Network print system and printer

• US 20050018241A1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Azami, Osamu
• Application Number:
  US10/864,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32587 Controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32694 Storing a fault condition in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/327 Initiating, continuing or ending a single-mode communication; Handshaking therefor H04N1/32614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0017 Notifying a communication result
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3216 of a job size, e.g. a number of images, pages or copies, size of file, length of message
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3219 of a job status, e.g. successful execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3221 of a job number or identification, e.g. communication number

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a network print system including a plurality of printers, wherein the communication traffic for collecting information is small and a setting change job of a computer for collecting job information, etc., is also easy to conduct. The network print system comprises a plurality of printers and a printer management computer. Each of the printers making up a network print system has a function of transmitting a report concerning the state of the own printer and the state of a different printer to a specified computer in accordance with a specified schedule. The printer not printing among the printers transmits the report.

Claims

1. A network print system comprising:

a first-kind printer;

one or more second-kind printers; and

a printer management computer,

wherein said second-kind printer includes a request response section for returning printer state information representing an own state at the point in time to an apparatus transmitting predetermined request information, and

wherein said first-kind printer includes;

(1) an information storage section for storing (1-1) transmission schedule information for specifying a transmission schedule of printer state management information which represent an own state and the state of each of said one or more second-kind printers, and (1-2) address information of each of said one or more second-kind printers; and

(2) a printer state management information transmission section for (2-1) repeating process of acquiring the printer state information from said second-kind printer determined by the address information stored in the information storage section by transmitting the predetermined request information, (2-2) creating the printer state management information based on the acquired printer state information and printer state information concerning the own printer, and (2-3) transmitting the printer state management information to said printer management computer in accordance with the transmission schedule specified in the transmission schedule information stored in the information storage section.

2. The network print system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section transmits text information as the printer state management information.

3. The network print system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section transmits files generated on a printer-by-printer basis as the printer state management information.

4. The network print system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section enables an user to select the protocol used to transmit the printer state management information from among protocols.

5. A network print system comprising:

a plurality of printers; and

a printer management computer,

wherein each of said plurality of printers include;

(1) a printer state information return section for returning printer state information which represent an own state at the point in time, to an apparatus transmitting predetermined request information; and

(2) a printer state management information transmission section for (2-1) acquiring the printer state information from each of other printers by transmitting the predetermined request information to the printer state information return section in each of other printers, and (2-2) transmitting printer state management information responsive to the acquired printer state information of the other printers and own printer state information, to said printer management computer, and

wherein at least one of said plurality of printers further includes an operation control section for repeating control to cause only the printer state information transmission section in the printer not printing among said plurality of printers to operate in accordance with a specified transmission schedule.

6. The network print system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section transmits text information as the printer state management information.

7. The network print system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section transmits files generated on a printer-by-printer basis as the printer state management information.

8. The network print system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the printer state management information transmission section enables an user to select the protocol used to transmit the printer state management information from among protocols.

9. The network print system as claimed in claim 5,

wherein each of said plurality of printers include the operation control section, and

wherein the operation control section of each of is said plurality of printers:

1) circulates processing description specification information indicating the date and time to cause the printer state information transmission section to operate among the operation control section of said plurality of printers,

2) determines whether or not the own printer is processing print job data at the date and time indicated by the received processing description specification information,

3) if the own printer is not processing print job data, causes the printer state information transmission section in the own printer to operate and then transferring processing description specification information indicating the next date and time to cause the printer state information transmission section to operate to another printer, and

4) if the own printer is processing print job data, transfers the received processing description specification information to another printer.

10. A printer being connected to a network for use, said printer comprising:

a printer state information return section for returning printer state information which represent an own state at the point in time, to an apparatus transmitting predetermined request information;

a printer state management information transmission section for acquiring the printer state information from each of other printers by transmitting the predetermined request information to each printer having printer state information return section, and transmitting printer state management information responsive to the acquired printer state information and printer state information concerning the own printer, to a printer management computer connected to the network; and

an operation control section for performing control to start operation of said printer state information transmission section,

wherein said operation control section;

1) circulates processing description specification information indicating the date and time to cause said printer state information transmission section to operate among the operation control section in other printers connected to the network,

2) determines whether or not the own printer is processing print job data at the date and time indicated by the received processing description specification information,

3) if the own printer is not processing print job data, causes said printer state information transmission section in the own printer to operate and then transfers processing description specification information indicating the next date and time to cause said printer state information transmission section to operate to another printer, and

4) if the own printer is processing print job data, transfers the received processing description specification information to another printer.

11. The printer as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said printer state management information transmission section transmits text information as the printer state management information.

12. A network pint system comprising:

a plurality of printers;

a printer management computer,

wherein, one printer in standby state among the plurality of printers operates as a master printer which, in accordance with a predetermined schedule, prepares a master report by collecting the status information of the other printers and the own status information and transmits the master report to the printer management computer.

13. The network print system as claimed in claim 12,

wherein, among said plurality of printers, information indicating the predetermined schedule is circulated.

14. The network print system as claimed in claim 12,

wherein, if a printer in standby state receives the information indicating the predetermined schedule, the printer operates as the master printer, and

wherein, if a printer in printing state receives the information indicating the predetermined schedule, the printer transfers the information to a next printer.