JPH09222997A - Job link controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform suitable job link control to a job executing device (printer) for which it is necessary to send an end command showing job end before real job end. SOLUTION: A parameter check part 26 discriminates whether the parameters of preceding and following jobs are equal or not. Based on the end command transmission limit of the preceding job, a timing check part 30 discriminates whether it is a job link enable timing or not. When job link is enabled on both the aspects of job contents and timing, a link control part 24 discriminates the job link. According to this link discrimination, control for job link is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a job connection control device, and more particularly to a job connection control device adapted to connect a plurality of jobs in conformity with the operation sequence of a job execution device such as a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A job concatenation control device concatenates (combines) a plurality of jobs that can be concatenated. According to this job concatenation, the operation continuity of a job execution device is increased and unnecessary operation intervals are eliminated. Can be reduced. The job to be linked is a print job including, for example, print parameters and print image data, and the conventional job link control will be described below on behalf of the printing system.

In a conventional printing system, a generated print job (hereinafter, simply referred to as a job) is supplied to a printer as a job execution device (output device) via a printer control device. For example, one job corresponds to printing one document, and each job element that constitutes a job corresponds to printing each page that constitutes a document. In order to improve the operation efficiency of the printer, it is desirable to connect two or more jobs having the same print parameters and to process the plurality of jobs in the printer as one continuous job. Therefore, it has been proposed that the printer control device functions as a job connecting device (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 6-200522 previously proposed by the applicant). That is, for example, a plurality of jobs having the same print parameters such as paper type, double-sided printing / single-sided printing designation, and the number of copies to be printed, in other words, continuous processing is possible without changing printing conditions or printing sequence This is to connect a plurality of jobs.

[0004]

By the way, a printer having a pre-feed function for feeding paper prior to data input receives an end command for ending a job a predetermined period before the job end timing. Must. That is, when it is desired to end the printing on the last page, the printer that is required to accept the end command from the printer control device before the page 10 pages before the printing of the last page is printed. There is. Where the end command is
Information indicating the number of the last page to be printed is added as an argument. Upon receiving this information, the printer ends the printing when the printing of the designated last page is completed.

The conventional printer control device having the job concatenation function transmits an end command to the printer at the end of the job. Therefore, the job connection control cannot be performed for the printer that requires the preceding transmission of the end command. That is, for a printer that is subject to the preceding transmission of the end command and the transmission of the last page number accompanying it, it is necessary to perform job connection control in consideration of the conditions, but in the conventional job connection control, However, only the agreement in terms of job contents is considered, and it does not sufficiently correspond to the operation sequence unique to the printer.

Therefore, there has been a demand for a job connection control device which can judge the commonality of job contents in job connection and can also judge the validity in terms of connection timing. Note that this is not limited to the printer, and can be applied to other devices in which the timing of job connection is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to execute a job when a command indicating the end of the job needs to be transmitted to the job execution device prior to the actual end of the job. It is an object of the present invention to provide a job connection control device capable of making an appropriate determination for job connection in terms of not only the content but also the time.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention refers to job parameters of a preceding job and a succeeding job in a job concatenation control device that supplies a job to a job execution device that executes the job. The first determination means for determining whether or not job connection is possible from the viewpoint of job content, and whether or not job connection is possible from a time point of view based on the job execution progress degree of the preceding job in the job execution apparatus When it is determined that the second determination unit that determines whether or not both the first determination unit and the second determination unit can connect the jobs, control is performed to connect the succeeding job to the preceding job. And a connection control means.

According to the above construction, the first determining means determines whether or not the job connection is possible in terms of the job content, and the second determining means determines whether or not the job connection is possible in terms of time. Then, when the determination results of both means are affirmative, the job connection is determined, and the connection control means performs control for executing the succeeding job following the preceding job that is being executed (for example, to the job execution device). Send a concatenation command).

Therefore, according to the present invention, job linking can be performed only during a period in which job linking is possible, and job linking control can be performed even for a printer or the like that requires prior transmission of an end command. Further, according to the present invention, while ensuring proper operation of the job execution apparatus, it is possible to reduce the operation stop period between each job execution as much as possible, and the number of frequent pauses and restarts in the job execution apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operation efficiency of the job execution apparatus. This also reduces the load on the hardware of the job execution device.

