JP2022053000A - Program, print control device control method, and print system - Google Patents

Abstract

To make it possible to obtain highly accurate billing information.SOLUTION: A billing application 113 causes a terminal processor 100 to associate a folder 116 with a printer 2 that prints a print job saved in the folder 116, associate the folder 116 with a server 3 to which the print job saved in the folder 116 is transmitted, and when the print job is saved in the folder 116, transmit the saved print job to the printer 2 associated with the saved folder 116, transmit the saved print job to the server 3 associated with the saved folder 116, and acquire billing information based on the print job from the server 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a program, a control method of a print control device, and a print system.

Conventionally, a technique for acquiring print information such as the number of prints is known based on a print job. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a print spooler that receives a print job registration request from a print client creates print information based on the print job and transmits the created print information to a billing server.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-0344446

However, Patent Document 1 has a problem that the accuracy of the print information that can be acquired by the print spooler is low because the print spooler creates the print information from the information commonly included in the print job without depending on the command system.

One aspect of solving the above problem is a program executed by a computer of a print control device that connects to a server and sends a print job to a printing device, and causes the computer to associate a folder with the printing device. , The folder is associated with the server, and when the print job is saved in the folder, the printing device associated with the folder is made to send the print job saved in the folder. The server associated with the folder is made to send the print job stored in the folder, and the print information based on the print job is acquired from the server.

Another aspect of solving the above problem is a control method of a printing device for printing a print job and a printing control device for communicating with a server, in which a folder is associated with the printing device, and the folder and the server are associated with each other. Correspondence, when the print job is saved in the folder, the print job saved in the folder is transmitted to the printing device associated with the folder, and the print job saved in the folder is sent to the server associated with the folder. The print job stored in the folder is transmitted, and print information based on the print job is received from the server.

Yet another aspect of solving the above problems is a printing system including a printing device, a printing control device, and a server, wherein the printing control device associates the folder, the printing device, and the server with each other. When a print job is saved in the folder and a storage unit that stores information, the printing device associated with the folder according to the corresponding information is made to send the print job saved in the folder, and the correspondence is made. The printing device includes a control unit that causes the server associated with the folder by information to send the print job stored in the folder, and the printing device receives the print job from the print control device. The server includes a printing unit that prints based on the received print job, the server receives the print job from the print control device, generates print information based on the received print job, and generates the print. A server control unit for transmitting information to the print control device by the server communication unit is provided, and the print control device receives the print information from the server.

The figure which shows the structure of a printing system. The figure for demonstrating the functional part of a terminal control part. A flowchart showing the operation of the printing system.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printing system 1000.
As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1000 includes a terminal device 1.
The terminal device 1 corresponds to an example of a print control device.

The terminal device 1 is a PC (Personal Computer). The terminal device 1 may be a desktop PC, a laptop PC, or a tablet PC. The terminal device 1 is communicably connected to the printer 2 via the local network LN, and is communicably connected to the server 3 via the global network GN.
The global network GN includes a dedicated line, a public line network, the Internet, and the like.

The printing system 1000 includes at least one of a first printer 2A, a second printer 2B, and a third printer 2C. Hereinafter, when the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C are expressed without distinction, they are referred to as printer 2.

The first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C are devices for printing an image on a print medium. The type of print medium is not limited, and examples thereof include cut paper, roll paper, and synthetic resin sheets of a predetermined size. There are no restrictions on the printing methods of the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C, and printing methods such as a dot impact type, a thermal sublimation type, and a thermal type can be adopted. The printing method of the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C in FIG. 1 is an inkjet method.

There is the following relationship between the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C. The manufacturer of the first printer 2A and the manufacturer of the third printer 2C are the same. The makers of the first printer 2A and the third printer 2C are different from the makers of the second printer 2B. The models of the first printer 2A and the third printer 2C may be different or the same.
The first printer 2A corresponds to an example of a printing apparatus. The second printer 2B corresponds to an example of the second printing apparatus. The third printer 2C corresponds to an example of the third printing apparatus.

