JP6777107B2 - Image formation system and image formation method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming method in which a plurality of image forming devices, a plurality of user terminals, and a management server are connected via a network.

Conventionally, there is known an image forming system in which a plurality of image forming devices such as a printer, a user terminal such as a personal computer, and a management server are connected via a network (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the technique of Patent Document 1, a print job is transmitted from the user terminal to the image forming apparatus to be executed after the user authentication by the management server is successful, based on the printer driver installed in the user terminal.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-114538

However, in the prior art, it has been necessary to set the image forming apparatus as the output destination of the print job in the printer driver settings. Therefore, when providing an image forming system to a customer, the serviceman must individually set the image forming device of the output destination when installing the printer driver on each user terminal, which is a great effort. There was a problem that it was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of reducing the trouble of setting in a printer driver of a user terminal.

The image forming system of the present invention is an image forming system in which a plurality of user terminals for transmitting a print job, a plurality of image forming devices for executing the print job, and a management server are connected via a network. The management server includes a common queue for temporarily storing print jobs transmitted from each user terminal, a plurality of individual queues associated with the plurality of image forming devices on a one-to-one basis, and the common queue. A common queue setting reception unit that receives the job processing settings of the stored print job, and a plurality of the print jobs stored in the common queue based on the job processing settings received by the common queue setting reception unit. A print job distribution unit that distributes the print job to any of the individual queues, and a print job transmission unit that transmits the print job stored in the individual queue to the image forming apparatus associated with the individual queue. Each user terminal is characterized by including a print job creation unit that creates the print job based on the printer driver whose output destination of the print job is set in the common queue.
Further, the common queue setting receiving unit receives the job processing setting in the script language, and the print job distribution unit executes the script language to execute the print job stored in the common queue to the plurality of print jobs. It may be distributed to any of the individual queues.
Further, the management server includes an individual queue setting reception unit that receives the individual queue setting for each user, and the print job distribution unit receives the print job stored in the common queue for the common queue setting reception unit. Based on the job processing setting received by the unit, the individual queue setting may be distributed to the individual queue of the user received by the reception unit.
The image forming method of the present invention is an image forming method of an image forming system in which a plurality of user terminals for transmitting a print job, a plurality of image forming devices for executing the print job, and a management server are connected via a network. The management server receives the job processing settings of the print job stored in the common queue, temporarily stores the print job transmitted from each user terminal in the common queue, and stores the print job in the common queue. The stored print job is distributed to one of a plurality of individual queues associated with the plurality of image forming devices on a one-to-one basis based on the job processing settings, and the prints stored in the individual queues. The job is transmitted to the image forming apparatus associated with the individual queue, and each user terminal creates the print job based on the printer driver whose output destination of the print job is set to the common queue. It is characterized by doing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the trouble of setting in the printer driver of the user terminal.

It is a system block diagram of the image formation system of embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the management server shown in FIG. This is an example of registering the individual queue setting information shown in FIG. This is an example of the common queue setting screen. It is a schematic block diagram of the user terminal shown in FIG. It is a schematic block diagram of the administrator terminal shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow which the management server shown in FIG. 1 accepts the job processing setting of the print job of a common queue. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which the management server shown in FIG. This is an example of an individual queue setting screen. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the print process of the image formation system shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations showing the same functions.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the image forming system X, a management server 1, a plurality of user terminals 2, a plurality of image forming devices 3, and an administrator terminal 4 are connected via a network 5. The image forming apparatus 3 is a printer, a copying machine, a multifunction device, or the like, and has a printing function.

As shown in FIG. 2, the management server 1 includes a server communication unit 11, a server storage unit 12, and a server control unit 13. The management server 1 may function as a web server.

The server communication unit 11 has a function of transmitting and receiving various data to and from a plurality of user terminals 2, a plurality of image forming devices 3, and an administrator terminal 4 via a network 5 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. Has.

The server storage unit 12 is a storage means such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and has a user information 121, a common queue 122, and a plurality of individual queues 123 corresponding to a plurality of image forming devices 3 on a one-to-one basis. , Individual queue setting information 124, and common queue setting information 125. In addition, the server storage unit 12 has a config. System setting files such as ini files are also stored.

In the user information 121, a user name (user ID), a password, and the like used for user authentication are registered.

The common queue 122 is a queue in which print jobs transmitted from each user terminal 2 are temporarily stored.

