JP2020144604A - Image formation system, information processor, and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image formation system that can reflect, even when performing parallel processing for a plurality of job data, a machine setting change to job data after job data including special command data that instructs the machine setting change.SOLUTION: An image formation system 1 includes an information processor 2 and an image formation device 3. The information processor 2 has a control unit 23 and a communication unit 21. The control unit 23 performs parallel processing for a plurality of job data. The communication unit 21 communicates with the image formation device 3. The control unit 23 detects command data from any one of a plurality of job data, and stops the parallel processing according to detection of the command data. The control unit 23 makes, via the communication unit 21, a request to the image formation device 3 to reflect a setting change value indicated by the command data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming system, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method.

Patent Document 1 discloses an image processing apparatus including a management means and a plurality of processing means. The management means distributes and allocates the processing of the input image information to each of the plurality of processing means. The plurality of processing means can process the image information in parallel.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-289066

Depending on the printer language, a special command for instructing a machine setting change may be mixed in image information such as RIP (Raster Image Processor) information. In such a case, it is necessary to reflect the setting change in the next job data or later. Specifically, when a special command is mixed in any of the multiple job data being processed in parallel, the job data after the job data containing the special command is special among the multiple job data. It is necessary to reflect the setting change of the machine based on the command.

However, in the image processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if a special command is mixed in any one of a plurality of job data during parallel processing, the machine can handle the job data after the job data including the special command. The setting change of is not reflected.

Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention considers the machine for job data after the job data including special command data for instructing the setting change of the machine even when a plurality of job data are processed in parallel. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system, an information processing device, an image forming device, and an information processing method capable of reflecting a change in the setting of.

The image forming system according to the present invention includes an information processing device and an image forming device. The information processing device has a control unit and a communication unit. The control unit processes a plurality of job data in parallel. The communication unit communicates with the image forming apparatus. The control unit detects command data from any one of the plurality of job data, and stops the parallel processing according to the detection of the command data. The control unit makes a request to the image forming apparatus to reflect the setting change value indicated by the command data via the communication unit.

The information processing device according to the present invention includes a control unit and a communication unit. The control unit processes a plurality of job data in parallel. The communication unit communicates with the image forming apparatus. The control unit detects command data from any one of the plurality of job data. The control unit stops the parallel processing in response to detecting the command data, and makes a request to the image forming apparatus to reflect the setting change value indicated by the command data via the communication unit.

The information processing method according to the present invention includes a step of processing a plurality of job data in parallel, a step of detecting command data from any one of the plurality of job data, and the step of detecting the command data. The step includes a step of stopping the parallel processing and a step of making a request to the image forming apparatus to reflect the setting change value indicated by the command data.

According to the image forming system, the information processing device, and the information processing method of the present invention, job data including special command data for instructing a machine setting change even when a plurality of job data are processed in parallel. Machine setting changes can be reflected in subsequent job data.

It is a figure which shows the image formation system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the information processing apparatus of the image formation system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the conversion process which the 1st control part of the information processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention executes. (A), (b), and (c) are timing charts showing conversion processes executed by the first control unit of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an image forming system, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description is not repeated.

The image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment.

The image forming system 1 forms an image to be printed on a recording medium in response to a user's request. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 1 includes an information processing device 2, an image forming device 3, and a network 4. The information processing device 2 and the image forming device 3 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via the network 4. The network 4 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), the Internet, or a telephone network.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing device 2 communicates with the external terminal 5 via the network 4. The external terminal 5 is a terminal used by the user, for example, a desktop personal computer, a notebook personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone.

The outline of the printing process of the image forming system 1 will be described. When the external terminal 5 receives a print command from the user, the external terminal 5 converts the print information into the printer language and transmits the printer language to the information processing device 2. The information processing device 2 interprets the received printer language to generate an intermediate language, rasterizes the intermediate language to generate object data, and transmits the object data to the image forming device 3. Upon receiving the object data, the image forming apparatus 3 executes printing. As described above, in the present embodiment, the conversion process related to the image is performed by the information processing device 2. Here, the printer language includes data indicating an image to be printed and command data. The command data includes special command data and print setting command data. The special command data indicates the setting change value. Specifically, the special command data indicates an instruction to change the set value of the image forming apparatus 3 to the set change value. The print setting command data indicates information corresponding to the print setting of the image forming apparatus 3. For example, the print setting command data indicates an instruction regarding the font of characters. The set value of the image forming apparatus 3 includes, for example, an image density adjustment value. The intermediate language includes drawing data for generating bitmap data and print setting command data. The object data includes bitmap data of the image to be printed and print setting command data.

