PRINTING SYSTEM AND PRINTING METHOD FOR SELECTING AN OPTIMUM PRINTING FOR PRINTING

• US 20010043357A1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: UWAI, HIKONOSUKE, OWA, MASAHIRO, SHIOHARA, SUSUMU
• Granted Patent: US 6,348,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices

Abstract

A printer selection device selects an optimum printer for printing a document based on user information indicating such conditions as print commands, specifications, and the like, and based on printer information concerning print environments of the printers and causes the optimum printer to print the document. An optimum printer can be selected for each document, or each page of a document.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising:

a plurality of printers;

a host computer for selectively driving said plurality of printers;

user information retention means for retaining user information concerning print data set by a user;

printer information retention means for retaining printer information concerning print environments of said plurality of printers; and

printer selection means for selecting a printer from among said plurality of printers based on the user information retained in said user information retention means and the printer information retained in said printer information retention means and controlling said host computer so as to drive the selected printer.

2. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition.

3. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the printer selection condition.

4. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

5. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that can satisfy the user print condition.

6. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that can satisfy the printer selection condition.

7. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that can satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

8. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition.

9. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the printer selection condition.

10. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

11. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition.

12. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition and satisfy requirements for printing a document based on the document feature information.

13. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the printer selection condition and satisfy requirements for printing a document based on the document feature information.

14. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition and satisfy requirements for printing a document based on the document feature information.

15. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition.

16. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

17. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the printer selection condition and satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

18. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition and satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information.

19. The printing system as claimed in

claim 1

further including a communication network having a plurality of nodes containing said plurality of printers and said host computer, wherein

said user information retention means, said printer information retention means, and said printer selection means are arranged so as to concentrate on each node of said plurality of nodes or are distributed over said plurality of nodes.

20. The printing system as claimed in any of claims 1-19 wherein said printer selection means selects for each print page, a printer suitable for printing the print page.

21. The printing system as claimed in

claim 20

wherein said host computer generates and transmits print data for each printer selected by said printer selection means.

22. The printing system as claimed in

claim 21

wherein said host computer generates or transmits print data, which takes a relatively long time to print compared to other print data, before the other print data.

23. A print data generation system comprising:

printer control means that can selectively drive a plurality of printers;

user information retention means for retaining user information concerning print set by a user;

printer information retention means for retaining printer information concerning print environments of said plurality of printers; and

printer selection means for selecting a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers based on the user information retained in said user information retention means and the printer information retained in said printer information retention means, wherein

said printer control means drives the printer selected by said printer selection means.

24. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of the printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfy the user print condition.

25. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfy the printer selection condition.

26. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfies requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information and the basic information.

27. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that satisfy the user print condition.

28. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that satisfy the printer selection condition.

29. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the status information that satisfies requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information and the status information.

30. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that satisfy the user print condition based on the user print condition, the basic information, and the status information.

31. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that satisfy the printer selection condition based on the printer selection condition, the basic information, and the status information.

32. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that satisfy requirements for printing the document based on the document feature information, the basic information, and the status information.

33. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition based on the user print condition, the printer selection condition, and the basic information.

34. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfy the user print condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the user print condition, the document feature information, and the basic information.

35. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that satisfy the printer selection condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the printer selection condition, the document feature information, and the basic information.

36. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the user print condition, the printer selection condition, the document feature information, and the basic information.

37. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition based on the user print condition, the printer selection condition, the basic information, and the status information.

38. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the user print condition, the document feature information, the basic information, and the status information.

39. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the printer selection condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the printer selection condition, the document feature information, the basic information, and the status information.

40. The print data generation system as claimed in

claim 23

wherein said user information retention means retains a user print condition and a printer selection condition set by the user and document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, wherein

said printer information retention means retains basic information indicating performance of plurality of printers and status information indicating a status thereof, and wherein

said printer selection means selects a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information and the status information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition and matches a capability of printing the document based on the user print condition, the printer selection condition, the document feature information, the basic information, and the status information.

41. The print data generation system as claimed in any of claims 23-40 wherein said printer selection means selects for each print page, a printer suitable for printing the print page.

42. The printing system as claimed in

claim 41

wherein said printer control means generates and transmits print data for each printer selected by said printer selection means.

43. The printing system as claimed in

claim 42

wherein said printer control means generates or transmits print data, which takes a relatively long time to print compared to other print data, before the other print data.

44. A printing method comprising the steps of:

obtaining user information concerning print set by a user;

obtaining printer information concerning print environments of a plurality of printers;

selecting a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers based on the user information and the printer information;

generating print data responsive to the selected printer; and

transmitting the generated print data to the selected printer.

45. A printing method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a user print condition concerning print set by a user;

obtaining a printer selection condition set by the user;

obtaining basic information indicating performance of a plurality of printers;

selecting a printer suitable for printing from among said plurality of printers having the basic information that can satisfy the user print condition and the printer selection condition;

generating print data responsive to the selected printer; and

transmitting the generated print data to the selected printer.

46. A recording medium recording a program for a computer comprising:

a user information retention function of retaining user information concerning print set by a user;

a printer information retention means of retaining printer information concerning print environments of a plurality of printers;

a printer selection function of selecting a printer suitable for printing from said plurality of printers based on the user information retained in said user information retention function and the printer information retained in said printer information retention function; and

a printer control function of driving the printer selected by said printer selection function in a format that is read and understood by said computer.

47. The recording medium as claimed in

claim 46

wherein said user information retention function retains at least any one of

(a1) a user print condition set by the user;

(a2) a printer selection condition set by the user;

or

(a3) document feature information extracted from data of a document to be printed, and wherein

said printer information retention means retains at least either;

(b1) basic information indicating performance of said plurality of printers;

or

(b2) status information indicating a status of said plurality of printers.

48. A printer driver comprising:

a controller that can selectively drive a plurality of printers;

a first memory for retaining user information concerning print set by a user;

a second memory for retaining printer information concerning print environments of said plurality of printers; and

a selector for selecting a printer having the printer information that can satisfy the user information from among said plurality of printers based on the user information retained in said first memory and the printer information retained in said second memory, wherein

said controller transmits print data to the selected printer and drives the selected printer.