JP4463638B2 - Output management method and output management system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an output control method and output management system for managing the output by the image forming apparatus based on the output instruction from the client terminal.

  In companies having a plurality of bases (branches), a network is provided for each base. When output is performed using an image forming apparatus at each site, the image forming apparatus in the network at that site is used. For this reason, when printing is performed using a computer terminal at each site, the printer driver of the image forming apparatus in the network at that site is installed, and setting registration related to the image forming apparatus is performed and installed at that site. The image forming apparatus is used.

  Therefore, when the user goes to another site on a business trip or the like, the electronic file stored in the computer terminal that is carried cannot be output using the image forming apparatus at the site of the business trip destination. For this reason, in order to perform output on a business trip destination, an output request is made from a computer terminal installed at a business trip destination base by sending an electronic file to an employee on a business trip by e-mail or via a recording medium. There was a need.

On the other hand, regarding printing, a system is disclosed in which desired print data is transmitted to a print server, print reservation is made, and print output is performed from an arbitrary printer (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this system, print data reserved for printing is recorded in a print server, and identification information is input from an input unit of the printer, whereby the print data is received from the print server and printed out.
JP 2001-249783 A (page 4-7)

  However, when outputting from the image forming apparatus at a business trip destination, it is complicated and inefficient to use a computer terminal installed at the base of the business trip destination. On the other hand, it is time consuming and troublesome to register printer information of the base in the computer terminal and to set the printer driver in the computer terminal.

  In addition, when recording desired print data in a print server as in the system described in Patent Document 1, it is sufficient to prepare a printer server accessible from each site. In this case, however, the communication load increases.

SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an output management method and an output management system for efficiently performing output by an image forming apparatus in a network environment in which computer terminals are connected. Is to provide

The present invention relates to a device information storage means for storing image forming device information configured to include data relating to details of a base of an image forming device that can be connected in association with an IP address and driver information, and a printer driver for the image forming device. An output management server having a printer driver storage means for storing the data, a DHCP server that automatically assigns an IP address to a client terminal connected to the network of the base, and a client terminal, an output instruction from the client terminal Manages the output by the image forming apparatus based on the above. Client terminal, when connected to a base network, to obtain the IP address assigned from the DHCP server, and notifies the IP address to the output management server. Based on the IP address notified from the client terminal, the output management server searches for the IP address of the information recorded in the apparatus information storage means , and the image forming apparatus information of the image forming apparatus at the same site as the client terminal When there are a plurality of image forming apparatuses at the same location, image forming apparatus information of the same group as the group specified by the IP address of the client terminal or a group closer to the group is determined in advance. by using the rule, and extracted sequentially, they are arranged in the extracted order to transmit the image forming apparatus information of the selected candidate to be displayed on the client terminal. The client terminal displays selection candidate image forming apparatus information, and transmits printer selection data including the IP address of the image forming apparatus selected from the selection candidates to the output management server. The output management server extracts a printer driver associated with the specified image forming apparatus information from the extracted image forming apparatus information from the printer driver storage unit, and transmits it to the client terminal . When the client terminal records the received printer driver, registers the output image forming apparatus, and issues an output instruction to the image forming apparatus, the printer driver is used. As a result, the output management server selects an image forming apparatus based on the IP address of the client terminal acquired by the client terminal, and outputs to the image forming apparatus. Can be provided to the client terminal. Then, the client terminal can install the provided printer driver, register the output image forming apparatus, and perform output on the selected image forming apparatus using the printer driver. Therefore, the output by the image forming apparatus can be performed efficiently in the network environment where the client terminal is connected.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the client terminal accepts a shutdown request of the client terminal, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the registration information of the output image forming apparatus are deleted. Thereby, when the client terminal is shut down, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the registration information of the output image forming apparatus can be deleted. Accordingly, unnecessary printer drivers and registration information of the output image forming apparatus can be prevented from being left in the client terminal.

