JP4054437B2 - Printing apparatus, job management apparatus, image information management method in printing apparatus, job management method in job management apparatus, and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a job management apparatus, an image information management method in the printing apparatus, a job management method in the job management apparatus, and a storage medium. In particular, a printing apparatus in a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses having a spool function for processing a print job received from a host computer connected to the network and outputting a print on a recording medium are connected to the network, The present invention relates to a job management apparatus, an image information management method in a printing apparatus, a job management method in a job management apparatus, and a storage medium storing programs for these methods.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Currently, printers connected to the network have a spool function, and print jobs and printed data sent from the host computer are temporarily stored on the hard disk, and job management of print jobs is performed. Information can be displayed. In addition, there is a spool function that not only displays job management information but also reprints a spooled print job or changes the job settings when printing.
[0003]
There is also a printing system in which a plurality of printers connected to a network are grouped, and when a designated printer cannot be processed, a job is automatically distributed to another printer in the group.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional system, the printer has a job management function for displaying a job management method of a spool job stored in its own HD. However, the printing system has a function of distributing a job to another printer as described above. In order to check which printer the user who output the punant is actually output from, and to which printer spooler when the same job is printed again, the spool of each printer is used. The data had to be examined separately.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and makes it easy for a user to manage print jobs by centrally managing spoolers of a plurality of printers connected to a network. To provide a printing apparatus, a job management apparatus, an image information management method in a printing apparatus, a job management method in a job management apparatus, and a storage medium storing a program of these methods in an image processing system including such a spool server Objective.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an aspect of the present invention provides a receiving unit that receives a print job from a host computer via a communication medium, a spool unit that stores print data of the print job, and a spool unit. Printing means for executing print output of the stored print data; first transmission means for transmitting job management information to a job management apparatus; and second transmission means for transmitting print data to the job management apparatus. And when the printing of the print data is completed by the printing means, the first transmission means transmits job management information of the print data to the job management apparatus, and the second transmission means Is transmitted to the job management apparatus.
[0007]
In the above aspect, the job management information can include at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.
[0008]
In the above aspect, the first transmission unit can further transmit a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter.
[0009]
In order to solve the above-described problem, another aspect of the present invention provides a job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium, and receives job management information from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses. First receiving means for receiving, second receiving means for receiving print data from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and job management information for displaying job management information of the printing apparatus received by the first receiving means Display means, wherein the first receiving means and the second receiving means receive job management information and print data of a print job that has been printed out from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses. And
[0010]
In the above aspect, the job management information can include at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.
[0011]
In the above aspect, the second receiving means can further receive a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter.
[0012]
In order to solve the above-described problem, another aspect of the present invention provides an image information management method in a printing apparatus that communicates with a host computer and a job management apparatus via a communication medium, and prints from the host computer via the communication medium. A receiving step for receiving the job;
A spool step for storing the received print data of the print job, a print step for executing print output of the print data stored in the step, and when the printing of the print data in the step is completed, the print data And a transmission step of transmitting the print data to the job management apparatus.
[0013]
In the above aspect, the job management information transmitted in the transmission step can include at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.
[0014]
In the above aspect, in the transmission step, a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter can be further transmitted.
[0015]
In order to solve the above-described problem, another aspect of the present invention provides a job management method in a job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium, from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses. It has a reception step for receiving job management information and print data of a print job that has been printed out, and a job management information display step for displaying the job management information received in this step.
[0016]
In the above aspect, the job management information received in the receiving step may include at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.
[0017]
In the above aspect, in the transmission step, a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter can be further transmitted.
[0018]
In order to solve the above-described problems, another aspect of the present invention provides a printing apparatus that can read a program of an image information management method for a printing apparatus that communicates with a host computer and a job management apparatus via a communication medium. A receiving step in which the program receives a print job from the host computer via the communication medium, and a spool step in which the print data of the received print job is stored in the computer. A print step for executing print output of the print data stored in the step; and when printing of the print data in the step is completed, the job management information of the print data and the print data are transmitted to the job management device The transmission step is performed.
[0019]
In order to solve the above-described problem, another aspect of the present invention provides a job management method program in a job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium, which can be read by a computer included in the job management apparatus. And receiving the job management information and print data of the print job that has been printed out from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses to the computer, and receiving at the step And a job management information display step for displaying the job management information.
