JP3564325B2 - Network printer user confirmation device and method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for checking the use status of a network printer at an arbitrary time.
[Prior art]
As is well known, user management of shared resources such as network printers and confirmation of user status in the related art have been performed on a server computer connected to a network. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-161823, a file device is provided on a server computer to store client information according to usage rights defined for each user. There is disclosed a printing system which determines whether or not printing is possible by referring to information on usage authority and usage status stored in an apparatus. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-44435 discloses that in managing shared resources such as a network printer, a network environment information holding unit is provided on a network in order to reduce a burden on a network administrator and a user. There is also disclosed a network system which searches connection information stored in the network environment information holding means in response to a user connection request and selects and specifies a desired shared resource.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the printing system disclosed in JP-A-6-232968 and the network system disclosed in JP-A-9-44435 are systems that respond to a job request from a client terminal. It does not respond to a job request from a shared resource such as a printer. Further, the use status of the network printer can be confirmed from the print server or the client terminal that has requested the print job to the network printer, but the following two problems exist.
The first problem is that the client terminal user cannot be confirmed from the network printer. For example, even if the network printer and the printer server that manages the network printer are separated as shown in FIG. 10, the user must be confirmed by the printer server. Further, when a user who does not use the network printer at all needs to turn off the printer power, it is necessary to confirm with all users who are likely to select and use the network printer at that time.
The second problem is that it is not possible to check in real time who is actually selecting and using a network printer. Since the selection and use of a network printer from the client terminal depended on the settings of the client terminal user, even a network administrator had to take time to check each item individually. For example, even in the case of an emergency, such as when a network printer causes a printing failure, the user of the current network printer cannot be known without checking with a network administrator (server).
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the related art, and uses a network printer that is connected to a network and that can grasp a client terminal using the network printer at an arbitrary time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a person confirmation device and a method thereof.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for solving the above-described problems provides an interface unit for connecting to a network including a plurality of client terminals, a printer server, and a network printer shared by the client terminals, and a client for controlling the interface unit. A control unit that transmits a user confirmation signal to the terminal and receives a response from the client terminal regarding the use status of the network printer, a user data storage memory that stores the client information received by the control unit, A user status display means for notifying the use status, wherein the network printer side confirms a client terminal using the network printer at an arbitrary time from the network printer side. is there.
According to the network printer user confirmation device of the present invention, it is possible to know the network printer user status at an arbitrary time even when the printer server and the network printer device are located apart from each other.
[0006]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer user confirmation device including a user status confirmation switch for starting a user status confirmation operation of a network printer at an arbitrary time. is there.
According to the network printer user confirmation device of the present invention, the network printer utilization status at the time when the user status confirmation switch is pressed is indicated to the operator of the user confirmation device in real time, and the user status is constantly updated. Has the advantage that it consumes less power than continuing to monitor.
[0007]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user confirmation device for a network printer, comprising a display screen inside the device as user status display means.
According to the network printer user confirmation device of the present invention, the device itself is provided with a display screen such as a liquid crystal or a diode, so that the user status of the network printer can be determined in real time at the place where the user confirmation device is arranged. Information can be obtained.
[0008]
According to another aspect of the present invention, a network printer is used as a user status display unit, and a control unit in the apparatus creates print data to be printed out by the network printer. It is a person confirmation device.
According to the user confirmation device of the network printer of the present invention, when the network printer is located near the user confirmation device, the print data is created by the user confirmation device and printed out by the network printer. In addition to making the user status information portable, providing a direct display device such as a display panel in the user confirmation device can be omitted.
[0009]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client terminal connected to a network, comprising a user confirmation signal processing module for responding to a user confirmation signal transmitted from the user confirmation device via the network. This is a user confirmation device for a network printer.
According to the user confirmation device of the network printer of the present invention, the user terminal is provided with a user confirmation signal processing module as a response device for a signal transmitted from the user confirmation device on the client terminal side, so that substantially the user The confirmation work can be reduced to the exchange of data between the two devices of the confirmation device and the user confirmation signal module, and the confirmation work is made more efficient.
[0010]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user of a network printer using a user confirmation device connected to a network including a plurality of client terminals, a printer server, and a network printer shared by the client terminals. This is a confirmation method, in which the user confirmation signal sent from the user confirmation device is transmitted only to the user confirmation signal processing module provided in the client terminal using the network printer to the user confirmation device main body. A method of confirming a user of a network printer, wherein information is returned, and a client terminal using the network printer is grasped at an arbitrary time from the network printer based on the return information.
