KR100983881B1 - Network-based printing automation system - Google Patents

Abstract

Printing automation system based on the network according to the present invention, smart card having a user's identity grant and payment function; A kiosk which performs payment processing for user recognition and printing by accessing the smart card, displays a printing progress of a document, and recognizes a document stored on a removable disk; A client server for uploading a document to be printed as data; A POD server for processing a list of documents of a specific user identified by the client server according to the user's recognition, transmitting the list to the kiosk, and processing the data selected by the user to a printer; A printer that performs document printing in association with any one of the kiosk to the POD server; A web hard server for storing a document uploaded from the client server as data; And a settlement server that manages payment information processed through the kiosk for each user.

Network printer, remote printer, kiosk, smart card, document output

Description

Network-based printing automation system {SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATING PRINTING BASED UPON NETWORK}

The present invention relates to a network-based printing automation system, by the network installed in a specific region, within the region can not only automatically perform printing of the document anywhere, but also printing of the document, The present invention relates to a printing automation system based on a network capable of pursuing convenience of a user who requests printing by systematically performing reservation, notification, and data management.

 With the development of network technology and the development of ubiquitous technology that is currently in vogue, an era in which an electronic device or a communication device can be easily operated and controlled from a long distance has come.

The field of application of such technology is enormous, and is used for providing various conveniences by tying a general space as a network, as well as specific spaces such as homes, businesses, and schools.

In particular, in the case of a school, it is relatively larger than other places, so it is more necessary to have a network connection method that enables students and faculty members to conveniently manage and manage the class, work, and other activities in the school. I can.

Due to the nature of providing educational materials and studying scholarship through a variety of books, schools (universities) especially print a lot of documents, but there are more printers installed than other places, but the library and the college building are on the first floor. In many places, printer work is often performed, and printer work is often concentrated at the end of class, so students who want to do printing work hardly have to wait for others to do printing work. Had to do it.

In addition, when the school paper work, the document output status is not opened and in particular, it is often necessary to maintain security. As the general print job is performed by the school official or the printer management staff who are not obliged to keep the secret, the security is maintained. There was a problem that there is a limit.

  Therefore, in order to prevent such a problem, a printing system capable of maintaining a security or a printing system capable of remotely outputting a document through a network printer has been disclosed as some technical contents in domestic and foreign patent publications.

However, when looking at the disclosed remotely controlled printer-related technology, the user may complain of inconvenience or simply operate a network printer remotely by going through complicated preceding procedures to secure security. Most of the cases do not include a function capable of appropriately coping with all kinds of unexpected situations or unexpected inconveniences generated when the printer is remotely controlled.

Therefore, there is a need for a new and advanced user-centric, network-based remote printer operation and control system that can control the printer remotely, ensure maximum convenience and convenience, and maintain document security in a reasonable manner. to be.

The present invention has been made to overcome the problems of the above technology, a system capable of remotely managing and using a printer by connecting a plurality of printers and a central control server via a kiosk that is based on information transfer and operated unattended. The main purpose is to provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a basis for storing a document to be printed in advance and conveniently loading it during printing or requesting a document output through a removable disk.

Still another object of the present invention is to enable a document printing operation through a smart card in charge of the authentication and payment functions, so that the usage history of the network printer can be conveniently managed.

A further object of the present invention is to grasp the progress of the print job to make a reservation or to notify the start or end of the print job to reduce the waiting time for the printer job or to efficiently utilize the waiting time.

It is a further object of the present invention to allow a quorum team member to participate in the output of a document related to a secured team project so as to permit the output of the document, thereby preventing arbitrary document leakage by a small number.

In order to achieve the above object, a printing automation system based on a network according to the present invention includes a smart card having an identity granting and payment function of a user; A kiosk which performs payment processing for user recognition and printing by accessing the smart card, displays a printing progress of a document, and recognizes a document stored on a removable disk; A client server for uploading a document to be printed as data; A POD server for processing a list of documents of a specific user identified by the client server according to the user's recognition, transmitting the list to the kiosk, and processing the data selected by the user to a printer; A printer that performs document printing in association with any one of the kiosk to the POD server; A web hard server for storing a document uploaded from the client server as data; And a settlement server that manages payment information processed through the kiosk for each user.

