Printing server, printing system, printing apparatus, print control method, and program

Abstract

To reduce the effort of a user.SOLUTION: A printing server includes: management means which manages a logical printer associated with a printing apparatus, and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; storage means which stores a print job submitted from a user to the comprehensive logical printer, in association with the comprehensive logical printer, together with identification information of a user; receiving means which receives a print request including identification information allocated to the logical printer and identification information of the user; and transfer means which transfers a print job related to the identification information of the user included in the print request, out of print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information allocated to the logical printer included in the print request.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a print server, a print system, a printing device, a print control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] A cloud print service that uses the cloud has been proposed. The cloud print service provides a logical printer, and print jobs for the logical printer are executed by a physical printer associated with the logical printer. Printing using a logical printer is sometimes called cloud printing. The cloud print service assigns unique identification information to the logical printer. This identification information may also be called a cloud print ID. Patent Document 1 proposes displaying a two-dimensional code that encodes the cloud print ID to reduce the user's effort of inputting the cloud print ID into a mobile device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-81322 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, a two-dimensional code encoding a cloud print ID is printed on paper and attached to a printing device to post it. However, preparing such a post is a time-consuming task for the printing device user. Some aspects of the present invention aim to provide a technology that reduces the user's time and effort. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The print server of the present invention comprises a management means for managing a logical printer associated with a printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; a storage means for storing a print job submitted by a user to the comprehensive logical printer together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including the identification information assigned to the logical printer and the user's identification information; and a moving means for moving a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] Some embodiments reduce the effort required by the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a computer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional arrangement of a print server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional arrangement of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an operation unit of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional arrangement of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating the overall processing of cloud printing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printers according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10]5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating examples of printer information and job information according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a registration operation of the printing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of transmitting an instruction to move a print job according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printers according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printers according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of moving a print job according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printers according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating the setting of a two-dimensional code and reservation in the fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0009] First Embodiment [Printing system configuration example] An example of the configuration of a printing system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The printing system includes, for example, an information processing device 110, printing devices 120 and 121, a print server 130, and a mobile communication device 140. The number of components of the printing system is not limited to the example in Fig. 1. The printing system may also include components not shown in Fig. 1.

[0010] The information processing device 110 and the printing device 120 are connected to the same local area network (LAN) 101. The LAN 101 may be a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, or a combination of both. The LAN 101 is connected to a wide area network 103 (e.g., the Internet) via a firewall 102. The printing device 121 and the print server 130 are also connected to the wide area network 103. The information processing device 110 and the printing device 120 can communicate with each other within the LAN 101 (i.e., without going through the wide area network 103). Furthermore, the information processing device 110 and the printing device 120 can each communicate with the print server 130 via the LAN 101, the firewall 102, and the wide area network 103. The printing device 121 may be connected to the wide area network 103 via a LAN or a cellular network (e.g., a network conforming to the fourth generation communication standard (4G) or the fifth generation communication standard (5G)). The information processing device 110 and the portable communication device 140 may also be connected to the wide area network 103 via a cellular network. The portable communication device 140 may also be connectable to the LAN 101.

[0011] Printing devices 120 and 121 have a printing function that performs printing based on a print job. In addition to the printing function, printing devices 120 and 121 may also include at least one of a scanner function and a fax function. A printing device having multiple functions like this may be called a multifunction printer (MFP). Alternatively, printing devices 120 and 121 may be a dedicated machine (SFP: Single Function Peripheral) that has only the printing function. Printing may be performed on a sheet-like recording medium such as paper, or may be performed to form a three-dimensional object (so-called three-dimensional printing).

[0012] The print server 130 provides a print service that transmits print jobs to a printing device (e.g., the printing device 120) according to print jobs generated by the information processing device 110. For example, the print server 130 provides a logical printer to the information processing device 110 and accepts print jobs for the logical printer. A logical printer is a virtual printing device (e.g., a printer object) provided by the print server 130. A logical printer may also be called a cloud printer. The information processing device 110 can generate print queues for logical printers, just like the printing devices 120 and 121. In contrast to logical printers, physical printing devices such as the printing devices 120 and 121 may also be called physical printers. A physical printer may also be called a local printer if it is connected to the same LAN as the information processing device that submits the print job. In the following description, logical printers and physical printers are collectively referred to simply as printers.

[0013] The print server 130 may be a server in an on-premise environment connected to the wide area network 103, or may be a server in a cloud computing environment (hereinafter simply referred to as cloud). A print service provided by the print server 130 in the cloud may be called a cloud print service (hereinafter referred to as CPS). One example of a cloud print service is Universal Print (registered trademark) provided by Microsoft (registered trademark). In the following explanation, we will explain the case where the print server 130 is in the cloud. However, the following explanation also applies to the case where the print server 130 is in an on-premise environment.

[0014] The information processing device 110 provides a printing function to a user of the information processing device 110. The information processing device 110 may specify a physical printer (e.g., the printing device 120) connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110 as the output destination, or may specify a logical printer provided by the print server 130 as the output destination. When a logical printer is specified as the output destination, the physical printer (e.g., the printing device 120) associated with the logical printer performs printing. The information processing device 110 using the CPS may also be called a client or a client terminal. Printing performed by submitting a print job to a logical printer may also be called cloud printing. Printing using cloud printing may be performed by a printing device 120 connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110, or by a printing device 121 not connected to the LAN 101. Printing performed by submitting a print job directly to a physical printer (i.e., within the LAN) may also be called local printing.

[0015] [Example of computer hardware configuration] An example of the hardware configuration of a computer 200 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The computer 200 may be used as an information processing device 110, a print server 130, or a mobile communication device 140. The computer 200 may have the components shown in Fig. 2.

[0016] The central processing unit (CPU) 201 is a general-purpose processing circuit that controls the overall operation of the computer 200. The random access memory (RAM) 202 is a volatile memory circuit that is used as a temporary storage area such as a work area for processing by the CPU 201. The read-only memory (ROM) 203 is a non-volatile memory circuit that stores programs and data used in the processing by the CPU 201. The storage device 204 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data used in the processing by the CPU 201. The storage device 204 may be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The storage device 204 may also be called a secondary storage device. Operations by the computer 200 may be realized by the CPU 201 executing a program read from the storage device 204 to the RAM 202.

[0017] The input interface (I / F) 205 is an I / F for exchanging signals with the input device 210. The input device 210 is a device that obtains input from a user of the computer 200. The input device 210 may be, for example, a keyboard, a touch panel, a microphone, a mouse, or any combination thereof. The output I / F 206 is an I / F for exchanging signals with the output device 220. The output device 220 is a device that provides information to a user of the computer 200. The output device 220 may be, for example, a display, a speaker, or any combination thereof. The network I / F 207 is an I / F for communicating with devices external to the computer 200. The CPU 201, the RAM 202, the ROM 203, the storage device 204, the input I / F 205, the output I / F 206, and the network I / F 207 are each connected to a system bus 208. In the example of FIG. 2, the input device 210 and the output device 220 are shown as devices separate from the computer 200. Alternatively, computer 200 may include input device 210 and output device 220. For example, when computer 200 is used as portable communication device 140, portable communication device 140 may include input device 210 and output device 220. Furthermore, computer 200 (particularly portable communication device 140) may have camera 209.

