JP2015172828A - print management system, print management method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print management system for properly counting the number of printed sheets to a print execution user and a print requesting user.SOLUTION: The print management system includes storage means for storing the number of printable sheets allocated to each user, information addition means for receiving information about the number of sheets to be printed, information about a print condition, and information about the transmission destination and the transmission source of the information from a first user and a second user and adding the information to one piece of print data, communication means for transmitting/receiving the information on the basis of the information about the transmission destination and the transmission source, and print control means for calculating the number of estimated sheets to be printed on the basis of the information about the number of sheets to be printed received from the first user, and subtracting the number of printable sheets of the second user which is as many as the number of estimated sheets to be printed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a print management system, a print management method, and a program.

  For example, when a plurality of users share and use an image forming apparatus, the number of printable sheets (upper limit) is set for each user, and the number of printed sheets is counted and printed for the user who has performed printing. A print management system that manages the number of printed sheets by sequentially subtracting from the possible number of sheets is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  For example, in a company, a university, or the like, a user who executes printing (referred to as a print execution user) may perform printing for distribution to other users (also referred to as print requesting users) as well as his own printing. In such a case, in the conventional print management system, the number of prints printed by the print execution user for distribution to the print requesting user is also counted as the print number of the print execution user. When the number of prints to be distributed increases, the printable user's number of printable sheets decreases at a stretch, and there is a problem in that his / her own printing is greatly hindered.

  An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a print management system that appropriately counts the number of printed sheets for a print execution user and a print requesting user.

In order to achieve the above object, claim 1 of the present application
A printing management system in which a printing apparatus and a plurality of information processing apparatuses used by at least a first user and a second user are connected via a network,
Storage means for storing the number of printable sheets assigned to each user;
Information adding means for accepting and adding information relating to the number of printed sheets, information relating to printing conditions, and information relating to a transmission destination and a transmission source of the information to one print data from the first user and the second user. When,
Communication means for transmitting and receiving at least the information based on information on the transmission destination and the transmission source;
Print control means for calculating an estimated number of prints based on at least information relating to the number of prints received from the first user and subtracting the printable number of sheets of the second user by the estimated number of prints;
Have

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a print management system that appropriately counts the number of printed sheets for a print execution user and a print requesting user.

1 is a configuration diagram of an example of a print management system according to a first embodiment. FIG. It is a hardware block diagram of an example of the computer which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a print management system according to the first embodiment. FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining tag information. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of print management processing of the print management system according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen of a user terminal. It is a figure which shows an example of the state which cannot print the setting screen of a user terminal. It is a block diagram of an example of the printing management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a print management system according to a second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of print management processing of a print management system according to a second embodiment. It is a block diagram of an example of the printing management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of a management server configuring a print management system according to a third embodiment.

  Next, embodiments of a print management system, a print management method, and a program according to the present invention will be described. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be simplified or omitted as appropriate.

[First Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a print management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The print management system 1 includes a network N1 such as a LAN, a user terminal 2 used by a user, and an image forming apparatus 3 (an example of a printing apparatus).

  In FIG. 1, two user terminals 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B are shown as an example. In the following description, when any user terminal may be used, the user terminal 2 is collectively referred to. Further, although an example in which the image forming apparatus 3 is one is shown, a plurality of image forming apparatuses 3 may be provided.

  The user terminal 2 is an information processing apparatus used by the user. The user terminal 2 may be a terminal device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, or a PC. The user terminal 2 has a function of transmitting a print job to the image forming apparatus 3 and making a print request using installed application software or the like.

  In the present embodiment, the user terminal 2A means a user terminal used by a user who has print data and executes printing of the print data (hereinafter referred to as a print execution user). It corresponds to a “first user” in the claims. The user terminal 2B refers to a user terminal used by a user who requests printing of print data (hereinafter referred to as a print requesting user). It corresponds to a “second user” in the claims. Therefore, the configurations of the user terminals 2A and 2B are the same. In the following description, the print execution user may also be a print request user.

  The image forming apparatus 3 is an example of a printing apparatus. Also, it may function as an example of an information processing apparatus. The image forming apparatus 3 is an output device such as a printer, a copier, a multifunction peripheral (MFP (multifunction printer)), or a laser printer connected to the network N1 by wired or wireless communication.

  Further, the network N1 shown in FIG. 1 is not limited to wired or wireless, but may be an Internet connected by a dedicated line, a telephone line, or the like, or an intranet using Internet technology. Furthermore, even when a dedicated line is used, it is not limited to WAN (Wide Area Network) or MAN (Metropolitan Area Network), but may be configured by a LAN (Local Area Network). Further, the network N1 needs to be strengthened by various methods such as the use of a dedicated line and encryption of transmission data.

<Hardware configuration>
The user terminal 2 in FIG. 1 is realized by a computer having the hardware configuration shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of a computer according to the present embodiment.

  A computer 500 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes an input device 501, a display device 502, an external I / F 503, a RAM 504, a ROM 505, a CPU 506, a communication I / F 507, an HDD 508, and the like. . Note that the input device 501 and the display device 502 may be connected and used when necessary.

  The input device 501 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used by a user to input each operation signal. The display device 502 includes a display and the like, and displays a processing result by the computer 500.

  A communication I / F 507 is an interface for connecting the computer 500 to the network N1. Thereby, the computer 500 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 507.

  The HDD 508 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data. The stored programs and data are, for example, an OS that is basic software for controlling the entire computer 500, and application software that provides various functions on the OS.

  The external I / F 503 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 503a. Accordingly, the computer 500 can read and / or write the recording medium 503a via the external I / F 503. Examples of the recording medium 503a include a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, and a USB memory.

