JPH08318664A - Image processor and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To simply and certainly perform the job requiring the manual work of a user designated by an external device. CONSTITUTION: When a copier controller 105 receives the job data designating the job requiring the manual operation of a user, for example, the scanning job setting a manuscript to the manuscript stand of a digital copier 106 from a client computer 102 through a computer network 101, if there is a job executed present, the user waits until the job is completed without spooling the job to let the user of the client computer know the job. When the button on a panel designating the start of scanning is pushed by the user, scanning is started and a read image is sent to the computer 102.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof for receiving information designating a job to be executed from an external device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it is known to connect an external device such as a computer to a digital copying machine via a copying machine controller or the like. In such a configuration, when an image read by a scanner of a copying machine is taken into a computer, the operation of setting the original to be read on the original table or the original feeding device is usually performed manually by the user. Further, even when the data output from the computer is manually fed and printed by the copying machine, the manual feeding of paper is manually performed by the user.

In this way, for example, when reading a document, the user sets the document, and the computer instructs the reading to capture the image. Further, in the case of performing the manual print, the paper is fed into the manual cassette, and then the data is output from the computer and printed.

[0004]

However, the above-described conventional example has the following drawbacks when performing a job that requires manual work by the user, for example, a reading job or a manual printing job. .

For example, when it is desired to execute a job related to reading, the reading operation is started as soon as the computer accesses the copying machine. Therefore, the original must be set in advance. Paper must be fed in the same way for manual printing. In this case, if a lot of other jobs are spooled in the spool queue of the copier controller, it will be difficult to prepare the job to be executed, and the user will not be able to hold the original document and repeat between the computer and the copier. Had to make a round trip or wait in front of the copier.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof that can easily and surely perform a job accompanied by a user's manual work designated by an external device. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the control method of the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following steps.

That is, a receiving step of receiving information designating a job to be executed from an external device, a determining step of determining the execution status of another job when the information is received by the receiving step, and the determining step. When the job to be executed becomes executable based on the result of the determination, a notification process for notifying that the job is to be executed, and as a result of the notification by the notification process, when the start of the job to be executed is instructed, the job is controlled to start. And a control step to perform.

In order to achieve the above object, the image processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, a receiving means for receiving information designating a job to be executed from an external device, a determining means for determining the execution status of another job when the receiving means receives the information, and the determining means. When the job to be executed becomes executable according to the determination result, the notification means for notifying that the job can be executed, and as a result of the notification by the notification means, the job is controlled to start when the start of the job to be executed is instructed And a control means for

[0011]

With this configuration, when the information specifying the job to be executed is received from the external device, and when the received information is received, the execution status of another job is determined, and the job to be executed can be executed based on the determination result. Then, the fact is notified, and as a result of the notification, when the start of the job to be executed is instructed, the job is controlled to start.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In the following description, the output data from the computer is the page description language (PageDescription Language).
ge: hereinafter abbreviated as PDL), the copier controller connected to the network interprets this PDL, develops image data in a bit map memory, and outputs it to the copier.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows a computer network 101 and client computers 102 to 104 connected thereto, a copying machine controller 105, and a digital copying machine 106 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed arrangement of the copying machine controller according to the first embodiment. In the figure, 201 is a copying machine controller, 202 is a job control unit that determines and controls a job received from a client computer, 203 is a hard disk for spooling the received job, and 204 is a PDL interpreter.
PDL interpreter for converting to image data, 2
Reference numeral 05 is a page memory (bitmap memory) for storing image data generated by the PDL interpreter 204, 206 is a network interface for receiving output data from a computer via a network, and 207 is data for the page memory 205 to a digital copying machine. It is a digital interface for output.

Next, the processing procedure of the copying machine controller having the above construction will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure in the first embodiment. Further, FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing codes representing job types in the job data output from the client computer. 5 is a diagram showing a code representing a normal print job, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a code representing a scan job for reading a document set on a document table of the digital copying machine 106.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a code representing a manual print job.

First, a procedure for processing a normal print job will be described. When a document print command is executed by a client computer, for example, 102 shown in FIG. 1, the computer 102 causes the copying machine controller 105 to execute.
, The PDL including the code shown in FIG. 5 is output.

On the other hand, the copying machine controller performs step S3.
At 01, waiting for a job from the computer,
When the job including the code shown in (1) is received via the network interface 206, the process advances to step S302, and the job control unit 202 determines that the print job is a normal print job. By this determination, the process proceeds to step S307, and the received job is spooled as usual. After that, when it is time to execute this job, the job control unit 202 sends the job to the PDL interpreter 204.
It is expanded and output to the page memory 205.

