JP4232282B2 - Data output control system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data output control system, and more particularly to a data output control system that outputs data to a plurality of data output devices such as a copying machine, a fax machine, and a printer multifunction machine connected to a computer network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, in an environment where a plurality of computers used in one facility are connected to each other by a computer network, output devices such as copiers, fax machines, and printer multifunction devices are also connected to the computer network. Functions as a common output device shared by the computers connected to the computer network.
[0003]
In such a computer network environment, when a document is created on one computer and distributed by printing out with a printer or distributed outside a facility by a printer, the user has conventionally been in a series of the following: I was performing work. That is, when a user creates a document on his / her computer, he prints out a copy and checks it (trial output). As a result, if it is determined that the created document is the expected one and there is no problem, the required number of copies are printed out (production output). In addition, when it is necessary to distribute the created document outside the facility, it is transmitted by e-mail or fax (distribution).
[0004]
When performing a series of operations as described above, the user often uses different printers for the trial output and the actual output. That is, for trial output, a copy is printed out with a low-end printer located at or close to the user's own seat and checked, and for production output, for example, 3 with a high-end high-speed printer or color printer located far from the user's seat. When it is necessary to print out a copy and further distribute outside the facility, it is distributed to one or more people outside the facility by e-mail or fax.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the computer network environment as described above, when the created document is printed out or distributed to the outside, the user performs each step of trial output, production output, and distribution of the created document outside the facility. The output devices connected to the computer network have to be reselected one by one, and there has been a problem that the data output operation takes time and is inefficient.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a data output control system that reduces the burden of selecting a user's output device required at the output stage of the created data and increases the efficiency of the data output work.
[0007]
[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a data output control system having a plurality of data output means connected to a computer network,
Data output destination setting means for presetting a first data output destination and a second data output destination from the plurality of data output means;
Data output destination storage means for storing the setting contents of the data output destination setting means;
Data output that outputs data to the first data output destination upon receiving a data output instruction, then temporarily stops data output, and then receives data output instruction again to output data to the second data output destination A prior control means ,
The data output destination storage means stores a plurality of sets of the first data output destination and the second data output destination, and selects one of the plurality of sets of data output destinations. It is characterized by providing .
[0008]
When receiving the data output instruction, the data output destination control means outputs data to the first data output destination set by the data output destination setting means according to the setting contents stored in the data output destination storage means, Stop data output temporarily. When receiving the data output instruction again, the data output destination control means outputs data to the second data output destination set by the data output destination setting means in accordance with the setting contents stored in the data output destination storage means. . Thereby, the selection of the output means accompanying the data output operation is automated, and the burden of the data output operation is reduced. The user can select a desired first data output destination and second data output destination from the set of the first data output destination and the second data output destination stored in the data output destination storage means. The previous set can be selected and the most convenient output means can be selected.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the data output control system according to the first aspect, the setting relating to the second data output destination can be performed when the data output is temporarily stopped.
[0010]
When the output destination previously set as the second data output destination is used by another computer, the data output is temporarily stopped after the data is output to the first data output destination. A second data output destination can be set. This saves the waiting time for data output to the second data output destination.
[0013]
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the data output control system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the data output destination setting means is the same as the first data output destination and the second data output destination. The data output means can be set.
[0014]
By setting the same data output means, the user can output data using the same convenient data output means.
[0015]
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 4 is the data output control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the data output destination setting means includes a plurality of data output means as a second data output destination. It can be set.
[0016]
A plurality of data output means can be set as the second data output destination. When the user selects and sets these data output means, the data is output from the data output means previously selected by the user on the computer network. It can be taken out.
[0017]
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 5 is the data output control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the data output destination control means performs the subsequent data output when the data output is temporarily stopped. The output operation can be canceled.
[0018]
When the data output is temporarily stopped and the user does not desire the subsequent data output for convenience, the subsequent data output operation can be canceled to eliminate unnecessary data output.
[0019]
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 6 is the data output control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the data output destination control means outputs data when the data output is temporarily stopped. It is possible to correct this.
[0020]
When the user needs to correct data when the data output is temporarily stopped, the data to be output can be corrected and desired data can be output.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of a data output control system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0022]
(1) Network Environment FIG. 1 shows an example of a network environment in which the data output control system according to the present invention operates. In the network environment, a plurality of computers PC1, PC2,... Used in one facility are connected to each other by a computer network 1, and output devices PT1, PT2,. Yes. The output device PT1 is, for example, a low-end printer installed at the user's own seat. On the other hand, the output device PT2 is a high-end printer installed at a location away from the user's seat. The computer network 1 is also connected to an output device PT3 such as a fax machine outside the facility, a computer outside the facility (not shown), and the like through a communication line 2 such as a public telephone line. The output devices PT1, PT2,... Function as common output devices shared by the computers PC1, PC2,.