The printing system 1000 includes at least one of a first server 3A and a second server 3B. Hereinafter, when the first server 3A and the second server 3B are expressed without distinction, they are referred to as server 3.
The first server 3A corresponds to an example of a server. The second server 3B corresponds to an example of the second server.

The first server 3A and the second server 3B receive a print job from the terminal device 1, perform command analysis on the received print job, acquire billing information 117, and transfer the acquired billing information 117 to the terminal device 1. It is a server device that sends. The billing information 117 is information related to billing, and includes various information such as the number of prints, the size of a print medium such as A4, and a printing mode indicating either color printing or monochrome printing. The billing information 117 may include information indicating the number of prints, the size of the print medium, the billing amount based on the printing mode, and the like.
The billing information 117 corresponds to an example of print information.

The first server 3A is a server device owned or used by the makers of the first printer 2A and the third printer 2C, and is a command for a print job transmitted by the terminal device 1 to the first printer 2A and the third printer 2C. It can be analyzed. The second server 3B is a server device owned or used by the manufacturer of the second printer 2B, and can analyze commands for a print job transmitted by the terminal device 1 to the second printer 2B.

When the terminal device 1 is connected to at least one of the first printer 2A and the third printer 2C via the local network LN, the terminal device 1 is connected to the first server 3A via the global network GN. When the terminal device 1 is connected to the second printer 2B via the local network LN, the terminal device 1 is connected to the second server 3B via the global network GN.

The configuration of each part of the printing system 1000 will be described.
The configuration of the first server 3A and the second server 3B will be described. The first server 3A and the second server 3B have the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 1, the server 3 includes a server control unit 30 and a server communication unit 31.

The server control unit 30 includes a server processor 300, which is a processor that executes programs such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro-processing Unit), and a server storage unit 310, and controls each unit of the server 3. The server control unit 30 reads the program stored in the server storage unit 310 by the server processor 300, and executes various processes by hardware and software.

The server storage unit 310 stores a program executed by the server processor 300 and data processed by the server processor 300. The server storage unit 310 has a non-volatile storage area. The server storage unit 310 may include a volatile storage area and form a work area for the server processor 300.

The server communication unit 31 is a communication interface that communicates according to a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with the terminal device 1 via the global network GN under the control of the server control unit 30.

The configurations of the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C will be described. The first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C have similar configurations.
As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 2 includes a printer control unit 20, a printer communication unit 21, and a printing unit 22.

The printer control unit 20 includes a printer processor 200, which is a processor that executes programs such as a CPU and an MPU, and a printer storage unit 210, and controls each unit of the printer 2. In the printer control unit 20, the printer processor 200 reads out the program stored in the printer storage unit 210 and executes various processes by hardware and software.

The printer storage unit 210 stores a program executed by the printer processor 200 and data processed by the printer processor 200. The printer storage unit 210 has a non-volatile storage area. The printer storage unit 210 may include a volatile storage area and form a work area of the printer processor 200.

The printer communication unit 21 is a communication interface that communicates according to a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with the terminal device 1 via the local network LN under the control of the printer control unit 20.

The printing unit 22 is provided with a mechanism for printing an image on a printing medium, and prints. The printing unit 22 includes a printing head that ejects ink and a conveying mechanism that conveys a printing medium. The printing unit 22 may be configured to include various sensors for detecting the position and size of the printing medium, a head scanning mechanism for scanning the printing head, and the like.

The configuration of the terminal device 1 will be described.
The terminal device 1 includes a terminal control unit 10, a first terminal communication unit 11, a second terminal communication unit 12, a display unit 13, and an input unit 14.

