JP6127695B2 - Print processing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a print processing apparatus and a program, and more particularly to a technique that enables optimum customization of a printer driver application even in a system in which a storage area accessible by the printer driver application is limited.

  In the technical field of image forming apparatuses, a technique is already known in which a printer driver counts the usage frequency for each print setting function and uses the statistical information (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, in Patent Document 2, it is more desirable than a plurality of printing devices existing in a network even when printing is performed by connecting a PC to a network different from a normal one or when a normal printing device is malfunctioning. A program executable by a computer connected to a network for the purpose of searching for a printing apparatus having the function of Means is disclosed for evaluating a printing apparatus connected to a network based on the function of the printing apparatus and the usage frequency tabulated by the tabulating means.

  If the usage frequency for each print setting function can be aggregated and the statistical information can be used, a printer driver customized optimally for each customer can be provided. However, when the operation system (hereinafter referred to as OS) is largely restricted, there is a problem in that information on the usage frequency cannot be accessed.

  In the printer driver architecture (Version 3 driver) employed in the conventional Microsoft Windows (registered trademark. In the following, the registered trademark may not be described one by one. In some cases, it may be abbreviated as Windows). Since user interface (hereinafter referred to as UI) settings and print sequences could be freely input and output, it was possible to easily count and save the usage frequency.

  However, in the architecture newly adopted in Windows 8 (Version 4 driver), the printer driver configuration module provided by the vendor operates on the sandbox, which is very restrictive. The UI for print settings can only access files under a specific directory, and the drawing module cannot specify its position, so there is a problem that statistical information is output by the drawing module and cannot be read by the UI. .

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 describes that the usage frequency for each function of the printing apparatus is totaled. However, it is conceivable that the print setting statistical information cannot be acquired under the restriction of the Version 4 driver as described above.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable optimum customization of a printer driver application even in a system in which a storage area accessible by the printer driver application is limited.

  One aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object is to provide a print setting processing means for generating a screen for performing print settings, and temporary printing on a sandbox prepared for print processing that stores the saved settings. A setting storage unit; a print setting statistical database outside the sandbox; a background task processing unit that reads the setting stored in the temporary print setting storage unit after completion of printing and stores the setting in the print setting statistical database; It is characterized by providing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to enable optimum customization of a printer driver application even in a system in which a storage area accessible by the printer driver application is limited.

It is a figure which shows the layer structure of the software program (Version4 driver) of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structure of DCA of the said embodiment. It is a sequence diagram which shows the flow of the process of the said embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the flow of a process of the background task processing means 12 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the data of the system event in the said embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print completion event type list 16 in FIG. 4. It is a figure which illustrates the print setting screen in the said embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the memory content of the temporary print setting memory | storage means 14 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of print settings stacked in a print setting statistics database 15 in FIG. 2. It is a figure which shows the example of the start application screen which the start application process means 13 of FIG. 2 provides.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments. The embodiment disclosed below is an embodiment having the following characteristics in the process of collecting statistical information for each print setting function in the Version 4 driver as described above.

  In short, in the UI module that performs print settings in the Version 4 driver, Device Companion Application (DCA10), the current setting list information is temporarily saved in the print setting save instruction event, and in the background task print completion event, the temporary setting is performed. It is characterized by persisting information in the print setting database. This feature will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a layer configuration of the software program (Version 4 driver) of this embodiment. As an example of the hardware configuration of this embodiment, an architecture that a general-purpose computer normally has, that is, a configuration including an arithmetic / processing device and primary storage, secondary storage, an input / output device, a display device, and the like can be given as an example. Such hardware and the software program as shown in FIG. 1 cooperate to constitute each means of the present embodiment.

  The OS 30 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a Windows (registered trademark) operating system provided by Microsoft Corporation. It is not necessary to limit the present invention to this. The runtime 20 is a runtime for operating a Windows 8 style (former name: Metro style) application, and is provided by Microsoft Corporation.

  Device Companion Application (DCA10) is a Windows 8 style application provided to display device print settings and device information. The DCA 10 includes a “start application screen” that is activated from the start screen, a “print setting screen” that is displayed when print settings are performed from a printable application, and a “background task” that operates in the background and receives system events. Is done. In addition, due to the characteristics of a Windows 8 style application, it operates in a sandbox on the runtime 20 and can read and write only files under a specific directory for each user. Further, the print filter (print setting information described in XML) is transferred to the drawing filter 40 via the OS 30. The DCA 10 is provided by, for example, a vendor.

