JP6478057B2 - Pull print system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pull print system that executes pull print in which a print job spooled by a pull print server is executed by a printing apparatus.

  Conventionally, a system including a printing apparatus that executes a print job and an electronic device that transmits the print job to the printing apparatus is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this system, when the printer driver is installed, the electronic device requests the printer to set the printer driver (hereinafter referred to as “driver setting”). The printer notifies the electronic device of the driver setting when the electronic device requests the driver setting. The electronic device then installs the printer driver by reflecting the driver settings notified from the printing apparatus.

JP 2008-217097 A

  However, the conventional system has a problem that it does not support pull printing.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a pull print system capable of transmitting an appropriate print job from an electronic device to a pull print server.

  The pull printing system of the present invention includes a printing apparatus that executes a print job, a pull print server that spools the print job that is executed as a pull print by the printing apparatus, and an electronic device that transmits the print job to the pull print server. The pull print server notifies the electronic device of setting information for job setting as the print job setting, and the electronic device displays the job setting setting screen. The setting screen reflecting the setting information notified from the pull print server is displayed.

  With this configuration, the pull print system of the present invention notifies the setting information for job setting as the print job setting from the pull print server to the electronic device, and the setting information notified from the pull print server to the electronic device. Is reflected on the setting screen of the job setting and displayed on the electronic device, so that an appropriate print job can be sent from the electronic device to the pull print server via the setting screen reflecting the setting information suitable for the pull print server. Can do.

  In the pull print system of the present invention, the electronic device may request the setting information from the pull print server when displaying the setting screen.

  With this configuration, the pull print system of the present invention requests setting information from the electronic device to the pull print server when displaying the job setting setting screen in the electronic device. Compared with the configuration in which the setting information is simultaneously notified to the electronic device, it is possible to suppress a temporary increase in the load on the pull print server and the network due to the notification of the setting information from the pull print server to the electronic device. .

  In the pull print system of the present invention, the pull print server has a prohibition function for prohibiting spooling of the print job having a specific print setting, and the setting information specifies the specific print setting on the setting screen. It may contain information that makes it impossible.

  With this configuration, the pull print system according to the present invention displays a setting screen in which print settings for which spooling of print jobs is prohibited by the pull print server cannot be specified. It is possible to reduce waste of transmitting a print job having settings from the electronic device to the pull print server.

  In the pull print system of the present invention, the electronic device determines whether or not spooling of the print job is prohibited by the prohibit function when the print job is transmitted to the pull print server. You may confirm before the said print job is transmitted.

  With this configuration, the pull print system according to the present invention displays a setting screen in which print settings for which spooling of print jobs is prohibited by the pull print server cannot be specified. It is possible to reduce the waste of checking whether the spooling is prohibited for the job from the electronic device to the pull print server.

  The pull print system of the present invention can transmit an appropriate print job from an electronic device to a pull print server.

1 is a block diagram of a pull print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the user terminal shown in FIG. It is a block diagram of the pull print server shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the MFP shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of an operation of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 when a printer driver and a plug-in are installed in a user terminal. It is a sequence diagram of operation | movement of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 when the plug-in of a user terminal is updated. It is a sequence diagram of operation | movement of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 when the information for a setting of a user terminal is changed. (A) It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen before the information for a setting notified from the pull print server shown in FIG. 7 is reflected. (B) It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen after the information for a setting notified from the pull print server shown in FIG. 7 was reflected. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of an operation of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 when a print job is transmitted from a user terminal to a pull print server. The operation of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 when the pull print server determines that the target print job is not spooled when the setting screen reflecting the setting information notified from the pull print server is not displayed. It is a sequence diagram. It is a sequence diagram of operation | movement of the pull print system shown in FIG. 1 in case pull printing is performed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of the pull print system according to the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pull print system 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a pull print system 10 includes a user terminal 20 as an electronic device that generates a print job, a pull print server 30 that spools a print job generated by the user terminal 20, and a print job. An MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 40 as a printing apparatus to be executed is provided. The user terminal 20, the pull print server 30, and the MFP 40 can communicate with each other via a network 11 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  The pull print system 10 can include a plurality of user terminals similar to the user terminal 20. However, in the following, the user terminal 20 will be described on behalf of the user terminal provided in the pull print system 10.

