JPH08123641A - Network control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To confirm that information is distributed at distribution destinations by informing the distribution destinations of distribution information while outputting and distributing a document to plural distribution destinations through a network. CONSTITUTION: When the user of a computer 101 distributes the document to two users of computers 103 and 106, the driver of a printer 122 is loaded from a server 112 and the document from the computer 101 is printed on a printer 122 through the server 112 for the user of the computer 103 first. For the user of the computer 106, on the other hand, the document from the computer 101 is printed on a printer 123 through the server 113. After the distribution processing, the document distribution information is transmitted to the distribution destinations. The document distribution information is sent to the mail address of the computer 103 through a flow 141 through the network 131. Further, the information is sent to the mail address of the computer 106 through a flow 144 as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention connects a plurality of output devices such as printers, fax machines, copiers, etc. to a network, and outputs a document to a plurality of partners via a network system in which a plurality of computers are connected. The present invention relates to a network control device that operates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing system using a network, a document is printed on a printing device via a print server. When outputting documents for such a purpose for one's own purpose, there is no problem because the person who prints is aware of it, but try to use such a system for distributing document output to multiple parties. Then, it was not possible to notify the notification that the output was distributed in synchronization with the document output. Further, when the notification is made, the notification cannot be made in synchronism with the print output, so it is necessary to separately notify the fact that the output has been distributed by using a notification means such as an electronic mail.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, it is not possible to notify the other party of the output distribution in synchronization with the print output distribution of the document, and it cannot be used as a document distribution means.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to output and distribute a document to a plurality of parties via a network, and at the same time output and distribute the document to a document distribution destination in synchronization with the output distribution. It is to notify.

A second object of the present invention is to output a document to which printing device to a document distribution destination, and to display a sender, an output device name, a document name, a transmission date and time, the number of printed sheets, and document distribution information of other distribution destinations. By notifying,
Reliable distribution of the document to the recipients.

A third object of the present invention is to specify a transmission document and a distribution address for transmitting document distribution information.

A fourth object of the present invention is to store the printer driver of each output device in the server which manages each output device when the output formats of a plurality of output devices of different parties are different, and to output at the time of output. It is to be able to load from the server with, convert to each output format and output.

A fifth object of the present invention is to distribute a document to a plurality of parties via a network.
This is to ensure security by not storing the document directly in the output device but storing it in a file with a password and notifying the document distribution information necessary for accessing this document at the distribution destination.

A sixth object of the present invention is to allow a distribution destination to access a distribution document stored with a password by including a password in the document distribution information.

A seventh object of the present invention is to provide an access control means from a distribution destination for a document managed in a file with a password.

[0011]

In order to achieve each of the above objects of the present invention, the following constitution is adopted. That is, in order to achieve the first object, the network control device of the present invention notifies a plurality of other parties of the document output distribution means and the document distribution destination via the network. Have means.

In order to achieve the second object, the network control device of the present invention outputs a document to any printing device to a document distribution destination, and the sender, the output device name, the document name, the sending date and time, the number of printed sheets, Notify the document distribution information of other distribution destinations.

In order to achieve the third object, the network control device of the present invention has means for designating a transmission document and means for designating a distribution destination address for transmitting the document distribution information.

In order to achieve the fourth object, the network control device of the present invention has means for storing the printer driver of each output device in the server which manages each output device, and the server is provided at the time of outputting. Have more loading means.

In order to achieve the fifth object, the network control device of the present invention, when distributing a document via a network, stores it in a file with a password instead of directly outputting it to an output device. The document distribution information necessary for accessing this document at the distribution destination is notified.

In order to achieve the sixth object, the network control device of the present invention has a means for including a password in the document distribution information, and the distribution document stored with the password is distributed from the distribution destination. It has a means to make it accessible.

In order to achieve the seventh object, the network control device of the present invention has access control means from a distribution destination to a document managed in a file with a password.

In the above structure, the means for delivering and distributing the document to a plurality of parties via the network is such that the document designated by the designation means of the transmission document is delivered to the destination output device designated by the destination address designation means. To output.
Here, the output of the document is performed by loading the printer driver from the server having the management means of each output device using the printer driver loading means and converting the document into the output format of the output device using the loaded printer driver. , Works to output to the distribution destination. Regarding the loading of the printer driver, the server from which the printer is to be loaded is determined by the output device name designated by the document distribution destination addressing means, and the printer driver is loaded. Also, in synchronization with the output of the document, the document distribution information is transmitted to the distribution destination by using the document output distribution notification means to the document distribution destination.