[0030]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0031]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032]
A host computer 10, a printer 31, a printer 32, and a job management apparatus 40 are connected on a network. The print data (* 1) of job 1 created on the host computer 10 is transmitted to the printer 31. The printer 31 stores and saves the received print data on the internal hard disk, and at the same time, the job name and Job management data (* 2) of job 1 such as job creation date, user name, and job size is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40.
[0033]
Similarly, the print data (* 3) of job 2 created on the host computer 10 is transmitted to the printer 32, and the printer 32 stores and stores the received print data in the built-in hard disk. The job management data (* 4) of job 2 such as the job name, job creation date, user name, and job size is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40.
[0034]
In FIG. 1, two printers are provided on the network. However, the number of printers is not limited to two, and may be three or more.
[0035]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration of an image processing system using an image processing apparatus and an image output apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0036]
In this image processing system, a host computer 10, an image processing device 20, an image output device 30, and a job management device 40 are connected to each other via a cable C1, a cable C2, and a cable C3, and read from a ROM 22. The CPU 21 comprehensively controls the operation of the image processing apparatus 20 in accordance with the control program.
[0037]
The host computer 10 functions as a print data supply source. Here, for example, the host computer 10 will be described as supplying PDL data. The image processing apparatus 20 has a built-in HDD (Hard Disk Drive Device) 24, and print data supplied from the host computer 10 via the cable C 1 and the external interface 25 is transferred to the HDD 24 via the HDD controller 23. Is temporarily held on the hard disk medium. The print data held by the HDD 24 is temporarily held in the PDL buffer 262 of the RAM 26 via the CPU bus 28. The stored PDL data is read out and expanded in the frame memory 261 of the RAM 26 to generate image data for printing.
[0038]
At the same time, job management information such as the job name and user name of the print data stored in the HDD 24, the job creation date, and the job size is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40 via the external interface 25 and the cable C3.
[0039]
The image data developed in the frame memory 261 is transferred to the image output device 30 via the cable C2, and printing on a sheet-like recording medium such as recording paper is executed by the device 30.
[0040]
Here, the cables C1, C2, and C3 may be general-purpose cables such as a parallel cable, a SCSI cable, a serial cable, a network cable, or a dedicated cable.
[0041]
The image output device 30 functions as a printer that prints out print data generated by the host computer 10 and also functions as a copying machine that reads an image of a document and prints out an image corresponding to the read image on a recording sheet. To do.
[0042]
The image processing apparatus 20 can acquire status information of the image output apparatus 30 via the cable C2 and transmit it to the host computer 10, and controls the image output apparatus 30 based on the status information. It can perform the function as a controller.
[0043]
The CPU 21 operates based on the control program stored in the ROM 22 as described above, and controls the functions of the image processing apparatus 20. The HDD 24 is connected to the CPU bus 28 via the HDD controller 23, and includes an area for temporarily storing printed PDL data and image data generated by expanding the PDL data, an area for storing font data, and the like. Have. The RAM 26 includes a PDL buffer 262 and a frame memory 261. The PDL buffer 262 is a buffer area for temporarily storing PDL data received from the host computer 10, and the frame memory 261 is an area for expanding the PDL data and temporarily holding the expanded image data. It is.
[0044]
By the way, the ROM 22 can be constituted by, for example, a programmable memory (for example, EEPROM), and the control program according to the present invention can be installed and executed from the host computer 10 or the like. Further, the control program according to the present invention is executed by a disk storage medium, a magnetic recording tape, a controller (driver) of these storage mediums, etc. that can be attached to and detached from devices such as a floppy disk, MO, PO, CD-ROM, and CD-R. It is also effective to configure to execute.
[0045]
The image processing apparatus 20 generates full-color or gray-scale image data according to the PDL data supplied from the host computer 10. Transmission of image data from the image processing apparatus 20 to the image output apparatus 30 is performed via the cable C2.
[0046]
The image forming unit 320 has a function of outputting a color or gray scale image having a resolution of 400 dpi, for example. In the image output device 30, the image processing unit 310 generates YMCK data (K data in the case of gray scale) based on the image data supplied from the image processing device 20, and supplies this to the image forming unit 320. Print out images on recording paper. Further, by supplying image data obtained by reading an original with an image reading unit 300 having a CCD image sensor or the like to the image forming unit 320, an image is printed out on a recording sheet.
[0047]
The control unit 340 controls the operation of the image output device 30 based on a command from the image processing device 20 or a command from the operation unit 330.
[0048]
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram specifically illustrating an example of the image output apparatus 30. FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus capable of outputting a full-color image, and this apparatus has a function as a copying machine and a function as a printer.
