JP4254552B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program, and in particular, an image processing apparatus and image processing for preferentially performing a specific print job among print jobs received from an external apparatus. The present invention relates to a method and an image processing program.

  There is provided an image processing system that reduces time required for printing by performing distributed processing of image processing such as rasterization using a plurality of image processing apparatuses when printing a plurality of copies (see Patent Document 1). . In the above-described image processing system, the client device divides and transmits a print job for each device assigned to each image processing device detected as being capable of image processing, and the image processing is performed in each device. Collecting data can increase the operating rate of printing.

However, in the above-described image processing system, when a print job is instructed by the client device and there is a print job that is being distributed in each image processing device, any one of the image processing devices can process the print job. Until the print job is completed, the print job instructed by the client apparatus is awaiting processing. For this reason, particularly when the print job being subjected to distributed processing has an enormous amount of data, there is a risk that not only will the user be stressed by waiting for print job processing, but processing of a print job with high priority may be delayed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-40041

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to prevent a delay in processing a print job and reduce user stress due to processing waiting, and an operating rate by distributed processing. It is an object to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program that can ensure improvement of the above.

  The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.

  (1) In an image processing apparatus, a receiving unit that receives a print job from an external apparatus, a transfer unit that transfers the received print job to another image processing apparatus, and the received print job is transferred from another image processing apparatus First determination means for determining whether the print job is processed, second determination means for determining whether the print job being processed is transferred from another image processing apparatus, and reception If the received print job is not transferred from another image processing device and the print job being processed is transferred from another image processing device, the print job being processed is canceled and received An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for processing a job.

  (2) The image processing apparatus further includes a dividing unit that divides a print job received from an external apparatus, and the transfer unit transfers the divided print job to a plurality of other image processing apparatuses. An image processing apparatus according to 1.

  (3) The image processing apparatus according to (1), further including a search unit that searches for another image processing apparatus capable of transferring a print job.

  (4) When a print job transferred from another image processing apparatus is received, a predetermined process is performed on the print job received from the other image processing apparatus, and then the predetermined job process is performed to the other image processing apparatus as a transfer source. The image processing apparatus according to (1), wherein the print job after the process is returned.

  (5) The image processing apparatus according to (4), wherein the predetermined process is rasterization.

  (6) The image processing apparatus according to (1), wherein the canceled print job is returned to another image processing apparatus that is a transfer source.

  (7) The image processing apparatus according to (1), further including an output unit that outputs an image based on a print job returned from the other image processing apparatus after being transferred to the other image processing apparatus.

  (8) Third determination means for determining whether the print job returned from the other image processing apparatus after being transferred to the other image processing apparatus is subjected to predetermined processing in the other image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus according to (7), further comprising:

  (9) The image processing apparatus according to (2), further comprising a combining unit that combines a plurality of print jobs returned from the other image processing apparatus after being transferred to the other image processing apparatus.

  (10) The division unit divides a print job for assigning a data size corresponding to a processing speed of the image processing apparatus to each of a plurality of other image processing apparatuses (2). An image processing apparatus according to 1.

  (11) An image processing method used in an image processing apparatus, a reception step of receiving a print job from an external apparatus, and whether or not the received print job is transferred from another image processing apparatus A first determination step for determining whether or not the print job being processed has been transferred from another image processing apparatus, and the received print job for other image processing If the print job being processed is not transferred from the device, but transferred from another image processing device, the control step for stopping the processing of the print job being processed and processing the received print job includes: An image processing method comprising:

  (12) An image processing program for controlling an image processing apparatus, a reception procedure for receiving a print job from an external apparatus, and whether or not the received print job is transferred from another image processing apparatus A first determination procedure for determining whether or not a print job being processed is transferred from another image processing device, and a second determination procedure for determining whether or not the received print job is another image. A control procedure for canceling processing of a print job being processed and processing the received print job when the print job being processed is not transferred from the processing device but transferred from another image processing device; An image processing program for causing an image processing apparatus to execute the above.

  (13) A computer-readable recording medium on which the image processing program according to (12) is recorded.

