Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image forming method for diving and outputting a print job

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9524135-B2
Application number	US-201313843912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 16, 2012
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Provided is an image forming system where a plurality of image forming apparatuses for printing an image on a sheet based on a job, and outputting the image are connected with one another in a communicable manner, including a communication unit to carry out the communication, and a control unit to manage the job, and control the communication unit, where the control unit divides the job for sequentially processing a plurality of steps into a plurality of divided step jobs, executes a former part of the divided step jobs on an image forming apparatus which can execute the former part of the divided step jobs, and reserves a latter part of the divided step jobs on an image forming apparatus which can execute the latter part of the divided step jobs, and is different from the image forming apparatus, thereby enabling efficient execution of the job.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program that is executable by a computer which manages a job and which connects to a plurality of image forming apparatuses for printing an image on a sheet based on the job and outputting the image via a network, the program causing the computer to perform functions comprising:
dividing the job, which includes sequentially processing a plurality of steps, into a plurality of divided step jobs;
executing a former one of the plurality of divided step jobs on a first image forming apparatus from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses which can execute the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs;
reserving an execution starting time of a latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs on a second image forming apparatus which is from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses, which can execute the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs, and which is different from the first image forming apparatus, wherein the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs is executed at the reserved execution starting time on the second image forming apparatus;
receiving an other job for the second image forming apparatus after the reservation of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs;
when receiving the other job, determining whether or not the other job can be finished before the reserved execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs;
executing the other job on the second image forming apparatus before the reserved execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs when it is determined that the other job can be finished before the reserved execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs; and
reserving the other job as a job to be executed after the reserved latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs when it is determined that the other job cannot be finished before the reserved execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of image forming apparatuses include at least one image forming apparatus comprising a post-processing apparatus which can carry out manual post-processing.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs is instructed to the second image forming apparatus based on a timing in which the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs finishes.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3 , wherein the program further causes the computer to perform functions comprising:
receiving a notification on the timing in which the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs finishes from the first image forming apparatus executing the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs; and
executing a control of instructing the execution starting time of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs to the second image forming apparatus after receiving the notification on the timing.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the second image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus to which the job is input.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the first image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus to which the job is input.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the job includes a first step and a second step, wherein the plurality of divided step jobs include a first divided step job and a second divided step job, and wherein the second step relates to post-processing.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the program further causes the computer to perform functions comprising:
determining whether or not the image forming apparatus to which the job is input can execute the job in its entirety; and
determining whether or not there are plural image forming apparatuses from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses which can respectively execute parts of steps of the job and the entire job can be distributed to and processed by said plural image forming apparatuses,
wherein when it is determined that the image forming apparatus to which the job is input cannot execute the job in its entirety, and that there are said plural image forming apparatuses which can respectively execute parts of steps of the job and the entire job can be distributed to and processed by said plural image forming apparatuses, the job is divided into a plurality of jobs based on a number of said plural image forming apparatuses executing the job.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs relates to printing, and the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs relates to post-processing.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the former one of the plurality of divided step jobs relates to a first post-processing, and the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs relates to a second post-processing.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein a manual post-processing of at least one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes performing at least one of punching and stapling.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the program further causes the computer to perform a function comprising displaying, on a display unit of the second image forming apparatus, a state where a start of a post-processing manual job is waited for when the execution starting time of the reserved latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs is reached on the second image forming apparatus.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12 , wherein the program further causes the computer to perform a function comprising displaying at least one of a user name who inputs the job and an identification of the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the program further causes the computer to perform a function comprising determining at least one image forming apparatus from among the plurality of image forming apparatuses at which a print output is available by inquiring with the plurality of image forming apparatuses.

15. A server comprising the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 .

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program for a computer of an image forming apparatus which prints an image on a sheet based on a job and which is from among a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to each other in a communicable manner via a network, the program causing the computer to perform functions comprising:
receiving a reservation of an execution starting time of a latter one of a plurality of divided step jobs into which the job is divided by another one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, wherein the latter one of the plurality of divided step jobs is executed at the reserved execution starting time on the image forming apparatus itself;
receiving an othe

Assignees

• Nakamichi Motoki
• Konica Minolta Business Tech

Inventors

• Nakamichi Motoki

Classifications

• G06F3/1291

  Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server · CPC title

• G06F3/1241

  Dividing a job according to job requirements, e.g. black/white and colour pages, covers and body of books, tabs · CPC title

• G06F3/1296 Primary

  Printer job scheduling or printer resource handling · CPC title

• G06F3/1215 Primary

  achieving increased printing speed, i.e. reducing the time between printing start and printing end · CPC title