JP3627371B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly to a printing system that performs printing via a network .
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, when printing information such as character data such as documents and graphics and graphic data is reprinted by a printer using a personal computer or the like, it is necessary to retransmit the print instruction information and the print information.
[0003]
It is very inconvenient for the user to retransmit both the print instruction information and the print information every time reprinting is performed.
For the purpose of such reprinting control, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-190454, there is a method of storing printing information and reprinting the stored printing information by an appropriate operation. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional example as described above, there is a problem in that a correct reprint request cannot be made if the print instruction information is mistaken for the first time.
[0005]
In addition, there is a problem that the print instruction information cannot be changed and reprinted with another print image.
Furthermore, it has not been possible to cope with a printer that exists remotely such as transmission of print information to another server or reception of print information from another server.
[0006]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a print system capable of transmitting print information to another server or receiving print information from another server. .
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, in a printing system that performs printing via a network, the spooler that stores print data, the print data, and the print data other than any server connected to the network. If a print client that transmits print instruction data for instructing the server to perform print control and the received print instruction data is instructed to print data by another server, the corresponding other server A first print server that transfers the print instruction data to the second print server, and a second that performs print control of the print data stored in the spooler based on the print instruction data transferred from the first print server. There is provided a print system comprising a print server.
[0009]
Here, the spooler stores print data. The print client transmits print data and print instruction data for instructing an arbitrary server connected to the network to perform print control on the other server. The first print server transfers the print instruction data to the other server if the received print instruction data instructs the print control of the print data by the other server. The second print server performs print control of the print data stored in the spooler based on the print instruction data transferred from the first print server.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a principle diagram of a print system. The print system is configured by a print client 200 and a print server 100 coupled to a network 400, and a printer 300 is connected to the print server 100.
[0011]
The print client 200 includes a print instruction data transmission unit 60 and a print data transmission unit 70.
The print server 100 includes a print instruction data and a received data analysis control unit 10 that receives and analyzes the print data, a print processing control unit 20 that executes print job processing, and a print instruction data storage unit that stores the print instruction data. 30, a print data storage unit 40 that stores print data, and a storage period monitoring control unit 50 that monitors and controls the storage period of print instruction data and print data.
[0012]
Next, the operation of the print system. The print instruction data transmission unit 60 and the print data transmission unit 70 transmit print instruction data or print data to the print server 100 after the user issues a print process.
[0013]
The print instruction data includes print instruction data attributes that are print instruction information such as Nup, double-sided / single-sided, and the number of copies, storage location data attributes that are storage location information for storing print data, and printing within the print server 100. The storage period specification data attribute for specifying the period for storing the instruction data and the print data, and the print instruction data and the print data are transmitted to the other device, or conversely, the print instruction data and the print data from the other device are transmitted. It includes a print request data attribute that is print request information that is received and processed, and a print job cancel data attribute that is print job cancel information for canceling a job.
[0014]
The print data includes print data attributes which are print information such as character data such as documents and graphics and graphic data.
Since the print instruction data and the print data are thus independent, the user can select one of the data transmissions. As a transmission method, for example, print data and print instruction data specifying a storage location and a storage period of the print data are first transmitted. If it is within the storage period, the print output method can be variously changed by only transmitting next the print instruction data having a desired print request attribute.
[0015]
The reception data analysis control unit 10 receives print instruction data and print data separately after receiving a print processing request from a user. Then, the reprint request or the change of the print instruction information is analyzed as the output of the print data from the attribute of the print instruction data.
[0016]
When the received print instruction data indicates a reprint request, the print processing control unit 20 reprints the print data stored in the print data storage unit based on the print instruction data stored in the print instruction data storage unit. Processed and received print instruction data indicates reprinting after changing the print instruction, the print data stored in the print data storage unit is changed to the print instruction data stored in the print instruction data storage means Reprint processing based on Then, job scheduling is performed in units of print control data, and job processing is performed according to this scheduling. The processed job is output to the printer 300. Details will be described later.
[0017]
The print instruction data storage unit 30 stores print instruction data, and the print data storage unit 40 stores print data.
The retention period monitoring unit 50 monitors the retention period of the print instruction data stored in the print instruction data storage unit 30 and the print data stored in the print data storage unit 40. During the storage period, the print instruction data and the print data are stored, and those past the storage period are deleted. The retention period is included in the print instruction data as a retention period designation data attribute.
[0018]
Next, the configuration and operation of the print system will be described in more detail. FIG. 2 is an overall block diagram including the main part of the printing system. However, the same parts as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and only differences are described.
[0019]
The print client 200 includes a print instruction data transmission unit 60 and a print data transmission unit 70. The print server 100 includes a print instruction data reception unit 11 that receives print instruction data, and a print data reception unit that receives print data. 12, print instruction data analyzing means 13 for analyzing the print instruction data, print request transmitting means 14 for transmitting the print instruction data and the print data to the designated other apparatus, and the print instruction data and the print data from the other apparatus Print request receiving unit 15 for receiving the print job, print job scheduling means 21 for scheduling the print job, print job processing means 22a to 22n for processing the print job, and print job output for outputting to the printers 300a to 300n Means 23a to 23n and a print job key for canceling the print job And Nseru processing unit 24, a print instruction data storage section 30, a print data storage unit 40, composed of a storage period monitoring control unit 50,.
