Selecting print jobs based on detected user presence and wait time

There is provided a print system, comprising: a user ID obtaining unit configured to obtain a user ID from a memory device through wireless communication; a waiting time obtaining unit configured to obtain time information concerning a waiting time for which a user corresponding to the obtained user ID waits for execution of a print job, based on operations to obtain a user ID by the user ID obtaining unit; and a print control unit configured to select a print job in accordance with the obtained time information, from among a plurality of print jobs, and to execute the selected print job.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-185115, filed on Jul. 16, 2007. The entire subject matter of the application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Aspects of the present invention relate to a print system configured to control print jobs based on information obtained from IC tags.

2. Related Art

In general, image forming devices, such as a printer, store print jobs in a print queue and execute the print jobs successively. Recently, image forming devices configured to increase or decrease the priority of one or some of print jobs on an as needed basis in order to change the order in which the print jobs are executed have been proposed.

Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2006-27170 (hereafter, referred to as JP 2006-27170A) discloses an example of an image forming device configured to change the order in which print jobs are executed. The image forming device disclosed in JP 2006-27170A is provided with an IC tag reader to identify a user around the image forming device through wireless communication. With this configuration, the image forming device is able to change the priority of execution of the print job of the user.

SUMMARY

However, the image forming device disclosed in JP 2006-27170A is predicated on the fact that only one user is around the image forming device. In other words, the image forming device does not consider a situation where a plurality of user's are around the image forming device. If a plurality of users are around the image forming device, the priorities of print jobs of the users may conflict with each other. In this case, the image forming device is not able to appropriately control the order in which the print jobs are executed.

Aspects of the present invention are advantageous in that a print system and an image forming device configured to control print jobs smoothly and appropriately even if a plurality of users are around an image forming device can be provided.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a print system, comprising: a user ID obtaining unit configured to obtain a user ID from a memory device through wireless communication; a waiting time obtaining unit configured to obtain time information concerning a waiting time for which a user corresponding to the obtained user ID waits for execution of a print job, based on operations to obtain a user ID by the user ID obtaining unit; and a print control unit configured to select a print job in accordance with the obtained time information, from among a plurality of print jobs, and to execute the selected print job.

With this configuration, it is possible to determine a print job having the highest immediacy even if a plurality of users are waiting for execution of print jobs. Consequently, it becomes possible to smoothly and appropriately execute print jobs in a situation where a plurality of users are waiting for execution of print jobs.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming device, comprising: a user ID obtaining unit configured to obtain a user ID from a memory device through wireless communication; a waiting time obtaining unit configured to obtain time information concerning a waiting time for which a user corresponding to the obtained user ID waits for execution of a print job, based on operations to obtain a user ID by the user ID obtaining unit; and a print control unit configured to select a print job in accordance with the obtained time information, from among a plurality of print jobs, and to execute the selected print job.

With this configuration, it is possible to determine a print job having the highest immediacy even if a plurality of users are waiting for execution of print jobs. Consequently, it becomes possible to smoothly and appropriately execute print jobs in a situation where a plurality of users are waiting for execution of print jobs.

It is noted that various connections are set forth between elements in the following description. It is noted that these connections in general and unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect and that this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. Aspects of the invention may be implemented in computer software as programs storable on computer-readable media including but not limited to RAMs, ROMs, flash memory, EEPROMs, CD-media, DVD-media, temporary storage, hard disk drives, floppy drives, permanent storage, and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereafter, an embodiment according to the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1illustrates a system configuration of a print system100according to an embodiment. The print system100includes a printer10functioning as an image forming device, and PCs20a,20band20c. As shown inFIG. 1, the printer10and the PCs20a,20band20care connected to each other via a network40. Although inFIG. 1one printer and three PCs are illustrated, two or more printers and three or more PCs may be provided in the print system100. The number of PCs may be one or two.

In the print system100, a user of the PC20a,20b, or20cedits documents, drawings, tables or image data (e.g., photographic image data) through application software running on the PC20a,20bor20c. The PC20a,20bor20ctransmits print data to the printer10in response to a user command to print an image corresponding to the print data through the printer10. More specifically, in response to a user command, the PC20a,20bor20ctransmits print data and related information including a user ID to the printer10so as to enable the printer10to manage a print job in association with a user ID.