[0011] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a job progress management table in which the degree of progress of job execution of the preceding job is entered is further included, and job connection determination is performed using the job progress management table. This job progress management table is preferably created based on a signal returned from the job execution device side, and if the job execution device is, for example, a printer, the job progress management table shows the page number or page actually printed. The number (or sheet number or number of sheets) is entered.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, further, according to the end command reception deadline condition of the job execution device,
A command managing means for transmitting an end command indicating the end of the job in the middle of job execution, and performing control for continuing the job execution instead of transmitting the end command when the job connection is determined. Including.

That is, the command management means has an end command transmission function, a job connection processing function, and the like. When job connection is performed, the end command transmission is postponed or the job execution apparatus is already notified. Control such as correction of the job end conditions that have been performed.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, an end command transmission flag indicating whether or not an end command is transmitted and a job connection flag indicating whether or not a job is connected are provided, and the end command transmission flag and the job connection are set. The command transmission is managed by referring to the flag.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the second determination means is such that the input timing of the succeeding job is before the determination timing set based on the end command reception deadline of the job execution apparatus. The connection is determined. Here, it is desirable that the determination timing be set to a timing that is traced back from the end command reception deadline by a predetermined margin period secured for performing connection control.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the job connection control device according to the present invention is applied to a printer control device. The printing system shown in FIG. 1 includes a printer controller 10 and a printer 12. The printer control device 10 has a function as a print server that supplies print data to the printer 12 as a job execution device,
In addition, it has a function of connecting a plurality of print jobs.

Prior to the description of this system, the operating conditions of the printer 12 will be described. The printer 12 has the above-described pre-feed function, and if an end command is received before the page 10 pages before the last page is printed, for example, an operation condition for ending printing at the last page indicated by the command. Have. That is, there is an end command reception deadline.

FIG. 2A shows the operation sequence of a normal printer. This printer is activated by receiving a start command S from the printer control device (see reference numeral 100), and printing of each page is sequentially executed. In addition, 104 has shown the number of the printed page. The printing of each page progresses, and when the printing of the final page, 50th page, is completed, the end command E is received from the printer control device, and the printing operation is stopped (see reference numeral 102).

On the other hand, FIG. 2B shows an operation sequence of the printer targeted by the job connection control according to the present invention. This printer is the same as the conventional one in that it is started from the reception of the start command S, but for example, the page 10 pages before the last page (the fourth page
Only when the end command E is received by the time (0 page) is printed, the printing operation is stopped at the last page. The start command S is added with data indicating the number of the first page as an argument, and the end command E is added with data indicating the number of the last page as an argument. In other words, this printer starts printing from the first page, and when the end command is received properly during the process, it stops printing when the printing has progressed to the last page number indicated by the accompanying data. Is. If the end command is not received by the 40th page, the printer does not stop operating even when the last page is reached, and the paper is fed, and the printer requests the printer control device to print an unnecessary request for print data. Comes out. The end command is
After the start command, it can be sent to the printer.

Therefore, when performing job connection control for a printer as shown in FIG. 2B, it is inevitable that the operation sequence of the printer, particularly the end command reception deadline, must be taken into consideration. .

The printer control apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is capable of performing job linking control while coping with the above-described unique operation sequence. In FIG. 1, a job (print job) input from the upper module is scheduled by the job scheduler 14, and the job is passed to the printer controller 16. The printer controller 16 refers to the print parameters (print conditions) included in the job and determines the number of sheets of paper to be printed by the printer 12. In this embodiment, the printer controller 16 has a command management unit 20. The command management unit 20 has a function of transmitting a start command, a function of transmitting an end command, a function of performing processing for job connection when job connection is determined by the connection management unit 18 described later, and the like.

The number of the page to be printed first is added as an argument to the start command. In addition, the number of the page to be printed last is added as an argument to the end command. Of course, as the argument, the sheet number can be used instead of the page number according to the specifications of the printer.