The terminal control unit 10 includes a terminal processor 100, which is a processor that executes programs such as a CPU and an MPU, and a terminal storage unit 110, and controls each unit of the terminal device 1. The terminal processor 100 corresponds to an example of a computer. In the terminal control unit 10, the terminal processor 100 reads out the program stored in the terminal storage unit 110 and executes various processes by hardware and software. The terminal processor 100 executes the generation application 111 stored in the terminal storage unit 110, and functions as the generation application execution unit 101. The terminal processor 100 executes the printer driver 112 stored in the terminal storage unit 110 and functions as the driver execution unit 102. The terminal processor 100 executes the billing application 113 stored in the terminal storage unit 110, and functions as the billing application execution unit 103. These functional parts will be described later.
The generation application 111 is an application program that generates document or image data.
The billing application 113 is an application program that performs processing related to billing information. The billing application 113 corresponds to an example of a program.

The terminal storage unit 110 is a memory that stores a program executed by the terminal processor 100 and data processed by the terminal processor 100. The terminal storage unit 110 stores a program executed by the terminal processor 100, a generation application 111, a printer driver 112, a billing application 113, various information used for processing these programs, and other various data. The terminal storage unit 110 has a non-volatile storage area. The terminal storage unit 110 may include a volatile storage area and form a work area of the terminal processor 100.

The first terminal communication unit 11 is a communication interface that communicates according to a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with the server 3 via the global network GN under the control of the terminal control unit 10.

The second terminal communication unit 12 is a second communication interface that communicates according to a predetermined communication standard, and communicates with the printer 2 via the local network LN under the control of the terminal control unit 10. The second terminal communication unit 12 may communicate with the printer 2 via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable via a USB connection.

The display unit 13 is a display panel composed of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) included in the terminal device 1, and displays information according to the control of the terminal control unit 10. The display unit 13 may be an external display connected to the terminal device 1.

The input unit 14 is an input interface that connects to an input means such as a touch panel, a mouse, and a keyboard, detects an operation on the user's input means, and outputs the detection result to the terminal control unit 10. The terminal control unit 10 executes a process corresponding to an operation on the input means based on the input from the input unit 14. The input means may be provided in the terminal device 1 like an operation switch.

The terminal control unit 10 functions as a generation application execution unit 101, a driver execution unit 102, and a billing application execution unit 103.

The generation application execution unit 101 generates data such as documents and images to be printed by the printer 2 based on the user's operation on the terminal device 1.

The driver execution unit 102 generates a print job based on the data generated by the generation application execution unit 101 by the function of the printer driver 112. The print job includes data generated by the generation application execution unit 101, various commands for printing the data, and the like. The print job generated by the driver execution unit 102 is saved in the folder 116 via the print queue 115 described later.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the billing application execution unit 103.
The billing application execution unit 103 has a corresponding information generation unit 1031, a monitoring unit 1032, a first communication control unit 1033, a second communication control unit 1034, and a display control unit 1035 as functional units.

The correspondence information generation unit 1031 generates the folder correspondence information 114A and the server correspondence information 114B. The folder correspondence information 114A is information in which the print queue 115 that specifies the printer 2 and the folder 116 are associated with each other, and includes information that identifies the print queue 115 and information that identifies the folder 116. The information that identifies the print queue 115 includes the print queue name. The information that can identify the print queue 115 may be any information such as the port number to which the corresponding printer 2 is connected, the name of the corresponding printer 2, and the like. The printer 2 and the folder 116 are associated with each other by the folder correspondence information 114A. The server correspondence information 114B is information in which the print queue 115 and the server 3 are associated with each other, and includes information for identifying the print queue 115 and the address of the server 3. The folder correspondence information 114A and the server correspondence information 114B correspond to an example of correspondence information.

The correspondence information generation unit 1031 causes the display unit 13 to display a user interface for associating the print queue 115 with the folder 116 when the folder correspondence information 114A is generated. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 may newly generate the folder 116 when the folder correspondence information 114A is generated. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 receives an input for designating the print queue 115 from the user via the user interface. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 generates the folder correspondence information 114A in which the print queue 115 specified by the user is associated with the folder 116 based on the input of the user. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 generates the folder correspondence information 114A, and associates the folder 116 with the printer 2 specified by the print queue 115. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 stores the generated folder correspondence information 114A in the terminal storage unit 110.

