System for transferring jobs between processing units based upon content of job and ability of unit to perform job
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, said information processing apparatus comprising:
- a receiver circuit adapted for receiving job information instructing said information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed;
an analysis circuit adapted for analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed;
a decision circuit adapted for specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided by said analysis circuit;
an execution circuit adapted for executing the process specified by said decision circuit;
an identification circuit adapted for identifying states of said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses;
a determination circuit adapted for, in accordance with the content of the data provided by said analysis circuit, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of said information processing apparatus;
a halting circuit adapted for halting performance of the process if said determination circuit determines that the process should not be performed;
a selection circuit adapted for, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when said determination circuit determines that the process is to be performed; and
an instruction circuit adapted for instructing the one apparatus selected by said selection circuit to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A printer that is instructed to perform a printing job analyzes the job and determines a process to be executed, and identifies the performances of the printer and other printers and their states. Based on the results of the analysis and on the states of the printers, the printer decides whether it should not perform a process or whether the process should be performed by another printer. It also decides whether a process is unnecessary or is not permitted for a user, and halts the performance of such a process. When it determines that a process should be performed by another printer, it transfers the job to that printer.
183 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, said information processing apparatus comprising:
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a receiver circuit adapted for receiving job information instructing said information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed; an analysis circuit adapted for analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed; a decision circuit adapted for specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided by said analysis circuit; an execution circuit adapted for executing the process specified by said decision circuit; an identification circuit adapted for identifying states of said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses; a determination circuit adapted for, in accordance with the content of the data provided by said analysis circuit, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of said information processing apparatus; a halting circuit adapted for halting performance of the process if said determination circuit determines that the process should not be performed; a selection circuit adapted for, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among said information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when said determination circuit determines that the process is to be performed; and an instruction circuit adapted for instructing the one apparatus selected by said selection circuit to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An information processing method performed in an information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, said method comprising:
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a reception step of receiving job information instructing the information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed; an analysis step of analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed; a decision step of specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided in said analysis step; an execution step of executing the process specified in said decision step; an identification step of identifying states of the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses; a determination step of, in accordance with the content of the data provided in said analysis step, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of the information processing apparatus; a halting step of halting performance of the process if it is determined in said determination step that the process should not be performed; a selection step of, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when the process is determined to be performed in said determination step; and an instruction step of instructing the selected one apparatus to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected in said selection step. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program for implementing an information processing method performed in an information processing apparatus connected to one or more other information processing apparatuses, the program comprising:
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code for a reception step of receiving job information instructing the information processing apparatus to perform a job, the job information including data to be processed; code for an analysis step of analyzing the job information to determine a type of the job and a content of the data to be processed; code for a decision step of specifying a process to be performed in accordance with the type of the job provided by the analysis step; code for an execution step of executing the process specified in the decision step; code for an identification step of identifying states of the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses; code for a determination step of, in accordance with the content of the data provided in the analysis step, determining whether or not the process is to be performed for a current user of the information processing apparatus; code for a halting step of halting performance of the process if it is determined at the determination step that the process should not be performed; code for a selection step of, in accordance with the states, selecting one apparatus to perform the process from among the information processing apparatus and the one or more other information processing apparatuses when the process is determined to be performed in the determination step; and code for an instruction step of instructing the selected one apparatus to perform the process when one of the one or more other information processing apparatuses is selected in the selection step.
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Specification