  The ROM 505 is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off. The ROM 505 stores programs and data such as BIOS, OS settings, and network settings that are executed when the computer 500 is started up. The RAM 504 is a volatile semiconductor memory that temporarily stores programs and data.

  The CPU 506 is an arithmetic device that realizes control and functions of the entire computer 500 by reading a program and data from a storage device such as the ROM 505 and the HDD 508 onto the RAM 504 and executing processing.

  The user terminal 2 according to the present embodiment can realize various processes as described later by the hardware configuration of the computer 500 described above.

  The image forming apparatus 3 in FIG. 1 is realized by a computer having a hardware configuration as shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of the image forming apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 3 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a controller 601, an operation panel 602, an external I / F 603, a communication I / F 604, a printer 605, a scanner 606, and the like.

  The controller 601 includes a CPU 611, a RAM 612, a ROM 613, an NVRAM 614, an HDD 615, and the like. The ROM 613 stores various programs and data. The RAM 612 temporarily stores programs and data. The NVRAM 614 stores setting information, for example. The HDD 615 stores various programs and data.

  The CPU 611 implements control and functions of the entire image forming apparatus 3 by reading programs, data, setting information, and the like from the ROM 613, the NVRAM 614, the HDD 615, and the like onto the RAM 612 and executing the processing.

  The operation panel 602 includes an input unit that receives input from the user and a display unit that performs display. An external I / F 603 is an interface with an external device. The external device includes a recording medium 603a. As a result, the image forming apparatus 3 can read and / or write to the recording medium 603 a via the external I / F 603. Examples of the recording medium 603a include an IC card, a flexible disk, a CD, a DVD, an SD memory card, and a USB memory.

  The communication I / F 604 is an interface that connects the image forming apparatus 3 to the network N1. As a result, the image forming apparatus 3 can perform data communication via the communication I / F 604. A printer 605 is a printing device for printing print data on paper. A scanner 606 is a reading device for reading image data (electronic data) from a document.

<Software configuration>
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the print management system 1 in FIG.
The user terminal 2 (including 2A and 2B) has a print management program Pr20 (Pr20A and Pr20B), and print job generation means 21 (21A and 21B) and print control means 22 (operated by the print management program Pr20). 22A, 22B), tag information adding means 23 (23A, 23B), communication means 24 (24A, 24B), print processing means 25 (25A, 25B), and storage means 26 (26A, 26B). Further, the printing request unit 27 (27A, 27B) and the print permission unit 28 (28A, 28B) may be included. Each functional unit appropriately manages the number of prints counted by the print execution user and the print requesting user by the print management program Pr20. Each functional unit of the user terminal 2 is basically the same in the user terminal 2A used by the print execution user and the user terminal 3B used by the print requesting user, and only the user terminal 2A will be described below.

  The print job generation unit 21A generates a print job that can be interpreted by the image forming apparatus 3 with respect to the print data 001 to be printed by the print execution user. For example, a print job is generated by using a printer driver or the like from application software.

  The print control unit 22A has a function of acquiring information related to print management control such as a print job, tag information, and the number of printable sheets in the print management program Pr20A, and outputting the acquired information to other functional units. In addition, it also has functions of a calculation unit that calculates the estimated number of prints from the tag information and the number of printable sheets stored in the storage unit, and a determination unit that determines whether the print requesting user can print the print data. In addition, when printing is possible, it also has a function of changing the printable number (of the print requesting user) stored in the storage unit to a value obtained by subtracting the estimated number of prints.

  The tag information adding unit 23A (corresponding to an example of the information adding unit in the claims) has a function of adding tag information to the print data 001. As tag information, which will be described later, tag information relating to the number of prints of print data 001, transmission destination of print data and / or tag information, tag information relating to the transmission source, tag information relating to printing conditions, tag information relating to attributes of print data 001, printing There is tag information about execution.

  The tag information related to the printing conditions is, for example, the number of copies, the presence / absence of double-sided printing, the number of pages to be printed collectively per sheet, and the like. The tag information related to printing execution is tag information that permits printing execution that is added when the print control unit 22A determines that printing is possible for the print requesting user.

  Incidentally, tag information relating to the number of printed sheets is added by the user terminal 2 (2A) used by the printing execution user. In addition, the tag information about the transmission destination, the transmission source, the tag information about the printing condition, the tag information about the attribute, and the tag information about the printing execution can be added by both user terminals 2.

  The communication unit 24A has a function of exchanging information with the user terminals 2 or with the image forming apparatus 3 by using http communication or the like.

  The print processing unit 25A has a function of converting each tag information described above into a command, adding it to a print job, and processing it into a printable format. The print job to which the tag information is added and processed is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 3 and printed.

  The storage unit 26A stores a set value of the printable sheet number (upper limit value) assigned (allocated) for each user. Further, the printable number is updated according to the number of prints requested by the user.

  The configuration of the illustrated example includes a print request unit 27A and a print permission unit 28A. The print request unit 27A has a function of notifying the user terminal 2B that holds, for example, the desired print data (002) through the communication unit 24A to request printing. In addition, the print permission unit 28A has a function of outputting a print permission notification to the print control unit 22A (and the user terminal 2B) when receiving a notification requesting a print request from another user terminal 2B.

  However, the functions of the print request unit 27A and the print permission unit 28A may be performed by the tag information adding unit 23A. For example, it can be performed by transmitting a tag requesting printing or a tag permitting printing to the corresponding user terminal 2. In particular, as a tag for permitting printing, a tag relating to printing conditions, which will be described later, may be added, and a method for notifying that printing has been permitted (printing has been requested) by transmitting to the corresponding user terminal 2 may be used.

