JP2877028B2 - Print job control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print job control system for performing printing in a server-client type network system, and more particularly, to a print queue of a transfer destination according to the number and size of print jobs transferred to the print queue. The present invention relates to a print job control method to be optimized.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Print requests (print jobs) from a plurality of terminal devices (clients) connected to a network.
In a server-client type network system that operates a printer connected to a print server (hereinafter, abbreviated as “server” as appropriate) of the network in response to a plurality of print jobs, the print queue receives a plurality of print jobs and sequentially prints them according to a predetermined rule. The job is sent to the printer and the printer is running.

Conventionally, in order to efficiently perform output processing by a printer, a plurality of print queues are set for one printer, priorities are assigned to the respective print queues, and the print queues having higher priorities are sequentially assigned. A print job is output to a printer. In such a print job control method, the priority of the print job specified by the print queue can be changed as needed. Further, it is possible to output the registration status of the print job in the print queue on the screen or to delete the print job registered in the print queue.

Further, in this type of conventional print job control method, in order to reduce the labor required for changing the priority of print jobs, the print queue is automatically stored in a print queue according to predetermined printer conditions. There is a configuration in which registered print jobs are exchanged.
As such a print job control method, there is a technique described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-265777, "Print queue automatic configuration network system". This publication describes a configuration in which a server investigates the state of a print queue, estimates a print start time of each print queue, and automatically transfers a print job to a print queue with a short print start time.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional print job control method, a print job transferred from a client to a print queue of a server is transferred again to an optimal print queue under the control of the server. . For this reason, there is a case where two transfers of the first transfer and the transfer between the print queues are required for one print job, and there is a disadvantage that an extra transfer time is required.

Further, there is a disadvantage that an extra load is applied to the line by transferring the print job twice, and the processing capacity of the entire system is reduced.

Further, since the server assigns a print job to an optimal print queue, if the server also functions as a file server or a database server instead of a dedicated print server, the print job is optimally printed. Executing the process assigned to the queue imposes a load on other processes, and has the disadvantage of reducing the overall processing capability of the entire system.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, reduces the number of print job transfer processes performed by the server, reduces the consumption of transfer time, and reduces the load on the server line to reduce the processing load on the system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print job control method that avoids a decrease in performance.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a print job for transmitting a print job from a client in a server-client type network system, controlling a printer connected to a server, and performing printing. In the control method, the server includes a plurality of print queues, and a print queue optimizing unit that optimizes a print queue for registering the print job, and the client optimizes a print queue for registering the print job. Print queue optimizing means for performing optimization, and a print job including at least information specifying a print queue to which the print job is to be transferred and information on whether to optimize the print queue by the client or the server. Add job information to add information It is configured to include and.

In another aspect, the job information adding means is configured to arbitrarily set the contents of the job information according to an instruction from a user.

In another aspect, a print queue optimizing means provided in the server and the client includes a research means for researching an optimum print queue as a transfer destination of the print job among a plurality of print queues of the server; A job information changing unit configured to rewrite information for specifying a print queue of a transfer destination of the job information in accordance with a check result of the check unit.

In another aspect, the print queue investigating means provided in the server and client print queue optimizing means estimates print job execution waiting time in a plurality of print queues of the server,
The print queue having the shortest waiting time is detected as an optimal print queue as a transfer destination of the print job.

Another print job control method for achieving the above object is a print job control method for transmitting a print job from a client in a server-client type network system, controlling a printer connected to a server, and performing printing. A print queue optimizing means for optimizing a print queue for registering the print job, and at least information for specifying a print queue for transferring the print job and optimizing the print queue for the print job; And a job information adding unit for adding job information including information on which one of the server and the server.

