JP2021144394A - Information processing system, information processing apparatus, device, and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To continue processing that a device cannot execute.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus of an information processing system including the information processing apparatus and a plurality of devices connected to the information processing apparatus over a network includes: an execution request unit which transmits a request to execute processing to a first device which is one of the above devices; a progress information receiving unit which receives information indicating progress of the processing in accordance with the progress of the processing in the first device; a detection unit which detects probability that the first device cannot continue the processing; a resume condition determination unit which determines a resume condition of the processing on the basis of the information received by the progress information receiving unit before the detection unit detects the probability; and a resume request unit which transmits a request to execute the processing based on the resume condition, to a second device, which is different from the first device, out of the above devices.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

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

Conventionally, when a failure occurs in one of a plurality of print servers, a job waiting in the job queue associated with the print server is notified to the running print server, and the running print is notified. A technique is disclosed in which a server regenerates a job and causes a printer to execute the job (for example, Patent Document 1).

However, in the above technology, the recoverable process (job) is limited to the job waiting in the job queue. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in the process (job) already being executed in a device such as a printer, the process is concerned. Is difficult to continue.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to continue processing that cannot be executed by the device.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the information processing device of the information processing system including the information processing device and a plurality of devices connected to the information processing device via a network is one of the plurality of devices. An execution request unit that transmits a processing execution request to the first device, a progress information receiving unit that receives information indicating the progress status of the processing according to the progress of the processing in the first device, and the above. A condition for restarting the process based on a detection unit that detects the possibility that the first device cannot continue the process and the information received by the progress information receiving unit before the detection unit detects the possibility. It has a restart condition determination unit for determining the restart condition, and a restart request unit for transmitting an execution request of the process based on the restart condition to a second device other than the first device among the plurality of devices. The apparatus transmits the execution unit that executes the process in response to the execution request and information indicating the progress status of the process to the information processing apparatus according to the progress of the process executed by the execution unit. It has a transmitter.

It is possible to continue the processing that the device cannot execute.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the information processing system 1 in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware configuration example of the information processing apparatus 10 in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware configuration example of the image forming apparatus 20 in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the software architecture of the information processing apparatus 10 and the image forming apparatus 20 in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the functional configuration example of the information processing apparatus 10 and the image forming apparatus 20 in embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating an example of the processing procedure of job execution processing. It is a figure which shows an example of the information stored in the job queue 141. It is a figure which shows an example of the state transition for each page about printing. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating an example of the processing procedure executed when an error occurs during printing. It is a figure which shows the configuration example of the device state storage unit 142. It is a figure which shows the classification example of the error of the image forming apparatus 20. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen of the execution condition of the proxy printing.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the information processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the information processing device 10 is a plurality of image forming devices 20 (image forming device 20-1, image forming device 20-2, ..., Image) via a network such as the Internet. It is connected to the forming device 20-N) and one or more user terminals 30. Each image forming apparatus 20 and each user terminal 30 may be connected to the information processing apparatus 10 via, for example, a base station for high-speed wireless communication such as 5G.

The user terminal 30 is a terminal used by a user (user) of the image forming apparatus 20 to input an execution instruction of a process (for example, a job such as printing) to be executed by the image forming apparatus 20. For example, a smartphone, tablet terminal, PC, or the like may be used as the user terminal 30. The user terminal 30 transmits a job execution request corresponding to the job execution instruction input by the user to the information processing device 10.

The information processing device 10 is one or more computers that cause one of the image forming devices 20 (for example, specified in the execution request) to execute the job in response to the job execution request received from the user terminal 30. When the information processing apparatus 10 detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the execution of the job after the start of the job, the information processing apparatus 10 causes another image forming apparatus 20 to act for the job based on the progress of the job. The information processing device 10 may be configured in the form of a cloud system, for example.

Each image forming apparatus 20 is, for example, a multifunction device, a printer, a plotter, or the like. In the present embodiment, each image forming apparatus 20 executes the processing in response to an execution request of the processing (job) transmitted from the information processing apparatus 10.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the information processing device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The information processing device 10 of FIG. 2 has a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, a CPU 104, an interface device 105, and the like, which are connected to each other by a bus B, respectively.

