JPH0713723A - Apparatus and method for capture and preservation of printing job - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily transmit a print job, which causes a functional fault, to a diagnostic device by receiving the selected print job from a preservation section by a diagnostic means and a medium, transmitting it to the diagnostic means and confirming the functional fault of a system. CONSTITUTION: When the selected print job is processed by a printing system, this print job becomes a factor to cause the functional fault in the system. The diagnostic device is provided with a device for catching the selected job when it is transmitted to the system, and the preservation section for communicating with the catching device in order to hold the selected job. Further, the diagnostic device is provided with the diagnostic means and the medium for receiving the selected job from the preservation section, transmitting the selected job to the diagnostic means and confirming the functional fault caused by the selected print job in the printing system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printing system having a selected print job when the selected print job is processed by the printing system.
apparatus) and a method for diagnosing the selected print job.

[0002]

Personal computers are becoming commonplace on the desks of employees in most offices. Typically, many of the work products of such computers are intended to be transformed into hard copy via a printer using digital imaging technology. Included in a typical printer configuration for this purpose is a dedicated printer connected to a personal computer ("PC").
However, the printers used for this purpose are typically small laser printers, where the tray capacity is limited so that the number and size of copy sheets used for printing thereon is limited. Limited or not having the ability to finish,
It has limited functions and features.

In contrast, larger high speed laser printers typically have outstanding finishing and copy sheet capabilities. And this allows a PC user to, for example, custom print and finish their work product, which is a highly desirable option for many PC users. In reality, many client inputs such as PCs and one or more printer outputs are combined in a network-type printing
The system allows the PC to be used to advantage. In one example of such a networked printing system, an electronic document containing a job is printed by a client at a single input over a local area network (LAN). Is transmitted to one of the selected printers. In particular, the means provided by the LAN allow users running a dedicated processor to share resources such as printers, file servers and scanners. Consolidating shared resources has been a problem pointed out by LAN managers. LAN managers create different network protocols that are transparent to devices running different network protocols. LAN
It also includes a variety of print drivers that emit different page description languages (PDLs), such as might be oriented to a particular print device.

According to a PDL such as Interpress provided by Xerox (registered trademark) company, in addition to a specific operation for forming a page image,
Definitions of four arithmetic operations, conditional execution and procedures are given. Typically, PDL-supported character images are in various fonts, faces, sizes and orientations in addition to line art, graphics and pictorial images. Since it is one language, the documents described in PDL are in software, which is used by the marking engine to generate primitives that can be imaged on a substrate.

Although using a PDL for storage and transmission of an input document is desirable for several reasons, the PDL of the input document is a hardware-based imaging that actually produces the print.
Such use can complicate the printing operation, as much effort must be made by the printer in converting to primitives. Especially PD
The input format of the input document written in L is "higher" than the imaging primitives.
Are included so that the input document must be "decomposed" into its individual imaging components, such as by decomposition techniques. The disassembling means here preferably comprises one or more processors and software and is used to implement the relevant technique.

In operation, the PDL is performed by the parsing means to generate the imaging primitives. Included in the types of actions required to perform this task are bundling printer fonts into requested fonts, performing any imaging operations on pictorial information, and / or Converting line art / graphics to lower level imaging primitives. This process is much longer in time than actual imaging, resulting in a loss of throughput. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a decomposing means in which the amount of time required to perform the decomposing function is minimized and the output is correspondingly maximized.

[0007]

A print job received at the disassembly means may cause the disassembly means to malfunction. This dysfunction can occur for a variety of reasons. More specifically, each job contains a set of master and print instructions. Because of this, in one example, it can result from a conflict between the master and the print instruction. In another example, it may occur as a result of the content of either the master or print instructions. When it is determined that a given print job is the cause of the disassembly means malfunction, it may be desirable to provide an arrangement that facilitates the transmission of such a given print job to a diagnostic device. .

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the disclosed embodiment, an apparatus is provided for diagnosing a selected print job transmitted to a printing system. Then, when the selected print job is processed by the printing system, the selected print job causes the printing system to malfunction. Included in the diagnostic device are: a device for capturing a selected print job when transmitted to a printing system; a device for holding the selected print job; A storage section that communicates with the capture device. Diagnostic means and media further included in the diagnostic device receive the selected print job from the storage section and transmit the selected print job to the diagnostic means. -To confirm the malfunction of the printing system due to the job.