When the server correspondence information 114B is generated, the correspondence information generation unit 1031 causes the display unit 13 to display the user interface associated with the server 3 in the folder 116 associated with the print queue 115. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 receives an input for designating the server 3 from the user via the user interface. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 generates the server correspondence information 114B in which the server 3 specified by the user is associated with the folder 116 based on the input of the user. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 stores the generated server correspondence information 114B in the terminal storage unit 110.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the first printer 2A, the second printer 2B, and the third printer 2C are connected to the terminal device 1. The user sets in advance the first print queue 115A that designates the first printer 2A, the second print queue 115B that designates the second printer 2B, and the third print queue 115C that designates the third printer 2C. In the case of FIG. 2, the correspondence information generation unit 1031 has the first folder correspondence information 114A-1, the second folder correspondence information 114A-2, and the second folder correspondence information 114A-2, which are not shown in the first folder 116A, the second folder 116B, and the third folder 116C, respectively. The third folder correspondence information 114A-3 is generated and stored in the terminal storage unit 110. The first folder 116A, the second folder 116B, and the third folder 116C may be generated in advance, or may be newly generated when the folder correspondence information 114A is generated. The correspondence information generation unit 1031 associates the first print queue 115A with the first server 3A with the first server correspondence information 114B-1, and the second print queue 115B with the second server 3B with the second server correspondence information 114B-2. , And the third server correspondence information 114B-3 that associates the third print queue 115C with the first server 3A, and stores it in the terminal storage unit 110.
The second folder 116B corresponds to an example of the second folder. The third folder 116C corresponds to an example of the third folder.

The first folder correspondence information 114A-1 regarding the first folder 116A associates the first print queue 115A with the first folder 116A. The second server correspondence information 114B-1 regarding the first folder 116A associates the first print queue 115A with the first server 3A.
The second folder correspondence information 114A-2 regarding the second folder 116B associates the second print queue 115B with the second folder 116B. The second server correspondence information 114B-2 regarding the second folder 116B associates the second print queue 115B with the second server 3B.
The third folder correspondence information 114A-3 regarding the third folder 116C associates the third print queue 115C with the third folder 116C. The third server correspondence information 114B-3 regarding the third folder 116C associates the third print queue 115C with the first server 3A.

The monitoring unit 1032 monitors whether or not the print job is saved in the folder 116.

When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job has been saved in the folder 116, the first communication control unit 1033 refers to the folder correspondence information 114A and prints in association with the folder 116 in which the print job is saved. The second terminal communication unit 12 transmits the saved print job to the printer 2 designated in the queue 115.

When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job has been saved in the first folder 116A, the first communication control unit 1033 has the print job saved in the first printer 2A designated in the first print queue 115A. Is transmitted by the second terminal communication unit 12.
When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job has been saved in the second folder 116B, the first communication control unit 1033 has the print job saved in the second printer 2B designated in the second print queue 115B. Is transmitted by the second terminal communication unit 12.
When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job has been saved in the third folder 116C, the first communication control unit 1033 has the print job saved in the third printer 2C designated in the third print queue 115C. Is transmitted by the second terminal communication unit 12.

The first communication control unit 1033 receives a print end response to the transmitted print job or an error response to the transmitted print job from the printer 2 that has transmitted the print job. The print end response is a response indicating that printing based on the print job has been completed. The printer 2 transmits a print end response to the terminal device 1 when printing based on the print job received from the terminal device 1 is completed. The error response is a response indicating that an error such as out of paper or out of ink has occurred in printing based on the print job. The printer 2 transmits an error response to the terminal device 1 when an error occurs during printing based on the print job received from the terminal device 1. The print queue 115 that specifies the printer 2 receives the print end response and the error response.