The program that realizes the processing in the information processing apparatus 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 storing the program is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed in the auxiliary storage device 102 from the recording medium 101 via the drive device 100. However, the program does not necessarily have to be installed from the recording medium 101, and may be downloaded from another computer via the network. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program and also stores necessary files, data, and the like.

The memory device 103 reads and stores the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 when the program is instructed to start. The CPU 104 executes the function related to the information processing device 10 according to the program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to a network.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the image forming apparatus 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 20 includes hardware such as a controller 21, a scanner 22, a printer 23, a modem 24, an operation panel 25, a network interface 26, and an SD card slot 27.

The controller 21 includes a CPU 211, a RAM 212, a ROM 213, an HDD 214, an NVRAM 215, and the like. The ROM 213 stores various programs and data used by the programs. The RAM 212 is used as a storage area for loading a program, a work area of the loaded program, and the like. The CPU 211 realizes various functions by processing the program loaded in the RAM 212. The HDD 214 stores a program and various data used by the program. Various setting information and the like are stored in the NVRAM 215.

The scanner 22 is hardware (image reading means) for reading image data from a document. The printer 23 is hardware (printing means) for printing print data on printing paper. The modem 24 is hardware for connecting to a telephone line, and is used for transmitting and receiving image data by FAX communication. The operation panel 25 is hardware provided with input means such as buttons for accepting input from the user, display means such as a liquid crystal panel, and the like. The liquid crystal panel may have a touch panel function. In this case, the liquid crystal panel also functions as an input means. However, the image forming apparatus 20 does not have to be provided with the dedicated operation panel 25. In this case, a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like may be used as the operation panel 25.

The network interface 26 is hardware for connecting to a network such as a LAN (whether wired or wireless). The SD card slot 27 is used to read the program stored in the SD card 80. That is, in the image forming apparatus 20, not only the program stored in the ROM 213 but also the program stored in the SD card 80 can be loaded into the RAM 212 and executed. The SD card 80 may be replaced by another recording medium (for example, a CD-ROM or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory). That is, the type of recording medium corresponding to the positioning of the SD card 80 is not limited to a predetermined one. In this case, the SD card slot 27 may be replaced by hardware according to the type of recording medium.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the software architecture of the information processing device 10 and the image forming device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the operation unit 40 is an operation panel 25, or a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like used in place of the operation panel 25. Alternatively, the user terminal 30 may be the operation unit 40.

In FIG. 4, the information processing device 10 includes one or more device applications 11 such as a copy application 11a, a print application 11b, and a scan application 11c, a platform unit 12, and the like. These are realized by a process of causing the CPU 104 to execute one or more programs installed in the information processing apparatus 10.

Each device application 11 is an application program related to the image forming apparatus 20. For example, the copy application 11a is a device application 11 that causes the image forming apparatus 20 to execute copying. The print application 11b is a device application 11 that causes the image forming apparatus 20 to execute printing. The scan application 11c is an application that causes the image forming apparatus 20 to perform scanning.

The platform unit 12 functions as an application platform for the device application 11. For example, the platform unit 12 provides an API (Application Program Interface) to the device application 11 and executes a process corresponding to the call of the API by the device application 11. Further, when the platform unit 12 receives a screen display request for any device application 11 from the operation unit 40, the platform unit 12 notifies the device application 11 of the display request. The platform unit 12 transmits screen data (for example, a Web page) of the operation screen of the device application 11 to the operation unit 40, which is responded to by the device application 11 in response to the display request. The operation unit 40 displays the operation screen based on the screen data. On the operation screen, the execution conditions of the device application 11 (list of usable image forming apparatus 20 main body, number of prints, monochrome / color, reading conditions, etc.) can be specified. When the user inputs the execution condition to the operation screen, the operation unit 40 transmits the execution condition to the platform unit 12. The platform unit 12 notifies the device application 11 of the execution condition. When the platform unit 12 receives the execution request of the job for which the execution condition is specified from the device application 11, the platform unit 12 requests the image forming apparatus 20 designated as the execution destination of the job to execute the process related to the job. , The progress of the job is managed through communication with the image forming apparatus 20.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 20 has a device control unit 221. The device control unit 221 publishes an API related to the control of hardware such as the scanner 22 and the printer 23, and receives an execution instruction transmitted from the platform unit 12 of the information processing device 10 via the API. The device control unit 221 executes the process according to the received execution command, and transmits information indicating the progress of the process to the platform unit 12.

