Image forming system, terminal, and image forming method that control job by command in terminal

Provided is an image forming system that controls an image forming apparatus from a terminal with sufficient usability for a user. The image forming system includes the terminal and the image forming apparatus. The job accumulating part accumulates a job. The command acquiring part acquires the command for setting time and executing for the job accumulated by the job accumulating part. The command interpreting part interprets the command acquired by the command acquiring part. The command instructing part performs the instructions to execute the job in the image forming apparatus at the set time corresponding to the command interpreted by the command interpreting part. The job executing part executes the job with an instruction acquired from the command instruction part of the terminal.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is especially according to a job-controllable image forming system, a terminal, and an image forming method.

An image forming apparatus, such as an MFP (Multifunctional Peripheral,) that can print a document and an image, is present.

Some typical image forming apparatus can be reserved as a usable image forming apparatus, easily, and is capable of minimizing down time. In the image forming apparatus, when a request to print out files including reservation time is received from a portable terminal apparatus for a user who is a subscriber, it determines whether the present time is the respective reservation time or not. If the present time is the reservation time as a result of a decision, use of the apparatus by other users is prohibited in case of fulfilling a specified condition including a condition that the subscriber's portable terminal apparatus comes nearby the apparatus. Also, if use of the apparatus is prohibited, it determines whether the user who comes to the apparatus is the subscriber or not, and if the user is the subscriber, prohibition of use of the apparatus will be canceled.

SUMMARY

An image forming system in the present disclosure includes a terminal and an image forming apparatus. The terminal includes a job accumulating part, a command acquiring part, a command interpreting part, and a command instructing part. The job accumulating part accumulates a job. The command acquiring part acquires a command for setting time and executing for the job accumulated by the job accumulating part. The command interpreting part interprets the command acquired by the command acquiring part. The command instructing part instructs to execute the job in the image forming apparatus at the set time corresponding to the command interpreted by the command interpreting part. The image forming apparatus includes a job executing part. The job executing part executes the job with an instruction acquired from the command instructing part in the terminal.

A terminal of the present disclosure includes a job accumulating part, a command acquiring part, a command interpreting part, and a command instructing part. The job accumulating part accumulates a job. The command acquiring part acquires a command for setting time and executing for the job accumulated by the job accumulating part. The command interpreting part interprets the command acquired by the command acquiring part. The command instructing part instructs to execute the job in an image forming apparatus at the set time corresponding to the command interpreted by the command interpreting part.A control method of the present disclosure is a control method for the image forming apparatus that controls the image forming apparatus by a terminal. In this method, a job is accumulated. Also, a command being sets time and executing the accumulated job is acquired. Also, the acquired command is interpreted. Then, corresponding to the interpreted command, an instruction that execute the job in the image forming apparatus at the set time is performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[System Configuration of Image Forming System X]

Firstly, as refer toFIG. 1, a system configuration of image forming system X is explained. Image forming system X according to the embodiment in the present disclosure includes terminal1, image forming apparatus2, and server3. Also, each apparatus is connected with network5.

Terminal1is an information processing apparatus that can generate and control job300(FIG. 3) for image forming apparatus2. Terminals1may be, for example, a smart phone, a mobile phone, PDA (Personal Data Assistant,) PC, or the like. Also, terminal1executes a kind of general-purpose OS (Operating System.) Also, terminal1can install a device driver for image forming apparatus2. Thereby, terminal1generates job300by using OS and a various application software (hereinafter, it only calls an “application”) and transmits job300to a transmission destination, and it is possible to use a function having in the transmission destination. These various applications may be, for example, a web browser, a word processor, a spreadsheet, presentation software, or the like. Also, terminal1can install and execute a dedicated application provided with function that controls image forming apparatus2. Also, terminal1may be provided with “alarm” function that acquires time from an internal clock, GPS, a radio wave base station, server3, or the like, and executes a specific process in that time. Also, terminal1may be provided with the “calendar” function that sets a schedule by PIM (Personal Information Manager), a web calendar, and a groupware for diligence-and-indolence management, or the like, and executes a specific process in the time of the schedule. The alarm and the calendar may be provided and may be executed by using function of OS or an application. In addition, it is also possible to realize the function of the alarm and the calendar by the dedicated application.

