JP2019123176A - Printing system, image formation device, printing management device, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To properly discriminate a personal print and an official print.SOLUTION: A printing management device 10 comprises: an official image preparation part which creates a first official image which represents that the first official image is relevant to an official print in a first case that first print data is inputted to the printing management device 10; and an official image application part which applies the first official image to first print data and sends the same to an image formation device 50. The image formation device 50 comprises a printing control part which prints first print data sent from the printing management device 10 together with the first official image. Further, the image formation device 50 comprises an inquiry part which inquires the printing management device 10 about official-personal discrimination of second print data in a second case that second print data is inputted to the image formation device 50. The printing management device 10 comprises an official-personal discrimination part which performs official-personal discrimination according to the inquiry, and returns a discrimination result by official-personal discrimination to the image formation device 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system capable of discriminating between private printing and public printing, an image forming apparatus, a print management apparatus, and a control method.

  In a group organization such as a company or a school, an image forming apparatus having a printing function such as a copying machine is often shared and used by a plurality of users. When a user uses an image forming apparatus privately, a group organization can not charge the user if it can not determine whether the use is private or not. As a result, since the group organization to which the user belongs is to bear the cost of the private print, not only the cost of operating the organization increases, but there is also a problem in terms of fairness among users.

  The image forming system disclosed in Patent Document 1 determines a private determination device that determines whether the print job is for private use or public use based on character information extracted from an image to be printed in the print job. Prepare. The above-mentioned private determination apparatus is the image forming apparatus I in which the corresponding print job is included when the extracted character information includes the private keyword satisfying the specific criteria and the public keyword is not included. It is judged that it corresponds to the purpose use (that is, it corresponds to a private print).

JP, 2014-171067, A

  According to the technology of Patent Document 1, it is determined whether the print is a private print or a public print only with the keyword (that is, the character information) in the character information extracted from the print object. In the case of an image that does not include characters (for example, a photograph or a picture), there is a possibility that the public / private judgment of the print can not be made. In addition, even if there is a defect in the keyword registration (for example, when the word to be registered as a private keyword is registered as a public keyword), there is a possibility that the public / private judgment of the print can not be correctly performed only by the keyword .

  Therefore, in the technique of Patent Document 1, a print job that is actually a private print may be determined not to be a private print on the system, and consequently, the user may not be charged correctly.

  In consideration of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to properly distinguish between a private print and a public print.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a printing system according to the present invention comprises an image forming apparatus for executing a printing process, and a print management apparatus for managing the printing process. The print management apparatus creates a first public image indicating that the first print data corresponds to a public print in a first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus. A public image creation unit; and a public image application unit for applying the first public image to the first print data and sending the first print data to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including the print management apparatus The image forming apparatus further comprises: a print control unit that prints the sent first print data together with the first public image attached to the first print data; 2) In the second case where print data is input, whether the second print data corresponds to private print or public print The print management apparatus further comprises an inquiry unit for inquiring the print management apparatus about the public / private discrimination, the print management apparatus performs the public / private discrimination in response to an inquiry from the inquiry unit, and returns the discrimination result by the public / private discrimination to the image forming apparatus. Equipped with

  Preferably, when the second public image indicating that the second print data corresponds to a public print does not exist in the second print data, the public / private determination unit of the print management apparatus 2 Determine that the print data corresponds to a private print.

  Preferably, when the input source of the second print data is a removable peripheral device, the public-private identification unit of the print management apparatus determines that the second print data corresponds to a private print.

  Preferably, when the second print data does not include text data, the public-private identification unit of the print management apparatus determines that the second print data corresponds to a private print.

  Preferably, when the second print data is created according to a page description language used in an external application executed outside the print system, the public-private identification unit of the print management apparatus It determines that the print data corresponds to a private print.

  Preferably, in the second case, when the image forming apparatus receives, from the print management apparatus, the determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a private print, the second print data Since the print is a private print, the user is presented with an instruction to charge, and then the print control unit is instructed to print the second print data upon receiving a print instruction from the user.

  Preferably, the print management apparatus includes a charging unit for charging the user when the second print data determined to be a private print is printed by the image forming apparatus.