[0020]
The print instruction data receiving unit 11 receives print instruction data, and the print data receiving unit 12 receives print data.
The print instruction data analyzing unit 13 analyzes whether the reprint request is made as the print output of the print data or the change of the print instruction information from the attribute of the print instruction data. That is, the reprint request and the change of the print instruction information are analyzed based on the print instruction data attributes such as Nup, double / single-sided, and the number of copies from the print instruction data attribute.
[0021]
In addition, the storage location of the print data on the network 400 is analyzed from the storage location data attribute, and how long the print data should be stored in the storage location is analyzed from the storage period designation data attribute. Further, it is analyzed whether the print data transmitted from the print request data attribute is a print request transmission to another server or a print request reception for receiving print control data from another server. Further, print data cancel information or storage period cancel information is analyzed from the print job cancel data attribute.
[0022]
The print request transmission unit 14 analyzes the print request data attribute of the print instruction data received by the print instruction data analysis unit 13 and determines that the processing is not the processing of the own device (own server). The data is transmitted to the designated other device (other server).
[0023]
When the print request receiving unit 15 analyzes the print request data attribute of the print instruction data received by the print instruction data analyzing unit 13 and determines that the print instruction data and the print data from another server are used, A file of print instruction data and print data is received from a file server, a spooler (not shown), or the like coupled to.
[0024]
The storage location of the file server, spooler, etc. is recognized from the storage location data attribute of the print instruction data.
The print job schedule unit 21 performs job scheduling using print control data as a job unit. Then, dedicated queues corresponding to the print job processing units 22a to 22n in the next stage are created, and the jobs are queued.
[0025]
In response to the processing request from the print job scheduling unit 21, the print job processing units 22a to 22n perform processing such as document format conversion, image processing, and notification. In order to perform such a plurality of processes, a plurality of print job processing means are configured.
[0026]
The print job output units 23a to 23n print the job output to the corresponding printers 300a to 300n. Or perform a redirect. Redirection refers to transferring a job to another print job processing unit when it cannot be processed by the print job processing unit.
[0027]
The print job cancel unit 24 cancels the job from the print job cancel data attribute set as the attribute of the print instruction data. By canceling this job, the storage period of the print data or the print instruction data is canceled.
[0028]
Next, when there is a print request from the print client, a processing procedure until printing is actually executed will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure when the same print data is output again.
[S1] The print client 200 transmits print control data to the print server 100.
[S2] The print server 100 executes print processing based on the received print control data, and causes the printer 300 to output the result.
[S3] When outputting the same print data again, the print client 200 transmits only the print instruction data indicating that fact.
[S4] The print server 100 outputs the print data output last time to the printer 300 again based on the received print instruction data.
[0029]
In the above example, the reprint request is made without changing the print output contents as the print instruction data. However, the print instruction information is changed such that the print instruction data in step S1 is double-sided and the print instruction data in step S2 is single-sided. It is also possible to do this.
[0030]
As described above, in the case of a reprint request for outputting the same print data again, or when changing the print instruction information and changing the print output method, only the print instruction data indicating that is displayed. Just send it. This saves the trouble of sending the print data again and shortens the data communication time.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure when print data spooled in another apparatus is output from a predetermined printer.
[S10] It is assumed that print data is taken out from the spooler 500 coupled on the network 400 and is output from the printer 301. In this case, the print client 200 transmits print instruction data in which the storage location information of the spooler 500 is written to the print server 101.
[S11] The print server 101 confirms the storage location information of the spooler 500 from the received print instruction data, takes out the print data from the spooler 500, and outputs it to the printer 301.
[S12] The print client 200 adds to the previously sent print instruction data the content that the printer 302 connected to the print server 102 is to output the print data, and sends it to the print server 101.
[S13] The print server 101 notifies the print server 102 of print instruction data.
[S14] The print server 102 causes the printer 302 to output the print data extracted from the spooler 500.
[0032]
As described above, when printing is output from another remote server coupled to the network, only print instruction data indicating that is transmitted. As a result, print output can be performed from another server that has not received print information directly.
[0033]
Conversely, when printing information is received from another remote server connected to the network and printed out from its own server, if only the print instruction data indicating that is sent and the same operation is performed, Good.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, when printing is output from another remote server coupled to the network, it is only necessary to transmit print instruction data indicating that fact, and convenience can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the print system.
FIG. 2 is an overall block diagram including a main part of the print system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure when outputting the same print data again.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure when print data spooled in another apparatus is output from a predetermined printer.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Received data analysis control part 20 Print processing control part 30 Print instruction data storage part 40 Print data storage part 50 Retention period monitoring control part 60 Print instruction data transmission part 70 Print data transmission part 100 Print server 200 Print client 300 Printer 400 Network

Claims (1)

In a printing system that prints over a network,
  A spooler for storing print data;
  A print client that transmits the print data and print instruction data for instructing an arbitrary server connected to the network to perform print control of the print data on another server;
  A first print server that transfers the print instruction data to the other server if the received print instruction data is instructed to print the print data by another server;
  A second print server that performs print control of print data stored in the spooler based on the print instruction data transferred from the first print server;
  A printing system comprising:

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