JP6394411B2 - Printing apparatus, printing system, printing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a printing system, a printing method executed by the printing apparatus, and a program installed in a computer of the printing apparatus.

  For example, a recent office has a plurality of printers. When the printer is connected to a PC (Personal Computer) via a LAN (Local Area Network), for example, a print job (print request) is transmitted from the PC to the printer via the LAN. In the printer that has received the print job, the print job is executed, and an image related to the print job is printed on paper.

  In such a system, for example, when the amount of data of a print job transmitted from the PC to the printer is enormous, if the processing of the print job becomes heavy with the capability of the printer that has received the print job, A configuration has been proposed in which processing (execution) of the print job is outsourced to another printer (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-323351 A

  However, when a print job process is entrusted to another printer, there may be a case where the entrusted printer is executing another print job entrusted by another entrustment source. In this case, even if the processing of the print job is entrusted to the other printer, the print job cannot be immediately executed, so that it takes time to execute the print job.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus, a printing system, a printing method, and a program capable of quickly executing a print job when a print job is received from a specific external apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of external devices, a printing unit that prints an image related to a print job on a recording medium, and a control unit. And the control unit restricts communication with a plurality of external devices other than the specific external device after receiving the instruction receiving processing for receiving a command for specifying a specific external device among the plurality of external devices. In addition, a communication restriction process for controlling the communication unit, and a print process for controlling the printing unit so that an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium when the communication unit receives a print job from a specific external device. And execute.

  According to this configuration, when an instruction for specifying a specific external device is received, communication with an external device other than the specific external device is limited. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which a print job from an external device other than the specific external device is being executed when the print job is received from the specific external device. Therefore, when a print job is received from a specific external device, the print job can be executed quickly.

  A printing system according to another aspect of the present invention is a printing system that includes a printing device and a plurality of external devices, and each of the plurality of external devices includes a first communication unit that communicates with the printing device, and a first control unit. The printing apparatus includes a second communication unit that communicates with a plurality of external devices, a first printing unit that prints an image relating to a print job on a recording medium, and a second control unit. (2) The control unit is configured to receive an instruction reception process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external apparatus among the plurality of external apparatuses, and to limit communication with a plurality of external apparatuses other than the specific external apparatus after the instruction reception process. (2) a communication restriction process for controlling the communication unit, and when the second communication unit receives a print job from a specific external device, the first printing unit is set so that an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium. The printing process to be controlled is executed.

  Thereby, there can exist an effect similar to the above-mentioned printing apparatus.

  The present invention can be realized not only in the form of a printing apparatus and a printing system, but also, for example, as a printing method or in the form of a program installed in a computer of the printing apparatus.

  A printing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of external devices, a printing unit that prints an image related to a print job on a recording medium, and a control unit. An instruction receiving process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external apparatus among a plurality of external apparatuses, and printing of an image relating to a print job received from a plurality of external apparatuses other than the specific external apparatus on a recording medium after the instruction receiving process. A print restriction process for controlling the printing unit is executed so as to restrict the printing.

  According to this configuration, when an instruction for specifying a specific external device is received, printing of an image related to a print job received from a plurality of external devices other than the specific external device on a recording medium is restricted. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which a print job from an external device other than the specific external device is executed when a print job is received from the specific external device. Therefore, when a print job is received from a specific external device, the print job can be executed quickly.

  According to the present invention, when a printing job is received from a specific external device, the printing job can be quickly executed.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the printing apparatus. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of the communication in a printing system. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a master side distributed printing setting. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of master side distributed printing cancellation | release. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a master side print job. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a slave side distributed printing setting. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a communication restriction process. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of slave side distributed printing cancellation | release. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a communication restriction release process. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a slave side print job. It is a figure for demonstrating the outline | summary of the communication in the printing system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<System configuration>

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes a plurality of printers such as printers 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B as examples of an external device and a printing device (hereinafter, a plurality of printers are collectively referred to as “printer 2”). And a PC (Personal Computer) 3 as an example of an external device.

  Each printer 2 is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 4. Each printer 2 and PC 3 can perform communication via the LAN 4. The LAN 4 may be a wired LAN or a wireless LAN. The LAN 4 may include both a wired LAN and a wireless LAN. The LAN 4 is connected to the Internet via the router 5. Each printer 2 has a wireless direct communication function (for example, WiFi Direct (registered trademark) function). With this wireless direct communication function, each printer 2 can directly perform wireless communication with another printer 2.

