JP2014069553A - Printer and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which is incorporated plurally in an information processing system and each managing their numbers of printable sheets and a program for operation of the managing function.SOLUTION: A printer 100 incorporated in an information processing system 1000 involving a plurality of printers comprises a printing part 170, a storage part 120 storing numbers of printable sheets for the plurality of printers and a printable sheet number control part 110 which modifies the number of printable sheets for the printer 100 on the basis of a printing operation to be carried out by the printing part 170, and, when the number of printable sheets of the printer is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, increases the number of printable sheets for the printer 100 and decreases the numbers of printable sheets for at least a part of the plurality of printers other than the printer 100.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a program.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a print management apparatus that manages a printing apparatus that controls whether or not printing can be performed based on a printing amount. A job log can be acquired periodically, the actual value of the printing device is updated, and the upper limit value and the actual value are retained in the printing device, enabling printing even when the print management device is not up, and the client The actual value is compared with the upper limit value, and if the upper limit value is exceeded, it is indicated that the print upper limit is not exceeded even if the print management device is not up by disabling the print instruction. Has been. According to Patent Document 2, a print job ticket is issued to a multifunction peripheral managed by the print management server, and each multifunction peripheral performs printing within a range of an upper limit value assigned to the job ticket. A printing system is disclosed in which upper limit restriction printing is executed in each multi-function peripheral even if the print management server is not started.

JP 2002-116899 A JP 2011-70367 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus included in a plurality of information processing systems, each of which manages the printable number of sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and a program.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a printing apparatus included in an information processing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses, a printing unit that executes a printing process, and a plurality of printing apparatuses. Based on the printable number storage means for storing each printable number of sheets and the printing process executed by the printing means, the printable number of sheets of the printing apparatus stored in the printable number of sheets storage means is changed, When the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is increased and the printable Printable sheet number control means for reducing the printable sheet number of at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus stored in the sheet number storage means. A printing apparatus for.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printable sheet number control means removes at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses from the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus is determined based on the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printable sheet number control means includes the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus as at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses. Among the printing apparatuses, the printing apparatus having the largest printable number is selected.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the printable sheet number control means includes the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus as at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses. Among the printing apparatuses, the printing apparatus is characterized by selecting a predetermined number of printing apparatuses in descending order of the number of printable sheets.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the printable sheet number control means is configured such that the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus is smaller than the threshold value. The predetermined number is added to the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus, and the printing of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus is possible for at least a part of the printable number of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. In the printing apparatus, the subtraction is performed so that the total number of sheets decreases by the predetermined number.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the printable sheet number information indicating the printable sheet number stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is A printable sheet number information communication means for transmitting to the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus and receiving printable sheet number information transmitted from each of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus; When the printable sheet number information is received by the printable sheet number information communication unit, the printable sheet number control unit determines the printable sheet number stored in the printable sheet number storage unit based on the received printable sheet number information. It is a printing apparatus characterized by changing.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the printing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising communication availability recognition means for recognizing whether each of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus can communicate, The printable sheet number information communication unit is configured to print the printable sheet number when the number of printing apparatuses recognized as communicable by the communication possibility recognition unit is larger than half the number of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. A printing apparatus characterized by transmitting information.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the printing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the printable sheet number information communication means excludes the printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is activated. The printing apparatus receives the printable sheet number information from at least a part of a plurality of printing apparatuses.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the additional printing apparatus identification information for identifying the printing apparatus added to the information processing system and the information processing The printable sheet number storage means further includes changed printing apparatus information acquisition means for acquiring changed printing apparatus identification information, including at least part of excluded printing apparatus identification information for identifying printing apparatuses excluded from the system, The number of printable sheets of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses is stored in association with the printing apparatus identification information for identifying the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus identification information stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is the changed printing apparatus information. The printing apparatus is changed based on the changed printing apparatus identification information acquired by the acquisition unit.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus included in an information processing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses, a printing unit that executes a printing process, and printing of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses. Based on the printable number storage means for storing the possible number of sheets and the print processing executed by the printing means, the printable number of sheets of the printing apparatus stored in the printable number of sheets storage means is changed and the printable When the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the sheet number storage unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is increased, and the printable sheet number storage unit And a printable sheet number control means for reducing the printable sheet number of at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. Is a program to function.