The plurality of individual queues 123 are provided as many as the number of the plurality of image forming devices 3 managed by the management server 1, and correspond to the plurality of image forming devices 3 on a one-to-one basis.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the individual queue setting information 124, the individual queue 123 corresponding to the image forming apparatus 3 as the output destination is registered for each user. A user whose queue name is blank, such as user E, indicates that the queue has not been set.

The common queue setting information 125 defines the job processing settings of the print job stored in the common queue 122. For example, when a user has registered a plurality of individual queues 123, the print job may be defined to be distributed to any of the individual queues 123. Further, a print job having any specific print setting may be defined so as to be distributed to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 capable of executing this print job.

The server control unit 13 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. A control program for controlling the operation of the management server 1 is stored in the ROM. The CPU of the server control unit 13 controls the entire management server 1 by reading the control program stored in the ROM, expanding the control program in the RAM, and executing the control program.

Further, the server control unit 13 functions as an authentication unit 131, an individual queue setting reception unit 132, a common queue setting reception unit 133, a print job distribution unit 134, and a print job transmission unit 135.

The authentication unit 131 collates the authentication information such as the user name (user ID) and password transmitted from the user terminal 2 or the image forming device 3 via the network 5 with the user information 121 stored in the server storage unit 12. As a result, it has a function to authenticate the user.

The individual queue setting reception unit 132 has a function of receiving the setting of the individual queue 123, which is the output destination of the print job, for each user. The user can set the individual queue 123 corresponding to the image forming apparatus 3 as the output destination of the print job among the plurality of individual queues 123. The individual queue setting reception unit 132 can receive the setting of the individual queue 123 from the user via the web screen, for example.

In the present embodiment, in the printer driver 241 to be described later installed in each user terminal 2, the output destination of the print job is commonly set in the common queue 122. Therefore, the individual queue setting reception unit 132 is provided so that the user can transfer the print job from the common queue 122 to the desired individual queue 123.

The common queue setting reception unit 133 has a function of accepting job processing settings of a print job with administrator authority and assigning them to the common queue 122. The common queue setting reception unit 133 may accept the print job processing setting from the administrator terminal 4 via the common queue setting screen G40 shown in FIG. 4, for example. The common queue setting screen G40 is provided with an input field 401 in which job processing settings can be input, and an OK button B42 for assigning the job processing settings input in the input field 401 to the common queue.

The common queue setting screen G40 shown in FIG. 4 can accept input in a script language such as PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) as a job processing setting. Since the job processing settings can be input in the script language in this way, the administrator can flexibly input the job processing settings of the print job according to the customer's request.

For example, the input field 401 confirms the operating state of the image forming apparatus 3 corresponding to the individual queue 123 set by the user for each print job, and prints to the individual queue 123 when the image forming apparatus 3 is available. It may be entered to distribute jobs. Further, the print job of color printing is distributed to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 capable of color printing, and the printing job of the paper size A3 is distributed to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 in which the output paper of A3 is stored. You may let me do it. According to this, even when a plurality of individual queues 123 are registered in the individual queue setting information 124, the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 capable of executing a print job is automatically selected among the plurality of individual queues 123. Can be sorted according to the target.

Further, the input field 401 determines whether or not the print setting of the print job to be sorted can be printed by the image forming apparatus 3 of the individual queue 123 of the sorting destination before the print job is sorted to the individual queue 123. May be entered in. Then, when printing is not possible, the print job transmission unit 135 does not distribute the print job to the individual queue 123, but notifies the user who created the print job that the print setting is inappropriate by e-mail or the like. May be entered in.

Further, in the input field 401, when a print job in which confidential document data is set as a print target is stored in the common queue 122, a warning is notified to the administrator by e-mail or the like, or a user registered in advance. It may be input not to move the print job to the individual queue 123 without the permission of (for example, the boss). According to this, the job processing setting for security measures can be assigned to the common queue 122, and the security function according to the customer's request can be easily added to the image forming system X.

Further, in the input field 401, the job processing setting of the print job of the user who has not set the individual queue 123 in the individual queue setting information 124 may be programmed. For example, a print job of a user who has not set the individual queue 123 in the individual queue setting information 124 may be held in the common queue 122 instead of being distributed to the individual queue 123.