  Similarly, the pull print system 10 can include a plurality of MFPs similar to the MFP 40. However, the MFP 40 will be described below as a representative of the MFP provided in the pull print system 10.

  The pull print server 30 includes a spool function for spooling a print job generated by a user terminal provided in the pull print system 10, an authentication function for specifying a user and a group that can use the pull print server 30, and a specific function. A prohibition function for prohibiting spooling of print jobs having print settings. The user terminal only needs to have a general printer driver in order to use the spool function of the pull print server 30. However, in order to use the authentication function and the prohibition function of the pull print server 30, the user terminal needs to include not only a general printer driver but also a dedicated plug-in for the printer driver.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the user terminal 20.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the user terminal 20 is a display device such as an operation unit 21 which is an input device for inputting various operations by the user and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for displaying various information. A display unit 22, a communication unit 23 that is a communication device that communicates with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), a semiconductor memory that stores various data, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like A storage unit 24 that is a storage device and a control unit 25 that controls the entire user terminal 20 are provided. The user terminal 20 is configured by a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer).

  The storage unit 24 stores a printer driver 24a and a plug-in 24b of the printer driver 24a. The printer driver 24a and the plug-in 24b may each be installed in the user terminal 20 at the manufacturing stage of the user terminal 20, or the user terminal 20 from an external storage medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. May be additionally installed, or may be additionally installed on the user terminal 20 from the network 11.

  The plug-in 24b is necessary for using the above-described authentication function and prohibition function of the pull print server 30.

  The storage unit 24 can store setting information 24c for job setting as a print job setting.

  The control unit 25 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) storing a program and various data, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work area of the CPU. Yes. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 24.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the pull print server 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the pull print server 30 is an operation unit 31 that is an input device such as a mouse and a keyboard for inputting various operations by a user, and a display device such as an LCD that displays various information. A display unit 32, a communication unit 33 that is a communication device that communicates with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), and a memory that is a storage device such as a semiconductor memory or HDD that stores various data. And a control unit 35 that controls the entire pull print server 30. The pull print server 30 is configured by a computer such as a PC.

  The storage unit 34 stores authentication information 34a used by an authentication function to authenticate the user, such as user identification information and a user password.

  The storage unit 34 stores group information 34b indicating the group to which the user belongs. The group information 34b is used by the authentication function to specify the group to which the user belongs.

  The storage unit 34 stores a server setting 34 c as a setting of the pull print server 30. The server setting 34c includes a queue setting as a queue setting for accepting a print job, and a print setting (hereinafter referred to as “prohibited print setting”) in which spooling of the print job is prohibited by the prohibit function. The prohibited print settings may be set for each user or group.

  The storage unit 34 can store a plurality of printer drivers 34d and plug-ins 34e of the printer driver 34d.

  The storage unit 34 can store a plurality of print jobs 34f.

  The control unit 35 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM that is used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 34.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the MFP 40.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the MFP 40 includes an operation unit 41 that is an input device such as buttons for inputting various operations by a user, a display unit 42 that is a display device such as an LCD that displays various types of information, Via a printer 43 that is a printing device that performs printing on a recording medium such as paper, a scanner 44 that is a reading device that reads image data from a document, an external facsimile apparatus (not shown), and a communication line such as a public telephone line A fax communication unit 45 that is a fax device that performs fax communication, a communication unit 46 that is a network communication device that communicates with an external device via the network 11 (see FIG. 1), and a semiconductor that stores various data. A storage unit 47 that is a storage device such as a memory or an HDD, and a control unit 4 that controls the entire MFP 40 It is equipped with a door.

  The control unit 48 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM that stores programs and various data, and a RAM that is used as a work area of the CPU. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM or the storage unit 47.

  Next, the operation of the pull print system 10 will be described.

  First, the operation of the pull print system 10 when a printer driver and a plug-in are installed in a user terminal will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the pull print system 10 when the printer driver and the plug-in are installed in the user terminal.

