JP2008242599A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system that enables a user to set a time of delay (delay time) in printing start time to thereby delay the printing start time by the set delay time when sending print data to an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The printing system comprises a printer and a PC that sends print data to the printer. The PC comprises a means for displaying a printing dialog box having the function of allowing a user to set a printing delay time in response to the user's printing operation, and a means for adding data representing the printing delay time set on the printing dialog box to the print data when sending the print data to the printer. The printer comprises a means for receiving and saving the print data and printing the print data at a printing start time delayed by the delay time depending on the printing delay time data added to the print data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system including a printer and a PC that transmits print data to the printer.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-9368 discloses that when sending a large amount of print data to a printer, a lunch break or a midnight time is designated as a print time, thereby specifying a lunch break or a late night in which the large print data is designated. A technique for printing at a time is disclosed.
JP 2004-9368 A

  By the way, when the print data that the user does not want to be seen by another person is sent from the PC to the printer, if the printing is started immediately on the printer side, the printed matter may be seen by a person other than the user. In order to avoid such a situation, it is only necessary to start printing after the user has moved to the installation location of the printer.

  In general, since a PC that generates print data and a printer that prints print data are often installed on the same floor, the time required for the PC user to move to the printer installation location is as follows. It is about several seconds to several tens of seconds. Therefore, when sending print data that the user does not want to be seen by others to the printer, instead of specifying the print start time itself, specify the time to delay the print start time (delay time), and only the specified delay time It is convenient if the print start time can be delayed.

  According to the present invention, when printing data is transmitted to an image forming apparatus, a user sets a time (delay time) for delaying a print start time, whereby the print start time can be delayed by a set delay time. The purpose is to provide.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a printing system including a printer and a PC that transmits print data to the printer, and the PC has a function of allowing a user to set a print delay time based on a user's printing operation. Means for displaying a print dialog box and means for transmitting the print data by adding data representing the print delay time set in the print dialog box to the print device when sending the print data to the printing apparatus; Is provided with means for delaying the print start time by a delay time corresponding to the print delay time data added to the print data after receiving and storing the print data, and printing the print data. Features.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the first aspect, the printer receives and stores the print data, and the print data based on the print delay time data added to the print data. Means for calculating the print start time of the print data, storing the calculated print start time as the print start time of the print data, and when the current time reaches the print start time of the stored print data, A means for starting printing is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the print data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus, the user sets the time for delaying the print start time (delay time), whereby the print start time can be delayed by the set delay time. It becomes like this.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a host computer that generates print data and a printer that prints the print data.

  The printer 200 includes a host I / F 211, a program ROM 212, a font ROM 213, a CPU 214, a RAM 215, a controller board 210 having a panel I / F 216 and an engine I / F 217, a hard disk 221, a panel (operation display panel) 222, and a printer engine 223. It has. Each device in the controller board 210 is connected to each other via a bus.

  The hard disk 221 is connected to the bus in the controller board 210. The operation display panel 222 is connected to the panel I / F 216 in the controller board 210. The printer engine 223 is connected to the engine I / F 217 in the controller board 210.

  A host computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 100 is equipped with a printer driver 110 suitable for the printer 200. The PC 100 is connected to the host I / F 211 in the controller board 210 of the printer 200.

  In FIG. 1, only one PC 100 is connected to the printer 200, but usually a plurality of PCs 100 are connected to the printer 200.

  FIG. 2 shows a print dialog box displayed when a printing operation is performed on the PC 100 side.

  In this print dialog box, a delay time designation box 11 for inputting a time (delay time) for delaying the print start time is provided. The default is 0 seconds. In the example of FIG. 2, an example in which 5 seconds is input as the delay time in the delay time designation box 11 is shown. The delay time can be selected from a plurality of selection candidates in a pop-up menu format.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the print dialog box may be provided with three selection buttons 21, 22, and 23 for setting a delay time, and the user may select any one of the buttons. In this example, the selection button 21 is a button for setting the delay time to 0, the selection button 22 is a button for setting the delay time to a time corresponding to “a little” preset by the user, The selection button 23 is a button for setting the delay time to a time corresponding to “late” set in advance by the user. For example, 5 seconds is preset as the time corresponding to “little”, and 15 seconds is preset as the time corresponding to “late”.