In another aspect of the disclosed embodiment, included in the diagnostic device is a selected print job when transmitted to a printing system.
An arrangement for capturing jobs, and
Means for responding to the enabling conditions for controlling the capture device by control means that allow a print job to be captured when the enabling conditions are met.

A method provided in yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiment causes a printing system to malfunction when a selected print job is transmitted to and processed by the printing system. A method for diagnosing the selected print job: capturing the selected print job when transmitted to the printing system by a printing system input; Storing the print job in a storage section; and transmitting the stored print job to determine the cause of the printing system malfunction due to the selected print job Notify the diagnostic means of the selected print job. Are those containing the steps of: step that.

The method provided in another aspect of the disclosed embodiment provides a method of causing a selected print job to malfunction when the print job is transmitted to and processed by the printing system. A method for diagnosing a selected print job: capturing the selected print job by capturing means when the selected print job is transmitted to a printing system; and Controlling the capture means by a control means that allows a print job to be captured when the enable conditions are met.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, an electronic document processing system 21 for a typical environment for the present invention is illustrated. Document processing system 21 for standard processing
Includes a digital processor 22 having a main memory 23 and a mass memory 24, an input section 25 for providing a job written in the printer's page description language (PDL), and selected from the PDL. A printer 26 for printing a hard copy to be an image component obtained by the above. Further provided user interface 27 is enabled for user interaction with processor 22, input scanner 25 and printer 26.

As will be appreciated, the user interfaces 27 collectively represent an input device through which the user inputs image editing and operating instructions for the processor 22. In addition, interface 27 represents an output device through which a user may respond in response to commands entered by the user or others (such as under program control). Get feedback on the actions taken. Included generally in the user interface 27 are, for example, a keyboard for entering user commands or the like, a monitor for giving the user an observation of the processing being performed by the processor 22, And a cursor controller for allowing a user to move a cursor that performs a selection operation from data input to the process displayed by the monitor and / or a selection operation for inputting the data (these are None of the normal components are shown).

Since the document processing system 21 illustrated here is centralized, all control instructions and all image editing and manipulation instructions are assumed to be executed by the processor 22 under program control. It is simplified by assuming. However, in practice, the execution of these instructions is handled by several different processors, any or all of which have their own main memory and their own mass. -Even memory is provided. Similarly, the input scanner 25 and the printer 26
Either or both of which are dotted lines 28 and 2 respectively.
A unique user interface may be provided, as indicated at 9. As it is really clear,
The document processing system 21 can be modified to include a distributed architecture for operation with a remote input section and / or a remote printer (not shown). The transmission of data can take place between such remote input sections and printer terminals via a dedicated communication link or a switched communication network (also not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the processor 2
The PDL driver 31, which is preferably included in 2, is for transmitting to the printer 26 the PDL description of the electronic document file selected for the print operation. To this end, in order to generate a correspondingly bit-mapped image file, the printer 26 uses a PD to decompose such a PDL description.
It is illustrated as having L decomposition means 32. As will be appreciated especially from the following, the disassembling means 32
Is capable of accepting PDL files from a mass memory such as a disk, or "on the the
It is possible to accept away from the "on the fly" network.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the mass memory 2
4, a device including part of the input section 25 and the disassembly means 32 is shown. With particular reference to FIG. 3, preferably included in input section 25 is workstation 40 or any other suitable PDL source 42.
, Up to a plurality of two PDL emitters. An example of the workstation 40 is Xerox (registered trademark)
6085 (the term "Xerox 6085" refers to Xe
is a trademark used by Rox (registered trademark) company)
A workstation, which is connected to a network 44, such as the network sold by the Xerox® company under the trademark EtherNet. The network is interfaced with the decomposing means by a suitable network interface 46, which includes a network interface 46 such as TCPIP ™, AppleTal.
It is one of many known interfaces, such as k ™ or TokenRing ™. Both the workstation 40 and the PDL source 42 are interfaced with the decomposing means by the print server 48, here the print server 48.
Can be any suitable protocol corresponding to the PDL source 42 and / or the network interface 46. The print server 48 is in communication with the system manager 50.