  The control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 generates a self-extracting installation package including the target printer driver 34d and plug-in 34e and an automatic installer for automatically installing them. Then, the control unit 35 periodically checks whether or not there is a user terminal to install the printer driver and plug-in included in the target installation package, and there is a user terminal to install these. In that case, the operation shown in FIG. 5 is executed. FIG. 5 is a diagram in the case where the user terminal 20 to which the printer driver and the plug-in included in the target installation package are to be installed is the user terminal 20.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 transmits the target installation package to the user terminal 20 (S101) and instructs the user terminal 20 to execute the installation package transmitted in S101. (S102).

  Therefore, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 installs the target printer driver and plug-in by decompressing the installation package transmitted from the pull print server 30 in S101 and executing the automatic installer (S103). .

  Next, the operation of the pull print system 10 when the plug-in of the user terminal is updated will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the pull print system 10 when the plug-in of the user terminal is updated.

  The control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 generates a self-extracting installation package including a plug-in 34e to be updated and an automatic installer for automatically installing the plug-in 34e. Then, the control unit 35 periodically checks whether or not the plug-in included in the target installation package should be installed, and when this plug-in should be installed, the operation shown in FIG. 6 is performed. Run. FIG. 6 is a diagram when the user terminal to which the plug-in included in the target installation package is to be installed is the user terminal 20.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 transmits the target installation package to the user terminal 20 (S131), and instructs the user terminal 20 to execute the installation package transmitted in S131. (S132). In FIG. 6, the control unit 35 executes the processes of S131 and S132 for the user terminal 20, but in practice, for all the user terminals managed by the pull print server 30. The processes of S131 and S132 are executed.

  Therefore, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 installs the target plug-in by decompressing the installation package transmitted from the pull print server 30 in S131 and executing the automatic installer (S133).

  Next, the operation of the pull print system 10 when the setting information 24c of the user terminal 20 is changed will be described.

  In the following, the operation described as the operation of the printer driver 24a is actually the operation of the control unit 24 executing the printer driver 24a. Similarly, the operation described as the operation of the plug-in 24b is actually the operation of the control unit 24 executing the plug-in 24b.

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the pull print system 10 when the setting information 24c of the user terminal 20 is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when an instruction to display a setting screen for job setting is input via the operation unit, the printer driver 24a of the user terminal 20 notifies the plug-in 24b (S161).

  Then, when notified in S161, the plug-in 24b requests setting information from the pull print server 30 (S162).

  When receiving the request in S162, the control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 notifies the user terminal 20 of setting information (S163). This setting information is preferably generated according to the user who is operating the user terminal 20 and the group to which the user belongs. Note that the control unit 35 can identify the user who is operating the user terminal 20 by authenticating the user terminal 20 based on the authentication information 34a in advance by the authentication function. Moreover, the control part 35 can specify the group to which the user who is operating the user terminal 20 belongs based on the group information 34b.

  The plug-in 24b of the user terminal 20 notifies the printer driver 24a of the setting information notified from the pull print server 30 in S163 (S164).

  Accordingly, the printer driver 24a stores the setting information notified from the plug-in in S164 as the setting information 24c (S165), and displays a setting screen based on the setting information 24c (S166).

  FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of the setting screen 50 before the setting information notified from the pull print server 30 is reflected. FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating an example of the setting screen 50 after the setting information notified from the pull print server 30 is reflected.

  The setting screen 50 shown in FIG. 8A includes a radio button 51 for selecting color printing, a radio button 52 for selecting monochrome printing, and a print button 53 for instructing execution of printing. It is out.

  The setting screen 50 shown in FIG. 8B includes a radio button 51, a radio button 52, and a print button 53, like the setting screen 50 shown in FIG. However, unlike the setting screen 50 shown in FIG. 8A, the setting screen 50 shown in FIG. 8B is grayed out and cannot be specified. That is, the setting screen 50 shown in FIG. 8B reflects the prohibited print setting for prohibiting color printing.

  Next, the operation of the pull print system 10 when a print job is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30 will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the pull print system 10 when a print job is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the print button 53 is pressed on the setting screen 50, the printer driver 24a of the user terminal 20 notifies the plug-in 24b (S201).

  Then, the plug-in 24b transmits to the pull print server 30 the authentication information of the user in operation and the job settings of the print job to be transmitted such as color printing or monochrome printing (S202).

  Based on the information transmitted from the user terminal 20, the control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 determines whether or not to spool the target print job by the authentication function and the prohibit function (S203), and determines the determination result. It transmits to the user terminal 20 (S204).

