Patent ID: 7248385
Filing Date: 2007-07-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A printer controller that receives print jobs transmitted from a plurality of terminals, and instructs a printer to perform print processing, the printer controller comprising: a detector that detects pieces of operation information, each relating to a user's current manual operation of one of the plurality of terminals; a priority determining unit that determines priority levels for a plurality of print jobs waiting to be printed, a priority level of a print job determined based on a piece of operation information detected by the detector from a terminal that transmitted the print job; a controller that instructs the printer to process the plurality of print jobs in an order based on the determined priority levels; wherein the detector detects, as the piece of operation information, a non-operational period during which the terminal has not been operated; and wherein the priority determining unit sets higher priority levels for print jobs from terminals with longer non-operational periods.