When the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response, the second communication control unit 1034 is a print job saved in the folder 116 associated with the print queue 115 that received the print end response and the folder correspondence information 114A. Is transmitted by the first terminal communication unit 11 to the server 3 associated with the folder 116 and the server correspondence information 114B.

When the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response from the first printer 2A specified by the first print queue 115A, the second communication control unit 1034 has the first folder associated with the first print queue 115A. The print job stored in 116A is transmitted to the first server 3A.
When the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response from the second printer 2B specified by the second print queue 115B, the second communication control unit 1034 has a second folder associated with the second print queue 115B. The print job saved in 116B is transmitted to the second server 3B.
When the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response from the third printer 2C specified by the third print queue 115C, the second communication control unit 1034 has a third folder associated with the third print queue 115C. The print job saved in 116C is transmitted to the first server 3A.

When the first communication control unit 1033 receives an error response, the second communication control unit 1034 refers to the server correspondence information 114B, and the folder 116 associated with the print queue 115 that specifies the printer 2 that received the error response. Do not send the print job saved in the folder 116 to the server 3 associated with the folder 116. When the print job is saved in the folder 116D (not shown) in which the server correspondence information 114B is not generated, the second communication control unit 1034 does not send the saved print job to the server 3. The folder 116D in which the server correspondence information 114B is not generated means that the folder 116D is not associated with the server 3. The folder 116D not associated with the server 3 corresponds to an example of the fourth folder.

The second communication control unit 1034 receives the billing information 117 from the server 3 by the first terminal communication unit 11. The second communication control unit 1034 stores the received billing information 117 in the terminal storage unit 110.

The display control unit 1035 generates display data for displaying the billing information 117 stored in the terminal storage unit 110, and causes the display unit 13 to display the billing information 117 based on the generated display data. When the input unit 14 accepts the operation of displaying the billing information 117, the display control unit 1035 causes the display unit 13 to display the billing information 117.

The operation of the printing system 1000 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printing system 1000.
In FIG. 3, the flowchart FA shows the operation of the terminal device 1, the flowchart FB shows the operation of the printer 2, and the flowchart FC shows the operation of the server 3.

As shown in the flowchart FA, the monitoring unit 1032 of the billing application execution unit 103 of the terminal device 1 determines whether or not the print job is saved in the folder 116 (step SA1).

When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job is not saved in the folder 116 (step SA1: NO), the monitoring unit 1032 performs the process of step SA1 again.

When the monitoring unit 1032 determines that the print job is saved in the folder 116 (step SA1: YES), the first communication control unit 1033 refers to the folder correspondence information 114A and associates it with the folder 116 in which the print job is saved. The second terminal communication unit 12 transmits the saved print job to the printer 2 designated by the print queue 115 (step SA2).

As shown in the flowchart FB, the printer control unit 20 of the printer 2 receives a print job by the printer communication unit 21 (step SB1).

The printer control unit 20 starts printing by the print unit 22 based on the received print job (step SB2).

The printer control unit 20 determines whether to transmit the print end response to the terminal device 1 or the error response to the terminal device 1 (step SB3).

In step SB3, the printer control unit 20 determines that the print end response is transmitted to the terminal device 1 when printing based on the received print job is completed, and if an error occurs during printing based on the received print job, the printer control unit 20 determines that the print end response is transmitted to the terminal device 1. It is determined that the error response is transmitted to the terminal device 1.

When the printer control unit 20 determines that the print end response is to be transmitted to the terminal device 1 (step SB3: print end response), the printer communication unit 21 transmits the print end response to the terminal device 1 (step SB4).

When the printer control unit 20 determines that the error response is to be transmitted to the terminal device 1 (step SB3: error response), the printer communication unit 21 transmits the error response to the terminal device 1 (step SB5).

As shown in the flowchart FA, the first communication control unit 1033 of the terminal device 1 determines whether the second terminal communication unit 12 has received the print end response or the error response after the print job has been transmitted. Step SA3).