  The present invention relates to an output management server including a device information storage unit that stores information about an image forming apparatus that can be connected in association with an IP address, a printer driver storage unit that stores a printer driver of the image forming apparatus, and a client The client terminal acquires an IP address using the terminal, notifies the output management server of this IP address, records the printer driver received from the output management server, and registers the output image forming apparatus. When the output instruction is issued to the registered image forming apparatus, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the output destination are used when the recorded printer driver is used and a shutdown request of the client terminal is received. The registration information of the image forming apparatus is deleted. As a result, the client terminal receives from the output management server provision of information relating to the printer driver and the output destination image forming apparatus for output by the image forming apparatus selected based on the acquired IP address of the client terminal. be able to. Then, the client terminal can install the provided printer driver, register the output image forming apparatus, and perform output on the selected image forming apparatus using the printer driver. When the client terminal is shut down, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the registration information of the output destination image forming apparatus can be deleted. Accordingly, in the network environment where the client terminal is connected, output by the image forming apparatus can be performed efficiently, and unnecessary registration information of the printer driver and output destination image forming apparatus is not left in the client terminal. be able to.

The present invention relates to an output management server including a device information storage unit that stores information about an image forming apparatus that can be connected in association with an IP address, a printer driver storage unit that stores a printer driver of the image forming apparatus, and a client And the output management server extracts image forming apparatus information from the apparatus information storage unit based on the IP address of the client terminal, transmits the extracted information to the client terminal, and the extracted image forming apparatus A printer driver associated with the image forming apparatus information specified from the information is extracted from the printer driver storage unit and transmitted to the client terminal. As a result, the output management server selects an image forming apparatus based on the IP address of the client terminal acquired by the client terminal, and sends the printer driver and setting information for output by the image forming apparatus to the client terminal. Can be provided. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently perform output by the image forming apparatus in a network environment where client terminals are connected.

  According to the present invention, output by an image forming apparatus can be performed efficiently in a network environment in which computer terminals are connected.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which an employee of a company having a plurality of bases (branches) performs output using an image forming apparatus installed at the base at a business trip destination. A network environment is assumed in which a network is constructed at each base and one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to each network.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a LAN 40 as a network of each base is connected to the central management server 20 via a network 30. Connected to each LAN 40 are a printer management server 50, a DHCP server 60 as an output management server, a printer 65 as an image forming apparatus, and a client terminal 70.

  The client terminal 70 is a computer terminal used by a user. The client terminal 70 includes a control unit (CPU), a storage unit (RAM, ROM, hard disk, etc.), an input unit, an output unit, a communication unit, and the like (not shown), and performs processing described later. By executing the output program for that purpose, the client terminal 70 functions as an IP address notification unit, a setting unit, an output instruction unit, a deletion unit, and the like described in the claims.

  The IP address notifying unit acquires the IP address and notifies the printer management server 50 of the IP address. The setting unit records the printer driver received from the printer management server 50 in the client terminal 70 and registers the output destination printer 65. The output instruction means uses this printer driver when issuing an output instruction to the registered printer 65. When the client terminal 70 receives a shutdown request, the deletion unit deletes the driver information and setting information of the printer 65.

An employee (user) who has traveled from another location carries a computer terminal, which is a mobile PC, and connects this computer terminal as a client terminal 70 to the LAN 40.
The printer 65 is an image forming apparatus having at least a printing function. Accordingly, the printer 65 includes printing means (printer engine), control means (CPU), storage means (RAM, ROM, etc.), communication means, display means, input means, etc. (not shown).

  The DHCP server 60 is a server that executes DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for automatically setting network parameters, and automatically assigns an IP address to a computer terminal connected to the LAN 40. In the DHCP server 60, a range of IP addresses that can be assigned to the client terminal 70 is set, and an IP address is assigned to the client terminal 70 that has accessed. When the range of IP addresses that may be allocated to the client terminal 70 is set in the DHCP server 60, the range of IP addresses that may be allocated can be set for each group specified by a router or the like. In the present embodiment, at a base where a plurality of printers 65 are connected to the LAN 40, a range of IP addresses that may be assigned is set for each group.

For example, the IP address range that can be assigned at the first site is (192.168.10. ***), the IP address range that can be assigned at the second site is (192.168.20. ***) (*** is optional) Numerical value). As shown in setting example 80 of FIG. 4, the first group belonging to the second base is (192.168.20.1 to 192.168.20.10), the second group is (192.168.20.11 to 192.168.20.20), and the third group. Is set according to certain conditions, such as (192.168.20.21 to 192.168.20.30).