  According to the present invention, in an image processing system in which predetermined processing is distributed using a plurality of image processing devices, each image processing device processes a print job transferred from another image processing device for distributed processing. If a print job is received from an external device other than another image processing device, the processing of the print job transferred from the other image processing device is stopped, and the processing of the print job received from the external device is stopped. It can be carried out. As a result, a print job received from an external apparatus other than another image processing apparatus is executed without waiting for processing by a print job transferred from another image processing apparatus for distributed processing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent delay in processing of a print job and reduce user stress due to waiting for processing, and to ensure improvement in the operation rate of the image processing apparatus by distributed processing, thereby realizing high productivity.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image processing system to which a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, an image processing system (hereinafter also simply referred to as “system”) according to the present embodiment includes a client PC (client personal computer) 10 and printers 21 to 24 as a plurality of image processing apparatuses. These are connected to each other via a network 30 so that they can communicate with each other. The network 30 includes a LAN in which computers and network devices are connected according to standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), token ring, and FDDI, or a WAN in which LANs are connected by a dedicated line.

  Based on various data such as document data created by various application software, form data from routine business systems, or image data created by image processing software, etc., by a printer driver installed on the client PC 10 Created. A print job created by the client PC 10 is transmitted to, for example, one of the printers 21 to 24 via the network 30.

  Here, the distributed processing in the image processing system of the present embodiment is that the printers 21 to 24 share a print job created by the client PC and perform predetermined processing such as rasterization. For this purpose, the client PC 10 designates one of the printers 21 to 24 and transmits a print job, and the printer that receives the print job shares predetermined processing such as rasterization with other printers. Therefore, a part of the received print job is transferred to another printer. Therefore, there are two types of print jobs received by each printer: one sent from the client PC 10 and one sent from another printer. Hereinafter, a printer that receives a print job from the client PC 10 and transfers the print job to another printer is referred to as a master printer, and a printer that receives a print job from the master printer is referred to as a slave printer. In addition, processing such as transfer to a slave printer performed by the master printer for a print job received from the client PC 10 is called master processing, and processing such as rasterization performed by the slave printer for a print job received from the master printer is performed by the slave. This is called processing. In addition, receiving a print job means receiving print data relating to the print job. The print data includes print instruction data including information such as a network address of the transmission source of the print job, rasterization, and the like. Print image data that enables printout of an image by performing the image processing. Further, receiving the print instruction data means that a print job is instructed from the client PC 10 or the master printer to the printer.

  Next, the configuration of each of the above devices will be described. However, each of the above devices may include components other than the components described below, or some of the components described below may not be included. Also good.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the printer 21 in the present embodiment. The printers 22 to 24 have the same configuration as the printer 21 and will not be described. As shown in the figure, the printer 21 includes a CPU 201, ROM 202, RAM 203, hard disk 204, operation panel unit 205, printing unit 206, network interface 207, and communication unit 208, which are a bus 209 for exchanging signals. Are connected to each other. The operation panel unit 205 includes a touch panel, a fixed key outside the touch panel, a display lamp, and the like, and is used for performing various inputs and displays. The printing unit 206 performs printing based on the print job.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the printing unit 206. As shown in FIG. 3, the printing unit 206 performs a high-voltage control such as a scanner control unit 211 that controls rotation of the polygon mirror, and charging of the photosensitive drum, development bias, and transfer bias voltage application to the transfer roller. A high-pressure control unit 212 that performs the control, a laser control unit 213 that performs modulation control of the laser beam, and a conveyance control unit 214 that performs conveyance control of a recording material such as paper.

  Next, processing performed in the printer 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 11 are stored as a control program in the ROM 202 or the hard disk 204 of the printer 21 and executed by the CPU 201. Also, the printers 22 to 24 store and execute the program as with the printer 21.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed in the printer 21. First, print instruction data is received from either the client PC 10 or any of the printers 22 to 24 that are master printers (S401). After receiving the print instruction data, the print instruction is weighted (S402). Weighting processing creates a print instruction value for identifying whether or not a print job instruction source is a master printer based on information such as a network address included in the print instruction data, and creates the print instruction value Is stored in association with the received print instruction data.

  This weighting process will be described with reference to FIG. First, based on the received print instruction data, it is determined whether or not the print job is instructed from another printer as a master printer (S501). In the present embodiment, when the print job is not instructed from another printer, the print job is instructed from the client PC 10. If the received print job is instructed from the client PC 10, the weighting factor 1 is assigned (S502), and if it is instructed from the master printer, the weighting factor 0 is assigned (S503). Then, the weighting coefficient is stored as a print instruction value on a storage device such as the RAM 203 so as to correspond to the received print instruction data (S504). Even during image processing such as rasterization, it is possible to determine whether the transmission source of the print image data being processed is the client PC 10 or the master printer by reading this print instruction value.

