JP4496627B2 - Image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus control method, and computer readable recording medium recording control program for image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a method for controlling the image forming apparatus, and a computer-readable recording medium on which a control program for the image forming apparatus is recorded.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a conventional network printer system, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-194909 is known.
[0003]
This is a network printer system in which a plurality of data processing devices (personal computers) and printers are connected via a network so that a plurality of users share the printer, and a plurality of continuous prints from the same data processing device (the same user). In response to an output request (print job), the printer sends an output completion notification to the data processing apparatus (user) when all the print outputs are completed, thereby avoiding the troublesomeness of continuous output completion notifications. The work efficiency of input operations and the like in the data processing apparatus is improved. Here, the output completion notification refers to a notification that output for a print job (including both printing and paper discharge; the same applies hereinafter) has been completed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in such a conventional system, when a plurality of print jobs destined for the same user are accepted, an output completion notification is transmitted to the user when output of all the print jobs is completed. Therefore, even if the user wants to pick up the first output paper as soon as possible, if more print jobs are accepted for him / her, all of these print jobs will be output. The output completion notification will not be sent until As a result, there is a disadvantage that the user cannot easily take the first output sheet contrary to his will.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to immediately take a sheet of paper in an image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting a print job output completion notification. Image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus control method, and computer readable recording in which image forming apparatus control program is recorded, which can be appropriately selected according to the convenience of the user To provide a medium.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.
[0007]
(1) a receiving unit that receives a print job, a storage unit that stores the received print job, and a plurality of bins that receive sheets printed based on the stored print job assigned to each specific user; After all the paper printed based on the print job is discharged to the bin, all the paper printed based on the print job and a transmission means for sending an output completion notification to the user corresponding to the discharged paper bin An unprinted print job whose destination is the same user as the print job that has been output exists in the print job list that can register an unprinted print job that is destined for a different user when it is ejected to the bin determination means for determines whether to, if the unprinted print jobs to the same user and print job output completion and the destination is present, addressed to the user To While output for part of the print job among a plurality of print jobs are completed, said first output completion notification for notifying the output for the remainder of the print job is not completed to the user If there is no unprinted print job addressed to the same user as the print job that has been transmitted and transmitted to the transmission means, the fact that the output for all print jobs destined for the user has been completed is described above. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that causes the transmission unit to transmit a second output completion notification for notifying a user .
[0008]
(2) Having a plurality of bins for receiving sheets printed based on the print job assigned to each specific user, and after all sheets printed based on the print job are discharged to the bins, the sheets are discharged. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus capable of transmitting an output completion notification to a user corresponding to a bin, a step of receiving a print job, a step of storing the received print job in a storage unit, and a print job When all the paper printed based on this is discharged to the bin, the same user as the print job that has completed this output is included in the print job list that can register an unprinted print job that is destined for a different user. Determining whether there is an unprinted print job, and there is an unprinted print job destined for the same user as the output print job. If, while the output for the part of the print job among a plurality of print jobs that the user and the destination is completed, the output for the remainder of the print job is for notifying is not completed to the user When the first output completion notification is transmitted and there is no unprinted print job destined for the same user as the output completed print job, output for all print jobs destined for the user is completed. Transmitting a second output completion notice for notifying the user that the image output apparatus is present. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:
[0009]
(3) Having a plurality of bins for receiving paper printed based on a print job assigned to each specific user, and after all the paper printed based on the print job is discharged into the bin, the paper is discharged. A computer-readable recording medium recording a control program for an image forming apparatus capable of transmitting an output completion notification to a user corresponding to a bin, the control program receiving and receiving a print job A print job list in which an unprinted print job destined for a different user can be registered when all printed sheets based on the print job are discharged to the bin. in the steps of determining whether unprinted print jobs to the same user and print job output completion and the destination is present, the output completion And if the unprinted print job to the print job and the same user as the destination is present, while the output for the part of the print job among a plurality of print jobs that the user and the destination is completed, the remaining The first output completion notification for notifying the user that the output for the print job is incomplete is transmitted, and there is no unprinted print job whose destination is the same user as the print job for which the output has been completed. A second output completion notification for notifying the user that the output for all print jobs destined for the user has been completed. Possible recording media.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system to which the present invention is applied.
[0012]
In this system, five personal computers 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 are connected to two printers (image forming apparatuses) 10 and 20 via a network 80 so that they can communicate with each other. Each of the personal computers 30 to 70 is assigned to five specific users A to E, respectively. Therefore, in this system, the two printers 10 and 20 are shared by the five users A to E. Each user A to E may be an individual or a group.