  Each functional unit of the user terminal 2B is different from the user terminal 2A only in that an alphabet symbol B is given after the code of each functional unit, and each functional configuration is the same as the user terminal 2A. Hereinafter, when describing each functional unit, if the user terminals 2A and 2B are not distinguished, the alphabetic symbols after the symbols may be omitted.

Next, details of the image forming apparatus 3 will be described.
The image forming apparatus 3 includes a print job receiving unit 31 and a printing unit 32.
The print job receiving unit 31 has a function of receiving a print job transmitted from the user terminal 2 and outputting it to the printing unit 32. The printing unit 32 prints the print job acquired from the print job reception unit 31 by executing the print job under appropriate printing conditions based on the added tag information.

<Tag information>
For example, tag information added to the print data 001 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The tag information is added by the tag information adding means 23, and the print execution user and the print requesting user are added (added) as needed by exchanging tag information.

  The tag information shown in FIG. 5 includes a transmission / reception Tag1, a printing number Tag2, a printing condition Tag3, and a printing execution Tag4. Furthermore, the counter load Tag 5, the printable sheet number change tag 6, the attribute information Tag 7, and the printable sheet number Tag 8 are included. The latter tag information will be described in the second embodiment.

The transmission / reception Tag1 has a transmission destination Tag1a and a transmission source Tag1b. The transmission / reception Tag 1 is a tag added when tag information is exchanged between the user terminals 2A and 2B (which may include the image forming apparatus 3), and for example, a user address is written therein.
The print number Tag2 is page number information included in the print data 001. The number of prints Tag2 is added, for example, in the user terminal 2 (2A in the illustrated example) used by the print execution user who holds the print data 001.

  The printing condition Tag3 has a size Tag3a, a number of copies Tag3b, a double-sided printing presence / absence Tag3c, and a page number Tag3d to be collectively printed per sheet. This print condition Tag3 indicates tab information related to the print condition specified (added) by the print requesting user when making a print request. Therefore, the printing condition Tag3 is tag information added at the user terminal 2 (2B in the illustrated example) used by the print requesting user. By adding this printing condition Tag3, it is determined that the user is a print requesting user, and the expected number of prints is calculated and the printable number of printable users is changed (subtracted). Accordingly, the number of printed sheets is reliably counted for the print requesting user, and processing that is not counted by the printing execution user is enabled.

  The print execution Tag 4 is tag information indicating print permission added when the print control unit 22 determines that printing is possible for the print requesting user. Therefore, printing is not executed unless the print execution Tag 4 is added.

<Details of print management processing>
Below, the detail of the process of the print management system 1 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of print management processing of the print management system 1 according to the present embodiment. The flowchart in FIG. 6 exemplifies a case where the user terminal 2A is a terminal used by a print execution user, the user terminal 2B is a terminal used by a print request user, and the print execution user performs printing for the print request user. I will explain. That is, in this flowchart, a case will be described in which the print execution user does not print the print data 001 held by himself / herself but only for distribution to the print requesting user. Conventionally, this printing process is counted as the number of prints performed by the print execution user, and the number of printable sheets is subtracted.

  The print management system 1 according to the present embodiment counts the above print processing as the number of prints of the print requesting user and subtracts the printable number of pages, and performs the count process and the printable number of sheets subtraction process for the print execution user. Not performed. Specific processing will be described below.

  Incidentally, before S10 starting below, for example, the print requesting user can send a print request notification to the user terminal 2A of the printing execution user holding the print data by the print requesting unit 27B in the user terminal 2B. .

In the user terminal 2A, the print execution user operates the user terminal 2A to instruct the print execution for the print data 001 owned by the user (S10). Then, the print job generation unit 21A generates a print job that can be interpreted by the image forming apparatus 3 (S11). Incidentally, when printing execution of print data is instructed in S11, tag information regarding a registration number, a registered user name, a registration date and time, and a reference number is added as a basic tag.
Then, the print control unit 22A causes the tag information adding unit 23A to add the print number Tag2 for the print data 001 (S12). Further, in step S12, the tag information adding unit 23A adds the transmission destination Tag 1a and the transmission source Tag 1b information by the operation of the print execution user, and determines the number of prints Tag 2 based on the tag information of the transmission destination Tag 1a. Transmit to 2B (S13). At this time, the transmission destination Tag 1a describes the user address of the user terminal 2B.

The print control unit 22A displays a setting screen that allows the print execution user to perform the operations of S12 and S13.
FIG. 7A shows an image diagram showing an example of the setting screen 700A.

  The setting screen 700A includes a document name area 701A, a print preview area 702A, a page number area 703A, a transmission destination / source area 704A, an attribute information area 705A, a current counter value area 706A, a post-print counter value area 707A, and a print condition setting area. 708A, a transmission unit 709A, a printing unit 710A, a notification area 711A, and a delete button 712A.

  The document name area 701A is an area where the text name included in the print data is displayed. The print preview area 702A is an area where a print image of print data is displayed. The page number area 703A is an area for displaying the number of printed sheets (number of pages) included in the print data and the number of pages displayed in the print preview area 702A. For example, when the first page of the five printed sheets is displayed in the print preview area 702A, “1/5” is displayed in the page number area 703A. The transmission destination / source area 704A is an area in which information regarding the transmission destination and the transmission source is displayed. On the transmission side, the transmission source address selected at the time of transmission is displayed, and on the reception side, the transmission source address is displayed.

  The attribute information area 705A is an area for displaying information related to the attribute (type) of print data. When the user inputs attribute information to the attribute information area 705A, tag information related to attributes described later can be added.

