JP4147052B2 - Print data transmitting apparatus, printing system, control method for print data transmitting apparatus, and program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the print data transmitted from the host device is subjected to print processing and held on the printing device side, so that the print data can be printed without being transmitted again only by specifying the print data. The present invention relates to a printing system capable of so-called hold printing, a printing method, and a printing program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the hold printing as described above, the same printed matter can be obtained simply by specifying the data without retransmitting the print data from the host device, and high convenience can be obtained. In the typical prior art, the print data is mainly designated by a file name.
[0003]
However, such a conventional technique has a problem that it is difficult to grasp the contents of the print data because print data having the same file name exists. Accordingly, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-205510 has been proposed as another conventional technique for solving such a problem. In this prior art, when sending print data, the host device creates a reduced image data of the print data and sends it to the printing device, and when printing again using the print data, The reduced image data of the print data stored on the printing device side is transmitted to the host device side, and the host device side easily determines and designates the desired print data from the reduced image, thereby easily It is configured so that it can be specified.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional technology as described above, since the data of the reduced image that is not the data to be printed is held on the printing apparatus side, the storage capacity for data not related to printing increases, and each time printing is performed. In addition, there is a problem in that the reduced image data stored on the printing apparatus side must be taken in, which is complicated. In addition, when specifying print data, if all the reduced image data stored on the printing device side can be viewed on each host device side, the user can determine the reduced image of the print data on which the user has performed hold printing. Cannot be easily performed, and there is a security problem.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system, a printing method, and a program for the printing method that can easily determine data to be printed again and improve security.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The printing system of the present invention is a printing system in which printing data transmitted from a host device is stored on the printing device side, and when the print data is transmitted to the host device, the print data A summary data creation unit that creates summary data, a print history holding unit that stores summary data created by the summary data creation unit together with an identifier of the print data, and a list of the summary data are displayed and selected. And a user interface unit that causes the printing apparatus to print again the print data corresponding to the summary data.
[0007]
According to the above configuration, the print processing data transmitted from the host device is held on the printing device side, and the print processing can be performed without transmitting the same print data again from the host device side by selecting later. In a printing system capable of hold printing that can be performed, on the host device side, a summary data creation unit creates summary data of the print data, such as the location of the target printing device or a reduced image of the print data, and prints it. The history holding unit stores the summary data corresponding to the identifier of the transmitted print data. Then, from the displayed summary data list, the user designates the data that the user desires to print again, and the identifier of the print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus. Printing processing can be performed without transmission.
[0008]
Therefore, it is possible to easily discriminate print data that has been printed by the user in the past and stored in the printing device from the summary data list display on the host device side and instruct the printing process again. At this time, since only the summary data of the print data for which hold printing has been performed is displayed, the determination can be easily performed. In addition, the printing device side does not hold the summary data that is not data to be printed, so that the storage capacity can be reduced and the security is improved as compared with the case where the printing device side stores the summary data. You can also
[0009]
In the printing system of the present invention, the user interface unit can transfer the summary data to another host device in response to a user operation, and the user interface unit of the other host device receives Based on the summary data, the summary data list is displayed in the same manner as the host device on the transmission side, and the print data to be printed again can be selected.
[0010]
According to the above configuration, the summary data created on the host device side is provided to another person in response to a user operation, so that the other person's host device can also print the print data from the summary data list display. Can be selected. Therefore, it is possible to improve the convenience by ensuring the security and enabling the use of print data by others.
[0011]
Furthermore, the printing system of the present invention further includes data linkage control means for controlling the print data holding unit in the printing device and the data in the print history holding unit in the host device to be linked to each other. It is characterized by.
[0012]
According to the above configuration, when the summary data created on the host device side is deleted because, for example, the possibility of reprinting is lost, the print data on the printing device side is also displayed. When the print data stored in the print data holding unit of the printing apparatus is deleted due to overflow or timeout of the print data holding unit, the summary data of the host device is also deleted.
[0013]
Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as designation of data that cannot be printed and holding unnecessary print data for a long time.
[0014]
In the printing method of the present invention, the printing apparatus holds the printed data, and the host apparatus designates the data, so that the host apparatus can perform the printing process again without retransmitting the print data. In the printing method configured to realize hold printing, the step of creating summary data of print data, the step of storing the summary data together with the identifier of the print data, and the reprinting, the summary data And a step of causing the printing apparatus to print again the print data corresponding to the selected summary data.