  The plug-in 24b of the user terminal 20 transmits the print job to the pull print server 30 when the determination result indicating that the target print job is spooled is transmitted from the pull print server 30 in S204 (S205).

  The control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 spools the print job transmitted in S205 as a print job 34f of the user who is operating the user terminal 20 by the spool function (S206).

  Note that FIG. 10 illustrates a pull when the pull print server 30 determines that the target print job is not spooled when the setting screen 50 reflecting the setting information notified from the pull print server 30 is not displayed. 3 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the print system 10. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the processing of S201 to S204 is the same as the operation shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the plug-in 24b of the user terminal 20 notifies the printer driver 24a that the determination result that the target print job is not spooled is sent from the pull print server 30 in S204. (S231).

  Accordingly, the printer driver 24a displays on the display unit 22 that the target print job is not spooled by the pull print server 30 (S232).

  Next, the operation of the pull print system 10 when pull print is executed will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the pull printing system 10 when pull printing is executed.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the user authentication information is input via the operation unit 41, the control unit 48 of the MFP 40 transmits the input authentication information to the pull print server 30 (S261).

  Next, the control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 identifies the user by authenticating with the authentication function based on the authentication information transmitted in S261 (S262), and among the print jobs 34f spooled by the spool function, A list of the print jobs 34f of the users specified in S262 is transmitted to the MFP 40 (S263).

  Next, the control unit 48 of the MFP 40 displays the list transmitted in S263 on the display unit 42 (S264), and pull-prints the print job selected through the operation unit 41 among the print jobs displayed in S264. The server 30 is requested (S265).

  The control unit 35 of the pull print server 30 transmits the print job 34f requested in S265 to the MFP 40 (S266).

  The control unit 48 of the MFP 40 executes the print job transmitted in S266 by the printer 43 (S267).

  In the above description, pull printing is described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 11. However, the control unit 25 of the user terminal 20 can cause the control unit 48 of the MFP 40 to execute the print job by the printer 43 by directly transmitting the print job to the MFP 40 by the printer driver 24a.

  As described above, the pull print system 10 notifies the user terminal 20 of setting information for job setting as a print job setting from the pull print server 30 (S163), and uses it from the pull print server 30. Since the setting information notified to the user terminal 20 is reflected on the job setting setting screen 50 and displayed on the user terminal 20 (S166), the setting screen 50 reflecting the setting information suitable for the pull print server 30 is displayed. Thus, an appropriate print job can be transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30.

  The pull print system 10 requests the setting information from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30 (S162) when displaying the job setting setting screen 50 on the user terminal 20 (S166). Compared to the configuration in which the setting information is simultaneously notified to all user terminals managed by the user, the load on the pull print server 30 and the network 11 is notified by the notification of the setting information from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal. Can be prevented from temporarily increasing.

  The pull print system 10 may simultaneously notify the setting information to all user terminals managed by the pull print server 30. The timing at which the setting information is simultaneously notified to all the user terminals managed by the pull print server 30 may be a regular timing or an arbitrary timing designated by the administrator.

  The pull print system 10 displays a print setting in which spooling of print jobs is prohibited by the pull print server 30, that is, a setting screen 50 (see FIG. 8B) in which the prohibited print setting cannot be specified. In addition, it is possible to reduce waste of checking from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30 whether or not spooling is prohibited for a print job whose spooling is prohibited by the pull print server 30.

  Since the pull print system 10 displays the setting screen 50 (see FIG. 8B) in which the prohibited print setting cannot be specified, whether the print job is a print job in which spooling is prohibited by the pull print server 30. Even if the user terminal 20 does not confirm whether or not the print job is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30, the print setting for which spooling is prohibited by the pull print server 30 is set. It is possible to suppress wasteful transmission of the print job that the user has from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30.

  As the prohibited print setting, the print setting for prohibiting color printing has been described above as an example. However, the prohibited print setting may include a print setting for prohibiting monochrome printing.

  In addition, the prohibited print settings may include print settings other than print settings such as monochrome printing and color printing. For example, the prohibited printing setting does not execute single-sided printing that prints only on one side of the recording medium, double-sided printing that prints on both sides of the recording medium, aggregated printing that prints multiple pages on one side of the recording medium, and aggregated printing A print setting for prohibiting any of non-aggregated printing, energy-saving printing with reduced toner consumption, and non-energy-saving printing that does not execute energy-saving printing may be included. Further, the prohibited print settings may include the remaining number of prints permitted for the user or group.

