JP5983814B2 - Printing state monitoring system, information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, printing state monitoring method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print management technique, and more specifically, a print status monitoring system, an information processing apparatus, and image formation in which an information processing apparatus that has requested print processing remotely manages data sent for print processing The present invention relates to an apparatus, a printing state monitoring method, a program, and a recording medium.

  Currently, information processing devices such as personal computers and servers often form images on other computers connected to the network and located at remote locations, such as multifunctional copiers that are referred to as printers or so-called MFPs. Data is sent to and received from the device. When a PC intends to print via a network, print data is transmitted from the PC to the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus or server temporarily stores the print data for authentication on the image forming apparatus or printing. In many cases, processing is performed in which a job is selected corresponding to various purposes and printing is performed.

  Such a conventional technique can improve the usability of a remotely connected image forming apparatus. However, in the conventionally known printing status monitoring system, control of print data is left to the image forming apparatus side, and the PC gives up the management authority of the print data after sending the print data. It was in a state of being left behind. FIG. 11 shows a conventional print monitor screen at the time when the spool processing is completed. In the print job display window 1110 of the print monitor screen 1100 shown in FIG. 11, when the spool process is completed and data to be printed is sent to the image forming apparatus, the contents of the print job are deleted and information is displayed. From the processing apparatus side, it is shown that the operation cannot be performed at all.

  For this reason, from the standpoint of the user who operates the PC, it is not possible to check the print status of the print data once sent or to remotely operate the print data and want to delete the sent print data from the image forming apparatus. In some cases, it is impossible to remotely control whether printing has already been performed.

  This is because the access authority for the print data stored in the image forming apparatus is relinquished to the PC from the viewpoint of ensuring the security of the print output. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-15537 (Patent Document 1), in order to delete print data held by an image forming apparatus, printing held by the image forming apparatus is performed by holding an IC card over the image forming apparatus. A technique for erasing data is described.

  Even using the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to control printing of the printing status monitoring system through control such as deletion of print data sent to the image forming apparatus. However, the technique of Patent Document 1 has a problem that the user of the information processing apparatus must move to the image forming apparatus with the IC card, be authenticated by the IC card, and delete the job in the image forming apparatus. is there. In addition, except for the case where it takes time from issuance of print data to the start of printing, it is also assumed that the purpose of movement disappears during the time for the movement, that is, the printing has already been completed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and relates to print data sent from the PC to the image forming apparatus, and a print state monitoring technique that enables the print job state of the image forming apparatus to be controlled by the PC. The issue is to provide.

  In the present invention, a message transmission / reception technique referred to as a so-called instant messenger (IM) is used to monitor the printing state. The information processing apparatus and the printer server or the image forming apparatus on the print data sending side mount a message processing unit that can be mounted as an instant messenger. The PC address for specifying the information processing device side between the information processing device and the printer server or the image forming device and the message address for identifying specific print data are defined by the XMPP (Extensible Messaging Protocol Core) protocol. A message is transferred in the form of a chat in relation to the print data between the information processing apparatus and the printer server or the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus.

  As a result, the security level does not decrease even when the information processing apparatus refers to the print data after sending the print data to the outside. In addition to the print job being printed, Since the print job can be left on the message window, the user can be alerted even when the printed matter is left on the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing status monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a functional block 200 of a PC 102 and a printer server 108 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a functional block 300 of the image forming apparatus 110 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of processing executed by the printing status monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment. The figure which shows embodiment of the data structure of the print data 500 produced | generated by this embodiment, and the message handling data 520. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a sequence for notifying the PC 102 of a processing state of the image forming apparatus 110 as a message in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram in a case where printing is not necessary and is deleted after the PC 102 sends print data to the printer server 108 in the present embodiment. 6 is a diagram illustrating a relationship with an agent of the message processing unit 220 on the printer server 108 side when the message processing unit 210 on the PC 102 side displays a message for each print job in the present embodiment. FIG. The figure which shows embodiment of GUI900 which the screen display control part 202 produces | generates for the message process part 210 of PC102 in this embodiment. The figure which shows the block diagram of the printing condition monitoring system 1000 of other embodiment. The figure which shows the conventional print monitor screen at the time of a spool process being complete | finished.

  Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated with embodiment, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned later. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing status monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment. The print status monitoring system 100 is configured as a network print system that causes a print output to be performed on an image forming apparatus 110 that is remotely arranged via a network 116 such as a local area network (LAN).

  PCs 102 to 106 such as personal computers and workstations (hereinafter referred to as PCs) are connected to the network 116, and print data is sent to the image forming apparatus 110 to authenticate the access authority of the PCs. To determine whether to permit print output and the print output destination. The PC is equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), memory, hard disk, network interface, etc., and operates various applications under the control of an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) such as Windows (registered trademark). The result is generated as print data.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 110 can be implemented as a so-called MFP that has a network connection function and can execute a plurality of functions such as print output, network communication, and facsimile communication. The image forming apparatus 110 also manages the operation of the image forming apparatus 110 under the management of an OS such as Windows (registered trademark), LINUX (registered trademark), or UNIX (registered trademark). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, it is assumed that only one image forming apparatus 110 is connected to the network 116 for the sake of explanation. However, depending on the specific application and printing environment, the network 116 includes A plurality of image forming apparatuses may be connected.

  In the printing status monitoring system 100 shown in FIG. 1, a printer server 108 is further connected to the network 116. The printer server 108 mounts a CPU, a memory, a hard disk, a network interface, and the like, and executes a server application. The printer server 108 receives print data, for example, as indicated by a line 112 from the PC 102, sends the print data, as indicated by a line 114, to the image forming apparatus 110 to be output, and requested by the PC 102. The print data is hard-printed, and various states such as an execution state and an error of the image forming apparatus are notified to the printer server 108.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the functional block 200 of the PC 102 and printer server 108 of the present embodiment. Each functional unit shown in FIG. 2 is realized as a functional unit on the PC by the PC 102 and the printer server 108 executing the program. In FIG. 2, the PCs 104 and 106 have the same functional configuration as the PC 102, and thus detailed description will not be given, but the same processing as the PC 102 described below is executed. As shown in FIG. 2, the PC 102 includes a screen display control unit 202 that controls desktop screen display. The user issues various commands to the PC 102 via the desktop screen display, The execution result of the PC 102 is displayed to the user.

  Further, the PC 102 includes an application unit 204, a print data generation unit 206, and a print data transmission unit 208. The application unit 204 executes applications such as a word processor, graphics, and database under the control of the OS, receives a print request from the user, and sends data to be printed to the print data generation unit 206.

  The print data generation unit 206 creates print data from the document created by the application as, for example, EMF, Postscript (registered trademark), or an application specific format, and adds data for message handling according to the present embodiment. And sent to the print data transmission unit 208. The print data transmission unit 208 sends the print data to the printer server 108 in the embodiment described below. The message handling data includes a PC-side address for uniquely identifying the PC 102 on the system and a message address for uniquely identifying the print data on the system. The configuration is more detailed. It will be described later.

  The printer server 108 temporarily stores print data including data for message handling in the spooler unit 228. The printer server 108 checks whether the print data includes data for message handling. If the print data includes data for performing message handling, the print server 108 sends the print data to the authentication print spooler unit 224. Send it. The authenticated print spooler unit 224 may be implemented as a queue for storing print data until it is determined whether the PC 102 that sent the print data has the authority to print on the designated image forming apparatus 110. it can.

  The authentication print spooler unit 224 sends the message handling data added to the print data to the authentication service unit 226, and inspects the print data. When the inspection is successful, the authentication print spooler unit 224 starts the print data spool process, and passes the print data after the spool process is completed to the print data sending unit 230. The print data sending unit 230 passes the spooled print data to the target image forming apparatus 110 to execute printing. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the authentication service unit 226 is described as being provided in the printer server or the image forming apparatus for convenience of explanation. However, the authentication service unit 226 is integrated with the image forming apparatus, the printer server, or the like. In other implementations of the present embodiment, the authentication service unit 226 is configured as a module of an authentication server (not shown) connected via a network, and the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) ) Can be used to provide an authentication function.