  The printer management server 50 includes a control unit (CPU), a storage unit (RAM, ROM, hard disk, etc.), an input unit, an output unit, a communication unit, and the like (not shown), and performs processing described later. By executing the output management program for that purpose, the printer management server 50 functions as image forming apparatus information providing means, printer driver providing means, and the like described in the claims. Based on the IP address notified from the client terminal 70, the image forming apparatus information providing unit extracts printer information from a base DB 51 described later and transmits the printer information to the client terminal 70. The printer driver providing means extracts the printer driver associated with the specified printer information from the extracted printer information from the base DB 51 and transmits it to the client terminal 70.

  The printer management server 50 includes a base DB 51 as device information storage means and printer driver storage means. Printer information data 210 (to be described later) recorded in the printer information management DB 21 of the central management server 20 is downloaded to the base DB 51 at a predetermined timing (for example, every day) as printer information data 510 (see FIG. 3). Overwritten. In this embodiment, all the printer information data 210 recorded in the printer information management DB 21 is downloaded to the base DB 51. Note that only the printer information data 210 corresponding to each site may be downloaded to the site DB 51. In this case, only the printer information data 210 for the printer 65 in which the set IP address is included in the range of IP addresses used at the base is downloaded.

  The central management server 20 is a server that manages printer information for the entire company, and includes a printer information management DB 21. In the printer information management DB 21, printer information data 210 is recorded for each printer 65 as shown in FIG. The printer information data 210 is recorded when a registration input is performed using the client terminal 70. Further, it is updated or deleted using the client terminal 70. The printer information data 210 includes data related to the site name, site details, site printer name, IP address, and driver information.

  In the site name data area, data related to the site name is recorded as an identifier for identifying the business site as the site. Specifically, for example, “Tokyo” or “Nagoya” is used as the base name.

  In the base detailed data area, data relating to which floor of the specified office is located is recorded. Specifically, for example, “4F 1 group” is recorded in the site details.

In the base printer name data area, data related to the printer name specified by the base name and the base details is recorded.
Data relating to the IP address of the printer is recorded in the IP address data area. The printer 65 is assigned a fixed IP address.

In the driver information data area, a printer driver corresponding to the printer is recorded.
In the system configured as described above, a processing procedure when output is performed by the printer 65 in the network environment without being conscious of the network environment will be described with reference to FIG. Here, it is assumed that an employee (user) travels from a first base to a second base with a computer terminal that is a mobile PC. (Here, the first base is Tokyo and the second base is Nagoya.)
A user who has made a business trip from the first base to the second base connects the portable computer terminal to the LAN 40 as the client terminal 70 at the second base on the business trip destination. As a result, the DHCP server 60 at the second base assigns an IP address to the client terminal 70. As shown in FIG. 2, the client terminal 70 acquires this IP address from the DHCP server 60 (step S1-1).

  The client terminal 70 specifies the IP address of the printer management server 50 based on the acquired IP address. Specifically, in this embodiment, a rule for the IP address set in the printer management server 50 at each site is determined in advance, and the IP address of the corresponding printer management server 50 is specified according to this rule.

  For example, a fixed IP address (192.168. ***. 1) is assigned in advance as an IP address to the printer management server 50 at each site. For example, the IP address assigned to the printer management server 50 at the second site is (192.168.20.1). When the IP address assigned at the second site is (192.168.20. ***), (192.168.20.1) can be specified as the IP address of the corresponding printer management server 50.

Then, the client terminal 70 notifies its own IP address to the printer management server 50 identified as described above (step S1-2).
Based on the received IP address, the printer management server 50 searches the base DB 51 and extracts printer information relating to available printers (step 1-3). Specifically, the IP address of the printer information data 510 is searched based on the IP address of the client terminal 70, and the printer information related to the printer 65 at the same location as the client terminal 70 is extracted. Here, when there are a plurality of printers 65 at the same site, the printer information related to the printers 65 in the same group as or closer to the group specified by the IP address of the client terminal 70 is extracted in that order.