<Printer configuration>

  Each printer 2 has the same configuration. Hereinafter, the configuration of the printer 2 will be described by taking the printer 2A as an example. When each component of the printer 2B is used for the description, the same component as that of the printer 2A is used by changing the reference numeral of the component to “B”.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 2A includes an image forming unit 11A, a display unit 12A, an operation unit 13A, a wireless direct communication unit 14A, a network communication unit 15A, and a control unit 16A.

  The image forming unit 11A as an example of the first printing unit performs printing (color printing or monochrome printing) based on image data, and forms an image on a sheet. The image forming method may be an electrophotographic method or an inkjet method.

  The display unit 12A includes, for example, a liquid crystal display.

  The operation unit 13A as an example of the first setting input unit includes operation buttons (for example, a start key, a numeric keypad, and a cursor key) that are operated to input various instructions.

  The wireless direct communication unit 14A as an example of the first communication unit includes an antenna and an IC chip for wireless direct communication.

  The network communication unit 15A as an example of the communication unit, the second communication unit, and the second connection unit includes a circuit for network communication via the LAN 4 (see FIG. 1).

  The control unit 16A as an example of the first control unit includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 21A, a ROM 22A, a RAM 23A, and the like.

  The ASIC 21A includes a CPU 24A. An operation signal indicating the operation content of the operation unit 13A is input to the ASIC 21A. The CPU 24A controls the image forming unit 11A and the display unit 12A by executing a program stored in the ROM 22A based on a signal or the like input to the ASIC 21A, and controls the wireless direct communication unit 14A and the network communication unit 15A. Control for communication. When the control (program) is executed by the CPU 24A, the RAM 23A is used as a work area. The RAM 23A temporarily stores image data that is input via the wireless direct communication unit 14A or the network communication unit 15A and printed by the image forming unit 11A.

<Outline of communication>

  In the printing system 1, distributed printing is possible. In distributed printing, for example, one printer 2A that is normally used is set as a master printer, and when a print job is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, the printer 2B other than the master printer 2A is set as a slave printer to the print job A plurality of such images are divided and printed by the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B.

  In distributed printing, when one print job is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, a plurality of images related to the one print job may be printed separately for the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. Further, when a plurality of print jobs are transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, the plurality of print jobs are divided in units of jobs, and each of the divided print jobs is divided between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. It may be printed. When the print job is divided in units of print jobs, the print job can be transmitted to the slave printer 2B without the print job being analyzed by the master printer 2A. In the following, distributed printing will be described using an example in which a print job is divided in units of jobs.

  In order to use the distributed printing function, as shown in FIG. 3, distributed printing settings by the user are required. The distributed printing setting registers at least the information of the slave printer 2B in the master printer 2A so that distributed printing can be executed together. For the distributed print setting, the user transmits the distributed print setting information from the PC 3 in which the printer driver of the master printer 2A is installed to the master printer 2A, or the distributed print setting information from the operation unit 13A of the master printer 2A. Enter. The distributed print setting information includes information indicating that the distributed print setting is performed and identification information (for example, IP address) of the slave printer 2B.

  When the distributed print setting information is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A or the distributed print setting information is input from the operation unit 13A, the direct wireless communication pairing is performed between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. Is established.

  When pairing is established, a slave request from the master printer 2A to the slave printer 2B by wireless direct communication, that is, a request to operate as a destination of a print job transmitted from the master printer 2A (specify the master printer 2A) Corresponding to the instruction to be sent).

  When the slave request is received by the printer 2B, the connection between the network communication unit 15B and the LAN 4 is electrically disconnected. As a result, the print job is not received by the network communication unit 15B.

  When a print job is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, one of the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B becomes a print execution machine, and printing related to the print job is executed. Which of the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B becomes the printing execution machine is determined in advance by the master printer 2A. For example, every time one print job is executed, the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B are alternately determined as print execution machines.

  When the master printer 2A is a printing execution machine, the master printer 2A executes printing related to the print job received from the PC 3.

  When the slave printer 2B is a printing execution machine, the print job received by the master printer 2A from the PC 3 is transferred from the master printer 2A to the slave printer 2B. Then, printing related to the print job is executed by the slave printer 2B.

  When canceling the use of the distributed printing function, a setting for canceling the distributed printing by the user is required. For this cancellation setting, the user transmits a distributed printing setting cancellation command from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, or inputs a distributed printing setting cancellation command from the operation unit 13A of the master printer 2A.