  The current counter value area 706A is an area in which the “printable number of sheets” of the user at the current stage stored in the storage means is displayed. The post-print counter value area 707A is an area in which “printable number of sheets” after printing the print data calculated by the print control unit 22 is displayed. The print condition setting area 708A is an area to which the print requesting user adds the print condition Tag3, and includes a size setting unit 70, a duplex setting unit 71, an aggregation setting unit 72, and a copy number setting unit 73. The duplex setting unit 71 adds the presence / absence of tag 3c for duplex printing. In the aggregation setting unit 72, the number of pages Tag3d to be aggregated and printed per sheet is added. The transmission unit 709A is an area for instructing transmission of tag information and / or print data (print job). The printing unit 710A is an area for instructing printing of print data. The notification area 711A is an area for displaying a notification to a transmission destination user. For example, as shown in the enlarged view on the right side of the drawing, when the print execution user has set and sent a print permission number of 10 to the print requesting user in advance, this is displayed. Incidentally, this means that the print execution Tag 4 is added by the print execution user. The delete button 712A is an area for instructing to close the setting screen 700A.

Next, the processing according to S11 to S13 will be described from the setting screen 700A.
When S11 is processed, the text name given to the print data 001 is displayed in the document name area 701A, and the print image of the page displayed in the page number area 703 is displayed in the print preview area 702A. The page number area 703A also displays all page number information included in the print data 001. This means that the print number Tag2 for the print data 001 is added.

In S12, when the printing execution user selects a user name other than himself / herself in the transmission destination / source area 704A, the selected user address is displayed and added as the transmission source Tag 1b, and at the same time, his / her user address is transmitted to the transmission source Tag 1b. Added as.
In S13, when the transmission unit 709A is selected, the tag information (print number Tag2) added to the print data 001 is transmitted to the user selected in the transmission destination area 704A.

  Next, returning to the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the user terminal 2B obtains the number of prints Tag2 via the communication unit 24B, the print control unit 22B permits the user to print (whether to request printing). It is urged to determine whether or not (S14). If printing is not permitted (NO), no processing is performed and printing is stopped (S15).

  When the user operating the user terminal 2B permits printing (print request) (YES), the tag information adding unit 23B receives and adds the print condition Tag3 from the print requesting user (S16). Incidentally, when printing is permitted in S14, a step of outputting that the printing permission unit 28B has permitted printing to the printing control unit 22B may be included.

The print control unit 22B displays a setting screen that allows the print execution user to perform the operation of S16.
FIG. 7B shows an image diagram showing an example of the setting screen 700B. This is basically the same as the setting screen 700A shown in FIG. 7A displayed on the user terminal 2A.

  When the user terminal 2B acquires the print number Tag2 in S14, the address of the print execution user who uses the user terminal 2A is displayed in the transmission source area 704B, and the print number of the print data 001 is displayed in the page number area 703B.

  Displaying the setting screen 700B on the user terminal 2B means that the user who uses the user terminal 2B is prompted to determine whether to make a print request. When printing is not permitted, for example, when the upper right delete button 712B is pressed, printing is stopped.

  In S16, the user operating the user terminal 2B adds the printing condition Tag3 by setting the size setting unit 80, the duplex setting unit 81, the aggregation setting unit 82, and the number setting unit 83 of the printing condition setting area 708B. . When this operation is performed, the print control unit 22B determines that the user who uses the user terminal 2B is the print requesting user.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 6, in step S17, the print control unit 22B calculates the expected print number with reference to the added print condition Tag3 and the print number Tag2 acquired from the user terminal 2A. Further, after calculating the expected print number, the print control unit 22B refers to the print requestable number of the output requesting user stored in the storage unit 26B and subtracts the expected print number from the printable number to determine whether printing is possible. Judgment is made (S18). That is, when the printable number of sheets after subtraction is 0 or less (NO), it is determined that printing is not possible and is stopped (S15).

  S17, S18, and S15 will be described from the setting screen 700B in FIG. 7B. When the processing of S17 and S18 is performed, the current “printable number of sheets” stored in the storage means 26 is displayed in the current counter value 706B, and the expected print number is subtracted from the counter value 707B after printing. The “number of printable sheets” after printing is displayed. In the case of the illustrated example, the current “printable number” of the print requesting user is “1000”, and the number of sheets to be printed is 5 (page number area 703B). "995" is displayed by subtracting 5 sheets.

  Incidentally, the case where it is determined in S18 that printing is not possible will be described with reference to FIG. In the case of the illustrated example, the current “printable number” possessed by the print requesting user is “3”, and the number of printable sheets is five. Therefore, “printable number of sheets” after printing is subtracted by five. “−2”. This means that printing cannot be performed, and the printing unit 710 </ b> B performs a great-out display and notifies (displays) that printing cannot be performed.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 6, if the printable sheet number subtracted in S18 is 0 or more (YES), the print control unit 22B determines that printing is possible, and subtracts the printable sheet number (printable sheet number after printing). ) Is reflected (changed) in the number of printable sheets in the storage unit 26B (S19). As a result of S17 to S19 described above, the number of prints is surely counted for the print requesting user, and the printable user's printable number is updated to the value of the subtractable printable number. And proper printing management can be executed.

When the print control means 22B changes the printable number of sheets in the storage means 26B to the printable number after printing (subtracted), it causes the tag information addition means 23B to add a print execution Tag4 (S20).
Then, the print control unit 22B transmits the added print condition Tag3 and print execution Tag4 to the user terminal 2A (S21). At that time, the address of the user terminal 2A is designated as the transmission destination Tag 1a, and the address of the user terminal 2B of itself is designated as the transmission source Tag 1b. Further, the tag information to be transmitted may be added with the number of prints Tag2 added by the user terminal 2A.