When the first communication control unit 1033 determines that an error response has been received (step SA3: error response), the second communication control unit 1034 does not send the print job saved in the folder 116 to the server 3 (step SA4). ).

When the first communication control unit 1033 determines that the print end response has been received (step SA3: print end response), the second communication control unit 1034 prints stored in the folder 116 based on the server correspondence information 114B. The job is transmitted to the server 3 by the first terminal communication unit 11 (step SA5).

As shown in the flowchart FC, the server control unit 30 of the server 3 receives a print job from the terminal device 1 by the server communication unit 31 (step SC1).

The server control unit 30 performs command analysis on the received print job and acquires billing information 117 from the received print job (step SC2).

The server control unit 30 transmits the acquired billing information 117 to the terminal device 1 by the server communication unit 31 (step SC3).

As shown in the flowchart FA, the second communication control unit 1034 of the billing application execution unit 103 of the terminal device 1 receives the billing information 117 from the server 3 by the first terminal communication unit 11 (step SA6).

The second communication control unit 1034 stores the received billing information 117 in the terminal storage unit 110 (step SA7).

Next, a second embodiment will be described.
In the second embodiment, the operations of the billing application execution unit 103 and the server 3 are different from those in the above-described embodiment.
The second communication control unit 1034 of the billing application execution unit 103 of the second embodiment stores in the folder 116 based on the server correspondence information 114B before the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response or the error response. The printed job is sent to the server 3. After transmitting the print job, the second communication control unit 1034 transmits the received response to the server 3 to which the print job is transmitted when the first communication control unit 1033 receives the print end response or the error response.
When the server 3 receives the print end response from the terminal device 1, the server 3 acquires the billing information 117 based on the received print job, and transmits the acquired billing information 117 to the terminal device 1. When the server 3 receives the error response from the terminal device 1, the server 3 does not acquire the billing information 117 from the received print job. The server 3 transmits a response indicating that there is no billing information or a response indicating that there is no billing information 117 to the first terminal communication unit 11.

According to each of the above-described embodiments, the following effects are obtained.

The billing application 113 associates the folder 116 with the printer 2 for printing the print job stored in the folder 116 on the terminal processor 100. The folder 116 is associated with the server 3 that sends the print job stored in the folder 116. When a print job is saved in the folder 116, the saved print job is sent to the printer 2 associated with the saved folder 116, and the server 3 associated with the folder 116 where the saved print job is saved. To acquire the billing information 117 based on the print job from the server 3.

The control method of the terminal device 1 capable of communicating with the printer 2 and the server 3 is to associate the folder 116 with the printer 2 for printing the print job saved in the folder 116, and print in the folder 116 and the folder 116. It is associated with the server 3 that sends the job. When a print job is saved in the folder 116, the saved print job is sent to the printer 2 associated with the saved folder 116, and the server 3 associated with the folder 116 where the saved print job is saved. And receives the billing information 117 based on the print job from the server 3.

The printing system 1000 includes a printer 2, a terminal device 1, and a server 3.
The terminal device 1 associates the folder 116 with the printer 2 that prints the print job stored in the folder 116 and the server 3 that sends the print job stored in the folder 116. When a print job is saved in the folder 116, the saved print job is sent to the printer 2 associated with the saved folder 116, and the server 3 associated with the folder 116 where the saved print job is saved. Send to.
The printer 2 receives a print job from the terminal device 1 and prints based on the received print job.
The server 3 receives a print job from the terminal device 1, generates billing information 117 based on the received print job, and transmits the generated billing information 117 to the terminal device 1.
The terminal device 1 receives the billing information 117 from the server 3 and stores the received billing information 117.

According to the billing application 113, the terminal device 1, and the printing system 1000, a print job is transmitted to the server 3 associated with the folder 116, and the billing information 117 based on the print job is acquired from the server 3. Since the billing information 117 command-analyzed by the server 3 can be acquired from the server 3, the terminal device 1 can acquire the billing information 117 with high accuracy.