  When the distributed print setting cancel command is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A or the distributed print cancel command is input from the operation unit 13A, the distributed print setting cancel command is transmitted from the master printer 2A to the slave printer 2B. .

  Then, the wireless direct communication pairing is canceled between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B.

  Further, the network communication unit 15B of the slave printer 2B and the LAN 4 are electrically connected. As a result, the network communication unit 15B can receive a print job.

<Master side distributed print settings>

  In the master printer 2A, the CPU 24A executes the master side distributed print setting shown in FIG.

  In the master side distributed print setting, the CPU 24A determines whether or not the distributed print setting information is received by the operation unit 13A or the network communication unit 15A (S1).

  When the distributed print setting is not accepted (S1: NO), the CPU 24A ends the master-side distributed print setting. When the master side distributed print setting is completed without receiving the distributed print setting information, the master side distributed print setting is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  When the distributed print setting is accepted (S1: YES), the CPU 24A uses the distributed print setting information, for example, the identification information of the printer 2B, to establish a wireless direct communication pair between the wireless direct communication unit 14A and the printer 2B. A ring is established (S2).

  Then, the CPU 24A determines whether or not the pairing has been established (S3).

  When the establishment of the pairing is completed (S3: YES), the CPU 24A causes the wireless direct communication unit 14A to transmit a slave request to the printer 2B that has established the pairing (S4).

  Further, the CPU 24A sets 1 to the distributed printing flag stored in the RAM 23A (S5), and ends the master side distributed printing setting. The distributed printing flag is set to 0 in the initial state.

  On the other hand, when the establishment of pairing is not completed (S3: NO), the CPU 24A determines whether or not the pairing has timed out after a predetermined time has elapsed since the establishment of the pairing. (S6).

  If the pairing has not timed out (S6: NO), the CPU 24A establishes the pairing (S2: S2: YES) or until the time out (S6: YES). ).

  When pairing has timed out (S6: YES), the CPU 24A causes the wireless direct communication unit 14A to transmit a pairing stop command to the printer 2B that is attempting to establish pairing (S7).

  Then, the CPU 24A displays an error message on the display unit 12A (S8), and ends the master side distributed printing setting. When distributed print setting information is received from the PC 3, an error display instruction may be transmitted to the PC 3.

<Cancel master side distributed printing>

  In the master printer 2A, the CPU 24A executes the master side distributed printing cancellation shown in FIG.

  In canceling the master-side distributed printing, the CPU 24A determines whether or not a distributed printing setting cancellation command has been received by the operation unit 13A or the network communication unit 15A (S21).

  When the distributed print setting cancel command has not been received (S21: NO), the CPU 24A ends the master-side distributed print cancel. When the master-side distributed printing cancellation is completed without receiving the distributed printing setting cancellation command, the master-side distributed printing cancellation is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  When the distributed printing setting cancellation command is received (S21: YES), the CPU 24A causes the wireless direct communication unit 14A to transmit the distributed printing setting cancellation command to the slave printer 2B (S22).

  Further, the CPU 24A sets 0 to the distributed printing flag stored in the RAM 23A (S23).

  Then, the CPU 24A cancels the wireless direct communication pairing (S24), and ends the master-side distributed printing cancellation.

<Master side print job>

  In the master printer 2A, the master side print job shown in FIG. 6 is executed by the CPU 24A.

  In the master-side print job, the CPU 24A determines whether the print job is received by the network communication unit 15A (S31).

  When no print job has been received (S31: NO), the CPU 24A ends the master side print job. When the master-side print job is terminated because the print job has not been received, the master-side print job is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  When the print job is received (S31: YES), the CPU 24A determines whether or not 1 is set in the distributed print flag stored in the RAM 23A (S32).

  When 1 is set in the distributed printing flag (S32: YES), that is, when the distributed printing setting has been completed, the CPU 24A checks whether the slave printer 2B is in a printable state (S33). Whether the slave printer 2B is in a printable state is confirmed by an inquiry to the slave printer 2B.

  Then, the CPU 24A determines which of the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B performs printing related to the received print job (S34). For example, the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B perform printing alternately in units of print jobs. If the slave printer 2B is not ready for printing, the master printer 2A performs printing.

  Next, the CPU 24A determines whether or not it has been decided to perform printing by the own machine (master printer 2A) (S35).