  When the user wants to print the print data with the printer 200, the user performs a print operation on the PC 100 side to display, for example, a print dialog box as shown in FIG. When it is necessary to set the print range, the number of copies, etc. to values different from the default, the setting is changed. At this time, if the user does not want to show the print data to others, the user inputs a time sufficient for the user to move to the installation location of the printer 200 in the delay time designation box 11, for example, 5 seconds. Then, press the OK button in the print dialog box.

  When an OK button in the print dialog box is pressed, data representing the delay time set in the print dialog box is added to the print data and transmitted to the printer 200.

  FIG. 4 shows a procedure of processing performed by the CPU 214 of the printer 200.

  It is determined whether or not a print job has been received (step S1). That is, it is determined whether or not print job data including data representing delay time and print data has been sent. When a print job is received (when print job data is sent), first, data representing the delay time is received and stored in the buffer (step S2), and then print data reception processing is started. (Step S3). The print data received by the reception process is stored in the storage device. When the print data reception process is started, it is determined whether or not there is a print waiting job (step S4). If there is no job waiting to be printed, it is determined whether or not reception of print data has been completed (step S8). If the reception of print data has not ended, the process returns to step S3 and the print data reception process is continued.

  When reception of the print data is completed (YES in step S8), the print start time of the print job is calculated based on the data representing the delay time received in step S2, and the calculated print start time is The job is stored in the print management table in association with a job number representing the print job (for example, a number given in the order of received jobs) (step S9). The print start time of the print data is, for example, a time obtained by adding the received delay time to the time when reception of the print data ends.

  If there are a plurality of jobs waiting to be printed, the print order is determined based on the print start times of these print jobs and stored in the print management table (step S10). Then, the process returns to step S1. When print processing for a certain print job is completed, management data relating to the print job for which the print processing has been completed is deleted from the print management table.

  If it is determined in step S4 that there is a job waiting for printing, it is determined whether or not printing is being performed (step S5). If printing is not in progress, it is determined whether there is a job waiting for printing whose printing start time is before the current time (step S6). If there is a job waiting for printing whose print start time is before the current time, printing of the print job is started (step S7), and the process proceeds to step S8. If there are a plurality of jobs waiting for printing whose print start time is earlier than the current time in step S7, printing of the print job with the earliest print order set in step S10 is started.

  If it is determined in step S5 that printing is in progress (YES in step S5), or if it is determined in step S6 that there is no job waiting to be printed whose print start time is earlier than the current time. (NO in step S6), the process proceeds to step S8.

  If it is determined in step S1 that a print job has not been received, it is determined whether or not print processing is being performed (step S11). If printing is not in progress, it is determined whether there is a job waiting for printing whose printing start time is before the current time (step S12). If there is a job waiting for printing whose print start time is before the current time, printing of the print job is started (step S13), and the process proceeds to step S1. If there are a plurality of jobs waiting for printing whose print start time is earlier than the current time in step S13, printing of the print job with the earliest print order set in step S10 is started.

  If it is determined in step S11 that printing is in progress (YES in step S11), or if it is determined in step S12 that there is no job waiting for printing whose print start time is earlier than the current time. If (NO in step S12), the process returns to step S1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a host computer that generates print data and a printer that prints print data. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a print dialog box displayed when a printing operation is performed on the PC 100 side. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other example of a print dialog box. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing performed by a CPU 214 of the printer 200.

Explanation of symbols

100 Host computer (PC)
110 Printer Driver 200 Printer 210 Controller Board 211 Host I / F
212 Program ROM
213 Font ROM
214 CPU
215 RAM
216 Panel I / F
217 Engine I / F
221 Hard disk 222 Panel (operation display panel)
223 Printer Engine

Claims (2)

In a printing system comprising a printer and a PC for transmitting print data to the printer,
The PC displays a print dialog box having a function of allowing the user to set a print delay time based on the user's print operation, and when the print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus, the print data is displayed on the print dialog box. Means for adding and transmitting data representing the print delay time set in step 1,
The printer has means for printing the print data after receiving and storing the print data and delaying the print start time by a delay time corresponding to the print delay time data added to the print data. A printing system featuring. The printer receives and stores the print data, calculates the print start time of the print data based on the print delay time data added to the print data, and prints the calculated print start time of the print data The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing the print data as a start time, and means for starting printing of the print data when the current time reaches the print start time of the stored print data. Printing system.

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