Patent ID: 11886762
Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  Y | IPC G

Claim 9:
10. A printing control system, comprising:
parent units comprising a first plurality of image forming apparatuses; and child units comprising a second plurality of image forming apparatuses, the first and the second pluralities of image forming apparatuses are connected to each other through a network,
each of the parent units including:
a first memory that stores at least one print data items; and
a parent unit controller that causes the parent unit:
transmit a job list information item to another parent unit included in the parent units, the job list information item including job names of the at least one print data items stored on the first memory;
obtain the job list information item transmitted from the other parent unit, and store the job list information item on the first memory;
obtain a job list request transmitted from a first child unit included in the child units, and transmit the job list information item to the child unit, the job list information item including the job names of the at least one print data items; and
transmit a job list response to the first child unit as a response to the obtained job list request, the job list response including the job list information item requested from the first child unit, and
each of the child units including:
a second memory that stores a parent unit connection information item that identifies a connectable parent unit included in the parent units; and
a child unit controller that causes the child unit:
transmit the job list request to the connectable parent unit, the connectable parent unit identified by a parent unit connection information item stored in the connectable parent unit; and
obtain the job list response to be sent back from the parent unit to which the job list request has been transmitted, wherein
the first child unit obtains the job list response from a parent unit of the parent units either storing the at least one print data items to be identified with the job name of the at least one print data items included in the job list information item requested by the job list request, or not storing the at least one print data items.