  The PC 102 includes a message processing unit 210, and a message processing unit 220 having the same configuration is mounted on the printer server 108. For convenience, the message processing unit 210 configured in the PC 102 corresponds to the first message processing unit, and the message processing unit 220 configured on the printer server 108 is the second message processing unit. In certain embodiments, the message processor 210 can be a client messenger and the message processor 220 can be a server messenger.

  The message processing units 210 and 220 described above can be implemented using, for example, XMPP defined by RFC3920 or the like, and can be implemented as a so-called instant messenger. In this embodiment, the instant messenger is implemented as a tool for editing the contents of the authentication print spooler 224 remotely from the PC 102 while maintaining the security level.

  Since the XMPP protocol can use the SASL (Simple Authentication and Secure Layer) protocol for sending and receiving messages between the PC 102 and the printer server 108, the security level by editing the contents of the spooler unit 224 for authentication printing Can be prevented.

  The message processing unit 210 can be implemented including a message management unit 212, a message conversion unit 214, and a message transmission / reception unit 216. The message management unit 212 generates and manages its own source address, generates and manages a message destination, accumulates the print job status sent from the printer server 108, and generates a message generated by the screen display control unit 202. The window displays the print job status for each print data requested to be printed. In addition, the message conversion unit 214 receives a command for editing print data that the user inputs from a message window that the screen display control unit 202 displays on the desktop screen, and can be executed by the printer server 108 to respond to the command. To command message. The converted message is transferred to the message transmitting / receiving unit 216 and sent to the message processing unit 220 on the printer server 108 side via the network 116.

  The message transmission / reception protocol is based on XML, and SOCKET communication or the like can be used. In addition, the source address and destination address are generated using DNS (Dynamic Name Space), and each unique address is generated. Convenience can be provided to print monitor technology. The generation processing of the PC address and message address executed by the message management unit 212 will be described in detail later.

  The message received by the printer server 108 can be a command message that can be executed by the printer server 108. When the message instructs an operation on the print job, the contents of the storage area managed by the authentication print spooler 224 are edited according to the received message, and the print data can be edited and deleted remotely. As an encoded message, for example, when message = deletion, the message may be “delete”, for example, and when waiting, message = wait, for example, “wait” may be used. Script language commands that can be interpreted by the OS depending on the OS (for example, MS-DOS in Windows (registered trademark), Shell command in UNIX, LINUX, etc.) can be used.

  Since the message processing unit 210 on the PC 102 side and the message processing unit 220 on the printer server side communicate with each other by the SASL protocol, the security level by the PC 102 accessing the print data sent by the PC 102 remotely is reduced. There is no decline.

  FIG. 3 shows a functional block 300 of the image forming apparatus 110 of the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 110 includes a network interface that enables data communication via the network 116. In the embodiment to be described, authentication with the printer server, reception of print data, and SNMP (Small) A transaction for notifying the status of the image forming apparatus via the Network Management Protocol) is executed. The image forming apparatus 110 includes an authentication processing unit 302, a print data acquisition unit 306, and a status monitor unit 308 in order to execute the above-described transaction.

  The authentication processing unit 302 authenticates whether or not the output destination of the print data received from the PC 102 by the printer server 108 should be printed by the image forming apparatus 110. Therefore, the authentication processing unit 302 manages the PC address list 312 that can be printed by the image forming apparatus 110 in advance, receives an inquiry from the authentication print spooler unit 224 of the printer server 108, and is registered in the address list 312. Check against the address. If the address corresponding to the inquiry is registered in the address list 312 of the image forming apparatus 110 as a result of the collation, the image forming apparatus 110 issues a notification to the authentication print spooler unit 224 that the authority authentication has been successful. Then, the spool processing by the authentication printing spooler unit 224 is started.

  The print data acquisition unit 306 receives the print data in the RAW format after the spool processing from the printer server 108, stores the print data in the queue memory, and stores the print data according to the priority order of the print jobs. To print and execute printing. The status monitor unit 308 monitors the status of the print engine 310 of the image forming apparatus 110, and the printer that functions as a master using the SNMP protocol for the status of the image forming apparatus 110 such as printing completion, error occurrence, and no consumables. Notify the status monitor unit 222 of the server 108. The state of the image forming apparatus 110 notified at this time is notified to the authentication printing spooler unit 224 and is sent to the PC 102 via the message processing unit 220 based on the PC side address.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 110 includes an operation panel control unit 304. The operation panel control unit 304 performs display control and input / output control of an operation panel for manually inputting operations to the image forming apparatus 110. For example, a manual such as an address list managed by the authentication processing unit 302 is provided. Input is also possible. The print engine 310 includes a photosensitive drum, toner, a transfer member, a conveyance member, and the like, and enables monochrome or color printing under user authentication.

  FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of processing executed by the printing status monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment. The sequence in FIG. 4 corresponds to a message exchange processing sequence between the message processing units 210 and 220 between the PC 102 and the printer server 108. First, the application unit 204 of the PC 102 edits a document to be printed based on an instruction from the user, and issues a print request in sequence S1 in response to the issuance of the print instruction by the user when the document editing is completed. To do. When receiving the print request, the print data generation unit 206 instructs the message management unit 212 to generate a message address in sequence S2, and generates a message address for uniquely identifying the print data.

  In this embodiment, the message address is generated in a format such as {unique value in the system} @ {server name} that can at least identify print data in accordance with a format such as the XMPP protocol. The message management unit 212 registers the generated message address in the message processing unit 210 in sequence S3. In step S4, the data is returned to the print data generation unit 206, and is entered in an appropriate area such as a header area of the print data. In synchronization with sequence S4, in sequence S5, the PC 102 enters the PC-side address registered by the PC 102 for message exchange in an appropriate area such as the header area of the print data. The message address and the PC side address constitute data for message handling.

  Thereafter, the print data generation unit 206 ends the generation of the print data according to the present embodiment, sends the print data to the print data transmission unit 208 in sequence S6, and the print data transmission unit 208 establishes the network 116 in sequence S7. Print data is sent to the spooler unit 228 of the printer server 108. When the spooler unit 228 detects the presence of the message address and the PC address in the received print data, the print data associated with the message address is started in step S8 before starting the spooler process in the sequence S8. To enable processing for authenticated printing.

  The authenticated print spooler 224 that has acquired the print data instructs the generation of an instance of the message processing unit 220 for each print data received in the sequence S9, and operates as an agent dedicated to the print data. Thereafter, the message agent and PC address of the print data are generated as print job information for the generated agent in sequence S10, and a message to the PC 102 is sent in sequence S11. At this stage, the message processing unit 210 of the PC 102 can recognize that printing of print data has started on the dedicated window for the message processing unit 210.

  Thereafter, the authentication print spooler 224 receives a notification of successful authentication from the authentication service unit 226, starts spool processing, calls GDI, DDI, print processor, etc., converts the print data into RAW data, By sending the print data to the forming apparatus 110 and executing the printing, the printing instructed by the PC 102 is made possible.

  FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the data structure of the print data 500 and message handling data 520 generated in this embodiment. The print data 500 is generated when the print data generation unit 206 of the PC 102 generates a transmission packet by embedding the message address 502 and the PC-side address in the document data generated by the application unit 204.

  The message handling data 520 includes a PC address and a message address, and a specific message can be transmitted / received via the network 116 using the message handling data 520. The print request is received by the print data generation unit 206, and an interface such as GDI or DDI is activated to generate print data for printing the document in a specified format. At the same time, the print data generation unit 206 instructs the message management unit 212 to generate a message address in sequence S2.

  The PC-side address 522 is created in a format that can uniquely identify the PC 102 in the system and that conforms to the XMPP protocol, and is “name@aaa.co.jp” in the embodiment to be described. The message address 524 is also created so that print data can be identified and conforms to the XMPP format.

  In the described embodiment, the above-described message address is generated as “docname1.macaddress.time1@server.bbb.com”.

  In order to identify and register a print job, the authenticated print spooler unit of the printer server 108 generates a print job identification value 526 in which a PC address is associated with a message address, and performs subsequent print job management and message processing. Used for transmission and reception.

  FIG. 6 shows a sequence for notifying the processing status of the image forming apparatus 110 to the PC 102 as a message in this embodiment. In the sequence of FIG. 6, the authentication print spooler unit 224 sends the spooled print data to the image forming apparatus 110 via the print data sending unit 230 in sequence S20. At the same time, the authentication print spooler unit 224 notifies the message handling data and the print start message to the message processing unit 220 in sequence S21, and sends the message to the message transmission / reception unit 216 of the PC 102 in sequence S22. As a result, a print execution start message is displayed in the provided window for the message processing unit.