[0018] [Example of print server configuration] An example of the functional configuration of the print server 130 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The print server 130 may have the functional units shown in Fig. 3. The print server 130 may have functional units not shown in Fig. 3. Each functional unit in Fig. 3 may be realized by the CPU 201 executing a program read into the RAM 202. Alternatively, some or all of the functional units in Fig. 3 may be realized by a dedicated processing circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0019] The registration control unit 301 performs processing for registering a logical printer. For example, in response to a registration start request from a printing device, the registration control unit 301 generates a logical printer associated with a physical printer and registers it in the printer information 311. A logical printer registered in the printer information 311 is recognized as a printer by the information processing device 110. A physical printer associated with a logical printer may be a physical printer that prints in accordance with a print job submitted to the logical printer. A logical printer may be associated with only one physical printer. A physical printer may be associated with only one logical printer, or with multiple logical printers.

[0020] The print control unit 302 performs processing related to print jobs for logical printers. For example, the print control unit 302 receives a print job for a logical printer from the information processing device 110 and, based on the received print job, transmits the print job to a physical printer associated with the logical printer. The print control unit 302 may also control events related to print jobs. Events related to print jobs may include, for example, receiving a print job. In response to receiving an event request from a physical printer, the print control unit 302 may respond with an event related to the physical printer.

[0021] The printer management unit 303 manages information about logical printers registered in the print server 130 as printer information 311. The printer information 311 includes information about the capabilities of the physical printer associated with the logical printer, a cloud printer ID uniquely assigned to the logical printer, and information about the print queue in which print jobs are spooled. The cloud printer ID may be the UUID of the physical printer.

[0022] The job management unit 304 manages information about print jobs received from the information processing device 110 as job information 312. The job information 312 includes information and status of the print job, print data included in the print job, and the like.

[0023] The storage control unit 310 stores information in the RAM 202 or the storage device 204 in accordance with instructions from other functional units, and reads information from the RAM 202 or the storage device 204. According to this embodiment, the storage control unit 310 stores printer information 311 and job information 312.

[0024] [Example of functional configuration of information processing device] An example of the functional configuration of the information processing device 110 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The information processing device 110 may have the functional units shown in Fig. 4. The information processing device 110 may have functional units not shown in Fig. 4. Each functional unit in Fig. 4 may be realized by the CPU 201 executing a program read into the RAM 202. Alternatively, some or all of the functional units in Fig. 4 may be realized by a dedicated processing circuit such as an ASIC.

[0025] The input acquisition unit 401 acquires input from the user of the information processing device 110 using the input I / F 205. The information output unit 402 outputs information to the user of the information processing device 110 using the output I / F 206.

[0026] The registration control unit 403 performs processing for registering a logical printer in the print server 130. The print control unit 404 performs processing related to printing by the printer. For example, the print control unit 404 may send a print job to a logical printer registered in the print server 130 in accordance with a print instruction from the user of the information processing device 110. The print control unit 404 may also send a print job directly to a physical printer (i.e., within the same LAN) in accordance with a print instruction from the user of the information processing device 110.

[0027] The printer management unit 405 manages information about printers to which the information processing apparatus 110 can submit print jobs as printer information 411. The printer information 411 includes information about the capabilities of the printer.

[0028] The storage control unit 410 stores information in the RAM 202 or the storage device 204 in accordance with instructions from other functional units, and reads information from the RAM 202 or the storage device 204. According to this embodiment, the storage control unit 410 stores printer information 411.

[0029] [Example of hardware configuration for printing device] An example of the hardware configuration of a printing device 500 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The printing device 500 may be used as the printing device 120 or as the printing device 121. The printing device 500 may have the components shown in Fig. 5. Because the printing device 500 is a physical printing device, it may also be called a physical printer.

[0030] The CPU 501 is a general-purpose processing circuit that controls the overall operation of the printing device 500. The RAM 502 is a volatile memory circuit that is used as a temporary storage area such as a work area for processing by the CPU 501. The ROM 503 is a non-volatile memory circuit that stores programs and data used in the processing by the CPU 501. The storage device 504 is a non-volatile storage device that stores programs and data (e.g., print jobs, image data, and setting information) used in the processing by the CPU 501. The storage device 504 may be, for example, an HDD or SSD. The storage device 504 may also be called a secondary storage device. The operations of the printing device 500 may be realized by the CPU 501 executing a program read from the storage device 504 to the RAM 502.

[0031] Printer I / F 505 is an I / F for exchanging signals with printer engine 520. Printer engine 520 performs printing based on signals (e.g., image signals and print commands) supplied from control unit 510 via printer I / F 505. Printing may be electrophotographic printing in which toner is transferred and fixed on paper, inkjet printing in which ink is ejected onto paper to print, or three-dimensional printing.

[0032] Scanner I / F 506 is an I / F for exchanging signals with scanner engine 530. Scanner engine 530 supplies a signal (e.g., an image signal) obtained by reading an original to control unit 510 via scanner I / F 506. CPU 501 may process the image signal supplied from scanner engine 530 and supply the resulting recording image signal to printer engine 520. CPU 501 may also generate image data based on the image signal supplied from scanner engine 530 and transmit this to an external device.

[0033] The operation unit I / F 507 is an I / F for exchanging signals with the operation unit 540. The operation unit 540 is a device that acquires input from a user of the printing device 500 and provides information to the user of the printing device 500. The operation unit 540 may be configured with, for example, a display panel (e.g., a liquid crystal display), a speaker, a touch panel, a keyboard, buttons, a touch screen, or any combination of these.

[0034] The network I / F 508 is an I / F for communicating with devices external to the printing device 500. The CPU 501, RAM 502, ROM 503, storage device 504, printer I / F 505, scanner I / F 506, operation unit I / F 507, and network I / F 508 configure a control unit 510. The components included in the control unit 510 are connected to a system bus 509.

[0035] [Example of the configuration of the operation unit of a printing device] An example configuration of the operation unit 540 of the printing device 500 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the example of Fig. 6, the operation unit 540 is configured as a panel-shaped operation panel. The operation unit 540 may have the components shown in Fig. 6. The operation unit 540 may also have components not shown in Fig. 6.

[0036] The display panel 601 is a touch screen that integrates a touch panel for receiving input from the user and a display (e.g., a liquid crystal display) for displaying information to the user. In the example of FIG. 6, the display panel 601 displays buttons 602 to 604. The button 602 is a soft button for receiving an instruction to switch to copy mode from the user. The printing device 500 displays a copy operation screen on the display panel 601 in response to the user touching the button 602. The button 603 is a soft button for receiving an instruction to switch to fax mode from the user. The printing device 500 displays a fax operation screen on the display panel 601 in response to the user touching the button 603. The button 604 is a soft button for receiving an instruction to switch to scanner mode from the user. The printing device 500 displays a scanner operation screen on the display panel 601 in response to the user touching the button 604. In addition, the display panel 601 may display a dialog for interacting with the user or a cloud print job list.