  Preferably, in the second case, the print control unit of the image forming apparatus receives, from the print management apparatus, the determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a public print. Printing the second print data together with a second public image attached to the second print data;

  Preferably, in the first case, the print management apparatus stores the first public image corresponding to the first print data during a period in which the image forming apparatus holds the first print data. And a public image management unit that deletes the first public image when the first print data is deleted from the image forming apparatus.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus, the first print data sent from the print management apparatus is the first print data. Print control unit for printing together with the first public image given to the second print data, and in the second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus, the second print data is private print and public print And an inquiry unit for inquiring of the print management apparatus about the public / private determination as to which of the above, and a determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a private print from the print management apparatus; (2) After showing the user that the print by print data is a private print and charging it, Upon receiving a print instruction of al and a response processing unit that instructs the print controller to print the second print data.

  The print management apparatus according to the present invention is a print management apparatus that manages print processing by the image forming apparatus, and in the first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus, A public image creation unit for creating a first public image indicating that the print data corresponds to a public print; and attaching the first public image to the first print data to be sent to the image forming apparatus About whether the second print data corresponds to the private print or the public print in the second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus And a public / private discrimination unit which performs the public / private discrimination and returns the discrimination result by the public / private discrimination to the image forming apparatus.

  A control method according to the present invention is a control method in a print system including an image forming apparatus that executes print processing, and a print management apparatus that manages the print processing, in which the print management apparatus Creating a first public image indicating that the first print data corresponds to a public print when the first print data is input to the apparatus; and Adding the first print data to the first print data, and sending the first print data to the first print data, the first print data being sent from the print management apparatus in the image forming apparatus Printing with a first public image, and further, in the image forming apparatus, a second process for the image forming apparatus In the second case where lint data is input, inquiring of the print management apparatus whether the second print data corresponds to the private print or the public print to the print management apparatus, and the print management apparatus And performing the public / private determination in response to an inquiry from the image forming apparatus, and returning the determination result by the public / private determination to the image forming apparatus.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to properly distinguish between a private print and a public print.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electrical configuration of a print management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a logical configuration of a print management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic view (front view) showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electrical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a logical configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram of a normal printing case according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a sequence diagram of the irregular printing case which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention and disclose various preferred techniques, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Further, the term "printing" in the embodiment of the present invention means broad image formation (printing, printing) including electrophotographic method etc. For example, ink is applied to a plate surface and transferred to a medium It is not intended to mean that only limited aspects, such as.

1. Overall Configuration of Printing System The overall configuration of the printing system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The printing system 1 includes a print management device 10, a network 30, and an image forming device 50.

  The print management apparatus 10 is an apparatus that manages print processing by the image forming apparatus 50, and is, for example, a UNIX (registered trademark) server or a PC server. A plurality of computer devices such as a cluster server may cooperate to constitute one print management apparatus 10, or a virtual machine on a cloud or on an edge may constitute the print management apparatus 10.

  The network 30 is a communication network that connects nodes such as the print management apparatus 10 and the image forming apparatus 50 in the printing system 1 and includes communication devices such as a plurality of repeaters, a bridge, and a router. The network 30 is, for example, a local area network to which the print management apparatus 10 and the image forming apparatus 50 belong. An apparatus connected to the network 30 preferably executes communication in accordance with a predetermined protocol (TCP / IP or the like).

  The image forming apparatus 50 is an apparatus that executes a printing process based on print data, and is, for example, a multifunction peripheral including a print function, a copy function, and a fax function. The print data may be input directly to the image forming apparatus 50 via the network 30. The image forming apparatus 50 forms an image corresponding to the print data on the medium S such as a print sheet by executing the printing process using the print data.

2. Configuration of Print Management Apparatus Next, the configuration of the print management apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the print management apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the print management apparatus 10 includes a communication interface 11, a central processing unit (CPU) 12, a random access memory (RAM) 13, a read only memory (ROM) 14, and a storage device 15. The above components are connected to one another by a bus 16.

