JP2005216230A - Print control system, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print control system, method, and program with which appropriate print processing can be performed by automatically sorting a print request to a print server wherein the same application as the version of an application in a print job is installed. <P>SOLUTION: A print instruction acceptance server 102 refers to a file attribute in a print job. When it is a print request distribution target application, a sorting information management table 207 held within the print instruction acceptance server 102 is used to detect a print server 103-M wherein the same application as the version of said application is installed, and the print request is automatically sorted to the print server 103-M. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a print control system, method, and program, and more particularly, to a print control system, method, and program that enable optimum printing even when the versions of applications that create a document to be printed are different.

  Conventionally, as a technique for suppressing the occurrence of a problem that a document confirmed on a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) differs from a result printed with a printer or the like, an “information processing system and information processing system” disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disclosed. Control method and recording medium ".

In the invention of Patent Document 1, when the registration state of a resource is changed, the document and the printer or the function confirmed on the PC are updated by synchronizing and updating the resource registered in each PC according to the change. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of a problem that the result of printing with the composite copying machine is different.
JP 2001-306424 A

  However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the resources are always kept in the same state in all terminals, so that it is possible to suppress the difference between the document confirmed on the PC and the result printed by the printer. When a document file with an old version and a document with a new application version coexist, there is a problem that a print result is defective in either.

  In addition, although a technique of referencing file attributes and distributing processing to an output device that conforms to the file attributes has been considered, a document that has been confirmed on a PC after performing distribution processing focusing on the file attribute application version so far There was no attempt to suppress the problem that the results of printing with a printer differed.

  Conventionally, as a method of printing a document using the same version of the application, the user remembers which version of the application is installed on which print server, and issues a print instruction to the print server having the same version. However, there is a problem that it is necessary for the user himself / herself to always know the version of the application of the print server, which is troublesome.

  There is also a method of opening the document file with the same version of the application as when the document file was created, and instructing printing from the menu of the application, but it is very useful when printing a large amount of files in the office etc. It takes time and is not a practical solution.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a print control system, method, and program capable of suppressing a problem that a document confirmed on a PC and a result printed by a printer are different.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a print control system for performing print processing based on a print instruction from a client, a plurality of print servers each having a different version of the application installed thereon, A print instruction reception server that receives a print instruction, and the print instruction reception server extracts version information of an application that creates a document related to the print instruction included in the received print instruction from the client And a print server detecting means for detecting a print server in which a version of the application indicated by the version information is installed among the plurality of print servers based on the version information extracted by the version information extracting means, Characterized by comprising a print request means for requesting the printing of a document according to a print instruction from the client accepted the to the print server detected by Ntosaba detection means.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the print instruction receiving server includes a distribution management table for storing and managing version information of applications installed in the plurality of print servers, and the print server The search means is characterized in that the print server is detected by searching the distribution management table based on the version information included in the received print instruction from the client.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the print server search means inquires of the plurality of print servers for version information based on the version information included in the received print instruction from the client. And the print server is detected based on the inquiry.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the first to third aspects of the invention, when the print instruction receiving server fails to detect the print server by the print server search means, the print instruction receiving server notifies the client to that effect. In addition, a notification unit is further provided, and when a print continuation instruction is issued from the client in response to a notification from the notification unit, the print control using any one of the plurality of print servers is continued.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plurality of print servers on which different versions of applications are installed, and a print instruction receiving server that receives a print instruction from the client, and the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving server. A print control method for performing print processing based on an instruction, wherein version information of an application that creates a document related to the print instruction included in the print instruction from the client received by the print instruction reception server is extracted by a version information extraction unit. Based on the version information extracted by the version information extraction unit, the print server detecting unit detects a print server in which the version of the application indicated by the version information is installed among the plurality of print servers, and the print server Wherein the requesting the print request unit to print the document according to a print instruction from the client accepted the to the print server detected by the over bus detecting means.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plurality of print servers in which different versions of applications are installed, and a print instruction receiving server that receives a print instruction from the client, and the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving server. A print control program for causing a computer to execute a print control process for performing a print process based on an instruction, the application creating a document related to the print instruction included in the print instruction from the client received by the print instruction receiving server A step of extracting version information, a step of detecting a print server in which a version of an application indicated by the version information is installed among the plurality of print servers based on the extracted version information, and the detected print server Characterized in that it comprises the steps of requesting a print instruction print a document relating to from the client accepted the relative.

