JP4761453B2 - Printing apparatus and printing control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and print control method, in particular, it manages the print data sent from the host computer as a print job to a printing apparatus and print control method capable pause 及 beauty resume operation for a print job .

  In a conventional network printer or the like, a plurality of print jobs are sequentially received and accumulated, and processed in the received order. By specifying the priority order, printing can be performed with priority. In addition, a print job can be paused and resumed. When a pause is instructed, the print job is suspended and the subsequent print job is printed first. When printing resumption is instructed, the printing is performed again by a predetermined method, depending on the printing apparatus. Below are some examples of prior art related to this.

  The “print job management apparatus” disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 increases the convenience of the printer by increasing the number of status variations when managing print jobs. In a printing system constructed via a network, a printer is provided with a job management device that manages the status of a print job in accordance with international standards. At this time, a create control unit is provided in addition to each functional block for processing a print job in accordance with this standard. If the user issues a “create” instruction to a print job that is in the held state, the create control unit creates a new child job with the instructed print job as the parent job. Then, either printing is executed. Save at least one print job in the held state. The stored document can be reprinted repeatedly at any time.

  The “image forming apparatus” disclosed in Patent Document 2 controls the processing order of a plurality of print jobs requested by a plurality of users. The job control means acquires the job attribute information in the print queue and, if it is in the “previous job completion wait” state, determines that the print job is not subject to print order control, and the job attribute information of the next print job To get. Also, if it is not in the “Wait for completion of previous job” status, execution start hold determination processing is performed. To do. If the print job subjected to the “execution start hold determination” process is changed to the “printing” state, it is determined that the print process can be started and the execution is started. The job control unit repeats the print order control until it detects a print job that is not in the “previous job completion wait” state or the “print wait state”.

The “image forming apparatus” disclosed in Patent Document 3 is an image forming apparatus in which a job in which an error has occurred can be stored in the apparatus and can be restarted when the user likes it. The image forming apparatus can process a plurality of continuous jobs. The image forming apparatus includes an operation panel, storage means, setting content management means for managing various setting contents, and data processing means. When print processing stops due to an error during printing, the print data from the current page to the end of the stopped job can be saved in the storage means as an incomplete print document by inputting an instruction from the operation panel. Then, the print processing of the job is finished. In response to the restart instruction input for the document stored in the storage unit, the job interrupted due to the error is restarted from the error occurrence page.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-157098 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-131828 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-305928

  However, the conventional printing apparatus has the following problems. When a restart operation is performed on a stopped print job, no consideration is given to the order in which the print jobs are executed. Alternatively, the execution order of the restart print job is fixed and cannot be changed.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and in a printing apparatus that processes a plurality of print jobs in order, when resuming a paused print job, in which order the resumed print jobs are processed. This is to make it easier for users to understand.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a receiving unit that receives a plurality of print data from a host computer connected through a network, a storage unit that temporarily stores the received print data as a print job, and the stored print data and printing means for printing in order to print job control request acceptance means for accepting pause request and resume request of printing related to the print job, the execution of the print job in response to the pause request and resume request print In the printing apparatus comprising the control means , the print job control means receives user information management means for managing user information instructed to print together with the print job, and a request for resuming a paused print job. The execution order of the print jobs of other users is not changed, and is the same as the user of the print job that accepted the resume request. Among the print job over THE was constructed and a job management unit for determining the execution order of print jobs accepted the resumption request.

  Further, the print job control means, when the user information instructing printing is added to the print data, the means for managing the user information together with the print job, and when the resumption request for the paused print job is received, There is provided means for controlling to print the print job at the end of the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job without changing the print order of the print jobs of other users. Alternatively, a unit for controlling to print the print job first is provided. Alternatively, there is provided means for controlling to print the print job according to the instructed order.

  With the above configuration, when resuming a temporarily stopped print job, the user can easily understand in which order the resumed print job is processed. Depending on the instruction, it can be printed in any order, both at the beginning and at the end. By specifying the order in the print job of the same user, the print job can be resumed so as not to be disadvantageous to other users.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  The first embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus that prints a print job in the original order received from a host computer when a request to resume a paused print job is received.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration of this printing apparatus is the same as that of a conventional printing apparatus. The function for determining the processing order of the resume print job is different from the conventional one. The printing apparatus includes a controller 1, an operation panel 2, and a printer engine 3. The controller 1 includes a CPU 4, a ROM 5, a RAM 6, an NVRAM 7, a network I / F 8, a panel I / F 9, and an engine I / F 10.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a module configuration of software stored in the ROM 5 of the controller 1. FIG. 3 is a job management table. FIG. 4 is a job state transition diagram. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a print order control queue. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an algorithm at the time of recreating the print order control queue. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an algorithm for job stop request processing. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job resumption request processing.

