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

Claim 17:
18. A method for controlling printing performed by a printing control system including a first plurality of image forming apparatuses set as parent units and a second plurality of image forming apparatuses set as child units, the first and the second plurality of image forming apparatuses are connected to each other through a network, the method comprising:
saving at least one print data items on at least one parent unit of the parent units;
creating a job list information item including a job name of the at least one print data items, the job list information item being created by a corresponding parent unit of the parent units that saves the one or more print data items;
distributing the job list information item to other parent unit of the parent units, the other parent unit being identified by an parent information item stored on the corresponding parent unit;
receiving the job list information item by, and storing the job list information item on, the other parent unit identified by the parent unit information item;
requesting for transmission of a job list request from a child unit of the child units to a parent unit of the parent units, wherein the job list request comprises a request for transmission of the job list information item and the job name of the at least one print data items, to the child unit, and to a corresponding parent unit identified by a parent unit connection information item stored on the first child unit;
obtaining the job list request by the corresponding parent unit identified by the parent unit connection information item;
transmitting a job list response, by the corresponding parent unit that obtains the job list request, to the first child unit as a reply to the obtained job list request, wherein the job list response comprises the job list information item stored on the corresponding parent unit and the job name of the at least one print data item requested by the job list request from the child unit; and
obtaining, by the child unit, the job list response from the corresponding parent unit that transmits the job list request.