Image forming device, control method of image forming device and program

Abstract

To improve efficiency of work that is performed by a user, in a job list of an image forming device that can calculate costs.SOLUTION: An image forming device comprises receiving means that receives jobs, and control means that performs control by which when the received job is a printing job, the received job is added to a printing job list and when the received job is a cost calculating job for calculating costs that are required in printing, the received job is added to the cost calculating job list.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for an image forming apparatus, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] At printing companies that use image forming devices, they may obtain a printing fee estimate and negotiate before printing a print job sent by a customer. In addition, when a new print medium is introduced or the price of an existing print medium or ink changes, they may obtain a printing fee estimate and present it to the customer.

[0003] By estimating the printing cost of a print job in the image forming device itself, it is possible to reflect the same device-specific parameters and maintenance results as in actual printing, and to calculate a value equal to the actual printing cost.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for estimating printing costs before printing is executed if an estimation instruction is included in a print job submitted to an image forming device. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for setting an image forming device to a mode dedicated to cost calculation, and for only calculating the cost of the submitted print job without printing it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-142658 [Patent Document 2] Patent Application No. 2019-147685 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] There is a demand for technology that improves the efficiency of users' work when calculating costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is characterized by having a receiving means for receiving a job, and a control means for performing control such that, if the received job is a print job, the received job is added to a list of print jobs, and, if the received job is a cost calculation job that calculates the cost required for printing, the received job is added to a list of cost calculation jobs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of a user when calculating costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the image forming apparatus. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart for processing a print job and a cost calculation job. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen for cost calculation of a cost calculation job. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart for processing a print job and a cost calculation job. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a UI screen on which a list of cost calculation jobs is displayed. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for receiving a print job or a cost calculation job. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure, and not all combinations of features described in the following embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of the present disclosure. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components.

[0011] <<First Embodiment>> <Summary> An overview of the first embodiment will be described. As described above, by estimating the printing cost of a print job in the image forming device itself, it is possible to reflect the same device-specific parameters and maintenance results as in actual printing, and to calculate a value equal to the actual printing cost.

[0012] A user may submit a job to an image forming device in two cases: when the user actually prints a document using the image forming device, and when the user only wants to calculate the cost required for printing. A job for performing a printing operation is called a print job, and a job for calculating the printing cost is called a cost calculation job.

[0013] If a dedicated mode is provided for cost calculation, the user will not be able to print in that dedicated mode, meaning that the user will not be able to perform both printing and cost calculation at the same time.

[0014] Furthermore, operations for submitted jobs may differ between printing and cost calculation. The user who operates the image forming device may be different for printing and cost calculation. If a dedicated mode for cost calculation is not provided, the image forming device can accept both print jobs and cost calculation jobs. However, when print jobs and cost calculation jobs are submitted to the image forming device in a combined form, the job list of the image forming device will contain a mixture of print jobs and cost calculation jobs. A mixture of print jobs and cost calculation jobs may reduce the user's work efficiency.

[0015] In the embodiment described below, an example will be described in which the work efficiency of a user who handles a cost calculation job and a print job is improved.

[0016] <Configuration of image forming device> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The image forming apparatus is also an image forming system having multiple devices (units), as will be described later. Image forming apparatus 100 is an apparatus that forms images on a continuous print medium (hereinafter referred to as roll paper) 111 on which continuous printing is possible. In this embodiment, image forming apparatus 100 has a paper feeder 104 that feeds roll paper 111, and a first unit 116 that performs spot color printing. Image forming apparatus 100 also has a second unit 115 that performs base color printing, a paper discharger 105 that takes up roll paper 111, and a user interface (hereinafter referred to as UI) operation panel 101.

[0017] The paper feeder 104 is a device that supplies roll paper 111 into the image forming apparatus 100. The paper feeder 104 rotates the paper tube of the roll paper 111 around a rotation shaft 117, and transports the roll paper 111 wound around the paper tube toward the inside of the image forming apparatus 100 at a constant speed via multiple rollers (e.g., a transport roller and a paper feed roller). The paper discharger 105 is a device that winds up the roll paper 111 that has been transported inside the image forming apparatus 100 into a roll around the paper tube. The paper tube is attached to a rotation shaft 118, and by rotating around the rotation shaft 118, the roll paper 111 that has been transported onto the paper tube via multiple rollers (e.g., a transport roller and a paper discharge roller) is wound up at a predetermined speed as a print product. The print product is wound around the paper tube and held in a roll.

[0018] Before printing begins, the user passes the roll paper 111 from the paper feeder 104 to the paper discharger 105. For example, the user loads the roll paper 111 into the paper feeder 104 and passes the leading edge of the roll paper 111 over the skew correction device 110. Next, the user passes the leading edge of the roll paper 111 under the first printing device 103 of the first unit 116. In this embodiment, the first printing device 103 is a print head that prints spot colors (such as white ink) other than the color inks cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). The user passes the leading edge of the roll paper 111 under the drying device 112 and over the cooling devices 113 and 114. Next, the user passes the leading edge of the roll paper 111 through the mark detection sensor 120 of the second unit 115 , under the second printing device 102 , under the drying device 106 , over the cooling device 108 , and over the cooling device 109 .

[0019] In this embodiment, a mark detection sensor 120 is used for alignment when forming an image by the second printing device 102 on an image formed by the first printing device 103, but a scanner may be used instead of the mark detection sensor 120. The second printing device 102 in this embodiment is a print head that prints the basic printing colors (CMYK). The user passes the leading edge of the roll paper 111 through the connected scanner device 107 and winds it around the paper discharge device 105.

[0020] After passing the roll paper 111 through the image forming apparatus 100 in this way, the user submits a print job to the control PC (print control device) 119 of the image forming apparatus 100. After submitting the print job, the user presses the print start button on the UI operation panel 101. Upon receiving this print instruction, the image forming apparatus 100 starts printing. The printed image is read by the mark detection sensor 120, and the read image is analyzed in the control PC 119 to inspect the printed matter for defects.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the control configuration of image forming apparatus 100. Details of the control configuration of image forming apparatus 100 will be described using Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, image forming apparatus 100 includes a paper transport unit 201, an image forming unit 202, a communication unit 203, a control unit 204, a memory unit 205, an operation display unit 206, an inspection unit 207, a paper feed control unit 208, and a take-up control unit 209.