  According to the first and tenth aspects of the present invention, a printing apparatus included in an information processing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses, which manages the printable sheet number of the plurality of printing apparatuses stored in the printable sheet number storage unit. A printing device is provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus that determines at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses based on the number of printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. .

  According to the invention of claim 3, a printing apparatus that selects, as at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses, one having the largest printable number among a plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. Is provided.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the number is a predetermined number in order from the largest number of printable devices among a plurality of printing devices excluding the printing device as at least a part of the plurality of printing devices. There is provided a printing apparatus for selecting a printing apparatus.

  According to the invention of claim 5, when the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus is smaller than the threshold value, a predetermined number is added to the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus is excluded. There is provided a printing apparatus that performs subtraction so that the total number of printable sheets decreases by the predetermined number with respect to at least a part of printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, printable number information indicating the printable number of sheets is transmitted / received, and the printable number of sheets stored in the printable number of sheets storage means is changed based on the transmitted / received number of printable sheets information. An apparatus is provided.

  According to the invention of claim 7, when the number of printing apparatuses that are recognized as communicable is larger than half of the number of a plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus, the printable sheet number information Is provided.

  According to the invention of claim 8, there is provided a printing apparatus that receives printable sheet number information from at least a part of a plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is activated. Provided.

  According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the changed printing apparatus identification information including at least a part of the excluded printing apparatus identification information for identifying the printing apparatus added to the information processing system and the excluded printing apparatus is acquired, and the printing apparatus is acquired. A printing apparatus is provided that changes identification information based on the changed printing apparatus identification information.

1 is a diagram illustrating an information processing system including a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the printing upper limit object list | wrist memorize | stored in a memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows an example of the printing upper limit object list | wrist memorize | stored in a memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows an example of the printing upper limit object list | wrist memorize | stored in a memory | storage part. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a print upper limit target list creation mode of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing a print number increase / decrease process in the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transferring (transferring) a printable sheet number in the printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation (totaling process of printable sheets) in a printable sheet counting mode of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process for adding a printable number of sheets in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an information processing system 1000 including a printing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 1000 includes a plurality of printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 that are connected to each other via a network 900.

  The operation modes of the information processing system 1000 include “print upper limit mode”, “print upper limit target list creation mode”, “counting mode”, and “upper limit number addition mode”.

  In the “print upper limit mode”, users who can use the plurality of printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 are registered in advance, and the number of printable sheets is defined for each user. When the print upper limit mode is set, each user can execute printing until the total number of prints in the entire information processing system 1000 (that is, the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 500, and 600) reaches the printable number. .

  In the “print upper limit target list creation mode”, a list indicating the user in the print upper limit mode and the number of printable sheets of the user is created in any of the plurality of printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600. And transmitted to another printing apparatus.

  In the “aggregation mode”, the number of printable sheets of each user in the information processing system 1000 at a certain point in time is aggregated in any of the plurality of printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 and displayed on the display screen. And processing such as saving to a storage unit.

  In the “upper limit number addition mode”, processing for increasing the number of printable sheets for a certain user, which is stored as the print upper limit target list, is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the printing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 included in the information processing system 1000 are common to the printing apparatus 100 in at least the configurations described below.

  The printing apparatus 100 executes print processing and management of the printable number of sheets of all the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 included in the information processing system 1000. The printing apparatus 100 includes a printable sheet number control unit 110, a storage unit 120, a communication availability recognition processing unit 130, a synchronization processing unit 140, a totaling unit 150, a communication unit 160, and a printing unit 170. The printable sheet number control unit 110, the communication possibility recognition processing unit 130, the synchronization processing unit 140, the totaling unit 150, the communication unit 160, and the printing unit 170 are realized as one function of the CPU, for example. The storage unit 120 is realized by a storage element such as a memory, for example.

