Printer, printing system, recording medium and server

• US 20020145748A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Higashi, Toshikazu, Tsujihara, Kiyohito, Nonoyama, Masahiro, Nakazawa, Yoshiki
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1822 Analysing the received data before processing

Abstract

When a print job is received from the network, subsequent processing depends on whether the print job includes authentication information. Where the print job includes authentication information, the print job is stored in a memory while being associated with the authentication information. When authentication information is received from the network thereafter, a print controller selects, from among the print jobs stored in the memory, the job that is associated with authentication information that matches the received authentication information, and causes it to be printed.

Claims

1. A printer connected to a network, comprising:

a memory which, where a print job received from the network includes authentication information, stores the print job that is associated with the authentication information; and

a first print controller which, when authentication information is received from the network, performs a printing operation of the print job that are associated with the received authentication information from among print jobs stored in said memory.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said received authentication information is transmitted from another printer which in connected to the network.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit which inputs authentication information by users operation,

a second print controller which, when authentication information is input by the input unit, performs a printing operation of the print job that are associated with the input authentication information from among print jobs stored in said memory .

4. A printer as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a transmission controller which transmits the input authentication information to another printer via the network when authentication information is input by the input unit.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the transmission by said transmission controller is performed only when there is a print job that, among the print jobs stored in the memory, is associated with the input authentication information.

6. A printing system having printers which are connected to a network, comprising:

an input unit by which the user inputs authentication information; and

a transmission controller that, when authentication information is input from the input unit, transmits the input authentication information to the network,

wherein the each printer includes,

a memory that, when the print job received from the network includes authentication information, stores the print job while associating it with the authentication information, and

a first print controller that, when authentication information is received from the network, performs a printing operation of the print job that are associated with the received authentication information from among print jobs stored in said memory.

7. A printing system as claimed in claim 6,

wherein at least one printer of said printers includes said input unit, said transmission controller, and a second controller,

wherein the second controller that, when authentication information is input via the printer'"'"'s input unit, causes to be printed, among the print jobs stored in the memory of the printer, the print job that is associated with the input authentication information.

8. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program that is executed by a computer, the program comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not an input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored when authentication information is input;

causing a first printer to perform a print job that is stored in the first printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step; and

causing a second printer to perform a print job that is stored in the second printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step.

9. A server that can distribute a program, the program comprising the steps of:

judging whether or not an input authentication information matches any authentication information already stored when authentication information is input;

causing a first printer to perform a print job that is stored in the first printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step; and

causing a second printer to perform a print job that is stored in the second printer and that are associated with the matching authentication information, where there is a match by the judging step.