  The communication interface 11 is an interface that executes communication with an apparatus such as the image forming apparatus 50 via the network 30, and is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) compliant with the Ethernet (registered trademark) standard. The CPU 12 is an arithmetic device that performs various operations and controls by executing programs stored in the RAM 13 and the ROM 14 which are main storage devices. The storage device 15 is an auxiliary storage device that stores programs and data that can be expanded on the RAM 13 and is, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the print management device 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the print management apparatus 10 includes a control unit 20 as a functional block. The control unit 20 further includes a public image creation unit 21, a public image assignment unit 22, a public image management unit 23, a public / private discrimination unit 24, and a charging unit 25 as functional blocks. The above functional blocks are realized by the CPU 12 executing computer programs stored in the main storage devices (the RAM 13 and the ROM 14) of the print management apparatus 10.

  The control unit 20 is a functional block that implements a general-purpose function related to print management and input / output. For example, the control unit 20 performs user management (authentication and authorization) of the printing system 1 and the image forming apparatus 50 via the communication interface 11. Execute communication control with external devices such as

  The public image creation unit 21 creates a public image indicating that the print data corresponds to public printing. In the present embodiment, “public printing” is a printing operation that meets the purpose of a group organization that owns the printing system 1 and, for example, in a for-profit enterprise organization, materials used for business conducted by that enterprise ( Printing of sales materials, accounting materials, etc.

  The opposite of public printing is private printing. In the present embodiment, "private printing" refers to printing activities outside the purpose of the organization that owns the printing system 1. For example, in a for-profit enterprise organization, materials used personally by employees of the enterprise It is a print of (a photograph of personal travel, a web page of a hobby, etc.).

  Also, in the present embodiment, “public image” is a mark indicating a group organization that owns the printing system 1 or a provision of the organization, etc. For example, in a for-profit company organization, the logo of the company It is a watermark. The public image may be image data itself corresponding to the public image, or may be instruction data (for example, a command list in a page description language) used for drawing the public image.

  The public image assignment unit 22 assigns the public image created by the public image creation unit 21 to the print data and sends the print data to the image forming apparatus 50. The public image management unit 23 manages storage and deletion of the public image created by the public image creation unit 21 in the storage device 15. The public / private discrimination unit 24 performs discrimination (public / private discrimination) as to whether the print data corresponds to private printing or public printing for a certain print data, and outputs the discrimination result. When the print data determined to correspond to the private printing is printed by the image forming apparatus 50, the charging unit 25 charges the user who requested the printing of the print data.

3. Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view (front view) showing the image forming apparatus 50. As shown in FIG. The front side of the sheet of FIG. 4 corresponds to the front side of the image forming apparatus 50. Also, “L” shown in FIG. 4 indicates “left”, “R” indicates “right”, “U” indicates “upper”, and “D” indicates “lower”.

  The image forming apparatus 50 includes an apparatus main body 52 having a substantially box shape. In the lower part of the apparatus main body 52, a paper feed cassette 53 for storing the medium S such as plain paper is detachably provided, and in the upper part of the apparatus main body 52, a paper discharge tray 54 is provided.

  The apparatus main body 52 includes a sheet feeding device 55, an image forming device 56, and a fixing device 57. The sheet feeding device 55 is provided at the upstream end of the conveyance path 58 extending from the sheet feeding cassette 53 to the sheet discharge tray 54. The image forming device 56 is provided at an intermediate portion of the conveyance path 58, and the fixing device 57 is provided at the downstream side of the conveyance path 58.

  The imaging device 56 includes a toner container 60, a drum unit 61 and an optical scanning device 62. The toner container 60 contains, for example, black toner (developer). The drum unit 61 includes a photosensitive drum 63, a charging device 64, a developing device 65, and a transfer roller 66. The toner may be a two-component developer in which a toner and a carrier are mixed, or may be a one-component developer composed of a magnetic toner.

  The device body 52 also includes a control device 70 used to control each of the above-described devices. Details of the control device 70 will be described later.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image forming apparatus 50 (control device 70). As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 70 of the image forming apparatus 50 includes a touch panel 71, a communication interface 72, a peripheral device interface 73, a CPU 74, a RAM 75, a ROM 76, and a storage device 77. The above components are connected to one another by a bus 78.

