JP4814191B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses connected via a network prints a print job in a distributed manner.

  In a printing system in which a plurality of image processing apparatuses are connected via a network, distributed printing is performed in which one print job is distributed to a plurality of image processing apparatuses and a plurality of copies are printed by each image processing apparatus.

By efficiently using each image processing apparatus, the efficiency of distributed printing is improved. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151561 describes that, during execution of distributed printing, if a pre-registered image processing apparatus is available in a printable state, a job is automatically assigned to the image processing apparatus. As a result, the print completion time is shortened.
JP 2006-155162 A

  In the above printing system, when a printable image processing apparatus is detected, redistribution of the print job is automatically performed. However, in this system, it is not possible to redistribute a job or stop execution of a job of an arbitrary image processing apparatus by a user operation during execution of distributed printing.

  In order for the user to change such distributed printing, the user must perform the changing operation by displaying an operation screen on the image processing apparatus or the host apparatus that controls the distributed printing. For this reason, the operation is very complicated, and an urgent change cannot be handled immediately.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which a user can easily perform an operation for changing distributed printing.

  The present invention is a printing system in which a plurality of image processing devices are connected through a network, and each image processing device performs distributed printing of a print job, and a display device capable of performing input operations on icons displayed on a screen; And a control device that controls each image processing device in distributed printing. The display device displays an icon of an image processing device that is executing distributed printing, and when the icon is operated, the control device changes a job of the image processing device corresponding to the icon.

  The user can stop, cancel, and pause the job by operating the icons on the screen. Therefore, the user can perform an intuitive operation and easily change the distributed printing.

  When the user drags an icon, the control device allocates a job of the image processing device corresponding to the icon to another image processing device in response to the operation. At this time, distributed printing processing efficiency can be improved by appropriately distributing the remaining jobs to other image processing apparatuses according to the execution status of each image processing apparatus.

  When the icon is dragged out of the screen, the control device stops the execution of the job of the image processing device. Then, the job is evenly distributed to a plurality of image processing devices, or the job is distributed to each image processing device according to the execution status of other image processing devices.

  When the icon is dragged on the icon of the specific image processing apparatus, the control apparatus stops execution of the job of the image processing apparatus of the operated icon and assigns the job to the specific image processing apparatus. As described above, since the image processing apparatus that performs distributed printing can be easily changed, distributed printing can be completed quickly.

  The display device displays a delete icon, and when the icon of the image processing device is dragged on the delete icon, the control device cancels the job of the image processing device. This makes it possible to easily reduce the number of copies in distributed printing.

  The display device displays job progress information on an icon of the image processing device. Since the execution status of the job in each image processing apparatus can be known, it is possible to transfer the job of the image processing apparatus that is likely to take time to another image processing apparatus by operating the icon, and the time required for distributed printing can be shortened.

  When an abnormality occurs in the image processing device that is executing the job, the display device displays an abnormality on the icon of the image processing device, and the control device assigns the job to another image processing device or continues the job. Decide which one to do. If the problem can be resolved immediately, the job can be continued. In the case of a serious abnormality, the job cannot be executed in the image processing apparatus, so that it may be replaced with another image processing apparatus.

  In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the image processing apparatus that is executing a job, the control apparatus assigns the job to another image processing apparatus. When an abnormality occurs, another image processing apparatus immediately executes the remaining job, so that the user does not have to rush to resolve the abnormality.

  The display device and the control device may be provided in a plurality of image processing devices connected to a network, or may be provided only in a predetermined image processing device. Further, the host device connected to the network may include a display device and a control device.

  According to the present invention, the user can easily change the distributed printing by operating the icon on the screen. As a result, a printing system with excellent operability can be constructed.

  A printing system of this embodiment is shown in FIG. The printing system includes a plurality of image processing devices 1 and a host device 2 that manages the image processing device 1, and the image processing devices 1 and the host device 2 are connected to be communicable via a network such as a LAN.