After the start command is received by the printer 12, the printer controller 1 is sent from the printer 12 to the printer controller 1.
Requests (transfer requests) for print data are sequentially made to 6. On the other hand, the printer controller 16 sequentially outputs the print data as image data to the printer 12.
The printer 12 executes printing based on the print data. In this case, the printing is performed according to the print parameters of the job.

The job progress output unit 34 in the printer 12
Outputs information indicating the degree of job progress to the connection management unit 18, as will be described later. Specifically, when printing of each page is completed, a signal indicating the completion of page printing is output. . The signal indicating the degree of job progress is
Although it is directly transmitted to the connection control unit 18 in FIG. 1,
It may be transmitted to the connection control unit 18 via the printer controller 16.

The connection management unit 18 determines whether or not to connect the succeeding job input next to the preceding job which is currently being executed. The decision is made from two sides. One is a determination as to whether or not connection is possible in terms of job content, which is also shown in the conventional example (first determination). The other is a determination as to whether or not connection is possible in terms of time related to the end command reception restriction in the printer 12 (second determination).

The parameter check unit 26 performs the above-described first determination, and specifically, the connection determination is performed when it is confirmed that the parameters of the preceding job and the succeeding job (parameters to be compared from the viewpoint of coupling) are the same. To do. In order to make the determination, the parameters of the preceding job are temporarily stored in the preceding job parameter storage unit 28.

That is, when a job (subsequent job) is input to the printer controller 16, the content of the job is analyzed and the print parameters are sent to the parameter check unit 26 via the connection control unit 24. As described above, the parameter check unit 26 stores the print parameters of the preceding job stored in the preceding job parameter storage unit 28,
Compare the input print parameters of the subsequent job,
When both match, a connection determination (first determination) is performed.

Thereafter, for comparison with the print parameters of the next input job, the parameters of the succeeding succeeded job are stored in the preceding job parameter storage unit 28 as the next preceding job parameters. Of course, if a parameter storage unit exists in the printer controller 16, the storage unit can function as a preceding job parameter storage unit. Parameter check unit 2
In 6, the connection control unit 24 is notified when the parameter coincidence determination is made.

On the other hand, as described above, when a succeeding job is input to the printer controller 16 during execution of the preceding job, the timing check unit 30 is notified of the job input. The timing check unit 30
By referring to the job progress management table 32, it is confirmed how much the job is currently progressing in the printer, and it is determined whether or not the current job progress degree is before the determination timing described later. Then, at the time of inputting the subsequent job, if the job progress degree is earlier than the determination timing, it is determined that the job can be connected, and that effect is notified.
Will be notified.

FIG. 3 shows the job progress management management table 3
The contents of 2 are shown. In the job progress management table 32, the presence or absence of printing completion is entered for each sheet number (or each page number) based on the information indicating the job progress output from the job progress output unit 34. State "1
(TRUE) ”indicates that the output is completed (printing is completed).
The state "0 (FALSE)" indicates that the output is not completed yet.

The job progress management table 32
Is created for each job and is reset when the execution of the job is completed. However, when a plurality of jobs are linked, the job progress management table 32 is created as a whole of the plurality of linked jobs, and is reset when the jobs are finally finished.

Returning to FIG. 1, the timing check unit 30
Is input with information on the number of pages to be printed or the last page number from the printer controller 16. Further, in the timing check unit 30, the end command reception deadline of the printer 12 and the predetermined margin period secured for performing the job linking process are registered in advance. The end command reception deadline is a condition for ending printing at the last page, and specifically means a page number returned from the last page number by a predetermined number of pages. That is, in order to finish the printing on the last page, the end command must be transmitted to the printer by the end command reception deadline. The above judgment timing is
It is defined as a page number further returned from the page number indicating the end command reception limitation by a predetermined margin period reserved for concatenation control.

For example, the number of print pages of the preceding job is 50
In the case of a page, the end command reception deadline (limit) is set at the time of completion of printing the 40th page, which is 10 pages back from the 50th page. Then, if the margin period is a printing period of, for example, 6 pages, the determination timing is set at the time of completion of printing of the 34th page, which is moved back by 6 pages from the 40th page. As described above, the timing check unit 30 controls the printer 12
If the job execution degree (print completion page) is earlier than the determination timing, it is determined that job connection is possible from a time point of view.

