JP2003150350A - Program and management device for network system including printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a program for a network system including a printer and for correctly selecting a printer with the fastest print completion time as a transmitting destination. SOLUTION: When a printer to be connected with a network is in a power save mode, net print time except restoration time required for the printer to be restored to a standby mode, image data processing time for a new print job to which a transmission request is issued and an image processing is calculated. The print completion time regarding the print job is calculated based on a comparison result between first time to be obtained by adding prescribed time according to the print job to the image data processing time and second time to be obtained by adding the print time to the restoration time. The printer with the fastest calculated print completion time is selected as the transmitting destination of the print job.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program for a network system including a printer, and more particularly to a program for causing a computer or a printer to calculate a print completion time. The present invention also relates to a management apparatus that causes a computer or a printer to calculate a print completion time for a network system including a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), where a client computer and a plurality of printers are connected to each other, a print job is printed to a printer which can complete a print job in the shortest time. There is a request from the client to send. In order to meet such demands, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 11-212743 and 5-284263
In the technology described in Japanese Patent Publication, the time required for each printer to acquire the status (state) of the printer and to return to the printable status of the printer (the time required to recover from the error status and the fixing heater). And the time required to print the print image on the paper is calculated (estimated) from the sum of the time required to print the print image on the paper (this is called the "print completion time"). ing. Then, the printer that has the fastest print completion time is selected from the plurality of printers and the print job is transmitted.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned method, the generation of print image data is completed during the recovery time required for the printer to return to the printable status, and the paper is immediately printed after the recovery time elapses. It is assumed that you can start printing on. Therefore, if the generation of print image data is not completed during the printer return time, the print completion time cannot be calculated accurately. Therefore, the above-described method has a problem in that the printer having the shortest print completion time cannot be correctly selected as the destination of the print job, and as a result, the printer having the slow print completion time is selected.

For example, when an attempt is made to send a print job for printing a document having more images than text from a client computer to a low-end color printer, the time required for print image data generation in the client computer is longer than the printer recovery time. Tends to be long. In an extreme case, the time required to generate the print image data may exceed the sum of the printer return time and the net print time (the net time required to print on the paper excluding the image data processing). In such a case, the method described above cannot accurately calculate the print completion time, and cannot select an appropriate printer as the destination of the print job.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a program and management device for a network system including a printer, which can correctly select a printer having the fastest print completion time as a destination of a print job. is there.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a computer or printer for a network system in which a computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a network. This is a program to be executed. For each printer, the first step of determining whether the printer status is power save mode, standby mode, print job execution or spooling, and the printer status is power When the printer is in save mode, it takes time to restore the printer status from power save mode to standby mode, the image data processing time required to process image data for a new print job requested to be sent, and the image. Data processing The second step of calculating or obtaining the net print time required for printing on the paper for the print job except the first step, and the first step obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time. And a second step of calculating a print completion time for the print job based on a comparison result of the second time obtained by adding the print time to the return time, and executing the third step. The fourth step of selecting the printer having the earliest calculated print completion time as the destination of the print job is executed.

Here, the "computer" broadly refers to, for example, a personal computer in which a printer driver is installed or a server in which a utility program for selecting a printer and instructing a print job is installed.

A "printer" refers to a device that forms an image according to a received print job. Therefore, this printer also includes, for example, a copying machine having a communication function.

The "standby mode" is one of the statuses set in the printer, and when the print image data generation is completed, the print image can be immediately printed on the paper. is there. In this standby mode, power is supplied to a printer controller, a controller such as an engine controller, a driving load such as a fixing heater, and a sensing device such as a temperature sensor.

The "power save mode" refers to the sleep mode or preheat mode described below.

The "preheat mode" is a status which is set in place of the standby mode when the printer is kept in the standby mode for a predetermined time. For the purpose of power saving, a controller such as a printer controller or an engine controller is powered by a power source. However, the power supply to the driving load such as the fixing heater is cut off or the power supply amount is reduced.

The "sleep mode" is a status which is set in place of the standby mode when the printer maintains the standby mode for a predetermined time, and for the purpose of power saving, the power supply for elements other than the network interface is cut off. It is in the state of having done. In this sleep mode,
Power to the printer controller other than the network interface, the controller such as the engine controller, the driving load such as the fixing heater, and the sensing device such as the temperature sensor is shut off. In addition, when shifting from the standby mode to the sleep mode, the sleep mode may be shifted via the preheat mode.

"Image data processing" refers to the processing of generating bitmap image data from data on application software, and means generating all image data in a print job. This "image data processing" may be performed by any computer or printer connected to the network, or may be shared between the computer and the printer. For example, the client computer may perform all the processing from application software data to bitmap image data generation (in this case,
The printer does not perform image data processing but only prints bitmap image data. ). Alternatively, the client computer performs processing from data on the application software to generation of PDL data (data in the page description language), and the printer (controller) performs processing from generation of PDL data to bitmap image data for printing. Is also good.