  The touch panel 71 functions as an input device that receives an input from a user and converts it into an electric signal, and also functions as an output device that outputs a processing result as an image. The communication interface 72 is an interface that communicates with an apparatus such as the print management apparatus 10 via the network 30, and is, for example, an NIC compatible with the Ethernet (registered trademark) standard.

  The peripheral device interface 73 is an interface used for input / output with a recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an external device such as a PC or a digital camera, and is, for example, a USB interface. Print data recorded on a recording medium such as a USB memory can be directly input to the image forming apparatus 50 via the peripheral device interface 73. Also, print data recorded in an external device such as a PC or digital camera may be directly input to the image forming apparatus 50 via an appropriate connection cable (for example, a USB cable) and the peripheral device interface 73. The recording medium such as the USB memory and the external device such as the PC and the digital camera described above are peripheral devices that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 50 via the peripheral device interface 73.

  The CPU 74 is an arithmetic device that performs various operations and controls by executing programs stored in the RAM 75 and the ROM 76, which are main storage devices. The storage device 77 is an auxiliary storage device that stores programs and data that can be expanded on the RAM 75, and is, for example, an HDD or an SSD.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the logical configuration of the image forming apparatus 50. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 50 includes a control unit 80 as a functional block. The control unit 80 further includes a print control unit 81, an inquiry unit 82, and a response processing unit 83 as functional blocks. The above functional blocks are realized by the CPU 74 executing the computer program stored in the main storage device (the RAM 75 and the ROM 76) of the image forming apparatus 50.

  The control unit 80 is a functional block that implements a general-purpose function related to device control and input / output. For example, control of input / output via the touch panel 71, control of communication with external devices via the communication interface 72, peripheral devices Control of input / output with removable peripheral devices via the interface 73 is executed.

  The print control unit 81 is a functional block that controls each device of the image forming apparatus 50 to execute print processing. For example, the print control unit 81 prints the print data sent from the print management apparatus 10 or directly to the image forming apparatus 50 Print data input as The print control unit 81 preferably prints the print data together with the public image when the print image is provided with the public image. The print control unit 81 can also store print data in the user's personal box (storage device 77) in order to execute print processing later.

  The inquiring unit 82 is a functional block that inquires the print management apparatus 10, and inquires the print management apparatus 10 about the public / private judgment of the print data input to the image forming apparatus 50, for example. The response processing unit 83 is a functional block that presents information to the user via the touch panel 71, and receives an instruction from the user to control each device.

4. Processing of Printing System With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, printing control processing by the printing system 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram of a normal print case (first case) in which print data is input to the print management apparatus 10. FIG. 8 is an irregular print case (in which print data is input to the image forming apparatus 50). In the second case).

4-1. Normal printing case (first case)
When the user executes print processing using a business-use PC connected to the network 30, print data (first print data) is transmitted from the PC to the print management apparatus 10 (step S1). It is preferable that the business-use PC used in the printing system 1 is set by default so that print data is transmitted to the print management apparatus 10 when the printing process is performed.

  When the print management apparatus 10 receives the print data from the PC, the public image creation unit 21 creates a public image (first public image) indicating that the print data corresponds to public printing (step S1). .1). The type and size of the public image created by the public image creation unit 21 may be determined based on the user's instruction, and the content of the print data (such as the name of the product or service included in the text information of the print data) It may be determined automatically based on

  The public image assigning unit 22 assigns the created public image to the print data (step S1.2). More specifically, a public image may be embedded (embedded) in print data, or instruction data that enables the image forming apparatus 50 to create a public image is linked to the print data It may be applied in the form of In the latter case, it is preferable that instruction data be created in the same language as the page description language (for example, PostScript (registered trademark)) of print data that the user desires to print.

  Next, the public image assigning unit 22 sends the print data to which the public image has been assigned to the image forming apparatus 50 (step S1.3). When the image forming apparatus 50 receives the print data, the print control unit 81 prints the print data together with the public image given to the print data (step S1.3.1). When instruction data that can create a public image on the image forming apparatus 50 side is added to the print data, the print control unit 81 creates a public image based on the instruction data, and prints along with the print data. Do. When the print processing of the print data in the image forming apparatus 50 is completed, the normal print case ends.

