Image forming device

Abstract

To provide an image forming device that can maintain an image quality even if the device has an interrupt-printing function.SOLUTION: An image forming device 300 forms an image on the basis of a printing job sent from a first-type information processing device and forms an image on the basis of a printing job sent from a second type information processing device. The image forming device 300 has a storage 640 that stores the printing jobs, and a CPU 610 that controls the image forming device 300 so that image formation based on the printing jobs is executed in an order in which the printing jobs are stored in the storage 640. When receiving an instruction for executing image formation based on the selected printing job prior to image formation based on the other printing job, the CPU 610 controls whether the image formation based on the selected printing job should be executed prior to the image formation based on the other printing job or not, on the basis of the type of the information processing device sending the other printing job.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction peripheral, that has a print job interrupt processing function. [Background technology]

[0002] An image forming device that acquires print jobs from an external device and performs printing processing stores and manages the acquired print jobs in a job queue. The image forming device executes the print jobs stored in the job queue in the order in which they were acquired. Conventionally, there has been known an image forming device that has an interrupt printing function that executes a print job by interrupting a new print job before a waiting print job (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Image forming devices are deployed in various markets. For example, image forming devices are deployed in the office market where they are used by an unspecified number of users, and in the commercial printing market where they are used to create publications. Image forming devices in the office market may have an interrupt printing function because they are used by an unspecified number of users. Image forming devices in the commercial printing market have print jobs managed by an administrator. Image forming devices that meet the needs of both the office market and the commercial printing market are able to provide high image quality and high-speed processing of complex setting information for publications by attaching a dedicated controller to a conventional image forming device for the office market. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-26939 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Image forming devices may experience changes in image quality due to changes in conditions. When using an interrupt printing function, operation between an interrupted print job may cause changes in the charge amount of toner and the resistance of the intermediate transfer belt, resulting in changes in image quality. However, an image forming device that meets the needs of both the office market and the commercial printing market may execute both a print job for which changes in image quality are desired to be suppressed and a print job using a conventional interrupt printing function. In this case, a print job using another interrupt printing function may be executed before the print job for which changes in image quality are desired to be suppressed, making it difficult to maintain image quality.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the above problems, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of maintaining image quality even when it has an interrupt printing function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that forms an image based on a print job sent from a first type of information processing device and forms an image based on a print job sent from a second type of information processing device different from the first type, and has a storage means for storing the print jobs and a control means for controlling the image forming apparatus to execute image formation based on the print jobs in the order in which the print jobs are stored in the storage means, and is characterized in that, when the control means receives an instruction to execute image formation based on a selected print job before image formation based on another print job, it controls whether or not to execute image formation based on the selected print job before image formation based on the other print job based on the type of the information processing device that sent the other print job. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, by prohibiting interrupt printing, changes in image quality can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system. [Diagram 2] 6 is a flowchart showing the processing of a print job stored in a job queue. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a main menu screen. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a job queue screen. [Figure 6] 4 is an example view of a job queue screen highlighting a selected print job. [Figure 7] 6 is a flowchart showing an interrupt printing determination process. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an updated job queue screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a job queue screen. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a job queue screen when notifying a user. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system. [Figure 13] 6 is a flowchart showing an interrupt printing determination process. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an interrupt list screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic color printer, but the image forming apparatus may be, for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral), etc.

[0011] (First embodiment) 1 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system according to the present embodiment. The image forming system 200 includes an image forming apparatus 300 and a first image processing unit 400. The image forming apparatus 300 includes a second image processing unit 500, a control unit 600, an operation display unit 700, and an image forming unit 800.

[0012] The image forming system 200 is connected to a client terminal 100, which is an external device. The image forming system 200 acquires a print job from the client terminal 100. The print job is input to either a first image processing unit 400 or a second image processing unit 500. The first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 each perform a different predetermined image processing for converting the acquired print job into printable image data. The image forming unit 800 prints an image on paper, which is an example of a recording medium, based on the image data.

[0013] The first image processing unit 400 functions as an external processing device of the image forming apparatus 300, and is referred to as a DFE (Digital Front End). The first image processing unit 400 includes a transmission / reception unit 410, an image processing unit 420, a memory 430, and a processing device control unit 440. The second image processing unit 500 functions as an internal processing device of the image forming apparatus 300. The second image processing unit 500 includes a transmission / reception unit 510, an image processing unit 520, a memory 530, and a processing device control unit 540.