  Next, when the user terminal 2A acquires the print condition Tag3 and the print execution Tag4 via the communication unit 24A, the print processing unit 25A converts all the acquired tag information into commands that the image forming apparatus 3 can interpret. Then, the command is added to the above-described print job (S22). Then, the print control unit 22A transmits the print job with the tag information converted into the command added to the image forming apparatus 3 (S23).

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 3, when the print job receiving unit 31 acquires the print job to which the tag information is added (S24), the print job receiving unit 31 outputs the print job to the printing unit 32, and the printing unit 32 outputs the print data based on the tag information. Printing is performed (S25).

  As described above, in the print management system 1 according to the first embodiment, the print execution user operates the user terminal 2A to add the number of prints Tag2, and the print requesting user operates the user terminal 2B to print conditions. Tag3 was added. Then, the estimated number of prints to be printed by the print requesting user can be calculated from the printing condition Tag3, and the estimated number of printings can be counted as the number of printings of the print requesting user. Then, the printable number of print requesting users is subtracted by the counted number of printed sheets. Accordingly, it is possible to appropriately manage the number of printed sheets by counting the number of printed sheets printed by the print executing user for the print requesting user as the number of printed sheets of the print requesting user. Further, after determining whether printing is possible, the printing execution Tag 4 is added, so that more appropriate printing management can be performed.

[Second Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 9 shows a system configuration diagram of the print management system 10 according to the second embodiment. The print management system 10 further includes an administrator terminal 4 used by an administrative user in addition to the print management system 1 shown in FIG. Note that the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for a part thereof, and thus the description of the same parts will be omitted as appropriate. The hardware configuration is the same as that in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  The administrator terminal 4 is an information processing apparatus used by an administrative user. Basically, it is a terminal device such as a smart phone, a mobile phone, or a PC, similar to the user terminal 2.

<Software configuration>
FIG. 10 shows a software configuration of the print management system 10 according to the second embodiment. The print management system 10 is substantially the same as the print management system 1 shown in FIG. 4, and the description of the same parts is omitted. The difference is that an administrator terminal 4 used by an administrative user is added.

  The administrator terminal 4 basically has the same function units that the user terminal 2 has. Incidentally, the management user who uses the administrator terminal 4 can operate the print management program Pr40 as the above-described print execution user or as the print requesting user. Functional units that contribute to tag information exchange between the user terminal 2A and the user terminal 2B, a process for changing the number of printable sheets, a process for determining whether printing is possible, and the like related to differences from the first embodiment. In particular, it will be explained.

  The administrator terminal 4 has a print management program Pr40. The print job generation unit 41, the print control unit 42, the tag information addition unit 43, the communication unit 44, the print processing unit 45, and the storage that operate according to the print management program Pr40. Means 46 (corresponding to an example of user information storage means) and tag information processing means 47 (corresponding to an example of information processing means) are provided. The print job generation unit 41, the print control unit 42, the communication unit 44, and the print processing unit 45 are the same as the print job generation unit 21, the print control unit 22, the communication unit 24, and the print processing unit 25 of the user terminal 2 described in FIG. The description is omitted because they are substantially the same. The storage unit 46 is an example of a user information storage unit having “user information” associated with tag information related to print data attributes. The storage means 46 further has information relating to its own “printable number of sheets” assigned to the management user, and further includes information “expected number of prints” per user calculated by the tag information processing means 47. ing.

  When the tag information related to the attribute is, for example, “catalog”, the “user information” described above stores information related to the user address associated with “catalog”, and “catalog” is added as tag information related to the attribute. Then, with the “catalog” as a key, all users linked to the “catalog” can be extracted.

  The tag information processing means 47 has a function of calculating the expected number of prints per user from the print condition Tag3 acquired from the user terminal 2 (2A). Further, it has a function of automatically extracting a user who needs the print data 001 from the tag information regarding the transmission source Tag 1b and the attribute. This point will be described later.

  Further, it has a function of adding a counter load Tag 5 for instructing loading (reading instruction) the value of “printable number of sheets” stored in the storage means 26 of the user terminal 2 used by the extracted user. With this counter load Tag 5, the current “printable number of sheets” value of the user who uses the user terminal 2 can be acquired. Then, the print control means 42 can determine whether the print requesting user who uses the user terminal 2 is in a printable state.

<Tag information>
Based on FIG. 5, for example, tag information further added to the print data 001 in the second embodiment will be briefly described. Transmission / reception Tag1, printing number Tag2, printing condition Tag3, and printing execution Tag4 have been described in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, tag information added in addition to the first embodiment will be described.

  The tag information to be added is a counter load Tag5 (corresponding to information related to a load instruction in claims), a printable sheet number change Tag6, attribute information Tag7, and a printable sheet number Tag8.

  The tag information added by the tag information processing means 47 of the administrator terminal 4 is a counter load Tag 5, a printable sheet number change Tag 6, and a print execution Tag 4. The print execution Tag 4 is as described above, and a description thereof is omitted. The counter load Tag5 is a tag for instructing to read the “printable number of sheets” (counter value) stored in the storage means of the user terminals 2A and 2B. The printable sheet number change tag 6 is a tag for changing the value of “printable sheet number” stored in the user terminals 2A and 2B to the subtracted “printable sheet number” after printing. With these tags, the administrator terminal 4 can perform appropriate print management for the user terminals 2A and 2B.

  The attribute information Tag7 is tag information added by the tag information adding means 23A of the user terminal 2 (2A) used by the print execution user. The attribute information Tag7 is a tag related to the attribute (type) of the print data. The attribute information described in the attribute information Tag7 is associated with “user information” in the storage means.