[0014]

According to the present invention, there is provided a print queue optimizing means for optimizing a print queue for registering a print job in a client, and optimizing a print queue by the client print queue optimizing means in job information. Since the setting can be performed, the frequency at which the server performs the print queue optimizing process can be reduced.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server-client type network for realizing a print job control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the print job control system of the present embodiment is realized by a server-client type network having a plurality of clients 10 and a server 20. A printer 30 is connected to the server 20.
The server 20 operates as a print server for the printer 30, but does not need to be a dedicated print server machine, and may be a general-purpose server having the functions of a file server and a database server. In FIG. 1, only the configuration for realizing the print job control method of the present embodiment among the configurations of the client 10 and the server 20 is described, and other configurations are omitted. In practice, it goes without saying that the client 10 and the server 20 include data input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, storage devices such as a magnetic disk device, and a display device.

The client 10, as shown in FIG.
Print job generation unit 11 that generates a print job
A job information determining unit 12 for checking job information attached to a print job, a print queue checking unit 13 for checking the status of a print queue of the server 20, and a job information changing unit for changing job information as necessary. 14, a display controller 15 for displaying that the job information has been changed on a display device (not shown), and a transmitter / receiver 16 for transmitting and receiving various data including a print job.

The print job generation unit 11 is realized by a program-controlled CPU or the like, and generates a print job in accordance with a user's input of a command or the like. To optimize the registration of the print job in the printer queue, job information as shown in FIG. 2 is added to the generated print job.

As shown in FIG. 2, the job information added to the print job includes at least a print queue name (information A) of a print queue to which the print job is to be registered and a change of the print queue name of information A. The permission (information B), the setting of whether the client 10 or the server 20 searches for the optimum print queue for optimizing the print queue (information C), and the optimization of the print queue have already been performed. And information (information D) indicating whether or not the operation has been performed.

The print queue name specified first in the information A is, for example, when priority is set for a plurality of print queues, an appropriate print queue is determined by selecting the priority of the print job. Is done. When the information B permits the change of the print queue name of the information A, the print queue to be registered is changed and optimization is permitted.
The user can arbitrarily determine whether the client 10 or the server 20 searches for the optimum print queue of the information C. The information D is for determining whether or not to perform the print queue optimization in the server 20 according to whether or not the print queue is optimized in the client 10.

The job information determining unit 12 is realized by a program-controlled CPU or the like, determines the contents of job information added to the print job, and operates a predetermined processing unit. That is, when the information B permits the change of the print queue name of the information A and the information C is set to execute the print queue optimization in the client 10, the print queue investigating unit 13 and the job information changing unit 1
4. Cause the display control unit 15 or the like to execute a predetermined process.

The print queue examination unit 13 is realized by a CPU or the like controlled by a program, and examines the state of the print queue of the server 20 to select an optimum print queue. That is, a transmission request of the status information of the print queue is output to the server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 16, and
The print queue having the shortest waiting time until the execution of the print job is started is detected with reference to the status information of the print queue sent from the printer. Then, the detected print queue is selected as an optimal print queue. The status information of the print queue sent from the server 20 includes information such as the number and size of registered print jobs. The print queue examination unit 13 estimates the time until the execution of the print job is started based on the information.

The job information change unit 14 is realized by a program-controlled CPU or the like, and modifies job information added to a print job to change a print queue to be registered. That is, the print queue investigation unit 13
If the optimum print queue selected in the step 2 is different from the print queue specified by the print queue name of the information A specified when the job is generated, the print queue name of the information A is printed by the print queue investigation unit 13. Change to the queue name. Then, information indicating that the print queue is already optimized is registered in the information D.

The display control unit 15 is realized by a program-controlled CPU or the like,
3 and the result of the print queue by the job information changing unit 14 are displayed on the display device. That is, a message indicating that the print queue has been changed and the print queue name of the changed print queue are displayed. The user can know that the print queue has been optimized by referring to this display.

The transmission / reception unit 16 transmits various data including a print job and a request for transmission of print queue status information from the print queue investigation unit 13 to the server 20 via the network, and receives the data from the server 20. Various data such as print queue status information is received and sent to a predetermined processing unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, the server 20 transmits and receives various data including a print job.
1, a job information determining unit 22 for checking job information attached to a print job, a print queue checking unit 23 for checking the status of a print queue, and a job information changing unit 24 for changing job information as necessary. , Printer 30
And a printer control unit 25 that executes a printing process by operating the printer. The print queue is set in the printer control unit 25.