The billing application 113 causes the terminal processor 100 to display the acquired billing information 117.

As a result, the user of the terminal device 1 can recognize information related to billing such as the number of printed sheets and the printing mode generated by printing. The user of the terminal device 1 can easily charge the billing destination of the company to which he / she belongs for the printing cost incurred in the work from home.

The billing application 113 associates the terminal processor 100 with the second folder 116B, which is different from the first folder 116A, and the second printer 2B, which is different from the first printer 2A, and has the second folder 116B and the first server 3A. It is associated with a different second server 3B. When a print job is saved in the second folder 116B, the saved print job is sent to the second server 3B, the saved print job is sent to the second printer 2B, and the second server 3B is based on the print job. The billing information 117 is acquired.

By setting different folders 116 for each manufacturer of the printer 2, it is possible to acquire highly accurate billing information 117 for each manufacturer of the printer 2 connected to the terminal device 1. The terminal device 1 can acquire the billing information 117 based on the print job regardless of the manufacturer of the printer 2 connected to the terminal device 1.

In the billing application 113, the terminal processor 100 is associated with the third folder 116C different from the first folder 116A and the third printer 2C of the same manufacturer as the first printer 2A, and the third folder 116C and the first server 3A are associated with each other. To be associated. When a print job is saved in the third folder 116C, the saved print job is sent to the first server 3A, the saved print job is sent to the third printer 2C, and the saved print job is sent from the first server 3A based on the print job. The billing information 117 is acquired.

Even if the folder 116 is set for each printer 2, the same server 3 is associated with the printer 2 of the same manufacturer. When the same printer 2 is connected to the terminal device 1 by the same manufacturer, the billing information 117 can be acquired from the same server 3, so that the billing information 117 with high accuracy can be acquired for each printer 2.

When the print job is saved in the folder 116D to which the server 3 is not associated with the terminal processor 100, the billing application 113 does not cause the server 3 to send the print job, but causes the printer 2 to send the print job.

As a result, the print job saved in the folder 116D to which the server 3 is not associated can be printed by the printer 2. By setting the folder 116D for private use and the first folder 116A for business use, the server 3 is associated with the first folder 116A for business use, and the server 3 is not associated with the private folder 116D for business use. The terminal device 1 can acquire the billing information 117 based on the print job related to the private use, and can be set not to acquire the billing information 117 based on the print job related to the private use. The user of the terminal device 1 can accurately charge the billing destination of the company to which he / she belongs for the printing cost incurred in the work from home.

Each of the above-described embodiments shows one aspect, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied.

The billing application execution unit 103 described above is configured to store the billing information 117 acquired from the server 3. However, the billing application execution unit 103 may not store the billing information 117 acquired from the server 3 and may transmit the billing information 117 acquired from the server 3 to the collection server connected to the local network LN or the global network GN. .. In the case of this configuration, the display control unit 1035 acquires the billing information 117 by transmitting the request to the collection server, and displays it by the display unit 13.

The print information acquired by the terminal device 1 from the server 3 is the billing information 117, and the terminal device 1 acquires the billing information 117 from the server 3. However, the terminal device 1 uses the information indicating the printing record as the print information on the server. It may be obtained from 3.

The printer 2 may have a function other than the printing function such as a scanning function and a facsimile function.

The functions of the terminal control unit 10, the printer control unit 20, and the server control unit 30 may be realized by a plurality of processors or semiconductor chips.

Each part shown in FIG. 1 is an example and is not particularly limited. It is not always necessary to implement hardware corresponding to each part individually, and it is of course possible to realize the functions of each part by executing a program by one processor. Some of the functions realized by software may be realized by hardware, or some of the functions realized by hardware may be realized by software. In addition, the specific detailed configuration of each other part of each device of the printing system 1000 can be arbitrarily changed.

The operation step unit shown in FIG. 3 is divided according to the main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the operation of each device of the printing system 1000, and is divided according to the method and name of the processing unit division. There is no limitation. It may be divided into more step units depending on the processing content. Further, one step unit may be divided so as to include more processes. Moreover, the order of the steps may be changed as appropriate.