  The drawing filter 40 has a function of receiving drawing data and a print ticket from the OS 30, converting them into a format suitable for the printer device, and passing it to the OS 30. The drawing filter 40 operates with system authority, and cannot identify a “specific directory for each user” that can be used by the Device Companion Application 10.

  As described above, there is a limit in the exchange of information between the DCA 10 and the drawing filter 40, and even if the print setting statistical information is collected by the drawing filter 40, it cannot be referred to by the DCA 10. The function to be presented to the user using can not be realized. Therefore, the present embodiment provides means for closing the DCA 10 and collecting print setting statistical information as described below.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the DCA according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the DCA 10 includes functions of a print setting processing unit 11, a background task processing unit 12, a start application processing unit 13, a temporary print setting storage unit 14, and a print setting statistical database 15.

  The print setting processing unit 11 has a function of generating a print setting screen that is displayed when printing is performed from a Windows 8 style application. Also, a print ticket is received from the OS 30 and the user's settings are reflected in the print ticket. When the print setting save instruction event is received from the OS 30, the print ticket is saved. Further, in the present embodiment, when the print setting processing unit 11 receives a print setting storage instruction event from the OS 30, the print setting processing unit 11 stores the setting values of each function of the print setting at that time in the temporary print setting storage unit 14.

  The background task processing means 12 operates in the background of an application, receives a specified event from the system, and performs a specified operation for each application. In this embodiment, when an event is received from the system, a function is provided for determining whether the event has been printed. If it is determined that the event is a print completion event, the information stored in the temporary print setting is stored in the print setting statistical database 15. Also, the information in the temporary print setting storage unit 14 is cleared.

The start application processing means 13 may be a normal Windows 8 style application except that the bidirectional communication information can be acquired from the printer device. In the present embodiment, there is provided a function of acquiring information stored in the print setting statistics database 15, processing the information, and presenting it to the user. The screen to be presented is called a “start application screen”.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the processing flow of this embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the Version 4 driver according to the present exemplary embodiment performs print processing according to the following flow.

1. Operation of print setting processing means 11 1.1. When performing print settings from a Windows 8 style application that supports printing, the print setting screen of the DCA 10 is activated via the OS 30.
1.2. The user performs print settings on the print setting screen provided by the print setting processing unit 11.
1.3. When the user instructs completion of print settings, a print setting save instruction event is issued from the OS 30 to the print setting screen.
1.4. The print setting screen stores the current print setting as a temporary print setting in the data storage area of the DCA 10. This data storage area is called temporary print setting storage means 14 in FIG.

2. Operation of printing operation and background task processing means 12 2.1. When printing is performed using the print settings, the OS 30 acquires the status of the printer device and issues a system event to the background task processing unit 12 of the DCA 10.
2.2. The background task processing means 12 analyzes the event data and determines whether printing is completed.
2.3. When it is determined that printing is completed, the data stored in the temporary print setting storage unit 14 is read.
2.4. The read data is stored in the print setting statistics database 15 in the data storage area of the DCA 10 and made permanent.
2.5. Clear the temporary print settings.

3. Operation of start application processing means 13 3.1. When the user clicks or taps the tile of DCA 10 from the start screen of OS 30, the start application screen of DCA 10 is activated. The start application screen is a screen provided by the start application processing means 13.
3.2. The start application screen acquires data stored from the print setting statistics database 15.
3.3. The acquired data is processed and displayed.

  Detailed processing of the background task will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the background task processing means 12. As illustrated, the background task processing unit 12 receives a system event from the OS 30 (S101).

  The system event holds event data in XML format as shown in FIG. The background task processing means 12 determines whether the system event indicates that printing has been completed (S102). Specifically, it is determined whether the event is a print completion event from the contents of the event data. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the stringID attribute of the body element is used as the event type. If the event type is included in the print completion event type list 16 shown in FIG. 6, it is determined that the event is a print completion event.

  In FIG. 6, 101 and 102 are IDs indicating that the printing has been normally completed, and 131 and 132 are IDs indicating that the remaining amount of toner and ink is low. However, since the printing itself has been completed, the printing is completed. I reckon.

