Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To reduce waiting time when printing information is transferred.SOLUTION: A printer 4a is connectable to a plurality of other image forming apparatuses via a network NW, and is provided with: a receiving unit 80 that receives a print job; an acquisition unit 82 that acquires operation information of the other image forming apparatuses; an extraction unit 84 that extracts other image forming apparatuses as candidates of transfer destinations of the print job on the basis of the operation information; and an output unit 86 that outputs printing destination selection guidance information related to the other image forming apparatuses that are candidates of the transfer destinations of the print job.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and is suitable for application to, for example, an image forming apparatus that transfers a print job. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been an image forming system in which, when an image forming apparatus currently printing receives a print job, the image forming apparatus transfers the print job to another image forming apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-70157 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in such an image forming system, even in the image forming device to which the print job as print information is transferred, printing of the transferred print job does not start immediately, and the user may have to wait a long time until printing is completed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose an image forming apparatus that can reduce the waiting time when printing information is transferred. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve this problem, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that can be connected to multiple other image forming apparatuses via a network, and is provided with a receiving unit that receives printing information, an acquiring unit that acquires operation information of the other image forming apparatuses, an extracting unit that extracts other image forming apparatuses that are candidate destinations for the printing information based on the operation information, and an output unit that outputs information about the other image forming apparatuses that are candidate destinations for the printing information.

[0007] The present invention allows a user to select another image forming device to which the printing information is to be transferred, and transfers the printing information to the other image forming device selected by the user as a transfer destination with a short waiting time until printing is completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the user can select another image forming device to which the printing information is to be transferred, and the printing information can be transferred to the other image forming device selected by the user as a transfer destination with a short waiting time until printing is completed, thus realizing an image forming device that can shorten the waiting time when the printing information is transferred. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming system; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer 4a. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a copying machine 6a. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a copying machine 6b. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing peripheral device information stored in a printer 4a. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing peripheral device information stored in a copier 6a. [Figure 7] 10 is a sequence chart showing a printing process procedure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a transfer setting screen. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing current information of peripheral devices. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the printer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. [1. Image formation system configuration] As shown in Figure 1, image forming system 1 is configured by connecting PC 2, printer 4a, printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b used by users to network NW. Although not shown, other PCs, printers, and copiers besides PC 2, printer 4a, printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b are also connected to network NW. Printer 4a and printer 4b are configured similarly to each other. Hereinafter, printer 4a and printer 4b will be collectively referred to as printer 4, and copier 6a and copier 6b will be collectively referred to as copier 6.

[0011] The PC (Personal Computer) 2 is a general computer terminal used by a user, and when printing, it sends a print job to an image forming device such as printer 4a, printer 4b, copier 6a, or copier 6b via the network NW.

[0012] [2. Printer 4a Configuration] 2, the printer 4a has a control CPU 10, a ROM 12, a RAM 14, a setting storage unit 16, an operation panel 18, a communication unit 20, an image processing unit 22, and an image forming unit 24, which are interconnected via a bus. The printer 4b has the same configuration as the printer 4a.

[0013] A control CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10 reads various programs stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12 into a RAM (Random Access Memory) 14 and executes the programs to control the overall operation of the printer 4a, and performs image processing and other operations such as controlling the printer 4a's communication interface with the outside. The control CPU 10 is also connected to a setting storage unit 16, which serves as a storage unit that is an EEPROM that stores device settings for the printer 4a, and writes and reads various device settings to and from the setting storage unit 16.

[0014] The operation panel 18 is made up of a display section and an operation section, and is controlled by the control CPU 10. It is an interface section that displays device information to the user and receives device settings and operations of the printer 4a from the user.

[0015] The communication unit 20 is connected to the network NW and is controlled by the control CPU 10, and receives print data from the PC 2 and transmits and receives various control commands. The image processing unit 22 is hardware that is controlled by the control CPU 10 and executes image processing of the print data received by the communication unit 20. The image forming unit 24 is controlled by the control CPU 10 and performs printing operations such as using motors and sensors.