  Check the file attribute in the print job, and if it is a print request distribution target application, the print request is automatically distributed to the print server on which the same application version as this application is installed. There is an effect that it is possible to suppress a problem that a document and a result printed by a printer are different.

  Embodiments of a print control system, method, and program according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration configured by applying a print instruction receiving server 102 according to the present invention.

  A plurality of client personal computers (hereinafter referred to as client PCs) 101-1 to 101-4 are connected to a print instruction receiving server 102 having print request distribution information therein via a LAN (local area network) 105. In addition, a plurality of print servers 103-1 to 103-4 are connected via the LAN 105, and the print servers 103-1 to 103-4 are also connected to the printer 104, respectively.

  Here, when the print instruction is received from the client PC 101-M (hereinafter, M is an arbitrary number from 1 to 4) in the print instruction reception server 102, the received print request is referred to and created by the distribution target application. It is determined by referring to a table held in the print instruction receiving server 102 whether or not it is a printed matter. If the printed matter is created by the distribution target application, it is installed from the print server 103-1 to the print server 103-4. The version of the registered application is acquired from the table stored in the print instruction receiving server 102, and the version of the application that has produced the printed matter in the print job matches the version of the application installed in the print server 103-M. Print Sending a print request to over bus 103-M. The print server 103 -M that has received the print request transmits the print request to the printer 104.

  Here, the print server 103-1 to the print server 103-4 need to be installed with the same application and different versions.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the print instruction receiving server 102 according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, a control unit 201 that performs overall control of the overall operation of the print instruction receiving server 102 is connected to the control unit 201 via a bus line 208, and receives a print request from the client PC 101-1 from the client PC 101-4. A client communication unit 202, a print server communication unit 203 that transmits a print request received by the client communication unit 202 to the print server 103-M, a print job analysis unit 204 that analyzes the print request received by the client communication unit 202, A database management unit 205 that manages the database 206 and extracts data from a distribution information management table (hereinafter referred to as distribution information management TBL) 207. Information on applications that need to be distributed and print servers by print request distribution control Constructed comprises a distribution information management TBL207 that holds version information of an application server 103-M.

  The client communication unit 202 performs communication control with the client PC 101-M connected via the LAN 105. That is, it receives a print request from the client PC 101-M and transmits a message or a warning message to the client PC 101-M.

  The print server communication unit 203 performs communication control with the print server 103 -M connected via the LAN 105. That is, a print request is transmitted to the print server 103-M and a response message to the transmitted print request is received.

  The print job analysis unit 204 analyzes the print request from the client PC 101-M received by the client communication unit 202, and extracts application information. That is, referring to a print job, extracting the application type and application version from the file attribute, and extracting information for determining whether the application is an application to be distributed at the print instruction receiving server 102 I do.

  The database management unit 205 manages the distribution information management TBL 207, and performs processing such as data extraction and registration / deletion / update from the table.

  Here, the distribution information management TBL 207 is a table that holds information including application identification information, application version information, and distribution destination print server information to be distributed in the print instruction reception server 102. FIG. The configuration is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 4, information stored in the distribution information management TBL 207 includes “application identification information” that holds application identification information to be distributed, “version information” of the application, and “distribution destination print server information”. Information is stored.

  In the distribution information management TBL 207, information related to “application identification information”, “version information”, and “distribution destination print server information” is set in advance by the user, and the user performs a manual operation even when the information is changed. For example, when there is a print request from the client PC 101-M at regular intervals, the connected print server 103-1 inquires the print server 103-4 about "application identification information" and "version information". Thus, there is a method of automatically updating the distribution information management TBL 207.

  In this embodiment, the application name is used as the “application identification information” to be distributed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any information that can identify the application may be used.

  Also, regarding the “distribution destination print server information”, the IP address is used in this embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any information can be used as long as it can identify the print server.

  When the client communication unit 202 receives a print request from the client PC 101 -M, the print instruction reception server 102 refers to the received print request in the print job analysis unit 204 by referring to the file attribute “application identification”. "Information" and "Version information" are extracted. If the data that matches the “application identification information” in the print request exists in the distribution information management TBL 207, the print instruction reception server 102 determines that the print request is a distribution target.