[0015]
According to the above configuration, the print processing data transmitted from the host device is held on the printing device side, and the print processing can be performed without transmitting the same print data again from the host device side by selecting later. In a printing method that realizes hold printing that can be performed, the host device creates summary data of the print data such as the location of the target printing device and a reduced image of the print data, and stores the summary data. Stored in correspondence with the identifier of the transmitted print data. When the printing is performed again, the summary data list is displayed, and when the user designates data desired to be printed again, the identifier of the printing data is transmitted to the printing apparatus, and the same printing data is not transmitted again. And print processing.
[0016]
Accordingly, it is possible to easily determine the print data that has been printed by the user in the past and stored in the printing apparatus from the summary data list display and instruct the print process again. Since only the summary data of the print data subjected to hold printing is displayed, the determination can be easily performed. In addition, the summary data that is not the data to be printed is not held on the printing device side, so that the storage capacity can be reduced and the security can be improved as compared with the case where the summary data is saved on the printing device side. You can also.
[0017]
Furthermore, the printing program of the present invention causes a computer to execute the above printing method.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This printing system is roughly composed of a host device 1 and a printing device 2, and holds data that has been transmitted from the host device 1 and subjected to printing processing on the printing device 2 side, and then selects the host by selecting it later. It is premised on a printing system capable of so-called hold printing in which printing processing can be performed without transmitting the same print data again from the apparatus 1 side. In order to simplify the drawing, only one host device 1 and one printing device 2 are provided in FIG. 1, but a plurality of them may be provided and connected to each other via a network.
[0020]
The host device 1 is realized by a personal computer or the like, and includes a print data creation unit 11, an identifier generation unit 12, a summary data creation unit 13, a print history list creation unit 14, a print history holding unit 15, a data input unit, and the like. An output unit 16 and a user interface unit 17 are provided.
[0021]
The print data creation unit 11 creates print data of a main body such as an image or a document to be printed. The identifier generation unit 12 is configured by adding a serial number of print data to the ID number of the host device 1, for example, and is unique data attached to each print data for identifying the print data. An identifier is generated and added to the print data of the main body created by the print data creation unit 11 to create print data. The print data created by the identifier generation unit 12 is transmitted from the data input / output unit 16 to the printing apparatus 2.
[0022]
The summary data creation unit 13 is configured to output the location (address) data of the printing apparatus to be output or the print data of the main body if the image data is reduced image data or document data of the image. Creates summary data of print data realized by document keywords, item line data, and the like. When the print data is transmitted, the print history list creation unit 14 creates history data in which summary data is associated with the identifier data and stores the history data in the print history holding unit 15.
[0023]
Thereafter, as will be described later, when causing the printing apparatus 2 to perform print processing using the print data that has been once printed, the user interface unit 17 causes the print history list creation unit 14 to perform the print processing. The history data stored in the history holding unit 15 is read to display a list of the summary data, and an identifier corresponding to the summary data selected by the user is extracted. 2 to send. In response to this, the printing apparatus 2 reads the print data corresponding to the identifier and performs print output.
[0024]
Therefore, the printing apparatus 2 includes a data input / output unit 21, a print data identification unit 22, a print control unit 23, a print processing unit 24, and a print data holding unit 25. The print data input via the data input / output unit 21 is given from the print data identification unit 22 to the print processing unit 24 via the print control unit 23 and printed out, and printed for the hold printing. The data is stored in the data holding unit 25.
[0025]
When a second print output is requested by the user operation, the identifier corresponding to the data to be printed is input via the data input / output unit 21 and the print data identification unit 22 determines that the print is performed again. Is done. Accordingly, the print data identification unit 22 drives the print control unit 23 to read the print data corresponding to the identifier from the print data holding unit 25 and give it to the print processing unit 24 to perform the print processing.
[0026]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a list display of the summary data displayed on the user interface unit 17 of the host device 1 for the second print output. As described above, the summary data is realized by the reduced image data of the image when the print data of the main body is image data, and the keyword or item line data of the document when the print data is document data. This is data that realizes a characteristic display so that the print data of the main body can be conceived at first glance. In the example of FIG. 2, summary data of six print data is displayed in a list, and the selected first print data is printed out by the first printer among the three printers as the printing device 2. Data.
[0027]
3 to 6 are flowcharts showing processing operations in the printing system configured as described above. 3 and 4 show processing during normal printing, FIGS. 5 and 6 show processing during reprinting, FIGS. 3 and 5 show processing on the host device 1 side, and FIGS. Processing on the printing apparatus 2 side is shown.
