JP2019075170A - Electronic apparatus and printer driver - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus and a printer driver that can improve convenience.SOLUTION: A user terminal transmits information for authenticating a user to a server that authenticates a user (S101), and subsequently receives, from the server, an access token indicating permission for the user's log-in (YES in S102), when creating a print job (S108), if a port number for an instruction execution type print job in an MFP is designated as a transmission destination of the print job, transmits the print job to the MFP as an instruction execution type print job, and if a port number for a normal print job in the MFP is designated as the transmission destination of the print job, transmits the print job to the MFP as a normal print job (S109).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system and a job management program that execute an instruction execution print job as a print job that is executed in response to a specific instruction.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a printing system that transmits an instruction execution type print job from an electronic device to a printing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP, 2015-058555, A

  However, in the conventional printing system, when the user is logged in to one printing apparatus when the printing apparatus includes a plurality of printing apparatuses, another printing apparatus executes the print job instructed by the user. Even when spooling is performed, there is a problem that it is difficult for the user to recognize the instruction execution print job.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, when the user logs in to one printing apparatus, when another printing apparatus spools the user's instruction execution type print job, the user uses the instruction execution type print job. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system and a job management program that can make a person appropriately recognize.

  A printing system according to the present invention includes a plurality of printing apparatuses, and the printing apparatus spools an instruction execution type print job as a print job to be executed according to a specific instruction for each user, and a user From the list displayed by the list display means, and the list display means for displaying the list of the instruction execution type print job of the user whose login is received by the login reception means; A job execution unit configured to execute the designated instruction execution type print job, and the list display unit is a user whose login is accepted by the login acceptance unit when the login acceptance unit accepts the login Transmitting the identification information of the other printer to the other printing apparatus, the list display means When the status of the spool by the job spooler for the instruction execution print job of the user is changed when the identification information of the user whose login is accepted by the user is received from the printing device, It is characterized by notifying the said situation.

  According to this configuration, in the printing system of the present invention, when the printing apparatus receives from the printing apparatus identification information of the user whose login is accepted by another printing apparatus, the print job instructed by the user This status is sent to this printing device when the status of the spool for has changed. Therefore, in the printing system according to the present invention, when the user logs in to one printing apparatus, the instruction executing type printing of the user is performed when the other printing apparatus is spooling The job can be properly recognized by the user.

  In the printing system according to the present invention, when the log-in receiving unit receives a log-in, the list display unit further includes a communication channel associated with identification information of a user who has received the log-in by the log-in receiving unit. The communication channel associated with the identification information of the user whose login is received by another printing device is generated between the printing device and the printing device. If it is, it may notify the situation via this communication channel.

  According to this configuration, the printing system of the present invention creates a communication channel between the printing device and another printing device when the user is logged in to the one printing device, and the printing system in the other printing device Since the status of the spool is notified to one printing apparatus via the communication channel, the print job spooled on any printing apparatus can be more appropriately recognized by the user.

  In the printing system according to the present invention, the job execution unit issues an instruction when the instruction execution type print job designated from the list displayed by the list display unit is spooled by another printing apparatus. An executable print job may be acquired from this printing apparatus and executed.

  According to this configuration, when the user logs in to one printing apparatus, the printing system of the present invention can execute an instruction execution print job spooled by another printing apparatus by one printing apparatus. it can.

  A job management program according to the present invention comprises a job spooling unit for spooling an instruction execution type print job as a print job to be executed according to a specific instruction for each user, a login accepting unit for accepting login of a user, and the login accepting unit Displaying a list of the instruction execution print jobs of the user whose login is accepted by the user, and executing the instruction execution print job specified from the list displayed by the list display The printing apparatus is made to function as job execution means, and when the login is accepted by the login acceptance means, the list display means identifies the identification information of the user whose login is accepted by the login acceptance means to another printing device. The list display means transmits the log information by the other printing apparatus. When the status of spooling by the job spooling unit for the instruction execution type print job of the user is changed when the identification information of the user who has received the request is received from the printing device It is characterized by notifying.

  According to this configuration, the printing apparatus executing the job management program of the present invention can execute the instruction execution type of the user when the identification information of the user whose login is accepted by another printing apparatus is received from this printing apparatus. When the status of the spool for the print job changes, this status is sent to this printing device, so that the user can properly recognize the user's instruction type print job.