  The image processing apparatus 1 is an MFP that executes copy, print, scan, facsimile communication, and document filing processes. The image processing apparatus 1 may be any printing apparatus that performs at least copying and printing.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing apparatus 1 includes an I / O unit 3, an engine control unit 4, a data analysis unit 5, an image generation unit 6, a UI control unit 7, a storage unit 8, and a control unit 9. . The I / O unit 3 communicates with an information processing apparatus such as the host apparatus 2, another image processing apparatus 1, or a personal computer through a network.

  The engine control unit 4 controls driving of an engine that prints an image. When the information processing apparatus or another image processing apparatus 1 prints an image, it creates a print job and sends it to the image processing apparatus 1. When a print job is input to the image processing apparatus 1, the data analysis unit 5 analyzes print information included in the print job. The image generation unit 6 creates image data for printing from print data included in the print job based on the print information. The engine control unit 4 controls the engine according to the print information. The engine prints an image on a recording sheet. The image processing apparatus 1 also generates a print job by reading an image from a document with a scanner. The storage unit 8 includes a hard disk device or a non-volatile memory, and stores input images.

  The image processing apparatus 1 includes an operation panel for input operation. The operation panel is provided with a display unit with a touch panel. This display unit is a user interface. The UI control unit 7 controls the user interface. The UI control unit 7 drives the display unit in response to an instruction from the control unit 9. An operation screen and a setting screen are displayed on the display unit.

  Further, the UI control unit 7 receives a detection signal from the touch panel and generates an operation signal according to the content operated by the user. The operation signal is transmitted to the control unit 9. That is, when the user operates an image such as an icon displayed on the screen of the display unit with a finger or a pen, the UI control unit 7 causes the touched position, moving direction, and time based on the detection signal from the touch panel. Etc. are calculated, an operation signal is generated and output to the control unit 9.

  An operation key is provided on the operation panel. This operation key is also a user interface. The UI control unit 7 outputs an input signal to the control unit 9 when the user operates an operation key.

  The control unit 9 executes the instructed process based on the operation signal or the input signal, and controls the image generation unit 6 to display an image corresponding to the operation on the touch panel on the display unit.

  The host device 2 is a personal computer or a server, and includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display, a user interface capable of performing an input operation on an image displayed on the screen of the display unit, and a control unit that manages each image processing device 1. With. The user interface is a mouse and a keyboard.

  In the present printing system, a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 perform distributed printing of a print job. When performing distributed printing, a print job is divided into a plurality of jobs, and each image processing apparatus 1 is assigned a job. Receiving the distributed printing instruction, each image processing apparatus 1 executes a job and prints an image.

  Here, the control unit 9 of the image processing apparatus 1 controls the other image processing apparatus 1 when performing distributed printing. That is, the control unit 9 designates a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 that perform distributed printing, and divides a print job into a plurality of jobs according to each image processing apparatus 1. Then, an instruction for distributed printing is given to each image processing apparatus 1.

  Software for executing such distributed printing is installed in the control unit 9 of each image processing apparatus 1. Therefore, an arbitrary image processing apparatus 1 functions as a server at the time of distributed printing, and manages another image processing apparatus 1 that performs distributed printing as a client.

  A user performs an operation to perform distributed printing on an input print job in an arbitrary image processing apparatus 1. The image processing apparatus 1 functions as a server, and the server control unit 9 lists the image processing apparatuses 1 capable of distributed printing. The storage unit 8 stores a management table for managing information such as the performance, address, and operation status of the image processing apparatus 1 belonging to the printing system.

  The control unit 9 of the server refers to the management table, searches for the image processing apparatus 1 that satisfies the print job printing conditions, and selects the image processing apparatus 1 that requests distributed printing. Instead of automatically specifying the control unit 9, the user may specify a desired image processing apparatus 1 from among the listed image processing apparatuses 1. The designated image processing apparatus 1 includes the own apparatus, but the own apparatus may not be included.

  When a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 are designated as clients, the control unit 9 of the server divides the print job into jobs of an appropriate number of copies and assigns the jobs to each image processing apparatus 1. Then, the control unit 9 transmits a job to each image processing apparatus 1 including instructions such as printing conditions. Receiving the print instruction, the image processing apparatus 1 executes the job and prints the number of copies determined according to the print conditions.