The print job distribution unit 134 monitors the storage status of the print job in the common queue 122, and when the print job is stored in the common queue 122, it is based on the common queue setting information 125 and the individual queue setting information 124. Therefore, it has a function of distributing the print job to any of a plurality of individual queues 123. For example, the print job distribution unit 134 executes the job processing setting (script language) of the common queue setting information 125, and moves the print job from the common queue 122 to the individual queue 123 registered by the user in the individual queue setting information 124. Can be made to. It is assumed that the job information of the print job includes the user name that created the print job.

The print job transmission unit 135 monitors the storage state of the print job of each individual queue 123, and transfers the print job stored in each individual queue 123 to the image forming apparatus 3 corresponding to the individual queue 123 to the server communication unit. It has a function of transmitting via 11.

Next, a schematic configuration of the user terminal 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

The user terminal 2 is, for example, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or the like, and includes a terminal communication unit 21, a display unit 22, an input unit 23, a terminal storage unit 24, and a terminal control unit 25.

The terminal communication unit 21 has a function of transmitting and receiving various data to and from the management server 1 and the plurality of image forming devices 3 via a network 5 such as a LAN or the Internet.

The display unit 22 is a display means such as a display for displaying various information.

The input unit 23 is an input means such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a pointing device. The input unit 23 may be provided as a transparent touch sensor on the display surface of the display unit 22 and may function as a touch panel together with the display unit 22. Further, the input unit 23 may be able to acquire authentication information such as a user name by reading an IC card such as an employee ID card.

The terminal storage unit 24 is a storage means for a semiconductor memory, an HDD, or the like, and stores a printer driver 241, a browser 242, and document creation software 243.

The printer driver 241 is an application program for creating a print job according to a user's operation instruction input from the input unit 23 and transmitting the created print job to the management server 1 by the terminal communication unit 21. The output destination of the print job of the printer driver 241 installed in each of the plurality of user terminals 2 is set in the common queue 122 of the management server 1. Therefore, the serviceman can deploy the printer driver 241 to a plurality of user terminals 2 at once, and it is not necessary to change the output destination setting for each printer driver. The printer driver 241 is installed in the user terminal 2.

The browser 242 is an application program that displays a web page in HTML format or the like on the display unit 22.

The document creation software 243 is an application program for viewing, editing, and creating document data such as Word (registered trademark) format of Microsoft Corporation (registered trademark).

When the browser 242 or the document creation software 243 is started up via the input unit 23, the terminal control unit 25 reads the browser 242 or the document creation software 243 stored in the terminal storage unit 24 and expands them in the RAM. By executing this, the browser 242 and the document creation software 243 are started. As a result, the user uses the browser 242 or the document creation software 243 to display image data, HTML data, document data, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "document data") on the display unit 22 for viewing, editing, and the like. Can be done.

The terminal control unit 25 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer provided with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. A control program for controlling the operation of the user terminal 2 is stored in the ROM. The CPU of the terminal control unit 25 reads the control program stored in the ROM, expands the control program in the RAM, and executes the control program to control the entire user terminal 2.

Further, the terminal control unit 25 functions as an individual queue setting unit 251 and a print job creation unit 252.

The individual queue setting unit 251 communicates with the management server 1 via the terminal communication unit 21 based on the operation instruction from the input unit 23, and the individual queue corresponding to the image forming device 3 to which the user outputs the print job. It has a function to set 123. This is because the output destination of the printer driver 241 is set to the common queue 122, so that the print job is moved from the common queue 122 to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 desired by the user.

The print job creation unit 252 has a function of creating a print job for printing the document data to be printed when the print of the document data to be viewed or edited is instructed by using the browser 242 or the document creation software 243. .. When the printing of the document data is instructed, the terminal control unit 25 starts the printer driver 241 by reading the printer driver 241 stored in the terminal storage unit 24, expanding the printer driver 241 in the RAM, and executing the printer driver 241. As a result, the terminal control unit 25 functions as a print job creation unit 252 that realizes the function of the printer driver 241.

Next, a schematic configuration of the administrator terminal 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The administrator terminal 4 is, for example, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or the like, and includes a terminal communication unit 41, a display unit 42, an input unit 43, a terminal storage unit 44, and a terminal control unit 45. ..

The terminal communication unit 41 has a function of transmitting and receiving various data to and from the management server 1 via a network 5 such as a LAN or the Internet.

The display unit 42 is a display means such as a display for displaying various information.