[0037] The numeric keypad 605 is a set of physical buttons for obtaining input of numbers and the like from the user. The button 606 is a physical button for obtaining instructions from the user, such as instructions to determine the display content of the display panel 601. The directional keys 607 are physical buttons for obtaining instructions from the user, such as instructions to select an item from a menu displayed on the display panel 601. The button 608 is a physical button for obtaining an instruction for monochrome copying from the user. The button 609 is a physical button for obtaining an instruction for color copying from the user. The button 610 is a physical button for obtaining an instruction to stop processing from the user. The button 611 is a physical button for obtaining an instruction from the user to display a menu screen for configuring the printing device 500, for example. The button 612 is a physical button for obtaining an instruction from the user to display the status of the printing device 500, such as a list of print jobs received by the printing device 500.

[0038] [Example of functional configuration of printing device] An example of the functional configuration of the printing device 500 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The printing device 500 may have the functional units shown in Fig. 7. The printing device 500 may have functional units not shown in Fig. 7. Each functional unit in Fig. 7 may be realized by the CPU 501 executing a program read into the RAM 502. Alternatively, some or all of the functional units in Fig. 7 may be realized by a dedicated processing circuit such as an ASIC.

[0039] An input acquisition unit 701 acquires input from a user of the printing device 500 using the operation unit I / F 507. An information output unit 702 outputs information to the user of the printing device 500 using the operation unit I / F 507. An image processing unit 703 renders a print job into image data for printing. A print processing unit 704 prints the image data rendered by the image processing unit 703.

[0040] The registration control unit 705 performs processing for registering the logical printer associated with the printing device 500 in the print server 130. The printer management unit 706 manages information related to the printing device 500 as printer information 721. The printer information 721 may include, for example, the status of the printing device 500, the capabilities of the printing device 500, and a cloud printer ID uniquely assigned by the print server 130 to the logical printer associated with the printing device 500. The printer information 721 may also include a local printer ID that the information processing device 110 uses to identify printing devices within the same LAN 101.

[0041] A cloud print (CP) control unit 707 performs processing related to cloud printing. For example, the CP control unit 707 may transfer print data received from the print server 130 to the image processing unit 703. The CP control unit 707 may also send an event request to the print server 130.

[0042] The two-dimensional code generation unit 708 generates a two-dimensional code that encodes information (for example, a cloud printer ID). The two-dimensional code may be a QR code (registered trademark) or another two-dimensional code. The login control unit 709 controls the login process to the printing device 500 by the user of the printing device 500.

[0043] The storage control unit 720 stores information in the RAM 502 or the storage device 504 in accordance with instructions from other functional units, and reads information from the RAM 502 or the storage device 504. According to this embodiment, the storage control unit 720 stores printer information 721 and a two-dimensional code 722. The two-dimensional code 722 is a two-dimensional code that encodes a cloud printer ID assigned to a logical printer associated with the printing device 500.

[0044] [Overall processing sequence for Cloud Print] The overall processing sequence for performing cloud printing will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The example of FIG. 8 deals with a case where the information processing device 110 registers the printing device 120 with the print server 130 and submits a print job to a logical printer associated with the printing device 120. Registering the printing device 120 with the print server 130 may also mean registering the logical printer associated with the printing device 120 with the print server 130. In the following example, it is assumed that the printing device 120 supports a web user interface (UI) function for operating the printing device 120 from the information processing device 110. It is also assumed that the information processing device 110 supports a web UI client function. Mutual communication between the information processing device 110, the printing device 120, and the print server 130 may be performed using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).

[0045] In step S801, the registration control unit 403 of the information processing device 110 transmits a registration start request to the printing device 120 in accordance with an instruction from the user of the information processing device 110. The registration start request may be a request to start processing for registering the printing device 120 with the print server 130. The registration start request may be transmitted using a web UI client function of the information processing device 110.

[0046] In step S802, the registration control unit 705 of the printing device 120 transmits a registration start request to the print server 130 in response to receiving the registration start request from the information processing device 110. The registration start request may be a request to start processing for registering the printing device 120 with the print server 130.

[0047] In S803, in response to receiving the registration start request from the printing device 120, the registration control unit 301 of the print server 130 transmits a registration start response to the printing device 120. The registration start response includes a uniform resource locator (URL) of a web page for the user of the information processing device 110 to input information for registering the printing device 120 in the print server 130.

[0048] In step S804, the registration control unit 705 of the printing device 120 transmits registration information to the information processing device 110 in response to receiving the registration start response from the print server 130. The registration information includes the URL included in the registration start response. In response to receiving the registration information from the printing device 120, the information output unit 402 of the information processing device 110 displays a web page to the user.

[0049] In step S805, the registration control unit 403 of the information processing device 110 transmits a registration approval request to the print server 130 in response to the user of the information processing device 110 accessing the URL and inputting information required for registration. The registration approval request includes a cloud account of the user of the information processing device 110. The cloud account is an account that allows the user to use a cloud tenant that includes the print server 130.

[0050] In S806, the registration control unit 301 of the print server 130 checks whether the cloud account included in the registration approval request belongs to a user who has authority to register the printing device 120 on the print server 130. If the user has authority, the registration control unit 301 of the print server 130 sends a registration approval response to the information processing device 110. The registration approval response may be a message notifying the result of confirmation that the user of the information processing device 110 is a user who has authority to register the printing device 120.

[0051] In step S807, in response to receiving the registration start response from the print server 130, the printer management unit 706 of the printing device 120 sends a registration confirmation request to the print server 130. The registration confirmation request is a request to register the printing device 120 with the print server 130, and specifically may be a request to register the printing device 120 with the print server 130.

[0052] In S808, in response to receiving the registration confirmation request from the printing device 120, the printer management unit 303 of the print server 130 generates a new logical printer and adds the logical printer to the printer information 311 in association with the printing device 120. This registers the printing device 120 on the print server 130, enabling the information processing device 110 to perform cloud printing using the logical printer. The printer management unit 303 of the print server 130 also assigns a unique cloud printer ID to the generated logical printer and adds the cloud printer ID to the printer information 311 in association with the logical printer. The registration control unit 301 of the print server 130 then transmits a registration confirmation response to the printing device 120. The registration confirmation response includes the cloud printer ID of the printing device 120. The two-dimensional code generation unit 708 of the print server 130 also generates a two-dimensional code 722 by encoding the received cloud printer ID. The storage control unit 720 of the print server 130 stores the two-dimensional code 722.

[0053] In step S809, in response to receiving the registration confirmation response from the print server 130, the CP control unit 707 of the printing device 120 sends an event request to the print server 130. The event request may be a request to notify the printing device 120 when an event related to the printing device 120 occurs. The event request may also be related to an event that a print job has been submitted to a logical printer associated with the printing device 120.

[0054] In S810, the printer management unit 405 of the information processing device 110 sends an information request to the print server 130 in accordance with an instruction from the user of the information processing device 110. The information request may be a request for information about logical printers available to the user of the information processing device 110. The information request includes the cloud account of the user of the information processing device 110.

[0055] In step S811, the printer management unit 303 of the print server 130 transmits an information response to the information processing device 110 in response to receiving the information request from the information processing device 110. The information response includes a cloud printer ID and printer attributes for each of one or more logical printers available to the user of the information processing device 110. The printer management unit 405 of the information processing device 110 updates the printer information 411 based on the information response.