The definitions of terms such as "computer", "power save mode", "standby mode", etc. are the same throughout this specification.

According to the program of claim 1, the following processing is executed for each printer connected to the network. First, it is determined whether the status of the printer is power save mode, standby mode, print job execution or spooling (first step). Next, when the printer status is power save mode, the recovery time required for the printer status to return from the power save mode to the standby mode, and the image data processing for a new print job requested to be transmitted. And the net print time required for printing on the paper for the print job excluding the image data processing are calculated or acquired (second step). Next, based on a result of comparison between a first time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time and a second time obtained by adding the print time to the recovery time. Then, the print completion time for the print job is calculated (third step). Then, of the plurality of printers connected to the network, the printer having the earliest calculated print completion time is selected as the destination of the print job (fourth).
Step).

As described above, according to the program of the first aspect, the first time obtained by adding the predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time,
Second obtained by adding the print time to the return time
The print completion time for the print job is calculated based on the result of comparison with the time. Therefore,
Even if the image data processing time is longer than the restoration time or the second time, the print completion time can be calculated correctly. As a result, the printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

Incidentally, in the "first time", "adding a predetermined time depending on a print job" to "image data processing time" means that, depending on the print job, it may occur before printing on paper. Since it may be required that the image data processing (expansion) up to the page has been completed, such a print job can be delayed for that amount of time (for the pages to be processed after the start of printing on the paper is delayed). Data processing time). If there is no such request, "predetermined time depending on the print job"
Is set to zero.

The program according to claim 2 is the program according to claim 1.
In the program described in (1), the image data processing time and the print time are collectively obtained for the print jobs for which the transmission request is made, and when the first time exceeds the second time, the net It is characterized in that the print completion time is obtained by adding a time required for printing on the paper after the image data processing to the second time out of the print time.

In many print jobs, not only the return from the power save mode to the standby mode, but also the printing on the paper is performed overlapping with the generation of the printer image data in terms of time. According to the program of claim 2, when the first time exceeds the second time, the net printing time is equal to the time required for printing on the paper after the image data processing. The print completion time is obtained by adding to the second time. Therefore, the print completion time can be calculated correctly,
The printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

The program according to claim 3 is the program according to claim 1.
In the program described in [3], the image data processing time and the print time are collectively obtained for the print jobs for which the transmission request has been made, and when the first time exceeds the return time, Is added to the second time to obtain the print completion time.

Depending on the print job, there are cases where it is required that the print image data generation and the printing on the paper be performed serially without temporal overlap. In such a case, according to the program of the third aspect, when the first time exceeds the recovery time, the print completion time corrected by the exceeded time is obtained. Therefore, the print completion time can be calculated correctly,
The printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

The program according to claim 4 is the program according to claim 1.
In the program described in [3], the second step is a step of calculating an elapsed time after shifting from the standby mode to the power save mode when the printer status is the power save mode, and returning from the elapsed time. And a step of calculating time.

According to the program of claim 4, it is judged whether or not the printer is in the power save mode, and the printer is returned to the standby mode from the elapsed time after the printer shifts from the standby mode to the power save mode. The recovery time required for the printer is calculated, and the printer with the fastest print completion time is selected based on the calculated recovery time. Therefore, even if there is a printer waiting in the power save mode in the network system, the printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

A program according to claim 5 is the program according to claim 1.
In the second step, when the status of the printer is print job execution or spool, in the second step, the print completion time of the print job in execution or spool is calculated or obtained, and In the three steps, the print completion time of the new print job for which the transmission request is made is calculated from the time when the printing of the print job being executed or spooling is completed.

In the program according to the fifth aspect, when the status of the printer connected to the network is print job execution or spooling, the time taken to complete printing of the print job being executed or spooled is taken into consideration. The print completion time of a new print job for which a transmission request has been made is calculated. Therefore, the print completion time can be correctly calculated, and the printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

When the program according to claim 1 is executed by a computer or a printer, the following management method is realized. That is, a management method executed by the computer or printer for a network system in which a computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, wherein the status of each printer is the power save mode, The first step of determining whether the printer is in the standby mode, print job execution, or spooling, and when the status of the printer is the power save mode,
The recovery time required for the status of the printer to return from the power save mode to the standby mode, the image data processing time required to process the image data for the new print job requested to be transmitted, and the A second step of calculating or obtaining a net print time required for printing on paper for a print job; a first time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time; A third step of calculating a print completion time for the print job based on a comparison result with a second time obtained by adding the print time to the return time.
And the step of selecting the printer with the earliest calculated print completion time among the plurality of printers as the destination of the print job.