  When printing is performed by the master printer 2A (S35: YES), the CPU 24A performs job analysis of the print job (S36). In job analysis, job data of a print job is rasterized and converted into image data as bitmap data.

  Then, the CPU 24A causes the image forming unit 11A to print the image data generated as a result of the job analysis (S37), and ends the master side print job.

  On the other hand, when printing is performed by the slave printer 2B (S35: NO), the CPU 24A causes the wireless direct communication unit 14A to transmit a print job to the slave printer 2B (S38), and ends the master-side print job.

  Further, when a print job is received (S31: YES), if the distributed print flag is set to 0 (S32: NO), the CPU 24A performs printing in the own machine (master printer 2A). Job analysis of the job is performed (S36).

  Then, the CPU 24A causes the image forming unit 11A to print the image data generated as a result of the job analysis (S37), and ends the master side print job.

<Slave side distributed print settings>

  In the printer 2B, when a pairing request is received from the master printer 2A, the CPU 24B executes the slave side distributed print setting shown in FIG.

  In the slave side distributed printing setting, the CPU 24B performs wireless direct communication pairing with the master printer 2A based on the pairing request received from the master printer 2A (S41).

  The CPU 24B determines whether pairing has been completed (S42).

  When the pairing is completed (S42: YES), the CPU 24B waits until the wireless direct communication unit 14B as an example of the communication unit, the second communication unit, and the first connection unit receives a slave request from the master printer 2A (S43: NO), it is determined whether or not a slave request has been received (S43).

  When the slave request is received (S43: YES), the CPU 24B receives the slave request (S44).

  Then, the CPU 24B performs communication restriction processing by the network communication unit 15B (S45), and ends the slave side distributed print setting. Details of the communication restriction process will be described later.

  On the other hand, when the pairing is not completed (S42: NO), the CPU 24B determines whether or not the wireless direct communication unit 14B has received a pairing stop command from the master printer 2A (S46).

  When the pairing stop command is not received (S46: NO), the CPU 24B completes the pairing until the pairing is completed (S42: YES) or until the pairing stop command is received (S46: YES). And a determination as to whether or not a pairing stop command has been received.

  If a pairing stop command is received (S46: YES), this means that the wireless direct communication pairing with the master printer 2A has timed out. Therefore, the CPU 24B ends the slave side distributed print setting.

<Communication restriction processing>

  The flow of the communication restriction process executed in step S45 in FIG. 7 is shown in FIG.

  In the communication restriction process, the CPU 24B transmits an off command to the network communication unit 15B (S4501), and returns the communication restriction process.

  When the network communication unit 15B receives the off command, the network communication unit 15B sets the network communication unit 15B offline with respect to the LAN 4. As a result, the slave printer 2B is not recognized through the LAN 4 from other devices connected to the LAN 4, for example, the PC 3.

<Cancel slave side distributed printing>

  In the slave printer 2B, the slave side distributed printing cancellation shown in FIG. 9 is executed by the CPU 24B.

  In the slave-side distributed printing cancellation, the CPU 24B determines whether or not a distributed printing setting cancellation command has been received from the master printer 2A by the wireless direct communication unit 14B (S51).

  When the distributed print setting cancel command has not been received (S51: NO), the CPU 24B ends the slave-side distributed print cancel. When the slave-side distributed printing cancellation is completed without receiving the distributed printing setting cancellation command, the slave-side distributed printing cancellation is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  When the distributed print setting cancellation command is received (S51: YES), the CPU 24B performs a process for canceling the communication restriction by the network communication unit 15B (S52). Details of the communication restriction release processing will be described later.

  Then, the CPU 24B cancels the pairing of the wireless direct communication with the master printer 2A (S53), and ends the slave side distributed printing cancellation.

<Communication restriction release processing>

  The flow of the communication restriction process executed in step S52 of FIG. 9 is shown in FIG.

  In the communication restriction process, the CPU 24B transmits an ON command to the network communication unit 15B (S5201), and returns the communication restriction release process.

  When receiving the ON command, the network communication unit 15B brings the network communication unit 15B online with respect to the LAN 4. As a result, the slave printer 2B is recognized through the LAN 4 from other devices connected to the LAN 4, for example, the PC 3.

<Slave side print job>

  In the slave printer 2B, the slave side print job shown in FIG. 11 is executed by the CPU 24B.

  In the slave-side print job, the CPU 24B determines whether a print job is received from the master printer 2A by the wireless direct communication unit 14B (S61).

