JPH1029752A - Image outputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate acquisition of own output by a user in an image outputting device provided with a plurality of discharge units. SOLUTION: In this image outputting device provided with a plurality of discharge trays, a detection/registration unit 22 registers a discharge tray, to which an output of an outputted job is discharged, and a user ID, which requires the output of the outputted job, in an outputted job control table 23, a registration/identification unit 11 identifies the user ID requiring an output of a job before outputting from an output queue job control table 12, and a decision/alteration unit 21 changes contents of the output queue job control table 12 so that the output of the job is discharged to the discharge tray corresponding to the registered user ID when the identified user ID is registered already.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image output apparatus connected to a network or a public line and shared, and more particularly to an image output apparatus having a plurality of paper output trays.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image output device such as a printer, a plurality of trays can be provided as an option. Providing such a plurality of trays is convenient in the case of sorting where the number of copies is two or more. Such an image output device may be connected to a network or a public line and shared. Furthermore, recent output devices can process a plurality of types of PDL (Page Description Language). In such an image processing apparatus, the type of each PDL and the paper discharge tray are associated in advance, and when there is an incoming call, the output relating to the incoming call is discharged to the paper discharge tray corresponding to the type of the PDL. , So that it can be easily distinguished from others.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, PDL
In such a method, a job relating to the same print requester (request source) is output over a plurality of discharge trays, and the print requester can make his or her own However, there is a problem that it takes time and effort to extract the output related to. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a purpose of the present invention is to provide an image output apparatus that allows a print requester to easily obtain his or her own output.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in an image output apparatus having a plurality of output units, for an output job, the output unit from which the output has been output and the output requester. Registration means for registering the job, an identification means for identifying the output requester of the job before output, and, if the output requester identified by the identification means is registered by the registration means, the output of the job, Control means for controlling discharge to a discharge unit corresponding to the registered output requester.

(Operation) According to the present invention, when a job is output, an output unit from which the output is output and an output requester are registered. Then, when a job to be output occurs, the output requester of the job is identified, and if it is a registered output requester, the output of the job is output to the output unit corresponding to the registered output requester. Is done. As a result, since the discharge unit is determined for each output requester, it is extremely easy for the print requester to obtain the output relating to himself.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a mechanical configuration of an image output device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be outlined with reference to FIG. In this figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an ADF (Auto Doc).
ument Feeder: an automatic document feeder, which feeds documents one by one to a document placing surface of the scanner 22. This AD
F21 is openable and closable with respect to the document placing surface, so that a document can be set manually. The scanner 22 is composed of a CCD or the like.
Or a manually set original is read, and the image data is output. The image processing unit 1 performs various processes on the supplied image data and outputs the processed image data, as described later. Although not shown in this figure, the image processing unit 1 is also connected to a network and supplies processed data to the image forming unit 31 and terminals on the network.

[0007] The image forming section 31 drives the laser diode LD and the polygon mirror PM based on the image data supplied from the image processing section 1, whereby the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum DR is conveyed. The image is transferred to a sheet, fixed, and discharged to the post-processing unit 32. The post-processing unit 32 discharges the sheet (copy) discharged from the image forming unit 31 to one of the discharge trays 321 to 327 in a normal operation, and includes a stapler 320 that performs post-processing such as stapling. Have. In this embodiment, the paper discharge trays 321 to 327 are respectively the paper discharge tray Nos. 1 to 7. In addition, each output tray 3
Sensors S1 to S7 are provided at 21 to 327, respectively, and detect whether or not a sheet is discharged to the discharge tray.

Next, an electrical configuration of the image output apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the image processing unit 1 includes a network NT,
It is connected to an image input unit 2 and an image output unit 3. Then, the image processing unit 1 receives image data from the network NT via the network control unit 11 and the bus interface 12, and receives image data from the image input unit 2 via the image input interface 13. On the other hand, the processed image data is output to the image output unit 3 via the image output interface 14.

On the other hand, as described above, the image input unit 2
The DF 21 is provided, and the document is scanned and read one page at a time by the scanner 22, and the image data is output. The operation panel 23 not shown in FIG.
It consists of various switches and a display panel, etc., to start image input, to instruct the number of copies, copy size, etc.
Various setting statuses, operation statuses, and the like are displayed. Further, as described above, the image output unit 3 forms an image by the image forming unit 31 based on the image data supplied from the image processing unit 1, transfers this to a sheet, and performs post-processing such as stapling by the post-processing unit 32. And image output.