The input unit 43 is an input means such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a pointing device. The input unit 43 may be provided on the display surface of the display unit 42 as a transparent touch sensor, and may function as a touch panel together with the display unit 42. Further, the input unit 43 may be able to acquire authentication information such as a user name by reading an IC card such as an employee ID card.

The terminal storage unit 44 is a storage means for a semiconductor memory, an HDD, or the like, and stores the browser 441.

The browser 441 is an application program that displays a web page in HTML format or the like on the display unit 42. When the start operation of the browser 441 is performed via the input unit 43, the terminal control unit 45 starts the browser 441 by reading the browser 441 stored in the terminal storage unit 44, expanding it in the RAM, and executing the browser 441. Let me. As a result, the administrator can display HTML data or the like on the display unit 42 using the browser 441 and browse the data.

The terminal control unit 45 is an information processing unit such as a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. A control program for controlling the operation of the administrator terminal 4 is stored in the ROM. The CPU of the terminal control unit 45 reads the control program stored in the ROM, expands the control program in the RAM, and executes the control program to control the entire administrator terminal 4.

Further, the terminal control unit 45 communicates with the management server 1 based on the operation instruction from the input unit 43, and when the administrator logs in to the management server 1 and displays the common queue setting screen G40 on the display unit 42, It functions as a common queue setting unit 451.

The common queue setting unit 451 has a function of assigning the job processing setting of the print job input by the administrator to the input field 401 to the common queue 122 via the common queue setting screen G40. As a result, it is possible to reduce the development man-hours when providing the image forming system X corresponding to the job processing settings of the print job requested by each customer.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the flow of processing in which the administrator sets the job processing settings of the print job in the common queue 122 will be described.

First, a login request is transmitted from the administrator terminal 4 to the management server 1 based on an operation instruction of the administrator via the input unit 43 (s11). Subsequently, the management server 1 transmits a login screen to the administrator terminal 4 in response to the login request (s12).

Subsequently, the administrator terminal 4 displays the login screen on the display unit 42 (s13) and accepts the input of the authentication information (s14). When the authentication information such as the administrator name is input to the login screen, the administrator terminal 4 transmits the input authentication information to the management server 1 (s15).

The management server 1 executes a login process based on the authentication information transmitted from the administrator terminal 4 (s16). In the login process, the authentication unit 131 of the management server 1 executes user authentication by collating the authentication information transmitted from the administrator terminal 4 with the user information 121 stored in the server storage unit 12. As a result, the authentication unit 131 logs the administrator who has succeeded in user authentication into the management server 1. Then, an administrator screen that permits viewing of various information associated with the administrator and acceptance of settings is transmitted (s17).

If the user authentication fails, the authentication unit 131 may not accept the login of the administrator, notify the administrator terminal 4 that the user authentication has failed, and send the login screen again.

Subsequently, the administrator terminal 4 displays the administrator screen on the display unit 42 (s18), receives the display instruction of the common queue setting screen G40 (s19), and receives the acquisition request of the common queue setting screen G40 from the management server. It is transmitted to 1 (s20). For example, the common queue setting screen G40 may be transitionable from the administrator screen.

Subsequently, when the common queue setting reception unit 133 of the management server 1 transmits the common queue setting screen G40 to the administrator terminal 4 (s21), the administrator terminal 4 displays the common queue setting screen G40 on the display unit 42. (S22), it functions as a common queue setting unit 451 and accepts input of job processing settings to the input field 401 via the input unit 43 (s23).

Then, when the OK button B42 is operated, the common queue setting unit 451 transmits the job processing setting input in the input field 401 to the management server 1 (s24). Subsequently, the common queue setting reception unit 133 of the management server 1 sets the transmitted job processing setting in the common queue setting information 125 and assigns it to the common queue 122 (s25). This completes this process.

As a result, the job processing settings of the print job set by the administrator can be assigned to the common queue 122 in which all the print jobs are temporarily stored. Therefore, the job processing settings of the print job set by the administrator can be applied to all the print jobs.

Instead of logging in to the management server 1 from the administrator terminal 4 via the network 5, the management server 1 is provided with a display unit and an input unit, and the administrator directly operates the management server 1 to operate the management server. You may log in to 1 to display the common queue setting screen G40 so that you can enter the job processing settings of the print job.

Next, the flow of the process in which the user sets the individual queue 123 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, a login request is transmitted from the user terminal 2 to the management server 1 based on the user's operation instruction via the input unit 23 (s41). Subsequently, the management server 1 transmits a login screen to the user terminal 2 in response to the login request (s42).