The transmission / reception unit 21 receives various data including a print job transmitted from the client 10 and a request for transmitting status information of the print queue, and sends the data to a predetermined processing unit. Various data is transmitted to the client 10 via the network.

The job information judging section 22 is realized by a CPU or the like under program control, judges the contents of job information added to the print job sent from the client 10, and operates a predetermined processing section. That is, the information B permits the change of the print queue name of the information A, and the information C
Is set to execute the print queue optimization in the server 20, and if the information D indicates that the print queue optimization has not been performed, the print queue investigation unit 23, the job information change unit 24, causing the printer control unit 25 and the like to execute predetermined processing.

The print queue checking unit 23 is realized by a CPU or the like under program control, and checks the state of the print queue set in the printer control unit 25 to select an optimal print queue. That is, the status information of the print queue is input from the printer control unit 25, and the print queue having the shortest waiting time until the execution of the print job is started is detected with reference to the information, and is selected as the optimum print queue. I do.

The job information changing unit 24 is implemented by a program-controlled CPU or the like, and modifies job information added to a print job to change a print queue to be registered. That is, the print queue investigation unit 23
If the optimum print queue selected in the step 2 is different from the print queue specified by the print queue name of the information A specified at the time of job generation, the print queue name of the information A is printed by the print queue investigation unit 23. Change to the queue name. Then, information indicating that the print queue is already optimized is registered in the information D.

The job information change unit 24 notifies the client 10 that generated the print job via the transmission / reception unit 21 when the print queue has been optimized. As a result, the client 10
Output to the display device or the like that the print queue has been optimized so that the user can recognize it.

The printer control unit 25 is implemented by a program-controlled CPU or the like, and controls the operation of the printer 30 in accordance with a print job sent from the client 10. A plurality of print queues are set in the printer control unit 25, and a plurality of print jobs can be registered in each print queue. Each print queue can be differentiated by adding a priority or the like when sending a print job to the printer 30. Printer control unit 25
Outputs the print jobs registered in the print queue sequentially according to a predetermined rule, and causes the printer 30 to execute the printing process. In addition, the print queue investigation unit 2
In response to a request from the print queue examination unit 13 of the client 3 or the client 10, print queue information including information on the number and size of print jobs registered in the print queue is generated and returned.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the client 10, and FIG.
11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the "0".

First, when a user inputs a predetermined command or data to execute printing, a print job is generated by the print job generating unit 11 (step 30).
1). Job information including information A to information D shown in FIG. 2 is added to the generated print job. The job information is initially arbitrarily set by a command input from the user or the like, but the information D is set to indicate that the print queue is not optimized.

Next, the job information determining section 12 refers to the information B of the job information and determines whether or not the change of the print queue name of the information A is permitted (step 302).
If the change of the information A is not permitted, the print job is transferred to the server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 16 (step 308).

On the other hand, if the change of the information A is permitted, the server 2 further optimizes the print queue for the print job by referring to the information C of the job information.
It is determined whether the process is to be performed at 0 or at the client 10 (step 303). If the information C is set to optimize the print queue in the server 20, the print job is transferred to the server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 16 without performing any processing (step 308). .

On the other hand, when the information C is set so that the client 10 optimizes the print queue, the job information is transferred from the job information determining unit 12 to the print queue inspecting unit 13. Print Queue Research Department 1
3 receives the job information and requests the server 20 to transmit the status information of the print queue. Then, referring to the returned print queue status information, a search is made for a print queue that can start print processing in a shorter time than the print queue specified by the information A (step 304).

When a print queue that can start printing earlier than the print queue specified by the information A is detected, the job information changing unit 14 determines the print queue name of the information A by the print queue (Step 305).
Then, the display control unit 15 displays on the display device a message indicating that the print queue to be registered has been changed, and notifies the user who is the owner of the print job (step 306). Further, the job information changing unit 14 changes the information D of the job information so as to indicate that the print queue has been optimized (step 307). Then, the print job is transferred to the server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 16 (step 30).
8).