[0049]
A document feeder (DF) 39 is a device that automatically feeds a plurality of documents stacked at predetermined positions one by one to a document reading position. An image of a document fed by the document feeder 51 or manually and placed at a document reading position is read by an image reading unit 300 including, for example, a color CCD, an optical system, and the like, and thereby RGB data corresponding to the document image is read. Is generated and sent to the image processing unit 310.
[0050]
The image processing unit 310 selects either image data sent from the image processing apparatus or image data sent from the image reading unit 300 based on control by the control unit 340, and the selected data is selected by the image forming unit. 320 and the image processing apparatus 20. That is, the control unit 350 selects image data supplied from the image processing device 20 when the image output device 30 is used as a printer, and is supplied from the image reading unit 300 when used as a copying machine. Select image data.
[0051]
The image processing unit 310 converts the input RGB data into YMCK data, and supplies the Y, M, C, and K image data to the laser driving unit 31 of the image forming unit 320.
[0052]
The laser drive unit 31 modulates laser light with the supplied Y, M, C, and K image data, and scans the photosensitive drum 32 with the modulated laser light to form an electrostatic latent image. Recording paper for printing out an image is selected from the upper cassette 34U or the lower cassette 34L, fed, and wound around the transfer drum 33.
[0053]
The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 32 is developed by a developing device (not shown), whereby a visible image (toner image) is formed. This visible image is transferred to the recording paper adsorbed on the transfer drum 33. A known electrophotographic process including the formation, development, and transfer of the electrostatic latent image is executed for each color of Y, M, C, and K, and a color image is synthesized on the recording paper. The recording paper to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 36, where the toner image is finally fixed on the recording paper.
[0054]
Thereafter, the recording paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 38 in the single-side mode in which an image is formed on one side. On the other hand, in the double-side mode in which images are formed on both sides, the recording paper on which the transfer of the toner image is completed on one side (front side) is temporarily stored in the double-sided tray 35 through the conveyance path 37 and turned on the back side. The image is transferred to the transfer drum 33 again with the image transferred. Then, when the toner image is transferred to the back surface, the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 36 and printed on both sides, and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 38.
[0055]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of the job management apparatus 40.
[0056]
The job management device 40 has a built-in HDD 44, and job management data sent from the image processing device 20, such as job name, user name, job creation date, job size, etc., is supplied via the external interface 45, and the HDD controller. It is held on the hard disk medium by the HDD 44 through 43.
[0057]
The CPU 41 operates based on a control program stored in the ROM 42 and controls the function of the job management apparatus 40. The HDD 44 is connected to the CPU bus 47 via the HDD controller 43 and has an area for storing job management data, an area for storing font data, and the like. The RAM 46 is also used as a work area for displaying job management data held by the HDD 44 on the display device 49 under the control of the display controller 48.
[0058]
The job management device 40 receives job management data from a plurality of printers (printers 31, 32, etc.) connected to the network, and displays the job management data on the display device 49 in a lump as described below. . In the following description, a plurality of printers on the network are referred to as “printer 1” to “printer 5”, but the number of connected printers is not limited by this number.
[0059]
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a display method selection screen for selecting a display method when job management data is displayed on the display device 49.
[0060]
As shown in FIG. 5, a “display all” button 51, a “by printer” button 52, a “by user” button 53, and a “by Queue” button 54 are displayed on the display method selection screen 50. When displaying data, it is possible to arbitrarily select a display method of job management data by pointing and clicking these buttons with a pointing device such as a mouse according to the selection of the user.
[0061]
That is, the “display all” button 51 is a button for displaying all job management information received from a plurality of printers, and the “by printer” button 52 is a button for displaying job management information for each printer. The “by user” button 53 is a button for displaying job management information for each user. The “Queue” button 54 is a button for displaying for each queue such as “Print Queue” (print queue), “Hold Queue” (hold queue), “Printed Queue” (printed queue), and the like.
[0062]
Here, “Print Queue” is a spool area for temporarily registering print data received from the host computer 10 on the network, and the print data held here is sequentially expanded and printed. “Hold Queue” is an area for holding print data received from the host computer 10, and the data registered in “Hold Queue” is not printed until the user arbitrarily gives a print execution instruction. “Printed Queue” is an area for registering printed job data that has been printed.
[0063]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a job management information display screen displayed when the “display all” button 51 is selected in FIG.
[0064]
As shown in FIG. 6, a list of job management information received from each printer connected to the network is displayed on the job management information display screen 60 for each queue (“Print Queue”, “Hold Queue”, "Printed
“Queue”)).