[0016] The printer 4a can register peripheral device information 26 (shown in FIG. 5 ) in the setting storage unit 16 based on information entered by the user via the operation panel 18 or information received via external communication. The peripheral device information 26 is information about image forming devices connected to the network NW and capable of communicating with the printer 4a, and is composed of the device name, network address, installation floor, and inter-device distance. The device name is a name used to identify the device. The network address is the network address of the device indicated by the device name. The installation floor is the floor number on which the device indicated by the device name is installed. The inter-device distance is the distance between the device indicated by the device name and the printer 4a. It is recommended that the travel distance be registered rather than the straight-line distance. Although not shown, the peripheral device information 26 also includes information indicating which floor the printer 4a is installed on. The peripheral device information 26 (not shown) registered in the setting storage unit 16 of the printer 4b differs from the peripheral device information 26 registered in the setting storage unit 16 of the printer 4a. The printer 4a creates the peripheral device current information 28 shown in FIG. 9 based on the peripheral device information 26 and the operation information acquired from the devices registered in the peripheral device information 26, and stores it in the setting memory unit 16 (details will be described later).

[0017] [3. Configuration of copier 6a] 3, the copier 6a includes a control CPU 30, ROM 32, RAM 14, setting storage unit 16, operation panel 18, communication unit 20, image processing unit 22, and image forming unit 24, which are configured in substantially the same manner as the control CPU 10, ROM 12, RAM 14, setting storage unit 16, operation panel 18, communication unit 20, image processing unit 22, and image forming unit 24 of the printer 4a (FIG. 2), as well as a scanner unit 46, which are interconnected via a bus. The scanner unit 46 is controlled by the control CPU 30, and reads an image of a paper sheet when reading a copy document, etc., and stores the image in RAM 34.

[0018] Similar to the printer 4a, the copier 6a can register peripheral device information 48 shown in FIG. 6 in the setting storage unit 36 ​​based on information entered by the user via the operation panel 38 or information received via external communication. The peripheral device information 48 has the same structure as the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5), but the peripheral device information 48 and the peripheral device information 26 have different contents because settings are made for each device. Specifically, compared to the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5), the peripheral device information 48 does not include printer 4b, but includes information on printer 4a, printer A, and printer B. Note that although printer A and printer B are connected to the network NW, they are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] Here, the distance between printer A and printer B and printer 4a is longer than that between copiers 6a and 6b, which are other peripheral devices for printer 4a, and printer 4b. Therefore, printers A and B are not suitable as destinations for a print job sent to printer 4a, and therefore information about printer A and printer B is not set in peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5). Similarly, the distance between printer 4b and copier 6a is longer than that between printer 4a, A, and B, which are other peripheral devices for copier 6a, and copier 6b. Therefore, printer 4b is not suitable as a destination for a print job sent to copier 6a, and therefore information about printer 4b is not set in peripheral device information 48 (FIG. 6).

[0020] [4. Configuration of Copier 6b] 4, the copier 6b includes a control CPU 50, ROM 52, RAM 34, setting storage unit 36, operation panel 38, communication unit 40, image processing unit 42, image forming unit 44, and scanner unit 46, which are configured in substantially the same manner as the control CPU 30, ROM 32, RAM 34, setting storage unit 56, operation panel 58, communication unit 60, image processing unit 62, image forming unit 64, and scanner unit 66 of the copier 6a (FIG. 3), respectively, as well as a human presence sensor 68, which are interconnected via a bus. The human presence sensor 68 is controlled by the control CPU 50 to detect whether or not a person is present around the device and transmits the detection result to the control CPU 50.

[0021] Like the printer 4a and the copier 6a, the copier 6b can register peripheral device information (not shown) in the setting storage unit 56 based on the content entered by the user via the operation panel 58 and the content received through external communication. This peripheral device information is configured in the same manner as the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5) and the peripheral device information 48 (FIG. 6), but the content differs from each other because the settings are made for each device.

[0022] [5. Printing process] Next, a print processing procedure RT1, which is an operation performed by the image forming system 1 when a print job is sent from the PC 2 to the printer 4a, will be described with reference to the sequence chart shown in Fig. 7. In step SP1, the PC 2 sends the print job to the printer 4a based on a user operation.

[0023] When the printer 4a receives the print job from the PC 2, the control CPU 10 of the printer 4a determines in step SP2 whether the printer 4a is currently printing. If a positive result is obtained here, this means that the printer 4a is currently printing and cannot immediately print the print job sent in step SP1, and the control CPU 10 then proceeds to step SP3.

[0024] In step SP3, the control CPU 10 refers to the peripheral device information 26 registered in the setting storage unit 16, acquires operation information indicating the current operation status of the peripheral device from the peripheral device, and proceeds to step SP4. Specifically, the control CPU 10 transmits an operation status acquisition request, which is a request to acquire the operation status, to the network addresses of all devices listed in the peripheral device information 26, and acquires the operation information returned in response to this.