  Following the weighting process, it is determined whether the print image data of the previously received print job is being processed such as rasterization (S403). If there is no print image data being processed in the printer 21 (S403: NO), the process proceeds to step S407.

  Here, in the prior art, when the client PC 10 issues a print job instruction and there is a print job that is being distributed in each printer, the client PC 10 waits until one of the printers completes the print job processing. A print job instructed by the PC 10 waits for processing. In order to solve this problem, the printer in the present embodiment processes the print job instructed from the client PC 10 for the master processing in preference to the print job instructed from the master printer for the slave processing. That is, when a print job received from the master printer is in slave processing and a new print job instruction is received from the client PC 10 for master processing, the printer stops slave processing from the master printer. Instead, the processing of the print job instructed from the client PC 10 is started.

  In step S403, if the print image data previously received by the printer 21 exists and the data is being processed, the print instruction value corresponding to the print image data being processed stored in the RAM 203; The print instruction value corresponding to the print instruction data of the newly received print job is compared (S404). When the print instruction value corresponding to the newly received print instruction data is larger than the print instruction value corresponding to the print image data being processed (S404: YES), that is, the print image data being processed is the master If the printer is instructed to perform slave processing (print instruction value = 0) and the newly received print instruction data is received from the client PC 10 (print instruction value = 1), the print image data The slave processing is stopped, and the print image data whose processing has been stopped is divided into rasterized data and rasterized unprocessed data (S405).

  The print image data dividing process in step S405 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 6, first, rasterization up to a page in the middle of processing is terminated (S601). Here, as shown in FIG. 7, tags <200> </ 200> are assigned before and after the print image data received by the printer 21. In the illustrated example, the master printer is the printer 22. This tag is a tag given before and after each divided data when the printer 22 divides the print image data into data handled by the printer and each slave printer so that each slave printer performs slave processing. That is, the divided data with the <200> </ 200> tag attached to the front and rear is transmitted from the printer 22 to the printer 21 as data for the printer 21.

  After the rasterization is completed in step S601, tags indicating processed and unprocessed are attached before and after the rasterized data and before and after the rasterized unprocessed data (S602 and S603). FIG. 8 shows print image data corresponding to the printer 21 assigned with tags indicating processed and unprocessed. As shown in the figure, tags <210> </ 210> are newly added before and after processed data, and tags <201> </ 201> are newly added before and after unprocessed data. Subsequently, the print image data divided into the processed tagged data and the unprocessed tagged data as described above is stored on the RAM 203 or the hard disk 204 (S604), and the print image data to which the tag is attached is stored. Is sent to the master printer (S605).

  After transmitting the return notification, the process returns to the flowchart of FIG. 4 to return the print image data whose processing has been stopped to the master printer (S406). As will be described later, the master printer collects print image data sent back from the slave printer (printer 21) as needed, determines unprocessed data by a tag attached by the slave printer, and rasterizes the unprocessed data.

  Subsequently, the client PC 10 is notified that print image data of a new print job can be received (S407), and the print image data is received from the client PC 10 (S408). The received print image data is stored in association with the print instruction data to which the print instruction value is assigned.

  In step S402, whether the received print image data is received from the client PC 10 for master processing or received from the master printer for slave processing is stored in the RAM 203 or the hard disk 204. The print instruction value corresponding to the print image data is read and determined (S409). That is, if the print instruction value is 1 or more, it is determined that the print image data has been received from the client PC 10, and if it is less than 1, it has been received from the master printer. This determination is required because the print image data received in step S408 after passing through steps S404 to S406 is received from the client PC 10, but in step S403, the print image data being rasterized by the printer 21 is received. If there is no (S403: NO), the process immediately receives the print image data after step S403 (S403 → S407 → S408). That is, there are both the client PC 10 and the master printer as the transmission source of the print image data.