In the preferred embodiment, the system state controller 52 included in the system manager 50 is of the type of US Pat. No. 5,170,340 to Prokop et al. The relevant parts are incorporated here. User interface (UI) 27, in one example, is of the type disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,083,210, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein. Also included is a database manager 54 and a database front end 57. Additionally included in the database manager 54 is a database job queue (not shown) and a database federation table (not shown). The features of this invention can be obtained through the use of any suitable commercially available database.

The database front-end processor 57 acts to define the composition of the PDL job, and the sequence of image-related identifiers stored in the database is the database manager selected for use. Can be configured by those skilled in the art. As will be appreciated from the description below, the database manager 54 is the conduit through which substantially all image-related identifiers and all job identifiers (“(handle) handles”) flow. In addition, editing of information that is subsequently parsed is accomplished by a "make ready" process 58 connected to the front end 57. This "make ready" process
Xerox, which acts to interpret operator commands for performing bitmap processing.
DocuTech marketed by (registered trademark) company
(Trademark).

Still referring to FIG. 3, each of print server 48, SSC 52, and database front-end processor 57 is parsing section 60 via a preparse scheduler 62.
I have contacted. In the preferred embodiment, the steps of analysis section 60 are performed on a MESA ™ processor of the type manufactured by Xerox®. The advance analysis scheduler 62
It communicates with the advance analysis means 64 via the block of the shared memory 66. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the advance analysis means comprises a manager section 68 and a main section 70. In one example, what is included in the manager section is the processor of the type just referenced, and the main
Included in the section are similar processors.
And the math coprocessor is for the most part, the commercially available mass coprocessor.
It is similar to a coprocessor. Also, manager 6
8 is the print server 6 via the block of the memory 71.
8 and the main section 71 is configured to store a federation table, the meaning of which will be described in more detail below.

The advance analysis means 64, which acts to disassemble the PDL into image-related components, can store those components in the mass memory 24.
The mass memory 24 here is, in the preferred embodiment, a D manufactured by the Xerox® company.
ocuTech ™ is a disk-based storage means, such as used in electronic printers. The disk-based storage means is preferably adapted to accept rasters in the raster storage section 72 and internal PDL fragments ("internal PDL flags") in the internal PDL flags section 74. It should be recognized here that the internal PDL fragment is a higher level primitive to be imaged on the substrate. In one example, internal PDL
Fragments act to transform the coordinate system input to the decomposition means for printing operations. The use of other storage sections in the mass memory 24 to accommodate other image related components is considered by the present invention.

In practice, the mass memory 24 not only accepts and stores the image-related components developed by the advance analysis means 64, but also compares them (in the logo DB storage section 76) on a long-term basis. It is also configured to serve to store a wide variety of logos and fonts (in the font section (not shown)). It is contemplated by the present invention to use other storage sections in the mass memory 24 to store other image related components on a long term basis. In addition to this, section 82, which is preferably included on a disk-based storage device, is for storing PDL files to be processed, and section 84 is for all communication with database manager 54. It is for storing information. In one example, the job database 84 is adapted to contain structures for image-related components of jobs written in PDL. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a suitable memory device may be used in place of the job database without affecting the underlying concept of the present invention.

In practice, the starter parsing means 64 will pass through the image installation process 86 and the raster directory service (DS) 88 to the raster section 72, and through the file finder process 90 the logo DB section. And the internal PDL flag
It interfaces to the internal PDL flags section via manager 92. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the raster DS 88 is adapted to assign an image identifier to each raster transmitted to it, and also passes each of these identifiers to the advance analysis means 64. Is being done. Similarly, internal PD
The L-flag manager 92 is adapted to assign an image identifier to each internal PDL fragment transmitted to it, and is also adapted to pass each of those identifiers to the advance analysis means 64. On the other hand, the file finder 90 has the advance analysis means 64.
Assign an identifier for seeking the logo received from the print server 48 at, and allow the logo to be fetched by the advance analysis means 64 when they are available in the logo DB section 76. When the desired logo is not available in the logo DB section, the file finder 90 displays the appropriate faults for display on the UI 27 or for a print operation by printing a hard copy.
You can send a message.

It should be recognized here that the decomposing means 32, such as associative means and post-parser means.
The selected part of is not shown in FIG. Further details regarding the construction and operation of these components may be found in US patent application Ser. No. 07 / 898,761.
Issue, and relevant portions thereof are incorporated herein.