According to this management method, the first time obtained by adding the predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time and the second time obtained by adding the print time to the recovery time. The print completion time for the print job is calculated based on the comparison result with the time. Therefore, even if the image data processing time is longer than the restoration time or the second time, the print completion time can be correctly calculated. As a result, the printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a management device for a network system in which a computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, and the status of each printer is the power save mode. First means for determining whether the printer is in the standby mode or in the execution of the print job or in the spool, and when the status of the printer is the power save mode, the status of the printer is returned from the power save mode to the standby mode. Recovery time, image data processing time required for image data processing for a new print job for which transmission was requested, and net printing time required for printing on paper for that print job excluding image data processing Calculate or obtain And a second time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time, and a second time obtained by adding the print time to the recovery time. A third means for calculating a print completion time for the print job based on the result, and selecting a printer having the earliest calculated print completion time among the plurality of printers as a destination of the print job. It is characterized by having four means.

When the management device according to the sixth aspect operates, the same operational effect as the case where the program according to the first aspect is executed can be obtained. That is, the management apparatus according to claim 7 is a first time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time, and a second time obtained by adding the print time to the return time. The print completion time for the print job is calculated based on the result of comparison with the time. Therefore, even if the image data processing time is longer than the restoration time or the second time, the print completion time can be correctly calculated. As a result, the printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

[0030]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a LAN (Local Area Network) 90 of a user company to which the present invention is applied.

.. (hereinafter referred to as "1" to the LAN 90 via printer controllers 2-1, 2-2, ... (hereinafter referred to as "2-x").
-X ". ) Is connected, and client devices 3-1, 3-2, ... (Hereinafter referred to as “3-y”.)
And printer 1-x and printer controller 2-x
Is connected to a printer server 91 that manages.

The LAN 90 is connected to the Internet 80 via a firewall 81 and a router 82. The firewall 81 has a packet filtering function, a proxy function, and the like, and is a packet in which a source IP address (host name), a destination IP address (host name), a source port number, a destination port number, and data satisfy predetermined conditions. Only allow passage. Therefore, only predetermined packets can be transmitted from the Internet 80 to the printer controller 2-x in the LAN 90. In this example, communication by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) can pass through the firewall. Router 82
Performs routing control.

Further, the LAN 90 is connected to a mail server 83 which performs a service of collecting and distributing electronic mail. The printer controller 2-x downloads the e-mail with the image information attached from the mail server 83. The image information (image data) extracted from the e-mail is passed to the printer 1-x for print processing.

FIG. 2 shows the printer (image forming apparatus) 1-
The block configuration of x is shown.

This printer 1-x is generally an MFP.
It is called (Multiple Function Peripheral), and has a function of scanning a document image and printing the copied image on a sheet (hereinafter referred to as copy job), and the client device 3
-The function to print the image received from y or the image received via e-mail via the mail server (hereinafter referred to as print job), and the original image is scanned to send the image information via e-mail , Image information transmission job) function.

Also, this printer 1-x is a multi-CP
It is a device controlled by U (Central Processing Unit), and corresponds to each CPU. Four control modules 11 to 14 (engine controller) shown in FIG.
Is equipped with. In this example, the module refers to a functional block that executes a control function including a CPU or a control circuit including the CPU.

The control module 11 is the control module 1
2 to 14 to send the control command / control information to the printer 1-x
CPU 111 that controls the overall control of the device, a rewritable flash ROM (nonvolatile memory) 112 that stores the firmware, and an S-RAM 11 that serves as a work area.
3, a battery-backed NV-RAM (nonvolatile memory) 114 for storing various setting values, a serial I / F (interface) 115 for transmitting and receiving various control data to and from the control module 12, and control Serial I / F 116 for transmitting / receiving various data to / from the module 13, and serial I / F 11 for transmitting / receiving various control data to / from the printer controller 2-x.
7 and an operation panel 119. Further, the control module 11 receives the image data of the print job from the printer controller 2-x, the image data of the read image from the control module 13, and the image data of the read image received from the control module 13 to the printer. A video I / F 118 for transmitting to the controller 2-x is provided.

The control module 12 executes print control such as drive control of various drive loads of the printer 1-x C.
A PU 121, a rewritable flash ROM (nonvolatile memory) 122 storing its firmware,
Battery-backed NV-RA for storing various setting values and S-RAM 123 as a work area
M124, a serial I / F 125 for transmitting and receiving various control data to and from the control module 11, a serial I / F 126 for transmitting and receiving various control data to and from the control module 14, and a motor heater in the printer 1-x. A switch, for example, a print load control I / O (input / output) and a GA (gate array) 127, which are drive control circuits for various drive loads such as a fixing roller having a built-in heater, are provided.