  If the print instruction value corresponding to the print image data received in step S409 is 1 or more (S409: NO), that is, if print image data is received from the client PC 10, the process proceeds to step S410, and the printer 21 Perform print output processing. This print output process will be described with reference to FIG. First, the printer 21 determines whether the print image data is more than a predetermined number of pages in order to determine whether other printers need to perform slave processing (S901). As for this determination condition, for example, a condition for asking the number of pages such as “whether the received print image data is 2 pages or more” or “is the number of pages more than 10 times the printing speed (ppm) of the printer 21”. If it is. If it is determined that there is no need to perform slave processing (S901: NO), that is, if it is determined that the number of pages of the received print image data is equal to or less than the predetermined number of pages, the printer 21 performs rasterization as it is, The printing unit 206 converts the data into print output data (S905), and prints the print output data on a recording material such as paper (S906).

  When it is determined that the received print image data is data of a predetermined number of pages or more and it is determined that slave processing is necessary (S901: YES), the printer 21 becomes a master printer and is capable of slave processing. Is detected, the print image data is divided for each page based on the detected printing speed ratio of each printer, and the divided data is transmitted to each detected printer (S902).

  The divided data transmission processing in step S902 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 10, first, in order to grasp the number of printers capable of slave processing, print instruction data is transmitted from the printer 21 which is a master printer to other printers in the system (S1001). After sending the print instruction data, the printer that has returned that print image data can be received is detected as a slave printer (S1002). Here, in the processing from the reception of the print instruction data to the reply in the slave printer, there is no data being processed when the print instruction data is received from the printer 21 (see S403), and the print image data can be received. The notification (see S407) is transmitted to the master printer (printer 21). Further, since another print job is being processed, a printer that cannot receive new print image data also sends a notification to the printer 21 that it cannot (see S414 described later). ).

  For example, when the printers 22 to 24 are detected as slave printers, the printer 21 creates a table for dividing and transmitting print image data to each printer (S1003). Here, a page is divided by a printing speed (unit: ppm) ratio which is the number of printed sheets per minute. FIG. 11 is an example of the created printer table. As shown in the figure, for example, the printer 21 receives print image data composed of 2000 pages from the client PC 10, the printing speed of the printer 21 is 20 ppm, the printing speeds of the printers 22 and 23 are 40 ppm, and the printing speed of the printer 24 is 100 ppm. In this case, as a result of the page division based on the printing speed ratio, the printer 21 processes 200 pages, the printers 22 and 23 process 400 pages, and the printer 24 processes 1000 pages. Based on the printer table, the print image data is divided for each slave printer (S1004). Subsequently, in the same manner as shown in FIG. 7 (unlike the figure, the master printer is the printer 21 in this case), tags are added before and after the divided data (S1005), and the respective tags are added. The divided data is transmitted to the slave printer in charge (S1006).

  Returning to FIG. 9, after transmitting the divided data to each slave printer, the printer 21 rasterizes the divided data for the master printer (S903). The divided data rasterized by the slave printer is collected from the slave printer and restored to print output data (S904), and the print output data is printed on a recording material such as paper. (S906). In step S904, the time when the divided data is collected from the slave printer is the time when the processing of the divided data handled by the slave printer is completed and returned to the master printer. In step S903, the completion of rasterization of the master printer is completed. There is no temporal context.

  The print output data restoration process in step S904 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the printer 21 which is the master printer receives the divided data return notification from the slave printer (S1201) and collects each divided data returned from the slave printer (S1202), the printer 21 collects all the collected data in the slave printer. It is determined whether or not the processing has been completed (S1203). The reason why unprocessed data is returned from the slave printer is that, similarly to the printer 21, the slave printer is given a function to give priority to the print job from the client PC 10 over the print job from the master printer. Because it is. In other words, when new print instruction data is received from the client PC 10 during the slave processing from the printer 21 that is the master printer, the printers 22 to 24 that are slave printers perform the slave processing from the printer 21. It stops and returns the data being processed to the printer 21. As shown in FIG. 8, the collected data including unprocessed data that has not been rasterized is assigned a processed tag and an unprocessed tag provided by the slave printer. Based on this tag, the printer 21 divides the collected data into processed data and unprocessed data (S1204), and rasterizes the unprocessed data (S1205). The processed data that has been rasterized in step S1205 and the processed data from the slave printer are combined to create divided processed data (S1206). Note that the processing from steps S1203 to S1206 described above is performed each time data is collected from each slave printer. Subsequently, in step S1203, after confirming that all the divided data collected from the slave printer has been processed (S1203: YES), the divided data collected from each slave printer and the divided data for the master printer are displayed. The data is restored to one print output data (S1207).