The POD server may further include a job status grasping module configured to grasp a current printing status or a standby status of a plurality of printers installed in a network connected area and transmit the grasping information to the kiosk. And a reservation module for receiving job status information of the printer through the grasping module and performing reservation processing for printing a document for each printer or time zone.

In addition, the POD server receives a number of a user's mobile communication terminal, and prints a reservation reservation job that is reserved through the reservation module or a start or end situation of a printing job status checked through the job status detection module as one information. And a notification module which generates and transmits this information to the mobile communication terminal of the user who requested the printing operation in the form of an inquiry message.

According to the printing automation system based on the network according to the present invention,

1) With the kiosk interlocked with the printer, the user can execute the document output order request at a convenient place.

2) By managing the authentication and payment through the smart card, you can conveniently understand the management and use of the printing work,

3) By uploading data using a client server outside the kiosk, you can reduce the inconvenience of having to carry the document you need to print.

4) You can schedule document printing jobs remotely and be notified of the progress of the job in real time, maximizing user convenience of printing jobs,

5) It has the effect of ensuring the security of the documents in the team project in a reasonable way.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale and wherein like reference numerals in the various drawings refer to like elements.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing automation system based on a network according to the present invention.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the system according to the present invention is possessed by a user such as a student / professor, smart card 10 responsible for authentication or payment function, a client that can upload document data to be printed Recognizing the server 20, the smart card 10, the authentication process and then printing the document data linked to the POD server 100, that is, a kiosk that serves as a network terminal of the POD server 100 (30), the printer 40 is linked to the kiosk 30 (or POD server) for printing, copying, scanning document data, POD server that serves as the overall central management and control of the printing process (Printing On Demand Server 100, a web hard server 50 interoperating with the client server 20 to store user document data, and storing data owned by an institution such as a school or a company such as an employment certificate or a transcript. DB server (60), and it consists of a settlement server (70), which is responsible for payment settlement functions for printing.

Here, the kiosk 30 and the printer 40 are arranged in plural in a manner such as school, company, space, department, department, etc., each kiosk 30 and the printer 40 is networked with each other In addition, identification number or numbering is provided for network management so that the POD server 100 manages it.

In other words, the system according to the present invention allows a user with a smart card 10 to place a print order remotely at any place where the kiosk 30 is installed and according to each control situation of the POD server 100. It is based on being able to automatically print remotely on user's request.

2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating various functions of a smart card according to the present invention.

In the case of the existing student ID, faculty ID, and employee ID, they only served as access management and identification, but now, thanks to the development of ubiquitous technology, it is possible to integrate various functions and manage them with one smart card. As can be seen from 2, the smart card 10 according to the present invention has a function that can be performed by integrating attendance management, restaurant use, canteen / vending machine use, library management, and access management, for example, as one student card. You can understand that you have.

In particular, the smart card 10 also has an authentication function that can perform a remote automated printing method that can be referred to as an object of the present invention, such a smart card 10 is primarily recognized in the kiosk (30).

3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic interlocking relationship of a kiosk according to the present invention.

The kiosk 30 refers to an unmanned information guide system installed in a public place and generally replaces a keypad function with a touch screen, and the kiosk 30 according to the present invention is also known as a kiosk 30. According to the hardware configuration. However, the kiosk 30 according to the present invention further includes a recognition module 31 capable of recognizing the smart card 10.

Recognition module 31 may be provided with a card slot to cash (banknote, cash) slot that will be in charge of the printing payment function, in this case the card can recognize all credit cards, T-money cards, check cards have.

When cash or other check card is put into the kiosk 30, it is possible to use the printer 40 which is linked to the surroundings immediately after paying a certain cost, but in this case, the operation of authenticating the user and loading the document data Since the operation cannot be performed, it is preferable to be set to be based on recognizing the smart card 10 with the authentication function as much as possible, and to start the printing operation as an authentication step through the smart card 10. It also serves the purpose.

The printer 40 is connected to the kiosk 30 in a wired / wireless manner and provided separately, and is designed to be directly coupled to the kiosk 30 to directly input the smart card 10 into the printer 40. Can be done.

