Print processing system

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a print processing system, and more particularly to a distributed processing system in which processing functions are distributed and arranged on a network.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

In a distributed processing system in which processing functions such as client machines and print servers are distributed on the network, the document print output is output by issuing a print job to the print server from the client machine side such as a host computer or workstation. Obtainable. At this time, for advanced processing such as enlargement / reduction, 2-up (printing two pages of manuscript on one sheet of paper), staples and bindings, attributes for each processing from the client machine side (hereinafter, It can be executed by specifying (called an attribute). For example, protocols such as OSI's DPA protocol specify areas for specifying these rich attributes, making it easy to specify attributes related to advanced processing.

【0003】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, the general protocols supported by traditional printers allow you to specify only basic attributes such as number of copies and paper size, so to take advantage of the advanced features mentioned above, increase the attributes that your printer can support. The protocol must be extended to. However, when the protocol was extended, the program on the client machine side that had been used until then could not handle it, so the program itself had to be changed.

【0004】

An object of the present invention is to provide a print processing system capable of executing advanced functions provided by a printer without changing a program or the like.

【0005】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, in the print processing system according to the present invention, the print request generation unit that generates the print request is provided with a header information unit addition means that adds a header information unit that describes attributes related to the processing content to the print request. The print processing execution unit on the side that executes the print processing is provided with a header information unit extraction means for extracting the header information unit added to the received print request, and a header information unit extracted by the header information unit extraction means. Provide an attribute interpretation means for interpreting the attributes described in, and when a header information section is added to the received print request, execute the document print processing according to the attributes described in the header information section. It is characterized by.

【0006】

The print request may be, for example, a print job issuing mail sent from the client machine to the print server, or a print job generated by the client machine and sent to the print server. In either case, a header information section that describes the attributes specified by the client is added to the print request.

【0007】

[Action]

The header information unit addition means of the print request generation unit adds a header information unit that describes the attributes specified to the client to the print request. This print request is passed to the print processing execution unit. When the header information unit is added to the print request passed from the print request generation unit, the header information unit extraction means of the print processing execution unit extracts the header information unit and passes it to the attribute interpretation unit. The attribute interpreting means interprets the attributes described in the header information section, and sets the document after that as the document to be printed. The print process execution unit executes the document print process according to the specified attributes.

【0008】

[Example]

Hereinafter, an embodiment in the case where the print processing system according to the present invention is applied to an e-mail system will be described with reference to the drawings.

【0009】

Figure 2 shows the overall configuration of the e-mail system in this embodiment. This system consists of workstations 11 (1 to n) that have e-mail sending / receiving functions and a print server 12 (hereinafter also referred to as a server) that executes print processing, and each device is on network 10. It is connected.

【0010】

Workstation 11 receives print instructions from the client via the user interface. The client can issue a print job on the server by adding a header information part in which attributes related to the print process are described in text to the document to be printed and sending it to the server as a print job issue mail. In addition, a response to these inquiries can be obtained from the server by sending an e-mail inquiring about the attributes of the print job that has already been issued and an e-mail inquiring about the printer's ability.

【0011】

Figure 3 shows a description example of the print job issuance email. In FIG. 3, the first line ## Attribute Description indicates the beginning of the header information section, and the ## end line indicates the end of the header information section. Each attribute of the header information part is expressed in the format of Attribute-Type: Value, Value, .... Attribute-Type (eg job-name) indicates the type of the attribute and what it is for. Value Indicates the value of the attribute and is expressed in a different format depending on the attribute type. For example, job-name contains a character string, copy-count contains an integer such as 1, 2, 3 ... If the attribute has multiple values, specify those values separated by commas. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the job name is "Patent Document", the number of copies is 1, the paper size is A4, 2-up (two pages of images are placed on one sheet), double-sided printing is performed, and finally stapled and bound. An attribute that means to make a hole for is specified. Subsequent documents are PostScript (trademark) format data.

【0012】

Also, if you use a mail protocol that can send multiple message bodies, you can put the text of the header information part in the first message and publish multiple document prints as one print job. It is possible. Figure 4 shows a description example of the print job issuance email in this case. In the example of Fig. 4, the line "## Document" indicates the document delimiter, and the print attributes of the following documents are specified in order. Until the first document delimiter (## Document) appears, attributes related to the entire job are specified, and this applies to all documents. The operator of the client machine creates these header information parts using a mail editor or the like, and sends them to the server together with the document by an e-mail application. Alternatively, a graphical user interface as shown in FIG. 5 may be prepared, a header information section may be created by this tool, and the document may be sent to the server by e-mail. In FIG. 5, icon 22 in window 21 represents the file of the document to be printed, and icon 23 represents the printer or print server that performs the print process. When the client places the unshown cursor over the file icon 22 and clicks the mouse button, then places the cursor over the desired printer icon 23 and clicks the mouse button, a window for checking the attributes. 24 opens and you can see the attributes specified in the print job issue email before transferring the print job.

