JP2005173725A - Print server, and method and program for print history management - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print server, and a method and a program for print history management which facilitate reprinting operation accompanying regular business. <P>SOLUTION: On the print server (1), a print data generation and output section (19), when generating print data, stores an output destination printer (5) and printer setting information in a print history (121) while relating the identification information of a print file in a document DB(31) to a print document management table (123), displays a list of print information stored in the print history (121) on an operation terminal (4) at a request for reprinting processing, and creates print data with a print file specified by the selected print history (121) and print settings or contents obtained by altering some of them and outputs the print data to the printer (5). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print server, a print history management method, and a print history management program that manage history related to print processing and simplify reprint processing using the print history.

  Conventionally, a “document file printing system” described in Patent Document 1 has been disclosed as a technique related to reprinting.

  The invention of Patent Document 1 aims to simplify the operation on the management system side when a document file constituting the document is modified, and the content managed in the document file printing system is the name of the document file. By storing only the storage location and selected page as management information and not importing the document file data, if the document file is modified, only the document file is modified, and the document file printing system Reprinting.

  Further, as a technique relating to a printing system having a function of managing print job data and performing reprinting, a “printing system and a printing management method used therein” disclosed in Patent Document 2 is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention of Patent Document 2 is to provide a printing system that can specify data to be reprinted by remote operation from an image processing apparatus and can easily perform reprinting. In a printing system comprising a printing device that receives print data from the printer and executes printing, the job information relating to the printed job data is saved and managed, and the printed job data is saved and saved on the image processing device side. The job information to be managed is read out so that it can be browsed on the image processing apparatus side, the job data to be reprinted and the printing apparatus as the output destination are selected, and the job data selected as the reprint target The job data is transferred from the image processing apparatus in which is stored to the printing apparatus selected as the output destination.
JP 2000-357074 A. JP 2002-297332 A.

  By the way, the invention of the above-mentioned patent document 1 can specify and process a corrected document file by a simple operation at the time of reprinting by managing the information of the printed file.

  However, there is no mention of a method for managing information related to print settings, and there is a problem in that past print settings cannot be reused in reprint processing, and print setting operations must be performed.

  In the invention of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, it is necessary to explicitly instruct the saving of job data. Further, since the job data is saved and managed, the job data is reused in a simple reprint process. However, there is a problem that the stored job data cannot be reused in the reprinting process accompanying document correction.

  As a result, the present invention is not limited to simply recalling and reusing past print information in reprint processing that occurs in routine work, but also to change print settings according to the print environment during reprinting, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print server, a print history management method, and a print history management program that can perform the above operations with a simple operation.

  In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is directed to a print server that generates print data based on a document file and outputs it to a printer, the document file identification information for generating the print data, and the output destination printer. Print history storage means for storing print information including at least identification information and print setting information every time print data is generated by the print server, and a print history for displaying a list of print information stored in the print history storage means on the display unit Print data based on print information obtained by selecting desired print information from a list of print information displayed on the display unit by the display means and the print history display means, and changing at least part of the selected print information And a print data generation means for generating.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the print document virtual storage means for storing and managing the output image of the print document based on the print information in association with the identifier of the document storage location virtually provided, and the print document A document storage location list display unit that displays a list of document storage locations managed by the virtual storage unit on the display unit, and the print data generation unit selects the document storage location selected by the document storage location list display unit. The print information corresponding to the identifier is specified based on the storage of the print document virtual storage means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print history management method in a print server for generating print data based on a document file and outputting it to a printer, the document file identification information for generating the print data, an output destination printer Printing information including at least the identification information and the print setting information is stored in the print history storage unit every time print data is generated in the print server,
A list of print information stored in the print history storage unit is displayed on the display unit by the print history display unit, and a desired print is generated by the print data generation unit from the list of print information displayed on the display unit by the print history display unit. The information is selected, and print data is generated based on the print information in which at least part of the selected print information is changed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print history management program in a print server that generates print data based on a document file and outputs the print data, the document file identification information for generating the print data, and an output destination printer Storing print information including at least identification information and print setting information in the print history storage unit every time print data is generated in the print server, and a list of print information stored in the print history storage unit by the print history display unit The step of displaying on the display unit, and selecting the desired print information by the print data generating unit from the list of print information displayed on the display unit by the print history display unit, and at least a part of the content of the selected print information Generating print data on the basis of the print information whose data has been changed To.

  By applying the print server, the print history management method, and the print history management program of the present invention, in the reprint processing that occurs in a regular job, if the print history accumulated for each print processing is simply called and reused In addition, it is possible to perform simple operations such as printer settings corresponding to the printing environment at the time of reprinting, changing of a print target file, and the like.