[0025] The operation information includes information indicating the device status, whether it is in standby mode, power saving mode or printing mode, and if it is in printing mode, the estimated time until printing is completed; the operation status, whether or not an operation is currently being performed on the operation panel and, if an operation is currently being performed, what operation is being performed; and, in the case of a device equipped with a human presence sensor, the surrounding situation, whether or not there is a person nearby.

[0026] In step SP4, the control CPU 10 creates the peripheral device current information 28 shown in FIG. 9 based on the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5) and the acquired operation information, and then proceeds to step SP5.

[0027] The peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) consists of the device name, device status, installation floor, inter-device distance, operation status, human presence sensor, total score, and priority. The device name, installation floor, and inter-device distance are information extracted from the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5). The device status, operation status, and human presence sensor are information included in the operation information acquired from the peripheral device. The total score is information used when calculating the priority of candidate destinations for the print job, and is input in step SP5. The priority indicates the priority of candidate destinations for the print job, and is input in step SP5, with priority 1 being the highest priority, priority 2 being the next highest, and priority 3 being the next highest.

[0028] In step SP5, the control CPU 10 calculates the priority of the candidate transfer destinations of the print job based on the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) (details will be described later), enters the priority into the peripheral device current information 28, and proceeds to step SP6. In step SP6, the control CPU 10 sends print destination selection guidance information to the PC 2. The print destination selection guidance information includes currently specified device information and candidate transfer destination priority information. The currently specified device information is information indicating that the printer 4a, which is the image forming device currently specified by the user as the print destination, is currently printing and the estimated time until printing will be possible. The candidate transfer destination priority information is information based on the peripheral device current information 28, and is information indicating other nearby image forming devices to which the print job can be transferred (i.e., candidate transfer destinations), the priority of the other image forming devices, and the device names, device status, operating status, and peripheral conditions of the other image forming devices.

[0029] Upon receiving the print destination selection guidance information from the printer 4a, in step SP7, the PC 2 displays the transfer setting screen DIP shown in Fig. 8 on the display based on the print destination selection guidance information and waits for an operation from the user. The transfer setting screen DIP has a designated destination status display section 70, a transfer destination selection section 72, and an OK button 74.

[0030] The designated destination status display section 70 is displayed based on currently designated device information from the print destination selection guidance information, and indicates that the printer 4a currently designated by the user as the print destination is currently printing, and also displays the estimated time until printing will be possible. In the initial state of the transfer setting screen DIP, the printer 4a, which is the image forming device currently designated by the user as the print destination, is selected as the print destination of the print job in the designated destination status display section 70. The transfer destination selection section 72 is displayed based on candidate transfer destination priority information from the print destination selection guidance information, and is configured to display, on a GUI, nearby image forming devices to which the print job can be transferred in order of priority, allowing the user to select a transfer destination for the print job.

[0031] If the user does not wish to transfer the print job, the user selects printer 4a in the destination status display area 70 and then selects the OK button 74. On the other hand, if the user wishes to transfer the print job, the user selects one of the image forming devices displayed in the transfer destination selection area 72 and then selects the OK button 74. When the user selects the OK button 74, the PC 2 proceeds to step SP8. Here, it is assumed that the user has selected, for example, copier 6b, which has the highest priority, as the printing destination (i.e., the transfer destination) of the print job. Note that when the PC 2 is notified by printer 4a in step SP1 that printing of the print job sent to printer 4a has begun, the PC 2 removes the transfer setting screen DIP from the display.

[0032] In step SP8, the PC 2 sends device selection information indicating the printing destination of the print job to the printer 4a.

[0033] In step SP9, the control CPU 10 of the printer 4a determines whether or not it has received device selection information from the PC 2. If a positive result is obtained here, the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP10. In step SP10, the control CPU 10 determines whether or not the print destination indicated by the device selection information is the printer 4a itself. If a negative result is obtained here, this indicates that the user wishes to transfer the print job from the printer 4a to another image forming device, and the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP11. In step SP11, the control CPU 10 transfers the print job to the copier 6b, which is the print destination (i.e., the transfer destination) indicated by the device selection information, and proceeds to step SP12. In step SP12, the control CPU 10 sends transfer destination information indicating that the image forming device to which the print job is to be transferred is the copier 6b to the PC 2.

[0034] When the print job is received from the printer 4a, the control CPU 50 of the copier 6b executes printing of the print job in step SP13.

[0035] On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP10, this indicates that the user wants to print the print job on printer 4a without transferring it to another image forming device even if there is a waiting time, and in this case, the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP14.