Referring to FIG. 4, PDL decomposition means 32.
The operation of (FIG. 2) is shown schematically. To start the disassembling process, one job is passed from the input section 25 to the disassembling means 32 (step 94). After certain adjustments have been made, the information is passed to the proactive analysis section (FIG. 3) (step 96) and analyzed by the image-related components. Then, in step 98, the identifier corresponding to the component is the database
Stored in the job database 84 by the manager 54. Shortly after the first page of the job has been parsed, the identifier is passed from the database to the federation section (step 100) and the font processing (step 10) performed.
2) and bitmap processing (step 104). Following this, the associated information is subsequently parsed (step 106) to form a band list, which is marked in step 108. In the preferred embodiment, the association information may be edited (step 110).

A more detailed observation of the invention, including the significant portions of the code used to implement the capture techniques of the invention, can be obtained by reference to the attached appendix sections AC. . The corresponding code is written in the MESA (registered trademark) language. For details, see the commercially available MESA (registered trademark) manual (copyright: Xerox (registered trademark) company: 198).
5), the relevant parts of which are incorporated by reference herein. Referring generally to the section in question, the definitions for the code begin on the page and instructions for scheduling jobs for job capture and proactive analysis are provided on pages 297 and 3, respectively.
It started on 61. For further details regarding codes relating to proleptic analysis operations, federation operations, etc., see Appendix Sections DH in US patent application Ser. No. 07 / 898,761. And, these sections DH are incorporated by reference herein. Some general comments about the code, as well as other specific comments about the interfaces used in the disclosed code, are given below.

An open or portable system is achieved when the system is not bound by any single utility such as an operating system. Definition files or interfaces provide a level of data abstraction. For example, given a set of interfaces that define the utilities required for a decomposing means to function in a system, the utility may be independent of the decomposing means or transparent to it. Can be implemented. The interface between the client and the service is the functional definition between the modules. Most importantly, the interface is not a set of executable instructions. Alternatively, an interface is defined as the protocol match between the client and the service.

In more detail, the source code of all proposed decomposition means is required, not included in the Appendix, such as database management, network management, system management, image management and memory management. It is accompanied by an external interface that gives the functional specifications for the utility. The external interfaces to the functional specifications of the non-disintegration means are listed in Appendix A. Sections B and C of the appendix list the source code of the disassembly means for the capture and probing analysis scheduling functions, as well as the internal interface used with each module. Internal interfaces, as opposed to external interfaces, allow communication between elements within individual modules.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the PDL file input and parsing operations are described in further detail. Referring now specifically to FIG. 5, at step 114, a job file written in a particular PDL, such as Interpress used by Xerox.RTM. Sourced from any of sources 42. Because of those situations where jobs are deployed on workstation 40, a job ticket of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,340 to Prokop et al. Incorporated) can be adopted. The job ticket preferably provides, among other things, various instructions for printing the selected print job. It should be appreciated that much of the information that is transmitted to the decomposition means 32 in the form of a ticket is included in the form of comprehensive information as opposed to page level information. In addition to this, when generating his / her program, he can include calls to rasters, logos and other similar bitmaps he / she knows about on the machine. Thus, as will be apparent from the description below, the appropriate call pulls up one or more image-related components (such as the logo for the final printing operation on the printer 26). Can be used as an identifier for

When a PDL job is entered into the print server 48, for example, basic information about job composition and the order in which the jobs should be processed is provided by the advance analysis scheduler 62 and the database front.
It is transmitted to the database manager 54 via the end processor 57. Database manager 5
4 instructs the SSC 52 that it has a job. Then, when the disassembly means is ready to operate at the appropriate time (see step 18), the SSC 52 issues a command to the print server 48 to the manager section 68 via the shared memory block 71 to the PDL file block. Is transmitted (step 120). Then, the advance analysis scheduler 62 obtains the job identifier (“handle”) from the database manager 54 (step 122). The information presented in the handle requires the proactive analysis scheduler 62 to pass the image-related identifier resulting from the analysis process to the database manager 54.
Alternatively, as illustrated in steps 118 and 124, when a job is ready to be submitted at the same time as the job being processed, the job ready to be submitted is submitted for subsequent processing. Can be stored in.