  Then, the print request determined as the distribution target is extracted by the print job analysis unit 204 in order of “application identification information” and “version information” of each record extracted from the distribution information management TBL 207 by the database management unit 205. Compared with the "application identification information" and "version information", if a record that matches the information is found, the above print request is sent to the print server indicated in the "distribution destination print server information" of the record. It is possible to suppress a problem that a document confirmed on a PC is different from a result printed by a printer or the like.

  If the “application identification information” and “version information” in the print job match a plurality of records on the distribution information management TBL 207, one of the matched records is selected.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the print request distribution process in the print instruction reception server 102 shown in FIG.

  In the print instruction receiving server 102, the client communication unit 202 monitors whether there is a print request from any of the client PCs 101-1 to 101-4 (step 301).

  If a print instruction is received from the client PC 101-M (YES in step 301), the client communication unit 202 receives the print instruction and starts a print request distribution process.

  In this print request distribution process, first, it is determined whether or not the print instruction received by the client communication 202 is a document to be distributed (step 302). In other words, the print job analysis unit 204 extracts application information, and determines whether or not the extracted application identification information exists on the distribution information management TBL 207.

  If the document is not a distribution target document (NO in step 302), the print request distribution process is not performed, and the print process is performed by the print server designated by the client PC 101-M (step 310). If the document is a distribution target document (YES in step 302), the version information of the application installed on the print server is acquired from the distribution information management TBL 207 (step 303).

  Next, the version information of the application installed in the print server acquired in step 303 is compared with the version of the application of the print job (step 304). If the version of the application installed on the print server matches the version of the application of the print job (YES in step 304), printing processing is performed on the print server (step 310). If the version of the application installed on the print server is different from the version of the application of the print job (NO in step 304), the version information of the application installed on another print server is acquired from the distribution information management TBL 207 (step 305). ).

  If acquisition of the version information of the application installed in another print server is successful in step 305 (NO in step 306), the process returns to step 304 again, and the version of the application installed in the print server is obtained. Compare application versions for print jobs. If acquisition of the version of the application installed on another print server fails or there are no target print servers (YES in step 306), the print server on which the latest version is installed is set as the print instruction destination. (Step 307).

  Next, since the application version of the print job and the version of the application installed on the print server are different, the user (client PC 101-M) is notified using a dialog or the like that the print result may be partially changed. Notification is made (step 308).

  Then, the user who has been notified that the print result may be partially changed determines whether or not to continue the printing process (step 309).

  If the user instructs to continue the printing process as it is (YES in step 309), the printing process is performed in the print server set as the print instruction destination in step 307, and this process ends. If the user instructs not to continue the printing process (NO in step 309), the printing process is stopped (step 311), and this process ends.

  In the above embodiment, the print instruction reception server 102 performs the print control process in the print instruction reception server 102. However, the print control process is executed by the print control program installed in the print server 103-M. You may comprise so that it may be performed.

  However, in this case, a print request transmitted from one of the client PCs 101-1 to 101-4 is always sent from each print server 103-1 to the print server 103- via the print server 103-M that performs print request distribution processing. The print request needs to be distributed to 4.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an overall configuration configured by applying the print instruction receiving server 502 according to the present invention.

  A plurality of client personal computers (hereinafter referred to as client PCs) 501-1 to 501-4 are connected to the print instruction receiving server 502 via a LAN (local area network) 505, and a plurality of client personal computers are connected via the LAN 505. The print servers 503-1 to 503-4 are connected to each other, and the print servers 503-1 to 503-4 are also connected to the printer 504, respectively.

  Here, when the print instruction reception server 502 receives a print request from the client PC 501 -M (hereinafter, M is an arbitrary number from 1 to 4), the received print request is referred to and created by the distribution target application. In the case of a printed matter created by the distribution target application, the version of the application installed in the print server 503-4 from the print server 503-1 is determined from the print server 503-1 to the print server 503. -4 is sent to the print server 503-M in which the version of the application that produced the printed matter in the print job matches the version of the application installed in the print server 503-M. The print server 503 -M that receives the print request transmits the print request to the printer 504.

  Here, it is necessary for the print server 503-1 to the print server 503-4 to have the same application and a different version installed.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the print instruction receiving server 502 according to the present invention.