Subsequently, the user terminal 2 displays the login screen on the display unit 22 (s43) and accepts the input of the authentication information (s44). When the authentication information such as the user name is input to the login screen, the user terminal 2 transmits the input authentication information to the management server 1 (s45).

The management server 1 executes the login process based on the authentication information transmitted from the user terminal 2 (s46). In the login process, the authentication unit 131 of the management server 1 executes user authentication by collating the authentication information transmitted from the user terminal 2 with the user information 121 stored in the server storage unit 12. As a result, the authentication unit 131 logs the user who has succeeded in user authentication to the management server 1 and permits viewing of various information associated with the user and acceptance of settings.

If the user authentication fails, the authentication unit 131 may not accept the user login, notify the user terminal 2 that the user authentication has failed, and send the login screen again.

Subsequently, the individual queue setting reception unit 132 of the management server 1 refers to the individual queue setting information 124, and determines whether or not the logged-in user has already set the individual queue 123 as the output destination of the print job (s47). ).

When the individual queue 123 is set (s47: Yes), this process ends.

On the other hand, when the individual queue 123 is not set as the output destination of the user's print job in the individual queue setting information 124 (s47: No), the individual queue setting reception unit 132 uses the individual queue setting screen G60 shown in FIG. It is transmitted to the terminal 2 (s48).

The user terminal 2 displays the individual queue setting screen G60 transmitted from the management server 1 on the display unit 22 (s49).

On the individual queue setting screen G60, an input field 61 for inputting the individual queue 123 to be output to the print job by the user, a list display button 62 for displaying the list 63, and a list of a plurality of individual queues 123. A list 63 for displaying the above and an OK button B64 are provided.

The user can select the individual queue 123 as the output destination from the list 63 by operating the list display button 62 to display the list 63. Further, by operating the list display button 62 with a part of the queue name input in the input field 61, the user can display only the individual queue 123 including the input queue name in the list 63. When the user selects the desired individual queue 123 from the list 63, the selected individual queue 123 is input to the input field 61. If the queue name of the individual queue 123 as the output destination is known in advance, the queue name of the individual queue 123 as the output destination can be directly input to the input field 61.

The list of individual queues 123 to be displayed in the list 63 may be generated by the individual queue setting reception unit 132 of the management server 1 each time the list display button 62 is operated, or may be generated by the individual queue setting unit 132 of the user terminal 2. 251 may be generated. When the individual queue setting unit 251 is generated, a list of all the individual queues 123 may be received from the individual queue setting reception unit 132 in advance together with the individual queue setting screen G60. The search of the individual queue 123 including the queue name may be a prefix match search, a partial match search, or a suffix search.

Then, when the OK button B64 is operated with the individual queue 123 input in the input field 61, the individual queue setting unit 251 of the user terminal 2 assumes that the individual queue 123 used by the user is selected (s50). ), The queue name of the individual queue 123 entered in the input field 61 is transmitted to the management server 1 via the individual queue setting screen G60 (S51).

The individual queue setting reception unit 132 of the management server 1 registers the queue name of the individual queue 123 transmitted from the user terminal 2 in the individual queue setting information 124 (s52), and ends this process.

As a result, each user can access the management server 1 via the user terminal 2 and set the individual queue 123 as the output destination of the print job. Therefore, the output destination of the printer driver 241 can be set in common in the common queue 122, and the labor of the service person can be reduced.

Next, the flow of the printing process of the image forming system X will be described with reference to FIG. Here, when the print job is stored in the common queue 122, the job processing setting for moving the print job to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 that is available among the individual queues 123 set by the user is set. It is assumed that the common queue setting information 125 is set.

When the print job creation unit 252 of the user terminal 2 receives a print instruction from the user via the input unit 23 (s71), the terminal communication unit 21 transmits authentication information such as a user name input via the input unit 23. To the management server 1 (s72).

The authentication unit 131 of the management server 1 waits until an authentication request is received from the user terminal 2 (s73, s73: No), and when there is an authentication request (s73: Yes), the authentication transmitted from the user terminal 2 is performed. The login process is executed based on the information (s74).

In the login process, the authentication unit 131 performs user authentication by collating the authentication information transmitted from the user terminal 2 with the user information 121, and logs in a user who has succeeded in user authentication. The user authentication result by the authentication unit 131 is transmitted to the user terminal 2 via the server communication unit 11.

