JP3507061B2 - Print data control method - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to print data control in an information processing system which supplies print data output from a terminal device to a printer after spooling the print data in a print queue of a print server. About the method. 2. Description of the Related Art In a data processing system such as a LAN, when a print request is output from a terminal such as a computer used by a client to a printer, print data relating to the print request is stored in a print queue of a print server. After being spooled in the printer, it is supplied to a printer and sequentially printed out. In such an information processing system, it is not easy to grasp the correspondence between the print queue and the printer, and even though print data has already been spooled in the print queue, the same print data is spooled. A print request may be output from the terminal device again. As described above, when print requests for the same print data are output repeatedly, not only does the operation efficiency of the printer decrease, but also resources such as paper are wasted. Therefore, as a conventional technique, a method is disclosed in which the relationship between a printer connected to a network and a print queue can be confirmed and set on a screen using a GUI (Graphic User Interface). (For example, see Patent Document 1). Further, a method is disclosed in which when print data is retransmitted due to a trouble at the time of transfer of the print data, a page duplicated between the previously transmitted print data and the retransmitted print data is deleted and printed. (For example, see Patent Document 2). Further, print data for which print processing has been completed is stored in a history queue for a predetermined period, and when the same print data as print data for which print processing has been previously completed is to be printed again, the print data is stored in the history queue. There is disclosed a method of using print data stored in a history queue without transmission (for example, see Patent Document 3). [Patent Document 1] JP-A-7-210345 [Patent Document 2] JP-A-3-233666 [Patent Document 3] JP-A 8-222227 [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above conventional techniques, in any case, when a duplicate print request is output due to a user's erroneous operation or the like with respect to the same print data as the print data related to the print request output from the terminal device without failure,
There has been a problem that it is not possible to reliably prevent a decrease in the operation efficiency of the printer and waste of resources such as paper. [0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus in which, when a print request relating to the same or similar print data is repeatedly output from a terminal device, the print data relating to the current print request is replaced with the print data relating to the previous print request. After confirming the overlap, the print data is processed by the processing method designated by the user, and the print processing desired by the user is executed without lowering the operation efficiency of the printer and wasting resources such as paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print data control method capable of performing the following. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a file size and a file size representing a file size of a print data file related to a print request output from a terminal device are provided.
The print name including the user name of the user who has output the lint request
Print request data and print data
Spools the data in the print queue, and supplies print data from the print queue to the printer to perform printing.
In the method of controlling print data to be executed, the file
The print data for the current print request based on the size comparison and the print data for the previous print request
The discrimination result of match or mismatch of
User name of the user who output the
Comparison result of the user name of the user who output the print request
And the print data related to the current print request.
Data is already spooled in the print queue
Extract the difference from the previous print data and extract
It is characterized in that the printing operation is executed only for the output portion . [0010] In the invention as set forth in claim 1, according to the processing method of the print data specified in the selection択的, only portions different from the current print data that has already been spooled in the print data according to the print request Printed. Therefore, even when a print request for print data similar to the print data for which a print request has already been output is output, only printing in a print state desired by the user is executed without waste . FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system to which a print data control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In an information processing system 1 to which a print data control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, a client-side terminal device 2 such as a computer is connected to a printer 4 via a printer server 3.
When a print request to the printer 4 is output from the terminal device 2, print data related to the print request is spooled in the print queue 31 of the printer server 3, and then supplied to the printer 4 from the printer server 3 to perform print processing in the printer 4. Are sequentially executed. The information processing system 1 is connected to a single or a plurality of terminal devices 2 and a printer 4. The printer server 3 usually spools print data output from the terminal device 2 to the print queue 31 in the order in which it is received, reads out the print data in the spool order for the print queue 31, and transmits the data to the printer 4. For example, when the terminal device 2 outputs a print request related to fileA as print data in a state where five files of files 1 to 5 are already spooled in the print queue 31 of the print server 3, the content of fileA becomes 6 The fith file
spooled to the print queue 31 as le6,
After the print processing for le1 to le5 is completed, the print data is supplied to the printer 4. Therefore, in the information processing system 1, the print processing is not always executed in the printer 4 immediately after a print request is output from any of the terminal devices 2, and the print data in the print queue 31 of the print server 3 is not always executed. The time from output of the print request to completion of the print processing changes according to the spool state. Therefore, a user who has performed a print request output operation while a large amount of print data is spooled in the print queue 31 erroneously determines that a failure has occurred in the print request transmission process, and Print requests may be output in duplicate.