[0022] The paper transport unit 201 is a transport mechanism for the roll paper 111 inside the image forming apparatus 100. For example, the paper transport unit 201 transports the roll paper 111 transported from the paper feed control unit 208 to the image forming unit 202 using multiple rollers, and then transports the roll paper 111 that has passed through the image forming unit 202 to the winding control unit 209. The image forming unit 202 forms an image on the roll paper 111 supplied from the paper feed control unit 208 based on print data for which an output command has been received. The image forming unit 202 controls both the first printing device 103 and the second printing device 102. The image forming unit 202 transports the roll paper 111 on which the image has been formed toward the paper discharge device 105. The communication unit 203 is configured, for example, by a communication control card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card. The communication unit 203 transmits and receives various data to and from an external control device 211 (for example, a personal computer) connected to a communication network 210 such as a LAN or WAN (Wide Area Network). The external control device 211 has installed therein a print application and the like required for printing.

[0023] The control unit 204 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) and a random access memory (RAM). The CPU of the control unit 204 reads various programs, such as system programs or processing programs, stored in the storage unit 205, loads them into the RAM, and executes various processes according to the loaded programs. For example, the control unit 204 can perform a print process to execute a print job in response to a user's instruction. The storage unit 205 includes, for example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory (so-called flash memory) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage unit 205 stores various programs, including system programs or processing programs, executed by the control unit 204, as well as various data required for executing these programs. The operation and display unit 206 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch panel, and includes a display unit 206a and an operation unit 206b. The operation and display unit 206 corresponds to the UI operation panel 101.

[0024] The display unit 206a displays various information on the display screen in accordance with display control signals input from the control unit 204. The operation unit 206b has various operation keys such as a numeric keypad or a start key, accepts various input operations by the user, and outputs operation signals to the control unit 204. The operation display unit 206 is used, for example, to set job information when executing a job. As job information settings, the user can arbitrarily set any of the conditions, such as the paper to be used, printing speed information, number of prints, number of copies, print length, print weight, or print diameter.

[0025] Next, we will explain the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 when performing a print process on roll paper 111. First, a user creates print data in an external device such as the external control device 211. Based on instructions from the user, the external control device 211 sets the print settings and number of rolls to be delivered for the job, and transmits this information to the image forming apparatus 100 via a communications network. The control unit 204 of the image forming apparatus 100 receives, via the communications unit 203, the image data included in the job transmitted from the external control device 211, and a job ticket including the print setting information for the job, the number of rolls to be delivered, and other information (hereinafter referred to as job parameters).

[0026] In this embodiment, the control unit 204 is configured to determine whether the accepted job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the job ticket transmitted from the external control device 211. A printing operation is not executed based on a cost calculation job.

[0027] For example, a job ticket describes a job parameter such as "number of copies=100." In this embodiment, the job ticket describes a parameter such as "job type=print job" for specifying whether the job is a print job or a cost calculation job. Note that a numerical value for identifying the job type may be assigned to the parameter described in the job ticket, and the job parameter may include such a numerical value. For example, a print job may be defined as 1, and a cost calculation job may be defined as 0. The job ticket may also describe "job type=1." Note that the above example is not limiting as long as the job type can be identified from the job ticket. In this embodiment, the control unit 204 performs processing according to the type of the received job. For example, when a print job is received, the control unit 204 adds the received print job to a list of print jobs. When a cost calculation job is received, the control unit 204 adds the received cost calculation job to a list of cost calculation jobs. The display unit 206a is configured to display a list including the added job. Details of these processes will be described later. When a print instruction based on a print job is received, the control unit 204 controls the paper transport unit 201, the image forming unit 202, the paper feed control unit 208, the winding control unit 209, etc., to perform print processing based on the job on the roll paper 111.

[0028] The inspection unit 207 is a device that checks whether an image has been printed on the printing medium without any ejection defects. The image forming unit 202 prints a detection pattern on the printing medium for use in inspecting for ejection defects. The inspection unit 207 checks whether there are any ejection defects in the printed image by reading the detection pattern with a scanner. If an ejection defect is detected, the control unit 204 stops the operation of the image forming apparatus 100. There are various inspection methods performed by the inspection unit 207, such as printing a detection pattern and reading it with a scanner, directly reading and inspecting the printed image with a camera or scanner, and monitoring the ejection status from the nozzles.

[0029] The mechanisms (units) that make up the image forming apparatus 100 are controlled by the control unit 204 or other components. In this embodiment, a standby state is defined as a state in which the software that constitutes the system of the control unit 204 or other components is running, but the hardware components that constitute the mechanisms of the image forming apparatus 100 are powered off. In the standby state, system control that does not involve mechanical operation of the image forming apparatus is operational. That is, in the standby state, just like in an activated state, it is possible to display the device status on the operation / display unit 206, execute job printing processing using the control unit 204, and perform various other settings. For example, cost calculation processing based on a cost calculation job can also be executed in the standby state. In this embodiment, there are two ways to shut down the image forming apparatus: a standby state transition in which only the mechanisms are turned off, and a stop state transition in which the apparatus is completely turned off. The stop state refers to a state in which both the hardware and software are turned off and all operations are stopped.

[0030] <Printing process flowchart> FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of printing processing performed in image forming apparatus 100. First, to facilitate understanding, the basic processing of printing processing performed in image forming apparatus 100 will be described. The processing in the flowchart in FIG. 3 shows processing from loading a print medium into image forming apparatus 100 to printing. The processing in the flowchart in FIG. 3 is realized by the CPU of control unit 204 reading various programs, such as system programs or processing programs, stored in storage unit 205, expanding them in RAM, and executing various processes in accordance with the expanded programs. Note that some or all of the functions of the steps in FIG. 3 may be realized by hardware such as an ASIC or electronic circuit. The symbol "S" in the description of each process indicates a step in the flowchart (the same applies to subsequent flowcharts).

[0031] In S301, the image forming apparatus 100 waits for the user to load the print medium. As described above, in this embodiment, the print medium is roll paper 111. The user loads the print medium by pulling out the rolled print medium and passing it through multiple transport rollers along the path of the printer's transport mechanism. The print medium is then fixed to a take-up core attached to the paper discharge device 105, which is at the end of the transport path.

[0032] In S302, the control unit 204 sets the type of print medium loaded in the image forming apparatus 100. For example, the control unit 204 sets the type of print medium loaded in the image forming apparatus 100 based on a user instruction before starting the print process. This setting is performed by the user specifying an arbitrary print medium from among the types of print media pre-registered in the image forming apparatus 100. This sets optimal transport parameters linked to the pre-stored print medium information, enabling the image forming apparatus 100 to properly transport the loaded print medium. These transport parameters are also parameters set for the print job.