The control module 13 is a CP for executing scanning control and image processing control of the original image of the printer 1-x.
U131, a rewritable flash ROM (nonvolatile memory) 132 storing the firmware thereof, an S-RAM 133 serving as a work area, and an image input unit 138 for driving and controlling a CCD or the like and inputting photoelectrically converted image data. And image data processed by executing various image processing such as binarization processing such as shading correction, reflectance, density conversion, MTF correction, density correction, and error diffusion on the image data from the image input unit. Image processing ASIC (Appl output to control module 14 or control module 11)
ication Specific Integrated Circuit) 137, a battery-backed NV-RAM 134 for storing various setting values, a serial I / F 135 for transmitting / receiving various control data to / from the control module 11,
IR load control I / O which is a drive control circuit for various drive loads such as a scanning motor and a scanning lamp of an image reading apparatus (IR)
(Input / output) and GA (gate array) 136.

The control module 14 executes the image quality correction control / image output control for the printer 1-x.
41, a rewritable flash ROM 142 storing the firmware, and an SR serving as a work area
AM 143, image quality correction control GA (gate array) 146 for executing image quality control such as smoothing, halftone reproduction processing, image quality correction, etc., and laser diode (LD) etc. according to output image data from image quality correction control GA 146. Image output unit 147 for driving and controlling and outputting an image, and a battery-backed NV- for storing various setting values.
A RAM 144 and a serial I / F 145 for transmitting / receiving various control data to / from the control module 12 are provided.

FIG. 3 shows a block configuration of the printer controller 2-x.

This printer controller 2-x is a CP
U201 and EP-ROM (nonvolatile memory) 202
, A NIC (network interface card) 208, a fixed storage device (non-volatile memory) 205 such as a hard disk, an image expansion unit 210, an S-RAM 203 serving as a work area, various set values and management Battery-backed NV-R for storing information
AM 204.

The CPU 201 receives a print job from a client device 3-y, which will be described later, job management / firmware management, image processing control of a print image, data conversion of image information received by electronic mail, and electronic mail. The data conversion of the image information to be transmitted by, the transmission / reception control of the e-mail with the image information attached, and the control of the firmware rewriting are executed. EP-ROM 202 is a CPU
201 stores a control program for executing those processes. The NIC 208 is the client device 3-y.
It works to send and receive various data relating to the reception of a print job from the printer, the transmission of image information to another printer, and the like to and from the LAN 90. Fixed storage device 205 such as a hard disk
Stores a print job and an image information transmission job received from the client device 3-y. Image development unit 210
Although not shown in detail, an interpreter for converting print data described in PDL (Page Description Language) for a received print job into an intermediate code, font information and font data for analyzing the intermediate code Is stored, a RAM for storing bitmap data, and a drawing processing unit for expanding the bitmap data expanded from the intermediate code in the RAM.

In the NV-RAM 204, in addition to the IP address of the printer (hereinafter referred to as “own device” as appropriate) 1-x controlled by this printer controller 2-x, this printer controller 2-x own device 1 -X, the IP address of the mail server required to download the e-mail message from the mail server 83, the name of the e-mail account of the own device 1-x and the other printer to which the image information is transmitted, and The password etc. are stored. The CPU 201 stores the status of the device 1-x in the NV-RAM 204. The statuses stored are, for example, a busy mode during execution of a print job, a standby mode in which a print image can be printed on paper immediately after generation of print image data, and a sleep mode in which the main power is cut off for the purpose of power saving. , Which of the dead modes does not respond at all due to a failure or the like?

The printer controller 2-x is connected to the serial I / F 206 and the video I / F 207 via the serial I / F 206 and the video I / F 207.
The serial I / F 117 in the printer 1-x shown therein,
Each of them is connected to the video I / F 118. Further, the printer controller 2-x is provided with an operation panel 209 for making various operation settings.

In the above structure, the control modules 11 to 14 of the printer 1-x execute communication via the serial I / F. Normally, control commands and control parameters are transmitted and received between the CPUs of each module via the serial I / F.

--- NI of the printer controller 2-x
C208-image development unit 210-video I / F 207-video I / F 118 of control module 11-image quality correction control GA 146 of control module 14-image output unit 147
During (input of print image data from the client device 3-y), the image input unit 138 of the control module 13-image processing ASIC 137-image quality correction control GA 146-image output unit 147 (input of original image data from the image reading device). Between) are connected by a relatively high-speed data bus for transferring image data.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a power supply circuit 40 which executes power supply control for the printer controller 2-x and the control modules 11-14 of the printer 1-x. The power supply circuit 40 includes a large-capacity main power supply 41 for supplying power to the printer 1-x and a printer controller 2-x.
A small-capacity sub power supply 42 for supplying power to the main power supply 41 and a power switch 43 for turning on / off the main power supply 41 and the sub power supply 42 are provided.