Further, as mentioned above, a plurality of such printers 40 to kiosks 30 may be installed in each required space, or only the printer 40 may be located in the central printer room, and the printers 40 in the central printer room may be kiosk. 30 may be connected to the network.

In addition, the printer 40 is preferably installed in a place where it can be managed at least rather than in an open place, in order to prevent the other person from taking the result of the printer other than his own. Identifying means (e.g., the name of the user who ordered the print job while the print job is in progress through a display device provided separately to the printer) that can indicate that the printer job is performed by a specific user at the start or end of the job. It is also possible to provide further.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a system according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a schematic procedure for implementing the system according to the present invention.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 will be described the specific configuration and operation of the system according to the present invention.

In the present invention, the user refers to a person possessing a smart card 10, which may be a student, a staff member, a teacher, etc. in the case of a school network, and an employee, an officer, or the like. That is, in the present invention, the scope of the user is not limited to a specific target, but the school network will be described as an example for the convenience of explanation.

The client server 20 is configured based on a PC capable of wired and wireless communication to perform a function of uploading an object, that is, document data, to the web hard server 50 by the user.

Although not shown in the drawing, by creating a separate network web base that can be utilized through the client server 20, the user uploads document data to the web hard server 50 through the client server 20, as well as the web-based ( For example, it is possible to authenticate through a school web site and then upload document data to a web hard server 50.

The client server 20 is provided separately from the kiosk 30, which will be described later, or the kiosk 30 is integrally provided with the kiosk 30 by mounting a PC function on the kiosk 30 so that a user carrying a removable disk immediately Input of document data to be printed at 30 can also be supported.

The kiosk 30 according to the present invention is a network terminal which is connected to the printer 40 as mentioned above for a short time and receives a user's smart card 10 to perform printing under the control of the POD server 100. In particular, a recognition module 31, a payment module 32, a display module 33, and an additional removable disk reader are provided.

The recognition module 31 receives the user's smart card 10 and performs a function of identifying the user's identity, that is, performing an authentication operation. For example, if the user is a student, in addition to the basic information such as grade, age, department, as well as the payment settlement history of the printer in conjunction with the settlement server 70 will be described later, and the user uploads through the client server 20 It is also possible to recognize one document data.

The payment module 32 performs payment processing by interworking with the smart card 10 for printing, copying and scanning the user's document data, and transmits billing data including payment details to the settlement server 70. Has a role to play.

The payment module 33, as well as the smart card 10, as described above has a function to pay the costs for printing through cash and other cards, and equipped with a card / cash recognition unit known electronic payment processing method It is responsible for processing payment by.

The display module 33 has a function of outputting various processes required for printing through a monitor screen and graphically displays a place where each kiosk 30 to the printer 40 is located as a map form. Combines

That is, the graphic providing method implemented by such a map confirms the location of the printer 40 closest to the kiosk 30 of the place where the user belongs, or whether the kiosk 30 to the printer 40 is located in a specific building. It can provide a convenience to check easily.

In addition, the display module 33 may be described later if the printer 40 is a printer job of other document data at a time when the user makes a print request to the printer 40 called A. By interworking with the reservation module 150 may serve to display a separate color or output a separate guide message on the printer 40 in operation.

Although not shown in the drawing, the kiosk 30 further includes a removable storage disk reader for convenience of a user who wants to directly output document data stored on the removable disk without uploading the document data to the client server 20. Can be. The document data read by the removable disk reader may be stored and processed in the web hard server 50 via the POD server 100.

The POD server 100 according to the present invention manages details stored by the user in each printer 40 and the kiosk 30 or data stored in the web hard server, and instructs and controls printer operation commands of the printer 40. To play a pivotal role, specifically, the data management module 110, the correction management module 120, the selection module 130, the work status determination module 140, the reservation module 150, the notification module 160, Team project management module 170.

After the user performs authentication through the kiosk 30, the data management module 110 loads the document data previously stored in the web hard server 50 by the user through the client server 20 and kiosk 30 ), And process the document data for each specific user in a specific category or classification manner. In addition, it recognizes the document data of the removable disk reader of the kiosk 30 and automatically performs the processing to save the web hard server 50 or ask the user to select whether to save.