The print job creation unit 252 of the user terminal 2 determines whether or not the login is OK based on the login result notified from the management server 1 (s75). If the login fails (s75: No), the print job creation unit 252 may return the process to s32 for transmitting the authentication information and prompt the user to log in again.

On the other hand, when the login is OK (s75: Yes), the print job creation unit 252 creates a print job based on the print instruction, and puts the created print job in the common queue 122 of the management server 1 by the terminal communication unit 21. Send (s76). At this time, the print job creation unit 252 includes the logged-in user name in the print job and sends it to the common queue 122.

The print job distribution unit 134 of the management server 1 monitors the print job storage state of the common queue 122, and waits until the print job is put into the common queue 122 (s77, s77: No). Since the output destinations of the printer drivers 241 installed in each user terminal 2 are all set in the common queue 122, all the print jobs received by the server communication unit 11 are stored in the common queue 122.

When a print job is submitted to the common queue 122 (s77: Yes), the print job distribution unit 134 refers to the common queue setting information 125. Here, among the individual queues 123 set by the user, the job processing setting for moving the print job to the individual queue 123 of the image forming apparatus 3 that is available is set, so that the print job distribution unit 134 is set. , The individual queue 123 set by the user of the print job is specified based on the individual queue setting information 124 (s78). When a plurality of individual queues 123 are set, a plurality of individual queues 123 are specified.

Subsequently, the print job distribution unit 134 determines whether or not the image forming apparatus 3 can be used for each of the specified individual queues 123 (s79). When the image forming apparatus 3 of all the specified individual queues 123 cannot be used (s79: No), the print job distribution unit 134 notifies the user that there is no available image forming apparatus, or the like. The process is executed (s80). In this case, this process ends.

On the other hand, when the image forming apparatus 3 of the individual queue 123 is available (s79: Yes), the print job distribution unit 134 distributes the print job from the common queue 122 to the individual queue 123 (s81). As a result, the print job is moved from the common queue 122 to the individual queue 123.

Subsequently, the print job transmission unit 135 transmits the print job stored in the individual queue 123 to the image forming apparatus 3 corresponding to the individual queue 123 by the server communication unit 11 (s82).

The image forming apparatus 3 waits until a print job is received from the management server 1 via the network 5 (s83, s83: No).

When the image forming apparatus 3 receives the print job (s83: Yes), the image forming apparatus 3 executes the print job and prints (s84). This completes this process.

As a result, even if the print job is output to the common queue 122 of the management server 1 by the printer driver 241 of each user terminal 2, the print job distribution unit 134 transfers the print job of the common queue 122 to the common queue setting information 125. Based on the job processing settings, it can be distributed to the individual queue 123 of the user registered in the individual queue setting information 124. Then, since the print job transmission unit 135 transmits the print job from the individual queue 123 to the image forming apparatus 3, the image forming apparatus 3 can execute direct printing.

In this way, in the image forming system X, a plurality of user terminals 2 for transmitting a print job, a plurality of image forming devices 3 for executing the print job, and a management server 1 are connected to each other via the network 5. In the system X, the management server 1 has a common queue 122 that temporarily stores print jobs transmitted from each user terminal 2, and a plurality of individual units that are associated with a plurality of image forming devices 3 on a one-to-one basis. The common queue setting reception unit 133 that accepts the job processing settings of the print job stored in the queue 123 and the common queue 122, and the job processing setting that the common queue setting reception unit 133 accepts the print job stored in the common queue 122. The print job distribution unit 134 that distributes the print job to any of the plurality of individual queues 123 and the print job that transmits the print job stored in the individual queue 123 to the image forming apparatus 3 associated with the individual queue 123. Each user terminal 2 includes a transmission unit 135, and each user terminal 2 includes a print job creation unit 252 that creates a print job based on the printer driver 241 whose output destination of the print job is set in the common queue 122. To do.

As a result, the print jobs transmitted from each user terminal 2 are temporarily stored in the common queue 122 of the management server 1, and the print job distribution unit 134 executes the job processing settings of the common queue setting information 125 and individually. It is distributed to the queue 123. Then, the print job transmission unit 135 transmits the print job to the image forming apparatus 3 corresponding to the individual queue 123, and the image forming apparatus 3 prints. Therefore, the output destination of the printer driver 241 of each user terminal 2 can be set and expanded in the common queue 122 in common. Therefore, when applying the image forming system X to a large-scale customer, it is possible to save the trouble of changing the setting for each printer driver 241 installed on the user terminals 2 of thousands or tens of thousands. Therefore, the image forming system X can be provided at low cost.