In this embodiment, the printer10is a multifunction peripheral provided with a copying function.FIG. 2is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of the printer10. As shown inFIG. 2, the printer10includes an image reading unit200configured to read an image from a document, an image formation unit300configured to form an image on a recording medium, for example, in accordance with image data read from the document by the image reading unit, and an operation unit400used by a user to operate the printer10.

The copying function is executed through the image reading unit200. More specifically, the image reading unit200includes an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder)210, a sheet supply tray220in which a document to be read is placed, and a paper output tray230to which a document which has been subjected to a reading operation is ejected. The paper output tray230is attached to a main body of the printer100to be openable and closable with respect to the main body.

Under paper output tray230, a glass place on which a document can be placed is provided. Under the glass place, a CCD sensor which reads a document is provided. The reading operation can be executed in two ways as explained below. That is, when the user operates the printer100to start the reading operation after the user places a document on the glass plate provided under the paper output tray230, the printer10moves the CCD sensor along the glass plate in the X-direction to read the document on a line-by-line basis.

On the other hand, if a document is placed on the ADF210and the user instructs the printer10to start the reading operation, the document is carried by the ADF210, and the document is read, on a line-by-line basis, by the CCD sensor fixed at the left edge position under the glass plate.

The image formation unit300includes a sheet supply cassette310which is detachably attachable to the main body of the printer10from the front side, and a paper output tray320to which sheets of paper on which images have been formed are stacked. The printer10may be configured to have more than one sheet supply cassettes and more than one paper output trays.

FIG. 3is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal structure of the image formation unit300of the printer10. As shown inFIG. 3, the image formation unit300includes a print unit330configured to form a toner image through an electrophotographic process, a sheet supply roller341which supplies a sheet of paper placed in the sheet supply cassette310to the print unit330, ejection rollers361which eject the sheet of paper to the paper output tray320, and an IC tag reader370configured to read information from an IC tag through a wireless signal.

FIG. 4is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal structure of the print unit330. The print unit330includes a laser emission device7, a photosensitive drum2, a transfer unit5having a form of a roller, and a fixing unit8. Further, in the print unit330, a charge unit3, a developing unit4and a cleaning unit6are provided to surround the photosensitive drum2. A laser beam emitted by the laser emission device7impinges on the photosensitive drum2at a position which is on the downstream side of the charge unit3and on the upstream side of the developing unit4. The fixing unit8is located on a downstream side of the transfer unit5along a paper feeding path.

The laser emission device7controls emission of the laser beam in accordance with image data to scan on an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2. The image data is created based on an image read by the image reading unit200. The image data may be transmitted from the PC20a,20bor20cthrough the network40.

The photosensitive drum2rotates in a state where the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2is electrically charged uniformly by the charge unit3. On the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2, potentials of portions illuminated by the laser beam from the laser emission unit7are changed. Therefore, on the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2, a latent image is formed by the differences in potential between illuminated portions and not illuminated portions.

Then, toner is supplied from the developing unit4to the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2to develop a toner image on the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2. The toner image is then attracted electrically by the transfer unit5placed to face the photosensitive drum2, and is transferred to the sheet of paper passing along the paper feeding path between the photosensitive drum2and the transfer unit5. The toner remaining on the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2after the image is transferred to the sheet of paper is recaptured mechanically or electrically by the cleaning unit6so that the outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum2is cleaned. The fixing unit8applies heat and pressure to the sheet of paper on which the image has been transferred so that the image is fixed.

As shown inFIG. 3, the IC tag reader370is located near an upper wall of the image formation unit300. The IC tag reader370receives a wireless signal from an IC tag. More specifically, the IC tag reader370transmits a wireless signal in predetermined time intervals. The IC tag which received the wireless signal from the IC tag reader370returns a wireless signal carrying information of the IC tag. Then, the IC tag reader370which received the wireless signal from the IC tag obtains the information from the received signal.

