Image processor for processing reservation and information processor for requesting reservation

• US 6,785,727 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Masahito
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/100-103, 709/227-228, 709/107, 370/395.4, 358/1--
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 3/1207 resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/124 Parallel printing or parallel ripping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1241 Dividing a job according to job requirements, e.g. black/white and colour pages, covers and body of books, tabs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1259 Print job monitoring, e.g. job status
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• 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: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

Abstract

To provide an image processor making it possible to reserve a printer even if no job is generated and to be shared by a plurality of users in order to preferentially and securely process a job of a reserver in a reserved time zone, which accepts a reservation of a job while no job is received, secures resources used for the reserved job, and controls the reserved job by using the resources secured by the securing means.

Claims

1. An image processor to be shared by a plurality of users, comprising:

first setting means for reserving and setting a job-processing time zone for a job of a reserver;

second setting means for setting a job control mode for one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

job control means for processing the job of the reserver preferentially to the one or more jobs of the other user in the reserved time zone, in accordance with settings by said first and second setting means,

wherein the job control mode set by said second setting means includes a first control mode, in which the job of the reserver is processed but the one or more jobs of the other user are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

2. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein the second control mode includes an exception setting mode for not processing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job exceeding a length set by the reserver in the reserved time zone, and a job dividing and setting mode for dividing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job having a length exceeding the length set by the reserver into jobs having a predetermined size or a size set by the reserver and processing the divided jobs, and

wherein a user may select either of the exception setting mode and the job dividing and setting mode.

3. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

first communicating means for communicating a reserved time to the reserver;

second communicating means for communicating that processing is performed to the reserver and a job generator, when controlling a job of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

third communicating means for communicating that no processing is performed to the job generator, when rejecting a job of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone, and for communicating that a job may be accepted to the job generator, when the job of the reserver is completed.

4. The image processor according to claim 3, wherein communications by each of said first, second, and third communicating means is performed through each user'"'"'s host system connected to said image processor.

5. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job control means estimates a processing time necessary for a job to be processed before the reserved time zone and applies the job control mode in the reserved time zone set by said second setting means to a job that cannot be completed before the reserved time zone, in accordance with the estimated processing time.

6. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein, in the reserved time zone, said job control means suspends an unreserved job currently being processed and causes a reserved job to be processed as an interrupt process.

7. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein said job control means judges whether said image processor for which the reserved time zone approaches is in a power saving state and, when said image processor is in the power saving state, automatically performs a warm-up operation so that printing may be immediately performed in the reserved time zone.

8. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

third setting means for performing a setting for securing resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in a reserved time zone and for performing a setting of a total number of resources to be secured for the reserver;

resource securing means for securing the resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone, in accordance with the settings by said third setting means, and

resource cancel means for canceling secured remaining resources not used though secured, in accordance with the settings by said third setting means, so that the remaining resources may be used for another job.

9. The image processor according to claim 8, wherein setting information about resources to be secured arrives together with a job in a form that permits obtaining of print data without requiring analyzing of the print data.

10. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising update means for updating various settings about a reserved job and a reservation until the reserved time zone approaches.

11. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the settings by each of said first and second setting means are performed in accordance with information inputted from each user'"'"'s host system connected to said image processor.

12. The image processor according to claim 1, wherein the settings by each of said first and second setting means is performed in accordance with information inputted from an operation panel of said image processor.

13. An information processor that communicates with an image processor, said comprising:

reservation means for reserving a job to be processed in a certain time zone to the image processor; and

setting means for setting a job control mode for an unreserved job by the image processor in the reserved time zone,

wherein the job control mode set by said setting means includes a first control mode, in which a job of a reserver is processed but one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

14. The information processor according to claim 13, wherein said setting means selects a designation for setting the image processor so as not to accept an unreserved job in the reserved time zone.

15. A method for controlling an image processor to be shared by a plurality of users, comprising:

a first setting step of reserving and setting a job-processing time zone for a job of a reserver;

a second setting step of setting a job control mode for one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

a job control step of processing the job of the reserver preferentially to the one or more jobs of the other user in the reserved time zone, in accordance with settings in said first and second setting steps,

wherein the job control mode set in said second setting step includes a first control mode, in which the job of the reserver is processed but the one or more jobs of the other user are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the second control mode includes an exception setting mode for not processing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job exceeding a length set by the reserver in a reserved time zone, and a job dividing and setting mode for dividing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job having a length exceeding the length set by the reserver into jobs having a predetermined size or a size set by the reserver and processing the divided jobs, and

wherein a user may select either of the exception setting mode and the job dividing and setting mode.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

a first communicating step of communicating a reserved time to the reserver;