The individual queue setting unit 251 may be included in the function of the printer driver 241. For example, when the user terminal 2 starts the printer driver 241 for the first time, the terminal control unit 25 may function as the individual queue setting unit 251. Then, the individual queue setting unit 251 may authenticate the user with the management server 1, receive the individual queue setting screen G60 and display it on the display unit 22, and allow the user to set the individual queue 123.

The print job distribution unit 134 may distribute the print jobs of the common queue 122 to the individual queue 123 based only on the common queue setting information 125. In this case, the common queue setting information 125 is set with job processing settings so that each print job can be uniformly distributed to any of the individual queues 123 without depending on the individual queue setting information 124. Just do it. For example, all the print jobs for black-and-white printing may be distributed to the individual queue 123 of the specific image forming apparatus 3. Further, the print job of a specific user may be defined in the common queue setting information 125 so as to be distributed to the individual queue 123 of the specific image forming apparatus 3. Further, an individual queue 123 for pull print printing may be provided, and when the print jobs for pull print printing are stored in the common queue, all of them may be distributed to the individual queue 123 for pull print printing. In the case of pull print printing, when the user logs in to the image forming apparatus 3, the user's print job is transmitted from the individual queue 123 of the pull print printing of the management server 1 to the logged-in image forming apparatus 3.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 Management server 2 User terminal 3 Image forming device 4 Administrator terminal 5 Network 11 Server communication unit 12 Server storage unit 13 Server control unit 21, 41 Terminal communication unit 22, 42 Display unit 23, 43 Input unit 24, 44 Terminal storage unit 25, 45 Terminal control unit 401, 61 Input field 62 List display button 63 List 121 User information 122 Common queue 123 Individual queue 124 Individual queue setting information 125 Common queue setting information 131 Authentication unit 132 Individual queue setting reception unit 133 Common queue setting reception Unit 134 Print job distribution unit 135 Print job transmission unit 241 Printer driver 242, 441 Browser 243 Document creation software 251 Individual queue setting unit 252 Print job creation unit 451 Common queue setting unit B42, B64 OK button G40 Common queue setting screen G60 Individual Queue setting screen X Image formation system

Claims (4)

An image forming system in which a plurality of user terminals for transmitting a print job, a plurality of image forming devices for executing the print job, and a management server are connected via a network.
The management server
A common queue that temporarily stores print jobs sent from each user terminal,
A plurality of individual cues associated with the plurality of image forming devices on a one-to-one basis,
A common queue setting receiving unit that accepts job processing settings of the print job stored in the common queue, and
A print job distribution unit that distributes the print job stored in the common queue to any of the plurality of individual queues based on the job processing setting received by the common queue setting reception unit.
It includes a print job transmission unit that transmits the print job stored in the individual queue to the image forming apparatus associated with the individual queue.
Each said user terminal
An image forming system including a print job creation unit that creates the print job based on a printer driver whose output destination of the print job is set in the common queue. The common queue setting reception unit
Accept the job processing settings in the script language and
The print job distribution unit
The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the script language is executed to distribute the print job stored in the common queue to any one of the plurality of individual queues. The management server
It is equipped with an individual queue setting reception unit that accepts the individual queue settings for each user.
The print job distribution unit
The print job stored in the common queue is distributed to the individual queue of the user received by the individual queue setting reception unit based on the job processing setting received by the common queue setting reception unit. The image forming system according to claim 1 or 2. An image forming method of an image forming system in which a plurality of user terminals for transmitting a print job, a plurality of image forming devices for executing the print job, and a management server are connected via a network.
The management server
Accepts the job processing settings of the print job stored in the common queue,
The print job sent from each user terminal is temporarily stored in the common queue, and
The print job stored in the common queue is distributed to one of a plurality of individual queues associated with the plurality of image forming devices on a one-to-one basis based on the job processing settings.
The print job stored in the individual queue is transmitted to the image forming apparatus associated with the individual queue, and the print job is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
Each said user terminal
An image forming method characterized in that the print job is created based on a printer driver whose output destination of the print job is set in the common queue.

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