  In step S 1, it is also assumed that the user does not want to print immediately, and instructs the personal box (storage device 77) of the image forming apparatus 50 to store the print data.

  In that case, the print control unit 81 notifies the print management apparatus 10 that the storage of the print data in the personal box is completed (the process proceeds to “alt” in FIG. 7). When receiving the above notification, the public image management unit 23 stores the public image corresponding to the print data stored in the image forming apparatus 50 in the storage device 15 (step S1.4). The public image management unit 23 stores the public image corresponding to the print data over a period in which the image forming apparatus 50 holds the print data.

  While the image forming apparatus 50 holds print data, the user can operate the touch panel 71 of the image forming apparatus 50 to print the print data. The print control unit 81 of the image forming apparatus 50 can delete print data for which printing has been completed. When the print control unit 81 deletes the print data, the print control unit 81 notifies the print management apparatus 10 of the deletion. When the public image management unit 23 of the print management apparatus 10 receives the notification that the print data has been deleted from the image forming apparatus 50, the public image management unit 23 can delete the public image corresponding to the print data from the storage device 15. It is.

4-2. Irregular printing case (second case)
When the user uses the PC connected to the network 30 to select the image forming apparatus 50 as a destination and execute printing processing, print data (second print data) is transmitted from the PC to the image forming apparatus 50 (see FIG. Step S2). Also, in step S2, the user does not via the network 30 but via the peripheral device interface 73 print data (second print data) recorded in a removable peripheral device such as a USB memory, PC, digital camera, etc. It is also possible to input directly to the image forming apparatus 50.

  When the print data is input to the image forming apparatus 50, the inquiry unit 82 inquires the print management apparatus 10 about public / private determination as to whether the print data corresponds to private printing or public printing (step S2.1).

  In step S2.1, it is preferable that the inquiry unit 82 transmits, to the print management apparatus 10, the determination information, which is information used when the print management apparatus 10 performs public / private determination, together with the above-described inquiry. The discrimination information is, for example, information of an input source (data source) of print data, information of a page description language used for creating print data, character information extracted from print data, and the like. The inquiry unit 82 may transmit the print data itself to the print management apparatus 10 in step S2.1.

  When the print management apparatus 10 receives the inquiry from the inquiry unit 82, the public / private determination unit 24 performs public / private determination on the print data corresponding to the inquiry (step S2.1.1). Public-private discrimination may be performed based on various criteria. Below, non-limiting examples of public / private discrimination are listed.

(1) When the public image indicating that the print data corresponds to public printing does not exist in the print data, the public-private identification unit 24 can determine that the print data corresponds to private printing. Conversely, if the print data includes a public image, it can be determined that the print data corresponds to public printing.

(2) If the input source of print data indicated by the discrimination information is a recording medium such as a USB memory or an external device such as a PC or a digital camera (that is, a removable peripheral device) such as a personal computer, It can be determined that the print data corresponds to private printing. Even when the user inputs print data from an external recording medium to a PC and executes printing processing, and even when the user inserts an external recording medium into the image forming apparatus 50 and inputs print data, the input source is either It is a "peripheral device".

(3) When the print data does not include text data (that is, when the print data includes only photos and pictures), the public / private identification unit 24 can determine that the print data corresponds to private printing. For example, when the print data is an image file such as JPEG, or when character information is not extracted when the print data is subjected to OCR processing, it can be determined that the print data does not include text data.

(4) The public / private identification unit 24 uses the print data in an external application executed outside the printing system 1 (for example, AirPrint (registered trademark) or Google (registered trademark) Cloud Print often used in a smartphone) It is possible to determine that the print data corresponds to private printing if it is created by a page description language.

  Next, the public / private determining unit 24 returns the determination result by the public / private determination in step S2.1.1 to the image forming apparatus 50 (step S2.1.2). Processing proceeds to "alt" in FIG. When the public / private discrimination unit 24 determines that the print data corresponds to public printing, the public image creation unit 21 creates a public image (second public image) corresponding to the print data, and the discrimination result The public image may be attached to the image forming apparatus 50 and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 50.