FIG. 5is an explanatory illustration for explaining a situation where users carrying IC tags are around the printer10(the IC tag reader370). As shown inFIG. 5, when users carrying IC tags51and52are around the printer10, the IC tag370receives wireless signals and obtains information concerning the users from the received wireless signals. More specifically, the IC tag370obtains a user ID of the user carrying the IC tag51from the wireless signal received from the IC tag51, and obtains a user ID of the user carrying the IC tag52from the wireless signal received from the IC tag52.

The IC tag reader370is able to communicate with an IC tag located within a predetermined range from the IC tag reader370. Therefore, the IC tag reader370is able to receive a wireless signal from an IC tag of a user and identify the user if the user is within the predetermined range from the IC tag reader370.

The printer10controls the IC tag reader370to obtain, at predetermined time intervals, user IDs of users who are around the printer10and to calculate, for each of the users who are around the printer, a waiting time for waiting for print out of a document. In the printer10, the waiting time of each user is recorded in a waiting time table. Calculation of the waiting time will be explained in detail later.

The operation unit400is an input/output device having a flat panel structure, and is provided with a plurality of types of switches and buttons used by a user to operate the printer10. The operation unit400includes a copy button410used to start a copying operation. In the operation unit400, a display panel420on which various types of messages including an error message and a notification to a user are displayed is also provided.

On the display panel420, the waiting time of each user recorded in the waiting time table is also displayed.FIG. 6illustrates an example of a screen representing the waiting times of users displayed on the display panel420. As shown inFIG. 6, on the screen, a user name, a job name and a waiting time are displayed for each of the users. Further, on the screen ofFIG. 6, the users are aligned in order of decreasing waiting time. Further, on the screen ofFIG. 6, display fields of “user A” who is not around the printer10at the moment are hatched. Through the screen shown inFIG. 6, each user is able to know priority of the user's print job. Such a configuration also makes it possible to prevent each user from having uncomfortable feeling when execution of the user's print job is delayed.

Hereafter, a control system of the printer10is explained with reference toFIG. 7. As shown inFIG. 7, the printer10includes a control unit500, a motor control unit510, an A-D converter520, a both-side driving unit530, an input detection unit540, the print unit330and the IC tag reader370. These units510,520,530,540,330and370are connected to the control unit500.

The control unit500has the function of controlling the functions of the printer10. That is, the control unit500executes various programs to achieve the functions of the printer10. The control unit500measures a waiting time based on information obtained from an IC tag. The motor control unit510controls various types of motors for driving various rollers in the image reading unit510and the image formation unit300. The A-D converter520digitizes an image read by the image reading unit200to create image data corresponding to the read image.

The display driving unit530controls the display panel420to display various types of information on the display panel420. The input detection unit540has a function of detecting an input through the copy button410provided on the operation unit400. To the input detection unit540, other buttons of the operation unit400are also connected.

Hereafter, a table managing process for a waiting time table is explained with reference toFIG. 8. The table managing process is executed under control of the control unit500of the printer10. The table managing process is executed repeatedly at a time interval of T seconds (e.g., one second).

First, the control unit500controls the IC tag reader370to obtain information concerning users (hereafter, referred to as waiting users) who are around the printer10(step S101).

Then, the control unit500judges whether a waiting user is found (step S102). If a waiting user is found (S102: YES), the control unit500performs an addition for the waiting time of the found user (step S103). More specifically, the control unit500adds T seconds to the waiting time of the found user who has been found at the stage of the immediately preceding execution of the table managing process. That is, if the same user ID is obtained successively in repetitive execution of the table managing process, the waiting time of the user corresponding to the same user ID is updated. If a user who has not been recorded in the waiting time table is found (S102: NO), control proceeds to step S104without processing step S103.