  In FIG. 6, a control unit 601 that performs overall control of the overall operation of the print instruction reception server 502, and is connected to the control unit 601 via a bus line 607, and receives a print request from the client PC 501-1 from the client PC 501-4. A client communication unit 602, a print server communication unit 603 that transmits a print request received by the client communication unit 602 to the print server 503-M, a print job analysis unit 604 that analyzes the print request received by the client communication unit 602, Target application information unit 605 that manages information on applications that need to be distributed by print request distribution control, and print server inquiry that inquires the print server 503 -M for installed application information Constructed comprises a processing section 606.

  The client communication unit 602 performs communication control with the client PC 501 -M connected via the LAN 505. That is, it receives a print request from the client PC 501-M and transmits a message or a warning message to the client PC 501-M.

  The print server communication unit 603 performs communication control with the print server 503 -M connected via the LAN 505. That is, a print request is transmitted to the print server 503 -M and a response message to the transmitted print request is received.

  The print job analysis unit 604 analyzes the print request from the client PC 501 -M received by the client communication unit 602 and extracts application information. That is, referring to a print job, extracting the application type and application version from the file attributes, and extracting information for determining whether or not the application is a distribution processing target application in the print instruction reception server 502 I do.

  The target application information unit 605 holds information for determining an application to be distributed. For example, in order to determine whether a print request from the client PC 501 -M is a print request that is a print request distribution process target, application identification information that is a print request distribution target is held.

  The print server inquiry processing unit 606 performs processing for inquiring information about applications installed in the print server 503 -M via the print server communication unit 603. That is, by acquiring the application information installed in the print server 503 -M, processing for detecting the print distribution destination print server of the print request from the client PC 501 -M received by the client communication unit 602 is performed.

  Here, when the print instruction reception server 502 receives a print request from the client PC 501 -M in the client communication unit 602, the print job analysis unit 604 refers to the received print request in the file attribute to “application identification”. "Information" and "Version information" are extracted.

  Then, whether or not the “application identification information” extracted by the print job analysis unit 604 is registered in the target application information unit 605 is searched. If there is matching data, the print instruction reception server 502 This print request is determined as a distribution target.

  The print server inquiry processing unit 606 sequentially acquires “application identification information” and “version information” installed in each print server, and extracts the “application identification information” and the “application identification information” extracted by the print job analysis unit 604. When a print server 503 -M is found in which both pieces of information match with the “version information”, the print request is sent to the print server, so that the document printed on the PC and the result printed on the printer can be obtained. It is possible to suppress the problem of being different.

  If the same version of the application is installed on a plurality of print servers, one of the print servers is selected and a print instruction is transmitted.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the print request distribution process in the print instruction reception server 502 shown in FIG.

  In the print instruction receiving server 502, the client communication unit 602 monitors whether there is a print request from any of the client PC 501-1 to the client PC 501-4 (step 701).

  If a print instruction is received from the client PC 501 -M (YES in step 701), the client communication unit 602 accepts the print instruction and starts print request distribution processing.

  In this print request distribution process, first, it is determined whether or not the print instruction received by the client communication unit 602 is a distribution target document (step 702). In other words, the print job analysis unit 604 extracts application information, and determines whether the extracted application identification information is registered in the target application information unit 605.

  If the document is not a distribution target document (NO in step 702), the print request distribution process is not performed, and the print process is performed by the print server designated by the client PC 501-M (step 710). If the document is a distribution target document (YES in step 702), the print server inquiry processing unit 606 transmits an inquiry request to the print server via the print server communication unit 603, and the version information of the application installed in the print server. Is acquired (step 703).

  Next, the version information of the application installed in the print server acquired in step 703 is compared with the version of the application of the print job (step 704). If the version information of the application installed in the print server is equal to the version of the application of the print job (YES in step 704), printing processing is performed in the print server (step 710). If the version information of the application installed on the print server is different from the version of the application of the print job (NO in step 704), an inquiry request is transmitted from the print server inquiry processing unit 606 to the print server via the print server communication unit 603. Then, the version information of the application installed in the other print server is acquired (step 705).

  If acquisition of the version information of the application installed in another print server is successful in step 705 (NO in step 706), the process returns to step 704 again, and the version information of the application installed in the acquired print server is returned. Compare print job application versions. If acquisition of version information of an application installed on another print server fails or there are no target print servers (YES in step 706), the print server on which the latest version is installed is used as the print instruction destination. Set (step 707).