[0033] In addition to the transport parameters, parameters set for a print job may include whether or not to print white, the opacity when printing white, the drying temperature after printing white, the drying temperature when printing color, and the tension applied to the print medium. Parameters set for a print job may also include the type of ink to be used or the type of color profile to be used during color matching. These parameters are merely examples, and the present embodiment is not limited to these. In the image forming apparatus 100, if the same type of print medium as the loaded print medium is not stored, a print medium with similar physical characteristics or features to the loaded print medium is selected from the stored print medium information and set as the print medium type. Physical characteristics include the type of print medium material (coated paper, wood-free paper, film, etc.), the thickness, width, or basis weight of the print medium, etc.

[0034] In S303, the control unit 204 accepts a print job to be printed. For example, the control unit 204 accepts a print job that includes (describes) data to be printed, a medium to be printed, and print settings based on a user instruction. The processes of S302 and S303 are executed by a user operating the control PC 119 of the image forming apparatus 100. The print job created in the external control device 211 is sent to the image forming apparatus 100 and stored as a waiting job. In S303, the print job to be processed is designated based on a user instruction, and the control unit 204 accepts the print job to be printed.

[0035] In S304, the control unit 204 acquires the print setting information of the print job accepted in S303, and analyzes the acquired print setting information.

[0036] In S305, before starting printing, the control unit 204 determines whether the loaded print medium information matches the job settings. That is, the control unit 204 determines whether the print medium specified in the print job matches the print medium loaded in the printer. If it is determined that the print medium specified in the print job does not match the print medium loaded in the printer, the control unit 204 proceeds to S311. If it is determined that the print medium specified in the print job matches the print medium loaded in the printer, the control unit 204 proceeds to S306. In S311, the control unit 204 notifies the user that printing cannot be performed due to a mismatch in settings. Thereafter, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] In S306, the control unit 204 determines whether all print settings necessary for printing have been completed. If it is determined that the print settings necessary for printing have not been completed, the control unit 204 proceeds to S310. If it is determined that the print settings necessary for printing have been completed, the control unit 204 proceeds to S307. In S310, the control unit 204 notifies the user that the print settings have not been completed. Thereafter, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

[0038] In S307, the control unit 204 performs RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing of the print image data specified in the print job. In RIP processing, vector image data, which is image data described in a command, is converted into raster image data, which is a collection of print pixels. Some RIP processes also have a color conversion function that converts the color of the print data. In S308, the control unit 204 executes printing of the print image data generated by the RIP processing. Thereafter, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

[0039] The above-described process is an example and is not limiting. For example, when a print job is received, RIP processing may be performed even if the print job is not a print job to be printed. The process in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is a general description of the process when a print job is received. A process that also takes into account a cost calculation job will be described later.

[0040] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart in which the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment processes a print job and a cost calculation job. The processing of the print job and the processing of the cost calculation job in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. The processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 4 is started when the image forming apparatus 100 receives a job.

[0041] In S401, the communication unit 203 receives a job. For example, the communication unit 203 receives a job from the external control device 211. As described above, S401 is a process that triggers the start of the process in FIG.

[0042] In S402, the control unit 204 determines whether the job received in S401 is a print job. In this embodiment, two types of jobs are assumed: a print job and a cost calculation job. Therefore, if the job is not a print job, it is a cost calculation job. In this embodiment, as described above, it is assumed that the job ticket included in the job contains information indicating whether the job is a print job or a cost calculation job. Therefore, the control unit 204 determines whether the job is a print job or a cost calculation job by referencing the information in the job ticket included in the job. If it is determined that the job received in S401 is a print job, the control unit 204 proceeds to S403. If it is determined that the job received in S401 is not a print job, i.e., is a cost calculation job, the control unit 204 proceeds to S407.

[0043] In S403, the control unit 204 adds the job received in S401 as a print job to the print job list. Next, in S404, the control unit 204 displays the print job list on the display unit 206a. The control unit 204 also displays buttons for operating the jobs included in the print job list on the display unit 206a. In this embodiment, the system is configured to be able to accept various operations from the user for the print jobs included in the print job list, such as changing job parameters, starting print processing, canceling a print job, and duplicating a print job. The buttons for operating jobs correspond to the buttons that accept the various operations described above.

[0044] Next, in S405, the control unit 204 determines whether an instruction to start the printing process has been received from the user via the operation display unit 206. If it is determined that an instruction to start the printing process has been received, the control unit 204 proceeds to S406. The control unit 204 waits until an instruction to start the printing process is received, and continues the processing of S405.

[0045] In S406, the control unit 204 performs print processing for the print job for which the instruction to start print processing has been accepted. The print processing in S406 corresponds to the processing from S304 onwards in the print flow processing described in Fig. 3. When the print processing is completed, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 4.

[0046] Next, a process when the received job is a cost calculation job will be described. In S407, the control unit 204 adds the job received in S401 to the cost calculation job list as a cost calculation job.

[0047] Next, in S408, the control unit 204 displays a list of cost calculation jobs on the display unit 206a. The control unit 204 also displays buttons for operating jobs included in the cost calculation job list on the display unit 206a. In this embodiment, the system is configured to be able to accept various operations from the user for cost calculation jobs included in the cost calculation job list, such as outputting cost results or deleting a cost calculation job. The buttons for operating jobs correspond to the buttons for accepting the various operations described above. The format of the file to which the cost calculation results are output may be, for example, a text file such as CSV (comma-separated value), a spreadsheet file, or another format.

[0048] Next, in S409, the control unit 204 RIPs the cost calculation job. In this embodiment, the control unit 204 starts RIP for the cost calculation job when the software is running and no RIP processing is currently being performed. Note that if the system is configured to perform multiple RIP processing simultaneously and there are remaining RIP processing tasks, the control unit 204 starts RIP for the cost calculation job even if other RIP processing tasks are being performed. Note that in this embodiment, the control unit 204 automatically starts RIP processing and the cost calculation processing (S410) described below when the cost calculation job is added to the cost calculation job list. However, this is not a limitation. For example, a cost calculation start button may be provided on the display unit 206a. Then, the RIP processing and cost calculation processing may be started when the operation unit 206b accepts a cost calculation instruction operation from the user. Alternatively, the system may be configured to automatically perform RIP processing and then start the subsequent cost calculation processing only upon accepting a user instruction. Alternatively, the system may be configured to be switchable between a mode in which cost calculation starts automatically and a mode in which cost calculation start instruction is awaited by a user operation, depending on job parameters or device settings. This parameter-based switching may be configured so that the RIP start control and automatic print start settings for a normal print job are also used for a cost calculation job.

