Image processing device for printing a plurality of manuscript data sets in prescribed order based on composition guideline data

• US 8,482,752 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsukada, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Qian
• Application Number:
  US12/728,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1262 by grouping or ganging jobs

Abstract

An image processing device acquires composition guideline data containing information specifying a plurality of manuscript data sets and the printing order of the data sets. The image processing device accesses an external device based on composition guideline data to acquire at least one of the manuscript data sets from that external device via communication. A print instruction is issued such that the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by composition guideline data, including the acquired manuscript data set, are printed in the order indicated by composition guideline data. Thus, a plurality of manuscript data sets may be easily printed in a prescribed order based on composition guideline data.

Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

a first acquiring unit for acquiring composition guideline data containing information specifying a plurality of manuscript data sets formed by a plurality of users which are different from each other, and specifying an output order of the plurality of manuscript data sets;

a second acquiring unit for accessing a first external device among a plurality of external devices based on the composition guideline data to acquire at least one of the plurality of manuscript data sets from a shared data storage unit of each user of the first external device via communication; and

an output instruction unit for issuing an output instruction for outputting, in an order indicated by the composition guideline data, the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by the composition guideline data, including the at least one manuscript data set acquired by the second acquiring unit, wherein

the composition guideline data further contains user authentication information for accessing the shared data storage unit of each user, the user authentication information being specified for each of the plurality of manuscript data sets, and the second acquiring unit acquires the manuscript data sets from the shared data storage unit corresponding to the information specifying the manuscript data cct sets of the composition guideline data.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein, if the second acquiring unit fails to acquire the at least one manuscript data set from the first external device, the second acquiring unit accesses the first external device once again after a predetermined period of time.

3. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage location recording unit for recording information for managing a storage location for the manuscript data sets;

and

an update unit for updating information recorded by the storage location recording unit based on a result of access by the second acquiring unit.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the second acquiring unit includes a deleting unit for deleting the at least one manuscript data set from the first external device after the at least one manuscript data set is acquired.

5. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit for storing at least one of the manuscript data sets,

wherein, if one of the manuscript data sets to be acquired from the first external device according to the composition guideline data is stored on the storage unit, the second acquiring unit acquires, from the storage unit, the one of the manuscript data sets.

6. The image processing device according to claim 5, wherein the second acquiring unit acquires, from the first external device, a manuscript data set not stored on the storage unit.

7. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one manuscript data set acquired by the second acquiring unit is a print data set.

8. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the first acquiring unit acquires the composition guideline data from a second external device that is different from the first external device.

9. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein, when the storage location for the manuscript data set indicated by the composition guideline data does not exist at the first external device, the second acquiring unit informs the second external device thereof.

10. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the second external device includes an input unit through which user authentication information is inputted, and

the second acquiring unit accesses the first external device based on the user authentication information.

11. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein, when the first external device fails in user authentication, the second acquiring unit informs the second external device thereof.

12. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the second external device further includes:

a third acquiring unit for acquiring information indicating a storage location for the at least one manuscript data set; and

a display unit for displaying information acquired by the third acquiring unit.

13. The image processing device according to claim 8, wherein the second acquiring unit receives and thereby acquires, via communication from the second external device, at least one of the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by the composition guideline data other than the at least one manuscript data set acquired by accessing the first external device.

14. The image processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit for printing the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by the output instruction unit for output.

15. A method of controlling an image processing device comprising:

a first acquiring step acquiring composition guideline data containing information specifying a plurality of manuscript data sets formed by a plurality of users which are different from each other, and specifying an output order of the plurality of manuscript data sets;

a second acquiring step accessing an external device among a plurality of external devices based on the composition guideline data to acquire at least one of the plurality of manuscript data sets from a shared data storage unit of each user of the external device via communication; and

an output instruction step issuing an output instruction for outputting, in an order indicated by the composition guideline data, the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by the composition guideline data, including the at least one manuscript data set acquired at the second acquiring step, wherein

the composition guideline data further contains user authentication information for accessing the shared data storage unit of each user, the user authentication information being specified for each of the plurality of manuscript data sets, and in the second acquiring step, the manuscript data sets are acquired from the shared data storage unit corresponding to the information specifying the manuscript data sets of the composition guideline data.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program for an image processing device, the control program causing a computer to execute processing comprising the steps of:

a first acquiring step acquiring composition guideline data containing information specifying a plurality of manuscript data sets formed by a plurality of users which are different from each other, and specifying an output order of the plurality of manuscript data sets;

a second acquiring step accessing an external device among a plurality of external devices based on the composition guideline data to acquire at least one of the plurality of manuscript data sets from a shared data storage unit of each user of the external device via communication; and

an output instruction step issuing an output instruction for outputting, in an order indicated by the composition guideline data, the plurality of manuscript data sets specified by the composition guideline data, including the at least one manuscript data set acquired at the second acquiring step, wherein

the composition guideline data further contains user authentication information for accessing the shared data storage unit of each user, the user authentication information being specified for each of the plurality of manuscript data sets, and in the second acquiring step, the manuscript data sets are acquired from the shared data storage unit corresponding to the information specifying the manuscript data sets of the composition guideline data.