[0056] In S812, the printer management unit 405 of the information processing device 110 sends a print request to the print server 130 in accordance with an instruction from the user of the information processing device 110. The print request includes a cloud printer ID, a print job, and a cloud account of the user of the information processing device 110. The print job may include print data and print settings. The print request may be a request to print the print data included in the print request to a logical printer having the cloud printer ID included in the print request.

[0057] In S813, the print control unit 302 of the print server 130 transmits an event response to the printing device 120 associated with the logical printer in response to receiving the print request from the information processing device 110. The event response is a response to the event request received in S809. The event response is a response to notify that an event of the type specified in the event request has occurred.

[0058] In step S814, in response to receiving the event response from the print server 130, the CP control unit 707 of the printing device 120 sends a print job request to the print server 130. The print job request may be a request for a print job to be executed by the printing device 120.

[0059] In S815, the print control unit 302 of the print server 130 sends a print job response to the print device 120 in response to receiving the print job request from the print device 120. The print job response includes a cloud account and a print job. Thereafter, the print device 120 performs printing based on the print job in response to receiving the print job response from the print server 130. The print job response received by the print device 120 from the print server 130 may be an IPP Fetch-Job Response.

[0060] In the description of FIG. 8, the registration of the printing device 120 in steps S801 to S806 and the cloud printing in steps S810 to S815 may be performed by the same user or by different users.

[0061] <Comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printer> The following describes the comprehensive logical printer and the individual logical printers provided by the print server 130. In this embodiment, the print server 130 may be able to provide both the comprehensive logical printer and the individual logical printer. As described above, a logical printer is a virtual printing device (e.g., a printer object) provided by the print server 130. An individual logical printer is a logical printer associated with a specific physical printer. A print job submitted to an individual logical printer can be printed by the physical printer associated with the individual logical printer. A comprehensive logical printer is a logical printer that is not directly associated with a specific physical printer but is associated with one or more individual logical printers. Typically, a comprehensive logical printer is associated with multiple individual logical printers. A print job submitted to a comprehensive logical printer is moved to one of the individual logical printers associated with the comprehensive logical printer according to a user instruction. In other words, a print job submitted to a comprehensive logical printer is submitted to one of the individual logical printers. The print job can then be printed by the physical printer associated with the individual logical printer.

[0062] The registration control unit 705 of the print server 130 may be able to register a generic logical printer and an individual logical printer on the print server 130, for example, in accordance with instructions from a user of the printing device 500 or an administrator of the printing system. For example, as described above, the registration control unit 403 of the print server 130 registers a logical printer in S808 of FIG. 8. This logical printer is associated with a specific physical printer and is therefore registered as an individual logical printer. Furthermore, if a generic logical printer has already been registered in the cloud tenant to which the user who registered the physical printer belongs, the registration control unit 403 of the print server 130 may associate the newly registered individual logical printer with the generic logical printer.

[0063] With reference to FIG. 9, an example of a comprehensive logical printer and individual logical printers provided by the print server 130 will be described. One comprehensive logical printer 901 and three individual logical printers 902a to 902c are registered in the print server 130, and the print server 130 provides these four logical printers. All three individual logical printers 902a to 902c are associated with the comprehensive logical printer 901. Furthermore, the three individual logical printers 902a to 902c are individually associated with three physical printers 903a to 903c, respectively. For example, the individual logical printer 902a is associated with only the physical printer 903a of the three physical printers 903a to 903c. The physical printers 903a to 903c may have a configuration similar to that of the printing device 500. The physical printers 903a to 903c may be connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110, like the printing device 120, or may not be connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110, like the printing device 121.

[0064] 9, a description will be given of the processing flow of printing by submitting a print job to the comprehensive logical printer 901. In S911, the print control unit 404 of the information processing device 110 submits a print job 904 to the comprehensive logical printer 901. At this stage, the user of the information processing device 110 does not need to specify which physical printer to use for printing.

[0065] In S912, the user who submitted the print job 904 or another user instructs the print server 130 to move the print job 904 submitted to the comprehensive logical printer 901 to the individual logical printer 902a so that printing can be performed by the physical printer 903a. This instruction may be given using the mobile communication device 140 or the physical printer 903a. This instruction includes identification information (job ID) of the job to be moved and the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer 902a to which the job is to be moved.

[0066] In S913, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 moves the print job 904 from the generic logical printer 901 to the individual logical printer 902a. As a result, the print job 904 is associated with the individual logical printer 902a, and the print job 904 can be printed by the physical printer 903a.

[0067] In S914, the CP control unit 707 of the physical printer 903a sends a print job request to the individual logical printer 902a (S814 in FIG. 8). In S915, the print control unit 302 of the print server 130, in response to receiving the print job request from the physical printer 903a, sends a print job response to the physical printer 903a (S815 in FIG. 8). This print job response includes the print job 904. Thereafter, the print processing unit 704 of the physical printer 903a performs printing based on the print job 904.

[0068] In the above example, the user instructed to move the print job 904 from the comprehensive logical printer 901 to the individual logical printer 902a, but the user may also instruct to move it to the individual logical printer 902b or 902c. In this case, printing is performed by the physical printer 903b or 903c. In this way, after the print job 904 is submitted to the print server 130, the user can have any of the physical printers 903a to 903c print the job. This printing method may also be called pull printing.

[0069] <Examples of printer information and job information on the print server> Referring to FIG. 10(a), a specific example of printer information 311 managed by the printer management unit 303 of the print server 130 will be described. In the example of this figure, the printer information 311 is stored in table format. Each record in the printer information 311 represents a logical printer. A logical printer may be a comprehensive logical printer or an individual logical printer. Record 1011 represents, for example, the comprehensive logical printer 901 in FIG. 9. Records 1012 to 1014 represent, for example, the individual logical printers 902a to 902c in FIG. 9, respectively. In addition to the information described below, the printer information 311 may also include, for example, information related to print queues.

[0070] Column 1001 indicates the name of the logical printer. Column 1002 indicates the cloud printer ID uniquely assigned to the logical printer by the print server 130. Because one individual logical printer is associated with one physical printer, the cloud printer ID of an individual logical printer also uniquely identifies the physical printer. Column 1003 indicates the type of the logical printer. The type of the logical printer may be either "generic," indicating that it is a generic logical printer, or "individual," indicating that it is an individual logical printer. Column 1004 indicates the status of the logical printer.

[0071] Column 1005 indicates the printer capabilities of a logical printer. When a logical printer is an individual logical printer, the printer capabilities of the individual logical printer may be the printer capabilities of the physical printer associated with the individual logical printer. The printer capabilities may include, for example, having a color printing function or having a sorting function. The printer capabilities of a comprehensive logical printer may be the logical sum of the printer capabilities of one or more individual logical printers associated with the comprehensive logical printer. For example, if some of the individual logical printers associated with the comprehensive logical printer have a sorting function and the remaining individual logical printers associated with the comprehensive logical printer do not have a sorting function, the comprehensive logical printer may be managed as having a sorting function.