  When the print job has not been received (S61: NO), the CPU 24B ends the slave side print job. If the slave-side print job is terminated because no print job has been received, the slave-side print job is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed.

  When a print job is received (S61: YES), the CPU 24B performs job analysis of the received print job (S62).

  Then, the CPU 24B causes the image forming unit 11B as an example of the printing unit and the second printing unit to print the image data generated as a result of the job analysis (S63), and ends the slave side print job.

<Effect>

  As described above, when a slave request is accepted by the slave printer 2B, communication with the PC 3 is restricted. Thereby, the occurrence of a situation in which the print job from the PC 3 is being executed when the print job is received from the master printer 2A can be suppressed. Therefore, when a print job is received from the master printer 2A, the print job can be executed quickly.

  Further, a plurality of images related to the print job can be shared and executed between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B.

  A plurality of images relating to the print job are distributed (distributed) by the master printer 2A to the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. Therefore, a server for distributing the image data related to the print job to the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B is unnecessary, and the image data related to the print job is distributed to the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B with a simple configuration. Can be printed on a sheet.

  The slave printer 2B includes a wireless direct communication unit 14B connected to the master printer 2A via a direct communication line, and a network communication unit 15B connected to the PC 3 via the LAN 4.

  As described above, since the communication line is divided between the communication with the master printer 2A and the communication with the PC 3, the communication restriction becomes easy.

  The direct communication line is a wireless communication line. Therefore, the wireless direct communication unit 14B and the master printer 2A can be connected without using a dedicated wire such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable.

  After receiving the slave request, the CPU 24B establishes a direct communication line between the wireless direct communication unit 14B and the master printer 2A, and restricts communication by the network communication unit 15B when the establishment of the direct communication line is completed. To do.

  Thereby, after the establishment of the direct communication line is completed, communication via the LAN 4 is restricted. Therefore, it is possible to prevent communication via the LAN 4 from being restricted even though the establishment of the direct communication line fails and a print job cannot be received via the direct communication line.

  After restricting the communication of the network communication unit 15B, the CPU 24B cancels the restriction of the communication by the network communication unit 15B when a distributed print setting release command is received by the wireless direct communication unit 14B.

  Thereby, the state in which the printer 2B operates as the slave printer 2B can be canceled. Further, by this cancellation, the printer 2B can be used as a normal printing apparatus.

  The CPU 24B controls the network communication unit 15B to cut off the communication of the network communication unit 15B as a restriction on the communication of the network communication unit 15B.

Second Embodiment

  Instead of the communication shown in FIG. 3, the communication shown in FIG. 12 may be performed.

  In the second embodiment, for distributed print setting, the user transmits distributed print setting information from the PC 3 in which the printer driver of the slave printer 2B is installed to the slave printer 2B, or the operation unit of the slave printer 2B. The distributed print setting information is input from 13B. The distributed print setting information includes information indicating that the distributed print setting is performed and identification information of the master printer 2A.

  When the distributed print setting information is transmitted from the PC 3 to the slave printer 2B or the distributed print setting information is input from the operation unit 13B, the direct wireless communication pairing is performed between the slave printer 2B and the master printer 2A. Is established.

  When the pairing is established, a master request from the slave printer 2B to the master printer 2A, that is, a request for operating as a transmission source of the print job received by the slave printer 2B is transmitted by wireless direct communication.

  Further, the connection between the network communication unit 15B of the slave printer 2B and the LAN 4 is electrically cut off. As a result, the print job is not received by the network communication unit 15B.

  When a print job is transmitted from the PC 3 to the master printer 2A, one of the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B becomes a print execution machine, and printing related to the print job is executed.

  When the master printer 2A is a printing execution machine, the master printer 2A executes printing related to the print job received from the PC 3.

  When the slave printer 2B is a printing execution machine, the print job received by the master printer 2A from the PC 3 is transferred from the master printer 2A to the slave printer 2B. Then, printing related to the print job is executed by the slave printer 2B.

  In order to cancel the use of the distributed printing function, the user transmits a distributed printing setting cancellation command from the PC 3 to the slave printer 2B, or the distributed printing setting cancellation command from the operation unit 13B of the slave printer 2B. Enter.

  When the distributed print setting cancel command is transmitted from the PC 3 to the slave printer 2B or the distributed print setting cancel command is input from the operation unit 13B, the distributed print setting cancel command is transmitted from the slave printer 2B to the master printer 2A. The

  Then, the wireless direct communication pairing is canceled between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B.