Image forming apparatus2is an MFP, a printer, or the like. Also, image forming apparatus2may be a transmission destination where terminal1transmits job300under control. Also, as described later, in case that job300is a job of a scan, image forming apparatus2can transmit a scanned document file to terminal1. Also, for example, image forming apparatus2may be provided with a document box for each user, or the like.

Server3may be a server of a storing source of a document of job300, or the like. For example, server3may be a web storage on a cloud, PC (Personal Computer) server, NAS (Network Attached Storage) on LAN, or the like. Also, server3may have a document box for each user, or the like, for example. Also, server3may be a server, or the like, which stores messages, such as an e-mail and a message of a messenger. Also, server3may include a server having “calendar” function. Also, server3may have NTP (Network Time Protocol) server function.

Network5is LAN (Local Area Network), such as intranet (Intranet), WAN (Wide Area Network), such as the Internet, a mobile phone network, or the like, in the present embodiment.

In addition, image forming system X may have a plurality of servers3and/or image forming apparatuses2, respectively. On the contrary, a configuration in which server3is not present is also possible.

As refer toFIG. 2, terminal1includes control part10, network transmitting and receiving part15, input part16, display part17, and memory part19.

Control part10is an information processing part, such as CPU (Central Processing Unit,) or the like.

Network transmitting and receiving part15is a network connection part for connecting with network5.

Input part16is a keyboard, various sensors, a pointing device, or the like, for acquiring the various instructions by a user. The pointing device includes a touch panel, a digitizer, a touch pad, or the like. Also, by an instruction that the user inputs on input part16, it is also possible to make or transmit job300(FIG. 3,) to input or change each user information, or the like.

Display part17may be a dot-matrix display. Display part17can display a various operation screens for GUI (Graphical User Interface.)

Input part16and display part17are possible to make the user input and acquire various instructions by GUI on OS.

In addition, input part16and display part17may be integrally-formed as like a display with a touch panel, digitizer, or the like.

Memory part19is a non-transitory recording medium. Also, memory part19may include external storages, such as various flash memories, an optical recording medium, or the like.

Also, a control program for operation-controlling terminal1is stored in memory part19. The control program includes programs and data for OS, various applications, or the like. Also, the control program may include a middleware that works on OS, the device driver that controls image forming apparatus2by instructions, or the like. Also, memory part19may store user account settings, a document box, or the like.

In addition, control part10may contain a non-transitory recording medium. Also, control part10reads the control program stored in memory part19and executes by expanding the control program, and it is operated as each part of functional blocks as described below.

[Functional Configuration of Image Forming System X]

Here, as refer toFIG. 3, a functional configuration of image forming system X is explained. Control part10in terminal1includes job accumulating part100, command acquiring part110, command interpreting part120, and command instructing part130. Also, memory part19in terminal1stores job300and command310. Image forming apparatus2includes job executing part200.

Job accumulating part100accumulates job300. In detail, when a user instructs to execute job300in image forming apparatus2by various kinds of applications, job accumulating part100generates the job300and stores it in memory part19, or the like. In addition, job300is made by the dedicated application and is stored in memory part19.

Command acquiring part110acquires command310for setting time and executing for job300accumulated by job accumulating part100. In detail, command acquiring part110executes the dedicated application for controlling image forming apparatus2, or the like, and acquires command310for controlling to execute job300by GUI. According to the present embodiment, as described later, the command310is acquired from input part16as a character string of “label,” or the like, inputted by the user. In addition, the dedicated application maybe apart of function of the device driver for image forming apparatus2, maybe an application called from the device driver, or may be a specially-installed application, or the like.

Command interpreting part120interprets command310acquired by command acquiring part110. Command interpreting part120, in case that command310includes a character string as describe later, interprets meanings including specifiers of each character string, acquires an instruction, and sets it as control data to command310in memory part19. In this case, command interpreting part120may execute a process that associates set-up command310with an alarm or a calendar.

Command instructing part130performs an instruction to execute job300in image forming apparatus2at the set time corresponding to command310interpreted by command interpreting part120.

Job executing part200executes job300with the instruction acquired from command instructing part130in terminal1. In job300of a print, for example, job executing part200receives job300from terminal1or server3via network5, performs image formation, and records on a recording paper with a dry electrophotography system, an inkjet printing system, or the like. Also, in job300of a scan, job executing part200is possible to scan a manuscript with a scanner, to transmit scanned image to terminal1as a document file, or to save it in the document box. The document file may be, for example, PDF (Portable Document Format) file, PS (Post Script™) file, a file for various applications, a plain text file, a HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language) file, or the like. Also, in job300of a transmission, job executing part200is possible to receive a document file from storing source, such as server3, terminal1, or the like, and to transmit it by e-mail, a messenger, FTP (File Transfer Protocol)) , a facsimile, or the like.