When a print job execution request is received from the LAN 90 via the NIC 208 or an activation request is input via the panel 209, the CPU 201 causes the PMP
It works as a (Power Management Processor) and outputs a power-on command signal to the main power supply 41. The main power supply 41 is turned on by this power-on command signal, and power is supplied to the control modules 11 to 14 and various drive loads in the printer 1-x. If the print job is not received for a predetermined time after the print job is executed, or the activation request is not input from the panel 209, the CPU 201
Outputs a power cutoff command signal to the main power supply 41. The main power supply 41 is shut off by the power shutoff command signal, and the control modules 11 to 14 in the printer 1-x are shut down.
And the power to various drive loads is cut off. On the other hand, as long as the power switch 43 is turned on, the printer controller 2-x is always supplied with power from the sub power supply 42.

FIG. 6 shows a block configuration of the client device 3-y.

The client device 3-y has a CPU 30.
1, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, a fixed storage device (nonvolatile memory) 304 such as a hard disk, a display control unit 3
05, the input control unit 306 and the NIC 307 are mounted on the main body. Furthermore, the display 32
Is connected to the keyboard 33 and the mouse 34 via the input control unit 306 via the display control unit 305. The client device 3-y is connected to the LAN 90 via the NIC 307.

The ROM 302 stores a document editing application program, an image editing application program, and a printer driver to be executed by the CPU 301. The printer driver creates print job data including job control information, page control information, and print image data described in page description language (PDL). The job control information includes a job identifier, a job name, a job sender name, a job destination (I of the image forming apparatus).
P address), job relay destination (print server IP
Address), the number of copies of a job, a job processing mode (which sets a job mode such as priority job, non-priority job, job composition, and job division), and the like, and control information for each printer for the printer 1-x. Becomes The page control information is control information for printing print data such as a document identifier, a document name, double-sided printing, a paper size, a paper feed port to be selected, and a paper discharge mode on paper. The print image data described in the page description language (PDL) is obtained by converting the application data stored by the application program into data that can be interpreted by the printer controller 2-x. While the printer driver is being activated, a predetermined operation screen is displayed on the display 32, and the input of various keys and mouse of the operator of the client device 3-y is accepted, and the job control information and the page control information are created accordingly. . When a print request is input on the operation screen, the application data is converted into print image data in page description language (PDL), and the print job is requested to the printer 1-x designated by the job control information. Issue and send print job data. The printer 1-x executes print control according to the received job control information and page control information, and prints the print data. Further, as described below, the client device 3-y
The print completion time of the requested print job is received from the print server 91 and displayed on the display 32.

FIG. 5 shows a block configuration of the printer server 91.

The printer server 91 is a computer having the same hardware as the client device 3-y, and includes a CPU 901, a ROM 902, a RAM 903, and a hardware.
Fixed storage device (non-volatile memory) 90 such as a hard disk
4, display control unit 905, input control unit 906 and NIC
907 is mounted on the main body. Furthermore, in this body,
The display 92 is connected to the display control unit 905, and the keyboard 93 and the mouse 94 are connected to the input control unit 906. This printer server 91 is N
It is connected to the LAN 90 via the IC 907.

The ROM 902 stores the following control program to be executed by the CPU 901. Although this control program will be described in detail later, when the operator tries to send a print job from the client device 3-y, the printer which has the fastest print completion time among the plurality of printers 1-x connected to the LAN 90 is sent. The process selected as the destination is executed.

The RAM 903 stores the status of each printer 1-x received from each printer controller 2-x via the LAN 90. A printer 1-x
When the status of the printer 1-x shifts from the standby mode to the sleep mode, the CPU 901 counts the elapsed time after the status of the printer 1-x shifts to the sleep mode. Then, the elapsed time is stored in the RAM 903 in real time.

In the fixed storage device 904 such as a hard disk, in order for the CPU 901 to calculate the recovery time, the elapsed time from the transition to the sleep mode and the elapsed time for each printer 1-x are calculated. A table (corresponding to FIG. 9) showing the correspondence with the fixing roller temperature, the fixing roller temperature in the sleep mode and the recovery time required to start from the state of the fixing roller temperature and reach the standby mode (warm-up completion time) ) Is stored in the table (illustrated in FIG. 10).

Since the power of the fixing roller is cut off in the sleep mode, when the printer 1-x enters the sleep mode for a long time, as shown in the left end portion of FIG. 7, the fixing roller temperature is room temperature. It is _TL . At this time, if there is a print request, the power is supplied to the fixing roller, the fixing roller temperature is increased from room temperature T _L, to a temperature T _H which is required in the standby mode. Therefore, the print from a print request is initiated will after the temperature difference (T H _{-T L)} recovery time t ₀ corresponding to has elapsed. Further, after the completion of printing, a predetermined time t ₁
If the print job is not received during the period, the mode shifts from the standby mode to the sleep mode again. Then, for example, as shown in the central portion of FIG. 7, if the elapsed time from the shift from the standby mode to the sleep mode is t ₂ , the fixing roller temperature at that time is obtained from the temperature gradient in the sleep mode, The recovery time t ₃ is obtained from the obtained fixing roller temperature.