[0014] The first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 acquire a print job from an external device (client terminal 100) via the transmission / reception units 410, 510. The print job includes PDL (Page Description Language) data. The PDL data is a page description language that can be read by the image processing units 420, 520, and includes image data and setting information set by the user. The setting information includes the type of printer driver that created the PDL data, the type of image processing unit that performs the processing (either the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500), and a new interrupt printing determination flag that indicates whether or not it is an interrupt printing job, which will be described later. The setting information also includes paper settings, single-sided / double-sided printing, magnification, etc.

[0015] The transmitting / receiving units 410 and 510 are communicably connected to an external device such as a client terminal 100 via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a connection interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus). The client terminal 100 converts data such as an image to be printed into PDL data using a printer driver and transmits the data to the image forming system 200.

[0016] The image processing units 420 and 520 perform RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing to generate raster image data expanded in a bitmap form from the PDL data. The raster image data is transmitted as a print job to the control unit 600 by the transmitting / receiving units 410 and 510 together with the type and setting information of the image processing unit that performed the processing. The processing device control units 440 and 540 control the operation of the first and second image processing units 400 and 500 by computer programs stored in the memories 430 and 530.

[0017] The first image processing unit 400 performs high-speed processing for complex setting information and large-volume print jobs using a dedicated memory. In a print job related to image data input to the first image processing unit 400, for example, a resolution is selected by a user. The setting information of this print job includes user-selected information regarding the resolution of an image to be formed. The resolution set in this print job can be selected by a user. The second image processing unit 500 performs image processing by acquiring simplified setting items from the client terminal 100 and using simplified setting information to reduce processing time. In a print job related to image data input to the second image processing unit 500, for example, a default resolution is set. The setting information of this print job does not include user-selected information regarding the resolution of an image to be formed. The second image processing unit 500 is disposed inside the image forming device 300, and is therefore a built-in controller that corresponds to space-saving requirements in the office market. In other words, the first image processing unit 400 performs image processing for performing large-volume printing with relatively high image quality for the commercial printing market, and the second image processing unit 500 performs image processing with relatively high productivity and reduced processing time for the office market. The number of types of setting information for a print job transmitted by the first image processing unit 400 is greater than the number of types of setting information for a print job transmitted by the second image processing unit 500.

[0018] In this embodiment, the first image processing unit 400 is arranged outside the image forming apparatus 300, and the second image processing unit 500 is arranged inside the image forming apparatus 300, but the arrangement of the first and second image processing units 400, 500 is not limited to this. It is sufficient that two different image processing units are connected to the image forming apparatus 300. The image forming apparatus 300 forms an image based on a print job sent from the first image processing unit 400, and forms an image based on a print job sent from the second image processing unit 500. The first image processing unit 400 functions as a first type information processing device that performs image processing on image data of the print job, and the second image processing unit 500 functions as a second type information processing device that performs image processing on image data of the print job.

[0019] The control unit 600 is connected to the first and second image processing units 400 and 500, the operation display unit 700, and the image forming unit 800. The control unit 600 can obtain print jobs from each of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500, and causes the image forming unit 800 to form an image according to the print job.

[0020] The control unit 600 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 610, a read only memory (ROM) 620, a random access memory (RAM) 630, and a storage 640. The storage 640 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The CPU 610 controls the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 300 by executing computer programs stored in the ROM 620 and the storage 640. The RAM 630 provides a working area for the CPU 610 to execute processes, and is used for storing temporary data, etc. The storage 640 is also used to store various data. For example, the storage 640 stores print jobs (raster image data, setting information, etc.) acquired from the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit as a job queue in the order of acquisition.

[0021] The job queue stored in the storage 640 will be described. The control unit 600 stores print jobs acquired from the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit as a job queue in the storage 640, reads them from the top in the order in which they were stored, and executes processing (image formation by the image forming apparatus 300). The job queue stores information such as raster image data of each print job, setting information, the order in which printing is to be performed, job attributes described below, and whether the job is being executed or is waiting. When the control unit 600 acquires a print job from the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit, it adds the acquired print job to the end of the job queue.