  Thereby, a reprint function having both flexibility and ease can be provided.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a print history is managed by applying a print server, a print history management method, and a print history management program of the present invention and reprinting is performed based on the print history will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. explain.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a print history management system including a print server 1 according to the present invention and main control elements of each device.

  In FIG. 1, the print server 1 detects a print request from the operation terminal 4 via the network 2, reads a print file instructed to be printed from the document DB 31 of the file server 3, and sends it to the printer 5 serving as an output destination. Print data is generated based on the print settings and a print instruction is given to the printer 5.

  Further, the print server 1 accumulates and manages print information including print settings instructed to the printer 5 and print file identification information in the print history 121.

  The print server 1 also displays past print information from the print history 121 on the operation terminal 4, regenerates print data using the print information selected on the operation terminal 4, and outputs the print data to the printer 5. It comprises.

  The print server 1 further includes a user interface output function capable of changing the selected print information in the reprint function, and a reprint customization function for newly generating print data based on the changed print information. It has.

  Next, a control configuration necessary for providing the reprint function of the print server 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  The print server 1 includes a print server control unit 11 that controls the entire print server 1, a print server storage unit 12, a communication control unit 13, a printer management unit 14, a user management unit 15, a print history management unit 16, and a document data management unit. 17, the control elements of the print attribute management unit 18 and the print data generation / output unit 19 are controlled in a mutually connected configuration.

  The printer management unit 14 registers and manages the name and network address of the printer 5 to which the print server 1 is connected via the network 2 in the printer management table 122, and monitors the operating status of each printer registered in the printer management table 122 through network monitoring To do.

  The user management unit 15 operates the operation terminal 4 to register and monitor users who use various functions provided by the print server 1 in the user management table 125, and performs authentication processing of users who have accessed the print server 1.

  The print data generation / output unit 19 analyzes a print request received via the network 2, print request type (normal print or history print), print target file identification information, output destination printer identification information, print Acquires setting information and the like, generates print data, and outputs it to an output destination printer.

  The print history management unit 16 registers the print data generation date and time, the print file identification information, the output destination printer, and the print setting information in the print history 121 as the print data is generated by the print data generation and output unit 19, and prints. A process of reading the print information registered in the history 121 and a process of registering the changed print information in the print history 121 are performed.

  Also, the print history management unit 16 registers the print file identification information for each print information registered in the print history 121 in association with the print document management table 123, and corresponds to the called print information when the print information is called. The identification information of the print file to be extracted is extracted from the print document management table 123.

  The document data management unit 17 accesses the document DB 31 of the file server 3 and reads the print file.

  The print attribute management unit 18 registers and manages the print attribute item for each printer registered and managed in the printer management table 122 in the print attribute master 124.

  The print attribute management unit 18 inquires each printer about the contents of print attributes that can be specified for each print attribute managed by the print attribute master 124, and registers and manages the inquiry result in the specifiable attribute list table 127.

  The communication control unit 13 performs data input / output control with the operation terminal 4 using a network communication protocol, file transfer protocol with the file server 3, file data transmission / reception control with a database access control protocol, and between the printer 5. , The print data input / output control by the print protocol, the network monitoring command by the network monitoring protocol, and the response data transmission / reception control are performed.

  Next, examples of registered data for the print history 121, the printer management table 122, the print document management table 123, the print attribute master 124, and the specifiable attribute list table 127 stored in the print server storage unit 12 shown in FIG. Each will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2A is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of the printer management table 122. The printer management table 122 includes a “printer ID” for identifying a printer, a “printer name” as a printer identification name on the network 2, an “address” for registering and managing an IP address indicating a position on the network 2, a network “Status 1” indicating the status (offline, printing, warm-up, etc.) of the printer main body monitored by the monitoring function, and items such as tray status and finisher status when managing printer status in detail are managed.

  FIG. 2B is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of the print history 121.

  The print history 121 includes a “history ID” that generates and sets an identifier for uniquely specifying each accumulated print information for each registered data, a “time stamp” that indicates the time of print processing, and a printer that has output the print data. Prints “output destination printer” indicated by “printer ID” in the printer management table 122, “user ID” indicated by the identifier registered in the user management table 125 for the user who performed the printing operation, and the print settings instructed to the output destination printer “Print attribute 1”,..., “Print attribute N” set and recorded for each attribute defined in the attribute master 124 are managed.

  FIG. 2C is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of the print attribute master 124.