In this embodiment, the printer server 91
When the operator attempts to send a print job from the client device 3-y, the operator selects the printer 1-x as the destination as follows.

I) The operator operates the client device 3-
When a new print job transmission request is made by operating y, as shown in FIG. 8, first, for all printers 1-x connected to the LAN 90, the printer status is sleep mode, standby mode, or print job. It is checked whether it is being executed or spooling, and the print start waiting time WAITTIME until it becomes available for the client apparatus 3-y is obtained (S100).

This print start waiting time WAITTIM
E corresponds to the completion time of the print job being executed or spooled when the printer 1-x is executing a print job or being spooled. On the other hand, when the printer 1-x is in the sleep mode, the printer 1-x is sent after the activation request command is sent.
Corresponds to the recovery time required to return to the standby mode. Note that the recovery time is as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.
It is obtained by referring to the table shown in 0.

Ii) Next, for each printer 1-x,
When the printer receives and executes the new print job, a net print time PRINTTIME excluding the time required for image data processing is calculated (S101 in FIG. 8).

This net print time PRINTTIM
E is the time obtained by dividing the number of printed sheets in the print job by the productivity of the printer (the number of processed sheets per unit time), as shown in the following equation (1), before the time required for image stabilization processing, etc. Calculated by adding the processing time. That is, PRINTTIME = (number of printed sheets) / (productivity) + (preprocessing time) (1) The “productivity” of each printer is 1 to 1 (a mode in which one copy is obtained from one original). One side for productivity /
It is determined in advance by taking into consideration the correction by the operation modes such as double-sided, Nin1 mode, and color / monochrome.

Iii) Next, for each printer 1-x, the image data processing time RIPTIME is calculated when the corresponding printer controller 2-x executes image data processing related to the print job (S102).

This image data processing time RIPTIM
E is calculated according to the flow shown in FIG. That is, first, the image data processing time (a parameter indicating) RIPTIME is initialized (set to 0) (S30).
0). Then, the type of data is judged (S301),
For character data, character expansion time (font size, download time to printer if necessary, etc.)
Is added to RIPTIME (S302). In the case of graphic data, graphic drawing time (circle, square, presence / absence of fill, color, line type, etc.) is added to RIPTIME (S30).
3). Further, in the case of RAW data that is first obtained when taken by a camera or the like, the RAW data development time (data like a photograph) is added to RIPTIME (S304). In other cases, the data expansion time required in that case is added to RIPTIME (S305).
These processes are performed until the addition of all data is completed (S306). As a result, the image data processing time RIPTIME when the corresponding printer controller 2-x executes the image data processing for the print job is obtained.

Iv) Next, a parameter PRINTENDTIME indicating the print completion time, a parameter M specifying the printer 1-x, and a parameter MA indicating a candidate printer to be selected as a print job destination.
Each CHINENO is initialized (S10 in FIG. 8).
3). In this initialization, PRINTENDTIME = 9999 (maximum count of 4 digits, unit is seconds) M = 1 MACHINENO = 0 is set. These parameters RINTENDTIM
E, M, and MACHINENO are stored in the RAM 903.

The printer 1 connected to the network
The number of −x is N, and values up to M = 1, 2, ..., N can be taken.

V) Next, it is confirmed that the parameter M for specifying the printer 1-x is smaller than N (S10).
4) Then, the print completion time PRINTENDTIME (M) of the printer 1-x specified by the parameter M is calculated (S105).

This print completion time PRINTENDT
The basic expression representing IME (M) is PRINTENDTIME (M) = (first time) + (second time) = RIPTIME + WAITTIME + PRINTTIME (2). Then, as shown in FIG. 12, first, for the printer 1-x, the image data processing time RIPT
First time consisting of IME and print start waiting time W
AITTIME net print time PRINTTIM
The magnitude is compared with the second time obtained by adding E (S
200).

Here, as shown in FIG. 13A, the first
If the time is shorter than the second time (S20 in FIG.
0 in YES), in the above formula (2), RIPTIME
Set to = 0. That is, the print completion time PRINTEND by the printer 1-x specified by the parameter M
TIME (M) is calculated as PRINTENDTIME (M) = WAITTIME + PRINTTIME (3) (S201). The reason for this calculation is that, in general, not only waiting for the start of printing but also printing on paper is performed with temporal overlap with generation of printer image data. That is, the net print time PRINT is added to the print start waiting time WAITTIME.
If the print image data generation is completed within the second time obtained by adding TIME, the image data processing time RIPTIME is the total print completion time PRIN.
It is considered that it does not substantially affect TENDTIME.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13B, when the first time is longer than the second time (S200 in FIG. 12).
NO), and in the above formula (2), WAITTIME =
In addition to setting 0, PRINTTIME is set to PT corresponding to the time required for printing on the paper after the image data processing. That is, the print completion time PRINTENDTIM by the printer 1-x specified by the parameter M
E (M) is calculated as PRINTENDTIME (M) = RIPTIME + PT (4) (S202). The reason for the calculation in this way is that the image data processing time is dominant and the print completion time PRINTENDTIME (M) is substantially R.
This is because it is determined by IPTIME.