[0022] 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of a print job stored in the job queue. The control unit 600 reads out the first print job in the job queue (S101). The control unit 600 sets the status of the read print job to "in progress" (S102). At the same time, the control unit 600 instructs the image forming unit 800 to execute the print job (S103). As a result, the image forming unit 800 prints an image corresponding to the print job on paper. When the processing of the print job is completed, the control unit 600 deletes the print job from the job queue (S104).

[0023] The operation display unit 700 is a user interface that combines a display unit 710, which is an output interface, and an operation unit 720, which is an input interface. The display unit 710 is configured with a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. Various setting screens and the like are displayed on the display unit 710 under the control of the control unit 600. The operation unit 720 is configured with a touch panel, key buttons, switches, and the like provided on the screen of the display unit 710. The operation unit 720 is operated by a user, and transmits the accepted operation contents to the control unit 600.

[0024] A user can input various instructions to the image forming apparatus 300 by operating the operation unit 720 based on the contents of the screen displayed on the display unit 710. In this embodiment, the user can use the operation unit 720 to display the job queue and to instruct interrupt printing.

[0025] The image forming unit 800 prints an image corresponding to a print job on paper based on an instruction to execute the print job from the control unit 600. Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of an image forming device 300 including the image forming unit 800. The image forming device 300 has an operation display unit 700 provided on the upper part of a housing, and includes a control unit 600 and an image forming unit 800 inside. Although not shown in the figure, a first image processing unit 500 is also provided inside the image forming device 300.

[0026] The image forming unit 800 includes a plurality of image forming units for forming color images. In this embodiment, four image forming units 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K are provided for forming images of four colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The image forming unit 800 also includes an intermediate transfer belt 820, a secondary transfer inner roller 821, a secondary transfer roller 822, a fixing unit 830, paper feed cassettes 840a to 840c, and transport paths 841 and 842.

[0027] Imaging unit 810Y is used to form yellow images. Imaging unit 810M is used to form magenta images. Imaging unit 810C is used to form cyan images. Imaging unit 810K is used to form black images. Each of imaging units 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K has the same configuration and performs the same operations, except that the colors of the images they form are different. Here, the configuration and operation of imaging unit 810K will be described.

[0028] The image forming unit 810K includes a photosensitive drum 811, a charger 812, an exposure unit 813, a developing unit 814, a drum cleaner 815, and a primary transfer unit 816. The photosensitive drum 811 is a photoconductor having a photosensitive layer on its surface, and rotates around a drum axis. The charger 812 uniformly charges the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 811. The exposure unit 813 irradiates the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 811 with laser light based on raster image data (image data), thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 811. The developing unit 814 forms an image (toner image) on the surface of the photosensitive drum 811 by attaching a developer (e.g., toner) to the electrostatic latent image.

[0029] The primary transfer unit 816 is disposed at a position facing the photosensitive drum 811 with the intermediate transfer belt 820 sandwiched therebetween. A transfer bias is applied to the primary transfer unit 816, whereby the primary transfer unit 816 transfers the image formed on the photosensitive drum 811 to the intermediate transfer belt 820. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 811 after the transfer is removed by a drum cleaner 815.

[0030] Similarly, images formed by the image forming units 810Y, 810M, and 810C are also transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 820. The intermediate transfer belt 820 is an endless belt wound around a plurality of rollers including a secondary transfer inner roller 821, and rotates in a direction from the image forming unit 810Y to the image forming unit 810K. The image forming units 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K transfer images so as to be superimposed on each other, in order from the upstream side of the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 820. In other words, the intermediate transfer belt 820 carries images superimposed in the order of a yellow image, a magenta image, a cyan image, and a black image. The intermediate transfer belt 820 conveys each image it carries to the secondary transfer inner roller 821 by rotating.

[0031] Paper is stored in paper feed cassettes 840a, 840b, and 840c. Each of the paper feed cassettes 840a, 840b, and 840c may store the same type of paper or different types of paper. Paper is fed from one of the paper feed cassettes 840a, 840b, and 840c and transported to the secondary transfer roller 822 via a transport path 841.

[0032] The secondary transfer inner roller 821 and the secondary transfer roller 822 sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 820 and constitute a secondary transfer section. A sheet is transported to the secondary transfer section in accordance with the timing at which the image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 820 is transported to the secondary transfer inner roller 821. The secondary transfer section transports the sheet by sandwiching it between the secondary transfer roller 822 and the intermediate transfer belt 820. At this time, the secondary transfer section applies a transfer bias to the secondary transfer roller 822, so that the image of all colors on the intermediate transfer belt 820 is transferred to the sheet all at once.