  The printable sheet number control unit 110 manages the printing upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120, thereby printing all the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 included in the information processing system 1000. Control possible number. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120. The number of printable sheets is a numerical value stored for each registered user and for each of the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, and the value decreases as the printing unit 170 executes the printing process. Go. Of these, regarding the allocation for each user and each user, for example, after the administrator of the information processing system 1000 operates the printing apparatus 100 to enter the “print upper limit target list creation mode”, the user of the information processing system 1000 and each user The number of printable sheets in the information processing system 1000 (that is, the total number of printable sheets in the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600) is set. Regarding the allocation of the printable sheet number for each of the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, the printable sheet number control unit 110 assigns the print sheet number allocated for each user by the above-described administrator, for example, the printing apparatus. It is determined by equally dividing the number. The printing upper limit target list thus determined is transmitted to the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 by the synchronization processing unit 140 described later.

  In addition, in the “upper limit number addition mode”, the printable sheet number control unit 110 performs a process of adding the printable sheet number for a certain user, for example, by the operation of the administrator described above.

  Further, in the “print upper limit mode”, the printable sheet number control unit 110 increases the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus 100 when the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus 100 stored in the storage unit 120 is smaller than a predetermined threshold. Then, a printable sheet number increase / decrease process for decreasing the printable sheet number of at least a part of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 is performed. Here, when the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus 100 is smaller than the threshold value, the printable sheet number control unit 110 adds a predetermined number to the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus 100, and a plurality of printing apparatuses 200 excluding the printing apparatus 100. , 300, 400, 500, and 600, the total number of printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 is reduced by a predetermined number. Perform subtraction. Details of the printable sheet number increase / decrease process by the printable sheet number control unit 110 will be described later.

  The storage unit 120 stores the above-described print upper limit target list, a program for operating the CPU, and the like.

  The communication possibility recognition processing unit 130 determines whether or not each of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 included in the information processing system 1000 can communicate via the communication unit 160. Do. For example, the communication availability recognition processing unit 130 transmits a signal requesting a response to each of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, and whether or not each printing apparatus can communicate depending on whether or not there is a response to the response. Recognize In addition, the communication possibility recognition processing unit 130 transmits a response via the communication unit 160 to a signal requesting a response from any of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600.

  The synchronization processing unit 140 matches the contents of the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120 with the contents of the print upper limit target list stored in the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 ( Process).

  Specifically, for example, the synchronization processing unit 140 causes the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 to communicate with the communication availability recognition processing unit 130 at the end of the printing process or at a predetermined time. It is determined whether or not printing is possible. When the majority of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 are communicable, the synchronization processing unit 140 determines that the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 determined to be communicable. Are requested to be notified of the last update date and time of the print upper limit target list stored therein.

  The last update date / time of the print upper limit target list received from the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 was before the last update date / time of the print upper limit target list stored in its own storage unit 120. In this case, the synchronization processing unit 140 transmits the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120 to the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600. On the other hand, the last update date / time of the print upper limit target list received from the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 is later than the last update date / time of the printable number stored in the storage unit 120 of itself. If there is something, the synchronization processing unit 140 excludes the printing apparatus 100 and the printing apparatus from the printing upper limit target list stored in the printing apparatus for the printing apparatus with the latest update date and time (latest). Request other printers to notify.

  When the synchronization processing unit 140 receives a print upper limit target list from any of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120 based on the content is received. To change.

  In addition, the synchronization processing unit 140 executes processing other than recognition by the communication possibility recognition processing unit 130 and determination based on the recognition result in the above-described series of operations when the printing apparatus 100 is started up, so that the storage unit 120 performs the processing. The stored contents of the print upper limit target list are made equivalent to the latest one in the information processing system 1000.

  In addition, the synchronization processing unit 140 transmits its identification information to the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 when the printing apparatus 100 is activated and connected to the network 900.