[0013]
Here, the configuration of the network 80, that is, the means for connecting the printers 10 and 20 and the personal computers 30 to 70 may be a wired system such as an Ethernet cable or a wireless system using infrared rays or radio waves. .
[0014]
Of course, the number of printers and personal computers connected to the network 80 is not limited to the above example. The present invention is applicable to any system having one or a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of personal computers.
[0015]
In addition to the printer, the image forming apparatus may be, for example, a scanner / printer combined machine such as a digital copying machine, or a facsimile machine, and a plurality of different types of image forming apparatuses may be formed. It may be a system having a device.
[0016]
The printer 10 has a so-called mail bin function, and discharges paper having a plurality of (here, five) bins 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on which printed paper is discharged based on a print job. Department. Bins 1 to 5 are used when the paper discharge unit is used as a mail bin. When the paper discharge unit (bins 1 to 5) is used as a mail bin, the user who uses the bin is usually assigned to each bin in advance and registered, and all printed materials for the user are stored in the registered bin. The only way is to discharge it. For example, user A is registered in bin 1, user B is registered in bin 2, user C is registered in bin 3, user D is registered in bin 4, and user E is registered in bin 5. Of course, a plurality of users can be registered in one bin. Here, the bins 1 to 5 are provided by mounting an optional paper discharge device 15a on the printer main body 10a.
[0017]
On the other hand, the printer 20 does not have a mail bin function and includes a paper discharge unit having only one bin 6.
[0018]
When the printers 10 and 20 receive the print jobs transmitted from the personal computers 30 to 70, the printers 10 and 20 perform printing based on the received print jobs and discharge the printed matter into one bin. In the case of the printer 10, the output destination bin is registered by a user as a destination recognized by analyzing destination information included in a print job (identification information of a transmission source personal computer, presence / absence of mail printing and destination information). In the case of the printer 20, the bin 6 is a common bin 6. In any of the printers 10 and 20, the destination of the print job is the user who sent the print job in cases other than mail printing, and the user designated by mail printing in the case of mail printing. Here, e-mail printing is printing with a specific user as a destination, and the destination of a print job is a destination of an output result (printed material) obtained by processing the print job. When the output for the print job is completed, an output completion notification is transmitted to the user who is the destination of the print job (strictly speaking, a personal computer assigned to the user; the same applies hereinafter). In this case, in the present invention, as will be described later in detail, even when there are a plurality of print jobs destined for the same user, the user is notified each time the output of each print job is completed. Output completion notification is sent, depending on whether another print job with the same user as the destination is accepted when the output of the first print job is completed. Switch to the appropriate content.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer 10. Since the printer 20 has the same basic configuration as the printer 10, the description thereof is omitted.
[0020]
The printer 10 includes a job reception unit 11, a CPU 12, a memory 13, a printer engine 14, a paper discharge unit 15, and an output completion notification transmission unit 16.
[0021]
The job receiving unit 11 is a part of a network interface for connecting the printer 10 to the personal computers 30 to 70 on the network 80 and receives a print job transmitted from the personal computers 30 to 70. The print job includes identification information of a personal computer that has transmitted the print job, print mode information (including the presence / absence of mail printing and destination information), image data, and the like. The former two pieces of information are stored, for example, in the header portion of the print job.
[0022]
The CPU 12 controls each unit of the printer 10 and, according to a control flowchart described later, every time output of each print job is completed, according to whether another print job destined for the same user is accepted. , A function of causing the user to transmit an output completion notification of appropriate contents (comments). The CPU 12 also has a function of converting image data included in the received print job into a form of bitmap data that can be printed by the printer engine 14 (rasterization), and performing layout processing such as Nin1 as necessary. Have.
[0023]
Although not shown, the memory 13 is composed of a read-only ROM and a RAM that can be freely written and read (in some cases, a flash memory that can be electrically rewritten). The ROM stores a control program, and the RAM stores a print job and a print queue described later. In the case of the printer 10 having the mail bin function, the registration information of the users A to E for the bins 1 to 5 is stored in the RAM (or flash memory) as a user registration table.
[0024]
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the memory 13 (RAM) includes a job storage unit 131 and a job list storage unit 132. The received print job is temporarily stored (accumulated) in the job storage unit 131 until output is completed. The job list storage unit 132 stores a list of unoutput print jobs (hereinafter referred to as “print queue”) accumulated in the job storage unit 131. Note that print jobs are processed and output in the order in which they are stored in the job storage unit 131.