Once the PDL has been transmitted to the manager section 68 (step 126), it is broken down in step 128 to comprehensive information such as headers and preambles, and page level information. In addition to this, according to the manager 68,
In order to set up the image-related components ("data structure") to be accepted by the main section 70, the beginning of each page in the job file ("master") is found. This manager essentially acts as a syntactic analyzer, ensuring that the syntax of the coded PDL master is correct. The manager preferably performs some pre-work on the main 70 and has limited interpretive capabilities.

In step 130, page level information is passed from the manager 68 to the main 70, where the information (more specifically the data structure) is generated. The main 70 looks up the linked list of set up pages and decomposes them sequentially. The manager and main can work on separate pages, or on one page the main can work before the manager. There is a manager 1
When the data structure for a page is generated, in the main, the data structure for the corresponding page is implemented for storage in the mass memory 24. In step 132, the main 70 inserts any font name gathered from the page into the federation table stored within the main.

Referring now to FIG. 6, once the page level data structure is made available, an identifier is obtained for this. Once the raster or bitmap is found in the data structure (step 136), the image
It is communicated to the raster storage section 72 via installation 86 and raster DS 88. In step 138, the raster is assigned an identifier by the raster directory service, which identifier is passed to main 70 for placement in the federation table. When a logo call (ie, a call to a merge item) is found in the data structure (step 140), file finder 90 checks to see if the logo is in logo DB section 76 (step 140). 14
2). For those logos in the logo DB, the corresponding pointers for the available logos are communicated to the main (step 144) for placement in the association table. For those logos that are not in the logo DB, in step 146 the fault message is returned to main for final display or printing on hard copy. In steps 148 and 150, an internal PDL fragment is generated and passed through the internal PDL flag manager 92 to the internal PDL.
It is transmitted to the flag storage section 74. Step 15
At 0, the internal PDL fragment is assigned an identifier by the internal PDL flag manager 92, and the identifier is passed to the main 70. Step 152
And the main 70, as indicated by 154 and 154.
Any other data structure flowing from will be processed in a similar manner as shown for raster or internal PDL fragments. All identifiers are main 7
The signal is transmitted to the advance analysis scheduler 62 after being applied to 0, and in step 156, the database
Informed to the manager 54.

Referring to FIG. 7, an apparatus for capture, storage and transmission of print jobs is shown schematically. Here, "SYSTEM PRINT MANAGE
With reference to the section entitled "R (System Print Manager)", as described in more detail below,
For each job in which multiple switches are set by a customer service engineer ("CSE") and a file pair containing a master file and a print command file is transmitted to the disassembly means following the switched switch. Is generated. Each file pair that has either a no job name (such as "Savejob") or a special job name is written to the PDL save section 82. Here, "APPLI
Referring to the section entitled "CATIONS DIAGNOSTICS", each file pair saved while it was switched on is then written to the storage medium 160.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the process of acquisition, storage and transmission is described in further detail. In step 162, a hypothetical first switch in the form of either a hardwired switch or a software based switch is tested. When the switch is not switched, the process proceeds to step 164 where the portion of the job known as the master is interpreted (or more specifically parsed). On the other hand, when the first switch is switched,
In step 166, the process checks the second condition. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the machine log-in step is shown as the second condition, the second switch is switched in step 166 without changing the concept on which the invention is based. Another condition such as the above can be used as the second condition.

As will be appreciated, the two enablement conditions or switches facilitate the security that a match between two machine users is required to enable operation. . That is, in its preferred embodiment,
One condition is enabled by one entity, such as a technical representative, while another condition is enabled by another entity, such as a system administrator. Therefore, in one preferred embodiment, the file is saved and captured only when the two users have met by implementing the respective enabling conditions.