1 ... Terminal device (print control device) 2 ... Printer (printing device), 2A ... First printer (printing device), 2B ... Second printer (second printing device), 2C ... Third printer (third printing) Device), 3 ... server, 3A ... first server (server), 3B ... second server (second server), 10 ... terminal control unit, 11 ... first terminal communication unit, 12 ... second terminal communication unit, 13 ... Display unit, 14 ... Input unit, 20 ... Printer control unit, 21 ... Printer communication unit, 22 ... Printing unit, 30 ... Server control unit, 31 ... Server communication unit, 100 ... Terminal processor (computer), 101 ... Generation App execution unit, 102 ... Driver execution unit, 103 ... Billing application execution unit, 110 ... Terminal storage unit, 111 ... Generation application, 112 ... Printer driver, 113 ... Billing application (program), 116 ... Folder, 116A ... First folder (Folder), 116B ... Second folder (second folder), 116C ... Third folder (third folder), 117 ... Billing information (print information), 200 ... Printer processor, 210 ... Printer storage, 300 ... Server processor, 310 ... Server storage, 1000 ... Printing system, GN ... Global network, LN ... Local network.

Claims (8)

A program run by the computer of the print control unit that connects to the server and sends print jobs to the printer.
On the computer
The folder is associated with the printing device, and the folder is associated with the printing device.
The folder is associated with the server.
When the print job is saved in the folder, the printing device associated with the folder is made to send the print job saved in the folder, and the server associated with the folder is sent to the folder. Send the saved print job and send it.
To acquire print information based on the print job from the server.
program. A display unit is connected to the print control device.
On the computer
Generate display data for displaying the acquired print information on the display unit.
The program according to claim 1. On the computer
A second folder different from the folder is associated with a second printing device manufactured by a different manufacturer from the printing device.
The second folder is associated with a second server different from the server.
When the print job is saved in the second folder, the second server associated with the second folder is made to send the print job saved in the second folder to the second folder. The second printing device associated with the second folder is made to send the print job stored in the second folder.
The print information based on the print job is acquired from the second server.
The program according to claim 1 or 2. On the computer
A third folder different from the folder is associated with a third printing device of the same manufacturer as the printing device.
The third folder is associated with the server.
When the print job is saved, the server associated with the third folder is made to send the print job saved in the third folder, and the print job associated with the third folder is transmitted. Have the third printing device send the print job stored in the third folder.
To acquire the print information based on the print job from the server.
The program according to claim 1 or 2. On the computer
When the print job is saved in the fourth folder to which the server is not associated, the print job stored in the fourth folder is not transmitted to the server, and the printing device is sent to the fourth folder. Send the print job saved in the folder,
The program according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The print information is information related to billing.
The program according to any one of claims 1 to 5. It is a control method of a printing device that prints a print job and a printing control device that can communicate with a server.
Corresponding the folder to the printing device,
Corresponding the folder with the server,
When the print job is saved in the folder, the print job saved in the folder is transmitted to the printing device associated with the folder.
Send the print job saved in the folder to the server associated with the folder, and send the print job.
Receives print information based on the print job from the server.
How to control the print control device. A printing system having a printing device, a printing control device, and a server.
The print control device is
A storage unit that stores correspondence information associated with the folder, the printing device, and the server.
When a print job is saved in the folder, the print device associated with the folder by the correspondence information is made to send the print job saved in the folder, and the print job is associated with the folder by the correspondence information. The server is provided with a control unit for sending the print job stored in the folder.
The printing device is
A printing unit that receives the print job from the print control device and prints based on the received print job is provided.
The server
A server communication unit that receives the print job from the print control device, and
A server control unit that generates print information based on the received print job and causes the server communication unit to transmit the generated print information to the print control device.
The print control device is
Receiving the print information from the server,
Printing system.

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