[0028]
When a print instruction is issued from the user interface unit 17 in step S1 of FIG. 3, the process proceeds to step S2, and the print data creation unit 11 creates print data of the main body to be printed, such as the image or document. In step S3, summary data is created by the summary data creation unit 13. Further, in step S4, an identifier is generated in the identifier generation unit 12.
[0029]
When all the data necessary for the printing process is created in this way, in step S5, the print data in which the identifier is added to the print data of the main body is transmitted from the data input / output unit 16 to the printing apparatus 2. . In step S6, the print history list creation unit 14 associates the summary data with the identifier and adds them to the print history list stored in the print history holding unit 15, and in step S7. Then, the contents of the print history holding unit 15 are updated, and the process ends.
[0030]
Correspondingly, in the printing apparatus 2, in step S11 of FIG. 4, the data input / output unit 21 receives the print data and identifier of the main body, and in step S12, the print processing unit 24 receives the print data of the main body. The printing process starts. When the printing process is finished in step S13, the printing data of the main body is stored in the print data holding unit 25 in association with the identifier in step S14, and the process is finished.
[0031]
On the other hand, at the time of reprinting, in step S21 of FIG. 5, the user interface unit 17 causes the print history list creation unit 14 to read out the history data stored in the print history holding unit 15 and to store the summary data. Displays a list and accepts user selections. In step S22, the user interface unit 17 extracts an identifier corresponding to the selected summary data, and transmits the identifier together with a print instruction from the data input / output unit 16 to the corresponding printing apparatus 2.
[0032]
Correspondingly, in the printing apparatus 2, in step S31 in FIG. 6, the data input / output unit 21 receives the identifier together with the print instruction, and in step S32, the print data identification unit 22 receives the print instruction. Then, it is determined that printing is performed again from the identifier, and the print data of the corresponding main body is determined. In step S <b> 33, the print control unit 23 reads the print data of the main body corresponding to the identifier from the print data holding unit 25 and gives it to the print processing unit 24. Thus, the printing process is started in step S35, and when the process is finished in step S36, the process is finished.
[0033]
In this way, it is possible to easily discriminate print data that has been printed by the user in the past and held in the printing apparatus 2 from the summary data list display and instruct printing again. Since only the summary data of the print data that has been hold-printed by itself is displayed, the determination can be made easily. Further, the summary data that is not the data to be printed is not held on the printing device 2 side, so that the storage capacity can be reduced and the security is improved compared to the case where the summary data is saved on the printing device 2 side. You can also
[0034]
The following will describe another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS.
[0035]
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. This printing system is generally composed of a plurality of host devices 1a, 1b and a plurality of printing devices 2a, 2b, 2c. The printing devices 2a, 2b transmit data transmitted from the host devices 1a, 1b and subjected to printing processing. , 2c, and hold printing, which can be performed without selecting the same print data from the host device 1a, 1b again by selecting it later, is performed in the above-described FIGS. This is the same as the printing system shown in FIG. 6, and corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.
[0036]
It should be noted that in this printing system, in the host devices 1a, 1b and the printing devices 2a, 2b, 2c connected to each other via the network 31, an arbitrary host device designates an arbitrary printing device and performs printing processing. The user interface unit 17 can transfer the summary data and the identifier held in the print history holding unit 15 between the host devices 1a and 1b in response to a user operation. . Based on the received summary data and identifier, the summary data list can be displayed in the same manner as the transmission-side host device, and the print data to be printed again can be selected based on the identifier.
[0037]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of data held in the print history holding unit 15 of each host device 1a, 1b in the printing system shown in FIG. FIG. 8A shows data of the first host device 1a, and shows that the first to third summary data sequentially output to the first to third printing devices 2a, 2b, and 2c are stored. ing. Similarly, FIG. 8B shows data of the second host device 1b. The first and second summary data sequentially output to the second printing device 2b and the first data output to the first printing device 2a. 3 summary data and the first summary data output from the first host device 1a to the first printing device 2a obtained from the first host device 1a as described above are stored. Is shown.
[0038]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of data held in the print data holding unit 25 of each printing apparatus 2a, 2b, 2c corresponding to FIG. FIG. 9A shows data of the first printing apparatus 2a, in which the first print data of the first host apparatus 1a and the third print data of the second host apparatus 1b are stored. Is shown. Similarly, FIG. 9B shows data of the second printing apparatus 2b. The second printing data of the first host apparatus 1a, the first and second printing data of the second host apparatus 1b, and FIG. 9C shows data of the third printing apparatus 2c, and shows that the third print data of the first host apparatus 1a is stored. .