Job300is data corresponding to the operations executed in image forming apparatus2. Job300may include, for example, PDL (Page Description Language) data and attribute data with control data of image forming apparatus2. Also, job300may be a type, such as a print, a scan, or a transmission. In these, job300of a print is for image-forming a PDL data outputted from the application of terminal1, a document file acquired from server3, or the like, and for outputting it. Also, job300of a scan is for converting scanned image data into a document file and for transmitting to terminal1, or the like. Also, job300of a scan may be for storing the document file in the document box of server3, image forming apparatus2, terminal1, or the like. Also, job300of a transmission is for transmitting a document file by e-mail, a messenger, FTP, a facsimile, or the like. In these jobs300, by command310, as explained later, time for executing, or the like, is set, and various types of output, a scanning method, a transmission destination, or the like, are instructed.

Command310is control data for controlling the execution of job300. In the present embodiment, command310includes the character string inputted by the user and the control data, which the character string is interpreted. In the present embodiment, command310includes the set time to execute job300. For example, the set time may be the time corresponding to the alarm, the calendar, or the like, in terminal1or server3. Also, command310corresponds to control of job300of types, such as a print, a scan, and/or a transmission. Also, command310includes a specifier of a repetition of a specific period as time. As the specific period, for example, it can set up in units, such as arbitrary time within set period, every day, and per hour. per minute, or the like.

Also, command310may include a specifier that sets job300, a document file, or the like, by a specific formula. The specific formula may be an instruction of period, or the like, for time of making, editing, or accessing of job300. Also, the specific formula may be a section of the alphabet, for example, “A-C”, “D-H”, or the like. Also, the specific formula maybe designation by a regular expression, a wild card, or the like. The regular expression may be based on various script languages.

Also, command310includes a specifier that prints or transmits with setting a sender. For example, the sender may be a sender of an e-mail, a sender of a messenger, or a maker of the document file. Also, the e-mail may be printed or transmitted only the texts of an e-mail or texts including an attached file.

Here, control part10in terminal1executes the control program stored in memory part19, and is functioned as job accumulating part100, command acquiring part110, command interpreting part120, and command instructing part130. Also, the control part in image forming apparatus2executes the control program stored in the memory part and is functioned as job executing part200. Also, above-mentioned each part of terminal1and image forming apparatus2serve as hardware resources that executes the image forming method in the present disclosure. In addition, the above-mentioned part or arbitrary combination of the functional configuration may be configured with an IC, a programmable logic, or the like, by using hardware.

[Image Forming Apparatus Controlling Process by Image Forming System X]

Then, as refer toFIG. 4-FIG. 7, an image forming apparatus controlling process by terminal1of image forming system X according to the embodiment in the present disclosure is explained. The image forming apparatus controlling process in the present embodiment accumulates job300from the application in terminal1, or the like. Then, command310for setting time and executing is acquired for accumulated job300. Also, acquired command310is interpreted. Then, corresponding to command310, job300is executed in image forming apparatus2at the set time. The image forming apparatus controlling process in the present embodiment mainly executes the program control part10memorized in memory part19with collaborating each part by using hardware resources. In the following, with reference to the flow chart inFIG. 4, the details of image forming apparatus controlling process is explained for each step.

Firstly, job accumulating part100performs a job accumulating process. Job accumulating part100makes and outputs job300by using the device driver for image forming apparatus2by instructions from various applications and stores it in memory part19. Also, job accumulating part100may make and output job300by instructions from the device driver of image forming apparatus2or the dedicated application, and it may store in memory part19. Also, job accumulating part100may transmit made job300to server3, or the like. In these cases, job300may be stored in the document box, temporally. Also, in these cases, job accumulating part100may set job300being controlled by command310from the device driver, the dedicated application, or the like, by user instructions.

Then, command acquiring part110performs a command acquiring process. Command acquiring part110acquires command310for setting time and executing for accumulated job300by using GUI of the dedicated application.