[0049] The cost calculation process in S409 is equivalent to the RIP process (S307) in a print job. A cost calculation job is a job in which RIP processing and cost calculation are performed based on job parameters. Therefore, cost calculation can be performed even when the image forming apparatus 100 is on standby.

[0050] Next, in S410, the control unit 204 calculates the cost of the cost calculation job. For example, the control unit 204 calculates the ink cost by converting the ink ejection amount corresponding to the image to be formed based on the raster image data converted by the RIP process. In this embodiment, various information necessary for cost calculation is stored in the storage unit 205 of the image forming apparatus. For example, differences in ink ejection conditions between devices in the print head due to manufacturing tolerances and information indicating changes in the ejection condition due to use are stored in the storage unit 205 as reference values ​​corresponding to the print head conditions. During RIP processing in the image forming apparatus 100, image processing is performed with reference to these reference values, thereby enabling accurate ink ejection amount calculation. If the ink cost is calculated on an external terminal, the reference value must be updated on the external terminal in real time. Furthermore, all parameters corresponding to the combination of paper and print settings must be stored on the external terminal. For this reason, accurate cost calculation on the external terminal is difficult to implement due to the amount of data required and the need for real-time processing. In this embodiment, the cost calculation process is performed within the image forming apparatus 100, allowing accurate cost calculation for the cost calculation job. Furthermore, when cost calculation is performed within the image forming apparatus 100, there is no need to output to the outside highly confidential information, such as information for calculating ink consumption, including tables used in image processing for calculations and their table values. Therefore, performing cost calculation processing within the image forming apparatus 1000 is also useful from the perspective of security. Note that an inkjet recording image forming apparatus is used as an example for explanation. However, this embodiment can be widely applied to image forming apparatuses other than those using inkjet recording methods, in which cost calculation is performed using reference values ​​corresponding to the state of the image forming means (recording means).

[0051] In this embodiment, the control unit 204 calculates not only the ink cost but also the paper cost including the maintenance cost and the billing cost added based on the print volume. The information used to calculate these costs may be information registered in the device in advance, or may be information included in the job parameters and transmitted.

[0052] Next, in S411, the control unit 204 compiles the calculated costs into a report and outputs the results. For example, the control unit 204 may send the report to the external control device 211 via the communication unit 203, may store the report in an output folder of the image forming device 100, may display the report on the display unit 206a, or may take a combination of these forms. Settings such as the output destination of the results and whether or not to output them automatically may be made based on information registered in the device in advance, or may be made based on information included in the job parameters.

[0053] Next, in S412, the control unit 204 deletes data other than the cost calculation results. That is, the control unit 204 deletes the data used in the cost calculation. The data deleted in S412 may include image data included in the job, the job ticket, raster image data, and other data created for printing. The storage area of ​​the storage unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 100 is limited, and a cost calculation job is treated as a job that does not print. For this reason, if the data of the cost calculation job is left undeleted, it may affect the operation of the print job. Therefore, in this embodiment, after outputting the cost calculation results, the control unit 204 deletes data other than the results. When S412 ends, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4.

[0054] The above is the basic flow of print job processing and cost calculation job processing in this embodiment. Note that the processing shown in FIG. 4 shows a basic processing flow, and processing different from the processing shown in FIG. 4 may be performed. For example, after a print job is received and added to the print job list and displayed, the user may not perform any operation, or the user may perform an operation to confirm the cost calculation job. In this case, processing according to the received operation is performed. Furthermore, there may be cases where the user subsequently performs an operation to display the print job list, specifies the print job to be printed, and issues a print instruction without waiting for the reception of a new print job. As such, the processing shown in FIG. 4 shows only an example of basic processing, and processing other than that shown in FIG. 4 may also be performed as appropriate in response to user operations.

[0055] In this embodiment, the print job list used in S403 and the cost calculation job list used in S407 are separate and independent lists. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the control unit 204 displays the print job list and the cost calculation job list separately on the display unit 206a. Then, by making the cost calculation job a processing system separate from the print job and capable of accepting operations from the user, the user who handles the print job can operate the job without worrying about the cost calculation job.

[0056] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen on which a list of print jobs or cost calculation jobs is displayed. In FIG. 5, a UI screen 500 is the entire UI displayed on the UI operation panel 101. FIG. 5(a) is an example of a UI screen on which a list of print jobs is displayed, and FIG. 5(b) is an example of a UI screen on which a list of cost calculation jobs is displayed. First, the overall configuration of the UI screen 500 will be described using FIG. 5(a). Note that the UI screen on which the list of cost calculation jobs in FIG. 5(b) is displayed also has the same basic configuration as FIG. 5(a), and therefore the description of FIG. 5(b) will focus on the differences from FIG. 5(a).

[0057] First, a description will be given using FIG. 5(a). The status display area 501 displays summary information about the status of the image forming apparatus 100, such as the current status of the image forming apparatus 100 and information about the job being printed. The operating status display 502 of the image forming apparatus 100 shows the current status of the image forming apparatus 100. In FIG. 5(a), the status is "Waiting," meaning that the image forming apparatus 100 is waiting to print. In addition to "Waiting," the operating status can also be "Stopped" or "Printing." When the image forming apparatus 100 detects that the print button 503 has been pressed by the user, it begins printing the print job selected by the user. The printing job display 504 displays the name of the job being printed. The print media information display 505 displays information such as the name and remaining amount of print media installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The ink status display 506 displays the type of ink being used and the remaining ink level. The main unit status 512 displays the hardware startup status and RIP readiness status. When the hardware is running, printing is possible in the image forming apparatus 100. When RIP is possible, the image forming apparatus 1000 can execute RIP processing of a job.

[0058] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the contents of the status display area 501 include an operating status display 502 of the image forming apparatus 100, a print button 503, a printing job display 504, a print medium information display 505, an ink status display 506, and a main body status 512. However, the contents are not limited to these, and a status other than those shown in the drawing may also be displayed.