[0036] On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP9, then the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP14. In step SP14, the control CPU 10 determines whether printing of the current print job has been completed. If a negative result is obtained here, the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP9, repeats the above-mentioned processing, and waits until printing of the current print job is completed. When printing of the current print job is completed, the control CPU 10 obtains a positive result in step SP14, and proceeds to step SP15. In step SP15, the control CPU 10 executes printing of the print job, and proceeds to step SP16. In step SP16, the control CPU 10 sends print destination information to the PC 2, which indicates that the image forming device to which the print job is to be printed is the printer 4a.

[0037] On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP2, this means that the printer 4a is not currently printing and can immediately print the print job, and in this case the control CPU 10 proceeds to step SP15. In step SP15, the control CPU 10 executes printing of the print job, and proceeds to step SP16, where it sends to the PC 2 print destination information indicating that the image forming device to which the print job is to be printed is the printer 4a.

[0038] [6. Priority calculation method] Next, we will explain how to calculate the priority of candidate destinations for a print job in step SP5 of the print processing procedure RT1. Point A, which is a point related to the device status, is awarded 10 points if in standby mode, 7 points if in power saving mode, and points according to the estimated time until printing is completed if in printing mode: 4 points if within 30 seconds, 2 points if within 1 minute, and 1 point if within 3 minutes.

[0039] Regarding point B, which is a point related to the operation status, if the operation status is an interrupt copy operation, it will be -1 point, if it is a normal copy operation or a secure printing operation, it will be 1 point, and if it is any other operation including no operation, it will be 5 points.

[0040] Regarding point C, which is a point related to the human presence sensor, if the device is equipped with a human presence sensor and there is no one around, it is given 2 points, and if there is a person around, it is given 0 points. If the device is not equipped with a human presence sensor, it is given 1 point unconditionally. If there is no one around, the image forming device is unlikely to be operated immediately, so it is given a high score. If there is a person around, the image forming device is likely to be operated immediately, so it is given a low score.

[0041] Regarding point D, which is the point related to the distance between devices, the device with the shortest distance between devices will be given 5 points, and for other devices, 1 point will be deducted for every 10 mm of distance between devices. Note that if the image forming device currently specified as the printing destination and the peripheral device are installed on different floors, 5 mm will be added for each floor.

[0042] The control CPU 10 multiplies the calculated points A, B, C, and D by preset coefficients (coefficient A, coefficient B, coefficient C, and coefficient D), respectively, to calculate the total score for each device. That is, the control CPU 10 calculates the total score for each device by performing the calculation (point A x coefficient A) + (point B x coefficient B) + (point C x coefficient C) + (point D x coefficient D), and inputs this into the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9). Here, if coefficient A, coefficient B, coefficient C, and coefficient D are 7, 5, 1, and 2, respectively, the total scores will be 86 points for the copier 6a, 99 points for the copier 6b, and 32 points for the printer 4b. Next, the control CPU 10 determines the priority order in descending order of total score and inputs this into the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9). In this embodiment, the order of priority is copier 6b, copier 6a, and printer 4b, with priority 1 being copier 6b, priority 2 being copier 6a, and priority 3 being printer 4b.

[0043] [7. Printer Functional Configuration] Here, the basic functions related to the printing process in the printer 4a are shown in a functional block diagram in FIG.

[0044] The receiving unit 80 corresponds to the control CPU 10 and the communication unit 20 (FIG. 2) and receives a print job as print information in step SP1 of the print processing procedure RT1. The acquiring unit 82 corresponds to the control CPU 10 and the setting storage unit 16 (FIG. 2) and acquires operation information of the printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b as other image forming devices in step SP3 of the print processing procedure RT1. The extracting unit 84 corresponds to the control CPU 10 (FIG. 2) and extracts other image forming devices that are candidates for transfer destinations of the print job based on the operation information in step SP5 of the print processing procedure RT1. The output unit 86 corresponds to the control CPU 10 and the communication unit 20 (FIG. 2) and outputs print destination selection guidance information as information about other image forming devices that are candidates for transfer destinations of the print job in step SP6 of the print processing procedure RT1. The transmitting unit 88 corresponds to the control CPU 10 and the communication unit 20 (Figure 2), and in step SP11 of the printing processing procedure RT1, transfers the print job to a destination selected from other image forming devices based on the output result of the output unit 86.

[0045] [8. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, if the printer 4a receives a print job from the PC 2 while printing another print job that was received at an earlier time than the print job in question, the printer 4a acquires operation information indicating the current operating state of the peripheral device, and creates peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) based on the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5) stored in advance and the acquired operation information.