  The synchronization processing unit 140 also includes at least a part of additional printing apparatus identification information for identifying a printing apparatus added to the information processing system 1000 and excluded printing apparatus identification information for identifying a printing apparatus excluded from the information processing system. Including changed printer identification information. Specifically, the synchronization processing unit 140 receives identification information (additional printing apparatus identification information) transmitted from a printing apparatus that is newly activated or connected to the network 900. In addition, the synchronization processing unit 140 causes any one of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 from the information processing system 1000 due to a predetermined requirement that, for example, a known signal that is periodically transmitted and received is not received. If it is determined that it has been excluded (power supply is cut off or connection with the network 900 is cut off), identification information (exclusion printing apparatus identification information) indicating the printing apparatus is acquired. The additional printing apparatus identification information and the excluded printing apparatus identification information are output to the printable sheet number control unit 110, and the printable sheet number control unit 110 generates a print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120 based on these pieces of information. change.

  In addition, when a new user registration is made by the administrator, the synchronization processing unit 140 displays a print upper limit target list that reflects information on the newly registered user as another printing apparatus 200, 300, 400, 500, And 600.

  In the “aggregation mode”, the aggregation unit 150 acquires the number of printable sheets from the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 based on, for example, the operation of the administrator of the information processing system 1000, Generate the latest print limit target list. The administrator can check the execution status of the printing process by each user in the information processing system 1000 by referring to the generated print upper limit target list.

  The communication unit 160 is transmitted to at least one of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 input from the communication availability recognition processing unit 130, the synchronization processing unit 140, and the aggregation unit 150. Convert the information into a sendable format and send it. In addition, the communication unit 160 receives signals transmitted from the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, extracts information from the received signals, and communicates with the communication availability recognition processing unit 130. The data is output to the unit 140 and the totaling unit 150.

  The printing unit 170 performs a printing process based on a user operation on the printing apparatus 100. When the printing unit 170 executes the printing process, the printing unit 170 notifies the printable sheet number control unit 110 of the identification information of the user who executed the printing process and the number of printed sheets.

  Next, the printable sheet number increase / decrease process by the printable sheet number control unit 110 will be described in detail. When a print command based on a user's operation is input or during execution of a print process, if the user's printable number stored in association with the printing apparatus 100 is smaller than a preset threshold, printing is performed. The possible number control unit 110 moves the printable number of sheets to one or a plurality of printing apparatuses determined based on the number of printable sheets among the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600. Request (transfer). Specifically, the printable sheet number control unit 110 refers to the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120, and the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 have, for example, a large number of printable sheets. A predetermined number (hereinafter referred to as a “predetermined number”) of printable sheets is requested to be moved in order from the first. Here, it is assumed that the number of printable sheets increases in the order of the printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600.

  The other printing apparatus 200 that has received the request first notifies the printing apparatus 100 that there is no printable number of sheets that can be moved if the number of printable sheets is smaller than the threshold. If the number of printable sheets is equal to or greater than (threshold value + predetermined number of sheets), that is, (number of printable sheets−threshold) ≧ predetermined number of sheets, a reply indicating that the predetermined number of sheets is moved is made, and then the number of printable sheets Is reduced by a predetermined number. If the number of printable sheets is (printable number of sheets−threshold) <predetermined number of sheets, the printing apparatus 200 that has received the request notifies the printing apparatus 100 that the print apparatus 100 is to be moved by (printable number of sheets−threshold). The number of printable sheets is set equal to the threshold value. These processes are executed by a portion corresponding to the printable sheet number control unit 110 of the other printing apparatus 200.

  When movement of the printable number of sheets is recognized from another printing apparatus 200, the printing apparatus 100 is recognized to move with respect to the printable number of sheets stored in association with the printing apparatus 200 of the storage unit 120. In addition to subtracting the number of sheets, the number of sheets permitted to move is added to the number of printable sheets associated with itself. If movement of the printable number is not permitted from the printing apparatus 200, the printing apparatus 100 transmits a request to the printing apparatus 300, and thereafter, from which printing apparatus is permitted to move the number of printable sheets The request processing is repeated while changing the request partner until the request processing is executed for all the printing apparatuses.