Here, the transmission address operates so as to transmit to the transmission address designated by the document distribution destination designating means. Also, when distributing a document via a network, instead of directly outputting it to an output device, distribute the document using a method of storing it in a file with a password and notify the password with the document distribution information. By using it, it operates so that the document stored in the file can be accessed at the distribution destination.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a network system in each embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of host computers 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 are provided on the network 131.
And server computers 111, 112, 113, 1
14 is connected. A printer 121, a printer 122, a printer 123 and a FAX 124 are connected to each server computer. Furthermore F
The AX 124 is a remote FAX via the communication line 151.
Connected with. In addition, in this embodiment, two departments 2
There are 01 and 202, and the network 131 is connected between them. Here, the host computer 10
1, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 may be like workstations or word processors. Further, although the printer or FAX is connected to the server computer here, it may be a digital copier connectable to the computer. Although not shown here, the server computer has a large capacity storage device.

The operation of the first embodiment will now be described according to the flow chart of FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 2 shows an outline of the processing flow relating to the distribution of documents and the transmission of distribution information to distribution destinations. St
Specify the document to be distributed in ep10. FIG. 3 shows an image for this designation. If you specify the document to be distributed by file name, the document name and number of pages will be displayed. In this example, the file name is rep0
1. txt, the document name of the file is Pro
ject-X. The number of documents is 10. If it is the document to be distributed, the distribution document is confirmed by selecting the OK button.

Next, in Step 20, the distribution destination of the document specified in Step 10 is designated. The screen for designating the distribution destination is the screen shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, To: is the name of the distribution destination, Address is the mail address for notifying the distribution information, and Printer is the name of the queue of the output device.

Name1 is the owner of the computer 101, its mail address is Address1, and its output device is the printer 1 under the control of the server 111.
21. Name2 is the owner of the computer 102, the mail address is Address2, and the output device is the printer 122 managed by the server 112. Name3 is the owner of the computer 103, the email address is Address3, and the output device is Nam
Similarly to e2, the printer 122 under the control of the server 112
Is. Name4 is the owner of the computer 104, the mail address is Address4, and the output device is the printer 123 under the control of the server 113. N
ame5 is the owner of the computer 105, the e-mail address is Address5, and the output device is the server 114.
FAX124 under the control of. Also, Name6
Is the owner of the computer 106, the mail address is Address6, and the output device is the printer 123 under the control of the server 113.

Now, in the above structure, Name3 and Na
In order to distribute the Project-X document to two people of me6, Name3 and Nam are used as shown in FIG.
Select two of e6. The information on the destination list is created by another creating means (not shown). If there is no change in the destination, select the OK button to confirm the destination. Next, in Step 30, a printer driver for outputting the document specified in Step 10 to the output device of the distribution destination specified in Step 20 is loaded from the server, and in Step 40, the document is converted into the print format of the output device. First, the server 112 to the printer 12
The second driver is loaded and the above processing is performed. Step5
Output to the output device of the document distribution destination converted by 0. That is, the name 3 is printed from the computer 101 to the printer 122 via the network 131 and the server 112.

The name 6 is printed on the printer 123 from the computer 101 via the network 131 and the server 113. When the distribution process is completed in Step 50, the document distribution information is transmitted to the distribution destination in Step 60. When processing to the first distribution destination is completed,
In Step 70, check if there is another distribution destination. In this example, since it is necessary to further distribute to the distribution destination of Name6, the processes of Step 30 to Step 70 are repeated again, and all the processes are ended.

As shown in FIG. 5, the document distribution information includes a sender name, an output device name, a document name, the number of output documents, an output date and time, and a distribution destination. Name3
The above information is transmitted to the mail address Address3 via the network 131 via a mail server (not shown) in the flow 141. Also,
In the same manner, the above information is transmitted to Name 6 to the mail address Address 6 in the flow of 144. N
log in from computer 103
By reading the mail that has arrived at the address 3 and the name 6 that has logged in from the computer 106 and read the mail that has arrived at the Address 6, the transfer contents can be confirmed and the output distributed document can be acquired by the output device.