[0046] Next, printer 4a calculates the priority of candidate peripheral devices to which the print job will be transferred that require the shortest time to start printing and are unlikely to cause a delay before printing begins, based on the device status, operation status, motion sensor, and inter-device distance information stored in peripheral device current information 28, and sends print destination selection guidance information to PC 2, presenting candidate peripheral devices to which the print job will be transferred in order of likelihood of shortest waiting time, allowing the user to select the desired image forming device to which the print job will be transferred from among the multiple candidate peripheral devices. This makes it easy for the user to select an image forming device that is likely to require the shortest (or no) waiting time at the transfer destination for printing to begin.

[0047] Next, when the user selects a destination for the print job on PC 2, printer 4a transfers the print job to the image forming device selected by the user. This allows printer 4a to transfer the print job to the image forming device selected by the user that is likely to have a shorter wait time for printing to begin, allowing printing to begin immediately at the destination image forming device and reducing the possibility of delays in printing completion due to interrupt copying, etc. at the destination image forming device. This allows printer 4a to shorten the user's waiting time even when transferring a print job.

[0048] Furthermore, the image forming system 1 stores in advance information about peripheral devices that are candidates for transfer destinations for each image forming device (printers 4a and 4b and copiers 6a and 6b), and the image forming device that is the transfer source acquires operation information from the peripheral devices. This eliminates the need for the image forming system 1 to collect information about each image forming device on a server, eliminating the need to consider server failures, etc.

[0049] Although the above description has been given for the printer 4a, the above-described print processing procedure RT1 can be executed in any of the image forming apparatuses, namely the printer 4b, the copier 6a, and the copier 6b.

[0050] According to the above configuration, printer 4a is an image forming device that can be connected to multiple other image forming devices, such as printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b, via network NW, and is provided with a receiving unit 80 that receives a print job as print information, an acquiring unit 82 that acquires operation information of the other image forming devices (printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b), an extracting unit 84 that extracts other image forming devices (printer 4b, copier 6a, or copier 6b) that are candidates for the transfer destination of the print job based on the operation information, and an output unit 86 that outputs print destination selection guidance information as information regarding the other image forming devices (printer 4b, copier 6a, and copier 6b) that are candidates for the transfer destination of the print job.

[0051] This allows the printer 4a to allow the user to select another image forming device to which the print job will be transferred, and to transfer the print job to the other image forming device selected by the user that has a short waiting time until printing is completed.

[0052] 9. Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a creates the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) based on the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5) and operation information acquired from the peripheral device, and calculates the priority based on the peripheral device current information 28. The present invention is not limited to this, and the printer 4a may create the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) based only on the operation information acquired from the peripheral device, without taking the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5) into consideration, and calculate the priority based on the peripheral device current information 28.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the printer 4a extracts the installation floor and inter-device distance in the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) from the peripheral device information 26 (FIG. 5). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the printer 4a may include the installation floor and inter-device distance in the operation information acquired from the peripheral device, and extract the installation floor and inter-device distance in the peripheral device current information 28 (FIG. 9) from the operation information.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a has been described as acquiring the device status, operation status, and surrounding conditions as operation information of the peripheral device. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the printer 4a acquires the device operation status by hour, the printer 4a may acquire information on whether the current time period is a time period in which printing is frequently performed, and may lower the priority if it is a busy period.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a sends print destination selection guidance information to the PC 2, the transfer setting screen DIP (FIG. 8) is displayed on the PC 2 to allow the user to select an image forming device to which the print job is to be transferred, and device selection information indicating the transfer destination of the print job is sent from the PC 2 to the printer 4a. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the printer 4a may also display the transfer setting screen DIP (FIG. 8) on its own operation panel 18 to allow the user to select an image forming device to which the print job is to be transferred.