[0033] The paper onto which the image has been transferred is transported to the fixing device 830. The fixing device 830 fixes the image onto the paper, for example, by heating and pressurizing the paper. The paper onto which the image has been fixed is discharged outside the image forming apparatus 300 via a transport path 842.

[0034] An optical sensor 825 used for calibration of the image forming unit 800 is provided between the image creating unit 810K and the secondary transfer unit in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 820. The optical sensor 825 has a light emitting element that emits light toward the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 820 and a light receiving element that receives reflected light from a measurement target on the intermediate transfer belt 820, and outputs a signal based on the amount of reflected light from the measurement target. In the calibration, the control unit 600 causes the image creating units 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K to form a pattern image, and acquires the amount of reflected light from the pattern image by the optical sensor 825. Then, the control unit 600 obtains the density of the pattern image from the amount of reflected light, and controls the image forming conditions of the image forming unit 800 based on the density of the pattern image so that the density of the image to be formed by the image creating units 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K becomes the target density.

[0035] The following describes the operation of the image forming system 200 configured as above when executing a print job. A user generates a print job including PDL data using the client terminal 100. The PDL data is generated by converting an image to be printed by a printer driver.

[0036] A print job is transmitted from the client terminal 100 to the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500 in accordance with the setting information. The PDL data included in the print job is subjected to image processing including RIP processing by the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500, and converted into raster image data. The raster image data is transmitted to the control unit 600 together with setting information including information for identifying the image processing unit that performed the image processing.

[0037] The control unit 600 assigns job attributes (described later) to the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 saves the print job (raster image data and setting information) in a job queue. The control unit 600 prints an image on paper using the image forming unit 800 based on the raster image data saved in the job queue.

[0038] (Job Attributes) In this embodiment, a print job that prohibits interruption and a print job that allows interruption are determined based on information included in the setting information. This information is information for identifying the image processing unit that performed the image processing. The determination result is included in the setting information as a job attribute. A print job that prohibits interruption is assigned a job attribute of interrupt prohibition attribute, and a print job that allows interruption is assigned a job attribute of interrupt permission attribute.

[0039] A method of assigning a job attribute will be described. When the control unit 600 acquires raster image data and setting information from the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500, it reads the type of the image processing unit (information for identifying the type of information processing device that performed the image processing) in the setting information. Based on the type of the image processing unit that has been read, the control unit 600 determines that the first image processing unit 400 has an interruption prohibition attribute, and determines that the second image processing unit 500 has an interruption permission attribute. The control unit 600 writes the determined job attribute into the setting information, and saves the raster image data and the setting information in a job queue. In other words, the interruption prohibition attribute is set for a print job processed by the first image processing unit 400 that performs image processing to obtain image quality for the commercial printing market, and the interruption permission attribute is set for a print job processed by the second image processing unit 500 that performs image processing to obtain image quality for the office market.

[0040] (Interrupt printing) In this embodiment, when a user instructs interrupt printing, the control unit 600 determines whether interrupt printing can be performed. Interrupt printing is a function that executes a newly created print job before a waiting print job, and is set by the user. In this embodiment, when a print job in the job queue is selected and interrupt printing is instructed, the control unit 600 determines whether interrupt printing can be performed.

[0041] When setting up interrupt printing, the operation and display unit 700 is used. The control unit 600 displays a main menu screen as an initial screen on the display unit 710. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the main menu screen. On the main menu screen, a "Display job queue" button, a "Print from data" button, and a "Settings" button are displayed. When the user presses the "Display job queue" button on the operation unit 720, the control unit 600 displays the job queue screen on the display unit 710.

[0042] FIG. 5 is an example diagram of a job queue screen. The job queue screen displays setting information for each print job saved in the job queue and an "interrupt" button. The print job setting information includes the name of the print job, the job status (running / waiting), and job attributes. The job queue screen displays print jobs arranged from top to bottom in the order in which they will be printed. Note that the print job setting information is not limited to this and may include other information, such as the time it will take to print and the estimated time when printing will finish.