  The setting information notified from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal may include information other than prohibited print settings.

  For example, the setting information notified from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal may include a queue setting included in the server setting 34c. When the setting information includes a queue setting, a queue newly added by the administrator to the pull print server 30, a queue whose name has been changed, and the like are reflected on the setting screen of the printer driver 24a. Therefore, the user of the user terminal can select the latest queue in the pull print server 30 as the print job transmission destination.

  The setting information notified from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal is the login information to the pull print server 30 using the authentication information logged into the OS (Operating System), or the login information to the pull print server 30. This may include setting whether to log in to the pull print server 30 using dedicated authentication information.

  The setting information notified from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal includes settings for accessing the pull print server 30 such as an IP (Internet Protocol) address and a port number of the pull print server 30. Also good.

  The pull print system 10 periodically transmits an update plug-in simultaneously to all user terminals managed by the pull print server 30 (S131). However, the pull print system 10 may transmit an update plug-in from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal at another timing. For example, the pull print system 10 may transmit an update plug-in from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal at an arbitrary timing designated by the administrator. Similarly to the setting information, the pull print system 10 requests an update plug-in from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30 when displaying the job setting setting screen 50 on the user terminal 20. Also good.

  The pull print system 10 may periodically transmit the printer driver for update to all user terminals managed by the pull print server 30 in the same manner as the plug-in for update. . Further, the pull print system 10 may transmit a printer driver for update from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal at an arbitrary timing designated by the administrator. Similarly to the setting information, the pull print system 10 requests the printer driver for update from the user terminal 20 to the pull print server 30 when displaying the job setting setting screen 50 on the user terminal 20. Also good.

  However, since the printer Dubai is generally larger in size than the setting information and plug-in, it requires a lot of communication time from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal, and the installation time in the user terminal. Is also necessary. Accordingly, the pull print system 10 transmits the printer driver from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal before receiving an instruction to display the setting screen 50 in the user terminal in order to suppress the delay in displaying the setting screen 50. It is preferable to keep it.

  When the update printer driver and the update plug-in are simultaneously transmitted from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal, the pull print system 10 uses the same update printer driver and the same update plug-in. It may be included in the installation package.

  The pull print system 10 also updates the printer for update when at least one of the update printer driver, the update plug-in, and the setting information is simultaneously transmitted from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal. The driver, the update plug-in, and the setting information may be included in the same installation package.

  Since the pull print system 10 can automatically maintain the printer driver, plug-in, and setting information of the user terminal to be optimal for the pull print server 30 in operation, the printer driver and plug of the user terminal It is possible to save the trouble of manually maintaining the in and setting information to be optimal for the pull print server 30 in operation, and to maximize the functions of the pull print server 30 from the user terminal. it can.

  The printer driver, plug-in, and setting information can be prevented from being sent from the pull print server 30 to the user terminal by being identified by the version, for example.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention is an MFP in the present embodiment, but may be a printing apparatus other than the MFP, such as a printer dedicated machine.

10 Pull print system 20 User terminal (electronic equipment)
24a printer driver 24b plug-in 24c setting information 30 pull print server 34d printer driver 34e plug-in 34f print job 40 MFP (printing device)
50 Setting screen

Claims (2)

A printing device that executes a print job;
A pull print server that spools the print job executed as a pull print by the printing device;
An electronic device that transmits the print job to the pull print server,
The pull print server notifies the electronic device of setting information for job setting as the setting of the print job,
The electronic device displays the setting screen reflecting the setting information notified from the pull print server when displaying the setting screen of the job setting ,
The pull print server has a prohibition function for prohibiting spooling of the print job having a specific print setting,
The setting information includes information that makes it impossible to specify the specific print setting on the setting screen,
When the print job is transmitted to the pull print server, the electronic device determines whether or not spooling of the print job is prohibited by the prohibit function before the print job is transmitted to the pull print server. A pull print system characterized by checking .   2. The pull print system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device requests the setting information from the pull print server when displaying the setting screen.

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