Next, a procedure for processing a scan job as a job that requires manual operation by the user will be described as an example. When the user specifies a scan job by a scan application or the like on the client computer, a PDL including the code shown in FIG. 6 is output.

On the other hand, in step S301,
Copier controller is network interface 2
If this job is received via 06, step S30
In step 2, the job control unit 202 determines that the job is a scan job. By this judgment, this job is not spooled,
If there is another job currently being processed in step S303, the process waits for the end. If there is no other job currently being processed, or if the job currently being processed is finished and the scan job can be executed, the process proceeds to step S304, and the user, that is, the client computer is notified of that fact.

On the other hand, the user who wants to scan receives this notification and sets the original on the original table of the digital copying machine 106. Meanwhile, the copier controller waits for a scan start instruction from the user in step S305. Here, when it is detected that the user has instructed to start scanning, for example, the pressing of a button on the panel for instructing to start scanning, the process proceeds to step S306, scanning is started, the scan image is captured from the digital copying machine 106, and the image data thereof is acquired. To the client computer that ordered the scan job.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the copying machine controller and the digital copying machine connected to the network can easily and surely perform a job accompanied by a user's manual operation, for example, a scan job. You can

<Second Embodiment> Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The computer network structure and the structure of the copying machine controller are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

In the second embodiment, a manual print is described as an example of a job accompanied by a manual operation of a user.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure in the second embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, when the user specifies a manual print job on the client computer, the PDL including the code shown in FIG. 7 is output.

On the other hand, in step S401,
Copier controller is network interface 2
When this PDL is received via 06, step S40
In step 2, the job control unit 202 determines that the job is a manual print job. According to this determination, the process proceeds to step S403, this job is not spooled, and if there is another job currently being processed, the job is temporarily suspended at an appropriate timing. still,
The "appropriate timing" is a timing at which another job currently being processed can be immediately interrupted, but the job can be resumed from where it was interrupted later. For example, while the print job is being executed, the page memory 205 can be reproduced later even if it is interrupted while being expanded.
The rotation of the transfer drum 6 does not stop, and the page memory 205
Data transfer will stop and cannot be resumed later.
Therefore, the printing is stopped when one page has been printed.

Next, in step S404, if there is another job currently being executed, the user, that is, the client computer, is notified that the job is interrupted. Upon receiving this notification, the user who intends to perform the manual print can go to set the manual paper in the manual paper feed cassette of the digital copying machine. On the other hand, in step S405, the copying machine controller waits for an instruction to start manual printing, and when the feeding of manual paper is confirmed, the process proceeds to step S406, where the digital copying machine 106 executes manual printing.
Output.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the copying machine controller and the digital copying machine connected to the network can easily and surely perform a job accompanied by a manual operation of the user, for example, a manual print job. be able to.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device.

Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to easily and surely perform a job that is manually performed by a user designated from an external device.

[0034]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a computer network in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a copying machine controller according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a code representing a normal print job.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a code representing a scan job.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a code representing a manual feed print job.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 computer network cable 102 client computer 103 client computer 104 client computer 105 copying machine controller 106 digital copying machine 201 copying machine controller 202 job control unit 203 storage device 204 PDL interpreter 205 page memory 206 computer interface 207 digital copying machine interface

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A receiving unit that receives information designating a job to be executed from an external device; a determining unit that determines the execution state of another job when the receiving unit receives the information; When the job to be executed becomes executable according to the result of the determination, the notification means for notifying that the job is to be executed, and as a result of the notification by the notification means, when the start of the job to be executed is instructed, the job is controlled to start. An image processing apparatus, comprising: 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit waits until another job is completed if another job is being executed, and notifies the external device of that when the job is completed. 3. The notifying unit interrupts another job if it is in execution and interrupts the job when it can be interrupted, and notifies that the job to be executed can be started. 1. The image processing device according to 1. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job to be executed is a job related to reading a document. 5. The notification means starts a job related to reading of the original when the original is set by a user when the job to be executed becomes executable and the operation for instructing the start of the job is detected. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image processing apparatus is controlled to 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job to be executed is a job related to manual printing. 7. The control means starts a job related to manual print when it detects a user's operation for instructing the feeding of manual paper and the start of the job when the job to be executed becomes executable. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image processing apparatus is controlled according to the following. 8. A receiving step of receiving information designating a job to be executed from an external device; a judging step of judging an execution state of another job when the information is received by the receiving step; When the job to be executed becomes executable according to the result of the determination, a notification process for notifying that the job is to be executed, and as a result of the notification by the notification process, the job is controlled to start when the start of the job to be executed is instructed And a control step for controlling the image processing apparatus.