For example, when a user named Hong Gil-dong stores an output target such as A, B, C, or D in the web hard server 50, the data management module 110 processes the list by a specific category classification method and performs the list processing. It is possible to output the contents through the monitor screen of the kiosk 30.

The correction management module 120 checks the specific contents of the document through which the user checks the document data to be printed through the data management module 110, and if there is a typo or an error in the document in the document checking operation, It provides a function that can be modified through the touch screen of the kiosk 30, that is, a function of asking the user whether the document data is to be modified and if there is a modification of the user's document data, storing it in the web hard server 50 again. Has

The selection module 130 performs a function of providing a selection window so that the user can select specific data to be printed from among a plurality of document data displayed to the user through the monitor of the kiosk 30.

That is, it provides functions such as number of pages, document selection, output method selection, and the like mounted in a general word processor, and the selection module 130 is, among other things, specific among a plurality of printers 40 scattered in each space of the school. The basic role is to perform a function of selecting and specifying the printer 40. That is, it means that the printer 40 located at a far distance can be designated by the user's selection.

According to this selection module 130, for example, when a user goes to a restaurant to eat at a restaurant and places a printing order for specific document data through the kiosk 30 located in the restaurant, after the meal, the user is near the department room. If you want to find the print in the printer can be requested to print to the printer 40 located around the department.

The job situation detection module 140 checks the printing job status of the printer 40 requested by the user and determines whether the job is currently waiting or printing, and how many job reservations are held. That is, by grasping the status of the printer 40 connected to each network in real time to obtain the job status information of the printer 40, and then analyzing it to determine the working status of the printer 40, through which the user It may be possible to find another printer 40 capable of printing more quickly or to select whether to have a reservation setting or a waiting state for a specific printer.

The reservation module 150 is interlocked with the job status progress module 140 and checks the current or specific time progress of a specific printer 40 so that if there is a time when the job is not in progress, printing is performed in the corresponding time slot. It has the role of enabling scheduling of tasks.

At this time, it is possible to reserve a plurality of printing jobs in one printer 40 for each time zone, and also to make reservations for printing requests to different printers 40, respectively.

Such a scheduled job can be checked for each printer 40 by the job status module 140, the user can conveniently check the print status through the monitor of the kiosk 30 is installed around the location Can be.

The notification module 160, including the communication support unit, first asks the user for the telephone number of the user's mobile communication terminal, and then prints all the print jobs executed when the print job ordered by the user is finished or finished in advance. When finished, it informs the user as a medium such as SMS.

In other words, you do not have to wait around the kiosk (30) to wait for the print job of the other person, or conveniently check through a text message sent to his mobile terminal without waiting for when his print job is executed or ended. There is a number.

The team project module 170 prevents print jobs from being performed by only one of the team members, especially if two or more people work collaboratively in the school or company and the documents are extremely secure. It provides a function that allows the print job to be executed only when the user agrees or authenticates. Specifically, the team includes a team setting unit 171, a project setting unit 172, and an execution determining unit 173.

The team setting unit 171 has a function of simultaneously identifying the identities of individual team members forming a team, and confirming and setting the number of team members and individual characteristics of the team members, which is a function of each of the team members through the kiosk 30. The smart card 10 can be confirmed, and the users who make up the team can set the number of team members and perform the team member determination and verification procedure by authenticating each user's smart card 10 to the kiosk 30 sequentially. .

In addition, the project setting unit 172 checks a document corresponding to the team member determined by the team setting unit 171 from the web hard server 50 or a removable disk reader to perform a function of checking and authenticating the document created by the team member. do.

The execution decision unit 173 has a function of allowing a print job of the document only when n smart cards 10 of the team members are authenticated at the same time (that is, sequentially within a predetermined time). In the case of 7 people, if the document is set to print only when at least 4 people have authenticated, when 2 members of the team want to print the document related to the project, less than 4 people can print the document. Do not execute and only after four people have been authenticated through the kiosk (30) performs the function of allowing the print job of the document.

The team project management module 170 may provide a pivotal role for maintaining the security of the document being prepared or completed when the professor, the student, and furthermore, the important project of a specific department of the enterprise.