[0059] The work area 507 is a work area for the user to perform operations. When the user wants to check detailed information related to each piece of information in the status display area 501, the user presses the corresponding status display area in the status display area 501. Based on this pressing operation, the image forming apparatus 100 can display the related detailed information in the work area 507. For example, when the image forming apparatus 100 receives a press on the area of ​​the currently printing job display 504, the image forming apparatus 100 switches the display content of the work area 507 to a list of print jobs, as shown in FIG. 5(a). Note that the method for switching the display content in the work area 507 is not limited to this example. For example, a menu screen may be provided and the display content may be switched by receiving a menu selection.

[0060] Print job list 508 displays information such as an ID indicating the print job name, current status, and the print medium to be used. When a job is selected in this list and print button 503 is pressed, image forming apparatus 100 starts printing using the selected job. Print medium information display 509 displays detailed information about the print medium. Paper edit button 510 is a button that accepts an instruction to edit the information about the print medium displayed in print medium information display 509. Paper selection button 511 is a button that accepts an instruction to load new paper information other than the currently set paper information. The settings loaded using paper selection button 511 are displayed in print medium information display 505 as information about the print medium attached to image forming apparatus 100.

[0061] When the image forming apparatus 100 receives a press of the cost calculation job list button 514 while the print job list 508 is displayed, the image forming apparatus 100 displays a cost calculation job list 521 and operation buttons for the cost calculation jobs in the work area 507, as shown in FIG. 5(b). On the other hand, when the image forming apparatus 100 receives a press of the print job list button 513 while the cost calculation job list 521 is displayed, the image forming apparatus 100 displays a print job list 508 and operation buttons for the print jobs in the work area 507, as shown in FIG. 5(a). In this manner, in this embodiment, the print job list and the cost calculation job list are displayed separately and independently as job lists displayed in the work area 507. More specifically, the image forming apparatus 100 is configured so that the print job list and the cost calculation job list can be selectively switched and displayed.

[0062] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5(a), when a list of print jobs is displayed, a parameter edit button 515, a copy button 516, and a cancel button 517 are displayed for receiving operation instructions for the print jobs. On the other hand, when a list of cost calculation jobs is displayed, a cost output button 519, a job cancel button 520, and a cost setting button 518 for transitioning to a cost setting screen are displayed for receiving operation instructions for the cost calculation job. Note that the various operation buttons are not limited to the examples shown in the figure. Other buttons that can be operated for the print jobs or cost calculation jobs may also be arranged in the work area 507.

[0063] In this embodiment, an icon 522 indicating that RIP processing or calculation processing is in progress is displayed above the print job list button 513 or the cost calculation job list button 514. This allows the user to easily understand which job is undergoing RIP processing or calculation processing.

[0064] In this embodiment, the display of the print job list and the display of the cost calculation job list are switched by a button, but this is not a limitation. They may be displayed separately and independently, and for example, the display area for the print job list and the display area for the cost calculation job list may be displayed separately within a single screen.

[0065] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen related to cost calculation of a cost calculation job. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the display of the work area 507 is switched to the cost setting area 601 when the cost setting button 518 in FIG. 5 is pressed. However, the trigger for the screen transition is not limited to the cost setting button 518. Furthermore, the setting screen for cost calculation is not limited to the example shown in the figure.

[0066] On the cost setting screen 600, a cost setting area 601 displays a cost setting item 602, a cancel button 603, and a save button 604. In this embodiment, the cost setting item 602 includes a setting item for a setting file that describes the costs of paper, ink, and print volume. The cost setting item 602 also includes setting items such as an output destination folder for outputting a cost result file and an additional production cost setting that adds costs required other than printing to the cumulative cost. Any other settings necessary for cost calculation, such as a setting for adding maintenance costs, may be added to the cost setting item 602. Furthermore, instead of setting a setting file that describes the paper cost, ink cost, and print volume cost, a screen may be provided that allows these to be edited on the screen.

[0067] The RIP processing of print jobs and cost calculation jobs varies depending on the image generating device. For example, some devices cannot perform parallel RIP processing (raster image generation processing) and can only perform RIP processing for one job, while other devices can perform parallel processing but have a set upper limit. In the image forming device 100 of this embodiment, the RIP processing of either the print job or the cost calculation job is determined on a first-come, first-served basis. However, this is not limited to this example. For example, a RIP start priority may be set on a settings screen, allowing the user to set the priority, such as giving priority to the print job or the cost calculation job. Furthermore, the cost calculation job may be set to run in parallel, or not run in parallel. Alternatively, the RIP processing order may be set appropriately based on user operation.

[0068] In this embodiment, when the user presses the save button 604 after setting various settings on the setting screen shown in Fig. 6, the image forming apparatus 100 registers the set contents. After that, when the cost output button 519 in Fig. 5(b) is pressed, cost calculation based on the settings is performed and the cost calculation result is output.

[0069] As described above, this embodiment improves the user's work efficiency when performing cost calculation. That is, in this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 manages and displays submitted jobs as print jobs and cost calculation jobs. This improves the work efficiency of both the user handling the print job and the user handling the cost calculation job. For example, consider a screen in which a first user who is using the image forming apparatus 100 to print using a print job submits a cost calculation job while another second user is using the image forming apparatus 100. Even in such a scenario, this embodiment can prevent a job (cost calculation job) unintended by the first user from being included in the print job list. In this way, even if a cost calculation job is submitted to the image forming apparatus 100 while the image forming apparatus 100 is printing a print job, the contents of the print job list do not increase, and the work efficiency of the first user during printing is not reduced.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which a user selects a target job from a list of cost calculation jobs and performs cost calculation based on instructions from the user. However, this is not limited to this example. The cost calculation job may be performed not based on a user's operation of the image forming apparatus 100, but in which the image forming apparatus 100 automatically outputs the calculation results when the job is submitted. In this way, the trigger for starting a print job within the image forming apparatus 100 and the trigger for starting a cost calculation job within the image forming apparatus 100 may be different. In other words, the print job may be performed based on an operation of the image forming apparatus 100 itself, and the cost calculation job may be performed without being based on an operation of the image forming apparatus 100 itself. Furthermore, separate processing flowcharts may be used to accommodate such processing.