Next, the information processing device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the information processing device 2 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device 2 includes a communication unit 21, a first storage unit 22, and a first control unit 23. For example, the information processing device 2 is a general-purpose machine, a PC (Personal Computer) server, or a NAS (Network Attached Storage).

The communication unit 21 is connected to the network 4. The communication unit 21 receives the printer language transmitted from the external terminal 5 via the network 4. Further, the communication unit 21 communicates with the image forming apparatus 3 via the network 4. Specifically, the communication unit 21 transmits the object data written in the first storage unit 22 to the image forming apparatus 3. Further, the communication unit 21 transmits a machine setting change request to the image forming apparatus 3. The machine setting change request is a request based on special command data. Specifically, the machine setting change request includes a request for reflecting the setting change value indicated by the special command data in the setting value of the image forming apparatus 3.

The first storage unit 22 stores various types of data. The first storage unit 22 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a main storage device (for example, a semiconductor memory) such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an auxiliary storage device (for example, a hard disk drive). The first storage unit 22 stores various computer programs executed by the first control unit 23. In addition, various computer programs include firmware, control programs, and image processing programs. The first storage unit 22 stores object data.

The first control unit 23 is a hardware circuit including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The first control unit 23 controls each element of the information processing device 2 by executing the control program stored in the first storage unit 22.

The first control unit 23 functions as an interpreter and a RIP group by executing an image processing program stored in the first storage unit 22. When the first control unit 23 receives the print command, it interprets the printer language, rasterizes it, and generates object data.

The interpreter interprets the printer language, generates an intermediate language, and outputs the intermediate language to the RIP group.

The RIP group has a plurality of RIPs. RIP executes conversion processing to generate object data. In addition, the RIP can detect special command data during the conversion process. A plurality of RIPs can execute conversion processing in parallel.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the RIP group has four RIPs. Hereinafter, each of the four RIPs will be referred to as "RIP1", "RIP2", "RIP3", and "RIP4".

An intermediate language is input to RIP1 to RIP4. For example, intermediate languages are input to RIP1 to RIP4 one by one in the order of output by the interpreter. When the conversion processing of RIP1 to RIP4 is completed, the object data converted by each of RIP1 to RIP4 is written in the first storage unit 22.

Next, the image forming apparatus 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 3 includes an image forming unit 31, a receiving unit 32, a second storage unit 33, and a second control unit 34. For example, the image forming apparatus 3 is an electrophotographic printer.

The receiving unit 32 is connected to the network 4 and receives the object data transmitted from the communication unit 21 of the information processing device 2.

The image forming unit 31 forms an image on the recording medium based on the object data received by the receiving unit 32.

The second storage unit 33 stores various data. The second storage unit 33 includes a ROM, a main storage device such as a RAM, and an auxiliary storage device. The second storage unit 33 stores various computer programs executed by the second control unit 34. The second storage unit 33 stores the set value of the image forming apparatus 3 and the basic information required for the printing process. The basic information includes, for example, information indicating the number of copies to be printed and information indicating whether or not double-sided printing is possible.

The second control unit 34 is a hardware circuit including a processor such as a CPU. The second control unit 34 functions as various functional units by executing the program stored in the second storage unit 33. The second control unit 34 controls each element of the image forming apparatus 3. Specifically, the second control unit 34 controls the image forming unit 31 based on the set value stored in the second storage unit 33. Further, the second control unit 34 changes the set value stored in the second storage unit 33 in response to the machine setting change request. Hereinafter, the set value stored in the second storage unit 33 will be referred to as a “default value”.

Next, the conversion process executed by the first control unit 23 of the information processing apparatus 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conversion process executed by the first control unit 23 of the information processing device 2 according to the embodiment. Specifically, the process shown in FIG. 4 starts when the first control unit 23 starts parallel processing for a plurality of job data. In the present embodiment, the parallel processing indicates that two or more RIP1 to RIP4 execute the conversion processing at the same time. Object data is generated by executing the processes of steps S101 to S106 shown in FIG. Here, the job data is a concept including a printer language transmitted from the external terminal 5, an intermediate language generated based on the print language, and object data. Further, the conversion process includes a process of generating an intermediate language based on the printer language and a process of generating object data based on the intermediate language.

Step S101: The first control unit 23 executes parallel processing on a plurality of job data. The process proceeds to step S102.

Step S102: The first control unit 23 determines whether or not special command data is detected from any one of the plurality of job data for which parallel processing is being executed. In the present embodiment, the first control unit 23 determines whether or not RIP1 to RIP4, which are executing conversion processing in parallel, include special command data in the intermediate language. When the first control unit 23 determines that the special command data is included (step S102; Yes), the process proceeds to step S103. When the first control unit 23 determines that the special command data is not included (step S102; No), the process proceeds to step S106. Hereinafter, the job data including the special command data will be described as "special job data".