  Further, the network communication unit 15B of the slave printer 2B and the LAN 4 are electrically connected. As a result, the network communication unit 15B can receive a print job.

  As described above, the CPU 24B receives the distributed print setting through the operation unit 13B.

  When distributed print settings are input to the operation unit 13B, or when distributed print settings are received from the PC 3 by the network communication unit 15B, the CPU 24B receives the distributed print settings and then transmits a master request to the master printer 2A. Thus, the wireless direct communication unit 14B is controlled.

  The CPU 24B limits the communication of the network communication unit 15B and then receives a distributed print setting release command to the operation unit 13B, or receives a distributed print setting release command from the PC 3 by the network communication unit 15B. The restriction on communication by the communication unit 15B is released.

  Accordingly, the printer 2B is released from the operation state as the slave printer 2B by inputting the distributed print setting release command to the operation unit 13B or by transmitting the distributed print setting release command from the PC 3 to the slave printer 2B. Can do. With this cancellation, the printer 2B can be used as a normal printing apparatus.

<Modification>

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention can also be implemented with another form.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, printing of an image related to a print job is executed separately for the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. However, the master printer 2A sends the print job to a plurality of other printers 2. The master printer 2A that functions as a distribution server may employ a configuration in which printing of an image relating to a print job is not executed.

  In addition, the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B are alternately determined as the print execution machines every time one print job is executed, but the print execution machines may be determined based on other criteria. For example, the printing execution machine may be determined so that the number of sheets printed by the master printer 2A and the number of sheets printed by the slave printer 2B approach the same number.

  In addition, it is assumed that a plurality of images related to the print job are divided and printed by the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B. However, a plurality of images related to the print job are divided by three or more printers 2. It may be printed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the distributed print setting cancellation is performed by explicitly receiving a distributed print setting cancellation command from the PC 3, the operation unit 13A of the master printer 2A, or the operation unit 13B of the slave printer 2B. However, when the CPU 24A or the CPU 24B detects that the communication via the wireless direct communication is not normally performed due to the installation distance between the master printer 2A and the slave printer 2B being separated, the distributed print setting is canceled. May be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which both the distributed print setting and the distributed print setting cancellation are received by the master printer 2A and the configuration in which both the distributed print setting and the distributed print setting cancellation are received by the slave printer 2B have been described. However, the distributed printing setting may be received by the master printer 2A, the distributed printing setting cancellation may be received by the slave printer 2B, the distributed printing setting may be received by the slave printer 2B, and the distributed printing setting cancellation may be received by the master printer 2A. May be.

  In the above-described embodiment, in the slave printer 2B, the network communication unit 15B is placed in the offline state to restrict communication, and the network communication unit 15B does not receive the print job, so that the print job from the PC 3 is related. Restricted printing of images. However, communication by the network communication unit 15B is not limited, and printing of an image related to a print job from the PC 3 may be limited by not printing an image related to the print job received from the PC 3. At this time, the received print job may be deleted.

  In addition, during the period when the image related to the print job received from the master printer 2A is printed on the sheet, the print job received by the network communication unit 15B is not printed on the sheet, and the print job is deleted. May be.

  Further, in the slave printer 2B, the CPU 24B may control the network communication unit 15B so that communication by the network communication unit 15B is cut only during a period in which an image related to the print job is printed on the sheet.

  In the above-described embodiment, the master printer 2A is an example of a specific external device, but the PC 3 may function as the specific external device of the present invention.

  In the above-described embodiment, the wireless direct communication unit 14B and the network communication unit 15B are separate communication methods, but the same communication method may be used. For example, only the network communication unit 15B is used without using the wireless direct communication unit 14B, and communication is restricted by using only an IP filter or the like to allow communication with a specific communication source. You may implement | achieve by refusing the communication from the origin.

  Further, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) may be used instead of the printer 2.