Next, the control unit500consults the waiting time table to judge whether a user who does not have a print job is found (step S104). If a user who does not have a print job is found (S104: YES), the control unit500initializes the waiting time of the user who does not have a print job (step S105). If the waiting time of the user is increased regardless of the fact that the user does not have a print job, the waiting time of a user having the higher frequency of use of the printer10is increased and therefore the priority of execution of a print job of such a user having the higher frequency of use of the printer10is increased. In this case, the priority of execution of print jobs may become different from the actual immediacy of execution of print jobs.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the waiting time of the user who does not have a print job is reset. If a user who does not have a print job is not found in the waiting time table (S104: NO), the table managing process terminates without processing step S105.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the waiting time of a user is not reset as long as a print job remains in a print queue. If a user has a plurality of waiting time zones, the waiting time of the user is calculated by adding together the plurality of waiting time zones. Such spread of waiting time is caused, for example, in a situation where a user moves in an area where the printer10is installed. Even if a user moves in the area where the printer10is installed and the waiting time is divided into a plurality of waiting time zones, the waiting time of the user is obtained properly by adding together the plurality of waiting time zones. With this configuration, it becomes possible to prevent the user who temporarily gets away from the printer10to get a consumable product (e.g., sheets of paper) for the printer10, from suffering disadvantages of getting away from the printer10.

Considering that three users (users A, B and C) are in the area where the printer10is installed and the presence of each user is detected by the printer10as indicated inFIG. 9, the printer10creates the waiting time table shown inFIG. 10. As can be seen fromFIG. 9, each of the users A and C has been around the printer10for a continuous period of time. Therefore, the continuous period of time of 300 seconds is calculated as the waiting time of the user A, and the continuous period of time of 150 seconds is calculated as the waiting time of the user B.

On the other hand, the user B has a plurality of waiting time zones because the user B temporarily got away from the printer10. In this case, the sum (100 seconds) of the waiting time zone of 50 seconds and the waiting time zone of 50 seconds is calculated as the waiting time of the user B. The calculated waiting times of the users A, B and C are thus recorded in the waiting time table.

Hereafter, a print process is explained with reference toFIG. 11. The print process shown inFIG. 11is executed periodically, for example, at a time interval of 1 second, under control of the control unit500of the printer10.

First, the control unit500checks the presence or absence of a print job (step S201). If no print job is found (S201: NO), the print process terminates. If a print job is found (S201: YES), the control unit500controls the IC tag reader370to try to obtain information from an IC tag of a waiting user to check the presence or absence of a waiting user (step S202).

If no waiting user is found (S202: NO), the control unit selects a first one of print jobs in the print queue (i.e., the oldest print job of all of the print jobs stored in the print queue is selected as a target of printing) (step S211). That is, in this case, the order of execution of the print jobs is not changed. After step S211is processed, control proceeds to step S206to execute the printing operation for the selected print job.

If a waiting user is found (S202: YES), the control unit500consults the waiting time table to obtain the actual waiting time of the found waiting user (step S203). Regarding the situation shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, the waiting time of the user B and the waiting time of the user C are obtained from the waiting time table, but the waiting time of the user A is not obtained from the waiting time table because the user A is at a location away from the printer at the moment.

Next, the control unit500selects the waiting user having the longest waiting time from the waiting users whose waiting times are obtained in step S203(step S204). Regarding the situation shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, the user C is selected because the user C has the longest waiting time, although the user B appeared around the printer10earlier than the user C. Then, a first print job of all of the print jobs belonging to the selected user is targeted for the printing operation (step S205). Then, the selected print job is executed (step S206).

Thus, the print job of the user who is waiting in front of the printer10and has the longest waiting time is executed preferentially. In other words, even if a plurality of users are around the printer10, the ordinal ranks of execution of print jobs of the users do not conflict with each other. Therefore, the printing operation can be executed appropriately. After step S206is processed, the print process terminates.

As described above, after one print job is finished and a predetermined time interval has elapsed, the print process is executed again. That is, if a print job remains in the print queue after one print job is finished, the print process is executed again to further execute a next print job in the print queue.

Regarding the situation shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, there is a possibility that the user A comes back to the printer10again and the user C gets away from the printer10. That is, environmental condition changes from moment to moment. For this reason, in this embodiment, the priority of execution of a print job is defined each time execution of a print job is finished.