  The printing apparatus 100 is allowed to move the printable number of sheets from any of the printing apparatuses, and after adding and subtracting the above-mentioned printable number of sheets, the above-described user's stored in association with the printing apparatus 100 again. When the printable sheet number is compared with the threshold value and the printable sheet number is still smaller than the threshold value, the above-described request for moving the printable sheet number is issued to a printing apparatus that has not yet requested the printable sheet number to be moved. Execute.

  On the other hand, if the number of printable sheets does not exceed the threshold even after executing the request process for all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, the printing apparatus 100 prompts the user to The print processing is executed until the number of printable sheets becomes zero. At the time of notification to the user, for example, by referring to the printable number stored for the printing apparatus deleted by the above-mentioned synchronization processing unit 140 due to power interruption or the like, the predetermined number of sheets can be moved by moving these printable numbers If it is determined that the movement is possible, it may be notified together.

  With such a printable sheet number increase / decrease process, the printable sheet number is added in the printing apparatus 100 without changing the printable sheet number allocated for the entire information processing system 1000 for a certain user, and the printable sheet number is printed in the printing apparatus 100. It is avoided that printing cannot be performed due to a shortage of printing.

  The printable number increase / decrease process will be described with a specific example. 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating an example of the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120. FIG. Here, the numerical value of only the user identified by the ID “A” is shown. Here, in all of the printing apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, it is assumed that the threshold value is set to 100 and the predetermined number of sheets is set to 50.

  In FIG. 4, since the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus 100 is 60, the printable sheet number control unit 110 performs a print sheet increase / decrease process. First, the printable sheet number control unit 110 executes request processing for the printing apparatus 600 having the largest printable sheet number among the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600. Movement is permitted.

  As a result, the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus 100 is 90, which is still smaller than the threshold value (100), so that the printable sheet number control unit 110 can print out of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, and 500. The request process is executed for the printing apparatus 200 having the largest value, and movement of 25 sheets is permitted from the printing apparatus 200. As a result, the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus 100 is 115, which is equal to or greater than the threshold (100), and thus the print number increase / decrease process ends. The print upper limit target list at the end is shown in FIG.

  Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 100 will be described using a flowchart.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation in the printing upper limit target list creation mode of the printing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, when an administrator of the information processing system 1000 performs an operation such as setting the printable number of pages for each user or changing the printable number of pages, the printable number control unit 110 sets the print upper limit target list based on the content of the operation. Are edited and confirmed (S600).

  Next, the communication availability recognition processing unit 130 of the printing apparatus 100 confirms the availability of communication between the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600 described in the print upper limit target list (S601). Then, it is determined whether all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600 are communicable (S602). If there is any one of the printing apparatuses that cannot communicate, the printing apparatus 100 informs the administrator. On the other hand, other printing apparatuses that have been unable to communicate are notified (S603), and the print upper limit target list is edited and confirmed again (S600).

  On the other hand, if all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600 are communicable in S602, the synchronization processing unit 140 sends the print upper limit target list to the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600. Transmit (S604). Thus, the distribution process of the upper limit print target list in the printing apparatus 100 ends.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the print number increase / decrease process in the printing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. When a print command is input (S701), the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines whether the printable sheet number is below the threshold for the user who executed the printing process (S702), and the printable sheet number is greater than or equal to the threshold. If so, print processing is executed (S708). In the printing process of S708, one sheet of the print document designated by the print command is printed, and 1 is subtracted from the printable sheet number. Then, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines whether the printing process has been completed (S709), and if the printing process has been completed, the printing number increase / decrease process also ends. If the printing process has not been completed, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines in S702 for the printable sheet number subtracted in S708.

  On the other hand, when the printable number is below the threshold, the printable number control unit 110 prints the printable number for the largest printable number among the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600. Is requested to move (S703). In response to the request in S702, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines whether the printable sheet number has been moved (S704). If the printable sheet number has been moved, the determination in S702 is performed again. If the printable sheet number has not been moved, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines whether a movement request has been transmitted to all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 ( S705). When there is a printing apparatus that has not yet transmitted a request for movement, the printable sheet number control unit 110 is the printing apparatus of other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 that has not yet transmitted a request. Then, a request is made to move the printable number for the largest printable number (S703).

