Image forming device that determines whether additional information is necessary to execute a print job received from a terminal device, and image forming system and non-transitory readable recording medium

• US 10,642,559 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Shohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhingra, Pawan
• Application Number:
  US15/208,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20170024173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1267 Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing

Abstract

An image forming device comprises: an additional information determining part that determines necessity of additional information required for execution of a print job based on information received from a terminal device; a print job storage that temporarily stores therein the print job received from the terminal device when the additional information determining part determines the additional information is necessary; an additional information requesting part that requests for the additional information to the terminal device when the additional information determining part determines the additional information is necessary; an additional information obtaining part that obtains the additional information from the terminal device; a print setting applying part that applies the additional information to the print job stored in the print job storage; and a printing part that produces the printed output based on the print job to which the additional information is applied by the print setting applying part.

Claims

1. An image forming device that communicates with a terminal device having a print job transmission function in an operating system, receives a print job sent from said terminal device using said print job transmission function, and produces a printed output, said image forming device comprising:

a print job storage;

a hardware processor that, under control of a stored program, is configured to;

execute an additional information determining process that determines necessity of additional information required for execution of said print job, based on information received from said terminal device;

in response to determining in said additional information determining process that said additional information is necessary, execute a print job storage process that temporarily stores, in said print job storage, said print job received from said terminal device;

in response to completion of execution of said print job storage process, execute a first print completion notification process that sends a first print completion notice to said terminal device, said first print completion notice being a notification that allows said terminal device to determine that execution of said print job has completed normally, and said first print completion notification process sending said first completion notice prior to completion of execution of said print job;

in response to completion of execution of said first print completion notification process, execute an additional information requesting process that transmits, to said terminal device, an additional information request requesting said additional information from said terminal device;

an additional information obtaining process that obtains said additional information sent from said terminal device as a response to transmission of said additional information request in said additional information requesting process; and

in response to completion of execution of said additional information obtaining process, execute a print setting applying process that applies said additional information to said print job stored in said print job storage; and

a printer that produces the printed output based on said print job to which said additional information has been applied in said print setting applying process,

wherein said hardware processor further sends a second print completion notice to said terminal device in response to completion of producing the printed output by the printer based on said print job.

2. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said additional information determining process determines the necessity of said additional information based on information sent by said print job transmission function aside from said print job.

3. The image forming device according to claim 2, wherein said additional information determining process determines the necessity of said additional information based on inquiry information relating to a print setting sent by said print job transmission function when receiving the inquiry information.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said additional information determining process determines the necessity of said additional information based on print setting information included in said print job sent by said print job transmission function when said print job is received.

5. The image forming device according to claim 4, wherein said additional information determining process determines that said additional information is necessary when information relating to a setting item configurable at said image forming device is not included in said print setting information.

6. The image forming device according to claim 4, wherein said additional information determining process determines that said additional information is necessary when a number of items configurable at said image forming device is more than a number of print setting items included in said print setting information.

7. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said additional information requesting process requests said additional information from an application different from said print job transmission function at said terminal device when said additional information determining process determines that said additional information is necessary.

8. The image forming device according to claim 7, wherein said additional information requesting process requests said additional information from said application after running said application on said terminal device.

9. The image forming device according to claim 7, wherein said additional information requesting process notifies said application of information relating to a print setting item required, as said additional information.

10. The image forming device according to claim 9, wherein said additional information requesting process notifies said application of a whole of information relating to print setting items configurable at said image forming device.

11. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a web server that provides a web page which allows the print setting to be configured,

wherein;

said additional information requesting process runs a web browser on said terminal device and enables said web browser to access said web page when said additional information determining process determines that said additional information is necessary, and

said additional information obtaining process obtains said additional information based on operation information received from said web browser as said web browser is accessing said web page.

12. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said print setting applying process applies a predetermined default value to the setting item corresponding to said additional information when said additional information is not obtained in said additional information obtaining process in a predetermined period of time after said additional information requesting process is performed.

13. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said additional information includes authentication information to identify a user.

14. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein said additional information requesting process requests only said additional information determined in said additional information determining process to be necessary for execution of the print job, without requesting additional information regarding a setting item configurable at said image forming device that is unnecessary for execution of said print job.

15. The image forming device according to claim 9, wherein said additional information requesting process notifies said application only of information relating to the print setting item required, as said additional information, without notifying said application of information relating to print setting items configurable at said image forming device which are unnecessary for execution of said print job.