[0065]
The job management information includes a job name 61, a user name 62 of each job, a print date and time 63 of each job, a printer name 64 used for printing each job, a size 65 of each job, and the like.
[0066]
Here, for example, “printer 1” to “printer 5” are provided as the printer name 64, and it is assumed that five printers are provided on the network. The user name 62 includes, for example, “user 1” to “user 5”, and these printers can be used from five user terminals on the network.
[0067]
The job management information includes information about all printers on the network, and indicates that different users are using different printers. The display for each queue can be scrolled, and the information about the printer 1 is not limited to the illustration, and information that does not appear in the figure is registered in each queue.
[0068]
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a printer list screen displayed when the “by printer” button 52 in FIG. 5 is selected.
[0069]
On the printer list screen 70, a list of printers connected to the network is displayed with buttons. An arbitrary printer can be selected by clicking the selection buttons 71 to 75, and only a list of job management information of the selected printer can be displayed as follows.
[0070]
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen displayed when “printer 1” is selected in FIG.
[0071]
As shown in FIG. 8, the job management information display screen 80 displays a list of job management information received from the selected printer for each queue ("Print Queue", "Hold Queue", "Printed Queue"). To do.
[0072]
That is, the selected printer name is displayed in the printer name display section 86 at the top of the screen, and a list of job management information of the selected printer 1, for example, is displayed below the job name 81 and the user name 82 of each job. The print date and time 83 of each job, the printer name 84 used for printing each job, the size 85 of each job, and the like are displayed. As apparent from the column of the printer name 84, this list shows information about only the printer 1, and the same is true even if the display is scrolled.
[0073]
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a user list screen displayed when the “by user” button 53 in FIG. 5 is selected.
[0074]
On the user list screen 90, a list of users connected to the network is displayed with buttons. Here, an arbitrary user can be selected by clicking the selection buttons 91 to 95, and only a list of job management information of the selected user can be displayed as follows.
[0075]
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen displayed when “user 1” is selected in FIG.
[0076]
As shown in FIG. 10, the job management information display screen 100 displays a list of job management information received from the selected user for each queue (“Print Queue”, “Hold Queue”, “Printed Queue”). To do.
[0077]
That is, the selected user name is displayed in the user name display section 106 at the top of the screen, and a list of the selected job management information of the user 1, for example, is displayed under the job name 101 and the user name 102 of each job. The print date and time 103 of each job, the printer name 104 used for printing each job, the size 105 of each job, and the like are displayed. As is apparent when referring to the column of the user name 102, this list shows information about only the user 1, and the same is true even if the display is scrolled.
[0078]
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a cue list screen displayed when the “By Queue” button 54 is selected in FIG.
[0079]
The queue list screen 110 displays a list of queues on the network (“PrintQueue”, “Hold Queue”, “Printed Queue”. Any of the queues by clicking the selection buttons 111 to 113, etc. Queues can be selected, and only a list of job management information registered in the selected queue can be displayed as follows.
[0080]
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen displayed when “Printed Queue” is selected in FIG. 11.
[0081]
As shown in FIG. 12, the job management information display screen 120 displays a list of job management information only for the selected queue.
[0082]
That is, the selected queue name is displayed in the queue name display section 126 at the top of the screen, and a list of selected job management information such as “Printed Queue” is displayed below the job name 121 and the user of each job. A name 122, a print date and time 123 of each job, a printer name 124 used for printing each job, a size 125 of each job, and the like are displayed. As is clear from the job management information display screen 120, this list shows information about only “Printed Queue”, and the same is true even if the display is scrolled.
[0083]
6, 8, 10, and 12 are merely examples of the display method of job management information, and it is not necessary to sort and display by queue as in these examples. The user name, date and time, printer name, size, etc.) can be sorted and displayed.
[0084]
Next, FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing when job management information is sent from any printer on the network to the job management apparatus 40. In the description of FIG. 13 and the next FIG.
[0085]
First, when printing is executed in accordance with a command from the host computer 10 in S130, print data is transmitted from the host computer 10 to “Printed Queue” of the printer in S131. Subsequently, in S132, it is determined whether or not print data spooling has been completed. If it has not been completed, this step is repeated. Send.
[0086]
The printer that has completed spooling of the print data performs a predetermined process in S134, outputs the print data, expands the print data, and outputs the print on the recording paper. Next, in S135, it is determined whether or not the output of all pages has been completed. If it has not been completed, this step is repeated. . When the job is moved to “Printed Queue”, job management information is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40 in subsequent S137.