Step S103: The first control unit 23 parallels the special job data and the job data whose conversion process is started after the conversion process of the special job data is started among the plurality of job data for which parallel processing is being executed. Stop processing. The process proceeds to step S104. Hereinafter, among the plurality of job data, the job data whose conversion process is started after the conversion process of the special job data is started is described as "job data after the special job data".

Step S104: The first control unit 23 makes a request (machine setting change request) to reflect the setting change value indicated by the special command data to the image forming apparatus 3 via the communication unit 21. Specifically, the first control unit 23 transmits the setting change value to the image forming apparatus 3 via the communication unit 21. The second control unit 34 of the image forming apparatus 3 that has received the setting change value changes the default value to the value indicated by the setting change value. The process proceeds to step S105.

Step S105: The first control unit 23 executes sequential processing on the job data for which parallel processing has been stopped. The process ends. Note that the sequential processing means that the conversion processing is executed one after another in order. Further, when the second control unit 34 of the image forming apparatus 3 changes the default value in response to the machine setting change request, the second control unit 34 changes after forming an image corresponding to the object data generated by the sequential processing on the recording medium. Returns the set value to the default value.

Step S106: The first control unit 23 determines whether or not the conversion process for all the job data being processed in parallel is completed. When the first control unit 23 determines that the conversion process is completed (step S106; Yes), the process ends. When the first control unit 23 determines that the conversion process has not been completed (step S106; No), the process returns to step S101.

Next, the conversion process executed by the first control unit 23 of the information processing apparatus 2 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 (a) to 5 (c). 5 (a) to 5 (c) are timing charts showing the conversion process in the present embodiment. In FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (c), the horizontal axis represents time.

Specifically, FIG. 5A shows that parallel processing was executed for the four job data. In other words, FIG. 5A shows a conversion process executed by RIP1 to RIP4 when none of the four job data includes special command data. In FIG. 5A, the first process A1 indicates that the RIP1 has executed the conversion process of the first intermediate language and the conversion process of the RIP1 has been completed. Similarly, the second process A2 indicates that the RIP2 has executed the conversion process of the second intermediate language and the conversion process of the RIP2 has been completed. The third process A3 indicates that the RIP3 has executed the conversion process of the third intermediate language and the conversion process of the RIP3 has been completed. The fourth process A4 indicates that the RIP4 has executed the conversion process of the fourth intermediate language and the conversion process of the RIP4 has been completed. The first intermediate language, the second intermediate language, the third intermediate language, and the fourth intermediate language are different from each other.

When none of RIP1 to RIP4 detects special command data, as shown in FIG. 5A, each of RIP1 to RIP4 starts the conversion process in the order in which the intermediate language is input from the interpreter, and the conversion process is performed. To complete. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, at time t1, RIP1 has completed the conversion process, and RIP2, RIP3, and RIP4 are executing the conversion process in parallel.

FIG. 5B shows that the conversion processing of RIP2 to RIP4 was stopped halfway at time t1. Specifically, in FIG. 5B, the second process A2 indicates that RIP2 executed the conversion process of the second intermediate language and interrupted the conversion process at time t1. Similarly, the third process A3 indicates that the RIP3 has executed the conversion process of the third intermediate language and interrupted the conversion process at time t1. The fourth process A4 indicates that the RIP4 executed the conversion process of the fourth intermediate language and interrupted the conversion process at time t1.

The first control unit 23 stops the parallel processing of the special job data and the job data after the special job data among the plurality of job data. In the example shown in FIG. 5B, RIP2 detects special command data at time t1. As a result, the first control unit 23 stops the conversion processing of RIP2, RIP3, and RIP4 in the middle at time t1. After that, the first control unit 23 makes a machine setting change request to the image forming apparatus 3 based on the special command detected by the RIP 2 via the communication unit 21. Further, the result of the conversion process executed halfway by RIP2, RIP3, and RIP4 is not written in the first storage unit 22 and is not used.

As described above with reference to FIG. 5B, among the RIP2 to RIP4 that are executing the conversion process in parallel, the RIP2 that first starts the conversion process detects the special command data. Then, the first control unit 23 reflects the setting change value indicating the special command data on the image forming apparatus 3. As a result, in addition to the image based on the special job data, the image based on the job data whose conversion process is started after the conversion process of the special job data is started is recorded by the image forming apparatus 3 in which the setting change value is reflected. It can be formed on a medium. Therefore, it is not necessary to set special command data for each job data for the job data after the special job data.