  The printing system and the job management program according to the present invention execute the instruction execution when another printing apparatus spools the instruction execution type print job of the user when the user is logged in to one printing apparatus. The user can appropriately recognize the template print job.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the user terminal shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the server shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. 1; 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the user terminal shown in FIG. 2 when transmitting a print job. FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a print instruction screen displayed in the operation shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a part of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 4 when executing an instruction execution type print job. FIG. 10 is a partial flowchart different from the portion shown in FIG. 7 of the operation of the MFP shown in FIG. 4 when executing an instruction execution type print job. It is a figure which shows an example of the list screen displayed in the operation | movement shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described using the drawings.

  First, the configuration of the printing system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 10 includes a user terminal 20 as an electronic device for generating print data, a server 30, and MFPs (Multifunction Peripherals) 40, 50, 60 as printing devices for executing a print job. And have. The user terminal 20, the server 30, the MFP 40, the MFP 50, and the MFP 60 can communicate with each other via a network 11, such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  The configuration of the MFPs 50 and 60 is the same as that of the MFP 40.

  In addition to the user terminal 20, the printing system 10 can include at least one user terminal similar to the user terminal 20. Similarly, the printing system 10 can include at least one MFP similar to the MFP 40 in addition to the MFPs 40, 50, and 60.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the user terminal 20. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the user terminal 20 is a display device such as an operation unit 21 which is an input device to which various operations by the user are input, and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) which displays various information. A display unit 22 and a communication unit 23 which is a communication device for communicating with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), a semiconductor memory storing various data, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. A storage unit 24, which is a non-volatile storage device, and a control unit 25 that controls the entire user terminal 20 are provided. The user terminal 20 is configured by a portable terminal such as a smartphone or a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer).

  The storage unit 24 stores a printer driver 24 a for generating print data and transmitting it as a print job. The printer driver 24 a may be installed on the user terminal 20 at the manufacturing stage of the user terminal 20 or additionally installed on the user terminal 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. It may also be installed additionally on the user terminal 20 from the network 11.

  The control unit 25 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM) storing programs and various data, and a random access memory (RAM) used as a work area of the CPU. There is. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 24.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the server 30. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the server 30 is an operation unit 31 which is an input device such as a mouse and a keyboard to which various operations by the user are input, and a display unit which is a display device such as an LCD which displays various information. 32 and a communication unit 33 which is a communication device for communicating with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), a semiconductor memory storing various data, and a nonvolatile storage device such as an HDD. A storage unit 34 and a control unit 35 that controls the entire server 30 are provided. The server 30 is configured by a computer such as a PC.

  The storage unit 34 stores authentication information 34 a for authenticating the user, such as a combination of user identification information (hereinafter referred to as “user identification information”) and the user's password.

  The control unit 35 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM storing programs and various data, and a RAM used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 34.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the MFP 40. As shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the MFP 40 includes an operation unit 41 which is an input device such as a button to which various operations by the user are input, and a display unit 42 which is a display device such as an LCD which displays various information. A printer 43, which is a printing device that executes printing on a recording medium such as paper, a scanner 44, which is a reading device that reads image data from a document, and a communication line such as an external facsimile machine (not shown) and a public telephone line A fax communication unit 45 which is a fax device for performing fax communication, a communication unit 46 which is a network communication device for communicating with an external apparatus via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), and a semiconductor storing various data It controls the entire storage unit 47, which is a non-volatile storage device such as a memory or HDD, and the entire MFP 40. And a control unit 48.

  The storage unit 47 stores an application 47a as a Java (registered trademark) application. The application 47a constitutes the job management program of the present invention. The application 47a may be installed in the MFP 40 at the manufacturing stage of the MFP 40, may be additionally installed in the MFP 40 from an external storage medium such as an SD card or a USB memory, or may be additionally installed in the MFP 40 from the network 11. It may be installed. Although not shown, the storage unit 47 also stores a Java platform that is executed by the control unit 48 to execute the application 47a.

  The storage unit 47 can store a plurality of instruction execution type print jobs 47b. The storage unit 47 stores each of the instruction execution type print jobs 47b in association with any user identification information.

  The control unit 48 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM storing programs and various data, and a RAM used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 47.

  The control unit 48 executes, by executing the application 47a, a job spooling unit 48a for spooling an instruction execution type print job as a print job to be executed according to a specific instruction for each user, and a login acceptance for accepting the login of the user Means 48b, list display means 48c for displaying a list of instruction execution type print jobs of the user whose login has been accepted by the login acceptance means 48b, and instruction execution type specified from the list displayed by the list display means 48c It functions as a job execution unit 48 d that executes a print job.