As is clear from FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the device application 11 and the platform unit 12, which were conventionally mounted on the image forming apparatus 20, are mounted on the information processing apparatus 10. For example, each device application 11 may be implemented as a Web application. By doing so, it is possible to upgrade the device application 11 or the platform unit 12 for each image forming apparatus 20 by updating the information processing apparatus 10, and it is possible to reduce the burden of maintenance work on the image forming apparatus 20. can.

However, the information processing device 10 does not have to be composed of a unified server group. For example, edge computing may be introduced in which each server distributed for each office or region has the same configuration as the information processing apparatus 10 of FIG. By doing so, it is possible to easily secure high responsiveness (real-time property) for each function of the image forming apparatus 20.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a functional configuration example of the information processing device 10 and the image forming device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the platform unit 12 of the information processing device 10 includes a job reception unit 121, a job execution management unit 122, an equipment monitoring unit 123, and the like. Each of these parts is realized by a process of causing the CPU 104 to execute one or more programs installed in the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 also uses storage units such as a job queue 141, a device state storage unit 142, and a device list storage unit 143. Each of these storage units can be realized by using, for example, a storage device that can be connected to the auxiliary storage device 102 or the information processing device 10 via a network.

The job reception unit 121 receives an execution request for processing to be executed by the image forming apparatus 20 from the user terminal 30. In the present embodiment, a print job (hereinafter, simply referred to as “job”) will be described as an example of a process of causing the image forming apparatus 20 to execute the print job. The job execution request from the user terminal 30 indicates data to be printed (hereinafter referred to as "print target data") and an image forming device 20 to be printed (hereinafter referred to as "target image forming device 20"). Information etc. are included. The job reception unit 121 records information about a print job (hereinafter, referred to as “job information”) in the job queue 141, including information such as print target data and information indicating a print destination.

The job queue 141 is a storage unit for queuing job information. The priority and status (waiting / suspended / executing) of each job may be stored in the job queue 141. The job information of the job whose execution is completed is deleted from the job queue 141.

The job execution management unit 122 controls a process for causing the target image forming apparatus 20 to execute a job related to job information (hereinafter, referred to as “target job information”) whose execution order has changed in the job queue 141. .. In FIG. 5, the job execution management unit 122 includes an execution request unit 131, a progress information receiving unit 132, a detection unit 133, a restart condition determination unit 134, a restart request unit 135, and the like.

The execution request unit 131 decomposes the contents of the job related to the target job information (hereinafter, referred to as “target job”) into a group of instructions at a level that the image forming apparatus 20 can interpret and execute, and the execution request unit 131 of the instruction group (job (process)). The target image forming apparatus 20 is controlled by transmitting an execution request) to the target image forming apparatus 20.

The progress information receiving unit 132 receives information indicating the progress status of the target job, which is transmitted from the target image forming device 20 according to the progress of the target job in the target image forming device 20 that has received the execution request of the target job (hereinafter, "" "Progress information") is received. Progress information is sequentially transmitted each time a part of the target job progresses (every time it is executed).

The detection unit 133 may not be able to continue the target job in the target image forming apparatus 20 (for example, there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in the image forming apparatus 20 that makes it impossible to continue the job, a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in the network, or the like. ) Is detected. Hereinafter, the detection of such a possibility by the detection unit 133 is simply referred to as "error detection".

The restart condition determination unit 134 determines the restart condition of the target job (that is, based on the progress status of the target job) based on the progress information received by the progress information receiving unit 132 before the detection unit 133 detects the error. Hereinafter, the "restart condition") is determined. The restart condition is, for example, information indicating which page of the page group to be printed in the target job is set as the restart start page.

The restart request unit 135 transmits a restart request for the target job based on the restart condition to the image forming device 20 different from the target image forming device 20. That is, the restart request unit 135 causes an image forming device 20 different from the target image forming device 20 to perform the target job on behalf of the target image forming device 20. The range to be represented in the target job is, for example, a group of pages for which printing has not been completed by the target image forming apparatus 20, or a group of all pages of the target job.

The device monitoring unit 123 periodically monitors the state of each image forming device 20, and records the monitoring result (information indicating the state of each image forming device 20) in the device state storage unit 142. The device list storage unit 143 stores list information (for example, the IP address of each image forming device 20) of the image forming device 20 to be monitored by the device monitoring unit 123.