[0039]
In this way, the summary data and the identifier are transferred between the host devices 1a and 1b in response to a user operation, so that the print data can be used by others while ensuring security. Can be improved.
[0040]
The following will describe still another embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 10 and FIG.
[0041]
10 and 11 are flowcharts showing processing operations in a printing system according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows processing on the host device side, and FIG. 11 shows processing on the printing device side. . The host apparatus and the printing apparatus in this printing system can use the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and will be described using the reference numerals. It should be noted that in this printing system, the data in the print data holding unit 25 in the printing apparatus 2 and the data in the print history holding unit 15 in the host apparatus 1 are linked to each other.
[0042]
Therefore, the data input / output units 16 and 21 constitute data linkage control means, and the summary data created on the host device 1 side and stored in the print history holding unit 15 may be printed again. Is deleted by an input operation from the user interface unit 17, the print data in the print data holding unit 25 of the printing apparatus 2 is also deleted by the data input / output units 16 and 21. When the print data stored in the print data holding unit 25 is deleted due to an overflow or timeout of the print data holding unit 25, the data input / output units 21 and 16 also combine the summary data in the print history holding unit 15. Deleted.
[0043]
On the host device 1 side, in step S41 of FIG. 10, the user interface unit 17 causes the print history list creation unit 14 to read out the history data stored in the print history holding unit 15, and the summary data Displays a list and accepts user selections. In step S42, the user interface unit 17 extracts identifiers corresponding to the selected summary data, and deletes these summary data and identifiers from the print history holding unit 15. In step S43, the data input / output unit 16 transmits the identifier of the data to be deleted together with the deletion instruction to the corresponding printing apparatus 2, and the process ends.
[0044]
In response to this, in step S51 of FIG. 11, in the printing apparatus 2, the data input / output unit 21 receives the identifier together with the deletion instruction, and in step S52, the print data identification unit 22 determines from the identifier. The print data to be deleted is determined, and in step S53, the corresponding print data stored in the print data holding unit 25 is deleted, and the process ends.
[0045]
With this configuration, it is possible to prevent problems such as designation of data that cannot be printed and holding unnecessary print data for a long time.
[0046]
The configuration of the host device 1 shown in FIG. 1 can be realized by loading application software such as a printer driver on a personal computer, and the configuration of the printing device 2 is a conventional one that can perform hold printing. This printing apparatus can be realized by using the identifier instead of the file name described in the section of the prior art.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
In the printing system of the present invention, as described above, data that has been transmitted from the host device and subjected to print processing is held on the printing device side, and the same print data is transmitted again from the host device side by selecting later. In a printing system capable of hold printing that enables print processing, the host device creates print data summary data and stores it together with the identifier of the transmitted print data. A list of summary data is displayed, and the identifier of the summary data selected by the user is transmitted to the printing apparatus to perform printing processing.
[0048]
Therefore, it is possible to easily discriminate the print data that has been printed by the user in the past and stored in the printing device from the summary data list display on the host device side and instruct the printing process again. At the time of the instruction, only the summary data of the print data for which hold printing has been performed is displayed, so that the determination can be easily performed. In addition, the printing device side does not hold the summary data that is not data to be printed, so that the storage capacity can be reduced and the security is improved as compared with the case where the printing device side stores the summary data. You can also.
[0049]
In addition, as described above, the printing system of the present invention provides summary data created on the host device side to others in response to a user operation. Print data can be selected from the list display.
[0050]
Therefore, while ensuring security, it is possible to use print data by others and to improve convenience.
[0051]
Furthermore, as described above, when the summary data stored in the print history holding unit of the host device is deleted because there is no possibility of reprinting, for example, the printing system of the present invention If the print data stored in the print data holding unit of the printing device is deleted due to overflow or timeout of the print data holding unit, the summary data of the host device is deleted. Are also deleted, and data in the print data holding unit in the printing apparatus and the print history holding unit in the host apparatus are controlled so as to be linked to each other.
[0052]
Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as designation of unprintable data and holding unnecessary print data for a long time.
[0053]
In the printing method of the present invention, as described above, the print data transmitted from the host device is stored on the printing device side, and the same print data is transmitted again from the host device side by selecting later. In the printing method that realizes the hold printing so that the printing process can be performed without doing, the host device creates summary data of the print data and stores it together with the identifier of the transmitted print data, At the time of hold printing, a list of the summary data is displayed, and the identifier of the summary data selected by the user is transmitted to the printing apparatus to perform the printing process.