According to the first embodiment, the document can be output to the output devices of a plurality of distribution destinations, and the distribution of the output can be notified to the distribution destination. Therefore, the document distribution system using both the paper document distribution and the electronic notification can be provided. There is an effect that it can be realized.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The network configuration is as shown in FIG. 1 as in the first embodiment. The flow of the distribution process of the sender is also shown in FIG. 2 as in the first embodiment. The designation of the distribution document and the designation of the distribution destination are the same as those shown in FIGS. In the second embodiment, the process of the sender of the document is distributed without being aware of it, but the server that manages the document output attaches the password to the document and saves it in a file instead of outputting it at that time.

Next, the document distribution information is transmitted to the distribution destination, and the document storage server name for the output device name among the information shown in FIG. 5 of the first embodiment is notified to this information, and in addition to these, the above password. Is added to notify the access key to the document saved in the file. The distribution destination notified of the distribution information can use the output tool provided by the server to acquire the access right with this password and output the output right to the output device. This not only ensures security, but also manages the password at the distribution source, so even if you forget the password for accessing the distributed document at the distribution destination, you can check it by inquiring. .

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the third embodiment, unlike the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the server does not generate the password and notify the distribution destination, but by specifying the document distribution destination of the transmission source,
A password is attached, and the password is added to the distribution destination information and transmitted. Other configurations and processing are the same as those in the second embodiment. As a result, the distribution source adds the password and notifies the distribution destination, so that the distribution source can manage the password.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention as set forth in claims 1 to 3, it is only necessary to output a document to a document output device such as a printer, a FAX or a copying machine near a plurality of distribution partners. Not only that, but at the same time, you can notify the recipient of the output device of the document by e-mail at the same time, and you can distribute the document without fail, and you can also send a confirmation notice. The effect is that a document distribution system for sending can be realized.

According to the invention described in claim 4, since the printer driver is loaded from the server and converted into the print format of the output device, even if an output device of a different print format exists on the network. This has the effect of enabling output distribution.

According to the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention,
This has the effect of ensuring the security of the distributed document.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 7, by having a means for managing the document stored in the file with the password, controlling the access right to the document, and controlling the printing process of the document, This is effective in providing secure document management and access methods to distribution partners.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration according to each embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a document and distribution information transmission process according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a distribution document designation screen according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a distribution destination address designation screen according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining distribution document distribution information according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a distribution destination address designation screen according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 Computer 111, 112, 113, 114 Server computer 121, 122, 123 Printer 124 FAX 131 Network 141, 144 Document distribution information flow 142, 143 Document distribution flow 151 Communication line 201 , 202 groups

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A network control device that sends a document to a plurality of parties, prints the document on a device designated as a printing device of the sending party, and distributes the document to a document output destination for print output 2. A network control device, comprising: notifying means for notifying a recipient of document distribution information in synchronization with the printing means and the printed matter means. 2. The network control device according to claim 1, wherein the notification means notifies at least a sender name, an output device name, a document name, the number of prints, a print date and time, and a distribution destination. . 3. The network control device according to claim 1, further comprising an address designating unit for designating a document name to be transmitted to a transmission partner and a distribution destination address for transmitting the document distribution information. A network control device comprising: 4. The network control device according to claim 3, wherein in order to output and distribute the document to a plurality of partners, the printer driver of the partner output device is referred to by referring to the information regarding the distribution destination address designated by the address designating means. A network control device comprising: a loading unit that loads the server from the server; and an output format conversion unit that converts the output format of the output device by the printer driver loaded by the loading unit. 5. A notifying means for storing a document as a file in a print server with a password without printing out the document to a plurality of parties and for notifying the party of the document distribution information in synchronization with the document. A characteristic network control device. 6. The network control device according to claim 5, wherein the notification means is document distribution information,
At least a sender, a document storage file server name, a document name, the number of documents, a transmission date and time, a distribution destination, and a password for accessing a document. 7. The network control device according to claim 5, further comprising means for managing a document to be stored in a file with a password, controlling the access right to the document, and controlling the print processing of the document. Control device.