The image processing section 1 has a control section 100 for controlling not only each section of the image processing section 1 but also each section of the image input section 2 and the image output section 3 and recognizes the state of each section. In particular, in the present embodiment, the selection control of the discharge trays 321 to 327 in the post-processing unit 32 and the sensor S
It is recognized from 1 to S7 whether or not a sheet has been discharged from each sheet discharge tray. In the image processing unit 1, the page buffer 101 temporarily stores image data supplied from the network NT via the network connection unit 11, the bus interface 12 and the data bus 102, and image data relating to image input or output. Remember. The selector 103 selects either the image data stored in the page buffer 101 or the image data from the image input unit 2. The rotator 104 performs a rotation process on the image data selected by the selector 103 when necessary, specifically, for example, when copying a vertical document onto a sheet of horizontal size. In this case, the image data is output as it is. The compressor 105 includes the rotator 1
The compression processing is performed on the image data according to the step S04.

On the other hand, the decompressor 106 decompresses the compressed image data stored in the page buffer 101 when outputting an image. The multiplexer 107
It switches between outputting the image data from the decompressor 106 to the image output unit 3 via the image output interface 14 and returning it to the page buffer 101 via the data bus 102. The hard disk 108 records and reads image data under the control of a disk controller 109.

In such a configuration, when an image of one page is read by the image input unit 2, the image data is compressed by the compressor 103 and the page buffer 1 is read.
01, the image data is expanded by the expander 106 and supplied to the image output unit 3. When image data is received from the network NT, the image data
After being compressed and stored, it is expanded and supplied to the image output unit 3. Thereby, an image based on the image data from the image input unit 2 and the network NT is formed on the paper,
Copying will be performed.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, a description will be given of a software configuration relating to a paper output tray assigning process of the image output apparatus. As shown in the figure, the paper output tray allocation process in the image output apparatus is executed by the print control unit 10 and the paper output tray control unit 20 and is constructed in the control unit 100. The print control unit 10 manages print output, and includes a registration / identification unit 11 and an output waiting job management table 12. When a job to be output occurs, the registration / identification unit 11 determines the ID of the user who has requested the output, and the No. of the discharge tray that discharges the output. While registering the job in the output waiting job management table 12 in association with the job ID and the like, the user ID that has requested the output of the job is identified, and a paper discharge tray request including information such as the user ID is output. On the other hand, the registration / identification unit 11
Is a response to the discharge tray request, and upon receiving a discharge tray instruction indicating the discharge tray, changes the discharge tray registered in association with the job to the specified discharge tray.

Here, an example of the output waiting management table 12 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in this figure, the output waiting management table 12 has an output waiting job queue, and job tickets indicating jobs waiting to be output are connected in the order of output. The job ticket includes a link field, a job ID, a job type,
Information necessary for managing a job, such as the type of an interpreter (PDL), a user ID, and a paper discharge tray, is stored.

On the other hand, the paper discharge tray control section 20 controls the selection of the paper discharge tray, and further comprises a determination / change section 21, a detection / registration section 22, and an output waiting job management table 23. You. When the determination / change unit 21 receives the discharge tray request from the registration / identification unit 11 and receives the user information from the detection / registration unit 22, the determination / change unit 21 selects a discharge tray to be discharged, A discharge tray instruction indicating a paper tray is output to the registration / identification unit 11. The detection / registration unit 22 associates the output job with the ID of the user who has requested the output of the job, the output tray from which the job has been output, and the like.
3 is registered. The detection / registration unit 22
The user information including the user IDs of the jobs queued in the output job management table 23 is output to the determination / change unit 21.

Here, an example of the output completed management table 23 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in this figure, the output job management table 23 has an output job queue, and is connected in the order in which job tickets indicating output jobs are output. The contents of the job ticket are the same as in the output wait management table 12. In order for the detection / registration unit 22 to determine the user ID in the output completed job management table 23, the detection / registration unit 22 refers to the user IDs in all the job tickets connected to the output waiting job queue.

The output job is sent to the detection / registration unit 22.
With this, the information is registered in the output job management table 23 together with the user ID and the paper discharge tray. Here, when a job to be output occurs and a job corresponding to the user ID that has requested the output of the job is registered in the output job management table 23, the job to be output is
The output relating to the job of the same user ID is changed to the output tray that has been output, and registered in the output wait management table 12. When the output of the job is collected from the discharge tray, the sensor detects the output, and the detection / registration unit 22
However, this discharge tray is no. Is deleted from the output waiting job management table 23.

Next, the operation of the image output apparatus relating to the paper discharge tray will be described. In this image output device, for example, when the image output unit 3 is in an output enabled state, a paper output tray assignment process shown in FIG. 4 is executed. First, the registration / identification unit 11 identifies one job queued in the output waiting job management table 12, checks the user ID of the job ticket, and identifies the request source of the job (step S101). ), And outputs a discharge tray request including the user ID to the determination / change unit 21. Further, the detection / registration unit 22 checks the user IDs of all the jobs queued in the output job management table 23 and detects the request source of the output job (step S1). S102), and outputs the user information including the user ID to the determination / change unit 21.