On the other hand, the device control unit 221 of the image forming apparatus 20 has an execution unit 231, a progress information transmission unit 232, and the like. Each of these parts is realized by a process of causing the CPU 211 to execute one or more programs installed in the image forming apparatus 20.

The execution unit 231 executes the process (job) requested by the information processing device 10. The progress information transmission unit 232 transmits progress information indicating the progress status of the job to the information processing device 10 according to the progress of execution of the job by the execution unit 231.

Hereinafter, the processing procedure executed in the information processing system 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of the processing procedure of the job execution process.

In step S101, the execution request unit 131 acquires one job information (hereinafter, referred to as “target job information”) from the job queue 141. For example, among the job information included in the job queue 141, the job information having the highest priority or the job information having the earliest timing when the execution request is received is acquired. At this time, the status stored in the job queue 141 for the job related to the target job information is updated from "waiting" to "executing".

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the job queue 141. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the status is stored for each job. In the example of FIG. 7, the status of "Job 1" is "Running". Therefore, the example of FIG. 7 shows an example in which the job information of "job 1" is acquired.

Subsequently, the execution request unit 131 generates an instruction group that can be understood by the image forming apparatus 20 based on the target job information (S102). In the following steps S103 and subsequent steps, each instruction constituting the instruction group is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20.

In step S103, the execution request unit 131 transmits the print request for the first page to the target image forming apparatus 20. The print request corresponds to a declaration of the start of printing. Subsequently, the execution request unit 131 transmits the image data to be printed on the first page to the target image forming apparatus 20 (S104).

Upon receiving the image data, the execution unit 231 of the target image forming apparatus 20 starts printing the image data on the first page (S105). In response to the start of printing by the execution unit 231, the progress information transmission unit 232 transmits progress information indicating the start of printing on the first page to the information processing device 10 (S106). When the progress information receiving unit 132 of the information processing device 10 receives the progress information, it records the progress information in, for example, the memory device 103 or the auxiliary storage device 102.

Subsequently, the same processing as in steps S103 to S106 is executed for the second page (S107 to S110). When the printing of one page is completed at the start of printing of the second page or after the start of printing, the progress information transmission unit 232 transmits progress information indicating the completion of printing of the first page to the information processing apparatus 10 (S111). When the progress information receiving unit 132 of the information processing device 10 receives the progress information, it records the progress information in, for example, the memory device 103 or the auxiliary storage device 102.

Subsequently, the same processing as in steps S103 to S106 is executed for the third page (S112 to S115). When the printing of the second page is completed at the start of the printing of the third page or after the start, the progress information transmission unit 232 transmits the progress information indicating the completion of the printing of the second page to the information processing apparatus 10 (S116). Subsequently, when the printing of the third page is completed, the progress information transmission unit 232 transmits the progress information indicating the completion of the printing of the third page to the information processing apparatus 10 (S117).

When the number of pages of print target data of the job (target job) related to the target job information is 3, the execution request unit 131 detects the completion of the target job based on the progress information received in step S117. Therefore, the execution request unit 131 deletes the target job information from the job queue 141 (S118).

In this way, the information processing apparatus 10 can grasp the progress of the job in real time for each page. Specifically, the information processing apparatus 10 can grasp the state transition as shown in FIG. 8 for each page of printing in real time.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of state transitions for each page related to printing. In FIG. 8, the initial state is the standby state, and the transition to printing is performed in response to the printing request of the page to be printed from the information processing device 10 to the target image forming device 20 (hereinafter, referred to as “target page”). When the printing of the target page is completed, the printing of the target page is completed. On the other hand, if an error occurs during printing, printing of the target page transitions to interrupted. The suspended page returns to printing on the target page for the image forming device 20 different from the target image forming device 20 in response to the printing request. The error means that the job cannot be continued by the target image forming apparatus 20, and means a state in which an abnormality (failure or the like), a communication abnormality, or the like occurs in the image forming apparatus 20. The error is detected by, for example, a notification from the image forming apparatus 20, inability to communicate with the image forming apparatus 20, a time-out of a response from the image forming apparatus 20, and the like.