  The printable sheet number Tag 8 is tag information added by the tag information adding unit 23 of the user terminal 2 that has acquired the counter load Tag 5. This printable sheet number Tag 8 is a tag for notifying other information processing apparatuses (including the user terminal 2) of the “printable sheet number” allocated to itself.

<Details of print management processing>
Hereinafter, details of processing of the print management system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of print management processing of the print management system 10 according to the present embodiment. In the flowchart of FIG. 11, the user terminal 2A is a terminal used by a print execution user, and the user terminal 2B is a terminal used by a print requesting user. When the print execution user provides the print data and makes a print request (print request user), and the print request user who uses the user terminal 2B also requests the print, the administrator terminal 4 receives the user terminal 2A, A case where print management is performed for 2B will be described as an example. That is, in this flowchart, the print execution user prints the print data 001 owned by himself / herself, but does not specify the address of another user who distributes the print data. Accordingly, the administrator terminal 4 determines other users who need to print the print data, and performs printing control by appropriately counting the number of printed sheets for each user (print requesting user) who has performed printing. Is. Therefore, the print execution user is determined to be a print requesting user and processed. This will be specifically described below.

  Incidentally, before S30 starting below, for example, in the user terminal 2 used by each user, the print request means 27 can send a print request notification to the administrator terminal 4.

  First, in the user terminal 2A, the print execution user operates the user terminal 2A to instruct the print execution for the print data 001 held by the user (S30). Then, the print job generation unit 21A generates a print job that can be interpreted by the image forming apparatus 3 (S31). Incidentally, when printing execution of print data is instructed in S31, tag information relating to a registration number, a registered user name, a registration date and time, and a reference number of sheets is added as a basic tag.

  Then, the print control unit 22A causes the tag information adding unit 23A to add the print number Tag2 for the print data 001 (S32). In this embodiment, since the print execution user is also a print requesting user who prints his / her print data, the tag information adding unit 23A receives and adds the print condition Tag3 and attribute information Tag7 from the print execution user ( S33). Further, in S33, the tag information adding unit 23A adds the transmission destination Tag1a and the transmission source Tag1b information by the operation of the printing execution user, and sends the tag information having the print number Tag2, the printing condition Tag3, and the attribute information Tag7 to the transmission destination. Based on Tag1a, it transmits to the user terminal 2B of a transmission destination (S34). At this time, the user address of the administrator terminal 4 is described in the transmission destination Tag 1a.

  The print control unit 22A performs the operations of S33 and S34 on the setting screen 700A shown in FIG. 7A. That is, when information regarding the attribute (type) of print data is input to the attribute information area 705A of the setting screen 700A, attribute information Tag7 is added. Also, the print condition Tag3 is added by setting various setting sections in the print condition setting area 708A.

  Next, returning to the flowchart of FIG. 11, when the tag information is acquired via the communication means 44 in the administrator terminal 4, the tag information processing means 47 calculates and stores the estimated number of prints per user from the print condition Tag3. The information is stored as “estimated number of prints” information in the means (S35). Further, all users linked to the attribute information of “user information” stored in the storage means 46 are extracted from the attribute information described in the attribute information Tag7 (S36). The extracted user is determined as a user who needs printing at this time, but is not determined as a print requesting user.

  The tag information processing means 47 reads the counter load Tag5 for reading “printable number of sheets” stored in each storage means 26 of the user terminal 2 used by the extracted user, in addition to the user terminal 2A used by the printing execution user. Add (S37). In S37, the tag information processing means 47 adds the transmission destination Tag 1a and transmission source Tag 1b information, and transmits the tag information to which the counter load Tag 5 is added to the transmission destination user terminal 2 based on the transmission destination Tag 1a (S34). In the present embodiment, the user terminals 2A and 2B are used.

  In the user terminal 2B, when the tag information having the counter load Tag5 is acquired through the communication unit 24B, the print control unit 22B prompts the user to determine whether or not to permit printing (print request is made) ( S39). If printing is not permitted (NO), no processing is performed and printing is stopped (S40).

  When the user operating the user terminal 2B permits printing (print request) (YES), the print control unit 22B reads the “printable number” in the storage unit 26B and prints the read value on the tag information adding unit 23B. It is added as the possible number of tags Tag8 and transmitted to the manager terminal 4 (S41). When printing is permitted, it is preferable to notify the printing control means 22B by the printing permission means 28B, but this is not restrictive.

  When the user terminal 2A acquires the tag information having the counter load Tag5 via the communication means 24A, the print control means 22A reads the “printable number of sheets” in the storage means 26A and sends the read value to the tag information adding means 23A. The printable number is added as Tag 8 and transmitted to the administrator terminal 4 (S42). In the user terminal 2A, the step of permitting printing is not performed. This is because the print execution user has already made a print request in S33.

  In S43, the administrator terminal 4 obtains the printable sheet number Tag8 from the user terminal 2 (2A, 2B), and grasps the current “printable sheet number” allocated to each user.

  The print control unit 42 subtracts the “estimated number of prints per user” obtained from the user terminal 2A from the “printable number of prints” obtained from the user terminal 2 used by each print requesting user. It is determined for each user whether it is possible (S44).

If the number of printable sheets after subtraction is 0 or less (NO), it is determined that printing is not possible, and a notification to stop printing is transmitted to the corresponding user terminal 2 (S45).
If the number of printable sheets after subtraction in S44 is 0 or more, the print control means 42 determines that printing is possible (YES). In the case of the present embodiment, the description will proceed assuming that both the user terminals 2A and 2B are determined to be printable.

