Information processing system, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium storing program

• US 9,645,770 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Hiroshi, Matsuyama, Yoichi, Kojima, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Osifade, Idowu O
• Application Number:
  US13/333,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20120182580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1246 by handling markup languages, e.g. XSL, XML, HTML
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1267 Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/127 by using hot folders, e.g. folder for which print settings or print data management rules are set in advance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A first information processing apparatus inputs job data and a corresponding file associated with the job data to a hot folder of a second information processing apparatus. When the second information processing apparatus detects the corresponding file input to the hot folder, it determines whether the job data has been copied in the hot folder. If it is determined that the job data has been copied in the hot folder, the job data is processed.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a monitor unit configured to monitor inputting a file into a first folder;

a matching detection unit configured to detect that a folder name of a second folder which is a sub-directory of the first folder matches at least part of a file name of a file input into the first folder; and

a control unit configured (i) to, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, process a plurality of files in the second folder and send a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to a print apparatus, and (ii) to, based on that the folder name of the second folder does not match at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, withhold processing of a plurality of files in the second folder and sending a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to the print apparatus until said matching detection unit detects that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder,

wherein, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, said control unit processes the plurality of files that exist in the second folder by the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and a plurality of print jobs are sent to the print apparatus.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said matching detection unit detects that whether or not the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into immediately below the first folder.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, determine whether or not lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released,

wherein, in a case where said determination unit determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released, said control unit processes the plurality of files in the second folder by processing the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and sends a plurality of print jobs to the print apparatus.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second determination unit configured to determine whether or not a new file is input into the second folder,

wherein, in a case where said second determination unit determines that the new file is input while said determination unit determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are not released, said control unit notifies an error to a user.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of files in the second folder include a content file for printing, a job ticket file in which job information is described, and a print ticket file in which print setting information is described.

6. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus comprising:

a monitor step of monitoring inputting a file into a first folder;

a matching detection step of detecting a folder name of a second folder which is a sub-directory of the first folder matches at least part of a file name of a file input into the first folder; and

a control step (i) of, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, processing a plurality of files in the second folder and sending a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to a print apparatus, and (ii) of, based on that the folder name of the second folder does not match at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, withholding processing a plurality of files in the second folder and sending a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to the print apparatus until the matching detection step of detecting that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder,

wherein, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, said control step processes the plurality of files that exist in the second folder by the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and a plurality of print jobs are sent to the print apparatus.

7. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said matching detection step detects that whether or not the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into immediately below the first folder.

8. The information processing method according to claim 6, further comprising a determination step of determining, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, whether or not the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released,

wherein, in a case where said determination step determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released, said control step processes the plurality of files in the second folder by processing the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and sends a plurality of print jobs to the print apparatus.

9. The information processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a second determination step of determining whether or not a new file is input into the second folder,

wherein, in a case where said second determination step determines that the new file is input while said determination step determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are not released, said control step notifies an error to a user.

10. The information processing method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of files in the second folder include a content file for printing, a job ticket file in which job information is described, and a print ticket file in which print setting information is described.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform the following steps, the steps comprising:

a monitor step of monitoring inputting a file into a first folder;

a matching detection step of detecting that a folder name of a second folder which is a sub-directory of the first folder matches at least part of a file name of a file input into the first folder; and

a control step (i) of, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, processing a plurality of files in the second folder and sending a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to a print apparatus, and (ii) of, based on that the folder name of the second folder does not match at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, withholding processing a plurality of files in the second folder and sending a plurality of print jobs for the plurality of files to the print apparatus until the matching detection step detects that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder,

wherein, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, said control step processes the plurality of files that exist in the second folder by the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and a plurality of print jobs are sent to the print apparatus.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said matching detection step detects that determines whether or not the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into immediately below the first folder.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, further comprising a determination step of determining, based on that the folder name of the second folder matches at least part of the file name of the file input into the first folder, whether or not lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released,

wherein, in a case where said determination step determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are released, said control step processes the plurality of files in the second folder by processing the file which is input into the first folder and is one file, and sends a plurality of print jobs to the print apparatus.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, further comprising a second determination step of determining whether or not a new file is input into the second folder,

wherein, in a case where said second determination step determines that the new file is input while said determination step determines that the lock states of the plurality of files in the second folder are not released, said control step notifies an error to a user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of files in the second folder include a content file for printing, a job ticket file in which job information is described, and a print ticket file in which print setting information is described.