When both the parameter check unit 26 and the timing check unit 30 make a connection determination, the connection control unit 24 performs control for connecting the succeeding job to the preceding job. Specifically, the effect of the connection determination is sent to the command transmission unit 20, and the processing required for job connection is performed. For example, if an end command has not been sent yet, sending of the end command is prohibited, or if the end command has already been sent to a printer that can accept modification of the argument, then that argument is linked to the linked job. Correct to the final page number of the whole.

When the connection determination is made, the connection command may be transmitted to the printer 12 instead of the end command. In FIG. 1, the printer control device 10 is shown as a functional block diagram, but each function can be realized by hardware or software.

FIG. 4 shows a case where the job connection control according to the present invention is applied to the printer having the operation sequence shown in FIG. 2B. In FIG. 4, the preceding job corresponds to printing of 50 pages, and the succeeding job is 2
This is equivalent to printing 0 pages. As shown in FIG.
When the succeeding job is input at timing T immediately after the printing of the 24th page is completed, the timing T is before the determination timing (printing completion of the 34th page), so the end command E ′ is not transmitted for the preceding job. .
Instead, the end command E is transmitted within the end command reception deadline of the succeeding job, and the job ends at the final page (70th page) of the two jobs that are finally linked (see 102). If the jobs can be further linked, the end command is postponed, and the end command is transmitted for the last linked job.

On the other hand, FIG. 4B shows the case where the input timing T of the succeeding job is different from that in FIG. 4A. The input timing T is after the determination timing (printing completion of the 34th page), and job connection is impossible, so the two jobs are processed as different jobs. That is, the start command S1 and the end command E1 are transmitted for the preceding job, and the start command S2 and the end command E2 are also transmitted for the succeeding job.
The stop is repeated twice (100-1, 102-
1, 100-2, 102-2).

According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to connect jobs accurately, and to connect jobs as much as possible,
The operation loss of the printer can be reduced. That is, the time between two linked jobs becomes the same as the interval between pages, and the total job execution time can be shortened.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the printing system to which the job connection control according to the present invention is applied. The same components as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 100 and 10 shown in FIG.
2 indicates different processes or thread spaces, and each process can be executed in parallel.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, all commands to be output to the printer 12 are generated by the command creating section 50, and transmission of each command is collectively managed by the command managing section 52. That is, when the job scheduler 14 receives the job parameter from the job scheduler 14, the command creating unit 50 generates a start command and an end command according to the parameter and sends them to the job scheduler 1.
4 and the printer controller 16 to the command management unit 52 (see 104). Command management unit 52
Sends a necessary command to the printer 12 via the printer controller 16 at a predetermined timing (see 106).

In this case, the printer controller 16
When the start command is passed from the command management unit 52, print data is sequentially transmitted to the printer 12. The degree of job progress in the printer 12 is entered in the job progress management table 32, as in the embodiment of FIG.
The transmission timing determining unit 54 outputs a timing signal to the command managing unit 52 when the degree of job progress reaches the determination timing while referring to the job progress management table 32. In response to this signal, the command management unit 5
2 sends an end command to the printer 12. The printer 12 stops its operation when the printing of the last page specified by the end command is completed.

FIG. 6 shows the contents of the flag group 56 shown in FIG. 1. The flag group 56 is composed of an end command transmission flag 56A and a job connection flag 56B. In the end command transmission flag 56A, the state “0” indicates that the end command has not been transmitted, and the state “1” indicates that the end command has been transmitted. The job connection flag 56B is in the state "0"
Indicates that the jobs are not linked, and state "1" indicates that the jobs are linked.

The end command transmission flag 56A is set by the command management unit 52 after the end command is transmitted, and referred to by the command creation unit 50. On the other hand, the job connection flag 56B indicates that the command creation unit 5
It is set by 0 and referred to by the command management unit 52. That is, the flags are referred to between the two processes 100 and 102, and the mutual operations are associated with each other. Of course, this flag group 56 is referred to by other components as necessary, and its access is exclusively controlled.

