Chat system

Abstract

To enable interruption from multiple users by using a chat while flexibly coping with job processing.SOLUTION: A chat system 100 that first logs in a printing device 1 and performs communication between a first user account having an operation privilege of the printing device 1 and a second user account that logs in later by a chat includes a chat processing section 14 for transmitting a message for requesting an interruption operation privilege from the second user account of the printing device 1 to the first user account by a chat, and a chat processing section 22 (privilege impartation section) for imparting an operation privilege of the printing device 1 to the second user account via a chat by a first user's approval operation of the interruption operation privilege when the first user account receives a message.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chat system for communicating between users by chat. [Background technology]

[0002] When a printer is connected to a network and multiple users share the printer, there are cases where the printer needs to be given priority over another user's job when it is executing a job for one user.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a technology that has an acceptance unit that accepts an interrupt login to transition to an interrupt job, and a judgment unit that determines whether an interrupt login is already in progress, and in which the acceptance unit prohibits the acceptance of a new interrupt login while it is determined that an interrupt login is already in progress. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-29443 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, acceptance of a new interrupt login is prohibited during an interrupt, so although interruption by up to one user is possible, it is difficult to interrupt more than that.

[0006] Furthermore, when an interrupt user forcibly interrupts, the preceding job processing of the user who was authenticated first is unknowingly interrupted, which is a problem.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a chat system that can flexibly handle job processing and allows a plurality of users to interrupt a session using chat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the chat system according to the present invention is characterized by: A chat system for communicating by chat between a first user account that logs in to a printing device first and has an operation authority of the printing device and a second user account that logs in later, comprising: a chat processing unit that transmits a chat message requesting an interrupt operation authority from a second user account of the printing device to a first user account; an authority granting unit that grants operation authority of the printing device to a second user account via chat in response to an approval operation for interruption operation authority by the first user when the first user account receives the message; The present invention is characterized by comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the chat system of the present invention, it is possible to flexibly handle job processing and to allow interruption by a plurality of users using chat. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a chat system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of an operation unit included in the printing device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display state of a job processing list display area of ​​a liquid crystal display panel of an operation unit provided in a printing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart showing processing contents in a chat system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts and components are designated by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and may differ from the actual product. In addition, the drawings may of course include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0012] The embodiments described below are merely examples of devices for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not limit the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of each component to those described below. The technical idea of ​​the present invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a distribution management system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] <Overall configuration of the chat system> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a chat system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the chat system 100 includes a computer 2 and a printing device 1 connected to the computer 2 via a network 3.

[0016] The computer 2 includes a control unit 20. The control unit 20 includes a connection processing unit 21, a chat processing unit 22, and a generation unit .

[0017] The connection processing unit 21 establishes a connection with the printing device 1 via the network 3. In addition, the connection processing unit 21 adds printing information to the image data generated by the generation unit 23, and transmits the resulting job data to the printing device 1 connected via the network 3.

[0018] When the chat processing unit 22 receives a chat message from a user account (second user account) different from the currently active user account (first user account) requesting interrupt operation authority for the first user account, if the interrupt operation authority is approved by the user (first user) operating the computer 2, the chat processing unit 22 grants operation authority for the printing device 1 to the second user account via chat.

[0019] The generating unit 23 generates image data by executing an application.

[0020] The printing device 1 includes a control unit 10 and an operation unit 19.

[0021] The control unit 10 performs overall control of the printing device 1. Specifically, the control unit 10 operates a printing unit and a scanner unit (not shown). In addition, the control unit 10 functionally includes a connection processing unit 11, a user login management unit 12, a panel control unit 13, a chat processing unit 14, and a job processing unit 15.

[0022] The connection processing unit 11 establishes a connection with the computer 2 via the network 3 .

[0023] The user login management unit 12 manages user logins from the computer 2 and user logins from the operation unit 19 .

[0024] The panel control unit 13 controls the display of various screens on the operation unit 19, the acceptance of input operations, and the like.

[0025] The chat processing unit 14 transmits a chat message from a user account (second user account) different from the currently active user account (first user account) requesting an interrupt operation authority to the first user account.

[0026] The job processing section 15 executes jobs of user accounts that have the authority to operate the printing device 1.

[0027] The operation unit 19 has, for example, a touch panel and a liquid crystal display panel (neither of which is shown) that is arranged on the rear side of the touch panel and displays various display screens. For example, the operation unit 19 receives a message requesting interrupt operation authority, such as a chat transmission operation, from the touch panel.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the operation unit 19 included in the printing device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] As shown in the figure, the operation unit 19 is provided with a liquid crystal display panel 190.

[0030] The liquid crystal display panel 190 has an execution status display area 191 and a job processing list display area 192 .