[0043] Here, the control unit 600 performs calibration every time 500 pages of images are formed after the previous calibration is performed. In the job queue screen shown in Fig. 5, "Job 1" is a print job that was performed after 200 pages of images were formed after the previous calibration was performed. Also, the number of printed pages for "Job 1", "Job 2", "Job 3", and "Job 4" are all 50 pages.

[0044] The user can select a print job from the job queue screen using the operation unit 720. The print job selected by the user is highlighted. Fig. 6 shows an example of the job queue screen with "Job 3" highlighted. When the user selects "Job 3" from the job queue screen of Fig. 5 using the operation unit 720, the job queue screen of Fig. 6 is displayed.

[0045] When the user presses the "interrupt" button after selecting a print job, the control unit 600 receives an instruction to execute image formation based on the selected print job before image formation based on other print jobs. This causes the control unit 600 to determine whether the selected print job will be interrupted during printing. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the interrupt printing determination process.

[0046] The control unit 600 reads each print job stored in the job queue (S201). The control unit 600 determines whether the selected print job is at the top of the waiting print jobs (S202). If it is at the top (S202: Y), the control unit 600 ends this process.

[0047] If the selected print job is not at the top of the job queue (S202: N), the control unit 600 judges whether the job attribute of the print job immediately preceding the selected print job in the job queue allows interruption (S203). If the job attribute does not allow interruption (S203: N), the control unit 600 ends this process. If the job attribute allows interruption (S203: Y), the control unit 600 swaps the job queue order of the selected job and the immediately preceding print job (S204). After swapping the order, the control unit 600 repeats the process from S202 onwards. This process is repeated until the selected print job becomes the top of the job queue among the waiting print jobs or the job attribute of the immediately preceding print job has a job attribute that prohibits interruption.

[0048] When the determination process of FIG. 7 is completed, the control unit 600 updates the job queue screen displayed on the display unit 710. That is, when the "interrupt" button is pressed on the screen of FIG. 6, the control unit 600 executes the process of FIG. 7 and swaps the order of "job 3" and "job 2" in the job queue. As a result, "job 3" becomes the head of the job queue among the waiting print jobs. When the control unit 600 receives the instruction by pressing the "interrupt" button, if another print job has been sent from the second image processing unit 500 (second type information processing device), it executes (forms an image) the selected print job before the other print job. FIG. 8 is an example view of the updated job queue screen.

[0049] In the determination process of Fig. 7, if the previous print job in the job queue has a job attribute of interruption prohibition, the order of the print jobs is not changed. Fig. 9 is an example of a job queue screen in this case. In Fig. 9, the job attribute of "Job 2" immediately preceding "Job 3" is interruption prohibition. When the control unit 600 receives the instruction by pressing the "Interrupt" button, if another print job has been sent from the first image processing unit 400 (first type information processing device), the control unit 600 does not execute (form an image) the selected print job before the other print job. Therefore, even if the process of Fig. 7 is performed, the order is not changed.

[0050] Note that the determination process in FIG. 7 is not limited to this, and interrupt processing may be determined based on the job attributes of the print job at the top of the job queue. Also, interrupt processing may be determined based on information other than the job attributes. Notification to the user is not limited to the job queue screens as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is another example of a job queue screen when notifying the user. The control unit 600 determines whether interrupt printing is possible when the user has selected a print job, and if it is not possible, displays a job key screen with the "interrupt" button grayed out as shown in FIG. 10. This makes it impossible to accept an instruction to press the "interrupt" button, and notifies the user that interrupt printing is not possible.

[0051] Second embodiment The configuration of the image forming system 200 of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, an instruction for interrupt printing of a print job is given by the operation display unit 700, but in the second embodiment, an instruction for interrupt printing is given by the client terminal 100.

[0052] When an interrupt printing instruction is given from the client terminal 100, a setting screen for interrupt printing is displayed on the display of the client terminal 100 by the printer driver of the client terminal 100. Fig. 11 is an example of such a setting screen. The user can give an interrupt printing instruction from this setting screen using the input device of the client terminal 100.