  For example, when the IP address of the assigned client terminal 70 is (192.168.20.8), the printer 65 having the IP address (192.168.20. ***) existing at the same base can be used. Here, for example, when (192.168.20.9), (192.168.20.10), (192.168.20.19), (192.168.20.29) are registered as the IP addresses of a plurality of printers 65 installed at the second base Suppose. In this case, among the IP addresses of the printer 65, (192.168.20.9), (192.168.20.10) belong to the first group, (192.168.20.19) belongs to the second group, and (192.168.20.29) belongs to the third group. Belonging to. Here, since the IP address (192.168.20.8) of the client terminal 70 is within the range of the first group, a fixed IP address included in the range of the first group (192.168.20.1 to 192.168.20.10) is assigned. The printer information of the selected printer 65 is extracted with priority. Then, the printer information of the printers 65 belonging to the closer group is extracted in that order. Therefore, in the above example, each printer 65 is assigned in the order of (192.168.20.9), (192.168.20.10) of the first group, (192.168.20.19) of the second group, (192.168.20.29) of the third group. Printer information is extracted.

  Next, the printer management server 50 transmits the extracted printer information to the client terminal 70 as an available printer (step S1-4). Specifically, the base name, base details, printer name, printer IP address, and information related to the printer driver are transmitted.

The client terminal 70 that has received this data displays printer information based on the received data (step S1-5). Specifically, the printer selection screen 90 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the printer selection screen 90 displays the site name and printer information of available printers as printer information. As available printers, the printer information extracted as described above is displayed in the order of extraction. That is, the printers 65 in the same group as the group specified by the IP address of the client terminal 70 or the printers 65 in the closer group are displayed in order. In the present embodiment, the base information, base details, printer name, printer IP address, and information related to the printer driver are displayed as the printer information. Information relating to the printer driver may include information relating to color printing, monochrome printing, and the like. The printer selection screen 90 is provided with a selection button 91 for each printer. Using this selection button 91, a printer to be used can be selected.

  Next, the user uses the client terminal 70 to select one of the printers on the printer selection screen 90 and presses the selection button 91 for the selected printer. As a result, the client terminal 70 transmits printer selection data including the IP address of the selected printer to the printer management server 50 (step S1-6).

  Upon receiving this printer selection data, the printer management server 50 provides the printer driver of the selected printer to the client terminal 70 (step S1-7). Specifically, the printer management server 50 extracts the printer driver from the base DB 51 based on the IP address included in the printer selection data, and transmits this printer driver to the client terminal 70. At this time, the printer management server 50 provides information regarding the IP address of the selected printer to the client terminal 70 together with the printer driver.

  Upon receiving this printer driver, the client terminal 70 installs this printer driver and registers the output destination printer (step S1-8). Specifically, the client terminal 70 installs the received printer driver in a normal wizard format. At this time, the client terminal 70 sets information regarding the IP address of the selected printer 65 and registers it as an output destination. A temporary registration flag is recorded in association with the printer driver newly installed by this processing and the registration information of the output destination printer 65, respectively.

  As a result, when a print request is made, the printer 65 registered by the above processing is automatically selected and can be output using this printer 65. That is, when the user performs a print request operation on the client terminal 70, the client terminal 70 performs print processing using the printer driver installed as described above, and selects the printer selected as described above. 65 (step S1-9).

  When the user makes a shutdown request to turn off the client terminal 70, the client terminal 70 deletes the installed printer setting (step S1-10). Specifically, when receiving a shutdown request, the client terminal 70 identifies the installed printer driver and the registration information of the output destination printer 65 by the temporary registration flag, and deletes them. Thus, unnecessary printer drivers and setting information can be prevented from remaining in the client terminal 70.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
In the above embodiment, the client terminal 70 acquires its own IP address by the DHCP server 60 and notifies the printer management server 50 of this IP address. Then, the printer management server 50 extracts printer information from the base DB 51 based on the IP address of the client terminal 70 and transmits it to the client terminal 70. Then, the printer management server 50 extracts the printer driver of the printer 65 selected by the user from the printer 65 of the extracted printer information from the base DB 51 and transmits it to the client terminal 70. The client terminal 70 installs the received printer driver, and registers the IP address of the printer 65 as printer driver setting information. As a result, the printer management server 50 selects the printer 65 based on the IP address of the client terminal 70 acquired by the client terminal 70, and obtains a printer driver and setting information for performing output by the selected printer 65. It can be provided to the client terminal 70. Then, the client terminal 70 can install the provided printer driver and register the IP address of the selected printer as the setting information of the printer driver. Thus, even when newly connected to the LAN 40, output can be performed by the selected printer 65 using this printer driver. Therefore, output by the printer 65 can be performed efficiently in a network environment to which the client terminal 70 is connected.