[0031] The execution status display area 191 displays whether each of the functions "Print," "Scanner," "Fax," "Copy," and "USB Use" is executable or not. For example, assume that a second user logs in from the operation unit 19 using a second account. At this time, if the first user account has operation authority for the "Print" function, the "Print" function in the execution status display area 191 is displayed grayed out to indicate that it is not executable.

[0032] The job processing list display area 192 displays a user display 192a that displays the user of a job that is being executed or a job that is waiting, a job button 192b that displays the status of job processing, and a chat button 192c that enables chatting.

[0033] Here, it is shown that job AAA of user A (first user account) is currently being processed, and job BBB of user B (second user account) is currently waiting.

[0034] When a user (user A in this case) different from the user who has logged in from operation unit 19 (user B in this case) has operation authority, chat button 192c that enables chat with user A is displayed.

[0035] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display state of the job processing list display area 192 of the liquid crystal display panel 190. As shown in FIG.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 3, when user B presses chat button 192c, chat screen 192c is displayed. This allows logged-in user B to enter chat information from chat screen 192c. Character input to chat screen 192c may be done using a button, or conversation patterns may be displayed and user B may select one. For example, conversation patterns such as "May I interrupt?", "Interrupt: OK", "Thank you", "Estimated time to complete processing: ** minutes", and "Got it" are prepared in advance.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3, when user B performs a chat sending operation of “May I interrupt processing?” and “Estimated time to complete processing: 10 minutes”, the chat processing unit 14 sends a chat message from user B's user account to user A's user account requesting the authority to perform these interrupt operations.

[0038] When user A sees this message and performs a chat sending operation of "Interrupt processing: OK" from computer 2, chat processing unit 22 sends a chat message of "Interrupt processing: OK" from user A's user account to user B's user account.

[0039] Then, when user A performs an operation to approve user B's interrupt operation authority from computer 2, chat processing unit 22 grants operation authority of the printing device 1 to user B (second user account) via chat.

[0040] This allows user B to "pause" or "resume" user A's job AAA.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process performed in the chat system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, in step S101, the user login management unit 12 executes login processing for the second user based on a login operation from the operation unit 19.

[0043] In step S103, the control unit 10 acquires functions available to the second user.

[0044] In step S105, the control unit 10 determines whether the second user is attempting to use the same function as the function used by the first user.

[0045] If the first user is attempting to use a function different from the function being used (step S105; NO), the operation unit 19 disables the use of the chat button 192c.

[0046] On the other hand, if the user is attempting to use the same function as the first user is using (step S105; YES), the operation unit 19 enables (activates) the chat button 192c.

[0047] In step S109, based on the operation of the second user, the chat processing unit 14 transmits a chat message requesting interrupt operation authority from the user account of the second user to the user account of the first user.

[0048] In step S111, the message is received by the first user account, and it is determined whether or not the first user has performed an approval operation for the second user's interrupt operation authority.

[0049] If the first user approves the second user's interrupt operation authority (step S111; YES), in step S113, the chat processing unit 22 grants the operation authority of the printing device 1 to the second user account via chat. As a result, the second user acquires the job processing priority and operation authority from the first user.

[0050] In step S115, the second user performs an operation on the operation unit 19 to execute priority processing of a job, such as interrupting, pausing, or resuming the job.

[0051] In step S117, the second user releases the operation authority for the job from the operation unit 19. This returns the operation authority to the first user.

[0052] (Additional Note) This application discloses the following inventions.

[0053] (Appendix 1) A chat system for communicating by chat between a first user account that logs in to a printing device first and has an operation authority of the printing device and a second user account that logs in later, comprising: a chat processing unit that transmits a chat message requesting an interrupt operation authority from a second user account of the printing device to a first user account; an authority granting unit that grants operation authority of the printing device to a second user account via chat in response to an approval operation for interruption operation authority by the first user when the first user account receives the message; A chat system comprising:

[0054] This allows the user to control whether or not to interrupt at his / her own discretion by granting the job operation authority of other users only when interrupt permission is obtained, thereby enabling flexible job processing and interruption by a plurality of users. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1 Printing device 2. Computer 3. Network 10 Control section 11 Connection Processing Unit 12 User Login Management Section 13 Panel control section 14 Chat Processing Section 15 Job Processing Unit 19 Control section 20 Control section 21 Connection processing unit 22 Chat processing section 23 Generation part 100 Chat System 190 Liquid crystal display panel

Claims

[Claim 1] A chat system for communicating by chat between a first user account that logs in to a printing device first and has an operation authority of the printing device and a second user account that logs in later, comprising: a chat processing unit that transmits a chat message requesting an interrupt operation authority from a second user account of the printing device to a first user account; an authority granting unit that grants operation authority of the printing device to a second user account via chat in response to an approval operation for interrupt operation authority by the first user when the first user account receives the message; A chat system comprising:

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