[0025]
An example of the print queue is as shown in FIG. In short, the print queue is an unprinted print job registered in a predetermined order for the received print job in the accumulation order. Each time a new print job is received or output for the first print job is completed, Updated. That is, the received print job is first registered at the last position in this list, and then the first print job (job 1) that means the first registered print job among the currently unprinted print jobs is displayed. Each time it is processed and output is completed and deleted from this list, the order is advanced one by one. Finally, when it comes to the top position (job 1), it is processed and output is completed. Removed from this list. In the example shown in FIG. 4, a total of eight print requests (print jobs) from user A, user B, and user C remain in an unoutput (or unprocessed) state. As shown in this example, each user A to E does not necessarily send only one print job, and the same user continuously sends a plurality of print jobs to one printer 10. There are also many.
[0026]
In the present embodiment, two types of output completion notifications are prepared. The first output completion notification is transmitted when there is another print job destined for the same user at the time when the output of the print job is completed, and the second output completion notification is transmitted This is sent when there is no other print job destined for the same user when the output of is completed. An example of the content of the first output completion notification is shown in FIG. 5A, and an example of the content of the second output completion notification is shown in FIG. 5B. The contents of each output completion notification are stored in the memory 13 (ROM or flash memory).
[0027]
The printer engine 14 outputs the image data rasterized (and layout processed) by the CPU 12 on a sheet according to the print mode.
[0028]
The paper discharge unit 15 has a plurality of bins 1 to 5 and stores the discharged paper printed by the printer engine 14. The paper discharge unit 15 includes the paper discharge device 15a.
[0029]
The output completion notification transmission unit 16 is a part of a network interface for connecting the printer 10 to the personal computers 30 to 70 on the network 80, similar to the job reception unit 11. The output completion notification is sent to the destination of the print job.
[0030]
Next, the control operation of the printer 10 will be described according to the control flowchart shown in FIG. The control flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is stored as a control program in the ROM of the memory 13 and is executed by the CPU 12.
[0031]
First, in step S100, the first print among the unprocessed print jobs in the print queue in the job list storage unit 132 among the print jobs stored in the job storage unit 131 in the memory 13 (RAM). A job is selected, the selected print job is processed, printing is performed by the printer engine 14, and the printed paper is discharged to a discharge destination bin of the paper discharge unit 15. As described above, the discharge destination bin is a bin in which the user who is the destination of the print job is registered.
[0032]
In step S200, it is determined whether output for the print job is completed. If the output is completed (S200: YES) as a result of this determination, the process proceeds to step S300. If the output is not completed (S200: NO), the process waits.
[0033]
In step S300, the print job for which output has been completed is deleted from the print queue in the job list storage unit 132, and the contents of the print queue are updated. By deleting the first print job upon completion of output, the order (job number) of each print job in the print queue is incremented by one. Simultaneously with the deletion from the print queue, the print job that has been output is also deleted from the job storage unit 131.
[0034]
In step S400, among the unprocessed print jobs in the print queue in the job list storage unit 132, the print job destined for the same user as the print job processed and output in step S100 this time. It is determined whether or not exists. If the result of this determination is that there is a print job destined for the same user (S400: YES), the process proceeds to step S500, and if there is no print job destined for the same user (S400: NO), Proceed to step S600.
[0035]
In step S500, since there is another print job addressed to the same user when the output of the first print job is completed, the user is set as the output completion notification destination, and the content having contents suitable for this is set. After sending an instruction to transmit the output completion notification 1 to the output completion notification transmitting unit 16, the process proceeds to step S700. In response to this instruction, the output completion notification transmission unit 16 sends to the user, for example, “Printing output for you has been completed. Send a comment such as “We are accepting jobs”.
[0036]
On the other hand, in step S600, since there is no other print job addressed to the same user when the output of the first print job is completed, the user is set as an output completion notification destination, and contents suitable for this are set. After sending a command to transmit the second output completion notification to the output completion notification transmission unit 16, the process proceeds to step S700. In response to this instruction, the output completion notification transmission unit 16 sends to the user, for example, “Printing output for you has been completed. Send a comment such as “No job”.
[0037]
In step S700, it is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed print job by referring to the print queue in the job list storage unit 132. If there is still an unprocessed print job as a result of this determination (S700: YES), the process returns to step S100, and the next print job to be processed, that is, another print job currently at the head position of the print queue. If the unprocessed print job no longer exists (S700: NO), the above series of processes is terminated.
[0038]
The series of processing procedures shown in FIG. 6 is also applied to the printer 20 that does not have a mail bin function.