[0071] <<Second embodiment>> In the first embodiment, an example was described in which data other than the cost calculation results, such as the job image data, job ticket, and raster image data, are deleted after the cost calculation results using the cost calculation job are output. This example described an example in which sufficient storage space in the image forming apparatus 100 can be reserved for the print job. However, it is also possible to envision a configuration in which there is ample storage space, such as when the image forming apparatus 100 has a large-capacity storage unit 205 or when an additional storage medium is installed in the image forming apparatus 100. In such a case, it is not necessary to delete data related to the cost calculation job. Therefore, in this embodiment, an example is described in which data related to the cost calculation job is saved even after the cost calculation results are output in the cost calculation job. Saving the image data and job ticket included in the cost calculation job improves user operability when actually using the cost calculation job for printing.

[0072] The basic device configuration and processing flow in this embodiment are the same as those in the example described in the first embodiment. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0073] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart in which the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment processes a print job and a cost calculation job. The processing of the print job and the processing of the cost calculation job in this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 7. The processing of the flowchart shown in Fig. 7 starts when the image forming apparatus 100 receives a job.

[0074] Steps S701 to S711 in FIG. 7 are the same as steps S401 to S411 in FIG. 4 described in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0075] In S711, the control unit 204 outputs the cost calculation results, and then proceeds to S712. In S712, the control unit 204 saves data related to the cost calculation job (hereinafter referred to as job data) in the storage unit 205. In this embodiment, the job data is described as a job ticket including image data included in the job transmitted from the external control device 211, as well as print setting information for the job and information on the number of rolls to be delivered. However, this is not limited to this example. For example, the control unit 204 may include post-RIP raster image data in the job data and save it in the storage unit 205. In a configuration in which post-RIP raster image data is also saved, for example, when a cost calculation job for which costs have been calculated is diverted to a print job, the RIP process in S307 can be skipped. In addition, the saved job data may include thumbnail image data that simply represents the image data of the job to be used in displaying the job list.

[0076] Furthermore, the job data may be stored temporarily or permanently. For example, the capacity of the storage area for job data may be limited to a predetermined amount, and the job data may be stored temporarily within this capacity. Furthermore, instead of uniformly storing the job data of the cost calculation job, the job data may be selectively stored based on a user operation or parameters included in the job ticket. The temporary or permanent storage of the job data may also be performed based on a user operation or parameters included in the job ticket. After S712, the control unit 204 proceeds to S713.

[0077] In S713, the control unit 204 determines whether an instruction operation to submit the cost calculation job as a print job has been received from the user. This flowchart assumes a case in which, while the cost calculation job list is being displayed, the user selects a cost calculation job for which cost calculation has been completed and instructs to submit the job as a print job. If an instruction operation to submit the cost calculation job as a print job has been received from the user, the control unit 204 proceeds to S703. That is, the control unit 204 adds the cost calculation job as a print job to the print job list. Subsequent processing is the same as that for a print job. On the other hand, if an instruction operation to submit the cost calculation job as a print job has not been received from the user, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7.

[0078] 7, the process of S713 is included, but the operation to submit the cost calculation job as a print job can be accepted regardless of the process of Fig. 7. Therefore, the control unit 204 is configured to be able to accept an instruction to submit the cost calculation job selected by the user as a print job at any timing. When an instruction operation to submit the cost calculation job as a print job is accepted from the user, the process to add the cost calculation job as a print job to the print job list is performed as appropriate.

[0079] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a UI screen displaying a list of cost calculation jobs. Fig. 8 is basically the same as the UI screen described in Fig. 5(b), and a description of the parts common to Fig. 5(b) will be omitted. The following description will focus on the differences from Fig. 5(b).

[0080] In this embodiment, a Delete Data button 803, an Add to Print Job button 804, and a Recalculate button 805 are additionally displayed in a work area 801 displaying a cost calculation job list 802. The user selects a cost calculation job they wish to work on from the cost calculation job list 802 and presses the Delete Data button 803 or the Add to Print Job button 804. Upon receiving this user operation, the image forming apparatus 100 performs processing according to the pressed button. The cost calculation job list 802 also shows an example in which information indicating whether job data is saved is displayed as the job status.

[0081] In the image forming apparatus 100 of this embodiment, job data of a cost calculation job for which cost calculation has been completed is automatically stored in the storage unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 100. The user can manually delete unnecessary job data. Specifically, the user selects an arbitrary cost calculation job from among the cost calculation jobs included in the cost calculation job list 802. Then, the user presses the data deletion button 803. The image forming apparatus 100 is configured to delete the corresponding job data upon receiving such a pressing operation. Furthermore, the user selects an arbitrary cost calculation job from among the cost calculation jobs included in the cost calculation job list 802. Then, the user presses the add to print job button 804. The image forming apparatus 100 is configured to input the corresponding job data as a print job upon receiving such a pressing operation.

[0082] Furthermore, the user selects an arbitrary cost calculation job from among the cost calculation jobs included in the cost calculation job list 802. Then, the user presses the recalculation button 805. When the image forming apparatus 100 receives this pressing operation, it recalculates the cost of the selected cost calculation job. In this embodiment, when recalculating the cost, the image forming apparatus 100 redoes the cost calculation as a new cost calculation job, thereby recalculating while leaving the history of the state before the recalculation. Note that this example is not limiting, and the image forming apparatus 100 may be configured to perform cost calculation using a cost calculation job that has already been calculated, and overwrite the calculated result.

[0083] Note that acceptance of operation buttons may be disabled when a job for which cost calculation has not yet been completed or a job for which job data has already been deleted is selected in the cost calculation job list 802. That is, the image forming apparatus 100 may set conditions for enabling or disabling buttons so that pressing of the Delete Data button 803, Add to Print Job button 804, and Recalculate button 805 is not accepted under predetermined conditions.

[0084] As described above, according to this embodiment, in a job used for cost calculation, data such as parameters used in that cost calculation can be submitted as a print job. This allows, for example, a user to prepare an estimate, and when the deal is approved, to use the job used for the estimate as a print job. Furthermore, even when changing the cost calculation setting values ​​and redoing the estimate, recalculation can be performed without submitting the job as a cost calculation job again. In this way, according to this embodiment, user work efficiency can be improved.

[0085] <<Third Embodiment>> In the first and second embodiments, an example was described in which the determination of whether a job input to image forming apparatus 100 is a print job or a cost calculation job is made based on information included in a job ticket. In this embodiment, an example is described in which image forming apparatus 100 separates the routes through which jobs are accepted into print jobs and cost calculation jobs. Then, an example is described in which the determination of whether a job input to image forming apparatus 100 is a print job or a cost calculation job is made based on the route through which the job is accepted.