[0087]
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when displaying job management information.
[0088]
First, in S140, the display method selection screen 50 of FIG. 5 is displayed. The process branches to one of S141 to S144 depending on the button selected in this state.
[0089]
That is, if the “display all” button 51 is selected, the process proceeds to S141 and the subsequent steps, and all job management information is displayed as described above in S148 (see FIG. 6). If the “by printer” button 52 is selected, the process proceeds to S142, where the printer list is displayed and selected as described above (see FIG. 7). In S149, the job management information of the selected printer is displayed. As described above, they are displayed together (see FIG. 8).
[0090]
If the “By User” button 53 is selected, the process proceeds to S143 and the subsequent steps. In S146, the user list is displayed and selected as described above (see FIG. 9). Are collectively displayed as described above (see FIG. 10). Further, if the “By Queue” button 54 is selected, the process proceeds to S144 and the subsequent steps. In S147, the queue list is displayed and selected as described above (see FIG. 11). Are collectively displayed as described above (see FIG. 12).
[0091]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, all the job management information spooled in a plurality of printers connected to the network is sent to the job management apparatus 40, and is collectively managed by the job management apparatus 40. This makes it easy to manage printer jobs on the network, and by displaying these information according to the user's selection, it is possible to arbitrarily confirm the job management information that the user wants to see. become.
[0092]
(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, when a print job is spooled to each printer connected to the network, only the job management information of the plurality of printers is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40, and this apparatus 40, only job management information was displayed.
[0093]
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, not only job management information but also a parameter list that can be changed at the time of reprinting is transmitted to the job management apparatus 40. The job management apparatus 40 responds to it together with the received job management information. The parameter list thus saved is also saved by the HDD 44. As a result, when printing is performed again for the displayed job management information job, the parameter setting can be changed by referring to the parameter list.
[0094]
The basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and any technology not mentioned in the following description may follow the first embodiment.
[0095]
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an output destination printer selection screen displayed when an arbitrary job displayed on the job management information display screen is selected and reprinting is executed.
[0096]
When reprinting a certain job, first, a printer selection screen 150 for designating an output destination printer is displayed as shown in FIG. On the printer selection screen 150, a list of output destination printers is displayed with buttons, and an arbitrary printer can be selected as an output destination by clicking the selection buttons 151 to 155, for example.
[0097]
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a mode setting screen when reprinting a job of the selected printer. As an example, the mode setting screen when the printer 1 is selected as the output destination printer on the screen of FIG. Indicates.
[0098]
A mode setting screen 160 in FIG. 16 displays a parameter list for mode setting received from the printer 1. The parameters include color / gray mode, duplex / single-sided printing, and other mode settings shown in the printer 1, and the settings can be changed arbitrarily by clicking the check box with a mouse or entering the print range and number of copies. can do. Then, when the print button 161 displayed at the bottom of the screen is clicked, the print is output from the output destination printer 1 selected in the set mode. The reprinting can be canceled by clicking a cancel button 162 displayed at the bottom of the screen.
[0099]
As described above, the embodiments of the job management apparatus that receives the job management information of a plurality of printers connected on the network and collectively displays the job management information of all the printers have been described. The embodiment is merely an example of the embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications can be implemented.
[0100]
For example, if a sufficient spool area cannot be secured in the HDD of each printer, not only job management information data and mode setting parameters but also print data is transmitted to the job management apparatus, and the print data is transmitted by the job management apparatus HDD. May be saved. Rather than receiving the mode setting parameters together with the print data, the job management device obtains them separately by periodically communicating with each printer via the network, and the parameters are stored by the HDD of the job management device. It does not matter.
[0101]
An object of the present invention described above is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to process the system (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus. Needless to say, this can also be achieved when the apparatus) reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium.
[0102]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0103]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code to a computer or the like, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM Etc. can be used.
[0104]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on an instruction of the program code. Needless to say, a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0105]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0106]
The job management information data may be held in an HDD built in the job management apparatus, an externally connected storage medium, a server accessible from the job management apparatus, or the like. Further, the job management information data that can be arbitrarily set by the user may be used.