[0053] When creating PDL data, the printer driver can write information indicating the contents of an interrupt printing instruction into the setting information. In this embodiment, the contents of the interrupt printing instruction are represented by a new interrupt printing flag. If interrupt printing is instructed on the setting screen, the printer driver sets the new interrupt printing flag to ON, and if interrupt printing is not instructed, the printer driver sets the new interrupt printing flag to OFF. The new interrupt printing flag is included in the setting information of the print job. The print job including the PDL data and the setting information is transmitted from the client terminal 100 to the image forming system 200.

[0054] Either the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500 receives the print job sent from the client terminal 100. The PDL data is subjected to RIP processing by either the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500 that received the print job, and is converted into raster image data. Information indicating the image processing unit that performed the RIP processing is written into the setting information. The raster image data and the setting information into which the information has been written are transmitted to the control unit 600.

[0055] The control unit 600 writes job attributes to the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 saves the print job (raster image data and setting information) in the job queue. When saving in the job queue, the control unit 600 reads the new interrupt determination flag in the setting information.

[0056] If the new interrupt printing determination flag is off, the control unit 600 saves the print job at the end of the job queue. If the new interrupt printing determination flag is on, the control unit 600 saves the print job at the end of the job queue, and then performs the interrupt process of Fig. 7. As a result, the print job for which interrupt printing has been specified is saved at the top of the job queue or immediately after a print job that does not permit interrupts.

[0057] Third embodiment Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming system according to a third embodiment. An image forming system 200a according to the third embodiment has a configuration in which the first image processing unit 400 is removed from the image forming system 200 according to the first embodiment in Fig. 1. The configuration of an image forming apparatus 300 is similar to that of the image forming apparatus 300 according to the first embodiment. The image forming system 200a can perform processing during interrupt printing in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments.

[0058] The client terminal 100a has a first printer driver 110 and a second printer driver 120. The first printer driver 110 converts image data into PDL data written in PS (Post Script). The second printer driver 120a converts image data into PDL data written in PCL (Printer Control Language). The first printer driver 110 is used in the commercial printing market where high image quality such as photographs is required, and is called a PS driver or the like. The second printer driver 120 is a printer driver used to print text and drawings created by software used in the office market where high productivity is required, and is called a PCL driver or the like. Note that the first printer driver 110 and the second printer driver 120 may each use a different PDL format as long as they are different in PDL format.

[0059] The image forming system 200a may be connected to a plurality of client terminals 100 of the first embodiment. In this case, the plurality of client terminals 100 each have a different printer driver. That is, print jobs including PDL data generated in different PDL formats are input to the image forming system 200a.

[0060] The overall operation of the image forming system 200a when a print job is executed will be described. A user generates a print job on the client terminal 100a. At that time, image data is converted into PDL data by either the first printer driver 110a or the second printer driver 120a. The setting information of the print job includes the type of the printer driver that generated the PDL data. The generated print job (including the PDL data and setting information) is transmitted from the client terminal 100a to the second image processing unit 500 of the image forming system 200a.

[0061] The second image processing unit 500 performs RIP processing on the PDL data included in the received print job and converts it into raster image data. The second image processing unit 500 transmits the raster image data and setting information to the control unit 600.

[0062] The control unit 600 assigns job attributes (described later) to the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 saves the print job (raster image data and setting information) in a job queue. The control unit 600 prints an image on paper using the image forming unit 800 based on the raster image data saved in the job queue.

[0063] (Job Attributes) In this embodiment, a print job that prohibits interruption and a print job that allows interruption are determined based on information of the printer driver that created the PDL data. The determination result is included in the setting information as a job attribute. A print job that prohibits interruption is assigned a job attribute of interrupt prohibition attribute, and a print job that allows interruption is assigned a job attribute of interrupt permission attribute.

[0064] A method of assigning a job attribute will be described. When the control unit 600 acquires the raster image data and the setting information from the second image processing unit 500, it reads the type of the printer driver in the setting information. Based on the type of the printer driver that has been read, the control unit 600 determines that the first printer driver 110 has an interruption prohibition attribute, and determines that the second printer driver 120 has an interruption permission attribute. That is, the interruption permission attribute is set for a print job that includes PDL data converted by the second printer driver 120 used to obtain image quality for the office market. The interruption prohibition attribute is set for a print job that includes PDL data converted by the first printer driver 110 used to obtain image quality for the commercial printing market. The control unit 600 writes the determined job attribute into the setting information, and saves the raster image data and the setting information in the job queue. This makes it possible to determine whether interrupt printing is possible based on the job attribute, as in the first and second embodiments.