[0086] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which an external control device 211 submits a job to a shared folder called a hot folder provided in a storage unit 205 of an image forming device 100. Since the basic configuration is similar to that of the first or second embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted and differences will be mainly described.

[0087] First, the control configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. A hot folder is a dedicated folder provided in the storage unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 100, in which the contents to be written in a job ticket, including the print setting information for the job and the number of rolls to be delivered, are set. When a job is submitted to a hot folder, the job information is automatically assigned. The control unit 204 creates a default hot folder stored in the storage unit 205 as a shared folder. Furthermore, when a hot folder creation operation is performed based on the operation of the operation display unit 206, the control unit 204 sets the specified job parameters and creates an additional hot folder.

[0088] In this embodiment, the control unit 204 prepares (creates) a hot folder for print jobs and a hot folder for cost calculation jobs. By preparing a hot folder for cost calculation, it is not necessary to include information indicating the job type in the job ticket. Furthermore, if special settings for cost calculation are included in the job ticket, the user does not need to prepare such a job ticket. In other words, the same job data can be used for both print jobs and cost calculation jobs. By inputting job data into a hot folder of the desired type, the user assigns the corresponding job ticket settings to each job. The communication unit 203 is configured to monitor the hot folders and, when it detects that a job has been input, notify the control unit 204 of the new job.

[0089] Note that a hot folder may have multiple hot folder settings, such as a setting for accepting both the job image data and the job ticket as a set, and a setting for accepting a job ticket that records only the difference between the job image data and the setting information, etc. If there is no hot folder registered in the storage unit 205, the control unit 204 automatically creates a hot folder at the timing of monitoring.

[0090] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process in which the image forming apparatus 100 receives a print job or a cost calculation job through a hot folder in this embodiment. The process shown in FIG. 9 is part of a monitoring process that is performed periodically or irregularly in the image forming apparatus 100.

[0091] In S901, the control unit 204 determines whether a hot folder for a print job exists in a predetermined directory of the image forming device. If a hot folder exists, the control unit 204 proceeds to S902. If a hot folder does not exist, the control unit 204 proceeds to S904. Note that there may be multiple hot folders for a print job, and in that case, the control unit 204 determines whether each hot folder exists in the directory.

[0092] In S902, the control unit 204 determines whether job data is placed in a hot folder for a print job. If job data is placed in the hot folder for a print job, the control unit 204 proceeds to S903. If job data is not placed in the hot folder for a print job, the control unit 204 proceeds to S905. In this embodiment, the job data is assumed to be only image data for the job, or a combination of image data for the job and a job ticket. Note that if there are multiple hot folders for printing, the control unit 204 makes a determination for each hot folder.

[0093] In S903, the control unit 204 adds the job data stored in the hot folder for print jobs to the print job list. At this time, if there is a problem with the image data or job parameters of the job, the control unit 204 may be configured to treat this as an error and not add the job data to the print job list.

[0094] In S905, the control unit 204 determines whether a hot folder for the cost calculation job exists in a predetermined directory of the image forming device. If a hot folder for the cost calculation job exists, the control unit 204 proceeds to S906. If a hot folder for cost calculation does not exist, the control unit 204 proceeds to S908. There may be multiple hot folders for the cost calculation job, and in that case, the control unit 204 determines whether each hot folder exists in the directory.

[0095] In S906, the control unit 204 determines whether job data is placed in the hot folder for the cost calculation job. If job data is placed, the control unit 204 proceeds to S907. If job data is not placed, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 9. As with print jobs, the job data for cost calculation jobs is assumed to be only the image data of the job, or a combination of the image data of the job and a job ticket. Note that if there are multiple hot folders for cost calculation, the control unit 204 makes a determination for each hot folder.

[0096] In S907, the control unit 204 adds the job data placed in the hot folder for the cost calculation job to the cost calculation job list. At this time, if there is a problem with the image data or job parameters of the job, the control unit 204 may treat this as an error and not add the job data to the cost calculation job list. When the processing of S907 ends, the control unit 204 ends the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 9.

[0097] The processing in the flowchart of Fig. 9 in this embodiment described above is a change to processing equivalent to the processing of S401 to S403 and S407 in Fig. 4 described in the first embodiment. Similarly, the processing in the flowchart of Fig. 9 is a change to processing equivalent to the processing of S701 to S703 and S707 in Fig. 7 in the second embodiment. Thereafter, as described in the first or second embodiment, printing processing or cost calculation processing is performed based on user operations on the print job list and cost calculation job list.

[0098] In the present embodiment, as described above, an example has been described in which a hot folder is used to determine whether a job input to the image forming apparatus 100 is a print job or a cost calculation job. However, the path through which the image forming apparatus 100 receives jobs is not limited to a hot folder. The image forming apparatus 100 may be provided with a receiving path dedicated to communication for print jobs and a receiving path dedicated to communication for cost calculation jobs. Then, the image forming apparatus 100 may be configured to determine whether a received job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the receiving path.

[0099] In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 creates the hot folders for print jobs and the hot folder for cost calculation jobs using settings specified in advance by the user. However, both hot folders do not have to be created based on user operations. For example, the image forming apparatus 100 may duplicate the settings of the hot folder for print jobs and automatically create the hot folder for cost calculation. Furthermore, the hot folder for cost calculation may be configured to accept only image data and job tickets of fixed jobs.

[0100] As described above, according to this embodiment, a hot folder for print jobs and a hot folder for cost calculation jobs are prepared. Then, by determining which hot folder a job has been submitted to, it is not necessary to include information in the job ticket indicating whether the job is a print job or a cost calculation job. Therefore, the job ticket of the job used for cost calculation can be submitted as is to the hot folder for print jobs as a print job. This eliminates the need for the user to edit the job ticket for cost calculation with settings that differ from those for the print job, improving work efficiency.

[0101] <<Other embodiments>> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0102] The disclosure of the present embodiment includes configurations typified by the following information processing device example, information processing device control method example, and program example.

[0103] <Configuration 1> a receiving means for receiving a job; a control means for performing control to add the received job to a list of print jobs if the received job is a print job, and to add the received job to a list of cost calculation jobs if the received job is a cost calculation job for calculating a cost required for printing; An image forming apparatus comprising:

[0104] <Configuration 2> 2. The image forming apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein the control means determines whether the received job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on information included in the job.