  Next, a case where the printer 21 is not in the process of rasterizing when new print instruction data is received in step S403 will be described. In step S409, when the print instruction value stored in step S402 is less than 1 (S409: YES), that is, from the printers 22 to 24 whose transmission source of the received print image data is the master printer If YES, the process moves to step S411, and processed data transmission processing is performed.

  The processed data transmission process in step S411 will be described with reference to FIG. The printer 21 rasterizes the received print image data (S1301), and returns the completed print image data to the transmission source master printer at the end of rasterization (S1302). Since this rasterization is a slave process received by the printer 21 from the master printer, the print image data to be returned is appended with a tag indicating that it is data in charge of the printer 21, and a print job is sent from the client PC 10. When the rasterization is terminated by instructing the above, a tag indicating division of processed data and unprocessed data is separately attached.

  Next, in step S404, if the print instruction value corresponding to the print image data being processed is greater than or equal to the print instruction value corresponding to the newly received print instruction data (S404: NO), the process proceeds to step S412. . That is, when the print image data being processed is received from the client PC 10 for master processing, and the newly received print instruction data is received from any of the printers 22 to 24 as the master printer for slave processing, Alternatively, the print image data being processed is received from the client PC 10 for master processing, and the newly transmitted print instruction data is also received from the client PC 10 for master processing, or The print image data is received from any of the printers 22 to 24 that are master printers for slave processing, and the newly transmitted print instruction data is also slaved from any of the printers 22 to 24 that are master printers. If it has been received for processing, step S To migrate to 12. In step S412, it is determined whether the print instruction value corresponding to the newly received print instruction data is 1. That is, it is determined whether the newly received print instruction data is received from the client PC 10 or received from any of the printers 22 to 24. When the print instruction value is 1 (S412: YES), that is, when the newly received print instruction data is received from the client PC 10, the process proceeds to step S413, and a master processable printer notification process is performed.

  The master processable printer notification process in step S413 will be described with reference to FIG. The printer 21 searches for a printer in the system other than the master process (S1401), notifies the client PC 10 that the printer 21 is in the master process (S1402), and detects the printer other than the master process detected in step S1401. Is notified (S1403). By this notification, the client PC 10 can transmit the print job to the printer other than the master process searched by the printer 21 for the master process.

  In step S412, if the print instruction value is not 1 (the print instruction value is 0) (S412: NO), that is, the newly received print instruction data is received from any of the printers 22 to 24 as the master printer. If it is, the printer 21 notifies the master printer, which is the transmission source of the print instruction data, that processing is already in progress (S414). In this case, the data being processed includes two types of data received from the client PC 10 and the master printer.

  From the above, in the image processing system that performs distributed processing of image processing such as rasterization using a plurality of printers, the printer of this embodiment performs processing of a print job transferred from another printer for slave processing. When a print job is received from the client PC, processing of the print job transferred from another printer is stopped, and processing of the print job received from the client PC is performed. As a result, the print job received from the client PC is executed without waiting for processing by the print job being processed by the slave. Therefore, it is possible to prevent delays in the processing of the print job and reduce user stress due to waiting for processing, and it is possible to secure improvement in the operating rate of the printer by distributed processing and achieve high productivity.

  Also, when processing a print job from a client PC, other printers that can be slave-processed are searched, and the print image data is divided and transmitted according to the processing speed of each searched printer. The processing time in the processing can be optimized.

  In addition, since a tag for distinguishing processed data and unprocessed data is added to the print image data of the print job for which slave processing has been canceled, the master printer to which the print image data has been returned is used as unprocessed data. Can be determined, and processing can be continued.

  Furthermore, when a new print job is received from the client PC for a new master process, the printer that is currently performing the master process searches for other printers that can be mastered and notifies the client PC of the searched printer. Therefore, the client PC can transmit a print job to a printer capable of master processing. Therefore, as long as there is a master processable printer, the print job from the client PC is not awaiting processing.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

  In the present embodiment, four printers are connected to the network, but the number is not limited to four, and any number may be connected. Instead of a printer, a facsimile machine, a copier, and a multifunction peripheral device (MFP: Multi-Function Peripheral) having a function of combining them, and a computer such as a server capable of controlling the printer are used. May be.