[0039]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the output of each print job is completed, the content of the output completion notification is switched depending on whether another print job destined for the same user exists. The user can refer to the content (comment) of the output completion notification and appropriately select whether to pick up the paper immediately or to pick up the paper at a later time according to his / her convenience. That is, according to the user's selection, if the first output paper is a rush paper, the user can go immediately and the first output paper is not a rush paper If there are other print jobs that are addressed to you, you can collect them all at once after the output of all the print jobs addressed to you is completed. Thus, in the printers 10 and 20 (image forming apparatuses) having a function of transmitting a print job output completion notification, output is completed once when all of a plurality of print jobs destined for itself are completed. Users who do not want to receive notifications can also be handled.
[0040]
When the computer is used as described above, the output completion notification transmission technique according to the present invention is performed by the CPU executing a predetermined program describing the processing procedure shown in FIG. These programs can also be provided by a computer-readable recording medium (for example, a floppy disk or a CD-ROM). In this case, the program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium is normally transferred to and stored in the hard disk. The predetermined program may be provided, for example, as application software for executing each of the above processes alone, or incorporated in the software of the apparatus as one function of each image forming apparatus (printer 10, 20). But you can.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the output of each print job is completed, the content of the output completion notification is switched depending on whether there is another print job destined for the same user. Therefore, the user can appropriately select whether to obtain the output result immediately or later according to his / her convenience.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the printer illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a memory shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print queue in a job list storage unit illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of contents of first and second output completion notifications.
FIG. 6 is a control flowchart for explaining a control operation of the printer corresponding to the embodiment of the invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Bin 10, 20 Printer 11 Job receiver 12 CPU
13 Memory 14 Printer Engine 15 Paper Discharge Unit 16 Output Completion Notification Transmitter 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 Personal Computer 80 Network 131 Job Storage Unit 132 Job List Storage Unit

Claims (3)

Receiving means for receiving a print job;
Storage means for storing received print jobs;
A plurality of bins for receiving printed sheets based on print jobs assigned and stored for each particular user;
A transmission unit that transmits an output completion notification to a user corresponding to the bin that has been ejected after all the sheets that have been printed based on the print job have been ejected to the bin;
When all the paper printed based on the print job is discharged to the bin, the same user as the print job that has completed the output in the print job list that can register an unprinted print job destined for a different user Determining means for determining whether or not there is an unprinted print job destined for
If there is an unprinted print job that is destined for the same user as the output job that has been output, output for some of the print jobs that are destined for the user has been completed The first output completion notification for notifying the user that the output for the remaining print job is incomplete is transmitted to the transmission unit, and the unprinted destination is the same user as the print job for which the output has been completed. If the print job does not exist, a control unit that causes the transmission unit to transmit a second output completion notification for notifying the user that output for all print jobs destined for the user has been completed When,
An image forming apparatus comprising: Each of the bins has a plurality of bins that are assigned to each specific user and receive printed paper based on the print job. After all of the printed paper based on the print job is discharged into the bin, An image forming apparatus control method capable of transmitting an output completion notification to a corresponding user,
Receiving a print job;
Storing the received print job in a storage means;
When all the paper printed based on the print job is discharged to the bin, the same user as the print job that has completed the output in the print job list that can register an unprinted print job destined for a different user Determining whether there is an unprinted print job destined for
If there is an unprinted print job that is destined for the same user as the output job that has been output, output for some of the print jobs that are destined for the user has been completed The first output completion notification for notifying the user that the output for the remaining print jobs is incomplete is transmitted, and an unprinted print job whose destination is the same user as the print job for which the output has been completed is transmitted. If not, sending a second output completion notification to notify the user that output for all print jobs destined for the user is complete ;
A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: Each of the bins has a plurality of bins that are assigned to each specific user and receive printed paper based on the print job. After all of the printed paper based on the print job is discharged into the bin, A computer-readable recording medium recording a control program of an image forming apparatus capable of transmitting an output completion notification to a corresponding user, the control program being
Receiving a print job;
Storing the received print job in a storage means;
When all the paper printed based on the print job is discharged to the bin, the same user as the print job that has completed the output in the print job list that can register an unprinted print job destined for a different user Determining whether there is an unprinted print job destined for
If there is an unprinted print job that is destined for the same user as the output job that has been output, output for some of the print jobs that are destined for the user has been completed The first output completion notification for notifying the user that the output for the remaining print jobs is incomplete is transmitted, and an unprinted print job whose destination is the same user as the print job for which the output has been completed is transmitted. If not, sending a second output completion notification to notify the user that output for all print jobs destined for the user is complete ;
A computer-readable recording medium comprising:

Images