  On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 110 starts printing in sequence S23. In the embodiment to be described, it is assumed that an error that can be repaired during printing is generated, and that the error occurs in sequence S24. . When detecting an error, the image forming apparatus 110 notifies the authentication print spooler unit 224 of the error state and its content in sequence S25 in accordance with the SNMP protocol. The authentication printing spooler unit 224 notifies the message processing unit 220 of the error state together with the message handling data in a sequence S26. In step S27, the message processing unit 220 sends the message to the message transmission / reception unit 216 of the PC 102, and can know the execution state of the print job on the PC 102.

  When the user notices the error and eliminates the cause of the error, the subsequent print job is started, and the authentication print spooler 224 is notified of the end of printing in sequence S28. The authentication printing spooler unit 224 notifies the message processing unit 220 of the end of printing in sequence S29, and the message processing unit 220 uses the message handling data to address the message transmission / reception unit 216 of the PC 102 and ends printing in sequence S30. Message is sent and the message display status is updated. With the above sequence, the status of the image forming apparatus 110 can be notified to the PC 102 using the message processing units 210 and 220.

  FIG. 7 shows a processing sequence when the PC 102 deletes print data after sending it to the printer server 108 in this embodiment. Similarly, when a user wants to delete a print job stored in the authentication print spooler unit via the message processing units 210 and 220 because printing is not necessary, the message processing of the printer server 108 from the message processing unit 210 of the PC 102 is performed. This can be done by sending a message to the section 220 at the text level.

  When the user of the PC 102 double-clicks a GUI such as an icon for instructing deletion of a print job to be deleted from a window displayed for the message processing unit 210, an event for instructing deletion in sequence S40 is sent to the message processing unit 210. The message conversion unit 214 of the message processing unit 210 encodes the message that has been sent and assigned to the icon. When the event instructs to delete the print job, the command is converted into a command message such as “delete”. In sequence S <b> 41, the message processing unit 210 sends the deletion message to the message processing unit 220 of the printer server 108 via the network 116.

  The message processing unit 220 sends the received message to the authentication print spooler unit 224 in sequence S42, and deletes the print job designated from the storage area managed by the authentication print spooler unit 224. The message that can be instructed from the PC 102 is not particularly limited, and can be set as appropriate according to the purpose required for the print job being executed, such as waiting, in addition to deletion.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship with an agent of the message processing unit 220 on the printer server 108 side when the message processing unit 210 on the PC 102 side displays a message for each print job in this embodiment. When the PC 102 sends the print data to the printer server 108, the authentication print spooler unit 224 generates an agent of the message processing unit 220 for each print data, and handles the print data as if it were a user participating in the chat. .

  The agent of the message processing unit 220 acquires from the image forming apparatus 110 state changes such as the start, error, and end of the print job related to the print data managed by the agent, and sends the state change to the message according to the message handling data. To the message processing unit 210 on the PC 102 side. The message processing unit 210 on the PC side displays the message sent from each agent in an appropriate order, for example, the print job identification value (print job ID) for identifying the print job uniquely, the print job time stamp. Are placed in the queue in the order of younger or in the order in which messages are received and displayed. Note that the message processing unit 210 on the PC side displays the status of the print job instructed to print during the period when the message processing unit 210 is activated, and the print job status has been terminated, for example, The user can recognize that there is data left in the image forming apparatus 110.

  In another embodiment, for a print job that has finished printing, the display color of the icon image corresponding to the print job on the window generated for the message processing unit 210 is changed, and the user is warned that printing is finished. It can also be configured to arouse.

  FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a GUI 900 generated by the screen display control unit 202 for the message processing unit 210 of the PC 102 in this embodiment. The GUI 900 displays the user name 902 of the user of the PC 102, and in the display area 904, the print job ID 906 corresponding to the print data sent to the image forming apparatus 110 by the PC 102 so far, the print job status 908, In addition, a process input icon 910 that enables a message operation for the print job is displayed. In the embodiment to be described, the process input icon 910 is implemented as a pull-down menu, and the pull-down menu displayed on the line corresponding to the print job ID is clicked to select the operation menu displayed in the pull-down window. Thus, it is possible to determine processing contents and issue a command message.