  In step S46, the print control unit 42 causes the tag information processing unit 47 to add a printable sheet number change tag 8 that reflects (changes) the subtractable printable sheet number in the printable sheet number of each storage unit 26 of the user terminal 2. . At this time, the printable sheet number change Tag 8 is added for each user who has requested printing. In S46, the print execution Tag 4 is added to the user terminal 2A used by the print execution user having the print data in addition to the printable sheet number change Tag 8. With this print execution Tag 4, it is possible to generate a print job with the tag information added in the user terminal 2 A.

  In S47, the administrator terminal 4 transmits the printable sheet number change Tag 8 to the user terminal 2B, and transmits the printable sheet number change Tag 8 and the print execution Tag 4 to the user terminal 2A.

  In the user terminal 2B, when the print control unit 22B obtains the printable sheet number change Tag 8 via the communication unit 24B, the printable sheet number after subtraction described in the Tag 8 is reflected (changed) in the storage unit 26B. (S48).

  In the user terminal 2A, when the print control unit 22A acquires the printable sheet number change Tag 8 and the print execution Tag 4 through the communication unit 24A, the printable sheet number after subtraction described in the Tag 8 is printed in the storage unit 26A. It is reflected (changed) in the possible number (S49).

  Through S46 to S49 described above, the number of prints is reliably counted for each print requesting user and updated to the subtractable printable number, so that proper print management can be executed.

  In S50, the print control unit 22A causes the print processing unit 25A to convert all the acquired tag information into a command that can be interpreted by the image forming apparatus 3 in accordance with the acquisition of the print execution tag 4, and the command is printed as described above. Append to job. Then, the print control unit 22A transmits a print job to which the tag information converted into the command is added to the image forming apparatus 3 (S51).

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 3, when the print job accepting unit 31 acquires the print job to which the tag information is added (S52), the print job receiving unit 31 outputs the print job to the printing unit 32, and the printing unit 32 outputs the print data based on the tag information. And printing (S53). In the case of this embodiment, printing is performed for two users who use the user terminals 2A and 2B.

  As described above, in the print management system 10 according to the second embodiment, the print execution user having the print data adds the attribute information Tag7 in addition to the print number Tag2 and the print condition Tag3, and the tag information described above. Is managed by the administrator terminal 4. Therefore, even if the print execution user does not specify the transmission destination of another user to be distributed, the administrator terminal 4 selects a user who needs printing from the user information associated with the attribute information stored in the storage device. This is effective when it is desired to distribute prints to public users, since the user is requested to perform a print request and print processing is performed for the user who requested the print. Further, the administrator terminal 4 reads the “printable number of sheets” assigned to each user, and transmits the tag information to be changed to the “printable number of sheets” after printing by subtraction, to the corresponding user terminal. The number of printed sheets can be counted reliably and properly.

[Third Embodiment]
<System configuration>
FIG. 12 shows a system configuration diagram of a print management system 100 according to the third embodiment. In short, the print management system 100 has a configuration in which the administrator terminal 4 of the print management system 10 shown in FIG. Since the third embodiment is the same as the second embodiment except for a part thereof, the description of the same parts will be omitted as appropriate. The hardware configuration of the management server 5 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  The management server 5 is an information processing device. Basically, it has substantially the same functional configuration as the administrator terminal 4.

<Software configuration>
FIG. 13 shows the software configuration of the management server 5. The other user terminals 2A and 2B and the image forming apparatus 3 have been described in the first and second embodiments, and illustration and description thereof are omitted here.

  The management server 5 has a print management program Pr50 and a printable sheet number management program Pr51.

  The print management program Pr50 basically overlaps with the print management program 40 of the administrator terminal 4 and includes a print control unit 52, a tag information processing unit 53, a communication unit 54, and a storage unit 55. doing. This has the same functional configuration as the print control means 42, tag information processing means 47, communication means 44, and storage means 46 that are operated by the print management program Pr40. Here, description of each functional unit is omitted.

In short, there is no function unit related to print processing such as generation of a print job or conversion to a printable format, only function units related to information processing of print data and job information exchanged between the user terminals 2. It is the composition which has. Of course, you may implement by the structure which has both.
Similarly to the storage unit 46, the storage unit 55 includes information related to the “predicted number of prints” calculated by the tag information processing unit 53 and “user information” associated with the attribute information of the attribute information Tag7. it can. Of course, each of the above information may be stored in an external storage area.

  The major difference is that the printable number management program Pr51 is provided. By this print number management program Pr51, the printable sheet number changing unit 56, the printable sheet number transmitting unit 57, and the printable sheet number DB 58 are operated, so that the printable sheet number can be provided and the printable sheet number can be changed.

  The printable sheet number DB 58 has, for each user, “printable sheet number (counter value)” information 58A for each user who uses the user terminal 2 and setting information 58B for the printing condition Tag3 added by the user in FIGS. 7A and 7B. doing.

  The printable sheet number management program Pr51 can transmit the current “printable sheet number” to the print management program Pr50 by the printable sheet number transmission unit 57, and can cause the print control unit 52 to calculate the expected print number. When the print request user operates the user terminal 2 to make a print request and the printing is executed, the printable sheet number changing unit 56 displays the “printable sheet number” of the print request user stored in the printable sheet number DB 58. "Is changed to" Number of printable sheets "after printing.

  That is, the counter load Tag 5 that reads the “printable number” that the administrator terminal 4 performed in the second embodiment and the printable number change tag 6 that is changed to “printable number” after printing (after subtraction) are set. In addition, there is an advantage that smooth print management can be realized without the need for processing to be transmitted to the corresponding user terminal 2.