As a result of the search by the print queue investigating unit 13, if the print queue specified by the information A is the print queue that can start printing the earliest, the print queue name of the information A of the job information is not changed. , Information D is changed to indicate that the print queue has been optimized (step 307). Then, the print job is transferred to the server 20 via the transmission / reception unit 16 (step 308).

Next, the operation after the print job is transmitted to the server 20 will be described. Transmission / reception unit 21 of server 20
Receives the print job, first, the job information determining unit 22 refers to the information B of the job information and determines whether or not the change of the print queue name of the information A is permitted (step 401). If the change of the information A is not permitted, the print job is transferred to the print queue designated by the information A of the printer control unit 25 (step 407).

On the other hand, if the change of the information A is permitted, it is further determined with reference to the information D of the job information whether or not the print queue for the print job has been optimized (step S1). 402). If the information D indicates that the print queue has already been optimized, the print job is transferred to the print queue specified by the information A of the printer control unit 25 without performing any processing ( Step 407).

On the other hand, if the information D indicates that the print queue has not been optimized yet, the job information is passed from the job information determining unit 22 to the print queue investigating unit 23. Upon receiving the job information, the print queue investigation unit 23 inputs the status information of the print queue from the printer control unit 25, and refers to the status information to start the print processing in a shorter time than the print queue designated by the information A. Search for available print queue (step 40)
3).

When a print queue that can start printing earlier than the print queue specified by the information A is detected, the job information changing unit 24 determines the print queue name of the information A by the print queue (Step 404).
Then, a message indicating that the print queue to be registered has been changed is transmitted to the client 10 that generated the print job via the transmission / reception unit 21. The client 10 that has received the message displays the received message on the display device by the display control unit 15 and notifies the user who is the owner of the print job (step 405). Further, the job information changing unit 24 changes the information D of the job information so as to indicate that the print queue has been optimized (Step 4).
06). Then, the print job is transferred to the print queue specified by the information A of the printer control unit 25 (step 407).

As a result of the search by the print queue investigating section 23, if the print queue designated by the information A is the print queue which can start printing the earliest, the print queue name of the information A of the job information is not changed. , Information D to indicate that the print queue has been optimized (step 406). Then, the print job is transferred to the print queue specified by the information A of the printer control unit 25 (step 407).

The print job transferred to the print queue specified by the information A is registered in the print queue and waits for the execution of the print job (step 408). After all other print jobs registered in the print queue have been executed prior to the print job, print processing by the print job is executed (step 409).

As described above, in this embodiment, each of the client 10 and the server 20 is provided with a configuration for optimizing a print queue in which a print job is to be registered. Whether to optimize the queue and the client 10
The user specifies whether to optimize the print queue in the server 20 or the server 20. By appropriately adjusting these settings, the frequency of execution of the print queue optimization process by the server 20 is reduced. Can be.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the present embodiment, in order to detect an optimum print queue, print queue information including information on the number and size of print jobs registered in the print queue is obtained, The search for a print queue that can start print processing in a short period of time has been decided. it can. Further, when a plurality of printers are connected to the server, the data transfer speed on the connection line of each printer can be used as a determination factor for optimizing the print queue.

Further, in this embodiment, information indicating whether or not the print queue has been optimized among the job information added to the print job is set so as to indicate that the optimization has not been performed initially. Although the setting was made, the setting can also be made by the user, and it can be set so as to indicate that the optimization has been initially performed, so that neither the client nor the server performs the optimization processing. .

[0049]

As described above, the present invention has a configuration for executing a print queue optimization for registering a print job in each of a client and a server in a client-server type network system. The user can specify whether to optimize the print queue when generating a print job and whether to optimize the print queue on the client or the server, so that these settings can be adjusted appropriately. Since the frequency of execution of the print queue optimizing process by the server can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the extra time consumption due to the transfer of the print job between the print queues in the server.