Hereafter, a variation of the table managing process for a waiting time table is explained with reference toFIG. 12. According to the table managing process shown inFIG. 11, the waiting time is calculated with respect to each of the users. Therefore, if a particular user is around the printer10for a relatively long time period, print jobs of the particular user may be processed successively. In this case, if the particular user adds a new print job in the print queue in a later stage, the new print job is processed preferentially with respect to print jobs of other users. In this case, other users may have uncomfortable feeling because their print jobs are delayed. The variation of the table managing process shown inFIG. 12is configured in consideration of such an inconvenience.

As described in detail below, the table managing process shown inFIG. 12is configured to obtain the waiting time on a print job by print job basis.

The table managing process shown inFIG. 12is executed repeatedly at a predetermined time interval of T seconds (e.g. one second), under control of the control unit500.

First, the control unit500controls the IC tag reader370to obtain information of waiting users who are around the printer10(step S301). That is, the control unit500identifies each waiting user by extracting a user ID from the information obtained from the IC tag. Then, the control unit500judges whether a waiting user is found (step S302). If a waiting user is found (S302: YES), the control unit500performs an addition for the waiting time for each of the print jobs belonging to the found user (step S303).

More specifically, in step S303, the control unit500adds T seconds to the waiting time of each print job belonging to the found user who was around the printer10at the stage of the immediately preceding execution of the table managing process. With this configuration, the waiting time table having the waiting time calculated on a print job by print job basis can be created.FIG. 13illustrates an example of the waiting time table created through the table managing process shown inFIG. 12. The example of the waiting time table shown inFIG. 13represents the priority of execution of print jobs in a situation where all of the users A, B and C are waiting for execution of print jobs around the printer10. If no waiting user is found (S302: NO), control proceeds to step S304without processing step S303.

Next, the control unit500judges whether a print job for which the printing operation has finished is found (step S304). If a print job for which the printing operation has finished is found (S304: YES), the control unit500deletes the print job from the waiting time table (step S305). After step S305is processed, the table managing process terminates. If no print job for which the printing operation has finished is found (S304: NO), the table managing process terminates.

It should be noted that a print process which is substantially the same as that shown inFIG. 11can also be executed in cooperation with the table managing process shown inFIG. 12. However, if the print process shown inFIG. 11is executed with the table managing process shown inFIG. 12, the print process is executed as indicated below to support the waiting time table in which the waiting time is stored on a print job by print job basis.

That is, when the print process is executed with the table managing process shown inFIG. 12, the control unit500consults the waiting time table to obtain the waiting time of each of waiting users who are around the printer10at the moment (steps S201to S203). Then, the control unit500selects a print job corresponding to the longest waiting time from among the print jobs obtained through steps S201to S203.

Regarding the waiting time table shown inFIG. 13, the job1of the user A has the longest waiting time. Therefore, in this case, the job1is selected as a print target in step S205. On the other hand, if the user A is not around the printer10at the moment (i.e., if the users B and C are found but the user A is not found in step S202), the job2of the user B is selected as a print target in step S205.

After step S205is processed, the selected print job is executed (step S206). Through the above described print process, the print job which has the longest waiting time and which belongs to the user who is around the printer10at the moment is executed preferentially. In other words, according to the above described print process and the table managing process shown inFIG. 12, even if a plurality of waiting users are around the printer10, control of execution of print jobs can be achieved properly such that the ordinal ranks of execution of print jobs of the users do not conflict with each other.

As described above, in the print system100according to the embodiment, the IC tag reader370accesses IC tags around the printer10(i.e., the IC tag reader370) and obtains user IDs stored in the IC tags. As a result, users who are around the printer10are identified. Then, the printer10measures the waiting time for each of users (or for each of print jobs). That is, in the print system100, the waiting time is managed on a user-by-user basis (or on a print job by print job basis).

Further, the printer10executes the print job of the user having the longest waiting time or the print job having the longest waiting time preferentially relative to the other jobs. With this configuration, even if a plurality of users are waiting around the printer10, it is possible to select an print job to which the top priority of executing the printing operation should be assigned, from among print jobs of all of the waiting users. Consequently, it is possible to execute the print jobs smoothly and appropriately.

In the print system100, if the waiting time of a user (or a print job) is divided into a plurality of waiting time zones, the sum of the waiting time zones are calculated and the sum is defined as the waiting time of the user (or the print job).