[0023]
(2) System Configuration FIG. 2 shows the system configuration of the data output control system operating in the network environment. The data output control system includes a computer PC1 and output devices PT1, PT2 and PT3. The output device PT1 is the low-end printer described in FIG. 1, the output device PT2 is a high-end printer, and the output device PT3 is a fax machine. The computer PC1 and the output devices PT1 to PT3 are connected to each other through the network 1 in FIG.
[0024]
The computer PC1 includes a central processing unit 11, a main storage device 12, an input device 13, and a display device 14. The central processing unit 11 executes programs of various application software including data output control software on basic software called an operating system that controls the entire system stored in the main storage device 12. When outputting data, the data is output to the output device designated by the user using the input device 13 among the output devices PT1 to PT3.
[0025]
The main memory 12 stores various application software including the basic software and data output control software related to the present invention. The main storage device 12 also stores information necessary for the central processing unit 11 to perform information processing, for example, various output device information respectively corresponding to the output devices PT1 to PT3, and can be retrieved as necessary. It has become. In addition, information input by the user from the input device 13 is stored as registration information, and can be retrieved as necessary.
[0026]
The display device 14 is composed of a CRT display or LCD (liquid crystal display), and displays information processed by the central processing unit 11 as graphics, characters, or the like. The input device 13 includes a keyboard and a mouse. The user inputs various commands and commands to the central processing unit 11 through the input device 13.
[0027]
(3) Control Flow A data output control flow by the data output control software of the data output control system described with reference to FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, the data output control software is present in a launcher format 22 on the computer operating software desktop, and in normal use, the basic operation is a drag-and-drag operation with a mouse. Use an and drop.
[0028]
<Main routine>
A main flow of the data output control flow by the data output control software is shown in FIG. When the data output control software stored in the main storage device 12 (see FIG. 2) is activated and the main flow in FIG. 3 is started, it is determined whether or not the output destination has been registered (step S1). If it is determined that the output destination has been registered (Yes in step S1), the image shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display screen of the display device 14 (step S2), and input is waited for (step S3). If it is determined in step S1 that the output destination has not been registered (No in step S1), a new registration routine (step S5) described later is executed.
[0029]
The display screen of FIG. 8 includes a list box 21, a test output instruction icon 23, a production output instruction icon 24, a distribution instruction icon 25, a status display unit 26, an output device selection button 27, a new registration button 28, and a registration edit. A button 29 and an administrator mode button 30 are displayed. When the icon of the created document file is dragged and dropped on any of the icons 23 to 25 on the display screen in FIG. 8 on the display screen, the output routine (step S4) shown in FIG. 4 is executed. At this time, the processing in the output routine differs depending on which of the icons 23 to 25 the icon of the document file is dropped. Further, when there is a click input to the new registration button 28 and registration edit button 29 with the mouse (Yes in step S3), the new registration routine (step S5) shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. Any one of the registration edit routines (step S6) can be executed.
[0030]
In addition, when the button 21a of the list box 21 is clicked on the display screen displayed in FIG. 8, it is possible to switch which registered content is registered in advance. The registration contents used last time are selected. When the output device selection button 27 is clicked, an arbitrary output device can be selected and data can be output as in the conventional case.
[0031]
When the execution of the output routine (step S4) ends, the data output control software ends. When the new registration (step S5) and registration editing (step 6) have been completed, the process returns to step S2 again, and the screen of FIG.
[0032]
<Output routine>
In the output routine of FIG. 4, first, the registered content selected by the list box 21 of FIG. 8 is read (step S11). Then, it is determined whether the icon of the created document file has been dropped to the trial output instruction icon 23, the production output instruction icon 24, or the distribution instruction icon 25 (step S12), and the icon of the icon to which the document file has been dropped is determined. Depending on the type, one of “trial output”, “production output”, and “delivery output” is executed.
[0033]
(Trial output)
When the icon of the document file is dropped on the trial output instruction icon 23, as shown in FIG. 9, the display screen of the display device 14 has a window screen 32 on the launcher screen 22 displayed in FIG. It is displayed (step S13) and waits for input (step S14). At this time, the status of the output device set as the “trial output” destination is graphically displayed on the status display unit 26 by icons.