Job link control using the flag group 56 will be described in detail below. When a succeeding job is input to the job scheduler 14 while the preceding job is being executed, the parameters of the job are passed to the command creating unit 50. Then, the command creating unit 50 first sends the parameter to the parameter checking unit 26, and the parameter checking unit 26 compares the parameters of the succeeding job with the parameters of the preceding job stored in the preceding job parameter storage unit 28. Then, the connection determination is performed on the job content side. As a result, if it is determined that the connection is not possible, the command creating unit 50 creates the start command and the end command as usual.

On the other hand, as a result of the parameter check, if it is determined that the connection is possible, then the command creating section 50 sends the end command transmission flag 56 prior to the command creation.
See A. As a result, if the end command has already been created, it is determined that job connection is impossible
Create both start command and end command,
They are sent to the command management unit 52. On the other hand, if it is determined that the end command has not been sent yet, only the end command for the job is created and sent to the command management unit 52.

That is, the command creating section 50 has a function as a timing check section for deciding whether or not job connection is possible. When the command creation unit 50 determines that the job is linked, it sets the job link flag 56B. At the same time, the command management unit 52 may be instructed to invalidate the end command of the preceding job that has already been sent.

The command management unit 52 transmits the end command based on the input of the timing signal from the transmission timing determination unit 54, but refers to the job concatenation flag 56 prior to the transmission of the end cocommand. When the job connection flag 56 indicates job connection, the command management unit 52 performs necessary control for job connection, for example, cancellation of transmission of an end command, transmission of print data of a succeeding job, and the like. That is, the command management unit 52 has a function as a connection control unit. As a result of referring to the job connection flag 56B, if it is determined that the jobs are not connected, the command management unit 52 sends an end command, and at the same time, the end command transmission flag 56A is set.

In this embodiment, the job connection control can be performed while mutually associating the command creation and the command management with each other, and when the printer control device is configured based on a plurality of processes or thread spaces, the job can be efficiently processed. Connection control can be performed.

The present invention can be applied to a system other than the printing system, which requires job connection.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform appropriate job linking control for a job executing apparatus that needs to send a command indicating the end of a job prior to the actual end of the job. . Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to make an appropriate determination for job connection not only in terms of job content but also in terms of time. Particularly, according to the present invention, the operation efficiency of the job execution apparatus can be increased as much as possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a job connection control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation sequence of a normal printer and a printer on condition that end command preceding reception is a condition.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of a job progress management table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation sequence of a printer to which job connection control according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the contents of a flag group.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 printer control device, 12 printer, 16 printer controller, 18 connection management unit, 20 command management unit, 26 parameter check unit, 30 timing check unit, 32 job progress management table, 50 command creation unit, 52 command management unit, 54 transmission Timing determination unit, 56 flags.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A job concatenation control device for supplying a job to a job execution device for executing a job, by referring to job parameters of a preceding job and a succeeding job,
First determination means for determining whether or not job connection is possible in terms of job content, and whether or not job connection is possible in terms of time based on the degree of progress of job execution of the preceding job in the job execution apparatus When the second determining unit for determining and the first determining unit and the second determining unit both determine that the job can be connected, the connection for performing the control for connecting the succeeding job to the preceding job A job connection control apparatus comprising: a control unit. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a job progress management table in which a job execution progress degree of the preceding job is entered, and the job connection determination is performed using the job progress management table. Characterized job connection control device. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting an end command indicating the end of a job in the middle of job execution according to an end command reception deadline of the job execution apparatus, wherein job linking is determined. A job concatenation control apparatus including command management means for performing control to continue job execution instead of transmitting the end command when the job is executed. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: an end command transmission flag indicating presence / absence of end command transmission, and a job connection flag indicating presence / absence of job connection, wherein the end command transmission flag and the job connection are set. A job concatenation control device characterized in that command transmission is managed with reference to a flag. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second determination unit determines that the input timing of the subsequent job is before the determination timing set based on the end command reception deadline of the job execution apparatus. A job connection control device for performing connection determination in a case. 6. The job connection control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the determination timing is set to a timing that is traced back by a predetermined margin period from the end command reception deadline.