  The print attribute master 124 is a table for enumerating items that can be specified as print settings when printing data is output in each printer managed by the printer management table 122, and defining and managing each item with an identifier.

  For example, attribute 1 as the first defined “attribute type” indicates that it is an attribute that manages designation of double-sided / single-sided printing.

  FIG. 2D is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of the specifiable attribute list table 127.

  The specifiable attribute list table 127 is an item for managing for each printer what attribute values can be specified for each attribute defined in the print attribute master 124.

  For example, in the registered data in which the “printer ID” is the printer # 01 and the “attribute type” is the attribute 2, only the paper size “A4” can be specified.

  FIG. 2E is a table layout diagram illustrating an example of the print document management table 123. The print document management table 123 is a table for recording and managing a print target file related to the print information specified by the “history ID” recorded in the print history 121.

  For example, if the “history ID” recorded in the print history 121 is registration data of history # 03, it indicates that the file of document ID # 33 is a file to be printed.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the table layout shown in FIG. 2, and any print history can be used as long as it can manage output destination printer information, print target file information, and print setting information for the output destination printer. It is not limited to each table layout shown.

  Next, the printing process in the print server 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the control block diagram shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing when the print server 1 detects a request for normal print processing or reprint processing as a print request from the operation terminal 4.

  When the print server control unit 11 receives a print request from the operation terminal 4 connected to the network 2 via the communication control unit 13, the print server control unit 11 instructs the print data generation / output unit 19 to analyze the print request data.

  If the print data generation / output unit 19 determines that it is history printing (YES in step S101), a screen for displaying the print history 121 on the print history management unit 16 and operating reprint processing is displayed on the operation terminal. 4 is instructed to output (step S102).

  At this time, for example, a print history information display setting screen 40 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the operation terminal 4.

  In FIG. 4, the print history information display setting screen 40 displays the contents of each print information recorded in the print history 121 and allows the user to select a print history display area 41, a cancel button 42 for closing the screen, and a selection. A print button 43 for instructing reprint processing based on the print information, and a print information change button for displaying a re-sub-screen (not shown) for changing and printing at least part of the contents of the selected print information 44 is displayed.

  Returning to FIG. 3 again, when the print button 43 is pressed without changing the print information selected from the print history on the print history information display setting screen 40 displayed in step S102 (YES in step S103), printing is performed. The data generation / output unit 19 instructs the print history management unit 16 to read the print information selected on the print history information display setting screen 40 from the print history 121 (step S104).

  The print data generation / output unit 19 specifies the print file corresponding to the print information history ID read by the print history management unit 16 from the print document management table 123 (step S105), and reads the specified print file from the document DB 31. The document data management unit 17 is instructed (step S106).

  The print data generation / output unit 19 creates print data based on the contents of the print file read in step S106, the print information of the print history acquired in step S104, and the print target file specified in the print history. The communication control unit 13 is instructed to output the created print data to the output destination printer connected via the communication terminal 2 (step S107).

  Returning to step S103 again, if a reprint operation in which the content of the selected print information is changed is performed in the history print processing (NO in step S103), the print history management unit 16 prints the print displayed on the operation terminal 4. In the history information display setting screen 40, the selected print information and the data of the changed item of the print information are acquired (step S108), the changed print information is newly registered in the print history 121, and printing is performed. The target file is registered in the print document management table 123 (step S109).

  Then, the print target file is read from the document DB 31 from the changed print information (step S106), and the print data is read based on the print file data read in step S106 and the print settings for the output destination printer acquired in step S108. Create (step S107).

  Returning to the process of step S101 again, if the print data information, the output destination printer, and the print setting information are newly designated normal print processing requests (NO in step S101), the print data generation / output unit 19 Identification information, print setting information, output destination printer information, user information, current time, date, and the like recorded in the print history 121 and print document management table 123 are acquired from the print request data (step S110). Then, the print information is registered in the print history 121 in the print history 121 based on the information acquired in step S110 (step S109), the print file is read from the document DB 31 (step S106), and the print data is created (step S107). .

  Note that the printing information registration process to the printing history 121 shown in step S109 shown in FIG. 3 is performed when the user information, the time stamp, etc. are reprinted even in the reprinting process in which past printing information is reused as it is. The print information may be updated with the information, or the processing configuration may be registered in the print history 121 as new print information.

  In addition to managing the print target files individually in the print document management table 123 based on the history ID managed in the print history 121, a configuration in which a plurality of print target files are managed as one group, for example, A configuration may be adopted in which management is performed indirectly using identification information of two virtually provided document storage locations (hereinafter referred to as cabinets).