In the above state transition, the information processing device 10 grasps the pages for which printing has not been completed, so that the number of pages of the target job has been printed (in other words, the number of pages after printing has been completed). (Isn't it?) Can be grasped.

Here, the processing procedure related to the transition to the interruption (that is, the processing procedure when an error occurs) is not shown in FIG. Therefore, next, the processing procedure executed when an error occurs will be described.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure executed when an error occurs during printing. In FIG. 9, the same steps as those in FIG. 6 are assigned the same step numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 9, the detection unit 133 detects an error (the possibility that the job cannot be continued in the target image forming apparatus 20) at the timing of step S201 after the execution up to step S111. At this timing, the progress information receiving unit 132 receives the progress information indicating the completion of printing on the first page, and although the printing request is made for the second page, the progress information indicating the completion of printing is received. Not done. Therefore, the progress information receiving unit 132 determines that the printing state of the second page is interrupted, and notifies the restart condition determining unit 134 that the target job is interrupted on the second page.

It should be noted that the actual execution of the print job in the image forming apparatus 20 is not one page at a time (one sheet printing completed → second sheet printing request → second sheet printing completed → third sheet printing request ...), but considering productivity. Then, multiple pages are being printed at the same time. In this case, the progress information receiving unit 132 determines that the plurality of pages are suspended, but if the progress information receiving unit 132 notifies the restart condition determining unit 134 of the page numbers of the plurality of pages. good.

In response to the notification from the progress information receiving unit 132, the restart condition determination unit 134 determines the restart condition (S202). For example, the restart condition determination unit 134 may determine the suspended (unprinted) second page as the restart page. Alternatively, the restart condition determination unit 134 may determine the first page as the restart page if the interrupted page number is equal to or less than the threshold value (that is, if the number of printed pages is small). Alternatively, the restart condition determination unit 134 may determine the page one page before the suspended page as the restart page. Alternatively, when a plurality of pages are notified as suspended pages, the restart condition determination unit 134 may determine the first page among the plurality of pages as the restart page. In either case, the job runs for pages that have not been printed. In other words, if the page that has not been printed is the target of the job after resuming, the resuming page may be determined based on a rule other than the above. Here, in FIG. 9, it is assumed that the second page, which is the suspended page, is determined as the restart page.

The restart condition determination unit 134 also causes the target job to be executed by an image forming device 20 different from the target image forming device 20, so that the image forming device 20 (hereinafter referred to as “substitute image forming device 20”) substitutes the target job. .) Is determined. In determining the proxy image forming apparatus 20, the device state storage unit 142 may be referred to.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the device state storage unit 142. As shown in FIG. 10, the device state storage unit 142 stores the device ID, the device name, and the state for each image forming device 20.

The device ID is identification information of each image forming apparatus 20. The device name is a name given (set) to each image forming apparatus 20. The state is an operating state of each image forming apparatus 20. The state value is, for example, periodically updated by the device monitoring unit 123.

For example, the restart condition determination unit 134 may select the proxy image forming apparatus 20 from the image forming apparatus 20 whose state is “normal (ready)”. Further, the image forming apparatus 20 having a function corresponding to the target job may be narrowed down to the candidates of the substitute image forming apparatus 20. In the present embodiment, since the print job is the target job, it is preferable that the image forming apparatus 20 having a printing function is selected as the substitute image forming apparatus 20. In the present embodiment, whether or not the device has a printing function can be determined based on whether or not the device name includes the character string "image forming apparatus 20" or "printer".

Based on the above, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 20 whose device name is "printer 1" or "printer 3" is a selection candidate of the substitute image forming apparatus 20. The restart condition determination unit 134 selects one substitute image forming apparatus 20 at random or based on a predetermined rule.

Subsequently, the restart request unit 135 makes a print request (that is, a print restart request) of the restart page (second page) determined by the restart condition determination unit 134 to the substitute image forming device 20. It is transmitted to 20 (S203). Subsequently, the restart request unit 135 transmits the image data to be printed on the second page to the target image forming apparatus 20 (S204).