  The function and operation of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described. First, an outline of functions of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The controller 1 receives print data from the network I / F 8 connected to the host computer through the LAN, and generates a print image. The print image is transmitted to the printer engine 3 through the engine I / F 10, and the printer engine 3 transfers the print image onto paper and prints it. The panel I / F 9 is connected to the operation panel and displays the status of the printing apparatus on the operation panel.

  Next, the module configuration of software stored in the ROM 5 of the controller 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The network control module controls the network I / F 8 and communicates with the host computer. The panel display module controls the panel I / F 9 for displaying the state of the printing apparatus on the operation panel 2. The job management module manages print data received through the network control module as a print job. In addition, the network control module receives instructions to pause and resume a print job. The printer language interpretation module generates a print image from the print data. The engine control module receives a print job from the job management module, and sequentially transmits print images included in the print job to the printer engine 3 through the engine I / F 10. The job management module manages print jobs using a job management table and a print control queue.

  Next, the job management table will be described with reference to FIG. The job management table is a table for managing print job information. The job order registered in the job management table is basically the order in which jobs are received from the network I / F 8, but the job order on the table may be changed by a job resumption operation. The job management table has job ID, user ID, and job status information. The job ID is a number for identifying the job and is uniquely assigned by the job management module. The user ID is an ID for identifying the user who submitted the job, and is added to the print job by the host computer. The job status represents a job status, and has three statuses: waiting for printing (a state before starting feeding), printing (a state after feeding), and stopping. When a status job that has received a pause request is generated, it is waiting for printing. When all pages are printed, they are deleted from the job management table.

  Next, the transition of the job state will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows the print order control queue. The print order control queue manages the order in which jobs are printed. The job management module requests the engine control module to print a job based on the print order control queue. The print order control queue is recreated based on the job management table when a job is paused / resumed.

  Next, an algorithm for re-creating the print order control queue will be described with reference to FIG. With this algorithm, the job being printed and the jobs waiting for printing are arranged in the order of the jobs recorded in the job management table. The print order control queue and the job management table are processed as follows when a job is generated, when printing is started, and when printing is completed. At the time of job generation, job information is generated at the end of the job management table, and the job status is set to “waiting for printing”. The print job is inserted at the end of the print order control queue. When printing (paper feeding) is started, a job is searched from the job management table based on the job ID, and the job status of the found job is changed to “printing”. When printing is completed, the job is searched from the job management table by the job ID, and the contents of the found job are deleted. The job information after that job is packed above the job management table. The job is searched from the print order control queue by the job ID and deleted.

Next, the restart process will be described with reference to FIGS. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. That is, the status of the designated job is changed from “waiting for printing” to “stopped”. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the printing order control queue by the re-creation processing of the printing order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. That is, the status of the designated job is changed from “stopping” to “waiting for printing”. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and the original printing order is returned to the state before the stop by the re-creation processing of the printing order control queue.

  As described above, in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the printing apparatus receives a request to resume a paused print job, the printing apparatus prints the print job in the original order received from the host computer. Therefore, the user knows in what order the resumed print job is processed.

  The second embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus that executes a print job last when a request to resume a paused print job is received.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the restart print job is processed last. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of job restart request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. In other words, the state of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “waiting for printing”, and the position of the job is moved to the end of the job management table. As a result, the state of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and printing is finally performed by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.

  The third embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus that first prints a print job when a request to resume a paused print job is received.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The point that the restart print job is processed first is different from the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an algorithm for job resumption request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. That is, the state of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “printing waiting”, and the position of the job is moved to the top of the job management table. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and printing is first performed while waiting for printing by the re-creation processing of the printing order control queue.

  The fourth embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus that prints print jobs in a designated order when a request to resume a paused print job is received.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The point that the restart print job is processed in the designated order is different from the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of job restart request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. FIG. 11 shows an operation when printing is designated immediately before job X (job ID = X) as the job order upon restart. In other words, the state of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “waiting for printing”, and the position of the job is moved immediately before job X in the job management table. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and printing is performed immediately before job X (job ID = X) by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.

  The order of resume print jobs may be determined by combining the methods of these embodiments. In other words, a plurality of print data is received from a host computer connected through a network, the received print data is temporarily stored as a print job, a print pause request and a resume request are received for the print job, and the suspended print job When a resumption request is received, a predetermined print order is selected from among the original order received from the host computer, the beginning of all print jobs, the end of all print jobs, and the order instructed from outside. The print data set for the print job may be printed in the set order.

  In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, when a request to resume a paused print job is received, the print order of the print job of another user is not changed, and a plurality of instructions designated by the same user as the user of the print job are designated. This is a printing apparatus that prints the print job first within the range of the job.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The point that the restart print job is processed first among the print jobs of the same user is different from the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of job restart request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a resumption request for the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. That is, the state of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “waiting for printing”, and the position of the job is moved to the head of the job of the same user in the job management table. The positions of other users' jobs are not changed. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and printing is first performed in the input order of the same user as the designated job by the re-creation processing of the printing order control queue.