  In the above embodiment, when the client terminal 70 receives a shutdown request from the client terminal 70, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal 70 and the setting information of the printer driver are deleted. Thus, when the client terminal 70 is shut down, the printer driver recorded in the client terminal 70 and the registration information of the output destination printer 65 can be deleted. Therefore, unnecessary printer drivers and registration information of the output destination printer 65 can be prevented from remaining in the client terminal 70.

  In the above embodiment, the client terminal 70 acquires an IP address from the DHCP server 60, and the printer 65 in the same location as the client terminal 70 is based on the acquired IP address and the IP address of the printer information data 510. Get printer information. If there are a plurality of printers 65 at the same site, the printer information relating to the printers 65 in the same group or closer to the group specified by the IP address of the client terminal 70 is extracted in order. Therefore, the employee (user) can easily determine which printer 65 is most efficient.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment into the following aspects.
In the above embodiment, the IP address range and the group are associated with each other according to a predetermined rule, and the printer information is extracted in order from the printer 65 of the same group as the group specified by the IP address of the client terminal 70 or a group closer thereto. did. Instead, a table in which a group and an IP address range corresponding to the IP address range specified for each group when an IP address is allocated in the DHCP server 60 may be used. Then, this table is recorded in the printer management server 50. Based on the IP address of the client terminal 70 with reference to this table, the IP address of the group to which the IP address of the client terminal 70 belongs is set. Extract printer information preferentially. As a result, the range of IP addresses that can be assigned can be increased or decreased for each group. Then, the printer 65 having an IP address belonging to the same group as the group to which the IP address of the client terminal 70 belongs can be preferentially output.

In the above embodiment, when there are a plurality of printers 65 at the same location, a plurality of printer information is displayed in order from the group closest to the group to which the client terminal 70 is connected, and the user selects the printer 65 to be output. . Instead, the printer management server 50 selects only one printer 65 belonging to the group to which the client terminal 70 is connected, or the printer 65 closest to the printer 65, and the printer driver of the printer 65 and information regarding the IP address are obtained. You may provide to the client terminal 70. FIG. Then, the client terminal 70 is notified of information related to the selected printer 65. This saves the user from having to select the printer 65 to be used.

  In the above embodiment, when the IP address is assigned by the DHCP server 60, the range of IP addresses that can be assigned for each group is determined according to a predetermined rule. When the printer 65 in the same group as the client terminal 70 is specified based on the IP address of the client terminal 70, the printer 65 in the same group as the client terminal 70 or a group closer to the client terminal 70 is used using the same rule. The printer 65 is identified. Instead, the printer 65 may be specified in order from the printer 65 having an IP address closer to the IP address of the client terminal 70. Thereby, in the printer management server 50, the process at the time of searching for the available printer 65 can be simplified.

  In the above embodiment, when specifying the printer management server 50 at the base to which the client terminal 70 is connected, the printer management server 50 is specified based on a predetermined rule. Alternatively, the printer management server 50 may be specified using a table in which the range of assignable IP addresses and the fixed IP address of the printer management server 50 at the base are recorded in association with each base. For example, this table is recorded in the client terminal 70 or storage means connectable to the client terminal 70. In this case, the IP address of the corresponding printer management server 50 is specified by referring to this table based on the IP address assigned to the client terminal 70. Thereby, an IP address can be freely assigned to the printer management server 50.

  In the above embodiment, when the client terminal 70 receives a shutdown request, the client terminal 70 deletes the installed printer driver and the registration information of the output destination printer 65. If the user does not wish to delete the client driver 70, these are deleted. You may make it not. Specifically, for example, when a shutdown request is received, a message is output to allow the user to determine whether the installed printer driver and the registration information of the output destination printer 65 can be deleted. These data are deleted only when a deletion request is input by. As a result, when the user desires to continue to output using the same printer 65 in the future, the printer driver for output by the printer 65 and the registration information of the output destination printer 65 can be prevented from being deleted. . Therefore, in this case, it is not necessary to install a printer driver or register an output destination from the next time.