16. An image forming system comprising:

a terminal device that has a print job transmission function in an operating system thereof; and

an image forming device that communicates with said terminal device, receives a print job sent from said terminal device by using said print job transmission function, and produces a printed output,

wherein said image forming device includes;

a print job storage;

a first hardware processor that, under control of a stored program, is configured to;

execute an additional information determining process that determines necessity of additional information relating to print setting required for execution of said print job, based on information received from said terminal device;

in response to determining in said additional information determining process that said additional information is necessary, execute a print job storage process that temporarily stores, in said print job storage, said print job received from said terminal device;

in response to completion of execution of said print job storage process, execute a first print completion notification process that sends a first print completion notice to said terminal device, said first print completion notice being a notification that allows said terminal device to determine that execution of said print job has completed normally, and said first print completion notification process sending said first completion notice prior to completion of execution of said print job;

in response to completion of execution of said first print completion notification process, execute an additional information requesting process that transmits, to said terminal device, an additional information request requesting said additional information from said terminal device;

an additional information obtaining process that obtains said additional information sent from said terminal device as a response to transmission of said additional information request in said additional information requesting process; and

in response to completion of execution of said additional information obtaining process, execute a print setting applying process that applies said additional information to the print setting about said print job stored in said print job storage; and

a printer that executes said print job and produces the printed output based on the print setting to which said additional information has been applied in said print setting applying process,

wherein said first hardware processor further sends a second print completion notice to said terminal device in response to completion of producing the printed output by the printer, and

wherein said terminal device includes;

a display on which a variety of information is displayed;

a manipulation input device that receives input from a user; and

a second hardware processor that, under control of a stored program, is configured to;

execute an application running process that runs a predetermined application in response to receipt of said additional information request transmitted from said image forming device in said additional information requesting process;

execute an additional information receiving process that enables said application to display a screen for inputting said additional information on said display and receives an input of said additional information based on the input from the user to said manipulation input device; and

execute an additional information transmission process that sends said additional information received in said additional information receiving process to said image forming device separately from said print job, as the additional information obtained by said image forming device in said additional information obtaining process.

17. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program to be executed by an image forming device, the image forming device communicating with a terminal device having a print job transmission function in an operating system thereof and receiving a print job sent from said terminal device by using said print job transmission function, thereby producing a printed output, and execution of the program by said image forming device causing said image forming device to execute processes comprising:

(1) determining necessity of additional information required for execution of said print job, based on information received from said terminal device;

(2) temporarily storing said print job received from said terminal device in a predetermined storage, in response to determining in said step (1) that said additional information is necessary;

(3) sending a first print completion notice to said terminal device, in response to completion of execution of said step (2), said first print completion notice being a notification that allows said terminal device to determine that execution of said print job has completed normally, and said first print completion notification process being sent prior to completion of execution of said print job;

(4) transmitting, to said terminal device, an additional information request requesting said additional information from said terminal device, in response to completion of execution of said step (3);

(5) obtaining said additional information sent from said terminal device as a response to transmission of said additional information request in said step (4);

(6) applying said additional information obtained from said terminal device to said print job stored in said predetermined storage in response to completion of execution of said step (5);

(7) producing the printed output based on said print job to which said additional information has been applied in said step (6); and

(8) sending a second print completion notice to said terminal device in response to completion of execution of said step (7).

18. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the necessity of said additional information is determined in said step (1) based on information sent by said print job transmission function aside from said print job.

19. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 18, wherein the necessity of said additional information is determined in said step (1) based on inquiry information relating to a print setting sent by said print job transmission function when the inquiry information is received.

20. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein the necessity of said additional information is determined in said step (1) based on print setting information included in said print job sent by said print job transmission function when said print job is received.

21. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein it is determined in said step (1) that said additional information is necessary when information relating to a setting item configurable at said image forming device is not included in said print setting information.

22. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 20, wherein it is determined in said step (1) that said additional information is necessary when a number of items configurable at said image forming device is more than a number of a print setting items included in said print setting information.

23. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein said additional information is requested in said step (4) to an application different from said print job transmission function at said terminal device.

24. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 23, wherein said additional information is requested in said step (4) to said application after said application is run on said terminal device.

25. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 23, wherein said application is notified in said step (4) of information relating to a print setting item required, as said additional information.

26. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 25, wherein said application is notified in said step (4) of a whole of information relating to print setting items configurable at said image forming device.

27. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, execution of the program by said image forming device causing said image forming device to execute a further process of:

(9) providing a web page which allows the print setting to be configured,

wherein;

a web browser is run on said terminal device and said web browser is enabled to access said web page in said step (4) when it is determined in said step (1) that said additional information is necessary, and

said additional information is obtained in said step (5) based on operation information received from said web browser as said web browser is accessing said web page.

28. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein a predetermined default value is applied to the setting item corresponding to said additional information in said step (6) when said additional information is not obtained in said step (5) in a predetermined period of time after completion of execution of said step (4).

29. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein said additional information includes authentication information to identify a user.

30. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein said step (4) requests only said additional information determined to be necessary in said step (1), without requesting additional information regarding a setting item configurable at said image forming device that is unnecessary for execution of said print job.

31. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 25, wherein said application is notified in said step (4) only of information relating to the print setting item required, as said additional information, without notifying said application of information relating to print setting items configurable at said image forming device which are unnecessary for execution of said print job.