【0013】

The print server 12 has a virtual user's mailbox (not shown) as a print system, and the client sends an email to this virtual user's mailbox to (1) issue a print job and (2) print job. You can inquire about attributes and (3) printer capacity. Figure 1 shows the functional modules of the print server 12.

【0014】

The mail receiving unit 31 is connected to the network 30 and receives the mail in the mailbox of the virtual user set in the print server 12. The received mail is passed to the mail command analysis unit 32.

【0015】

The mail command analysis unit 32 looks at the subject of the mail, determines whether the mail is a print job issue mail, an attribute inquiry mail, or a printer capability inquiry mail, and depending on the content of the mail, determines whether the mail is a print job issue mail, an attribute inquiry mail, or a printer capability inquiry mail. Allocate to job reception unit 33, attribute processing unit 34, and header information template management unit 35.

【0016】

The job reception unit 33 extracts attributes from the header information unit in the print job issuance mail, creates a print job having these attributes, assigns an appropriate job identifier to the attributes, and sends the job to the job control unit 37. hand off. Further, in order to notify the client that the job has been accepted, a print job acceptance email is created and passed to the email transmission unit 36.

【0017】

The attribute processing unit 34 reads the target job identifier and the required attribute type from the attribute inquiry mail, and queries the job control unit 37 for the job attributes. Then, an attribute reply mail is created based on the result, and this is passed to the mail sending unit 36.

【0018】

The header information template management unit 35 takes out the template of the header information unit held by the print server 12 as a template file, creates a template reply mail based on this template, and passes it to the mail transmission unit 36.

【0019】

The mail transmission unit 36 is connected to the network 30 and transmits the mail passed from each of the above units to the target client.

【0020】

When the print job created by the job reception unit 33 is passed, the job control unit 37 sends the job to the job processing unit 38 corresponding to the instruction until all the instructions are completed in order to execute the print instruction attached to the job. Repeat scheduling such as passing and requesting processing. Since a plurality of jobs are retained in the server at the same time, spooling and queue management are executed in the job control unit 37.

【0021】

The job processing unit 38 is a part that processes one or a plurality of print instructions, and n job processing units 38 are arranged. The job processing unit (1) is a format converter that has the function of converting the original format to another format, and the job processing unit (2) is the image processing function of the copier such as reduction, enlargement, and rotation, and functions such as noise removal. The image processor and the job processing unit (n) are notifiers that notify the user who issued the print instruction that the job processing has been completed. The job processing unit also includes a decomposer (not shown) that has a function of expanding the manuscript into image information. The image data that has been subjected to the necessary processing by the job processing unit 38 is passed to the designated job output unit 39 and printed out.

【0022】

The job output unit 39 is provided corresponding to one or a plurality of printer devices, and is also connected to a network interface (not shown). N job output units 39 are provided, job output units (1) and (2) output jobs, that is, print to an output medium, and job output units (n) execute redirection. Printing on an output medium means actually printing on paper. An output unit that executes this exists corresponding to a printer device (not shown) controlled by a server. Further, the redirect means to transfer the job to another server when the server cannot process it.

【0023】

Next, the operation when the client uses the e-mail function to (1) issue a print job, (2) inquire about the attributes of the print job, and (3) inquire about the printer capacity will be described.

【0024】

(1) Issuing a print job The client can issue a print job on the server by sending an e-mail (print job issuance e-mail) by adding a header information part describing attributes to the document to be printed. That is, the server that receives the print job issuance mail interprets the attributes specified from the text of the header information section, creates a print job having these attributes, and assigns an appropriate job identifier. Then, the client is notified of an email indicating that the print job has been received. Figure 6 shows an example of a mail sent back to the client by the server that received the print job in the mail shown in Figure 3. The email shown in FIG. 6 contains a copy of the specified header information section, as well as the time the job was received and the assigned job identifier information (jobID).

【0025】

(2) Inquiry about print job attributes The client sends an email inquiring about the attributes of a print job that has already been published. In this mail, the job identifier notified from the server in (1) and the attribute name for which the value is to be queried are described. The server that receives this email searches for the information of the specified job and returns the value of the specified attribute by email. Figure 7 shows a description example of the attribute inquiry mail. In this email, specify the job identifier returned in the print job reception email in Fig. 6 as the subject, and list the names of the attributes you want to inquire in the email body. You can also query the values of all attributes by writing nothing in the text. Figure 8 shows a description example of the mail returned by the server to the client in response to this mail.

【0026】

(3) Inquiry about printer capacity When the client wants to know the printer's ability to perform the print process, it sends an email inquiring about the printer's ability. The server that receives this mail takes out the text template of the header information part used in issuing the print job in (1) and returns it to the client by mail. This template describes all the values that can be specified as attributes. When the client issues a print job in (1), it creates a print job email by editing this template. Figure 9 shows a description example of the printer capability inquiry email. The server is the subject of the email By (Subject), it is known that the client needs the template of the header information part, and the template reply mail as shown in Fig. 10 is returned to the client. In this email, the values that can be specified for each attribute are shown separated by "/". The client selects the value to be specified from these specifiable values and edits this mail text to create a print job issuance mail as shown in Fig. 3. The template shown in FIG. 10 also contains attributes related to job status (job identifier and status, time published, etc.). These attributes cannot be included in the print job issue email, but can be specified in the attribute inquiry email described later.