[0072] Column 1006 indicates the printers associated with a logical printer. If the logical printer is a generic logical printer, the printers associated with the logical printer refer to one or more individual logical printers associated with the generic logical printer. If the logical printer is an individual logical printer, the printers associated with the logical printer refer to one physical printer associated with the individual logical printer.

[0073] 10(b), a specific example of job information 312 managed by the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 will be described. In the example shown in this figure, the job information 312 is stored in a table format. Each record in the job information 312 represents a print job submitted to the print server 130.

[0074] Column 1021 indicates a job ID uniquely assigned to a print job by the print server 130. Column 1022 indicates a logical printer associated with the print job. When a print job is submitted to a specific logical printer, the print job is associated with the specific logical printer. As described above with reference to FIG. 9, the logical printer associated with the print job may be changed to another logical printer in response to a user instruction.

[0075] Column 1023 indicates the user who submitted the print job. Column 1024 indicates the status of the print job. Column 1025 indicates the print data to be printed by the print job. Column 1026 indicates the settings for printing the print job.

[0076] [Operation flow of registration process by printing device] An example of the operation of the printing device 500 for registering the printing device 500 in the print server 130 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 11. The following operation corresponds to S807 to S808 in Fig. 8. In S1101, the registration control unit 705 of the printing device 500 sends a registration confirmation request to the print server 130 (S807 in Fig. 8).

[0077] In S1102, the registration control unit 705 of the printing device 500 determines whether registration of the printing device 500 was successful. If it is determined that registration of the printing device 500 was successful ("YES" in S1002), the registration control unit 705 of the printing device 500 transitions the process to S1103, and otherwise ("NO" in S1002) ends the process. When ending the process, the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 may notify the user that registration has failed. The registration control unit 705 of the printing device 500 may determine whether registration has been successful based on the contents of the registration confirmation response received from the print server 130.

[0078] At S1103, the storage control unit 720 of the printing device 500 stores the cloud printer ID included in the registration confirmation response. This cloud printer ID is identification information uniquely assigned to an individual logical printer associated with the printing device 500. At S1104, the two-dimensional code generation unit 708 of the printing device 500 generates a two-dimensional code 722 by encoding the cloud printer ID included in the registration confirmation response. The storage control unit 720 of the printing device 500 stores this two-dimensional code 722. At S1105, the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 electronically displays the two-dimensional code 722 on the display panel 601.

[0079] [Operation flow for issuing movement instructions using a mobile communication device] 12, a detailed description will be given of an example of the operation in which the portable communication device 140 sends an instruction to move a print job from the comprehensive logical printer to an individual logical printer. The following operation corresponds to S912 in FIG. 9. An application for executing the following operation may be pre-installed in the portable communication device 140. It is assumed that the operation in FIG. 10 is completed before the operation in FIG. 11 is started, and the two-dimensional code 722 is displayed on the display panel 601 of the printing device 500.

[0080] In S1201, the portable communication device 140 reads the two-dimensional code 722 in response to the user pointing the camera 209 at the two-dimensional code 722 displayed on the printing device 500. Thereafter, the portable communication device 140 decodes the two-dimensional code 722 to obtain the cloud printer ID represented by the two-dimensional code 722.

[0081] In S1202, the mobile communication device 140 acquires the job ID of the print job submitted by the user. The job ID may be manually entered by the user or may be selected from a list of print jobs acquired from the print server 130.

[0082] In S1203, the portable communication device 140 transmits to the print server 130 an instruction to associate the print job having the job ID acquired in S1202 with the individual logical printer having the cloud printer ID acquired in S1202.

[0083] As described above, according to this embodiment, the printing device 500 electronically displays the two-dimensional code 722 representing the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer. This reduces the effort required for the user to physically prepare the two-dimensional code.

[0084] Second Embodiment A printing device 500 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. Duplicate descriptions of content that may be similar to that of the first embodiment will be omitted. The printing device 500 according to the first embodiment displays a two-dimensional code 722 representing a cloud printer ID, and is capable of printing a print job submitted to an inclusive logical printer 901. In the second embodiment, pull printing (reserved printing) is possible without specifying a print job.

[0085] An example of individual logical printers provided by the print server 130 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. Three individual logical printers 1302a to 1302c are registered in the print server 130, and the print server 130 provides these three individual logical printers. The three individual logical printers 1302a to 1302c are individually associated with three physical printers 1303a to 1303c. For example, the individual logical printer 1302a is associated with only the physical printer 1303a of the three physical printers 1303a to 1303c. The physical printers 1303a to 1303c may have a configuration similar to that of the printing device 500. The physical printers 1303a to 1303c may be connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110, like the printing device 120, or may not be connected to the same LAN 101 as the information processing device 110, like the printing device 121.

[0086] 13, a printing process flow by submitting a print job to the comprehensive logical printer 1301 will be described. In step S1311, the print control unit 404 of the information processing apparatus 110 submits a print job 1304 to the comprehensive logical printer 1301. At this stage, the user of the information processing apparatus 110 does not need to specify which physical printer to use for printing.

[0087] In S1312, the user who submitted the print job 1304 makes a print request to print using the physical printer 1303a. This print request may be made using the portable communication device 140 or the physical printer 1303a. This instruction includes the cloud printer ID of the destination individual logical printer 1302a and user identification information that identifies the user. The user identification information may be any identification information that identifies the user. For example, it may be a user ID. The difference from the first embodiment is that the print request is made to the individual logical printer 1302a using user identification information without specifying the print job 1304.

[0088] When using the portable communication device 140, the portable communication device 140 reads the two-dimensional code 722 when the user points the camera 209 at the two-dimensional code 722 displayed on the printing device 500. The portable communication device 140 then decodes the two-dimensional code 722 to obtain the cloud printer ID represented by the two-dimensional code 722. The portable communication device 140 then transmits the obtained cloud printer ID and user identification information that identifies the portable communication device 140 to the printing server 130.

[0089] When issuing an instruction to execute a print job using the physical printer 1303a, the instruction is given by holding an IC card or mobile communication device 140 over a card reading unit (not shown) of the physical printer 1303a. Alternatively, a user ID and password may be entered from the display panel 601 on a login screen, which will be described later in FIG. 17. User identification information can be acquired from login, a read IC card, or the mobile communication terminal 140. When issuing an instruction from the physical printer 1303a, the acquired user identification information and the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer 1302a, which identifies the printer itself, are sent to the print server 130. The individual printer 1302b in FIG. 13 shows an example in which user authentication is performed using an IC card.

[0090] In S1312, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 receives the print request and instructs the real printer 1303a corresponding to the cloud printer ID included in the print request to execute the print job. First, in S1313, the real printer 1303a requests the comprehensive logical printer 1301 to obtain the print job. This request includes the user identification information and the cloud printer ID.

[0091] In step S1314, of the print jobs that have been submitted to and held in the comprehensive logical printer 1301, print jobs submitted by a user identified by user identification information are moved from the comprehensive logical printer 1301 to the individual logical printer 1302a. At this time, the print jobs to be moved include print job 1304, but also other print jobs submitted by the user identified by user identification information.