  When the distributed printing is performed, in the image processing apparatus 1 operated by the user, the control unit 9 displays the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 designated to perform the distributed printing on the screen of the display unit. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of icons 10 are displayed corresponding to the plurality of image processing apparatuses 1. Here, five image processing apparatuses 1 perform distributed printing. The print job is to print 200 copies, and is equally divided into each image processing apparatus 1 to print 40 copies as a job.

  The icon 10 displays information related to the state of the image processing apparatus 1. The control unit 9 of the server communicates with each image processing apparatus 1 and monitors the state of the image processing apparatus 1. Therefore, the control unit 9 recognizes the current status of job progress information and abnormality occurrence in each image processing apparatus 1 and sequentially displays the current status on the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1. In FIG. 3, the remaining number of copies is displayed as job progress information. The progress information may be displayed as a graph.

  When the user operates the icon 10 displayed on the server, the control unit 9 of the server changes the job of the image processing apparatus 1 corresponding to the icon 10. As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the user drags the icon 10 to the outside of the screen, the control unit 9 stops the job of the image processing apparatus 1 corresponding to the icon 10. That is, the control unit 9 instructs the image processing apparatus 1 to stop the job. Upon receiving this instruction, the image processing apparatus 1 stops execution of the job.

  At this time, the control unit 9 of the server assigns the remaining job of the stopped image processing apparatus 1 to another image processing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 9 assigns jobs evenly to the other image processing apparatuses 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, since the remaining number of copies of the job is 20, 5 copies are distributed to the four image processing apparatuses 1 each. The remaining number of copies of the job of each image processing apparatus 1 is 5 copies, resulting in 25 copies. The remaining number of copies displayed on the icon 10 of the other image processing apparatus 1 is updated. Then, the control unit 9 instructs the other image processing apparatus 1 to change the job. The other image processing apparatus 1 prints the changed number of copies.

  On the other hand, the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 that has stopped the job is displayed in a different form from the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 that is executing the job, and the remaining number of copies is also displayed as 0. As a result, the user can recognize at a glance the image processing apparatus 1 that is not executing a job.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6, when the user drags an icon 10 of one image processing apparatus 1 onto the icon 10 of a specific image processing apparatus 1, the server control unit 9 displays the image of the operated icon 10. The job of the processing apparatus 1 is stopped and the job of the image processing apparatus 1 is assigned to a specific image processing apparatus 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the remaining number of copies of the image processing apparatus 1 that has stopped the job is 20, the specific image processing apparatus 1 performs printing by adding 20 copies. The remaining number of copies is displayed as 40 copies on the icon 10 of the specific image processing apparatus 1. The display of the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 that has stopped the job is also changed in the same manner as described above.

  Incidentally, the printing speed varies depending on the model of the image processing apparatus 1. When the printing system is configured with image processing apparatuses 1 of different models, when the print job is divided equally and the jobs are distributed, the remaining number of copies of the job differs for each image processing apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. There is a difference in job execution status. For example, MFPs (1) and (2) are the fastest machines, and the printing speed decreases in the order of MFPs (3), (4), and (5). MFP (5) has the largest number of remaining copies.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the user drags the icon 10 of the slowest image processing apparatus 1 to the outside of the screen, the control unit 9 of the server stops the job of the image processing apparatus 1 of the operated icon 10. At the same time, the job of the image processing apparatus 1 is assigned to another image processing apparatus 1. At this time, the control unit 9 determines job assignment based on the execution status of the other image processing apparatus 1. That is, a larger number of copies is distributed to the image processing apparatus 1 having a higher printing speed. As shown in FIG. 10, 20 copies are added to the fastest MFP (1) and (2), and 10 copies are added to the next fastest MFP (3).

  When the high-speed image processing apparatus 1 completes the job, the remaining number of copies of the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 is displayed as 0. Therefore, the user drags the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 having a large remaining number of copies onto the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 that has finished the job. As a result, the high-speed image processing apparatus 1 performs the remaining printing.