[0054]
Therefore, it is possible to easily determine the print data that has been printed by the user in the past and stored in the printing apparatus from the summary data list display and instruct the print process again. However, only the summary data of the print data subjected to hold printing is displayed, so that the determination can be easily performed. In addition, the summary data that is not the data to be printed is not held on the printing device side, so that the storage capacity can be reduced and the security can be improved as compared with the case where the summary data is saved on the printing device side. You can also.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of summary data list display displayed on a user interface unit of a host device in hold printing according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing operations in the printing system of the present invention, and shows processing on the host device side during normal printing.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing operations in the printing system of the present invention, and shows processing on the printing apparatus side during normal printing.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing operations in the printing system of the present invention, and shows processing on the host device side during reprinting.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing operations in the printing system of the present invention, and shows processing on the printing apparatus side during reprinting.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to another embodiment of the invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating an example of data held in each host device in the printing system illustrated in FIG.
9 is a diagram showing an example of data held in each printing apparatus in the printing system shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation in a printing system according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and shows processing on the host device side.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing operation in a printing system according to still another embodiment of the present invention, and shows processing on the printing apparatus side.
[Explanation of symbols]
1; 1a, 1b Host device
2; 2a, 2b, 2c printing device
11 Print data creation section
12 Identifier generator
13 Summary data generator
14 Print history list creation part
15 Print history storage
16, 21 Data input / output section
17 User interface
22 Print data identification part
23 Print control unit
24 Print processing section
25 Print data holding unit
31 network

Claims (6)

A first means for receiving print data to which an identifier is added; a second means for printing an image indicated by the print data received by the first means; and a print data holding unit for receiving the print data received by the first means. A third means for storing the identifier; a fourth means for receiving the identifier; a fifth means for reading out print data having the same identifier as the identifier received by the fourth means from the print data holding unit; A print data transmitting apparatus for transmitting the print data and the identifier to a printing apparatus having a sixth means for printing an image indicated in the print data read by the means;
A display unit and a print history holding unit are provided.
Seventh means for creating print data to which the identifier is added and summary data of the print data;
An eighth means for storing the identifier added to the print data created by the seventh means and the summary data of the print data in association with each other in the print history holding unit;
Ninth means for displaying summary data stored in the print history holding unit on the display unit;
A tenth means for reading an identifier associated with the summary data selected by the user from the print history holding unit;
In the normal print mode, the print data generated by the seventh means is transmitted to the printing apparatus, and in the reprint mode, the identifier read by the tenth means is transmitted to the printing apparatus. A print data transmission device. A printing system comprising: the print data transmitting apparatus according to claim 1; and the printing apparatus. A plurality of the print data transmission devices are included,
Each print data transmission device
According to a user operation, a twelfth means for transmitting an identifier stored in the print history holding unit and summary data associated with the identifier to another print data transmitting device;
When the identifier and the summary data of the print data to which the identifier is added are received from another print data transmitting apparatus, the received identifier and the summary data are stored in the print history holding unit in association with each other. The printing system according to claim 2, further comprising: means. The print data transmission device includes:
14th means for transmitting instruction information indicating the deleted identifier and a deletion instruction to the printing apparatus when the summary data and the identifier associated with the summary data are deleted from the print history holding unit. Have
The printing apparatus includes:
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: fifteenth means for deleting, from the print data holding unit, print data to which the same identifier as the identifier indicated in the received instruction information is added when the instruction information is received. 3. The printing system according to 3. A first means for receiving print data to which an identifier is added; a second means for printing an image shown in the print data received by the first means; and a print data holding unit for receiving the print data received by the first means. A third means for storing the identifier; a fourth means for receiving the identifier; a fifth means for reading out print data having the same identifier as the identifier received by the fourth means from the print data holding unit; In a control method of a print data transmitting apparatus for transmitting the print data and the identifier to a printing apparatus having a sixth means for printing an image indicated in the print data read by the means,
The print data transmitting device is
A first step of creating print data to which the identifier is added and summary data of the print data;
A second step of storing the identifier added to the print data created in the first step and the summary data of the print data in association with the print history holding unit of the print data transmission device;
A third step of displaying the summary data stored in the print history holding unit on a display unit of the print data transmission device;
A fourth step of reading an identifier associated with the summary data selected by the user from the print history holding unit;
In the normal printing mode, the print data created in the first step is transmitted to the printing device, and in the reprinting mode, the fifth step of transmitting the identifier read in the fourth step to the printing device is executed. A control method of the print data transmitting apparatus. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method of the print data transmitting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the program causes the computer to execute the first to fifth steps.

Images