[0105] <Configuration 3> 2. The image forming apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein the control means determines whether the received job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the route through which the job is received.

[0106] <Configuration 4> As hot folders configured to assign predetermined setting information to jobs, a hot folder for print jobs and a hot folder for cost calculation are provided, the receiving means receives a job when the job is input to the hot folder for print jobs or the hot folder for cost calculation; The image forming apparatus according to configuration 3, wherein the control unit determines whether the submitted job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the hot folder to which the job is submitted.

[0107] <Configuration 5> 5. The image forming apparatus according to configuration 4, wherein if the hot folder is not prepared, the control unit creates the hot folder before the job is input.

[0108] <Configuration 6> 6. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the control unit deletes data of the cost calculation job after calculating the cost based on the cost calculation job.

[0109] <Configuration 7> 6. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the control unit stores data of the cost calculation job after calculating the cost based on the cost calculation job.

[0110] <Configuration 8> the control means controls to display a first screen including the cost calculation job list on a display unit, 8. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the first screen includes an area for accepting operation instructions for the cost calculation job.

[0111] <Configuration 9> 9. The image forming apparatus according to configuration 8, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to delete the cost calculation job.

[0112] <Configuration 10> 10. The image forming apparatus according to configuration 8 or 9, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to add the cost calculation job as a print job.

[0113] <Configuration 11> 11. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 8 to 10, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to recalculate the cost according to the cost calculation job.

[0114] <Configuration 12> the control means controls the display of a second screen including the list of print jobs on the display unit; 12. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 8 to 11, wherein the second screen includes an area for accepting operation instructions for the print job.

[0115] <Configuration 13> 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control means controls the display unit to selectively switch between the first screen and the second screen.

[0116] <Configuration 14> The image forming apparatus according to configuration 12 or 13, wherein the control means displays a predetermined notification on either the first screen or the second screen when a print job or a cost calculation job is being processed.

[0117] <Configuration 15> The control means starting a print process based on the print job added to the print job list in response to a user operation; 15. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, wherein the cost calculation process based on the cost calculation job added to the cost calculation job list is started without a user operation.

[0118] <Configuration 16> The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 15, wherein the control means performs at least one of displaying the results obtained by the cost calculation process based on the cost calculation job on a display unit and outputting the results to a file.

[0119] <Configuration 17> The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 16, characterized in that the control means performs cost calculation processing based on the cost calculation job using information according to the state of the image forming means of the image forming apparatus.

[0120] <Configuration 18> The control means A generation process is configured to generate raster image data based on the received job, determining a priority of the cost calculation job in the generation process; 18. The image forming apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 17, wherein the generation process for the received job is performed based on the determined priority.

[0121] <Configuration 19> a control means for switching between a first screen displaying a list of received print jobs and a second screen displaying a list of received cost calculation jobs on a display unit; an image forming apparatus, characterized in that both the first screen and the second screen include an area for receiving an instruction to switch the display to the first screen or the second screen;

[0122] <Configuration 20> receiving a job; a step of performing control to add the received job to a print job list if the received job is a print job, and to add the received job to a cost calculation job list if the received job is a cost calculation job that calculates a cost required for printing; 1. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

[0123] <Configuration 21> a step of switching between a first screen displaying a list of received print jobs and a second screen displaying a list of received cost calculation jobs on a display unit, A control method for an image forming apparatus, wherein both the first screen and the second screen include an area for receiving an instruction to switch the display to the first screen or the second screen.

[0124] <Configuration 22> 22. A program for causing a computer to execute the method for controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 20 or 21. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 100 Image forming device 101 UI Operation Panel 204 Control Unit

Claims

1. a receiving means for receiving a job; a control means for performing control to add the received job to a list of print jobs if the received job is a print job, and to add the received job to a list of cost calculation jobs if the received job is a cost calculation job for calculating a cost required for printing; An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the received job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on information included in the job.

3. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the received job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the route through which the job is received.

4. As hot folders configured to assign predetermined setting information to jobs, a hot folder for print jobs and a hot folder for cost calculation are provided, the receiving means receives a job when the job is input to the hot folder for print jobs or the hot folder for cost calculation; 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit determines whether the submitted job is a print job or a cost calculation job based on the hot folder to which the job is submitted.

5. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, if the hot folder is not prepared, the control unit creates the hot folder before the job is input.

6. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit deletes data of the cost calculation job after calculating the cost based on the cost calculation job.

7. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit stores data of the cost calculation job after calculating the cost based on the cost calculation job.

8. the control means controls to display a first screen including the cost calculation job list on a display unit, 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction for the cost calculation job.

9. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to delete the cost calculation job.

10. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to add the cost calculation job as a print job.

11. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first screen includes an area for receiving an operation instruction to recalculate the cost according to the cost calculation job.

12. the control means controls the display of a second screen including the list of print jobs on the display unit; 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second screen includes an area for receiving operation instructions for the print job.

13. 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit controls the display unit to selectively switch between the first screen and the second screen.

14. 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit displays a predetermined notification on both the first screen and the second screen when a print job or a cost calculation job is being processed.

15. The control means starting a print process based on the print job added to the print job list in response to a user operation; 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cost calculation process based on the cost calculation job added to the cost calculation job list is started without a user operation.

16. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs at least one of displaying the results obtained by the cost calculation process based on the cost calculation job on a display unit and outputting the results to a file.

17. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs cost calculation processing based on the cost calculation job using information according to the state of the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus.

18. The control means A generation process is configured to generate raster image data based on the received job, determining a priority of the cost calculation job in the generation process; 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation process for the received job is performed based on the determined priority.

19. a control means for switching between a first screen displaying a list of received print jobs and a second screen displaying a list of received cost calculation jobs on a display unit; an image forming apparatus, characterized in that both the first screen and the second screen include an area for receiving an instruction to switch the display to the first screen or the second screen;

20. receiving a job; a step of performing control to add the received job to a print job list if the received job is a print job, and to add the received job to a cost calculation job list if the received job is a cost calculation job that calculates a cost required for printing; 1. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

21. a step of switching between a first screen displaying a list of received print jobs and a second screen displaying a list of received cost calculation jobs on a display unit, A control method for an image forming apparatus, wherein both the first screen and the second screen include an area for receiving an instruction to switch the display to the first screen or the second screen.

22. 22. A program for causing a computer to execute the method for controlling an image forming apparatus according to claim 20.

Images