Vi) Next, it is determined whether or not the print completion time PRINTENDTIME (M) obtained in step S105 is the minimum (S106 in FIG. 8). Specifically, this PRINTENDTIME (M) is the PRINTENDT stored in the RAM 903 at this time.
It is determined whether or not it is smaller than IME, and only when it is smaller, the value of the parameter M for specifying the printer 1-x is set to the parameter MACHINE indicating the selection candidate printer.
Store as NO. With this, the PRINT
The value of NDTIME (M) is changed to PRINTENDTIME
Is stored in the RAM 903.

Vii) Next, the value of M is incremented (increased by 1) (S108), and steps S105 to S107 are performed for all printers connected to the LAN 90.
The process of is repeated. As a result, the print completion time PRI
The number that NTENDTIME identifies the earliest (shortest) printer is obtained as MACHINENO.

Viii) Then, the print job requested to be transmitted is transmitted to the printer 1-x specified by the MACHINENO (S109). If the printer 1-x is in the sleep mode at this point, the print job is transmitted with the activation request.

As described above, in this embodiment, the image data processing time RIPTI is set for each printer 1-x.
First time consisting of ME and print start waiting time WA
PRINTTIME, the net print time for ITTIME
Based on the result of comparison with the second time obtained by adding
The print completion time for the print job is calculated. Therefore, it is possible to correctly select the printer having the fastest print completion time as the destination of the print job.

In the above example, the "first time" is made up of the "image data processing time". However, depending on the print job, image data processing (expansion) up to a certain page before printing on paper is started.
May be required to be completed. For such a print job, the “first time” is obtained by adding the time (the data processing time of the page processed by delaying the start of printing on the paper) to the “image data processing time”. desirable.

Further, depending on the print job, it may be required that the print image data generation and the printing on the paper are performed serially without overlapping in time. In this case, in step S105 of FIG. 8, the image data processing time RIPTIME is compared with the print start waiting time WAITTIME, and the print completion time PRINTENDT is based on the comparison result.
It is desirable to calculate IME (M).

That is, the image data processing time RIP
When TIME is shorter (smaller) than the print start waiting time WAITTIME, in the above formula (2), RI
Set PTIME = 0. That is, the print completion time PRI by the printer 1-x specified by the parameter M
NTENDTIME (M) is calculated as PRINTENDTIME (M) = WAITTIME + PRINTTIME (3). The reason for the calculation in this way is that the print start waiting is overlapped with the printer image data generation in time even if the print image data generation and the printing on the paper are performed in series. .

On the other hand, the image data processing time RIPTI
When ME is longer (smaller) than the print start waiting time WAITTIME, the image data processing time RIPTIME in this equation (2) is set to this RIPTIME.
Is set to a time period (RIPTIME-WAITTIME) that exceeds the print start waiting time WAITTIME.
That is, the print completion time PRINTENDTIME (M) by the printer 1-x specified by the parameter M.
Is calculated as PRINTENDTIME (M) = RIPTIME + PRINTTIME (5).

Further, in this embodiment, the processing at the time of shifting from the standby mode to the sleep mode has been described, but the printing completion time is similarly changed even at the time of shifting from the standby mode to the preheat mode in place of the sleep mode. Is calculated.

When the standby mode is changed to the sleep mode, the preheat mode may be changed to the sleep mode. In this case, the amount of power supplied to the fixing roller is reduced in the preheat mode, and the power is cut off in the sleep mode, whereby power can be saved stepwise. The print completion time may be calculated from the start of each mode.

The obtained print completion time PRINT
It is desirable to notify ENDTIME to the client device 3-y that sent the print job. In such a case, the client operating the client device 3-y can know the correct print completion time, which enhances the convenience for the user.

In this embodiment, when the operator tries to send a print job from the client device 3-y, a plurality of printers 1 connected to the LAN 90 are used.
Although the printer server 91 performs the process of selecting the printer having the earliest print completion time among -x as the destination, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the client computer, the server in which the utility program is installed, and the printer share the above steps in any manner.

For example, all the processes of the above steps are
Client device 3-y that is the sender of the print job
You can run with.

The print start waiting time WAITTI
The printer controller 2-x executes some or all of the calculation of ME, the net print time PRINTTIME, and the print completion time PRINTENDTIME, and these are executed from the printer controller 2-x in response to a request from the client device 3-y or the printer server 91. Even if the time is returned, the printer that has the fastest print completion time may be selected as the print job destination based on the time collected from each printer controller 2-x in the client device 3-y or the printer server 91. Good.