If a long time elapses from the output of the print request to the execution of the print processing, the contents of the print data related to the print request may be corrected, or the print conditions such as the number of copies may be changed. Therefore, in the print data control method according to the embodiment of the present invention, when a print request is output from the terminal device 2, the print data related to the print request is already spooled in the print queue 31 of the printer server 3. If print data that is the same as or similar to the print data relating to the current print request is present in the print queue 31 as compared with the print data in question, a warning is issued to the terminal device 2 that has output the print request. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a terminal device included in the information processing system, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure of the printer server. FIG. 4 shows the terminal device 2 and the print server 3.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a protocol for data transmission / reception processing between the terminal device 2 and the print server 3.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of data transmitted and received between the server and the server; When the user performs an operation for instructing printing of specific file data, the terminal device 2
The print request data (Inquiry Data Req shown in FIG. 4) is transmitted to the printer server 3 (s1). The print request data includes data identification information such as the file name, creation date and time, file size, application name, user name, transmission time, and terminal identifier of the file data that is the print data (see FIG. 5). Upon receiving the print request data (s21), the printer server 3 temporarily suspends the process of transmitting the print data spooled in the print queue 31 to the printer 4 (s22), and includes the process in the received print request data. The data identification information is compared with the data identification information attached to each of the print data spooled in the print queue 31 to determine whether print data having the same or similar data identification information exists in the print queue 31. Is performed (s23). After storing the comparison result (s24), the print server 3 determines whether the same print data exists, the similar print data exists, or the same or similar print data does not exist. The corresponding judgment data (Inqu shown in FIG. 4)
iry Data Res) to the terminal device 2 (s25 to s2).
8) The interruption of the transmission process from the print queue 31 to the printer 4 for the print data other than the print data related to the current print request is released (s29). The determination data includes data specifying the print request data together with data representing the comparison result (see FIG. 6). When the terminal device 2 receives the judgment data transmitted from the printer server 3 (s2), based on the contents of the judgment data, the same or similar print data as the print data relating to the current print request is stored in the print queue 3.
1 (s3), and if the same or similar print data exists in the print queue 31, a designation input for a print data processing method is received (s4). Complete the input of the processing method,
Alternatively, when a predetermined time has elapsed (s5, s6), the terminal device 2 transmits processing data (Set Mode Req shown in FIG. 4) representing the content of the specified processing method to the print server 3 (s7). The processing data includes data representing the specified processing method and data identification information (see FIG. 7). Upon receiving the processing data transmitted from the terminal device 2 (s30), the print server 3 stores the processing data in a memory (not shown) (s31), and performs the following processing according to the contents of the processing data. Execute A. The processing data transmitted from the terminal device 2 prints both print data related to the current print request and print data identical or similar to the print data related to the current print request already spooled in the print queue 31. When the content of the process is to cancel, the print server 3 transmits to the terminal device 2 transmission stop request data for requesting to stop the transmission of the print data related to the current print request, The corresponding print data is deleted from the print data (s32 to s3).
4). B. If the processing data transmitted from the terminal device 2 includes a process of printing only the print data related to the current print request, the print server 3
Transmits reception preparation completion data (Set Mode Res shown in FIG. 4) requesting transmission of print data to the terminal device 2, and deletes the corresponding print data from the print data spooled in the print queue 31. (S35 to s37). The reception preparation completion data includes data specifying information together with data indicating a state in which reception preparation is completed (see FIG. 8). C. When the processing data transmitted from the terminal device 2 includes a process of printing only the print data spooled in the print queue 31, the print server 3 sends a print request to the terminal device 2 according to the current print request. Transmission stop request data for requesting stop of data transmission is transmitted (s43, s44). If the processing data indicates that the number of print copies is to be changed, the print server 3 changes the number of print copies of the corresponding print data in the print queue 31 (s45, s46). After this, the print server 31
The interruption of the transmission process from the print queue 31 to the printer 4 for the print data identical or similar to the print data related to the current print request is released (s47). D. The processing data transmitted from the terminal device 2 prints both the print data relating to the current print request and the same or similar print data as the print data relating to the current print request already spooled in the print queue 31. When the processing is to be performed, the print server 3 releases the interruption of the transmission processing from the print queue 31 to the printer 4 for the same or similar print data as the print data related to the current print request, and The transmission preparation completion data requesting the transmission of the print data is transmitted (s48 to s5).