Upon receiving the image data, the execution unit 231 of the proxy image forming apparatus 20 starts printing the image data on the second page (S205). In response to the start of printing by the execution unit 231, the progress information transmission unit 232 of the proxy image forming device 20 transmits progress information indicating the start of printing on the second page to the information processing device 10 (S206). When the progress information receiving unit 132 of the information processing device 10 receives the progress information, it records the progress information in, for example, the memory device 103 or the auxiliary storage device 102. After that, the same processing procedure as in step S112 and subsequent steps of FIG. 6 is executed between the information processing device 10 and the proxy image forming device 20.

Although FIGS. 6 and 9 show an example in which one page (one image at a time) is transmitted and printed, one image of a plurality of pages or all pages is transmitted from the information processing device 10 to the image forming device 20. It may be transmitted every time, and the progress information for each page may be transmitted from the image forming apparatus 20 to the information processing apparatus 10.

Further, in the above, an example is shown in which processing (print job) is always performed on behalf of an error, but even if the user can set whether or not to perform the processing (print job) on behalf of the error level. good.

For example, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of error classification of the image forming apparatus 20. In FIG. 11, various errors (abnormalities) that occur in the image forming apparatus 20 are leveled according to whether they are fatal errors or normal errors, and an error level indicating the result of the leveling is given. An example is shown.

In such a case, for example, the execution condition of the proxy printing can be set from the operation panel 25 of the image forming apparatus 20, the operation unit 40, the user terminal 30 or the like (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as “client”). May be. In this case, the client may display, for example, the setting screen 510 as shown in FIG. The setting screen 510 may be a Web page provided by the information processing device 10, or may be a screen displayed by an application installed on the client.

In FIG. 12, the setting screen 510 includes radio buttons 511 and radio buttons 512. The radio button 511 is a radio button for selecting whether or not to perform proxy printing. The radio button 512 is a radio button that can be operated when "print on behalf of" is selected on the radio button 511, and allows the execution condition (error level) of the substitute printing to be selected. FIG. 12 shows an example in which the option of performing proxy printing only in the case of a fatal error is selected. It should be noted that the error level may be subdivided to increase the options, and more detailed settings may be possible.

Information indicating the setting contents on the setting screen 510 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “setting information”) is transmitted to the information processing device 10 and recorded in, for example, the auxiliary storage device 102 of the information processing device 10.

When an error is detected by the detection unit 133, the restart condition determination unit 134 refers to the setting information and determines whether or not to execute proxy printing. For example, when "Do not print on behalf of" is selected on the radio button 511, the restart condition determination unit 134 determines that the substitute printing is not performed regardless of the type of error. In this case, the restart page and the substitute image forming apparatus 20 are not determined. On the other hand, when "print on behalf of" is selected on the radio button 511, the restart condition determination unit 134 determines whether or not to print on behalf of the user based on the selection result on the radio button 512. That is, when "fatal error" is selected by the radio button 512, the restart condition determination unit 134 performs proxy printing if the error level of the error detected by the detection unit 133 is "fatal error". Then, it is determined that the proxy printing is not performed otherwise. Further, when "all errors" are selected by the radio button 512, the restart condition determination unit 134 determines that the substitute printing is performed regardless of the content of the error detected by the detection unit 133. The restart condition determination unit 134 determines the restart page and the substitute image forming device 20 only when it is determined that the substitute print is to be performed. The detection unit 133 may determine the error level based on, for example, the notification from the image forming apparatus 20.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the progress status of the job in the image forming apparatus 20 is grasped in real time by the information processing apparatus 10. As a result, the information processing apparatus 10 can immediately grasp that the job being executed cannot be continued, and the other image forming apparatus 20 can continue the job. Therefore, it is possible to continue the process that the image forming apparatus 20 (equipment) cannot execute.

In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 20 has been described as an example of the device, but if it is a device that can be controlled (processes can be executed) via a network, another device (for example, a projector, etc.) This embodiment may be applied to a video conference system, an electronic blackboard, etc.).

In addition, the device group described in this embodiment is merely one of a plurality of computing environments for implementing the embodiments disclosed in the present specification. In certain embodiments, the information processing apparatus 10 includes a plurality of computing devices such as a server cluster. The plurality of computing devices are configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including networks, shared memory, and the like, and perform the processes disclosed herein. Similarly, the image forming apparatus 20 can include a plurality of computing devices configured to communicate with each other.