a second communicating step of communicating that processing is performed to the reserver and a job generator, when controlling a job of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

a third communicating step of communicating that no processing is performed to the job generator, when rejecting a job of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone, and of communicating that a job may be accepted to the job generator, when the job of the reserver is completed.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein communications in each of said first, second, and third communicating steps are performed through each user'"'"'s host system connected to the image processor.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said job control step estimates a processing time necessary for a job to be processed before the reserved time zone and applies the job control mode in the reserved time zone set in said second setting step to a job that cannot be completed before the reserved time zone, in accordance with the estimated processing time.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein, in the reserved time zone, said job control step suspends an unreserved job currently being processed and causes a reserved job to be processed as an interrupt process.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said job control step judges whether the image processor for which the reserved time zone approaches is in a power saving state and, when the image processor is in the power saving state, automatically performs a warm-up operation so that printing may be immediately performed in the reserved time zone.

22. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

a third setting step of performing a setting for securing resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone and of performing a setting of a total number of resources to be secured by the reserver;

a resource securing step of securing the resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone, in accordance with the settings in said third setting step; and

a resource cancel step of canceling secured remaining resources not used though secured, in accordance with the settings in said third setting step so that the remaining resources may be used for another job.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein setting information about resources to be secured arrives together with a job in a form that permits obtaining of print data without requiring analyzing of the print data.

24. A method according to claim 15, further comprising an update step of updating various settings about a reserved job and a reservation until the reserved time zone approaches.

25. A method according to claim 15, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps are performed in accordance with information inputted from each user'"'"'s host system connected to the image processor.

26. A method according to claim 15, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps are performed in accordance with the information inputted from an operation panel of the image processor.

27. A method for controlling an information processor for communicating with an image processor, comprising:

a reservation step of reserving a job to be processed in a certain time zone to the image processor; and

a setting step of setting a job control mode for an unreserved job by the image processor in the reserved time zone,

wherein the job control mode set in said setting step includes a first control mode, in which a job of a reserver is processed but one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein said setting step selects a designation for setting the image processor so as not to accept an unreserved job in the reserved time zone.

29. A computer-readable memory medium storing a program for implementing a method of controlling an image processor to be shared by a plurality of users, the method comprising:

a first setting step of reserving and setting a job-processing time zone for ajob of a reserver;

a second setting step of setting a job control mode for one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

a job control step of processing the job of the reserver preferentially to the one or more jobs of the other user in the reserved time zone, based on settings in said first and second setting steps,

wherein the job control mode set in said second setting step includes a first control mode, in which the job of the reserver is processed but the one or more jobs of the other user are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

30. A memory medium according to claim 29,

wherein the second control mode includes an exception setting mode for not processing, in the reserved time zone, a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job exceeding a length set by the reserver, and a job dividing and setting mode for dividing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job having a length exceeding the length set by the reserver into jobs having a predetermined size or a size set by the reserver and processing the divided jobs, and

wherein a user may select either of the exception setting mode and the job dividing and setting mode.

31. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein the method further comprises:

a first communicating step of communicating a reserved time to the reserver;

a second communicating step of communicating, if a job of a user other than the reserver is to be controlled in the reserved time zone, that the job of the user other than the reserver will be processed to the reserver and a job generator; and

a third communicating step of communicating, if a job of a user other than the reserver is to be rejected in the reserved time zone, that the job of the user other than the reserver will not be performed to a job generator, and for communicating that a job may be accepted to the job generator when the job of the reserver is completed.

32. A memory medium according to claim 31, wherein communications in each of said first, second, and third communicating step are performed through a host system of each user that is connected to the image processor.

33. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein said job control step estimates a processing time necessary for a job to be processed before the reserved time zone, and applies the job control mode in the reserved time zone set in said second setting step to a job that cannot be completed before the reserved time zone, based on the estimated processing time.

34. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein, in the reserved time zone, said job control step suspends an unreserved job currently being processed and causes a reserved job to be processed as an interrupt process.

35. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein said job control step judges, when the reserved time zone is approaching, whether the image processor is in a power saving state, and, if the image processor is in the power saving state, automatically performs a warm-up operation so that printing may immediately be performed in the reserved time zone.

36. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein the method further comprises:

a third setting step of performing a setting for securing resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone and for performing a setting of a total amount of resources to be secured for the reserver;

a resource securing step of securing the resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone, based on settings in said third setting step; and

a resource cancel step of canceling secured remaining resources not used though secured, based on the settings in said third setting step, so that the remaining resources may be used for other jobs.

37. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein setting information about resources to be secured is sent together with a job in such a form that print data may be obtained without analysis of the print data.