By the POD server 100 having such a detailed configuration, it provides a feature that can secure the printing automation function more systematically and conveniently.

The web hard server 50 according to the present invention stores document data directly uploaded by a user through the portable disk reader of the client server 20 or the kiosk and calls the specific kiosk 30 by calling the POD server 100. To a printer 40, the document data is stored, the document data is stored in a safe and secure state by the assistance of the vaccine program and the security program on the basis of keeping the document, the reading of the document The function must be possible only after the authentication process of the smart card 10, and if possible, limit the copy function of the document.

In addition, the DB server 60 according to the present invention has a function of storing a database other than the document data uploaded by the user, for example, certified data of a school or a company such as employment certificate, transcript, certificate of enrollment, etc. This also has a function of transmitting data to a specific kiosk 30 to the printer 40 by the call of the POD server 100.

In addition, the settlement server 70 collects the data processed through the kiosk 30 to use the printer 40 of a specific user or team on a specific classification basis such as date, expense history, printer, and kiosk. Performs the function to settle and manage payment data.

As described so far, the configuration and operation of the printing automation system based on the network according to the present invention have been represented in the above description and the drawings, but this is merely an example, and the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the above description and the drawings. And, of course, various changes and modifications are possible within the scope without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printing automation system based on a network according to the present invention.

2 is a conceptual diagram illustratively illustrating various functions of a smart card according to the present invention.

3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic interlocking relationship of a kiosk according to the present invention.

4 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a system according to the present invention.

5 is a flow chart illustrating a schematic procedure for implementing a system according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: smart card 70: settlement server

20: client server 100: POD server

30: kiosk 110: data management module

31: recognition module 120: modification management module

32: payment module 130: selection module

33: display module 140: operation status identification module

40: printer 150: reservation module

50: web hard server 160: notification module

60: DB Server 170: Team Project Management Module

Claims (9)

As a network-based printing automation system, Smart card having a user authentication and payment function; Receives the smart card and performs payment processing for user authentication and printing, uploads a document of a user to be printed on a removable disk reader as document data, and receives a printing request for the document from a user. Kiosk for command processing of the uploaded user's document printing under the control of a POD server; A web hard server configured to store and process document data uploaded to the removable disk reader under the control of a POD server; Receives uploaded document data to the removable disk reader, classifies it into a specific category for each user, and controls whether or not to store the document data on the web hard server according to a user's selection, and prints through the kiosk. A POD server for transmitting printing command information to the kiosk for the document data having the data; A printer connected to the kiosk network and receiving document printing commands and document data to be printed from the kiosk to perform document printing; Comprised of: a settlement server for managing payment information processed through the kiosk; The POD server, By setting up a number of users as a team and setting up the number of n people that can be allowed to print in the team, and checking specific documents related to the team, through the kiosk And a team project management module for identifying whether the number of n persons is simultaneously authenticated with the smart card when the document printing request of the team is made, and whether or not to allow printing of the corresponding document. Network-based printing automation system. The method of claim 1, The kiosk further includes a touch screen having an input means for displaying a document uploaded by a user and modifying document contents, The POD server, And a correction management module that receives the modified document via the kiosk and stores the modified document in the web hard server. The printing automation system based on the network. The method of claim 1, The kiosk displays, in map form, all kiosks or printers installed within the networked area, The POD server, And a selection module, which allows a printer to be printed to be selected through a display screen of the kiosk. The method of claim 1, The POD server, A network-based printing, characterized in that it further comprises a job status grasping module for grasping a current printing status or a waiting status of a plurality of printers installed in a networked area and transmitting the grasping information to the kiosk. Automation system. The method of claim 4, wherein The POD server, Receiving the job status information of the printer through the job status module, the reservation module for reservation processing of the printing job of the document for each printer or time zone; further comprising a network-based printing, characterized in that Automation system. The method of claim 5, The POD server, Receives the number of the user's mobile communication terminal, generates the printing reservation job reserved through the reservation module or the starting or ending status of the printing job status checked through the job status identification module as one information, and then prints this information. And a notification module for transmitting in a text message format to a mobile communication terminal of the requesting user. The printing automation system based on the network. delete delete delete

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