[0092] In S1315, the CP control unit 707 of the physical printer 1303a sends a print job request to the individual logical printer 1302a. In S1316, the print control unit 302 of the print server 130 sends a print job response to the physical printer 1303a in response to receiving the print job request from the physical printer 1303a. This print job response includes the print job acquired in S1314. Thereafter, the print processing unit 704 of the physical printer 1303a performs printing based on the print job.

[0093] In addition, in S1316, the print job response sent to the physical printer 1303a may include the print job that was submitted to the individual logical printer 1302a and reserved. In this case, the physical printer 1303a prints the print job submitted to the individual logical printer 1302a together with the print job submitted to the comprehensive logical printer 1301. Note that S1315 may be omitted. When the print job is acquired by the individual logical printer 1302a from the comprehensive logical printer 1301, it may be printed without being reserved.

[0094] In the above example, the user instructed that the user's print jobs, including print job 1304, be moved from the global logical printer 1301 to the individual logical printer 1302a. The user may also instruct that the print job of the user identified by the user identification information be moved from the global logical printer 1301 to the individual logical printer 1302b or 1302c. In this case, printing is performed by the physical printer 1303b or 1303c.

[0095] <Third embodiment> A printing device 500 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. Duplicate descriptions of content that may be similar to those of the first and second embodiments will be omitted. The printing device 500 according to the second embodiment acquires print jobs reserved in the comprehensive logical printer 1301 from the individual logical printers 1302a to 1302c. In the third embodiment, the comprehensive logical printer transfers the print jobs to the individual logical printers associated with it.

[0096] 14, a printing process flow by submitting a print job to the comprehensive logical printer 1401 will be described. In S1411, the print control unit 404 of the information processing apparatus 110 submits a print job 1404 to the comprehensive logical printer 1401. At this stage, the user of the information processing apparatus 110 does not need to specify which physical printer to use for printing.

[0097] In S1412, the user who submitted the print job 1404 makes a print request to print using the physical printer 1403a. This print request may be made using the portable communication device 140 or the physical printer 1403a. This instruction includes the cloud printer ID of the destination individual logical printer 1402a and user identification information that identifies the user.

[0098] When using the portable communication device 140, the portable communication device 140 reads the two-dimensional code 722 when the user points the camera 209 at the two-dimensional code 722 displayed on the printing device 500. The portable communication device 140 then decodes the two-dimensional code 722 to obtain the cloud printer ID represented by the two-dimensional code 722. The portable communication device 140 then transmits the obtained cloud printer ID and user identification information that identifies the portable communication device 140 to the printing server 130.

[0099] When issuing an instruction to execute a print job using the physical printer 1303a, the instruction is given by holding an IC card or mobile communication device 140 over a card reading unit (not shown) of the physical printer 1403a. Alternatively, a user ID and password may be entered from the display panel 601 on a login screen, which will be described later in FIG. 17. User identification information can be acquired from login, a read IC card, or the mobile communication terminal 140. When issuing an instruction from the physical printer 1403a, the acquired user identification information and the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer 1402a, which identifies the printer itself, are sent to the print server 130. The individual printer 1402b in FIG. 14 shows an example in which user authentication is performed using an IC card.

[0100] The job management unit 304 of the print server 130 that received the print request in S1412 moves the print job reserved in the comprehensive logical printer 1401 to the individual logical printer 1402a. An instruction to move the print job 1504 submitted to the comprehensive logical printer 1501 to the individual logical printer 1502a will be described with reference to FIG.

[0101] In S1501, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 receives a print request from the individual logical printer 1402a. This print request includes the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer 1402a and user identification information that identifies the user.

[0102] Next, in S1502, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 determines whether an individual logical printer 1402 identified by the cloud printer ID exists under the generic logical printer 1401. If the individual logical printer 1402 identified by the cloud ID does not exist (NO), the flow ends. If the individual logical printer 1402 identified by the cloud ID exists (YES), the flow proceeds to S1503.

[0103] In S1503 (corresponding to S1413 in FIG. 14), the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 moves all print jobs corresponding to the user identification information that are reserved in the comprehensive logical printer 1401 to the individual logical printer 1402a identified by the cloud printer ID. As a result, all print jobs submitted to the comprehensive logical printer 1401 by the user identified by the user identification information, including print job 1404, are associated with the individual logical printer 1402a. As a result, it becomes possible to print print jobs submitted by the user identified by the user identification information by the physical printer 1403a.

[0104] 14, in S1414, the CP control unit 707 of the physical printer 1403a sends a print job request to the individual logical printer 1402a. In S1415, the print control unit 302 of the print server 130 sends a print job response to the physical printer 1403a in response to receiving the print job request from the physical printer 1403a. This print job response includes the print job acquired in S1414. Thereafter, the print processing unit 704 of the physical printer 1403a performs printing based on the print job.

[0105] In addition, in S1415, the print job response sent to the physical printer 1403a may include the print job that was submitted by the user to the individual logical printer 1402a and reserved. In this case, the physical printer 1403a prints the print job submitted to the individual logical printer 1402a together with the print job submitted to the comprehensive logical printer 1401. Note that S1414 may be omitted. When a print job is transferred from the comprehensive logical printer 1401 to the individual logical printer 1402a, it may be printed without being reserved.

[0106] In the above example, the user instructed that the user's print jobs, including print job 1404, be moved from the generic logical printer 1401 to the individual logical printer 1402a. The user may also instruct that the print job of the user identified by the user identification information be moved from the generic logical printer 1401 to the individual logical printer 1402b or 1402c. In this case, printing is performed by the physical printer 1403b or 1403c.

[0107] <Fourth embodiment> A printing device 500 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Duplicate descriptions of content that may be similar to those of the first, second, and third embodiments will be omitted. The printing device 500 according to the fourth embodiment transmits print requests from physical printers 1603a to 1603c to both the comprehensive logical printer 1601 and individual logical printers 1602a to 1603c.

[0108] 16, a printing process flow by submitting a print job to the comprehensive logical printer 1601 will be described. In step S1611, the print control unit 404 of the information processing apparatus 110 submits a print job 1604 to the comprehensive logical printer 1601. At this stage, the user of the information processing apparatus 110 does not need to specify which physical printer to use for printing.

[0109] In S1612 and S1613, the user who submitted the print job 1404 makes a print request to print using the physical printer 1603a. This print request may be made using the mobile communication device 140 or the physical printer 1603a. This instruction includes the cloud printer ID of the destination individual logical printer 1602a and user identification information that identifies the user.

[0110] When using the portable communication device 140, the portable communication device 140 reads the two-dimensional code 722 when the user points the camera 209 at the two-dimensional code 722 displayed on the printing device 500. The portable communication device 140 then decodes the two-dimensional code 722 to obtain the cloud printer ID represented by the two-dimensional code 722. The portable communication device 140 then transmits the obtained cloud printer ID and user identification information that identifies the portable communication device 140 to the printing server 130.

[0111] When issuing an instruction to execute a print job using the physical printer 1303a, the instruction is given by holding an IC card or mobile communication device 140 over a card reading unit (not shown) of the physical printer 1403a. Alternatively, a user ID and password may be entered from the display panel 601 on a login screen, which will be described later in FIG. 17. User identification information can be acquired from login, a read IC card, or the mobile communication terminal 140. When issuing an instruction from the physical printer 1603a, the acquired user identification information and the cloud printer ID of the individual logical printer 1402a, which identifies the physical printer, are sent to the print server 130. The individual printer 1602b in FIG. 14 shows an example in which user authentication is performed using an IC card.