  In the sixth embodiment of the present invention, when a request to resume a paused print job is received, the print order of the print job of another user is not changed, and a plurality of instructions designated by the same user as the user of the print job are designated. This is a printing apparatus that prints the print job last within the range of the job.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the sixth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The point that the restart print job is processed last among the print jobs of the same user is different from the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job restart request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. In other words, the status of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “waiting for printing”, and the position of the job is moved to the end of the job of the same user in the job management table. The positions of other users' jobs are not changed. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “waiting for printing”, and printing is finally performed in the input order of the same user as the designated job by the re-creation processing of the printing order control queue.

  In the seventh embodiment of the present invention, when a request to resume a paused print job is received, the print order of the print job of another user is not changed, and a plurality of instructions designated by the same user as the user of the print job are designated. The printing apparatus prints the print jobs in a designated order within the range of the job.

  The basic configuration of the printing apparatus of the seventh embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that restart print jobs are processed in a designated order among print jobs of the same user. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of job restart request processing.

The operation of the printing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the job is paused and resumed, the job management module updates the job management table by the following processing, and then recreates the print order control queue according to the algorithm shown in FIG. 6 based on the job management table.
1. The processing when the stop request for the job specified by the job ID is received is processed by the algorithm of FIG. 7 as in the first embodiment. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “stopped”, and is deleted from the print order control queue by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue.
2. When a request for resuming the job specified by the job ID is received, it is processed by the algorithm shown in FIG. In other words, the status of the designated job is changed from “stopped” to “waiting for printing”, and the position of the job is moved immediately before the designated job among jobs of the same user in the job management table. The positions of other users' jobs are not changed. As a result, the status of the designated job is changed to “Waiting for printing”, and by the re-creation processing of the print order control queue, immediately before job X (job ID = X) among the same users as the designated job. The subsequent jobs will be printed at a position one behind the user to which the job belongs.

  The order of resume print jobs may be determined by combining the methods of these embodiments. That is, when a plurality of print data is received from a host computer connected through a network, the received print data is temporarily stored as a print job, and user information instructing printing is added to the print data together with the print job Manages user information, accepts print pause requests and resume requests for print jobs, and accepts a resume request for a paused print job without changing the execution order of other users' print jobs. Set the print job to one of the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job, and set the print data stored in advance. You may make it print in the order made.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention is optimal as a printing apparatus that manages print data transmitted from a host computer as a print job and can perform a pause and resume operation on the job.

1 is a functional block diagram of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a module configuration of software stored in a ROM of a controller of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a job management table of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a transition diagram of a job state of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a printing order control queue of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm when re-creating a printing order control queue of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job stop request processing of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job restart request processing of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job restart request processing of the printing apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm for job resumption request processing of the printing apparatus according to the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of job restart request processing of the printing apparatus according to the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of a job restart request process of a printing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of a job restart request process of a printing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an algorithm of a job restart request process of a printing apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Controller, 2 ... Operation panel, 3 ... Printer engine, 4 ... CPU, 5 ... ROM, 6 ... RAM, 7 ... NVRAM, 8 ... Network I / F, 9 ... Panel I / F, 10 ... Engine I / F.

Claims (8)

Receiving means for receiving a plurality of print data from a host computer connected through a network, storage means for temporarily storing the received print data as a print job, printing means for sequentially printing the saved print data, and the print job A printing apparatus comprising: a request accepting unit that accepts a print pause request and a resume request; and a print job control unit that controls execution of a print job in response to a print pause request and a resume request.
When the print job control unit receives the user information management unit that manages the user information instructed to print together with the print job and the request for resuming the print job that has been paused, the execution order of the print jobs of other users is Print management, comprising: a job management unit that determines an execution order of a print job that has received the resume request among the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job that has accepted the resume request without changing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the job management unit controls to execute the print job at the end of the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the job management unit controls to execute the print job first among print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the job management unit performs control so that the print jobs are executed in an order instructed from outside the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job . In the printing apparatus, a receiving step for receiving a plurality of print data from a host computer connected via a network, a storing step for temporarily storing the received print data in a storage means as a print job, and printing the saved print data in order. Print control comprising: a printing process; a request receiving process for receiving a print pause request and a resume request for the print job; and a print job control process for controlling execution of the print job in response to the print pause request and the resume request A method,
When the print job control process receives a user information management process for managing user information instructed to print together with the print job and a request for resuming a print job that has been suspended, the execution order of the print jobs of other users is And a job management step of determining an execution order of the print jobs that have received the restart request, among the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job that has received the restart request without changing. Control method . 6. The print control method according to claim 5, wherein in the job management step, control is performed so that the print job is executed at the end of the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job . 6. The print control method according to claim 5, wherein in the job management step, control is performed so that the print job is executed first among print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job . 6. The print control method according to claim 5, wherein, in the job management step, control is performed so that the print jobs are executed in the order instructed from the outside of the print jobs of the same user as the user of the print job. .

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