  The predetermined processing in the slave printer is not limited to rasterization. For example, the slave printer may print out the processed data, which has been rasterized, from the print image data received from the master printer, without returning it to the master printer. At this time, the slave printer divides the processed data and the unprocessed data and returns only the unprocessed data to the master printer in order to perform the print output process. In addition, in order for the user to be able to grasp from which printer the printed matter is output, the slave printer and the master printer indicate to each client that the print output is performed together with information such as the number of pages to be printed to the client PC. It is good to notify.

  In the present invention, the means for performing various processes in the printer as the image processing apparatus can be realized by either a dedicated hardware circuit or a programmed computer. The program may be provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a flexible disk or a CD-ROM, or may be provided online via a network such as the Internet. In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium is usually transferred to and stored in a storage device such as a hard disk. The program may be provided as a single application software, or may be incorporated into the software of the apparatus as a function of the image processing apparatus.

1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image processing system to which a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a printing part. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed in a printer. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the weighting process to a printing instruction. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process divided | segmented into processed data and unprocessed data. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a situation where a master printer divides print image data for each slave printer and assigns tags before and after the divided data. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a situation in which a slave printer divides print image data for charge into rasterized and unprocessed data and adds tags before and after the divided data. 6 is a flowchart for explaining print output processing; It is a flowchart for demonstrating a division | segmentation data transmission process. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printer table for dividing and transmitting print image data to a slave printer. 6 is a flowchart for explaining print output data restoration processing; It is a flowchart for demonstrating a processed data transmission process. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a master processable printer notification process.

Explanation of symbols

10 Client PC,
21-24 printer,
201 CPU,
202 ROM,
203 RAM,
204 hard disk,
205 operation panel section,
206 printing section,
207 network interface,
208 communications department,
209 Bus.

Claims (13)

In the image processing apparatus,
Receiving means for receiving a print job from an external device;
Transfer means for transferring the received print job to another image processing apparatus;
First judging means for judging whether or not the received print job is transferred from another image processing apparatus;
Second determination means for determining whether or not the print job being processed has been transferred from another image processing apparatus;
If the received print job was not transferred from another image processing device and the print job being processed was transferred from another image processing device, the print job being processed was canceled and received Control means for processing print jobs;
An image processing apparatus comprising: A dividing unit for dividing a print job received from an external device;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer unit transfers the divided print job to a plurality of other image processing apparatuses.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising search means for searching for another image processing apparatus capable of transferring a print job.   When a print job transferred from another image processing apparatus is received, a predetermined process is performed on the print job received from the other image processing apparatus, and then the predetermined process is performed on the other image processing apparatus as the transfer source. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print job is returned.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined process is rasterization.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the canceled print job is returned to another image processing apparatus that is a transfer source.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit configured to output an image based on a print job returned from the other image processing apparatus after being transferred to the other image processing apparatus.   Third transfer means for determining whether or not a print job returned from the other image processing apparatus after the transfer to the other image processing apparatus is subjected to predetermined processing in the other image processing apparatus is further provided. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a combining unit that combines a plurality of print jobs returned from the other image processing apparatus after being transferred to the other image processing apparatus.   The division unit according to claim 2, wherein the dividing unit divides a print job for assigning a data size corresponding to a processing speed of the image processing apparatus to each of a plurality of other image processing apparatuses. Image processing device. An image processing method used in an image processing apparatus,
A receiving step for receiving a print job from an external device;
A first determination step of determining whether or not the received print job is transferred from another image processing apparatus;
A second determination step of determining whether or not the print job being processed has been transferred from another image processing apparatus;
If the received print job was not transferred from another image processing device and the print job being processed was transferred from another image processing device, the print job being processed was canceled and received Control steps for processing print jobs;
An image processing method comprising: An image processing program for controlling an image processing apparatus,
A reception procedure for receiving a print job from an external device;
A first determination procedure for determining whether or not the received print job has been transferred from another image processing apparatus;
A second determination procedure for determining whether or not the print job being processed has been transferred from another image processing apparatus;
If the received print job was not transferred from another image processing device and the print job being processed was transferred from another image processing device, the print job being processed was canceled and received Control procedures for processing print jobs;
An image processing program for causing an image processing apparatus to execute the above.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the image processing program according to claim 12 is recorded.

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