  In the above embodiment, the case where a business trip is made to a branch office of the same company has been described. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be embodied in the case where a printer installed in a convenience store is used, or in the case where an output request is made using a public telephone terminal that can be connected to a network. In this case, the service may be performed only for contractors. For example, the contractor is authenticated using the contractor's ID and password, and when authenticated, the process according to the present invention is performed. This allows users to use their mobile terminals to output using a convenience store printer, without having to install the corresponding printer driver or perform printer settings, An output request can be made using a telephone terminal.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the process sequence of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the data memorize | stored in printer information management DB and base DB. Explanatory drawing of the example of a setting in a DHCP server. Explanatory drawing of the display screen displayed on a client terminal.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 40 ... LAN as network, 50 ... Printer management server as output management server, 51 ... Base DB as apparatus information storage means and printer driver storage means, 65 ... Printer as image forming apparatus, 70 ... Client terminal.

Claims (4)

Device information storage means for storing image forming apparatus information configured to include data relating to the base details and driver information of image forming apparatuses connectable in association with an IP address, and a printer for storing a printer driver of the image forming apparatus An output management server that stores a rule for specifying an image forming apparatus installed near a group that is specified by an IP address ;
A DHCP server that assigns an IP address to a client terminal connected to the base network;
A method of managing output by an image forming apparatus based on an output instruction from a client terminal using a client terminal,
The method comprising the client terminal, when connected to a base network, to obtain the IP address assigned from the DHCP server, and notifies the IP address to the output management server,
The output management server searches for the IP address of the information recorded in the device information storage unit based on the IP address notified from the client terminal, and the image forming apparatus of the image forming apparatus at the same site as the client terminal When a plurality of image forming apparatuses are extracted at the same site, information is extracted in order using the rules, and the image forming apparatus information of selection candidates displayed in the extracted order is displayed in the client. Sending to the device,
The client terminal displays image information of a selection candidate image forming apparatus, and transmits printer selection data including an IP address of the image forming apparatus selected from the selection candidate to the output management server;
The output management server extracting from the printer driver storage means a printer driver associated with the image forming apparatus information specified from the extracted image forming apparatus information, and transmitting the printer driver to the client terminal;
The client terminal records the received printer driver and registers an output destination image forming apparatus, and uses the printer driver when issuing an output instruction to the image forming apparatus. Output management method.   When the client terminal receives a shutdown request from the client terminal, the client terminal further includes a step of deleting the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the registration information of the output destination image forming apparatus. The output management method according to claim 1. Device information storage means for storing image forming apparatus information configured to include data relating to the base details and driver information of image forming apparatuses connectable in association with an IP address, and a printer for storing a printer driver of the image forming apparatus An output management server that stores a rule for specifying an image forming apparatus installed near a group that is specified by an IP address ;
A DHCP server that assigns an IP address to a client terminal connected to the base network;
An output management system for managing output by an image forming apparatus based on an output instruction from a client terminal using a client terminal,
The client terminal is
When connected to a base network, to obtain the IP address assigned from the DHCP server, the IP address notification means for notifying the IP address to the output management server,
A setting unit that records a printer driver received from the output management server and registers an output destination image forming apparatus;
Means for displaying image forming apparatus information of a selection candidate and transmitting printer selection data including an IP address of the image forming apparatus selected from the selection candidates to the output management server;
A setting unit that records a printer driver received from the output management server and registers an output destination image forming apparatus;
An output instructing unit that uses the recorded printer driver when instructing output to the registered image forming apparatus;
The output management server is
Based on the IP address notified from the client terminal, the IP address of the information recorded in the apparatus information storage means is searched, the image forming apparatus information of the image forming apparatus at the same base as the client terminal is extracted, and the same Means for extracting , when there are a plurality of image forming apparatuses at a base, using the rules , extracting the image forming apparatus information in order, and displaying the image forming apparatus information of the selection candidates arranged and displayed in the extracted order to the client terminal When,
Printer driver providing means for extracting a printer driver associated with the image forming apparatus information specified from the extracted image forming apparatus information from the printer driver storage means and transmitting the extracted printer driver to the client terminal. A featured output management system.   When the client terminal receives a shutdown request from the client terminal, the client terminal further includes a deletion unit that deletes the printer driver recorded in the client terminal and the registration information of the output image forming apparatus. The output management system according to claim 3.

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