  Next, the operation of the printing system 10 will be described.

  First, the operation of the user terminal 20 when transmitting a print job will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation of the user terminal 20 when transmitting a print job.

  When an instruction to display the print instruction screen is input through the operation unit 21, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 executes the operation shown in FIG. 5 by executing the printer driver 24a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 25 transmits the authentication information input through the operation unit 21 to the server 30 (S101). Here, the authentication information may be input through the operation unit 21 before the operation illustrated in FIG. 5 or may be input in S101. Therefore, when the authentication information 34a identical to the authentication information transmitted from the user terminal 20 is stored in the storage unit 34, the control unit 35 of the server 30 permits the login of the user, And an access token indicating that the user terminal 20 is returned.

  After the process of S101, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 determines whether the access token of the user has been notified from the server 30 (S102).

  If the control unit 25 determines in S102 that the access token of the user has not been notified from the server 30, it determines whether or not the authentication failure has been notified from the server 30 (S103).

  When the control unit 25 determines in S103 that the authentication failure is notified from the server 30, the control unit 25 ends the operation illustrated in FIG.

  If the control unit 25 determines in S103 that the authentication failure has not been notified from the server 30, it determines whether a specific time has elapsed after the process of S101 (S104).

  When the control unit 25 determines in S104 that the specific time has elapsed, the control unit 25 ends the operation shown in FIG.

  When the control unit 25 determines in S104 that the specific time has not elapsed, the control unit 25 executes the process of S102.

  When the control unit 25 determines in S102 that the access token of the user has been notified from the server 30, the control unit 25 displays the print instruction screen 70 (see FIG. 6) (S105).

  The print instruction screen 70 shown in FIG. 6 has a pull-down menu 71 for specifying the number of copies to be printed, radio buttons 72a and 72b for specifying which of color printing and monochrome printing, and single-sided printing and double-sided printing. Including radio buttons 73a and 73b for specifying which of the above, a send button 74 for executing transmission of an instruction execution type print job, and a cancel button 75 for ending the operation shown in FIG. It is. The print settings are not limited to those described above, and various settings may be made. For example, a configuration in which consolidated printing can be set as printing settings may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 5, after the process of S105, the control unit 25 determines whether the transmission button 74 has been pressed (S106).

  When the control unit 25 determines in S106 that the transmission button 74 is not pressed, it determines whether the cancel button 75 is pressed (S107).

  When the control unit 25 determines in S107 that the cancel button 75 is pressed, the operation illustrated in FIG. 5 ends.

  When the control unit 25 determines in S107 that the cancel button 75 is not pressed, the control unit 25 executes the processing of S106.

  If the control unit 25 determines in S106 that the send button 74 is pressed, a print job according to the setting on the print instruction screen 70 is generated (S108), and then the print job generated in S108 is transmitted to the transmission destination ( S109), the operation shown in FIG. 5 is ended. The transmission destination may be designated on the print instruction screen 70, or may be set before the operation shown in FIG.

  When a port number for an instruction execution print job in MFP 40, 50 or 60 is designated as a transmission destination, control unit 25 transmits the print job as an instruction execution print job. Here, the control unit 25 writes the user identification information and the access token of the logged-in user in PJL (Printer Job Language) in the header of the data of the instruction execution type print job. Therefore, after confirming that the access is not an unauthorized access based on the access token transmitted from user terminal 20, job spooling unit 48a of MFP 40 receives the instruction execution type print job transmitted from user terminal 20. The command execution type print job 47 b is stored (spooled) in the storage unit 47 in association with the user identification information transmitted from the user terminal 20. If the job spooling unit 48 a can not confirm that the access is not unauthorized access based on the access token transmitted from the user terminal 20, the job spooling unit 48 a causes the instruction execution type print job transmitted from the user terminal 20 to be spooled. Discard without.

  When a port number for a normal print job in MFP 40, 50 or 60 is designated as a transmission destination, control unit 25 transmits the print job as a normal print job.

  Next, the operation of the MFP 40 when executing an instruction execution type print job will be described.

  7 and 8 are flowcharts of the operation of the MFP 40 when executing an instruction execution print job.

  When an instruction to display the list screen is input through operation unit 41, control unit 48 of MFP 40 executes the operations shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the login accepting unit 48b of the control unit 48 transmits the authentication information input through the operation unit 41 to the server 30 (S131). Here, the authentication information may be input through the operation unit 41 prior to the operations shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 or may be input in S131. Therefore, when authentication information 34a identical to the authentication information transmitted from MFP 40 is stored in storage unit 34, control unit 35 of server 30 permits the login of the user and indicates that effect. The token is sent back to the MFP 40.