  In this way, by replacing the job that the image processing apparatus 1 having a low printing speed was in charge with the high-speed image processing apparatus 1, it is possible to eliminate variations in the job end time in each image processing apparatus 1. Therefore, the time required for distributed printing can be shortened, and the processing efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the user selects a plurality of icons 10 and drags them to the outside of the screen, the control unit 9 of the server stops the jobs of the selected plurality of image processing apparatuses 1. At the same time, the jobs of these image processing apparatuses 1 are distributed to the remaining image processing apparatuses 1. As shown in FIG. 12, the two image processing apparatuses 1 add half each remaining copy. Note that a large number of copies may be distributed to the image processing apparatus 1 having a high printing speed in accordance with the execution status of the two image processing apparatuses 1.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a delete icon 11 is displayed on the screen. When the user drags the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 onto the delete icon 11, the control unit 9 of the server cancels the job of the image processing apparatus 1. Therefore, the remaining jobs are not executed. For example, when a situation occurs in which the number of print copies needs to be reduced, the user determines the execution status of each image processing apparatus 1 and drags the appropriate icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1 onto the delete icon 11. . As a result, the number of print copies of the print job can be easily changed.

  By the way, during execution of distributed printing, the server monitors the operation of each image processing apparatus 1. For this reason, the icon 10 of each image processing apparatus 1 displays not only progress information but also abnormality information when an abnormality such as no paper or no toner occurs. In the image processing apparatus 1 in which an abnormality has occurred, printing stops. As shown in FIG. 14, in the image processing apparatus 1, for example, when an abnormality indicating that there is no paper has occurred, an abnormality indication indicating no paper is displayed on the icon 10 of the image processing apparatus 1.

  At this time, the control unit 9 displays a message asking the user's intention. That is, the control unit 9 displays a message for selecting whether to assign a job to another image processing apparatus 1 or to continue the job, and determines job transfer.

  When the user selects the former, the control unit 9 assigns the job to another image processing apparatus 1. Either assignment to one image processing apparatus 1 or distribution to a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 is performed. When the latter is selected, the control unit 9 does not give any instruction to the image processing apparatus 1. When paper is supplied to the stopped image processing apparatus 1 and printing becomes possible, the image processing apparatus 1 resumes the job. This situation is transmitted to the server, and the control unit 9 updates the display of the icon 10 that has been abnormally displayed and displays the remaining number of copies.

  Instead of being selected by the user, the control unit 9 may automatically select it. The control unit 9 recognizes the content of the abnormality. If there is an abnormality that can be resolved by the user, such as no paper or paper jam, printing can be performed immediately, and the control unit 9 selects the latter. Then, a message is displayed so as to eliminate the abnormality and prompt the user to deal with it. On the other hand, when there is no toner or system abnormality, it cannot be dealt with immediately. In this case, the control unit 9 selects the former.

  In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the image processing apparatus 1, the control unit 9 automatically assigns a job to another image processing apparatus 1 instead of determining job transfer as described above. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the control unit 9 assigns the stopped job of the image processing apparatus 1 to the remaining image processing apparatuses 1. Here, jobs are evenly distributed to the four image processing apparatuses 1. In this way, the print job can be completed without waiting for the resolution of the abnormality.

  In the above printing system, each image processing apparatus 1 includes a display unit with a touch panel and a control unit 9 for executing distributed printing. Therefore, each image processing apparatus 1 can function as a server and control distributed printing in accordance with icon operations. However, some image processing apparatuses 1 may not include a display unit with a touch panel.

  Therefore, the host device 2 is used as a server. The control unit of the host apparatus 2 controls the plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 when performing distributed printing. The control unit communicates with the image processing apparatus 1 in the printing system and recognizes the current state of each image processing apparatus 1. The icons 10 of a plurality of image processing apparatuses 1 that perform distributed printing as shown in FIG. 3 are displayed on the display unit. When the user operates the icon 10 using a mouse or a keyboard, the control unit stops the job of the image processing apparatus 1 and assigns the job to another image processing apparatus 1.