[0112] When a print request is made to the print server 130, the print server 130 can perform two types of processing. One is to perform processing similar to that of the second embodiment 2 based on S1613. The other is to perform processing similar to that of the third embodiment based on S1612.

[0113] In S1613, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130 receives the print request and instructs the real printer 1603a corresponding to the cloud printer ID included in the print request to execute the print job. First, in S1614, the real printer 1603a requests the comprehensive logical printer 1601 to obtain the print job. This request includes the user identification information and the cloud printer ID.

[0114] In step S1615, among the print jobs that have been input to and reserved in the comprehensive logical printer 1301, print jobs input by the user are moved from the comprehensive logical printer 1601 to the individual logical printer 1602a. At this time, the print jobs to be moved include print job 1604, but also other print jobs input by the user.

[0115] Meanwhile, the job management unit 304 of the print server 130, which received the print request in S1612, moves the print job reserved in the comprehensive logical printer 1601 to the individual logical printer 1602a in S1614. This process is the same as the process in FIG. 15, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0116] The subsequent processing is the same as in the second and third embodiments.

[0117] Fifth Embodiment A printing device 500 according to a fifth embodiment will be described. Details that may be similar to those of the first to fourth embodiments will not be described again. After generating a two-dimensional code 722, the printing device 500 according to the first to fourth embodiments can constantly display the two-dimensional code 722 while the printing device 500 is operating. Instead, the printing device 500 according to a third embodiment can switch the display of the two-dimensional code 722 on and off. The setting of the two-dimensional code 722 on and off is linked to the setting of the pull print (reserved printing) function. When the display of the two-dimensional code 722 is turned on, the setting of the pull print (reserved printing) function is enabled, and a print job submitted by a user is not printed immediately. The print job submitted by a user is reserved, and the user scans the two-dimensional code 722 with the portable communication device 140 and issues a print instruction, causing the printing device 500 to execute printing.

[0118] 17, a setting screen for changing the display settings of the two-dimensional code generated by the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 will be described. The setting screen may be generated in response to an instruction to display the screen being received from the user. The generated setting screen is displayed on the display panel 601.

[0119] The information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 first generates the setting screen 1500. The setting screen 1700 is the top screen that is displayed first when setting the two-dimensional code display.

[0120] Settings screen 1700 includes buttons 1701 and 1702. Button 1701 is a button for obtaining an instruction from the user to enable two-dimensional code display. Button 1702 is a button for obtaining an instruction from the user to disable two-dimensional code display. The current setting status of whether two-dimensional code display is enabled or disabled is indicated by the inverted color of the button. The example of screen 1700 shows a state in which two-dimensional code display is enabled. In response to button 1701 being operated, the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 generates a two-dimensional code 722 and displays it on the display panel 601. When button 1712 is operated, the two-dimensional code display is disabled and the two-dimensional code is not displayed.

[0121] 17, an example of the login screen display control operation by the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500 will be described. The display of the login screen 1710 may be started, for example, when the printing device 500 is started up or when it is restored from a sleep state. The generated login screen 1710 is displayed on the display panel 601 by the information output unit 702 of the printing device 500.

[0122] Login screen 1710 is an example in which a two-dimensional code 722 is displayed on setting screen 1700. The information output unit 702 of printing device 500 displays login screen 1710, which includes a login information input field, information indicating the status of the logical printer, and two-dimensional code 722 (specifically, a QR code). Login screen 1710 includes login information input field 1711 and area 1712 for displaying the two-dimensional code. In this example, login information input field 1711 is a field for inputting a user ID and password.

[0123] When the comprehensive logical printer shown in the first to fourth embodiments is set, submitted print jobs are queued in the comprehensive logical printer. Then, printing is performed on the physical printer by reading the two-dimensional code displayed on the physical printer with the mobile communication device 140. However, if the two-dimensional code display setting is turned off, print jobs queued using the two-dimensional code cannot be executed. Furthermore, if the two-dimensional code is turned on, print jobs are also queued in the queue of the individual logical printer corresponding to the physical printer, and two operations must be performed to execute printing on the physical printer.

[0124] An example of setting two-dimensional code display ON and reservation printing to ON or OFF according to the settings of the comprehensive logical printer will be described with reference to Figure 18. In S1801, it is determined whether the display of the two-dimensional code is ON. If it is ON, proceed to S1802, and if it is OFF, proceed to S1805. If the display of the two-dimensional code is ON, the two-dimensional code is displayed in S1802.

[0125] Next, the flow proceeds to S1803, where it is determined whether a comprehensive logical printer is set for the individual logical printer corresponding to the physical printer. If not set (NO), the flow ends. On the other hand, if a comprehensive logical printer is set (YES), the flow proceeds to S1804, where reservation printing is disabled for the physical printer, i.e., the individual logical printer corresponding to the physical printer. By doing so, reservation printing for the physical printer is enabled when a comprehensive logical printer is not set. On the other hand, if a comprehensive logical printer is set, reservation is performed for the comprehensive logical printer, and reservation for the individual logical printer is disabled. Therefore, print jobs moved from the queue of the comprehensive logical printer to the individual logical printer are printed through without being reserved.

[0126] Next, if the display of the two-dimensional code is OFF in S1801 (NO in S1801), the process proceeds to S1805, where it is determined whether a comprehensive logical printer is set for the individual logical printer corresponding to the physical printer. If it is set (YES), the process proceeds to S1806, where the display of the two-dimensional code is turned ON, the two-dimensional code is displayed, and reservation printing at the physical printer is disabled. The operation here is the same as the operation described in S1804. As a result, if a comprehensive logical printer is set, the two-dimensional code will be automatically displayed even if the display of the two-dimensional code is not set.

[0127] In the flow of Fig. 18, the setting for displaying the two-dimensional code is automatically turned on when a comprehensive logical printer is set. For example, in S1806, the two-dimensional code may be displayed without turning on the display of the two-dimensional code.

[0128] On the other hand, if a comprehensive logical printer is not set in S1805, a screen without a two-dimensional code is displayed. For example, in Fig. 17, a login screen with only a login information input field 1711 is displayed. Then, the flow ends.

[0129] According to this embodiment, the display of the two-dimensional code 722 can be automatically set to ON / OFF, and reservation printing at the physical printer is automatically enabled / disabled according to the settings of the comprehensive logical printer. As a result, when a user sets up a comprehensive logical printer, the display of the two-dimensional code 722 can be automatically turned ON and reservation printing at the physical printer can be disabled. The user can use the two-dimensional code to print a print job with a single operation.

[0130] <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.