[0056] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a may change the point settings and coefficients used when calculating the priority to various other values ​​corresponding to the usage status.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when a print job is sent from PC 2 to printer 4a, transfer enable information indicating whether or not to enable the transfer of the print job is included in the print job, and if the transfer enable information indicates that the transfer of the print job is enabled, printer 4a performs step SP3 and subsequent steps in the above-described print processing procedure RT1, whereas if the transfer enable information indicates that the transfer of the print job is disabled, printer 4a may wait until its own current printing is completed before starting printing of the print job it has just received, without performing steps SP3 to SP13 in the above-described print processing procedure RT1.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, if the printer 4a is currently printing when it receives a print job, it immediately performs step SP3 and subsequent steps in the above-described print processing procedure RT1. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the printer 4a is currently printing when it receives a print job, it compares the estimated time until printing ends with a predetermined threshold, and if the estimated time is greater than the threshold, it performs step SP3 and subsequent steps in the above-described print processing procedure RT1. However, if the estimated time is within the threshold, it may not perform steps SP3 to SP13 in the above-described print processing procedure RT1, but may wait until its current printing ends before starting printing of the currently received print job. The threshold may also be preset in the printer 4a or may be included in the print job sent from the PC 1 to the printer 4a.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a may perform step SP3 and subsequent steps in the above-described printing processing procedure RT1, for example, if an error such as a paper jam occurs while printing the print job currently being printed, making it impossible to immediately print the print job sent in step SP1.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a transfers the print job to the transfer destination. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The printer 4a may return the print job to the PC 2, and the PC 2 may transfer the print job to the transfer destination.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to the printers 4a and 4b and the copiers 6a and 6b as image forming apparatuses. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to, for example, a facsimile, an MFP (Multifunction Printer), or any other device that performs various image-related processes.

[0062] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and other embodiments. That is, the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments in which the above-described embodiment and the other embodiments are combined in part or in whole. The scope of application of the present invention also extends to embodiments in which part of the configuration described in any of the above-described embodiment and other embodiments is extracted and used as part of the configuration of any of the above-described embodiment and other embodiments, or in which part of the extracted configuration is added to any of the above-described embodiment.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 4a as an image forming apparatus is described as being configured by the receiving unit 80 as a receiving unit, the acquiring unit 82 as an acquiring unit, the extracting unit 84 as an extracting unit, and the output unit 86 as an output unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming apparatus may be configured by a receiving unit, an acquiring unit, an extracting unit, and an output unit having various other configurations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0064] The present invention can be used in an image forming device that transfers a print job. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1...image forming system, 2...PC, 4a, 4b...printer, 6a, 6b...copier, NW...network, 10...control CPU, 12...ROM, 14...RAM, 16...settings storage unit, 18...operation panel, 20...communication unit, 22...image processing unit, 24...image forming unit, 26...peripheral device information, 30...control CPU, 32...ROM, 34...RAM, 36...settings storage unit, 38...operation panel, 40...communication unit, 42...image processing unit, 44 ......Image forming unit, 46......Scanner unit, 48......Peripheral device information, 50......Control CPU, 52......ROM, 54......RAM, 56......Settings memory unit, 58......Operation panel, 60......Communication unit, 62......Image processing unit, 64......Image forming unit, 66......Scanner unit, 68......Human presence sensor, DIP......Transfer setting screen, 70......Designated destination status display unit, 72......Transfer destination selection unit, 74......Confirmation button, 80......Receiving unit, 82......Acquisition unit, 84......Extraction unit, 86......Output unit, 88......Transmitting unit.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus that can be connected to a plurality of other image forming apparatuses via a network, a receiving unit that receives print information; an acquisition unit that acquires operation information of the other image forming apparatus; an extracting unit that extracts the other image forming apparatuses that are candidates for a transfer destination of the print information based on the operation information; an output unit that outputs information about the other image forming apparatuses that are candidates for the transfer destination of the print information; An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. The extraction unit extracting a priority order of the other image forming apparatuses that are candidates for the transfer destination of the print information; The output unit outputting information regarding the priority order of the other image forming apparatuses that are candidates for the transfer destination of the print information; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a recording medium.

3. The acquisition unit a storage unit for storing information about the other image forming apparatuses that is stored in advance in the image forming apparatus; and The extraction unit extracting the other image forming apparatuses as candidates for a destination of the print information based on the information stored in the storage unit and the operation information acquired by the acquisition unit; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a recording medium.

4. a transmission section that transfers the print information to a transfer destination selected from among the other image forming apparatuses according to the output result of the output section; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

5. a control unit that, when the receiving unit receives the printing information, executes printing of the printing information if the image forming device can start printing of the printing information within a predetermined time, and, when the image forming device cannot start printing of the printing information within the predetermined time, causes the acquiring unit to acquire the operation information of the other image forming devices, causes the extracting unit to extract the other image forming devices that are candidates for destinations of the printing information based on the operation information, and causes the output unit to output information about the other image forming devices that are candidates for destinations of the printing information.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

6. The control unit If the image forming device is currently printing other print information at the time the receiving unit receives the print information, it is determined that the image forming device cannot start printing the print information within the predetermined time.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5,

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