The print image data processing may be executed by the printer driver of the client device 3-Y or the printer controller 2-Y.

In this embodiment, the printer controller 2-x and the printer 1-x are described as separate devices, but it goes without saying that the printer 1-x has the integrated function of the printer controller 2-x. May be In this case, as in the above-described example, the printer controller 2-x and the control modules 11 to 14 execute processing while cooperating with each other.

[0089]

As is apparent from the above, according to the programs of claims 1 to 5 and the management device of claim 6,
The printer with the fastest print completion time can be correctly selected as the destination of the print job.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a LAN including a printer to which the present invention is applied.
It is a figure which shows schematic structure of.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a printer 1-x connected to the LAN.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a printer controller 2-x connected to the LAN.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a power supply circuit that executes power supply control for the printer controller 2-x and the control modules 11 to 14 of the printer 1-x.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a printer server 91 connected to the LAN.

FIG. 6 is a client device 3-connected to the LAN.
It is a figure which shows the block structure of y.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a lapse of time of a fixing roller temperature of the printer 1-x.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow of control executed by a CPU of the printer server 91.

FIG. 9 is a diagram exemplifying a table showing a correspondence between an elapsed time after a printer 1-x shifts to a sleep mode and a fixing roller temperature according to the elapsed time.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a table showing a correspondence between a fixing roller temperature in a sleep mode and a recovery time required to start up from a state of the fixing roller temperature and reach a standby mode for a printer 1-x. .

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing in detail the flow of image data processing time RIPTIME calculation shown in step S102 in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing in detail the flow of print completion time PRINTENDTIME calculation shown in step S106 in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a first time including image data processing time RIPTIME and a print start waiting time WAITT.
FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing how to calculate a print completion time PRINTENDTIME when the size is different from the second time obtained by adding the net print time PRINTTIME to IME.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-1, 1-2, 1-x printer 2-1, 2-2, 2-x printer controller 3-1, 3-2, 3-x client device 91 Printer server 90 LAN

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Kawabata             2-3-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture             Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kenichi Matsumoto             2-3-3 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture             Osaka International Building Minolta Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AP07 AS02                       HH05 HJ10 HQ14 HQ17 HQ20                       HR08 HT03 HT07 HT09                 5B021 AA01 EE03 MM02

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A program executed by the computer or printer for a network system in which a computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, wherein the printer status of each printer is power save. Mode, standby mode, the first step of determining whether a print job is being executed or spooling, and when the status of the printer is the power save mode, the status of the printer is returned from the power save mode to the standby mode. Return time required for
Calculates or obtains the image data processing time required to process image data for a new print job for which a transmission request was made, and the net print time required to print on paper for that print job, excluding image data processing Comparison result of the second step, a first time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time, and a second time obtained by adding the print time to the return time A third step of calculating a print completion time for the print job based on the above, and selecting a printer having the earliest calculated print completion time among the plurality of printers as a destination of the print job. A program characterized by executing 4 steps. 2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the image data processing time and the print time are collectively obtained for the print jobs requested to be transmitted, and the first time is the second time. When it exceeds the above, the program is characterized in that the print completion time is obtained by adding, to the second time, the time required for printing on the paper after the image data processing out of the net print time. 3. The program according to claim 1, wherein the image data processing time and the print time are collectively obtained for the print jobs requested to be transmitted, and the first time exceeds the return time. In this case, the program is characterized in that the print completion time is obtained by adding the exceeded time to the second time. 4. The program according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, when the status of the printer is a power save mode, a step of calculating an elapsed time after shifting from the standby mode to the power save mode. And a step of calculating the return time from the elapsed time. 5. The program according to claim 1, wherein in the second step, when the status of the printer is print job execution or spooling,
The time to complete the printing of the print job in execution or spool is calculated or acquired, and in the third step, from the time to complete the printing of the print job in execution or spool,
A program for calculating the print completion time of a new print job for which a transmission request has been made. 6. A management device for a network system in which a computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a network, wherein the printer status of each printer is power save mode, standby mode or print job execution. Alternatively, a first means for determining whether the printer is in the spool, and a recovery time required for the printer status to return from the power save mode to the standby mode when the printer status is the power save mode,
Calculates or obtains the image data processing time required to process image data for a new print job for which a transmission request was made, and the net print time required to print on paper for that print job, excluding image data processing Result of comparison between second means, first time obtained by adding a predetermined time corresponding to the print job to the image data processing time, and second time obtained by adding the print time to the recovery time A third means for calculating a print completion time for the print job based on the above, and a printer selecting the printer having the earliest calculated print completion time among the plurality of printers as a destination of the print job. A management device comprising means.