If both conditions are met, ie, the interval for capturing the job is initiated, then in steps 168 and 170 one or more file pairs are created. More specifically, each file is designated as the type of file selected, but the meaning of this designation will be described in more detail below.
For each interpreted and parsed master, the corresponding job name is tested (step 172). Then, when the name of the corresponding job is different from the name of the job selected in advance, the name of the corresponding job is deleted (step 174). In the preferred embodiment, a client user who causes his disintegrator to malfunction by his job is instructed to send the job to the disintegrator with a special name such as "SaveJob" or "CaptureJob". It According to the preferred embodiment, it is further assumed that unnamed jobs are captured, stored and transmitted. After the interval to capture the job has elapsed, the switch is not switched and normal operation is resumed at step 176. The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is directed to a model of decomposition where only specified jobs are saved. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in the model of decomposition where spooling is desired, the process of Figure 8 must be modified appropriately. An example of a model of suitable spool operation is that which can be found in co-pending US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 000,074, filed January 4, 1993 by Cattapano et al. , Its relevant parts are incorporated here.

What has been described above with respect to FIG. 8 is only characterized by many of what has already been disclosed in the attached appendix. It should be noted here that the attached appendix is copied from Sections AC of the appendix to US patent application Ser. No. 07 / 898,761. Software support for many of the image data acquisition techniques illustrated in FIG. 8 is provided in Appendix pages 320-335 and pages 405-405.
411.

Referring now to FIG. 9, after resuming normal operation, each file pair having a preselected job name and identified by the selected file type is stored on the storage medium. Be transmitted to. In particular, the printer 26 (FIG. 2) is mode-switched to "Diagnostics" (step 180) and the appropriate "(Diagnostic routine) Diagnostic Routine" is selected (step 182). In step 184, the file pair of the selected file type is read. Then, in step 186, the read copy of the file pair is transmitted to the storage medium. It should be recognized here that only files pairs of the selected file type are read from the PDL save section 82 because jobs other than those intended for diagnostics are saved in the PDL save section. Is. The storage medium 160 (FIG. 7) can be shown as a tape, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the storage medium can be in any suitable format for storing image data. For example, the storage medium can be in the form of a floppy disk, hard disk, or the like. Finally, in step 186, once the copy of the file pair has been copied to the storage medium, the PDL
The corresponding original in the save section 82 is deleted. To diagnose the transmitted files, they are transmitted to the emitters in step 188, allowing real-time debug operations to begin in step 190.

[0039]

Many features of the disclosed embodiment will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. One feature is that one selected print job, known to cause printing system dysfunction, is easily captured and stored for subsequent transmission to an appropriate storage medium. It is possible. Another feature is that the captured job is appropriately labeled to facilitate its transmission to the appropriate media. Yet another feature is that it ensures that the selected print job cannot be stored or transmitted unless some predefined safeguard is taken.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic printing machine in which the present invention may be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a processor / printer interface for the printing machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for capturing and grammatically explaining a print job written in a printer page description language.

4 is a flow diagram for outlining the function of a disassembly means of the type in which the apparatus of FIG. 3 is used.

5 is a flow diagram describing the operation of a grammatical explanation system of the type used in the apparatus of FIG.

6 is a flow diagram describing the operation of a grammatical explanation system of the type used in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a suitable apparatus for processing print jobs for diagnostics.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram describing capture of a print file input to the disassembly means.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram describing transmission of a captured print file to a storage medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 electronic document processing system, 22 processor, 23 main memory, 24 mass memory, 2
5 input sections, 26 printers, 27 users
interface

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Thomas B. Zell 14564 New York, USA Victor Skyview Pass 8048

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A selected print job transmitted to a printing system, the selected print job causing a malfunction when the selected print job is processed in the printing system. A device for diagnosing a print job, including: a means for capturing a selected print job when transmitted to a printing system; Print
A storage section for holding a job; a diagnostic means; and for transmitting the selected print job to said diagnostic means to ascertain the cause of the malfunction of the printing system by the selected print job. Means for accepting the selected print job from the storage means. 2. The following steps for diagnosing a selected print job that causes the selected printing job to malfunction when it is transmitted to and processed by the printing system. Including: capturing the selected print job when transmitted to the printing system by a printing system input; storing the captured selected print job in a storage section; and selecting In order to ascertain the cause of the printing system malfunction due to the print job, the stored selected print job is transmitted, and the transmitted selected print job is notified to the diagnostic means. 3. The following steps for diagnosing the selected print job that causes the selected printing job to malfunction when it is transmitted to and processed by the printing system. Including: capturing the selected print job by a capturing means when the selected print job is transmitted to the printing system; and capturing the print job when the enable condition is met. The capturing means is controlled by the control means that permits the above.