[0131] <Summary of the embodiment> (Item 1) a management unit for managing logical printers associated with a printing device and generic logical printers associated with the logical printers; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; A print server comprising: (Item 2) the moving means is configured to cause a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request to acquire, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer; Item 1. The print server according to item 1. (Item 3) the transfer means is configured so that a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request transfers, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. Item 1. The print server according to item 1. (Item 4) A print control method in a print server having a management unit that manages a logical printer associated with a printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer, comprising: a storage means for storing a print job inputted by a user to the comprehensive logical printer together with identification information of the user in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. A printing control method in a print server. (Item 5) The print server computer a management unit for managing logical printers associated with a printing device and generic logical printers associated with the logical printers; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; A program to make it function as such. (Item 6) A printing system including a printing device and a print server, The print server a management unit for managing a logical printer associated with the printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a first receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; Equipped with The printing device a second receiving means for receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from the print server; a printing means for performing printing based on the print job; a display control means for electronically displaying on a display device of the printing device a two-dimensional code that encodes identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server; the print request is transmitted from the portable communication device that reads the two-dimensional code to the print server; Printing system. (Item 7) the moving means is configured to cause a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request to acquire, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer; Item 7. The printing system according to item 6. (Item 8) the transfer means is configured such that a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request transfers, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. Item 7. The printing system according to item 6. (Item 9) the printing device includes a setting means for setting whether or not to display the two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer; the setting means performs a setting in the print server to display the two-dimensional code when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with the comprehensive logical printer; Item 9. The printing system according to any one of items 6 to 8. (Item 10) the printing device includes a setting means for setting whether or not to display the two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer; the display control means, in the print server, when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with the comprehensive logical printer, performs a setting to display the two-dimensional code regardless of the setting of the setting means; 10. The printing system according to any one of items 6 to 9. (Item 11) When the moving means of the print server moves the print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request, the printing device performs through-printing of the print job. The printing system according to any one of items 6 to 10. (Item 12) A print control method in a print system including a printing device and a print server, The print server a management unit for managing a logical printer associated with the printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; a storage means for storing a print job input by a user to the comprehensive logical printer together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; the printing device electronically displays, on a display device of the printing device, a two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server, a print request including information for identifying the logical printer and the user's identification information is transmitted to the print server from the portable communication device that reads the two-dimensional code; The print server receiving the print request by a first receiving means; a transfer means for transferring, from among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; The printing device receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from the print server by a second receiving means; performing printing based on the print job by a printing means; A printing control method in a printing system. (Item 13) 1. A printing device, comprising: a receiving means for receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from a print server that provides the logical printer associated with the printing device; a printing means for performing printing based on the print job; a display control means for electronically displaying, on a display device of the printing device, a two-dimensional code obtained by encoding identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server; and a setting means for setting whether or not the two-dimensional code is to be displayed. Printing device. (Item 14) When the setting means sets the two-dimensional code to be displayed, the setting means sets the print server to hold the print job submitted to the logical printer associated with the printing device. Item 14. The printing device according to item 13. (Item 15) the setting means performs a setting in the print server to display the two-dimensional code when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with a comprehensive logical printer; Item 15. The printing device according to item 13 or 14. (Item 16) the display control means, in the print server, when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with a comprehensive logical printer, performs a setting to display the two-dimensional code regardless of the setting of the setting means; 16. The printing device according to any one of items 13 to 15. (Item 17) In the printing device, when a moving unit in the printing server moves a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request, the printing device performs through printing of the print job. 17. The printing device according to any one of items 13 to 16.

[0132] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 110: Information processing device, 120: Printing device, 130: Print server, 140: Portable communication device

Claims

1. a management unit for managing logical printers associated with a printing device and generic logical printers associated with the logical printers; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; A print server comprising:

2. the moving means is configured to cause a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request to acquire, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer; The print server of claim 1 .

3. the transfer means is configured so that a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request transfers, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. The print server of claim 1 .

4. A print control method in a print server having a management unit that manages a logical printer associated with a printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer, comprising: a storage means for storing a print job inputted by a user to the comprehensive logical printer together with identification information of the user in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. A printing control method in a print server.

5. The print server computer a management unit for managing logical printers associated with a printing device and generic logical printers associated with the logical printers; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; A program to make it function as such.

6. A printing system including a printing device and a print server, The print server a management unit for managing a logical printer associated with the printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; a storage means for storing a print job input to the comprehensive logical printer by a user together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; a first receiving means for receiving a print request including identification information assigned to the logical printer and identification information of the user; a moving means for moving a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, to a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; Equipped with The printing device a second receiving means for receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from the print server; a printing means for performing printing based on the print job; a display control means for electronically displaying on a display device of the printing device a two-dimensional code obtained by encoding identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server; the print request is transmitted from the portable communication device that reads the two-dimensional code to the print server; Printing system.

7. the moving means is configured to cause a logical printer indicated by identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request to acquire, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request, from the comprehensive logical printer to which the logical printer is related, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer; The printing system according to claim 6 .

8. the transfer means is configured such that a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request transfers, of the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request. The printing system according to claim 6 .

9. the printing device includes a setting means for setting whether or not to display the two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer; the setting means performs a setting in the print server to display the two-dimensional code when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with the comprehensive logical printer; The printing system according to claim 6 .

10. the printing device includes a setting means for setting whether or not to display the two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer; the display control means, in the print server, when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with the comprehensive logical printer, performs a setting to display the two-dimensional code regardless of the setting of the setting means; The printing system according to claim 6 .

11. When the moving means of the print server moves the print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to the logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request, the printing device performs through-printing of the print job. The printing system according to claim 6 .

12. A print control method in a print system including a printing device and a print server, The print server a management unit for managing a logical printer associated with the printing device and a comprehensive logical printer associated with the logical printer; a storage means for storing a print job input by a user to the comprehensive logical printer together with the user's identification information in association with the comprehensive logical printer; the printing device electronically displays, on a display device of the printing device, a two-dimensional code that encodes the identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server; a print request including information for specifying the logical printer and the user's identification information is transmitted to the print server from the portable communication device that reads the two-dimensional code; The print server receiving the print request by a first receiving means; a transfer means for transferring, from among the print jobs stored in association with the comprehensive logical printer, a print job associated with the user's identification information included in the print request to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request; The printing device receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from the print server by a second receiving means; performing printing based on the print job by a printing means; A printing control method in a printing system.

13. 1. A printing device, comprising: a receiving means for receiving a print job associated with the logical printer from a print server that provides the logical printer associated with the printing device; a printing means for performing printing based on the print job; a display control means for electronically displaying, on a display device of the printing device, a two-dimensional code obtained by encoding identification information assigned to the logical printer by the print server; and a setting means for setting whether or not the two-dimensional code is to be displayed. Printing device.

14. When the setting means sets the two-dimensional code to be displayed, the setting means sets the print server to hold the print job submitted to the logical printer associated with the printing device. The printing device of claim 13.

15. the setting means performs a setting in the print server to display the two-dimensional code when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with a comprehensive logical printer; The printing device of claim 13.

16. the display control means, in the print server, when the logical printer associated with the printing device is associated with a comprehensive logical printer, performs a setting to display the two-dimensional code regardless of the setting of the setting means; The printing device of claim 13.

17. In the printing device, when a moving unit in the printing server moves a print job related to the user's identification information included in the print request to a logical printer indicated by the identification information assigned to the logical printer included in the print request, the printing device performs through printing of the print job. The printing device of claim 13.

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