  The management server 5 can further include a print data DB 59 that stores print data (and print jobs).

<Details of print management processing>
The print management processing of the print management system 100 according to the third embodiment is as described with reference to FIG. 11, and a description of the drawing created and described is omitted.

  The difference from FIG. 11 is that the counter load Tag5 is transmitted to the user terminals 2A and 2B, and the step of acquiring the “printable number of sheets” from the user terminals 2A and 2B is deleted. Further, the step of transmitting the printable sheet number change Tag 6 to the user terminals 2A and 2B and changing the “printable sheet number” in the storage means 26 of the user terminals 2A and 2B is deleted. Other processes are the same as those described with reference to FIG.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Information including processing procedures, specific names, various data, parameters, and the like shown in the document and drawings can be arbitrarily changed unless otherwise specified. Each element configuration of each illustrated apparatus is functionally conceptual, and does not necessarily have to be physically combined as illustrated. That is, the specific form of distribution or integration of each device is not limited to the one shown in the figure, and all or a part thereof is functionally or physically distributed or arbitrarily distributed in arbitrary units according to various burdens or usage conditions. Can be integrated. In other words, the management server 5 described in the above-described embodiment may be configured to be incorporated in various systems according to applications and purposes, and can be implemented as a print management system in which each functional unit is distributed or integrated. For example, the management server 5 can be incorporated in the image forming apparatus 3 for implementation.

<Program>
In addition, each processing program executed by the print management system 1, 10, 100 is, as one form, a file in an installable format or an executable format, such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R. The program is recorded on a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD. Further, the processing program may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Each processing program may be provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.

  The programs executed by the print management systems 1, 10, 100 are loaded as the actual functional units on the main storage device by the CPU (processor) reading the control program from the storage medium and executing it. Each functional unit is generated on the main storage device (memory).

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

  The printing apparatus described in the claims corresponds to the image forming apparatus 3. One or more information processing apparatuses correspond to the user terminal 2, the administrator terminal 4, and the management server 5.

1, 10, 100 Print management system 2, 2A, 2B User terminal (information processing apparatus)
22 Print control means 23 Tag information addition means (information addition means)
24 communication means 26 storage means 3 image forming apparatus (printing apparatus)
4 administrator terminal (information processing device of administrator)
42 Print Control Unit 47 Tag Information Processing Unit (Information Processing Unit)
44 Communication means 46 Storage means 5 Management server (information processing apparatus)

Japanese Patent No. 4222914

Claims (10)

A printing management system in which a printing apparatus and a plurality of information processing apparatuses used by at least a first user and a second user are connected via a network,
Storage means for storing the number of printable sheets assigned to each user;
Information adding means for accepting and adding information relating to the number of printed sheets, information relating to printing conditions, and information relating to a transmission destination and a transmission source of the information to one print data from the first user and the second user. When,
Communication means for transmitting and receiving at least the information based on information on the transmission destination and the transmission source;
Print control means for calculating an estimated number of prints based on at least information relating to the number of prints received from the first user and subtracting the printable number of sheets of the second user by the estimated number of prints;
A print management system comprising: The print control means includes
The estimated number of prints is calculated based on the information on the number of printed sheets and the information on the printing conditions, and the printable number of sheets of the second user is subtracted by the estimated number of printed sheets. The print management system according to 1. The print control means includes
When the expected print number is calculated, it is determined whether printing is possible by referring to the printable number of sheets of the second user from the storage unit, and if printing is possible, the printable number of pages of the second user in the storage unit. The print management system according to claim 1, wherein the print management number is changed to a printable number obtained by subtracting the print amount by the print expected number. The information adding means includes
4. The print management system according to claim 1, wherein when the print control unit determines that printing is possible for the second user, information relating to print execution is added. 5. .   The print management system according to claim 1, wherein the information adding unit accepts and adds information related to attributes of print data to the first user. User information storage means for storing user information associated with information relating to attributes of the print data;
The information about the attribute received and added from the first user is acquired, the user associated with the information about the attribute is extracted from the user information storage means, and the transmission destination is the extracted user. Information processing means for adding information relating to, and information relating to a load instruction for loading the extracted user printable number of sheets from the storage means;
The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising: The print control means includes
The print management system according to claim 6, wherein when the information related to the number of printed sheets or the information related to the load instruction is acquired, the user is prompted to determine whether or not to make a print request for the print data. The print control means includes
The print management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the information adding unit determines that a print request has been made when information related to a print condition is received from a user. A printing management method executed by a printing management system in which a printing device and a plurality of information processing devices used by at least a first user and a second user are connected via a network,
A storage step for storing the number of printable sheets assigned to each user;
An information addition step of accepting and adding information relating to the number of printed sheets, information relating to printing conditions, and information relating to a transmission destination and a transmission source of the information to one print data from the first user and the second user. When,
A communication step of transmitting and receiving at least the information based on information on the transmission destination and transmission source;
A print control step of calculating an expected number of prints based on at least information relating to the number of prints received from the first user, and subtracting the printable number of sheets of the second user by the expected print number;
A print management method characterized by comprising: A print management system in which a printing apparatus and a plurality of information processing apparatuses used by at least a first user and a second user are connected via a network;
Storage means for storing the number of printable sheets assigned to each user;
Information adding means for accepting and adding information relating to the number of printed sheets, information relating to printing conditions, and information relating to a transmission destination and a transmission source of the information to one print data from the first user and the second user. ,
A communication means for transmitting and receiving at least the information based on information on the transmission destination and the transmission source;
Function as print control means for calculating an expected number of prints based on at least information relating to the number of prints received from the first user and subtracting the printable number of sheets of the second user by the expected print number Program to let you.

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