  Further, instead of the host device 2, a specific image processing device 1 may be fixed as a server. A specific image processing apparatus 1 controls another image processing apparatus 1 that performs distributed printing.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, many corrections and changes can be added to the said embodiment within the scope of the present invention. When performing distributed printing, the server instructs the image processing apparatus that performs distributed printing to display an icon. The display unit of the image processing device displays an icon of each image processing device. In this image processing apparatus, when the user operates an icon, the control unit transmits operation information to the server. The server changes the distributed printing of each image processing apparatus based on the operation information. A user can perform an operation for changing distributed printing through an image processing apparatus other than the server. Therefore, since it can operate with the image processing apparatus near a user, a user's convenience improves.

  There is a click operation as an operation for the icon. When the user clicks the icon once, the control unit temporarily stops the execution of the job of the image processing apparatus. When the icon is clicked again, the job execution is resumed. When the user clicks the icon twice, the control unit displays a list of menus related to the job on the screen. The control unit changes the job according to the menu selected by the user. For example, changes such as adding an image processing apparatus that performs distributed printing or changing the number of copies of the image processing apparatus are performed.

The figure which shows schematic structure of the printing system of this invention Outline control block diagram of image processing apparatus The figure which shows the screen where the icon of the image processing apparatus which performs distributed printing was displayed Figure showing the screen when the icon is dragged off the screen The figure which shows the screen where the icon when the job is distributed equally is displayed Diagram showing the screen when an icon is dragged over another icon The figure which shows the screen where the icon when the job is added to the specific image processing device is displayed The figure which shows the screen where the icon displayed when the image processing apparatus from which printing speed differs performs distributed printing The figure which shows the screen when dragging the icon of the image processing device whose printing speed is slow outside the screen The figure which shows the screen where the icon when the job is distributed to the image processing device where printing speed is high is displayed Diagram showing the screen when dragging multiple icons off the screen Figure showing a screen on which icons are displayed when jobs are evenly distributed to the remaining image processing devices The figure which shows the screen when dragging the icon to cancel the job of the image processing device The figure which shows the screen where the message when abnormality occurs in the image processing device is displayed The figure which shows the screen where the icon after distributing the job is displayed when abnormality occurs in the image processing device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing apparatus 2 Host apparatus 3 I / O part 4 Engine control part 5 Data analysis part 6 Image generation part 7 User interface control part 8 Storage part 9 Control part 10 Icon 11 Deletion icon

Claims (8)

A printing system in which a plurality of image processing devices are connected via a network, and each image processing device performs distributed printing of a print job, and includes a display device capable of performing input operations on icons displayed on the screen, A control device that controls the image processing device, the display device displays an icon of the image processing device that is executing distributed printing, and when the icon is dragged off the screen, the control device corresponds to the icon A printing system that stops execution of an image processing apparatus and distributes the job evenly to a plurality of image processing apparatuses . A printing system in which a plurality of image processing devices are connected via a network, and each image processing device performs distributed printing of a print job, and includes a display device capable of performing input operations on icons displayed on the screen, A control device that controls the image processing device, the display device displays an icon of the image processing device that is executing distributed printing, and when the icon is dragged off the screen, the control device corresponds to the icon A printing system that stops execution of the image processing apparatus and distributes the job to each image processing apparatus according to the execution status of the other image processing apparatus. When the icon is dragged on the icon of the specific image processing apparatus, the control apparatus stops execution of the job of the image processing apparatus of the operated icon and assigns the job to the specific image processing apparatus. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2 . Display device displays the delete icon, when the icon of the image processing apparatus is dragged onto the delete icon, the control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the canceling the job of the image processing apparatus Printing system. Display device, the icon of the image processing apparatus, a printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that to display the progress information of the job. When an abnormality occurs in the image processing device that is executing the job, the display device displays an abnormality on the icon of the image processing device, and the control device assigns the job to another image processing device or continues the job. 6. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein one of the two is determined . When an abnormality occurs in an image processing device that is executing a job, the display device displays an abnormality on the icon of the image processing device, and the control device assigns the job to another image processing device. Item 6. The printing system according to any one of Items 1 to 5 . 8. The printing system according to claim 6, wherein a host device connected to the image processing device through a network is provided, and either the image processing device or the host device includes a display device and a control device.

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