  When the determination result indicating that the print data corresponds to public printing is received from the print management apparatus 10, the print control unit 81 prints the print data corresponding to the determination result (step S2.2). When a public image is given to the print data or the determination result, it is preferable that the print control unit 81 print the print data together with the public image. When the above public printing is completed, the irregular printing case ends.

  On the other hand, when the determination result indicating that the print data corresponds to the private printing is received from the print management apparatus 10, the response processing unit 83 displays that the printing by the print data is private printing because it is private printing ( That is, the touch panel 71 is controlled to be presented to the user (step S2.3).

  When the user operates the touch panel 71 to instruct printing, the response processing unit 83 instructs the print control unit 81 to print the print data. The print control unit 81 receives the instruction from the response processing unit 83 and prints the print data (step S2.4). When the printing in step S2.4 is completed, the print control unit 81 notifies the print management apparatus 10 that the private printing is completed. The charging unit 25 of the print management apparatus 10 charges the user who has instructed private printing. After that, the irregular printing case ends.

5. Effects of the Present Embodiment In the configuration of the present embodiment described above, different control is executed between the normal printing case (first case) and the irregular printing case (second case). In a normal printing case where print data is input to the print management apparatus 10, a public image is automatically created, added to the print data, and printed. On the other hand, in the case of an irregular printing case in which print data is input to the image forming apparatus 50, public / private discrimination is made in the print management apparatus 10. According to the above configuration, even if the print management apparatus 10 is bypassed to execute private printing, the image forming apparatus 50 makes an inquiry to the print management apparatus 10 and makes a public / private decision, so that private printing is avoided Be done.

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), when the public / private discrimination unit 24 determines that the public image does not exist in the print data, the print data corresponds to private printing. Determine. According to the above configuration, it is avoided that print data which is likely to be private without a public image is determined to be public print.

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), when the public / private discrimination unit 24 determines that the print data input source is a detachable peripheral device, the print data is private printing It determines that it corresponds to According to the above configuration, it is avoided that print data highly likely to be brought personally by using a peripheral device that can be attached and detached by the user is determined to be public print.

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), when the print data does not include text data, the public / private identification unit 24 determines that the print data corresponds to private printing. . According to the above configuration, it is avoided that print data having a high possibility of being private only for a photograph or a picture is determined to be public print.

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), the public / private discrimination unit 24 creates print data in a page description language used by an external application executed outside the printing system 1. If it is determined that the print data corresponds to private printing. According to the above configuration, it is avoided that print data generated by an external application and likely to be private is determined to be public print.

  Further, in the example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), after the user is presented with an instruction to charge because the printing requested by the user is private printing, the printing instruction from the user is Receiving and print processing is executed. According to the above configuration, the user is warned of the private printing, so that the frequency with which the image forming apparatus 50 is used for the private printing can be suppressed, and the situation where the user is charged without knowing it is avoided. Ru.

  Further, in an example of the present embodiment, the user is charged when private printing is performed in the irregular printing case (second case). According to the above configuration, the user who has performed private printing is appropriately charged.

  Further, in an example of the present embodiment, in the irregular printing case (in the second case), when it is determined by the print management apparatus 10 that the printing is the public printing, the print data is printed together with the public image. According to the above configuration, even when print data is input to the image forming apparatus 50, public printing in which a public image is attached to the print data is appropriately realized.

  Further, in an example of the present embodiment, in the normal printing case (the first case), the public image corresponding to the print data is stored over the period in which the image forming apparatus 50 holds the print data, and the image forming apparatus When the print data is deleted from 50, the print management device 10 deletes the public image corresponding to the print data. According to the above configuration, since the corresponding public image is held while the print data continues, the public image can be converted to the print data even when the print processing is not performed immediately after the input of the print data. Public printing to be attached is properly realized.

  Further, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, each of the print management device 10 and the image forming device 50 as components of the printing system 1 is realized. In addition, a control method capable of performing effective public-private discrimination in the printing system 1 is realized.