[0065] (Fourth embodiment) In the fourth embodiment, a request function is added that allows the user to request interrupt permission when interrupt printing is prohibited by job attributes. A configuration in which an interrupt request is always possible will be described. The configuration of the image forming system may be any of the configurations of the first and second embodiments, or the configuration of the third embodiment. Here, a case will be described in which the configuration of the image forming system 200 of the first and second embodiments is used. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the interrupt printing determination process.

[0066] The control unit 600 reads each print job stored in the job queue (S301). The control unit 600 determines whether the selected print job is at the top of the waiting print jobs (S302). If it is at the top (S302: Y), the control unit 600 ends this process.

[0067] If the selected print job is not the first (S302: N), the control unit 600 determines whether the job attribute of the print job immediately preceding the selected print job in the job queue allows interruption (S303). If interruption is allowed (S303: Y), the control unit 600 swaps the job queue order of the selected job and the immediately preceding print job (S308). After swapping the order, the control unit 600 repeats the process from S302 onwards.

[0068] If interruption is not permitted (S303: N), the control unit 600 reads the setting information of the previous print job from the job queue (S304). The setting information includes the print job name of the print job, the user information of the user who generated the print job, and the name of the client terminal that generated the print job. Based on the read setting information, the control unit 600 communicates with the client terminal that generated the print information, and causes the client terminal to display an interrupt request screen (S305). FIG. 14 is a view showing an example of the interrupt request screen.

[0069] The user instructs whether to permit or prohibit interrupt printing from the interrupt request screen. The instruction is sent from the client terminal to the control unit 600. The control unit 600 judges the instruction (S306). If the instruction is to permit interrupt printing (S306: Y), the control unit 600 changes the job attribute of the print job to permit interrupt (S307). Thereafter, the control unit 600 performs the process of S308. If the instruction is to prohibit interrupt printing (S306: N), the control unit 600 ends this process.

[0070] This process may be performed only if the user sets an interrupt request when generating a print job. Alternatively, after the process of FIG. 7, an interrupt request screen may be displayed on the client terminal, and the process from S305 onward may be performed.

[0071] In each of the above embodiments, permission and prohibition of interrupt printing are set for each print job included in the job queue. When another print job for which interrupt printing is specified is input, the order of the print jobs included in the job queue is reset based on the setting information of each print job in the job queue. In other words, another print job for which interrupt printing is specified is prevented from interrupting a print job for which interrupt printing is prohibited. This prevents another print job from being performed before a print job for which interrupt printing is prohibited, making it possible to suppress changes in image quality due to interrupt printing.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus that forms an image based on a print job sent from a first type of information processing apparatus and forms an image based on a print job sent from a second type of information processing apparatus different from the first type, A storage means for storing the print job; a control unit that controls the image forming apparatus so as to execute image formation based on the print jobs in the order in which the print jobs are stored in the storage unit; the control means, when receiving an instruction to execute image formation based on a selected print job prior to image formation based on another print job, controls whether or not to execute image formation based on the selected print job prior to image formation based on the other print job based on a type of information processing device that has sent the other print job. Image forming device.

2. and when the control unit receives the instruction, if the other print job is sent from the first type information processing device, the control unit does not execute image formation based on the selected print job prior to image formation based on the other print job.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

3. and when the control means receives the instruction, if the other print job is sent from the second type information processing device, the control means causes the image formation based on the selected print job to be executed prior to the image formation based on the other print job.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

4. the first type of information processing device is an image processing unit that outputs raster image data by performing image processing on image data generated using a first type of printer driver; the second type of information processing device is an image processing unit that outputs the raster image data by performing image processing on image data generated using a second type of printer driver different from the first type, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

5. the number of types of information included in the print job sent from the information processing device of the first type is greater than the number of types of information included in the print job sent from the information processing device of the second type.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

6. the first type of information processing device transmits a print job including user selection information regarding a resolution of an image to be formed; The second type of information processing apparatus transmits a print job that does not include the user selection information regarding a resolution of an image to be formed.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The apparatus further comprises an operation means for inputting the instruction.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The present invention is characterized in that the printing apparatus further comprises a display unit that displays the print jobs stored in the storage unit in an order in which image formation based on the print jobs is performed.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

Images