  After the process of S131, the login accepting unit 48b of the MFP 40 determines whether the access token of the user has been notified from the server 30 (S132).

  If it is determined in S132 that the access token of the user has not been notified from the server 30, the login acceptance means 48b determines whether or not the authentication failure has been notified from the server 30 (S133).

  When the login acceptance unit 48b determines in S133 that the authentication failure has been notified from the server 30, the operations illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 end.

  If it is determined in S133 that the authentication failure has not been notified from the server 30, the login acceptance means 48b determines whether a specific time has elapsed after the process of S131 (S134).

  When the login acceptance unit 48b determines in S134 that the specific time has elapsed, the operations illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 end.

  If the login acceptance unit 48b determines in S134 that the specific time has not elapsed, it executes the processing of S132.

  If it is determined in S132 that the access token of the user has been notified from the server 30, the list display means 48c detects all MFPs in the subnetwork by broadcast (S135), and identifies the identification information of the user who is logging in. A communication channel (stream) associated with each other is generated between all the MFP applications detected in S135 (S136). That is, the application of the other MFP can receive the identification information of the user who is logging in to the MFP 40 from the MFP 40. Note that this communication channel can maintain the connection until it is explicitly disconnected.

  The list display unit 48c is logging in to the MFP 40 among the instruction execution type print jobs spooled by each MFP for all the MFPs connected via the communication channel generated in S136 after the process of S136. A list of the user's instruction execution type print job is requested (S137). Therefore, the list display unit of each MFP displays a list of instruction execution type print jobs of the user who is logging in to MFP 40 among the instruction execution type print jobs spooled by the own MFP via the communication channel generated in S136. To reply.

  The list display unit 48c displays a list of the instruction execution type print jobs 47b of the user who is logging in to the MFP 40 among the instruction execution type print jobs 47b spooled in the storage unit 47 after the process of S137 and each MFP A list screen 80 (see FIG. 9) combining the received list is displayed on the display unit 42 (S138).

  A list screen 80 shown in FIG. 9 includes a list box 81 showing a list of instruction execution type print jobs of the user logging in to the MFP 40, and an execution button for executing the instruction execution type print job specified in the list box 81. 82 and a cancel button 83 for ending the operations shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

  After the process of S138, the job execution unit 48d determines whether the execution button 82 has been pressed (S139).

  If it is determined in S139 that the execution button 82 has been pressed, the job execution means 48d acquires the instruction execution type print job specified in the list box 81 (S140). Here, when the instruction execution type print job specified in the list box 81 is spooled by another MFP, the job execution unit 48 d acquires the instruction execution type print job from the other MFP. Further, when the instruction execution type print job specified in the list box 81 is spooled by the MFP 40, the job execution unit 48d acquires the instruction execution type print job from the storage unit 47.

  After the process of S140, the control unit 48 causes the printer 43 to execute the instruction execution type print job acquired in S140 (S141).

  If it is determined in S139 that the execution button 82 is not pressed, or if the process of S141 is executed, the list display means 48c determines whether the cancel button 83 is pressed (S142).

  If the list display means 48c determines in S142 that the cancel button 83 has been pressed, the operations shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are ended.

  If the list display unit 48c determines that the cancel button 83 is not pressed in S142, the spool of the instruction execution type print job 47b of the user logging in to the MFP 40 among the instruction execution type print jobs 47b on the storage unit 47 It is determined whether the number of instruction execution type print jobs 47b of the user who is logging in to the MFP 40 has increased or decreased (S143). Here, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 can transmit an instruction execution type print job to the MFP 40 by the operation shown in FIG. 5 which can be executed at any timing.

  If the list display unit 48c determines that the status of the spool of the instruction execution type print job 47b of the user logging in to the MFP 40 has changed in S143, the spooling of the instruction execution type print job 47b of the user logging in to the MFP 40 The contents of the list box 81 are updated according to the situation of (S144).