According to the user confirmation method of the network printer of the present invention, the client terminal responding from the user confirmation signal processing module can be recognized as the current user of the network printer as it is, so that the user status in the user confirmation device can be recognized. Facilitates information aggregation processing.
[0011]
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer, wherein, when acquiring network printer user status information of a client terminal from a user confirmation device, a time required until information acquisition is completed is limited. This is a user confirmation method.
According to the user confirmation method of the network printer of the present invention, when a network failure has occurred or the client terminal is down, if a normal response to the user confirmation signal at that time is impossible, Even if it is impossible to collect the information, it is possible to reduce unnecessary waiting time by setting a limit on the time required for completing the information acquisition.
[0012]
Further, according to the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problem, the present invention relates to a case where a printer driver of a network printer for which confirmation of a user status is required exists on a client terminal, and at the same time is designated as a normally used driver. This is a network printer user confirmation method characterized by determining that the terminal is using the network printer.
Without a printer driver, a client cannot use a client even if it is connected to a printer. The network printer user confirmation method of the present invention utilizes a network printer that states that the printer driver of the network printer exists on the client terminal, and that the printer driver is specified as a normally used driver. The client is determined to be a user of the network printer when the necessary conditions for printing are satisfied. This is to improve the reliability of the user status information.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a user confirmation device and method for a network printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015]
A plurality of client terminals 20 and a printer server 2 are connected to the network 1. The network printer user confirmation device 10 of the present invention is located between the network 1 and the network printer 3, and the interface unit 14 inside the user confirmation device 10 includes a network interface 14 (a) and a printer interface 14 (b). ), And are connected to the network 1 and the printer device 3 respectively. Further, inside the user confirmation device 10, a user status confirmation switch 13, a display screen 12, a user data storage memory 15, and a control unit 11 are arranged. The control unit 11 communicates with the outside via the interface unit 14 when the user status confirmation switch 13 is pressed. More specifically, it transmits a user confirmation signal to the client terminal 20 and receives a response from the client terminal 20 regarding the usage status of the printer device 3. When the user status information is to be printed out by the printer device 3, the control unit 11 creates print data and controls the operations of the user data storage memory 15 and the display screen 12.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the client terminal 20 including the user confirmation signal processing module 26 therein.
[0017]
The client terminal 20 is connected to the network cable 1 by a network interface 21. The client terminal 20 is operated by an operating system (OS) 23, and the network interface 21 and the OS 23 are connected by a user confirmation signal processing module 26 and a plurality of network printer drivers 22. Among the one or more network printer drivers 22, only the driver of the network printer that is normally used is set. A local printer device 26 is connected to the client terminal 20 by a printer interface 25, and is connected to the OS 23 by one or more local printer drivers 24. The user confirmation signal processing module 26 is provided by being incorporated together with, for example, a network board or the like. Other parts of the client terminal 20 may be the same as the conventional components.
The user confirmation signal processing module 26 receives the user confirmation message transmitted from the user confirmation device 10, and is the printer device 3 in which the normally used network printer driver 22 is connected to the user confirmation device 10. If so, the user data is sent to the user confirmation device 10 through the network interface 31.
[0018]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the control unit 11 for the user confirmation apparatus and method for the network printer according to the present embodiment.
[0019]
First, when the user status confirmation switch 13 of the user confirmation device 10 is pressed, the processing operation of the control unit 11 starts (101). The control unit 11 notifies the user confirmation message that can be received by all the client terminals 20 connected to the network 1 via the network interface 14 (102). The user confirmation message includes IP address information for identifying the printer device 3 and the like.
In consideration of the network failure and the system down of the client terminal 20, a timeout is set based on the setting table 27 as shown in FIG. 4, and the collection of the usage status information is completed in a fixed time (104). Based on the user status information of the network printer returned from the client terminal 20, the user table 28 shown in FIG. 5 is stored in the user data storage memory 15 (103). Whether to display the user table 28 on the display screen 12 after the timeout or to print out by the printer device 3 is set in the setting contents of the user print confirmation item of the setting table 27 (OFF in FIG. 5: displayed on the display screen 12). It is determined based on (105). Then, the output is displayed on the determined output means (106, 107).