[0034]
In the window screen 32 displayed in FIG. 9, a copy number field 31, a numeric keypad TK for designating the number of copies for trial output, a setting content change button 33, a cancel button 34, a start button 36, and a stop button 37 are displayed. The user uses these buttons to start and stop necessary settings and trial output, respectively.
[0035]
When the user clicks the start button 36 while waiting for input (No in step S14) (Yes in step S14), the data of the document created by the computer PC1 is output to the output device PT1 for trial output (step S15). ), Printout is performed. When the user changes the output destination by looking at the status of the output device displayed on the status display unit 26 while waiting for the input, the user clicks the setting content change button 33. Thereby, the registration edit routine S6 described in FIG. 6 is executed, and the output device is changed. When the user clicks the cancel button 34 while waiting for the input, the output routine ends.
[0036]
(Production output)
Document data created by the computer PC1 is output to the output device PT1 for trial output (step S15), and when the test output printout is completed, as shown in FIG. The window screen 35 is displayed on the launcher screen 22 displayed in (Step S17), and input is waited for (Step S18). At this time, the status of the output device PT2 set as the “production output” destination is graphically displayed on the status display unit 26.
[0037]
If an error is found in the above “trial output”, clicking “document correction” starts up the application software for creating the document that created the document, and the document can be corrected (step). S16). At this time, when the corrected document is stored and the application software for creating the document is terminated, the display screen of FIG. 10 is displayed again.
[0038]
Also on the window screen 35 displayed in FIG. 10, a copy number field 31, a numeric keypad TK for designating the number of copies for trial output, a setting content change button 33, a cancel button 34, a start button 36, and a stop button 37 are displayed. The user uses these buttons to make necessary settings and start / stop production output. When the user clicks the start button 36 while waiting for input (No in step S18) (Yes in step S18), the document data created by the computer PC1 is output to the output device PT2 for actual output (step S19). ), Printout is performed. When the user changes the output destination by looking at the status of the output device displayed on the status display unit 26 while waiting for input (No in step S18), the user clicks the setting content change button 33. Thereby, the registration edit routine S6 described in FIG. 6 is executed, and the output device is changed. When the user clicks the cancel button 34 while waiting for the input, the output routine ends.
[0039]
(Delivery output)
Document data created by the computer PC1 is output to the output device PT1 for trial output (step S19), and when the actual output printout is completed, the launcher display 22 shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display screen of the display device 14. A distribution window screen (not shown) is displayed on the top (step S20), and input is waited (No in step S21). Even when an error is found in the above “delivery output”, the user clicks “document correction”. As a result, the document creation application software for creating the document is started, and the document can be corrected (step S23). When the corrected document is saved and the application software for creating the document is terminated, the distribution window screen is displayed again.
[0040]
A setting content change button, a cancel button, a start button, and a stop button are displayed on the window window for distribution. The user clicks these buttons to make necessary settings and start / stop distribution output. When the user clicks the start button while waiting for input (No in step S21) (Yes in step S21), the document data created by the computer PC1 is output to the output device PT3 for distribution output (step S22). ). If the user clicks the cancel button while waiting for input (No in step S21), the output routine ends.
[0041]
In this way, by registering the data output procedure to the output devices PT1, PT2,..., “Trial output”, “production output”, “ Distribution "is executed. This eliminates the need for trial output destination selection, production output destination setting, and delivery setting operations at each stage of “trial output”, “production output”, and “distribution” of document output work. Therefore, the work procedure required for outputting, checking, correcting, and distributing the document created by the user is simplified, and the burden of the user's output operation is greatly reduced.
[0042]
<New registration routine>
The new registration routine (step S5) shown in FIG. 5 is performed when the data output destination from the computer PC1 has not been registered when the main routine described with reference to FIG. This is executed when the button 28 is clicked. When the new registration routine of FIG. 5 starts, windows 41 to 44 shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 can be switched and displayed on the display screen of the display device 14 of the computer PC1. The user inputs a registration task, a “trial output” destination, a “production output” destination, a “distribution” destination, and a “registered name” while switching the tags 45 of the displayed windows 41 to 44.
[0043]
When the user clicks the OK button 46 (Yes in step S32), the setting item is stored in correspondence with the registered name (step S33), and the process returns. The user can perform new registration until the cancel button 47 is clicked (No in step S34). When the cancel button 47 is clicked (Yes in step S34), the new registration routine ends.