  Since the security of the message issued from the GUI 900 shown in FIG. 9 is ensured by the SASL protocol, the PC 102 outputs it to the outside without causing the adverse effect of reducing the security of the print job contents as in the prior art. It is possible to edit a print job related to the print data that has been lost.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a printing status monitoring system 1000 according to another embodiment. The embodiment of FIG. 10 is an embodiment corresponding to a case where the image forming apparatus 1010 includes an authentication printing spooler unit 224 and includes a printer server function.

  For example, when the PC 1004 sends print data like the data flow line 1014 and sends it to the image forming apparatus 1010 for printing, the image forming apparatus 1010 uses the authentication print spooler 224 and the authentication service unit 226 performs authentication. The message processing units 210 and 220 are called to perform the same processing as in the first embodiment, and the print job status is sent to the PC 1004 via the message processing units 210 and 220, so that the user of the PC 1004 actually Even if the image forming apparatus 1010 does not recognize an authentication device such as an IC card, the user of the PC 1004 can edit a print job related to print data issued by the PC 1004 to the outside on the desktop of the PC 1004.

  As described above, according to the present invention, with respect to print data sent from a PC to an image forming apparatus, a print status monitoring system, a print control method, and a program that enable a PC to control the print job status of the image forming apparatus. Can be provided.

  The above-described functions of the present embodiment can be realized by a device executable program described in a script language, an object-oriented programming language such as C ++, Java (registered trademark), JavaScript (registered trademark), Perl, or Ruby. It can be stored and distributed in a device-readable recording medium such as a hard disk device, CD-ROM, MO, flexible disk, EEPROM, EPROM, etc., and can be transmitted via a network in a format that other devices can do. .

  Although the present embodiment has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, and the like can be conceived by those skilled in the art. It can be changed, and any aspect is within the scope of the present invention as long as the effects and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

100 Printing status monitoring system 102-106 PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 108 Printer server 110 Image forming apparatus 112 Line 114 Line 116 Network 200 Functional block 202 Screen display control part 204 Application part 206 Print data generation part 208 Print data transmission part 210 Message processing part 212 Message management part 214 Message conversion part 216 Message transmission / reception part 220 Message Processing Unit 222 Status Monitor Unit 224 Authentication Print Spooler 226 Authentication Service Unit 228 Spooler Unit 230 Print Data Shipping Unit 300 Function Block 302 Authentication Processing Unit 304 Operation Panel Control Unit 306 Print Data Acquisition Unit 308 Status Monitor Unit 310 Print Engine 312 Address list 500 Print data 502 Message address 520 Message handling data 522 PC side address 524 Message address 526 Print job identification value (print job ID)

JP 2010-15537 A

Claims (11)