[0020]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the user confirmation signal processing module 26 for the user confirmation apparatus and method of the network printer according to the present embodiment.
[0021]
Upon receiving the user confirmation message sent from the user confirmation device 10, the user confirmation signal processing module 26 (201) first checks whether a printer driver of the network printer exists on the client terminal 20 in which the user confirmation signal processing module 26 is located. Confirmation (202). If a printer driver exists, it is determined that the output destination of the printer driver is the same printer device based on the identification IP address of the printer device confirmed by the user confirmation message. Then, it is confirmed whether or not the printer driver is set to the "normally used driver" (203). If the conditions are met, the user name is acquired from the OS 23 (204) and notified to the user confirmation device 10 (205). When the client terminal 20 has logged off or the power has been turned off, the user confirmation signal processing module 26 does not operate, so that no reply to the user confirmation device 10 is made.
[0022]
Embodiment 2
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0023]
The user confirmation device 10 is connected between the printer server 2 and the printer device 3, and the interface unit 14 has only the printer interface 14 (b). 2 shows a configuration provided by omitting the network interface 14 (a) from the user confirmation device 10 in the first embodiment.
[0024]
Embodiment 3
8 and 9 are block diagrams of a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
[0025]
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a configuration provided by connecting to the external printer server 2 except for the user data storage memory 15 from the user confirmation device 10. FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the first embodiment, and FIG. 9 shows the configuration in which the user data storage memory 15 is provided outside the configuration of the second embodiment. The user status information is confirmed on the printer server 2. It is effective when necessary.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for checking the usage status of a network printer at an arbitrary time, which is connected to a network including a plurality of client terminals, a printer server, and a network printer shared by the client terminals. The provision of this service eliminates the need to check with the network administrator or anyone who seems to be using the printer when the power of the network printer is turned off. But you can do it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a user confirmation apparatus and method of a network printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a client terminal including a user confirmation signal processing module therein.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a control unit.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a setting table.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a user table.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a user confirmation signal processing module.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a network printer user confirmation apparatus and method according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional network system.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 network 2 printer server 3 printer device 10 user confirmation device 11 control unit 12 display screen 13 user status confirmation switch 14 interface unit (a) network interface (b) printer interface 15 user data storage memory 20 client terminal 21 network interface 22 Network printer driver 23 OS
24 Local printer driver 25 Printer interface 26 User confirmation signal processing module 27 Setting table 28 User table

Claims (8)

An interface unit for connecting to a network including a plurality of client terminals, a print server, and a network printer shared by the client terminals; and an interface unit for controlling the interface unit to transmit a user confirmation signal to the client terminals. A control unit that transmits and receives a response from the client terminal regarding the usage status of the network printer, a user data storage memory that stores the client information received by the control unit, and a user status for notifying the usage status A network printer user confirmation device configured to display a client terminal using the network printer at an arbitrary time from the network printer side. 2. The network printer user confirmation device according to claim 1, further comprising a user status confirmation switch for starting the user status confirmation work of the network printer at an arbitrary time. 3. The user confirmation device for a network printer according to claim 1, wherein a display screen is provided inside the device as user status display means. 3. A user of the network printer according to claim 1, wherein a network printer is used as the user status display means, and a control unit in the apparatus creates print data to be printed out by the network printer. Confirmation device. The client terminal connected to the network, further comprising a user confirmation signal processing module for responding to a user confirmation signal transmitted from the user confirmation device via the network. 4. A user confirmation device of the network printer according to 4. A user confirmation method for a network printer using a user confirmation device connected to a network including a plurality of client terminals, a printer server, and a network printer shared by the client terminals, comprising: In response to the user confirmation signal sent from the server, only the user confirmation signal processing module provided in the client terminal using the network printer returns the information to the user confirmation device main body, and A method of confirming a user of a network printer, wherein a client terminal using the network printer is grasped at an arbitrary time from the network printer based on the network printer. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when acquiring the network printer use status information of the client terminal from the user confirmation device, a limit is imposed on a time required until the information acquisition is completed. A state in which the client terminal uses a network printer when the printer driver of the network printer whose user status is required to be confirmed exists on the client terminal and at the same time it is specified as the driver to be used normally 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the determination is made as follows.

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