  If it is determined in S705 that the request has been transmitted to all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines whether the printable sheet number is 0 ( In S706), if the printable number is not 0, the printing apparatus 100 displays a message indicating that the printable number and the printable number are low on the display unit (S707), and printing after S708 is performed. Execute the process. On the other hand, if the number of printable sheets is 0, the printing apparatus 100 displays a message indicating that the number of printable sheets is 0 on the display unit (S710), and the print number increase / decrease process ends.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the movement (transfer) process of the printable number of sheets in the printing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. This is an operation when a request for movement of the printable sheet number is received in the above-described print sheet number increase / decrease process.

  The printable sheet number control unit 110 of the printing apparatus 100 moves the printable sheet number designated by the user from any of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 (hereinafter referred to as another printing apparatus 200). Is received (S801), it is determined whether or not the printable number stored in the printing apparatus 100 in association with the user is larger than the threshold by referring to the print upper limit target list (S802). If the printable number is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, there is no printable number of sheets that can be moved, so the printable number control unit 110 notifies the other printing apparatus 200 to that effect (S803) and moves the printable number of sheets. The (transfer) process ends.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S802 that the printable sheet number stored for the printing apparatus 100 is greater than the threshold value, the printable sheet number control unit 110 further determines whether (printable sheet number−threshold value) is equal to or greater than the predetermined sheet number. It is determined whether or not (S804). If (printable number-threshold) is smaller than the predetermined number, the printable number control unit 110 notifies the other printing apparatus 200 that the printable number is moved by (printable number-threshold). (S805) The number of printable sheets stored by itself is reduced by (printable number of sheets−threshold), and when (printable number of sheets−threshold) is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of sheets, the printable sheet number control unit 110 determines a predetermined number. The other printing apparatus 200 is notified that the number of copies is to be moved (S806), and the number of printable pages stored therein is reduced by a predetermined number, and the process of transferring (transferring) the number of printable pages ends.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation (counting process of the printable sheet number) in the printable sheet number counting mode of the printing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. When the administrator of the information processing system 1000 designates another printing apparatus (printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600) and performs a totaling operation (S900), the communication availability recognition processing unit 130 of the printing apparatus 100 is performed. Confirms whether the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600 can communicate (S901). Then, it is determined whether all of the other printing apparatuses 200, 400, 500, and 600 are communicable (S902). If there is any one of the printing apparatuses that cannot communicate, the printing apparatus 100 notifies the administrator. In response to this, the administrator of the information processing system 1000 changes the designation of the printing apparatus and performs the counting operation again (S900).

  On the other hand, if all of the other printing apparatuses specified in S900 can communicate in S902, the totaling unit 150 acquires a printing upper limit target list from the other printing apparatuses specified in S900 (S904).

  Then, the totaling unit 150 totals the number of printable sheets based on the acquired print upper limit target list according to the administrator's operation (S905), and displays and stores it according to the administrator's operation (S906). This completes the process of counting the number of printable sheets in the printing apparatus 100.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the process for adding the printable number of sheets in the printing apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. This is a process executed when the administrator of the information processing system 1000 operates the printing apparatus 100. When the administrator of the information processing system 1000 operates the printing apparatus 100 to add the number of prints (S1000), the printable sheet number control unit 110 of the printing apparatus 100 reflects the print upper limit target list (S1001), and then The printing upper limit target list is distributed to the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 through the processing after S 601 shown in FIG.

  With the above configuration, there is provided a plurality of printing apparatuses 100 included in the information processing system, which manage the number of printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses 100 to 600.

  Here, the configuration in which the printing apparatus 100 requests a predetermined number of movements to each of the other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The other printing apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 may be configured to request a predetermined number of movements so that the total number of movements becomes a predetermined number. For example, when the printing apparatus that first receives the request recognizes the movement of X (<predetermined number), the next printing apparatus may be requested to move (predetermined number−X). .

