4B shows the post-authentication print mode table 901.

  The post-authentication print mode is a mode that indicates whether to print when a user logs in, whether to print all when printing, or whether to print only unprinted, and is set for each user. Is done.

  The post-authentication print mode table 901 is “0” in the case of “login only” that does not execute a print job when the user logs in.

  When the user logs in, “1” is set for “print all”, which automatically executes all print jobs indicated in the user's bibliographic information.

  When the user logs in, in the case of “print only unprinted” that automatically executes a print job in which the printed flag is unprinted among the print jobs indicated in the bibliographic information of the user , “2”.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing various screens displayed on the operation unit 207 of the image forming apparatus 102 in FIG.

  FIG. 5A shows a post-authentication print mode setting screen 900 for setting the post-authentication print mode described with reference to FIG.

  This post-authentication print mode setting screen 900 is a screen for the user to set while the user is logged in. The user can set one of the above-mentioned “login only”, “print all”, and “print only unprinted” with a radio button. In the case of the screen shown in FIG. 5A, “print all” is set.

  FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a user authentication screen 1000. The user authentication screen 1000 is a general authentication screen provided with an ID input field 1001, a password input field 1002, and a login button 1003.

  FIG. 5C shows a user authentication screen 1100. A user authentication screen 1100 is a screen combining the functions of the user authentication screen 1000 and the post-authentication print mode setting screen 900.

  As shown in the figure, in addition to the ID input field 1001, the password input field 1002, and the login button 1003, the user authentication screen 1000 is a button 1104 for printing all after login, and for printing only unprinted after login. Button 1105 is provided.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the user is allowed to select one of executing an unprinted job, executing all print jobs, and not executing a print job (login only). It has become. Further, this selection is performed when the user logs in as shown in FIG. 5A or when the user logs in as shown in FIG. 5C. .

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of job data transmission processing executed by the CPU 401 of the PC 101 of FIG. 3 and job data reception processing executed by the CPU 202 of the image forming apparatus 102 of FIG.

  In FIG. 6, when the user instructs printing on the PC 101, the printer driver 503 creates job data according to the data created by the application 502, its file name, print setting information set in the printer driver at the time of printing instruction, and the like. (Step S101). This job data includes information indicating whether or not reserved printing is performed.

  Then, the job data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 102 (step S102), and this process ends.

  The transmitted job data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 102 via the LAN 105. When the network control unit 306 receives job data from the PC 101 (step S103), the network control unit 306 transmits the job data to the job management unit 307.

  When the job management unit 307 receives the job data, the job management unit 307 determines whether the job data is job data to be retained and printed (step S104).

  As a result of the determination in step S104, if it is determined that the job data is not reserved printing (NO in step S104), the job management unit 307 issues a print job execution request to the job control unit 308, and executes the print job. This is executed (step S109), and this process is terminated.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S104, when it is determined that the job data is to be retained printing (YES in step S104), the job management unit 307 transmits the job data to the data management unit 304.

  The data management unit 304 analyzes the job data received from the job management unit 307, extracts information necessary for the bibliographic information, and creates bibliographic information (step S105).

  Then, the data management unit 304 transmits job data and bibliographic information to the storage control unit 305.

  The storage control unit 305 stores the received job data in the HDD 205 (step S107). Further, the storage control unit 305 adds the bibliographic information to the bibliographic information list 801 (step S107), and ends this process.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of automatic printing processing executed by the CPU 202 of the image forming apparatus 102 of FIG.

  In FIG. 7, the authentication unit 303 displays one of the authentication screens described with reference to FIGS. 5B and 5C, and performs user authentication (step S201). Here, it is assumed that the user is authenticated as a regular user. This step S201 corresponds to authentication means for authenticating the user in order for the user to log in to the image forming apparatus 102.

  When the user authentication screen 1100 is displayed in step S201, the post-authentication print mode table 901 is updated.

  When user authentication is performed, the job management unit 307 acquires the user name of the login user from the authentication unit 303, and searches the bibliographic information list 801 for bibliographic information including the user name using the acquired user name. (Step S202), bibliographic information corresponding to the login user is searched.

  Next, the job management unit 307 determines whether there is bibliographic information corresponding to the login user as a result of the search (step S203).

  If the result of determination in step S203 is that there is no bibliographic information corresponding to the logged-in user (NO in step S203), this process ends.

  On the other hand, if there is bibliographic information corresponding to the logged-in user as a result of the determination in step S203 (YES in step S203), the job management unit 307 acquires the post-authentication print mode from the post-authentication print mode table 901 ( Step S204).

  Next, the process branches in the post-authentication print mode (step S205). As a result of the determination in step S205, if the post-authentication print mode is “login only” (login only in step S205), this process ends and the image forming apparatus 102 enters the login state of the login user.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S205, if the post-authentication print mode is “print all” (print all in step S205), the job management unit 307 displays all the prints indicated in the bibliographic information including the user name. The job is executed (step S206). As described above, in the present embodiment, all print jobs that can be executed by the reserved printing function can be executed.

  Next, the job management unit 307 updates the printed flag by setting the printed flag of the bibliographic information in which the printed flag is unprinted (step S208), and ends this processing.

  On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step S205, if the post-authentication print mode is “print only unprinted” (print only unprinted in step S205), the job management unit 307 displays the bibliographic information including the user name. Among the print jobs to be printed, the print job whose printed flag is unprinted is executed (step S207). This step S207 corresponds to execution means for executing an unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function when the user logs in.

  Next, the job management unit 307 updates the printed flag by setting the printed flag of the bibliographic information in which the printed flag is unprinted (step S208), and ends this processing.

  According to the automatic printing process of FIG. 7, the user's print job can be automatically printed after the user authentication, so that convenience can be improved.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a user logs in, an unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed is executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function ( In step S207), the print job can be executed without duplication. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent redundant printing, and it is possible to suppress waste of recording media such as paper, toner or ink, and resources such as electricity.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is also 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 code. It is a process to be executed. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

100 Image forming system 101 PC
102 Image forming apparatus 202, 401 CPU
203, 403 RAM
204,402 ROM
205, 404 HDD
207 Operation unit 211 Printer 302 UI control unit 303 Authentication unit 304 Data management unit 305 Storage control unit 307 Job management unit 308 Job control unit

Claims (5)

An image forming apparatus having a reservation printing function capable of executing the print job by logging in the image forming apparatus by a user who has transmitted job data for executing a print job from a host apparatus,
Authentication means for authenticating the user in order for the user to log in to the image forming apparatus;
An unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved printing function when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus when the user is authenticated by the authentication unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: execution means for executing The execution means can further execute all print jobs that can be executed by the reservation printing function,
The execution unit selects the user to execute the unprinted job, the execution unit executes all the print jobs, or the execution unit does not execute the print job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selection is performed when the user is logged in or when the user logs in. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a reservation printing function capable of executing a print job by logging in to the image forming apparatus by a user who has transmitted job data for executing a print job from a host apparatus.
An authentication step for authenticating the user to log in to the image forming apparatus;
An unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus by the user being authenticated by the authentication step. A control method comprising: an execution step for executing In order to cause a computer to execute a control method of an image forming apparatus having a reserved printing function capable of executing a print job when a user who has transmitted job data for executing a print job from a host apparatus logs in to the image forming apparatus. The program of
The control method is:
An authentication step for authenticating the user to log in to the image forming apparatus;
An unprinted job that is a print job that has not yet been executed among print jobs that can be executed by the reserved print function when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus by the user being authenticated by the authentication step. An execution step for executing

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