  The list display unit 48c determines in S143 that there is no change in the status of the spool of the instruction execution type print job 47b of the user logging in to the MFP 40 or executes the processing of S144. It is determined whether the status of the spool of the instruction execution type print job has been notified from another MFP (S145). Here, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 can transmit an instruction execution type print job to an arbitrary MFP by the operation shown in FIG. 5 which can be executed at an arbitrary timing. The list display unit of each MFP changes to the spool status of the instruction execution type print job of the user who is logging in to the MFP 40 among the instruction execution type print jobs spooled by the own MFP, ie, logging in to the MFP 40 When the number of the instruction execution type print job of the user is increased or decreased, the spool status of the instruction execution type print job of the user who is logging in to the MFP 40 is notified via the communication channel generated in S136.

  If the list display unit 48c determines in S145 that the status of the spool of the instruction execution type print job of the user logging in to the MFP 40 is notified from the other MFP, the list is displayed according to the status of the spool notified from the other MFP. The contents of box 81 are updated (S146).

  The login acceptance unit 48b performs an operation when it is determined in S145 that the status of the spool of the instruction execution type print job of the user currently logged in to the MFP 40 is not notified from another MFP, or the processing of S146 is executed. It is determined whether or not a logout instruction has been input via the unit 41 (S147).

  If it is determined in S147 that the logout instruction has not been input, the job execution unit 48d executes the processing of S139.

  If the login acceptance unit 48b determines in S147 that a logout instruction has been input, the user logging in to the MFP 40 is logged out (S148), and all communication channels generated in S136 are discarded (S149), and then the diagram is displayed. 7 and the operation shown in FIG.

  In the above, the execution of the instruction execution print job has been described. However, the printing system 10 also supports the execution of a normal print job that is not an instruction execution print job. That is, when a normal print job is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the MFP 40, the MFP 40 executes this print job by the printer 43 without spooling the print job as an instruction execution type print job 47b in the storage unit 47.

  As described above, in the printing system 10, each of the MFPs 40, 50, 60 receives the user identification information of the user whose login is accepted by the other MFP from this MFP (S136), When the status of spooling for the user's instruction execution type print job changes (YES in S145), the status is transmitted to this MFP. Therefore, when the user logs in to one MFP, the printing system 10 uses the user to execute the instruction execution type print job while the other MFP is spooling the user's instruction execution type print job. Can be properly recognized.

  When the user logs in to one MFP, the printing system 10 generates a communication channel between this MFP and the other MFP (S136), and uses the communication channel for the spool status in the other MFP. Since notification is made to one MFP via the MFP, print jobs spooled on any MFP can be more appropriately recognized by the user.

  When the user logs in to one MFP, the printing system 10 can execute an instruction execution type print job spooled by another MFP by the one MFP (S141).

  The printing apparatus according to the present invention is an MFP in the present embodiment, but may be a printing apparatus other than an MFP, such as a printer dedicated machine.

10 printing system 40 MFP (printing apparatus)
47a Application (Job Management Program)
47b Instruction execution type print job 48a Job spool means 48b Login acceptance means 48c List display means 48d Job execution means 50, 60 MFP

Claims (3)

An authentication information transmission unit that transmits user authentication information to a server that authenticates the user;
A print job generation unit that generates a print job;
A print job transmission unit that transmits the print job generated by the print job generation unit to a printing apparatus;
The print job transmission unit
When an access token indicating permission of login of a user is received from the server and the print job is generated by the print job generation unit,
As a transmission destination of the print job generated by the print job generation unit, a port number for an instruction execution type print job as the print job to be executed according to a specific instruction is specified in the printing apparatus. And transmitting the print job generated by the print job generation unit to the printing apparatus as the instructed execution type print job.
When a port number for a normal print job in the printing apparatus is designated as the transmission destination of the print job generated by the print job generation unit, the print job generated by the print job generation unit is An electronic apparatus transmitting the print job as the normal print job.   2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information of the user and the access token are written in a header of data of the instruction execution type print job by PJL (Printer Job Language). An authentication information transmission unit that transmits user authentication information to a server that authenticates the user;
A print job generation unit that generates a print job;
Causing an electronic device to realize a print job transmission unit that transmits the print job generated by the print job generation unit to a printing apparatus;
The print job transmission unit
When an access token indicating permission of login of a user is received from the server and the print job is generated by the print job generation unit,
As a transmission destination of the print job generated by the print job generation unit, a port number for an instruction execution type print job as the print job to be executed according to a specific instruction is specified in the printing apparatus. And transmitting the print job generated by the print job generation unit to the printing apparatus as the instructed execution type print job.
When a port number for a normal print job in the printing apparatus is designated as the transmission destination of the print job generated by the print job generation unit, the print job generated by the print job generation unit is A printer driver, which transmits the print job as the normal print job.

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