【0027】

Next, the processing procedure of the print server 12 when receiving an email from the client will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

【0028】

When the mail receiving unit 31 receives the mail (step 101), the mail command analysis unit 32 determines what the request for the mail is and passes the mail to the module corresponding to the request (step 102).

【0029】

If the mail request is a print job issuance in step 102, the mail is passed to the job reception unit 33. The job reception unit 33 interprets the attributes specified in the header information unit of the passed mail, creates a print job having these attributes (step 103), and assigns a job identifier (step 104). Subsequently, a print job reception email is created and notified to the client by email (step 105), and the job is passed to the job control unit 37. The job control unit 37 registers the passed jobs (step 106), extracts the jobs in sequence, analyzes the contents, and if format change, image processing, etc. are required, starts each job processing unit 38 and gives an instruction. Execute the processed processing (step 107 to step 110). When the required processing is executed, the job control unit 37 selects the specified job output unit 39 (step 111), and if it is a directly connected printer (step 112 Y), it selects the printer. Start up and execute the printing process (step 113). If the specified job output unit 39 is not a directly connected printer (step 112 "N"), the redirector is started and the job at this time is transferred to another server that can process it (step 114).

【0030】

When the job control unit 37 instructs the notification of the processing result at the end of the processing (step 115 "Y"), the notifier is started and the quatant who has requested the printing processing is informed of the "print processing". Notify the processing result such as "end" or "transfer to another server" (step 116).

【0031】

If the mail request is an attribute inquiry in step 102, the mail is passed to the attribute processing unit 34. The attribute processing unit 34 acquires the job identifier and the attribute type described in the email, creates an attribute reply email, and sends the email by email (steps 117 and 118).

【0032】

If the mail request is a printer capability inquiry in step 102, the mail is passed to the header information unit template management unit 35. The header information unit template management unit 35 acquires the header information template held by the server, creates a template reply mail, and sends it by mail (steps 119 and 120).

【0033】

In the above-mentioned e-mail system, the print job is issued according to the print job issuance mail sent from the client. However, the print job with the header information part added is received from the client, and the print job is sent on the server side. It is also possible to interpret the attributes specified in the header information section and perform the print process according to these attributes.

【0034】

In this case, the job reception unit constantly monitors the jobs sent by the network or a synchronization mechanism similar thereto, and when a job is sent, normalizes it and passes it to the job control unit. Normalization means unifying jobs sent in various formats into the job format specified by this server. When the job reception section normalizes a job, it examines the header of the document, and when the header information section is added to it (when there is an identification symbol indicating the existence of the header information section), the header information section Extracts the text, interprets the attributes specified in it, and normalizes the job with these attributes. When the header information part does not exist (when there is no identification symbol indicating the existence of the header information part), the job is normalized according to the normal print processing expected by the protocol. A normalized job consists of one or more manuscripts, each corresponding to one or more pages, print instructions that are valid for all of them, and print instructions that are valid only for a particular manuscript. .. The job control unit to which the normalized job is passed by the job reception unit executes the processes of steps 107 to 116 in FIG.

【0035】

You can also use the file transfer function to publish a print job. In this case, you can print the document by setting a printer directory that can store the document on the server side, transferring the document to this printer directory, and then sending the file of the header information part. It is possible. In this case, it is not necessary for the document to follow the header information section, and printing of a plurality of documents can be treated as one job.

【0036】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, in the print processing system according to the present invention, a header information unit that describes attributes is added to the print request, and when the header information unit is added to the print request to be processed, the header information unit is added. Since the attributes described in are interpreted and the print process is executed according to the attributes specified there, the client can use the communication function by the existing protocol and the printer without changing the program etc. It is possible to execute the advanced functions provided by.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

Diagram showing the functional modules of the print server [Figure 2]

Overall configuration diagram of the e-mail system [Fig. 3]

Diagram showing a description example of a print job issuance email [Fig. 4]

Diagram showing a description example of a print job issuance email [Fig. 5]

Diagram showing a display example of the user interface [Fig. 6]

Diagram showing a description example of the print job reception email [Fig. 7]

Diagram showing a description example of an attribute inquiry email [Fig. 8]

Diagram showing a description example of attribute reply mail [Fig. 9]

The figure which shows the description example of the printer capacity inquiry mail [Fig. 10]

Diagram showing a description example of a template reply email [Fig. 11]

Flowchart showing the processing procedure of the print server [Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Workstation (client machine), 12 ... Print server, 31 ... Mail receiver, 32 ... Mail command analysis department, 33 ... Job reception department, 34 ... Attribute processing department , 35 ... Header information template management unit, 36 ... Mail transmission unit, 37 ... Job control unit, 38 ... Job processing unit, 39 ... Job output unit