0). After transmitting the processing data to the print server 3 in the process of s7, the terminal device 2 waits for the transmission of data from the print server 3 (s8, s9). The following processing is executed depending on which of the completion data has been transmitted. A. When the print server 3 transmits the transmission stop request data by the processing of A or C, the terminal device 2 stops transmitting the print data relating to the current print request (s8 → s10). B. When the print server 3 transmits the reception preparation completion data by the processing of B or D, the terminal device 2 transmits the print data (Send Data shown in FIG. 4) relating to the current print request to the print server 3 ( s
9 → s11), and waits for transmission of the reception completion data from the print server 3 (s12). The print data includes data identification information (see FIG. 9). When the print server 3 has transmitted the reception preparation completion data by the processing of the above B or D, the print server 3
When the print data transmitted from the terminal device 2 is received by the above processing, the reception completion data (Get Stat shown in FIG.
us) (s38, s39). The reception completion data includes data representing the state in which the reception of the print data has been completed, and data identification information (FIG. 10). After that, the print server 3 is connected to the terminal device 2
It is determined whether or not the processing data transmitted from the printer includes designation of the differential print processing (s40). If the differential print processing is designated, the print data already spooled in the print queue 31 is deleted. After extracting a portion of the print data similar to the print data received this time that is different from the print data received this time (s4
1), the contents of the change of the print data transmission process from the print queue 31 to the printer 4 are determined (s4).
2). If the difference print process is not specified, the print queue 3 is executed without performing the difference extraction process and the replacement process.
The contents of the print data transmission process from 1 to the printer 4 are determined (s40 → s42). According to the above processing, in the information processing system 1, when the user prints the contents of the file data on the terminal device 2, the contents of the print data are transmitted from the terminal device 2 according to the communication protocol shown in FIG. The print request data composed of the data specifying information to be specified is transmitted to the print server 3, and based on the content of the print request data, the print server 3 stores in the print queue 31 the same or similar print data as the print data relating to the current print request. It is determined whether or not print data exists, and the determination result is transmitted to the terminal device 2. The user of the terminal device 2 specifies the processing content to be executed later based on the determination result transmitted from the print server 3, and transmits the specified result to the print server 3. Thus, the user can reliably recognize that the print data relating to the current print request is the same or similar print data as the print data for which the print request has already been output, and all or part of the print data can be recognized. By specifying a processing method for the duplicate print data, a desired print output can be accurately obtained. Further, it is possible to reliably prevent the printing operation for the same or similar print data from being performed repeatedly due to a user's erroneous operation, and to prevent a decrease in the operation efficiency of the printer 4 and a waste of resources. it can. In the communication protocol shown in FIG. 4, reception preparation completion data (Set Mode Res), print data (Send Data) and reception completion data (Get Status)
Are selectively performed. In the above embodiment, it is determined whether print data identical or similar to the print data relating to the current print request has already been spooled based on the data specifying information constituting the print request data. However, the determination can be made based on the contents of the print data or data representing the characteristics of the print data. It is possible to accurately determine the identity of print data by determining whether print data identical or similar to the print data relating to the current print request has already been spooled based on the contents of the print data. Can be. In this case, the print server 3 performs the determination process after completing the reception of the print data transmitted from the terminal device 2. In addition, by determining whether print data identical or similar to the print data related to the current print request has already been spooled based on data representing the characteristics of the print data, the amount of data to be compared in the determination processing is reduced. Thus, the determination process is simplified. In this case, the data representing the characteristics of the print data is, for example, a checksum which is an integrated value of block data added for each fixed block for error detection at the time of data transfer, or each page. , A character type statistic, which is an integrated value of the number of characters for each character type, can be used. Further, the appearance frequency for each character code may be used. On the other hand, as described in the above embodiment, it is determined whether print data identical or similar to the print data relating to the current print request has already been spooled, by specifying the data constituting the print request data. When the discrimination is performed based on the information, since the discrimination result can be obtained before the transmission / reception of the print data, when the same or similar print data is already spooled, the discrimination according to the processing method specified by the user is