A printing status monitoring system that includes an information processing apparatus that is connected via a network and issues a print request for a document, and a server that executes spool processing for a document included in the print request, and monitors the status of the print request. There,
The information processing apparatus includes:
Screen display control means for displaying a message for displaying the execution status of the print job;
First message processing means for generating and managing a message address for uniquely identifying the print job, including information processing apparatus side addresses and information indicating the order in which the print jobs were created;
Print data generation means for generating the print data by embedding the information processing apparatus side address and the message address in a header area for the document generated by the print request;
Print data transmission means for transmitting the print data via the network,
The server
In response to receiving the print data, the print data is acquired from a spooler unit that stores the print data, the print authority of the print data generation source is authenticated, and if the authentication is successful, the print data is formed as an image. A spooler means for authentication printing to be sent to the apparatus;
In response to the acquisition of the print data by the authentication print spooler means, an agent responsible for transmitting and receiving a message about the print status for each print data based on the information processing apparatus side address is generated, and the first message processing Second message processing means for sending a print job execution state of the print data to the means for each print data;
Have
The printing status monitoring system, wherein the first message processing means displays an execution status of the print job from the order in which the print jobs are created.   The printing status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first message processing unit and the second message processing unit communicate a transmitted / received message using a SASL protocol.   The print status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the screen display control unit displays an object for instructing an operation request for the print job in association with the print job in the message.   The said 1st message process means is provided with the message conversion means which converts into the message corresponding to the command for making the said server execute the operation request with respect to the said print job commanded via the said object. Printing status monitoring system.   5. The printing status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first message processing unit and the second message processing unit are messenger units that perform message exchange using an XMPP protocol. 6.   The printing status monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first message processing unit is capable of monitoring at least a printing status of a print job that has been printed or an error that has occurred with respect to the printing job. A server connected via a network and executing spool processing of a document included in a print request;
The server
In response to receiving the print data, the print data is received from a spooler that temporarily stores the print data, the print authority of the print data generation source is authenticated, and if the authentication is successful, the print data is formed as an image. A spooler means for authentication printing to be sent to the apparatus;
In response to the acquisition of print data by the authentication print spooler means, an agent responsible for sending and receiving messages about the print status for each print data is generated based on the information processing device side address, and is installed in the information processing device. and embedded in the header area of the print data includes information indicating the order of the information processing apparatus side address and print job was created, to generate a message address for identifying the print job to the specific management Second message processing means for sending the print job execution status of the print data for each print data to the first message processing means,
The server, wherein the first message processing unit displays an execution state on a desktop screen from the earlier order in which the print jobs are created. An image forming apparatus that is connected via a network and executes spool processing of a document included in a print request,
The image forming apparatus includes:
In response to receiving the print data, the print data is received from the spooler means for temporarily storing the print data, the print authority of the print data generation source is authenticated, and if the authentication is successful, the print data is spooled. Authentication spooler means to be sent to the image forming apparatus,
In response to the acquisition of the print data by the authentication print spooler means, an agent responsible for sending and receiving a message about the print status for each print data is generated based on the address on the information processing apparatus side and mounted on the information processing apparatus And generating and managing a message address for uniquely identifying the print job, which is embedded in the header area of the print data and includes information indicating the information processing apparatus side address and the order in which the print job was created. Second message processing means for sending a print job execution status of the print data for each print data to one message processing means,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the first message processing unit displays an execution state on a desktop screen from an earlier order in which the print jobs are created. A printing state monitoring method comprising: an information processing apparatus that is connected via a network and issues a print request for a document; and a server that executes spool processing for a document included in the print request, and monitors the state of the print request. There,
The information processing apparatus is
Displaying a message for displaying the execution status of the print job;
Generating and managing a message address for uniquely identifying the print job, including information processing apparatus side address and information indicating the order in which the print job was created;
Embedding the information processing apparatus side address and the message address in a header area for a document generated by a print request, and generating as print data;
Sending the print data over the network; and
When the server receives the print data from a spooler unit that temporarily stores the print data in response to the reception of the print data, authenticates the print authority of the generation source of the print data, and succeeds in the authentication, the print Spooling data and sending it to the image forming apparatus;
In response to the acquisition of the print data for authentication, an agent responsible for sending and receiving a message about the print status for each print data based on the information processing device side address is generated, and the first message processing means, Sending a print job execution status of the print data for each print data;
The printing status monitoring method, wherein the first message processing means displays an execution status on a desktop screen in the order in which the print job is created. A computer-executable program for causing a computer to function as an information processing apparatus that is connected via a network and that executes spool processing of a document included in a print request, the program comprising:
In response to receiving the print data, the print data is received from the spooler means for temporarily storing the print data, the print authority of the print data generation source is authenticated, and if the authentication is successful, the print data is spooled. Authentication print spooler means to be sent to the image forming apparatus
In response to the acquisition of the print data by the authentication print spooler means, an agent responsible for sending and receiving a message about the print status for each print data is generated based on the address on the information processing apparatus side and mounted on the information processing apparatus And generating and managing a message address for uniquely identifying the print job, which is embedded in the header area of the print data and includes information indicating the information processing apparatus side address and the order in which the print job was created. Second message processing means for sending a print job execution status of the print data for each print data to one message processing means;
Function as
A program for causing the first message processing means to display an execution state on a desktop screen from an earlier order in which the print jobs are created. A computer-readable recording medium storing the program according to claim 10.