Image Processing Apparatus

• US 20110032565A1
• Filed: 07/22/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Akimoto, Masao, Nakajima, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1213 at an intermediate node or at the final node
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1263 based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence
• 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 1/00923 Variably assigning priority H04N1/0092 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00954 Scheduling operations or managing resources H04N1/0096 takes precedence; program initiating or switching G06F9/48; allocation of computer resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32507 a plurality of input devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Disclosed is an image processing apparatus, which makes it possible to put an implementation order of an outputting job, inputted by a user and currently in the standby state, forward, even if the concerned user does not conduct specific operations. The apparatus includes: a job inputting section to input an outputting job, while correlating it with user identification information; a job implementation order controlling section to control an implementation order of outputting jobs, based on priority degrees of the outputting jobs; a job implementing section to implement the outputting jobs according to the implementation order of them; a user-identification information inputting section; and a control section to conduct an updating operation for heightening a priority degree of a specific outputting job currently in the standby state, based on an inputting status of the user identification information inputted from the user-identification information inputting section and correlated with the specific outputting job.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a job inputting section to input an outputting job based on which an image is to be outputted, therefrom, while correlating user identification information of a user, who instruct an operation for implementing the outputting job, and the outputting job with each other;

a job implementation order controlling section to control an implementation order of outputting jobs, each of which is the outputting job inputted from the job inputting section, based on priority degrees of the outputting jobs;

a job implementing section to sequentially implement the outputting jobs one by one, according to the implementation order of the outputting jobs;

a user-identification information inputting section to input the user identification information, therefrom; and

a control section to conduct an updating operation for heightening a priority degree of a specific outputting job, which is currently in a standby state for waiting its turn to be commenced by the job implementing section, based on an inputting status of the user identification information inputted from the user-identification information inputting section and correlated with the specific outputting job.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the user-identification information inputting section includes a connecting section, which is coupled to a storage device into which the user identification information is stored, and through which the user identification information is inputted.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the user-identification information inputting section includes a receiving section, which communicates with a terminal device that transmits the user identification information, so that the user identification information is inputted through the receiving section.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the inputting status represents a number of times the user identification information have been inputted from the user-identification information inputting section.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4,

wherein, when the number of times the user identification information have been inputted from the user-identification information inputting section exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control section conducts the updating operation for heightening the priority degree of the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the inputting status represents a time period, during which the user identification information has been inputted at the user-identification information inputting section.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 6,

wherein, when the time period, during which the user identification information has been inputted at the user-identification information inputting section, exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control section conducts the updating operation for heightening the priority degree of the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein, when completing the updating operation for heightening the priority degree of the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn, the control section conducts an operation for notifying the user of a message indicating that the updating operation has been completed.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a display section;

wherein the control section makes the display section display the message thereon.

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a sound generating section;

wherein the control section makes the sound generating section emit audible sound representing the message therefrom.

11. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a communication section to communicate with a terminal device of the user who has inputted the outputting job;

wherein the control section makes the communication section transmit the message to the terminal device.

12. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a job inputting section to input an outputting job based on which an image is to be outputted, therefrom, while correlating user identification information of a user, who instruct an operation for implementing the outputting job, and the outputting job with each other;

a job implementation order controlling section to control an implementation order of outputting jobs, each of which is the outputting job inputted from the job inputting section;

a job implementing section to sequentially implement the outputting jobs one by one, according to the implementation order of the outputting jobs;

a user-identification information inputting section to input the user identification information, therefrom; and

a control section to conduct an updating operation for putting forward a turn for implementing a specific outputting job, which is currently in a standby state for waiting its turn to be commenced by the job implementing section, in the implementation order of the outputting jobs, based on an inputting status of the user identification information inputted from the user-identification information inputting section and correlated with the specific outputting job.

13. The image processing apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the user-identification information inputting section includes a connecting section, which is coupled to a storage device into which the user identification information is stored, and through which the user identification information is inputted.

14. The image processing apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the user-identification information inputting section includes a receiving section, which communicates with a terminal device that transmits the user identification information, so that the user identification information is inputted through the receiving section.

15. The image processing apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the inputting status represents a number of times the user identification information have been inputted from the user-identification information inputting section.

16. The image processing apparatus of claim 15,

wherein, when the number of times the user identification information have been inputted from the user-identification information inputting section exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control section conducts the updating operation for putting forward the turn for implementing the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn.

17. The image processing apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the inputting status represents a time period, during which the user identification information has been inputted at the user-identification information inputting section.

18. The image processing apparatus of claim 17,

wherein, when the time period, during which the user identification information has been inputted at the user-identification information inputting section, exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control section conducts the updating operation for putting forward the turn for implementing the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn.

19. The image processing apparatus of claim 12,

wherein, when completing the updating operation for putting forward the turn for implementing the specific outputting job, which is currently in the standby state for waiting its turn, the control section conducts an operation for notifying the user of a message indicating that the updating operation has been completed.

20. The image processing apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a display section;

wherein the control section makes the display section display the message thereon.

21. The image processing apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a sound generating section;

wherein the control section makes the sound generating section emit audible sound representing the message therefrom.

22. The image processing apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a communication section to communicate with a terminal device of the user who has inputted the outputting job;

wherein the control section makes the communication section transmit the message to the terminal device.