performed. Thus, the transmission and reception of the print data at this time can be omitted, and the data transmission and reception in the information processing system 1 can be facilitated. Prior to the process of determining whether print data identical or similar to the print data relating to the current print request has already been spooled, the user name and terminal identifier of the print data relating to the current print request are determined. May be compared with the user name and the terminal identifier of the spooled print data, and the same or similar determination processing may be executed only for the print data having the same user name and terminal identifier. As a result, the frequency at which the determination process is executed can be reduced to reduce the frequency of interruption of the print process being executed, and the same or similar print data is already spooled for different terminal devices 2 or different users. It is possible to prevent the result of the determination indicating that the message has been transmitted from being transmitted. Further, in the processing method designation processing (s4) in the terminal device 2, it is conceivable that a processing method that can be designated by the user is displayed on the terminal device 2 and a selection operation of the processing method by the user is accepted. The processing methods that can be specified include, for example, 1) processing for printing both print data relating to the current print request and print data that has already been spooled, and 2) processing for printing only print data that has already been spooled. 3) a process of changing the print conditions such as the number of copies of the print data already spooled for printing; 4) a process of printing only the print data relating to the current print request;
5) a process of printing the spooled print data and the print data according to the current print request for a different portion; 6) a process of printing the spooled print data according to the current print request. For example, a process of stopping both prints may be considered. If the same print data as the print data relating to the current print request has already been spooled, a selection screen shown in FIG. If print data similar to the print data has already been spooled, a selection screen shown in FIG. 11B can be displayed on the display of the terminal device 2. As a result, the work of designating the processing method by the user can be simplified. In this case, when a predetermined time elapses without the user designating a processing method, one of the preset processing methods is automatically selected, and the user is placed near the terminal device 1. In the case where there is no, for example, the work of designating the processing method becomes longer, so that the interruption of the print data transmission process from the print queue 31 to the printer 4 (s22) can be prevented from continuing for a long time. [0040] [Effect of the Invention] According to the invention described in claim 1, according to the processing method of the print data specified in the selection択的, print data in the print data according to the current print request has already been spooled By printing only a portion different from the above, even when a print request for print data similar to print data for which a print request has already been output is output, only printing in a print state desired by the user is executed without waste. Can be .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information processing system to which a print data control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a terminal device included in the information processing system. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing procedure of the printer server. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a protocol for data transmission / reception processing between a terminal device and a print server. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of print request data transmitted from a terminal device to a print server. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating contents of determination data transmitted from the print server to the terminal device. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating contents of processing data transmitted from the terminal device to the print server. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing contents of reception preparation completion data transmitted from the print server to the terminal device. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of print data transmitted from the terminal device to the print server. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing contents of reception completion data transmitted from the print server to the terminal device. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing display contents of a selection screen of a processing method on a display of the terminal device. [Description of Signs] 1-Information processing system 2-Terminal device 3-Print server 4-Printer 31-Print queue

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] [Claim 1] A file server indicating the size of a file of print data relating to a print request output from a terminal device.
Size and the user name of the user who has output the print request.
Print request data and the print request data
Print data is spooled in the print queue, and the print data is supplied from the print queue to the printer for printing.
In the print data control method for executing the work, the print data related to the current print request based on the comparison of the file size and the print request related to the previous print request.
And the user name of the user who output the current print request,
User who output the previous and previous print requests
Based on the comparison result of the names, the print data related to the current print request is
Previous spool that is already spooled to the print queue.
Extract the parts that are different from the
And a print data control method for performing a print operation .