Further, since the transfer of the print job is performed twice, it is possible to avoid a reduction in the processing capacity of the entire system due to an extra load applied to the line of the server.

Further, if the print queue is optimized only by the client according to the present invention, the server is completely released from the print queue optimization process, and therefore the transfer of the print job between the print queues is performed. Thus, it is possible to completely avoid extra time consumption and a reduction in the processing capacity of the entire system.

When the server is not a print server dedicated machine but also a file server or a database server, the load on other processing can be reduced, and the overall processing capacity of the entire system is reduced. There is an effect that can be avoided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a server-client type network that implements a print job control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of job information added to a print job.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a client.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 client 11 print job generation unit 12, 22 job information determination unit 13, 23 print queue investigation unit 14, 24 job information change unit 15 display control unit 16, 21 transmission / reception unit 20 server 25 printer control unit 30 printer

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] In a server-client type network system, a print job is sent from a client to a plurality of clients.
In a print job control method for transmitting to a server having a lint queue, and controlling and printing a printer connected to the server, the client includes, in a print job, at least information specifying a print queue for transferring the print job; The best pre
Job information adding means for adding job information including information on whether the client or the server selects a print queue; and a print queue optimal for the job information of the print job.
Client selection is indicated by the client
The print job from multiple print queues.
Select the optimal print queue with the shortest print execution wait time
Means for selecting the optimum print queue, and the server selects the optimum print queue for the job information of the print job.
If it is indicated that the server
From the print queue for the print job
To select the optimal print queue with the shortest
Print control method characterized by comprising the proper print queue selection means. 2. The job information of the print job includes
Whether a suitable print queue has already been selected
And the optimum print queue selecting means of the server
The best print queue for the job information of the print job
Is performed on the server, and
The best print queue is selected for the job information
If the best print is not shown
The print job control method according to claim 1, wherein a queue is selected . 3. The server and the client are provided.
An optimal print queue selecting unit configured to determine, as a transfer destination of the print job among the plurality of print queues, based on the status information of the plurality of print queues;
The shortest print execution wait time of the print job
A checking means for detecting an optimal print queue, optimum print queue that has been detected by the inspecting section
Is different from the print queue indicated in the job information.
The print queue of the transfer destination of the job information
3. The print job control method according to claim 1, further comprising: a job information changing unit that rewrites the print job to an optimum print queue . 4. An optimal program for the server and the client.
A print queue investigating unit provided in the lint queue selecting unit is registered for each of the plurality of print queues of the server.
From the status information including the number and size of print jobs, the print job execution waiting time in the plurality of print queues of the server is estimated, and the print queue with the shortest waiting time is determined as the optimal print queue as the transfer destination of the print job. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the detection is performed.
Print job management method described in 1. 5. In a server-client type network system, a client sends a print job to a plurality of printers.
In a print job control method for transmitting to a server having a lint queue, and controlling and printing a printer connected to the server, the client includes, in a print job, at least information specifying a print queue for transferring the print job; The best pre
Job information adding means for adding job information including information on whether to select a print queue, and a print queue optimal for the job information of the print job.
More than one printer
Print execution waiting time of the print job from the queue.
Optimal pudding to select the shortest optimal print queue
A print job control method, comprising: a queue selection unit . 6. An optimal print provided in the client.
A queue selecting unit configured to wait for a print execution of the print job as a transfer destination of the print job among the plurality of print queues based on the status information of the plurality of print queues;
Optimal print queue time which is detected and checking means for detecting an optimal print queue is the shortest, by said checking means
Is different from the print queue indicated in the job information.
The print queue of the transfer destination of the job information
6. The print job control method according to claim 5, further comprising: a job information change unit that rewrites the print queue to an optimum print queue . 7. The optimum print queue of the client.
Investigation means of the print queue provided in the selection means is registered for each of the plurality of print queues of the server.
From the status information including the number and size of print jobs, the print job execution waiting time in the plurality of print queues of the server is estimated, and the print queue with the shortest waiting time is determined as the optimal print queue as the transfer destination of the print job. 7. Detection is performed.
Print job management method described in 1.