  In addition, various design changes can be made to the above-described configuration within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1 Printing System 2 Printer 2A Master Printer 2B Slave Printer 3 PC
11A Image forming unit 11B Image forming unit 13A Operation unit 13B Operation unit 14A Wireless direct communication unit 14B Wireless direct communication unit 15B Network communication unit 24A CPU
24B CPU

Claims (15)

A communication unit for communicating with a plurality of external devices;
A printing unit that prints an image relating to a print job on a recording medium;
A control unit,
The controller is
An instruction receiving process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external device among the plurality of external devices;
A communication restriction process for controlling the communication unit to restrict communication with the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device after the instruction receiving process;
When the print job is received from the specific external device by the communication unit, a printing apparatus that executes print processing for controlling the print unit so that an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The plurality of external devices include other printing devices that print an image relating to the print job on a recording medium,
The specific external device is the other printing device,
Wherein, in the printing process, as a device for receiving destination of the print job transmitted to the own apparatus from the particular external device, Wakea' a plurality of images according to the print job from the specific external device and the own device A printing apparatus that controls the printing unit to print on the recording medium. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The communication unit includes a first connection unit that is connected to the specific external device via a direct communication line, and a second connection that is connected to a plurality of the external devices via a communication line different from the direct communication line. A printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 3,
The printing apparatus, wherein the direct communication line is a wireless communication line. The printing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein
The controller is
After the instruction acceptance process, execute a line establishment process for establishing the direct communication line between the first connection unit and the specific external device,
A printing apparatus that executes the communication restriction process when the establishment of the direct communication line by the line establishment process is completed. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
It has a setting input part where settings are input,
When the cancellation setting for canceling the instruction is input after the communication restriction process, or when the cancellation setting is received by the communication unit, the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device A printing apparatus that executes restriction release processing for releasing restrictions on communication from the printer. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The printing device, wherein the control unit controls the communication unit to disconnect communication with the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device in the communication restriction process. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
In the communication restriction process, the control unit controls the communication unit to disconnect communication with the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device during a period in which an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium. A printing device. A printing system including a printing device and a plurality of external devices,
Each of the plurality of external devices is
A first communication unit that communicates with the printing apparatus;
A first control unit,
The printing apparatus includes:
A second communication unit for communicating with the plurality of external devices;
A first printing unit that prints an image relating to a print job on a recording medium;
A second control unit,
The second controller is
An instruction receiving process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external device among the plurality of external devices;
A communication restriction process for controlling the second communication unit to restrict communication with the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device after the instruction receiving process;
When the second communication unit receives the print job from the specific external device, print processing for controlling the first printing unit is performed so that an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium. A printing system. The printing system according to claim 9,
The plurality of external devices include other printing devices that print an image relating to the print job on a recording medium,
The specific external device is the other printing device,
The first control unit in the other printing apparatus accepts an instruction to set itself as an apparatus for printing a plurality of images related to the print job on the recording medium in a shared manner with the printing apparatus,
The second control unit is a printing system in which in the instruction receiving process, the second control unit receives an instruction to set a plurality of images related to the print job as a device that prints on a recording medium in a shared manner with the specific external device. A printing method executed by a printing apparatus having a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of external devices including a specific external device and a printing unit that prints an image related to a print job on a recording medium,
An instruction receiving step for receiving an instruction to specify a specific external device among the plurality of external devices;
A communication limiting step of controlling the communication unit so as to limit communication with the external device other than the specific external device after the instruction receiving step;
And a printing step of controlling the printing unit so that an image related to the print job is printed on the recording medium when the communication unit receives the print job from the specific external device. A program installed in a computer of a printing apparatus having a communication unit that communicates with a plurality of external devices including a specific external device and a printing unit that prints an image related to a print job on a recording medium,
In the computer,
An instruction receiving process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external device among the plurality of external devices;
A communication restriction process for controlling the communication unit to restrict communication with the external device other than the specific external device after the instruction receiving process;
A program that, when the print job is received from the specific external device by the communication unit, executes a print process that controls the print unit so that an image related to the print job is printed on a recording medium. A communication unit for communicating with a plurality of external devices;
A printing unit that prints an image relating to a print job on a recording medium;
A control unit,
The controller is
An instruction receiving process for receiving an instruction for specifying a specific external device among the plurality of external devices;
After the instruction receiving process, a print restriction process for controlling the printing unit to restrict printing on the recording medium of an image related to the print job received from the plurality of external apparatuses other than the specific external apparatus is executed. A printing device. The printing apparatus according to claim 13,
The control unit, in the print restriction process, deletes the print job without printing the image related to the print job received from the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device onto a recording medium. . The printing apparatus according to claim 13,
The control unit does not print the image related to the print job received from the plurality of external devices other than the specific external device on the recording medium during a period in which the image related to the print job is printed on the recording medium. A printing apparatus that deletes the print job.

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