Further, each function of the embodiment described above can be realized by one or a plurality of processing circuits. Here, the "processing circuit" in the present specification is a processor programmed to execute each function by software such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, or a processor designed to execute each function described above. It shall include devices such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), DSP (digital signal processor), FPGA (field programmable gate array) and conventional circuit modules.

In the present embodiment, the target image forming apparatus 20 is an example of the first device. The proxy image forming apparatus 20 is an example of the second device.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various aspects are within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be transformed and changed.

1 Information processing system 10 Information processing device 11a Copy application 11b Print application 11c Scan application 11 Device application 12 Platform unit 20 Image forming device 21 Controller 22 Scanner 23 Printer 24 Modem 25 Operation panel 26 Network interface 27 SD card slot 30 User terminal 40 Operation Unit 80 SD card 100 Drive device 101 Recording medium 102 Auxiliary storage device 103 Memory device 104 CPU
105 Interface device 121 Job reception unit 122 Job execution management unit 123 Equipment monitoring unit 131 Execution request unit 132 Progress information reception unit 133 Detection unit 134 Resume condition determination unit 135 Resume request unit 141 Job queue 142 Equipment status storage unit 143 Equipment list storage unit 211 CPU
212 RAM
213 ROM
214 HDD
215 NVRAM
221 Equipment control unit 231 Execution unit 232 Progress information transmission unit B bus

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-203981

Claims (6)

An information processing system including an information processing device and a plurality of devices connected to the information processing device via a network.
The information processing device
An execution request unit that transmits a processing execution request to a first device that is one of the plurality of devices, and an execution request unit.
A progress information receiving unit that receives information indicating the progress of the processing according to the progress of the processing in the first device.
A detector that detects the possibility that the first device cannot continue the process, and
A restart condition determination unit that determines a restart condition for the process based on the information received by the progress information receiver before the detection unit detects the possibility.
A restart request unit for transmitting an execution request for the process based on the restart condition to a second device other than the first device among the plurality of devices, and a restart request unit.
Have,
The device is
An execution unit that executes the process in response to the execution request,
A progress information transmission unit that transmits information indicating the progress of the processing to the information processing apparatus according to the progress of the processing executed by the execution unit.
Have,
An information processing system characterized by this. The process is printing
The information indicating the progress status is information indicating the page where printing is completed.
The restart condition is a page for restarting printing.
The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing system is characterized by the above. The restart condition determination unit determines the restart condition so that a page whose printing has not been completed is included based on the information received by the progress information receiving unit before the detection unit detects the possibility. do,
2. The information processing system according to claim 2. An information processing device that connects to multiple devices via a network.
An execution request unit that transmits a processing execution request to a first device that is one of the plurality of devices, and an execution request unit.
A progress information receiving unit that receives information indicating the progress of the processing according to the progress of the processing in the first device.
A detector that detects the possibility that the first device cannot continue the process, and
A restart condition determination unit that determines a restart condition for the process based on the information received by the progress information receiver before the detection unit detects the possibility.
A restart request unit for transmitting an execution request for the process based on the restart condition to a second device other than the first device among the plurality of devices, and a restart request unit.
An information processing device characterized by having. A device that connects to the information processing device according to claim 4 via a network.
An execution unit that executes the process in response to the execution request,
A progress information transmission unit that transmits information indicating the progress of the processing to the information processing apparatus according to the progress of the processing executed by the execution unit.
Have,
A device that features that. An information processing method executed by an information processing device and a plurality of devices connected to the information processing device via a network.
The information processing device
An execution request procedure for transmitting a process execution request to a first device, which is one of the plurality of devices, and an execution request procedure.
A progress information receiving procedure for receiving information indicating the progress status of the processing according to the progress of the processing in the first device, and a progress information receiving procedure.
A detection procedure for detecting the possibility that the first device cannot continue the process, and
A restart condition determination procedure for determining a restart condition for the process based on the information received in the progress information reception procedure until the detection procedure detects the possibility, and a restart condition determination procedure.
A restart request procedure for transmitting an execution request for the process based on the restart condition to a second device other than the first device among the plurality of devices, and a restart request procedure.
And
The device
An execution procedure for executing the process in response to the execution request, and
A progress information transmission procedure for transmitting information indicating the progress of the processing to the information processing apparatus according to the progress of the processing executed in the execution procedure, and a progress information transmission procedure.
To execute,
An information processing method characterized by the fact that.

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