If the waiting time is reset each time a user gets away from the printer10, the waiting time of the user elapsed before the user gets away from the printer10is lost. In other words, the user is required to be around the printer10until the user's print job is finished. By contrast, according to the embodiment, the plurality of time zones are added together and the sum is defined as the waiting time of the user. Therefore, it is possible to select a print job appropriately for all of users of the print system100. Such a configuration enhances usability of the printer10.

It is assumed that print jobs belonging to users who are actually waiting around the printer10have immediacy higher than that of print jobs belonging to users who are not around the printer10. In this regard, in the print system100, a target print job to be executed is selected from among print jobs belonging to users who are waiting around the printer10when the printer10determines the target print job. That is, the printer10selects a print job to be executed next from among print jobs of users who are actually waiting around the printer10. Therefore, according to the embodiment, usability of the printer10can be enhanced.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible.

In the above described embodiment, a printer functioning as an image forming device is employed to achieve the various functions of the print system. However, in the print system, various types of image forming devices, such as a copying device, a scanner and a facsimile device may be employed.

In the above mentioned embodiment, an electrophotographic process is employed in the print unit of the printer. However, various types of image formation processes, such as an inkjet print process, may be employed in the print unit. The image forming device may be configured to be capable of forming color images or may be a dedicated image forming device for monochrome printing.

In the above described embodiment, the IC tag reader370is incorporated in the printer10. However, the IC tag reader370may be an external device configured to be detachably attachable to the printer10.

Alternatively, an IC tag reader may be installed in the print system separately from the printer10. For example, an IC tag reader may be attached to a ceiling near the printer10.

In the above described embodiment, the measurement of the waiting time and the management of the waiting time table are conducted by the printer10. However, an information processing device may be additionally provided in the print system. In this case, the measurement of the waiting time and the management of the waiting time table may be conducted by the information processing device connected to the printer10(and the IC tag reader370).

In the above described table managing process for a waiting time table, the waiting time table is managed by increasing the waiting time of each user who is around the printer10by adding a predetermined time (T seconds) to the waiting time of such a user. However, the management of the waiting time table is not limited to such a configuration.

For example, regarding a user who is not around the printer, the printer may subtract a time period for which the user is not around the printer, from the waiting time of such a user.

Alternatively, the waiting time may be calculated by assigning different weighting factors to different users (or to different jobs). For example, if different weighting factors are assigned to different users, the waiting time of a particular user is calculated by adding a time obtained by multiplying a certain time period (e.g., T seconds) by a waiting factor assigned to the particular user, to the waiting time of the particular user in the waiting time table.

In the print process, a target print job to be executed is selected from among print jobs belonging to users who are actually around the printer when the printer selects the target print job. However, selection of a target print job is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the printer may simply select a print job which is the longest waiting time regardless of whether the users in the waiting time table are actually around the printer. In this case, regarding the waiting times of the users A, B and C shown inFIG. 10, the printer assigns the top priority, the second priority and the third priority to the users A, C and B, respectively.

In the print process, the priority of execution of a printing operation is determined on a print job by print job basis. However, the printer may be configured to execute a printing operation on a page-by-page basis, and to determine the priority of execution of a printing operation on a page-by-page basis.

The printer may be configured to have a configuration for preventing occurrence of mixture of a plurality of print jobs. For example, as a configuration for preventing occurrence of mixture of a plurality of print jobs, the printer may have a function of ejecting a divider for discriminating between outputs of different print jobs, a function of shift-ejection in which outputs of different print jobs are shifted with respect to each other on an paper output tray, or a function of dual orientation ejection in which outputs of different print jobs are differently oriented on the paper output tray.

The printer may be configured to have a plurality of paper output trays. In this case, the printer may eject outputs of different jobs on different paper output trays, respectively.

Although in each of the examples of waiting time tables shown inFIGS. 10 and 13, the priority levels of execution of print jobs are included in the waiting time table in association with each user or each print job, the waiting time table may be configured not to have fields for the priority levels. That is, the printer may be configured to obtain the priority levels of execution of print jobs only for the purpose of representation on the display panel.