6. Modified Example A computer program used to realize the print management apparatus 10 in the above-described embodiment and a computer program used to realize the image forming apparatus 50 are stored in a non-transitory recording medium and provided. Or may be downloaded via the network 30.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 print management apparatus 21 public image creation part 22 public image attachment part 23 public image management part 24 public / private discrimination part 25 charge part 50 image forming apparatus 81 print control part 82 inquiry part 83 response processing part

Claims (12)

A print system comprising: an image forming apparatus that executes print processing; and a print management apparatus that manages the print processing,
The print management device
A public image creation unit for creating a first public image indicating that the first print data corresponds to a public print in a first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus; ,
A public image giving unit for giving the first public image to the first print data and sending it to the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus is
The print control unit is configured to print the first print data sent from the print management apparatus together with the first public image attached to the first print data.
Further, the image forming apparatus
In the second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus, the print management apparatus determines whether the second print data corresponds to a private print or a public print. Equipped with a query unit to query
The print management device
A printing system comprising: a public / private discrimination unit which performs the public / private discrimination in response to an inquiry from the inquiry unit and returns a discrimination result by the public / private discrimination to the image forming apparatus. The public / private discrimination unit of the print management apparatus
It is determined that the second print data corresponds to a private print when there is no second public image in the second print data indicating that the second print data corresponds to a public print. The printing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The public / private discrimination unit of the print management apparatus
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when the input source of the second print data is a detachable peripheral device, the second print data is determined to correspond to a private print. The public / private discrimination unit of the print management apparatus
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein when the second print data does not include text data, it is determined that the second print data corresponds to a private print. The public / private discrimination unit of the print management apparatus
When the second print data is created by a page description language used in an external application executed outside the print system, it is determined that the second print data corresponds to a private print. The printing system according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus is
In the second case, when the determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a private print is received from the print management apparatus, the printing by the second print data is a private print, so that charging is performed. A response processing unit for instructing the print control unit to print the second print data in response to a print instruction from the user after presenting the fact to the user. The printing system according to any one of Items 5. The print management device
7. The printing system according to claim 6, further comprising: a charging unit for charging the user when the second print data determined to correspond to a private print is printed by the image forming apparatus. . The print control unit of the image forming apparatus
In the second case, when the determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a public print is received from the print management apparatus, the second public image together with the second public image added to the second print data is used. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second print data is printed. The print management device
In the first case, the first public image corresponding to the first print data is stored over a period in which the image forming apparatus holds the first print data, and the first public image is stored from the image forming apparatus. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a public image management unit that deletes the first public image when print data is deleted. In the first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus, the first print data sent from the print management apparatus together with the first public image attached to the first print data A print control unit to print,
In the second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus, the print management apparatus determines whether the second print data corresponds to the private print or the public print. The inquiry part to inquire,
When a determination result indicating that the second print data corresponds to a private print is received from the print management apparatus, a print by the second print data is a private print and the user is notified that charging is to be performed. And a response processing unit that instructs the print control unit to print the second print data in response to a print instruction from the user. A print management apparatus for managing print processing by an image forming apparatus, comprising:
A public image creation unit for creating a first public image indicating that the first print data corresponds to a public print in a first case where the first print data is input to the print management apparatus; ,
A public image giving unit for giving the first public image to the first print data and sending it to the image forming apparatus;
In the second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus, public / private discrimination is performed in response to an inquiry as to which of the private print and the public print the second print data corresponds to. A print management apparatus characterized by comprising: a public / private determination unit configured to perform, and to return a determination result by the public / private determination to the image forming apparatus. A control method in a print system, comprising: an image forming apparatus that executes print processing; and a print management apparatus that manages the print processing,
The print management apparatus creates a first public image indicating that the first print data corresponds to a public print when the first print data is input to the print management apparatus. Applying the first public image to the first print data and sending it to the image forming apparatus;
Printing the first print data sent from the print management device together with the first public image attached to the first print data in the image forming apparatus;
Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus, in a second case where the second print data is input to the image forming apparatus, which of the private print and the public print corresponds to the second print data Querying the print management apparatus for determining the public / private status of
Controlling the public / private determination in response to an inquiry from the image forming apparatus in the print management apparatus, and returning the determination result by the public / private determination to the image forming apparatus.

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