  Next, since the application version of the print job is different from the version of the application installed on the print server, it is notified to the user (client PC 501-M) using a dialog or the like that the print result may be partially changed. Notification is made (step 708).

  Then, the user who has been notified that the print result may be partially changed determines whether or not to continue the printing process (step 709).

  If the user instructs to continue the printing process as it is (YES in step 709), the printing process is performed in the print server set as the print instruction destination in step 707, and this process is terminated. If the user instructs not to continue the printing process (NO in step 709), the printing process is stopped (step 711) and the process is terminated.

  In the above embodiment, the print instruction reception server 502 is configured to perform the print control process by the print instruction reception server 502. However, this print control process is executed by the print control program installed in the print server 503-M. You may comprise so that it may be performed.

  However, in this case, a print request transmitted from one of the client PCs 501-1 to 501-4 is always sent from each print server 503-1 to the print server 503 via the print server 503-M that performs print request distribution processing. The print request needs to be distributed to 4.

  The print control system, method, and program of the present invention are effective when printing a document created by a different version of an application using a plurality of print servers connected to a network. It can be used effectively for printing processing in offices and businesses that handle old and new files.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure comprised by applying the printing instruction | indication reception server 102 concerning this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the printing instruction | indication reception server 102 concerning this invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of a print request distribution process in the print instruction receiving server shown in FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table layout of a distribution information management table 207. FIG. It is a figure which shows the whole structure comprised by applying the printing instruction reception server 502 concerning this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of the printing instruction | indication reception server 502 concerning this invention. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of a print request distribution process in the print instruction receiving server 502 shown in FIG. 5.

Explanation of symbols

101, 501 Client PC
102, 502 Print instruction reception server 103, 503 Print server 104, 504 Printer 105, 505 LAN (local area network)
201, 601 Control unit 202, 602 Client communication unit 203, 603 Print server communication unit 204, 604 Print job analysis unit 205 Database management unit 206 Database 207 Distribution information management table 208, 607 Bus line 605 Target application information unit 606 Print server inquiry Processing part

Claims (6)

In a print control system that performs print processing based on a print instruction from a client,
Multiple print servers, each with a different version of the application installed,
A print instruction receiving server for receiving a print instruction from the client,
The print instruction receiving server is
Version information extracting means for extracting version information of an application that created a document related to the print instruction included in the received print instruction from the client;
Print server detection means for detecting a print server in which a version of an application indicated by the version information is installed among the plurality of print servers based on the version information extracted by the version information extraction means;
A print control system comprising: a print request unit that requests a print server detected by the print server detection unit to print a document relating to a print instruction received from the client. The print instruction receiving server is
A distribution management table for storing and managing version information of applications installed on the plurality of print servers,
The print server search means includes:
The print control system according to claim 1, wherein the print server is detected by searching the distribution management table based on version information included in a print instruction received from the client. The print server search means includes:
The version information is inquired to the plurality of print servers based on the version information included in the received print instruction from the client, and the print server is detected based on the inquiries. Printing control system. The print instruction receiving server is
If the print server search unit fails to detect the print server, the print server search unit further includes a notification unit that notifies the client of the fact, and in response to the notification by the notification unit, the client has issued a print continuation instruction. 4. The print control system according to claim 1, wherein print control using any one of the plurality of print servers is continued. Multiple print servers, each with a different version of the application installed,
A print instruction receiving server for receiving a print instruction from the client, and a print control method for performing a print process based on the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving server,
The version information extracting means extracts version information of the application that created the document related to the print instruction included in the print instruction received from the client received by the print instruction receiving server,
Based on the version information extracted by the version information extraction means, a print server in which a version of the application indicated by the version information is installed is detected by the print server detection means among the plurality of print servers,
A print control method characterized in that a print request unit requests a print server detected by the print server detection unit to print a document related to the received print instruction from the client. Multiple print servers, each with a different version of the application installed,
A print instruction receiving server for receiving a print instruction from the client, and a computer executing a print control process for performing a print process based on the print instruction received by the print instruction receiving server,
Extracting version information of the application that created the document related to the print instruction included in the print instruction from the client received by the print instruction reception server;
Detecting a print server in which a version of the application indicated by the version information is installed among the plurality of print servers based on the extracted version information;
Requesting the detected print server to print a document relating to the received print instruction from the client.

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