[0044]
<Registration edit routine>
The registration editing routine (step S6) shown in FIG. 6 is performed when the main routine described in FIG. 3 is started, when the output destination of data from the computer PC1 has not been registered, or in the registration editing button 29 in FIG. Executed when is clicked. When the registration editing routine of FIG. 6 starts, the windows shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 can be switched and displayed on the display screen of the display device 14 of the computer PT1. The user inputs a registration task, a “trial output” destination, a “production output” destination, a “distribution” destination, and a “registered name” while switching the tags 45 of the displayed windows 41 to 44.
[0045]
When the OK button 46 is clicked by the user (Yes in step S42), the setting item is stored corresponding to the registered name (step S43), and the process returns. The user can register until the cancel button 47 is clicked (No in step S44).
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when the data output instruction is received, the data output destination control means outputs the data to the data output destination according to the setting contents stored in the data output destination storage means. There is no need to select an output means for the work, the burden of the data output work is reduced, and the usability is greatly improved.
[0047]
In addition, according to the present invention, after outputting data to the first data output destination, the second data output destination can be set again when the data output is temporarily stopped. When the output destination previously set as the destination is being used by another computer, the second data output destination can be set again, and waiting for data output to the second data output destination. Time can be saved, and data output work at the time of actual output can be greatly improved.
[0048]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, a desired set can be selected from a plurality of sets of data output destinations stored in the data output destination storage means, so that the user can select the most convenient output means. By selecting, it is possible to select a data output device that matches the purpose and efficiently obtain a desired output result.
[0049]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the same data output means can be set as the first data output destination and the second data output destination, the user can use the same convenient data output means for data Output can be performed, data output work can be performed without moving the data output destination, and data output work can be made more efficient.
[0050]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, if a plurality of data output means are selected and set as the second data output destination, data can be extracted from the data output means previously selected by the user on the computer network. , Document distribution efforts can be reduced.
[0051]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the data output is temporarily stopped, if the user does not desire the subsequent data output for convenience, the subsequent data output operation can be canceled, so that unnecessary data output is eliminated. And waste of paper and the like can be eliminated.
[0052]
Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the user needs to correct the data when the data output is temporarily stopped, the data to be output can be corrected and the desired data can be output. It can be done efficiently.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a network environment in which a data output control system according to the present invention operates.
FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of a data output control system according to the present invention.
3 is a flow of a main routine of the data output control system of FIG.
4 is a flow of a data output routine of the data output control system of FIG.
5 is a flow of a new registration routine of the data output control system of FIG.
6 is a flowchart of a registration edit routine of the data output control system of FIG. is there.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a launcher display screen.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of a basic screen.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a trial output window screen;
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a window screen for actual output.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen display example of a registration task in a registration step.
FIG. 12 is a screen display example of trial output registration in a registration step.
FIG. 13 is a screen display example of actual output registration in a registration step.
FIG. 14 is a screen display example of distribution output registration in the registration step.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Computer Network 11 Central Processing Unit 12 Main Storage Device 13 Input Device 14 Display Device 21 List Box 23 Trial Output Instruction Icon 24 Production Output Instruction Icon 25 Distribution Instruction Icon 26 Status Display Unit 27 Output Device Selection Button 28 New Registration Button 29 Registration edit button PT1 to PT3 Output device PC1, PC2 PC

Claims (6)

A data output control system having a plurality of data output means connected to a computer network,
Data output destination setting means for presetting a first data output destination and a second data output destination from the plurality of data output means;
Data output destination storage means for storing the setting contents of the data output destination setting means;
Data output that outputs data to the first data output destination upon receiving a data output instruction, then temporarily stops data output, and then receives data output instruction again to output data to the second data output destination and a previous control unit,
The data output destination storage means stores a plurality of sets of the first data output destination and the second data output destination, and selects one of the plurality of sets of data output destinations. data output control system comprising: a.   The data output control system according to claim 1, wherein when the data output is temporarily stopped, a setting relating to the second data output destination can be made. 3. The data output control system according to claim 1, wherein the data output destination setting means can set the same data output means as the first data output destination and the second data output destination. . The data output control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data output destination setting means can set a plurality of data output means as the second data output destination . 5. The data output control system according to claim 1, wherein the data output destination control means is capable of canceling a subsequent data output operation when the data output is temporarily stopped. . The data output control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the data output destination control means is capable of correcting data to be output when the data output is temporarily stopped .

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