[0107]
【The invention's effect】
According to the printing apparatus, the job management apparatus, the image information management method in the printing apparatus, the job management method in the job management apparatus, and the storage medium storing the program of these methods according to the present invention, it is connected to the communication medium on the network. The job management information spooled in a plurality of printers, which are printing apparatuses, is sent to the image information management apparatus via the communication medium, so that the contents of the jobs spooled in each printer are the job management apparatus. The image information management apparatus can manage all at once. In addition, managing the jobs collectively with the image information management device not only facilitates job management, but also allows the user to arbitrarily output job management information that the user wants to view to a display device or the like. There is.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an electrical configuration of an image processing system using an image processing apparatus and an image output apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram specifically illustrating an example of an image output apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a job management apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a display method selection screen of the job management apparatus according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen when all job management information is displayed in the first embodiment;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a printer list screen displayed when display by printer of the job management apparatus is selected in the first embodiment.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen when job management information is displayed for each selected printer in the first embodiment.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a user list screen displayed when display by user of the job management apparatus is selected in the first embodiment.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen when job management information is displayed for each selected user in the first embodiment.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a queue list screen displayed when display by queue of the job management apparatus is selected in the first embodiment.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a job management information display screen when job management information is displayed for each selected queue in the first embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for transmitting job management information from each printer to the job management apparatus in the first embodiment.
FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing when a display method of job management information is arbitrarily selected and displayed in the first embodiment.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a printer selection screen when an arbitrary job is reprinted in the second embodiment.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a mode setting screen when reprinting a job of a printer selected in the second embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Host computer
20 Image processing device
21, 41 CPU
22,42 ROM
23, 43 HDD controller
24, 44 HDD
25, 45 External interface
26, 46 RAM
30 Image output device
31, 32 Printer
40 Job management device
48 Display controller
49 Display device
50 Display method selection screen
60, 80, 100, 120 Job management information display screen
70 Printer list screen
90 User list screen
110 Queue list screen
150 Printer selection screen
160 Mode setting screen

Claims (14)

Receiving means for receiving a print job from a host computer via a communication medium;
Spool means for storing print data of the print job;
Printing means for executing print output of the print data stored in the spool means;
First transmission means for transmitting job management information to the job management device;
Second transmission means for transmitting print data to the job management device,
When printing of the print data is completed by the printing unit, the first transmission unit transmits job management information of the print data to the job management device, and the second transmission unit transmits the print data to the job A printing apparatus that transmits to a management apparatus.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job management information includes at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transmission unit further transmits a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter. A job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium,
First receiving means for receiving job management information from at least one of the plurality of printing devices;
Second receiving means for receiving print data from at least one of the plurality of printing devices;
Job management information display means for displaying the job management information of the printing apparatus received by the first receiving means,
The job management apparatus, wherein the first reception unit and the second reception unit receive job management information and print data of a print job that has been printed out from at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses.   The job management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the job management information includes at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.   The job management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second receiving unit further receives a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter. In an image information management method in a printing apparatus that communicates with a host computer and a job management apparatus via a communication medium,
Receiving a print job from the host computer via the communication medium;
A spool step for storing print data of the received print job;
A printing step for executing a printout of the print data stored in the step;
An image information management method comprising: sending job management information of the print data and the print data to the job management device when printing of the print data in the step is completed.   8. The image information management method according to claim 7, wherein the job management information transmitted in the transmission step includes at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.   8. The image information management method according to claim 7, wherein in the transmission step, a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter is further transmitted. A job management method in a job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium,
A receiving step of receiving job management information and print data of a print job that has been printed out from at least one of the plurality of printing devices;
A job management information display step for displaying the job management information received in the step.   The job management method according to claim 10, wherein the job management information received in the receiving step includes at least one of a job name, a user name, a print job creation date, and job size information.   11. The job management method according to claim 10, wherein in the transmission step, a mode setting parameter including a printing parameter is further transmitted. A storage medium that stores a program of an image information management method of a printing apparatus that communicates with a host computer and a job management apparatus via a communication medium so as to be readable by a computer included in the printing apparatus,
The program on the computer;
Receiving a print job from the host computer via the communication medium;
A spool step for storing print data of the received print job;
A printing step for executing a printout of the print data stored in the step;
A storage medium for executing job management information of the print data and a transmission step of transmitting the print data to the job management device when printing of the print data in the step is completed. A storage medium storing a program of a job management method in a job management apparatus connected to a plurality of printing apparatuses via a communication medium so as to be readable by a computer included in the job management apparatus,
The program on the computer;
A receiving step of receiving job management information and print data of a print job that has been printed out from at least one of the plurality of printing devices;
And a job management information display step for displaying the job management information received in said step.

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