  At this time, the cabinet display / print screen 500 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the operation terminal 4 as a user interface instead of the print history information display setting screen 40 shown in FIG. 4 displayed in step S102.

  Then, instead of directly selecting the print history, the cabinet display unit 501 is displayed as a display selection unit for selecting a cabinet, and detailed contents as print information corresponding to the selected cabinet are displayed on the print history detail display unit 502. .

  Further, when a part of the print information is changed and reprinting is performed, the print setting is changed in the printer setting display unit 503, or the print file stored in the cabinet is changed in the print document list display unit 510. The reprinting process can be customized by pressing the print button 509 after the change.

  Further, the display / non-display of each cabinet displayed on the cabinet display unit 501 may be controlled for each operation user.

  Also, the document file identification method by the cabinet matches the file management form, such as a configuration that directly links to the folder that actually stores the file to be printed, or a configuration that manages in a logically managed virtual folder. May be changed and managed as appropriate.

  The above is the description of the embodiment of the print server, the print history management method, and the print history management program according to the present invention.

  The print server, the print history management method, and the print history management program of the present invention can be used in a print system linked with a document management system, and particularly, reprint processing frequently occurs in routine work, and reprint processing is performed. In the printing system, it can be effectively used in a printing system that requires an operation according to the situation at the time of reprinting, such as changing print settings.

It is a block diagram which shows the main control structures of the print server which concerns on this invention. FIG. 3 is a table layout diagram showing examples of registered data for the print history, printer management table, print document management table, print attribute master, and specifiable attribute list table shown in FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart showing a printing process in the print server shown in FIG. 1. It is a screen image which shows the example of a display when printing history information is called to a screen. It is a screen image showing a display example of a screen for designating reprinting in the image of a cabinet storing print files.

Explanation of symbols

1 Print server
11 Print server controller
12 Print server storage
121 Printing history
122 Printer management table
123 Print document management table
124 Print attribute master
125 User management table
126 Document management table
127 Specifiable attribute list table 13 Communication control unit
14 Printer Management Department
15 User management department
16 Print History Management Department
17 Document Data Management Department
18 Print Attribute Management Department
19 Print Data Generation / Output Unit 2 Network
3 File server
31 Document DB
4 Operation terminals
5 Printer
40 Print History Information Display Setting Screen 41 Print History Display Area 42 Cancel Button 43 Print Button 44 Print Information Change Button 500 Cabinet Display / Print Screen 501 Cabinet Display Unit 502 Print History Detail Display Unit 503 Printer Setting Display Unit 504 Cabinet Selection Unit 506 Print Document cancel button 507 Print document selection button 508 Cancel button 509 Print button 510 Print document list display section 511 Print history cabinet button

Claims (4)

In a print server that generates print data based on a document file and outputs it to a printer,
Print history storage means for storing print information including at least print document identification information, output destination printer identification information, and print setting information for generating the print data every time print data is generated by the print server;
Print history display means for displaying a list of print information stored in the print history storage means on a display unit;
Select desired print information from the list of print information displayed on the display unit by the print history display means, and print data based on the print information in which at least part of the selected print information is changed. Print data generation means for generating the print server. A print document virtual storage means for storing and managing an output image of a print document based on the print information in association with an identifier of a document storage location virtually provided;
Document storage location list display means for displaying a list of the document storage locations managed by the print document virtual storage means on a display unit;
The print data generation means includes
The print server according to claim 1, wherein print information corresponding to an identifier of a document storage location selected by the document storage location list display unit is specified based on storage of the print document virtual storage unit. A print history management method in a print server for generating print data based on a document file and outputting it to a printer,
Print information including at least document file identification information for generating print data, output destination printer identification information, and print setting information is stored in the print history storage unit for each generation of print data in the print server,
A list of print information stored in the print history storage means is displayed on the display unit by the print history display means,
Print information obtained by selecting desired print information from the list of print information displayed on the display unit by the print history display unit by the print data generation unit and changing at least part of the selected print information A print history management method characterized in that print data is generated based on the method. A print history management program in a print server that generates print data based on a document file and outputs the print data.
Storing print information including at least identification information of a document file for generating print data, identification information of an output destination printer, and print setting information in a print history storage unit every time print data is generated in the print server;
Displaying a list of print information stored in the print history storage unit on a display unit by a print history display unit;
Print information obtained by selecting desired print information from the list of print information displayed on the display unit by the print history display unit by the print data generation unit and changing at least part of the selected print information A print history management program that causes a computer to execute the step of generating print data based on the above.

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