38. A memory medium to claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an update step of updating various settings about a reserved job and a reservation until the reserved time zone arrives.

39. A memory medium to claim 29, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps is made based on information that is inputted from a host system of each user that is connected to the image processor.

40. A memory medium according to claim 29, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps is made based on information that is inputted through an operation panel of the image processor.

41. A computer-readable memory medium storing a program for implementing a method of controlling an information processor that communicates with an image processor, the method comprising:

a reservation step of reserving a job to be processed in a certain time zone to the image processor; and

a setting step of setting a job control mode of the image processor for an unreserved job in the time zone,

wherein the job control mode set in said setting step includes a first control mode, in which a job of a reserver is processed but one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

42. A memory medium according to claim 41, wherein said setting step selects an instruction to make a setting in which the image processor does not accept an unreserved job in the time zone.

43. A program product embodying a program for implementing a method of controlling an image processor to be shared by a plurality of users, the method comprising:

a first setting step of reserving and setting a job-processing time zone for a job of a reserver;

a second setting step of setting a job control mode for one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver in the reserved time zone; and

a job control step of processing the job of the reserver preferentially to the one or more jobs of the other user in the reserved time zone, based on settings in said first and second setting steps,

wherein the job control mode set in said second setting step includes a first control mode, in which the job of the reserver is processed but the one or more jobs of the other user are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

44. A program product according to claim 43,

wherein the second control mode includes an exception setting mode for not processing, in the reserved time zone, a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job exceeding a length set by the reserver, and a job dividing and setting mode for dividing a job of a user other than the reserver having a predetermined necessary printing time or a job having a length exceeding the length set by the reserver into jobs having a predetermined size or a size set by the reserver and processing the divided jobs, and

wherein a user may select either of the exception setting mode and the job dividing and setting mode.

45. A program product according to claim 43, wherein the method further comprises:

a first communicating step of communicating a reserved time to the reserver;

a second communicating step of communicating, if a job of a user other than the reserver is to be controlled in the reserved time zone, that the job of the user other than the reserver will be processed to the reserver and a job generator; and

a third communicating step of communicating, if the job of the user other than the reserver is to be rejected in the reserved time zone, that the job of the user other than the reserver will not be performed to a job generator, and for communicating that a job may be accepted to the job generator, when the job of the reserver is completed.

46. A program product according to claim 45, wherein communications in each of said first, second, and third communicating steps are performed through a host system of each user that is connected to the image processor.

47. A program product according to claim 43, wherein said job control step estimates a processing time necessary for a job to be processed before the reserved time zone, and applies the job control mode in the reserved time zone set in said second setting step to a job that cannot be completed before the reserved time zone, based on the estimated processing time.

48. A program product according to claim 43, wherein, in the reserved time zone, said job control step suspends an unreserved job currently being processed and processes the reserved job as an interrupt process.

49. A program product according to claim 43, wherein said job control step judges, when the reserved time zone is approaching, whether the image processor is in a power saving state, and, if the image processor is in the power saving state, automatically performs a warm-up operation so that printing may immediately be performed in the reserved time zone.

50. A program product according to claim 43, wherein the method further comprises:

a third setting step of performing a setting for securing resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone and for performing a setting of a total amount of resources to be secured for the reserver;

a resource securing step of securing the resources scheduled to be used for the job of the reserver in the reserved time zone, based on the settings in said third setting step; and

a resource cancel step of canceling secured remaining resources not used though secured, based on the settings in said third setting step, so that the remaining resources may be used for other jobs.

51. A program product according to claim 43, wherein setting information about resources to be secured is sent together with a job in such a form that print data may be obtained without analysis of the print data.

52. A program product according to claim 43, wherein the method further comprises an update step of updating various settings about the reserved job and a reservation until the reserved time zone arrives.

53. A program product according to claim 43, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps are made based on information that is inputted from a host system of each user that is connected to the image processor.

54. A program product according to claim 43, wherein the settings in each of said first and second setting steps is made based on information that is inputted through an operation panel of the image processor.

55. A program product embodying a program for implementing a method of controlling an information processor that communicates with an image processor, the method comprising:

a reservation step of reserving a job to be processed in a certain time zone to the image processor; and

a setting step of setting a job control mode of the image processor for an unreserved job in the time zone,

wherein the job control mode set in said setting step includes a first control mode, in which a job of a reserver is processed but one or more jobs of a user other than the reserver are rejected, and a second control mode, in which the job of the reserver is preferentially processed and the one or more jobs of the other user are processed, and

wherein either one of the first and second control modes may be selected.

56. A program product according to claim 55, wherein said setting step selects an instruction to make a setting in which the image processor does not accept an unreserved job in the time zone.