  Next, if it is determined as a print completion event, it is determined whether or not the temporary print setting is empty (S103). If not empty, the contents stored in the temporary print setting storage means 14 are read (S104). Next, the storage contents of the temporary print setting storage area 14 are stored in the print setting statistical database 15 (S105). Next, the temporary print setting storage unit 14 is cleared (S106).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the print setting screen. The left half of FIG. 7 is a printable application screen. When printing is set from a printable application, the right half print setting screen is displayed. On this screen, the user makes print settings and presses the upper left arrow button to confirm the print settings, and the print setting save instruction event is issued from the OS 30 to the print setting processing means 11. FIG. 8 shows an example in which temporary print settings are saved with the settings shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the contents stored in the temporary print setting storage unit 14.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of print settings stacked in the print setting statistics database 15. By performing the printing process as described above a plurality of times, information as shown in FIG. 9 is accumulated. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the temporary print setting information is stored together with the date and time when the print completion event is received. That is, the date / time information is stored in association with the print setting.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a start application screen provided by the start application processing means 13. In FIG. 10, the data acquired from the print setting statistics database 15 is processed and displayed. In this example, the paper reduction rate and toner reduction rate for each month are calculated and displayed from the date / time information of the data.

  In FIG. 10, the paper reduction rate is information obtained by calculating a ratio in which the duplex setting and the N-Up setting are used from the entire print settings performed in the month. The toner reduction rate is information obtained by calculating a ratio of using the toner save setting from the entire print settings performed in the month.

  The embodiment described above is a UI module Device Companion Application (DCA) that performs print settings in the Version 4 driver. However, since the current setting list information is temporarily saved in the print setting save instruction event and the temporary information is made permanent in the print setting database in the background task print completion event, the print processing is completed. Also print settings are accumulated. By using the stored print settings, it is possible to provide a customized printer driver that is optimal for the customer. Moreover, according to the method of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a customized printer driver that is optimal for the customer without deauthorizing the Windows logo program.

  According to the present embodiment, it is possible to enable the printer driver application to be optimally customized even in a system in which the storage area accessible by the printer driver application is limited.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the means for “determining whether or not the event is a print completion event” is a list of identification information indicating that the predetermined identification information of the system event is a “print completion event ( Judgment is made based on whether it is included in the print type completion event list 16). Therefore, the print completion event can be easily identified.

  Further, in this embodiment, the print setting statistics database 15 adds the date and time of printing to the print settings and saves the data. By associating the print setting with the date and time in this way, it can be used as history information.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the background task processing unit 12 determines that the system event is a print completion event, the temporary storage area is cleared (S106), and a process for determining whether the event is a print completion event (S106). In S102 to S105), if the temporary storage area is empty, the process is terminated (S103, Yes). According to this configuration, when a system event is called a plurality of times, it is possible to prevent the same setting from being persisted a plurality of times.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a start application screen for processing and displaying the permanent print setting information is displayed. Therefore, the collected information can be used in a form that is useful to the user.

10 DCA (Device Companion Application)
11 Print setting processing means 12 Background task processing means 13 Start application processing means 14 Temporary print setting storage means 15 Print setting statistical database 16 Print completion event type list 20 Runtime 30 OS
40 Drawing filter

JP 2009-058849 A JP 2007-094554 A

Claims (6)

Print setting processing means for generating a screen for performing print settings;
Temporary print setting storage means on a sandbox prepared for print processing, storing the saved settings;
A print setting statistics database outside the sandbox;
A background task processing unit that reads the setting stored in the temporary print setting storage unit after printing is completed and stores the setting in the print setting statistical database;
A print processing apparatus comprising: The background task processing means has a system event received from an operating system,
By determining whether or not the identification information of the system event is included in a list of identification information indicating a predetermined print completion event,
The print processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether the event is a print completion event. The background task processing means includes
If it is determined that the event is a print completion event, the stored content of the temporary print setting storage means is cleared,
3. The print processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the process of determining whether or not the system event is a print completion event, if the stored content of the temporary print setting storage unit is empty, the process is terminated.   The print processing according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the background task processing means associates the date and time information printed with the setting and stores the information in the print setting statistical database. apparatus.   5. The printing according to claim 1, further comprising: a start application processing unit that processes and displays the setting information based on the settings stacked in the print setting statistical database. Processing equipment. On the computer,
Execute the print setting process to generate the screen for print settings,
A storage device of the computer;
Temporary print setting storage means on a sandbox prepared for print processing, storing the saved settings;
Function as a print setting statistics database outside the sandbox,
In the computer,
A print processing program for executing a background task process of reading the setting stored in the temporary print setting storage unit and storing it in the print setting statistical database after printing is completed.

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