Print job management apparatus, system, and method

• US 8,488,170 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takata, Tadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): EBRAHIMI DEHKORDY, SAEID
• Application Number:
  US12/968,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A disclosed print job management apparatus includes a job registering unit configured to associate the print setup information with first identifiers, associate the print data with second identifiers formed by adding predetermined symbols to the first identifiers, record the print setup information and the print data in a job information storing unit, and return the first identifiers to the print requesting unit, a job list providing unit configured to return a list of the first identifiers to an image forming apparatus, a job transferring unit configured to return the print setup information associated with the requested one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifiers corresponding to the requested one of the first identifiers, and a job changing unit configured to change the print setup information recorded in the job information storing unit with the part of the print setup information.

Claims

1. A print job management apparatus comprising:

a job registering unit configured, in response to a request of a print requesting unit for registering print jobs including print setup information and print data, to associate the print setup information with first identifiers, associate the print data with second identifiers formed by adding predetermined symbols to the first identifiers, record the print setup information and the print data in a job information storing unit, and return the first identifiers to the print requesting unit;

a job list providing unit configured, in response to a request of an image forming apparatus connected to the print job management apparatus via a network for acquiring a list of the print jobs, to return a list of the first identifiers;

a job transferring unit configured, in response to a request for acquiring the print job corresponding to one of the first identifiers selected from the list by the image forming apparatus, to return the print setup information associated with the requested one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifiers corresponding to the requested one of the first identifiers; and

a job changing unit configured, in response to a request for changing at least a part of the print setup information associated with the first identifier which is received from the print requesting unit, to change the print setup information recorded in the job information storing unit with the part of the print setup information.

2. The print job management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in response to a request for changing to substitute print data and corresponding second identifier associated with substitute print data, the print data recorded in the job information storing unit are updated by the substitute print data.

3. The print job management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in response to a request for deleting one of the first identifiers from the print requesting unit, the print setup information associated with the one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifier corresponding to the one of the first identifiers from the job information storing unit.

4. The print job management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the print setup information and the print data which are returned to the image forming apparatus are not deleted from the job information storing unit.

5. The print job management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job registering unit does not record the print setup information and the corresponding data to the job information storing unit when the print setup information does not satisfy a predetermined standard.

6. A print job management system including an image forming apparatus and a client terminal having a print requesting unit, a job information storing unit, and a print job management program embodied by a computer included in the client terminal, wherein the print job management program causes the computer to execute a method comprising:

in response to a request of the print requesting unit for registering print jobs including print setup information and print data, registering jobs associating the print setup information with first identifiers, associating the print data with second identifiers formed by adding predetermined symbols to the first identifiers, recording the print setup information and the print data in the job information storing unit, and returning the first identifiers to the print requesting unit;

providing a job list, in response to a request of the image forming apparatus for acquiring a list of the print jobs, to return a list of the first identifiers;

transferring the jobs, in response to a request for acquiring the print job corresponding to one of the first identifiers selected from the list by the image forming apparatus, to return the print setup information associated with the requested one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifiers corresponding to the requested one of the first identifiers; and

changing the jobs, in response to a request for changing at least a part of the print setup information associated with the first identifier which is received from the print requesting unit, to change the print setup information recorded in the job information storing unit with the part of the print setup information.

7. The print job management system according to claim 6, wherein, in response to a request for changing to substitute print data and corresponding the second identifier associated with the substitute print data, the print data recorded in the job information storing unit are updated by the substitute print data.

8. The print job management system according to claim 6, wherein, in response to a request for deleting one of the first identifiers from the print requesting unit, the print setup information associated with the one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifier corresponding to the one of the first identifiers from the job information storing unit.

9. The print job management system according to claim 6, wherein the print setup information and the print data which are returned to the image forming apparatus are not deleted from the job information storing unit.

10. The print job management system according to claim 6, wherein the print setup information and the corresponding data are not recorded into the job information storing unit when the print setup information does not satisfy a predetermined standard.

11. A print job management method used in a system including an image forming apparatus and a client terminal having a print requesting unit, a job information storing unit, and a print job management program embodied by a computer included in the client terminal, the print job management method comprising:

registering jobs, in response to a request of the print requesting unit for registering print jobs including print setup information and print data, to associate the print setup information with first identifiers, associate the print data with second identifiers formed by adding predetermined symbols to the first identifiers, record the print setup information and the print data in the job information storing unit, and return the first identifiers to the print requesting unit;

providing a job list, in response to a request of the image forming apparatus for acquiring a list of the print jobs, to return a list of the first identifiers;

transferring the jobs, in response to a request for acquiring the print job corresponding to one of the first identifiers selected from the list by the image forming apparatus, to return the print setup information associated with the requested one of the first identifiers and the print data associated with the second identifiers corresponding to the requested one of the first identifiers; and

changing the jobs, in response to a request for changing at least a part of the print setup information associated with the first identifier which is received from the print requesting unit, to change the print setup information recorded in the job information storing unit with the part of the print setup information.

12. The print job management method according to claim 11, in response to a request for changing to substitute print data and corresponding second identifier associated with substitute print data, updating the print data recorded in the job information storing unit by the substitute print data.

13. The print job management method according to claim 11, in response to a request for deleting one of the first identifiers from the print requesting unit, the print setup information associating with the one of the first identifiers and the print data associating with the second identifier corresponding to the one of the first identifiers from the job information storing unit.

14. The print job management method according to claim 11, wherein, the print setup information and the print data which are returned to the image forming apparatus are not deleted from the job information storing unit.

15. The print job management method according to claim 11, the print setup information and the corresponding data are not recorded into the job information storing unit when the print setup information does not satisfy a predetermined standard.