FIG. 5C shows that RIP2 to RIP4 execute sequential processing after time t2.

Specifically, the first control unit 23 interrupts the parallel processing by the RIP2 to RIP4, and then causes the RIP2 to RIP4 to execute the sequential processing of the job data. In the example shown in FIG. 5C, RIP2 detects special command data at time t1. As a result, the first control unit 23 stops the conversion processing of RIP2, RIP3, and RIP4 in the middle at time t1. Next, the first control unit 23 causes the RIP2 conversion process to be executed again at time t2. Next, at the same time that the conversion process of RIP2 is completed, the conversion process of RIP3 is executed again. Then, at the same time that the conversion process of RIP3 is completed, the conversion process of RIP4 is executed again.

As described with reference to FIG. 5B, the first control unit 23 detects the special command data from any one of the plurality of job data in which the parallel processing is executed, and detects the special command data. In response to this, the parallel processing is stopped, and a machine setting change request is made to the image forming apparatus 3 via the communication unit 21. As a result, after reflecting the setting change value in the image forming apparatus 3, the first control unit 23 can execute the stopped conversion process again and transmit the object data to the image forming apparatus 3. Therefore, when special command data is detected from any one of the plurality of job data while processing a plurality of job data in parallel, the setting change value indicated by the special command data is displayed on the image based on the plurality of job data. It can be a reflected image.

As described with reference to FIG. 5C, the first control unit 23 sequentially processes a plurality of job data for which parallel processing has been stopped after the machine setting change request. Therefore, when the special command data is included in any of the job data after the special job data, the first control unit 23 only needs to interrupt the conversion process for the job data including the special command data, which is efficient. The conversion process can be executed. On the other hand, if parallel processing is executed again for multiple job data for which parallel processing has been interrupted after a machine setting change request, special command data will be generated from any of the job data after the special job data. If it is detected, the parallel processing needs to be interrupted again, and the efficiency of the conversion processing becomes low.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 5). However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof (for example, (1) to (3) shown below). The drawings are schematically shown mainly for each component for easy understanding, and the thickness, length, number, etc. of each component shown are different from the actual ones for the convenience of drawing creation. .. Further, the material, shape, dimensions, etc. of each component shown in the above embodiment are merely examples, and are not particularly limited, and various changes can be made without substantially deviating from the effects of the present invention. is there.

(1) As described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first control unit 23 sequentially processes a plurality of job data that have been processed in parallel after the machine setting change request. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first control unit 23 may re-parallelize a plurality of job data for which parallel processing has been stopped after a machine setting change request.

(2) As described with reference to FIGS. 5 (a), 5 (b), and 5 (c), in the embodiment of the present invention, the first control unit 23 is a plurality of jobs to be processed in parallel. Of the data, the first control unit 23 detects special command data from the job data for which the return process is first started, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first control unit 23 may detect special command data from the job data in which the first control unit 23 starts the conversion processing in the second and subsequent jobs among the plurality of job data to be processed in parallel.

(3) As described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, in the embodiment of the present invention, the RIP group has four RIPs, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the RIP group may have two RIPs, three RIPs or five or more RIPs.

The present invention is useful, for example, in the fields of image forming systems, information processing devices, and information processing methods.

1 Image formation system 2 Information processing device 3 Image formation device 21 Communication unit 23 Control unit

Claims (6)

Information processing device and
Equipped with an image forming device
The information processing device
A control unit that processes multiple job data in parallel,
It has a communication unit that communicates with the image forming apparatus.
The control unit
Command data is detected from any one of the plurality of job data, and
The parallel processing is stopped according to the detection of the command data, and the parallel processing is stopped.
An image forming system that requests the image forming apparatus to reflect a setting change value indicated by the command data via the communication unit. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sequentially processes the plurality of job data after the request. The image forming system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit detects the command data from the job data that first started processing among the plurality of job data. The image forming apparatus
An image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium,
A receiver that receives the request and
A storage unit that stores set values and
A control unit that controls the image forming unit based on the set value is provided.
The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit changes the set value in response to the request. A control unit that processes multiple job data in parallel,
It has a communication unit that communicates with the image forming device.
The control unit
Command data is detected from any one of the plurality of job data, and
The parallel processing is stopped according to the detection of the command data, and the parallel processing is stopped.
An information processing device that makes a request to the image forming apparatus to reflect a setting change value indicated by the command data via the communication unit. Steps to process multiple job data in parallel and
A step of detecting command data from any one of the plurality of job data, and
A step of stopping the parallel processing in response to the detection of the command data, and
An information processing method including a step of making a request to an image forming apparatus to reflect a setting change value indicated by the command data.

Images