Next, the determination / change unit 21 determines whether or not the request source for the output waiting job exists in the request source for the output job (step S103). In other words, before the output request of the output waiting job, it is determined whether or not the output of the job different from the job by the user has already been discharged. If the determination result is “Yes”, the determination / change unit 21 determines in step S104 that the No. of the paper discharge tray associated with the specified job. Is the No. of the output tray to which the output job is output. Is set to As a result, the output of the job is output to the same output tray as the output tray to which the job for the same user has already been output. On the other hand, if the determination result is “No”, in step S105, the determination / change unit 21 determines the No. of the discharge tray associated with the specified job. Is the number of the paper discharge tray that is associated in advance with the type of PDL in the job. (For example, see FIG. 7). As a result, the output of the job is output to the output tray associated with each PDL.

In step S106, the registration / identification unit 11 determines whether all of the jobs queued in the output waiting job management table 12 have been checked, and if the determination result is "No", For example, the processing procedure returns to step S101, and the same processing is executed for another job waiting for output, while
If the result of the determination is "Yes", this assignment process ends.

Here, the output waiting job management table 12
A specific example of the output completed job management table 23 will be described. In the example of the output waiting job queue shown in FIG. 6A, job tickets of JOB6 to JOB8 are sequentially held. In the example of the output completed job queue shown in FIG. 6B, job tickets of JOB1 to JOB5 are It is held sequentially. Here, as the contents of the job ticket, the type of PDL, the user ID, and the discharge tray N
o. And a value indicating the content is set for each.
In this example, a description will be given of how the discharge tray of the job relating to JOB 8 is determined. JOB8
, The PDL type is set to “0” and the user ID is set to “1”. PDL type is "0"
, The corresponding discharge tray No. Is "1" as shown in FIG. 7, and should be discharged to the discharge tray 321 normally. However, when the content of the job ticket connected to the output job queue is searched, the job 3 having the same user ID “1” is output to the discharge tray N.
o. Is already output at "3", so JO
B8 discharge tray No. Is changed to “3”, and the output of the job is set to be discharged to the discharge tray 323.

By such a discharge tray assignment process,
When the user ID requesting the output of the job is identified, and it is determined that the user is a registered user, the output of the job is output to the output unit corresponding to the registered user ID. Job ticket discharge tray No. Is set. The job output is sent to the image forming unit 31.
Is in the output enabled state, and when the job ticket is at the head of the output waiting job queue, the discharge tray No. set in the job ticket is set.
Is performed on the discharge tray corresponding to. Therefore, since the discharge unit is determined for each user, it is extremely easy for the user who has requested the output to obtain the output relating to the user. After the output of the job has already been output to the paper output tray, if the output is collected from the paper output tray, the output tray is set to No. Are deleted and excluded from the check in step S102. This is because there is no point in discharging the collected output to the same discharge tray.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an image output apparatus having a plurality of output units, the output unit is determined for each output requester.
It is possible to make it very easy to obtain an output relating to itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a mechanical configuration of an image output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the image output device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image output apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image output device.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating details of a job ticket in a job that has been output by the image output device, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating details of a job ticket in an output waiting job of the image output device.

6A is a diagram illustrating a queuing state in an output job of the image output apparatus, and FIG. 6B is a view illustrating a queuing state of an output waiting job of the image output apparatus.

FIG. 7 shows the types of PDLs and the corresponding discharge tray Nos. In the image output apparatus. 5 is a table showing the relationship between the two.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... image processing unit, 11 ... registration / identification unit (identification means), 12 ... output waiting job management table, 21 ...
Determination / change unit (control unit), 22 detection / registration unit (registration unit, deletion unit), 23 output table, 31
...... image forming unit 32 post-processing unit 321-327
... Sheet discharge tray (discharge unit), S1 to S7 ... Sensor (detection means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image output apparatus having a plurality of output units, a registration unit for registering, for an output job, an output unit from which the output has been output and an output requester, and for a job before output, Identification means for identifying the output requester; and when the output requester identified by the identification means is registered by the registration means, the output of the job is discharged to a discharge unit corresponding to the registered output requester. An image output apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the image output to be performed. 2. A detecting means for detecting whether or not an output is present in each of the plurality of discharging units. If the detecting means detects that the output is no longer present in the discharging unit, the detecting unit responds to the discharging unit. 2. The image output apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a deletion unit that deletes an output requester to be performed from the registration unit. 3. The control means according to claim 2, wherein when the identified output requester is determined not to be a registered output requester, the output relating to the job is controlled to be discharged to a predetermined discharge unit. The image output device according to claim 1.