  Here, the configuration in which requests are made in order from the printing device with the largest printable number in the printable number increase / decrease processing has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration is to make requests to a plurality of printing devices at the same time. Alternatively, a predetermined number of printing apparatuses may be requested to move a predetermined number of sheets, or requests in order from the largest difference between the “threshold” and “printable number”. It is good also as composition which performs.

  In this example, the configuration in which requests and responses are made in order to each printing apparatus in the printable number increase / decrease process has been described. However, the update (synchronization) frequency of the print upper limit target list is increased so that the contents are always the latest. In addition, in the printable sheet number increase / decrease process, only the contents of the print upper limit target list stored in the storage unit 120 may be changed.

  The operation of the printing apparatus 100 described here is realized by operating a program stored in the storage unit 120 of the printing apparatus 100. This program may be provided by communication, or may be provided by being stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM that can be read by a computer.

  100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 Printing device, 110 Printable sheet number control unit, 120 Storage unit, 130 Communication availability recognition processing unit, 140 Synchronization processing unit, 150 Totaling unit, 160 Communication unit, 170 Printing unit, 900 Network, 1000 information processing system.

Claims (10)

A printing apparatus included in an information processing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses,
Printing means for executing a printing process;
A printable sheet number storage means for storing the printable sheet number of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses;
Based on the printing process executed by the printing unit, the printable number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable number storage unit is changed,
When the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold value,
Increasing the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage means, and storing the printable sheet number storage means in at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. Printable sheet number control means for reducing
A printing apparatus comprising: The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The printable sheet number control means includes:
A printing apparatus, wherein at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses is determined based on the number of printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 2,
The printable sheet number control means includes:
A printing apparatus that selects, as at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses, one having the largest number of printable sheets among the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 2,
The printable sheet number control means includes:
A printing apparatus, wherein at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses, a predetermined number of printing apparatuses are selected in descending order of the number of printable sheets from among the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The printable sheet number control means includes:
When the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus is smaller than the threshold value,
Add a predetermined number to the number of printable sheets of the printing device,
Subtraction is performed on at least a part of the printable sheets of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus so that the total printable sheet count of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus is reduced by the predetermined number. A printing apparatus characterized by that. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Sending printable sheet number information indicating the printable sheet number stored in the printable sheet number storage means to the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus;
A printable sheet number information communication means for receiving printable sheet number information transmitted from each of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus;
When the printable sheet number information is received by the printable sheet number information communication unit,
The printable sheet number control unit changes the printable sheet number stored in the printable sheet number storage unit based on the received printable sheet number information. The printing apparatus according to claim 6,
Further comprising communication enable / disable recognizing means for recognizing communication enable / disable of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus;
The printable sheet number information communication unit is configured to print the printable sheet number when the number of printing apparatuses recognized as communicable by the communication possibility recognition unit is larger than half the number of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. A printing apparatus characterized by transmitting information. The printing apparatus according to claim 6 or 7,
The printable sheet number information communication unit receives the printable sheet number information from at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is activated. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Changed printing apparatus identification information including at least part of additional printing apparatus identification information for identifying a printing apparatus added to the information processing system and excluded printing apparatus identification information for identifying a printing apparatus excluded from the information processing system. It further has a changed printing device information acquisition means for acquiring,
The printable sheet number storage means stores the printable sheet number of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses in association with printing apparatus identification information for identifying the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus identification information stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is changed based on the changed printing apparatus identification information acquired by the changed printing apparatus information acquisition unit. Computer
A printing apparatus included in an information processing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses,
Printing means for executing a printing process;
A printable sheet number storage means for storing the printable sheet number of each of the plurality of printing apparatuses;
Based on the printing process executed by the printing unit, the printable number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable number storage unit is changed,
When the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage unit is smaller than a predetermined threshold value,
Increasing the printable sheet number of the printing apparatus stored in the printable sheet number storage means, and storing the printable sheet number storage means in at least a part of the plurality of printing apparatuses excluding the printing apparatus. Printable sheet number control means for reducing
A program for causing a printer to function as a printer.

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