In detail, example screen500inFIG. 5shows an example of acquiring command310that makes job300of a print execute in image forming apparatus2at PM 2:30 (14:30) as time. In this example, the user can set time by touching a time designating column, which is rendered under of the “ADD ALARM” column, to set the time of “alarm.” In addition, it is also possible to display a menu, or the like, and to set not “alarm” but “calendar.”

Also, in “REPEAT” column, the user can set a repetition of the same job300in a specific period. Also, in “COMMAND” column, the user can input a character string for “label,” or the like, and can set up details of command310as described later. Also, in “SOUND” column, the user can set up to notify with a sound, vibration, or the like, at the execution time of job300. Also, in “SNOOZE” column, the user can set “snooze,” which has checking in the time of executing for job300and possibly extends to execute it at a specified interval. In addition, command acquiring part110can convert and acquire as a “specifier” of command310for inputting content of each column other than “command” column.

Also, on example screen500, command acquiring part110displays a character string of command310corresponding to “print (filename),” which is already accumulated job300of a print, on “COMMAND” column. In addition, as other types of job300, job300of a scan may be displayed as “scan,” and job300of a transmission may be displayed as “send.”

Also, example screen501inFIG. 6shows an example that the user inputs “COMMAND” column. In this example, the user can input a character string of command310for controlling execution of job300. If the character string of the command310is job300of a print, for example, as paper size, “A3”, “A4”, “A5”, “A6”, “Let (letter)”, “Leg (legal)”, “Sta”, “Led”, or the like, can be setup. Also, as settings of page collection, “D2LR,” which is duplex of 2-page from left to right, “D2TB,” which is duplex of 2-page from top to bottom, or the like, can be set up. Also, if settings of a finisher, “St2,” which performs a two-place staple, “St3,” which performs a three-place staple, “P2,” which is two-place punch hole, “P3,” which is three-place punch hole, or the like, can be set up. Also, if it is job300of a scan, similarly, it is possible to perform settings of paper size and page collection. Also, if it is job300of a transmission, it is possible to set up an e-mail addresses, a messenger address, URL of FTP, a telephone number of facsimile transmission, or the like, for a transmission destination.

Furthermore, an example in case that there is a list of the following accumulated jobs300is explained:

The above list of jobs300is an example that indicates filenames of document files and access time. Here, for example, as a character string of a specifier that specifies job300by a specific formula, if it specifies “Print Date 1/31/2017-2/1” that sets the access period of job300to be printed, “Apple.pdf” and “Bear.pdf” are printed. Also, for example, as a character string of a specifier that specifies job300by a specific formula, if it specifies as “Print A-C” that sets the section “A-C” of the alphabet to be printed, “Apple.pdf”, “Bear.pdf”, and “Can.pdf” are printed. Also, for example, as a character string of a specifier that specifies job300by a specific formula, if character string of “Print ˜le” that specifies by a wild card containing “le”, “Apple.pdf” and “Elephant.pdf” are printed. In addition, if e-mails, messages, or the like, including “le” in a transmitting source or a transmitting destination, such as “Ellen@abc.com”, or the like, may be printed. Also, if a document file, such as “Mullen.jpg” or “LeFanu.pdf”, are in the user's document box, this may be printed.

Also, as a character string of a specifier that specifies printing or transmitting an e-mail with setting a sender, if “Print (sender's mail address) attachment=yes” is specified, this sender's e-mails may be printed with the attached file. Also, as a character string of a specifier that specifies a user ID and a password, and an address to access, after terms, such as “(cloud service name)”, “SMB”, or “E-mail”, the user ID and the password may be specified by terms, such as “ID:” and “PW:”. Thereby, it becomes possible to acquire a document file from terminal1, image forming apparatus2, server3, other servers, or the like, and to transmit to image forming apparatus2, and to transmit an image data scanned in image forming apparatus2to a transmission destination.

Example screen502inFIG. 7shows an example at the time of command310being set by the user. In this example, if a user touches “EDIT ALARM” column, it is possible to make contents of other commands310select and edit. Also, if he or she touches “DELETE ALARM” column, it is possible to delete set-up command310. Command acquiring part110sets the character string of command310inputted by the user in memory part19.

In addition, if job300is generated from the dedicated application, command acquiring part110may execute an above-mentioned job accumulation process after the input of command310. Also, the user can add image forming apparatus2for a transmission destination by using the menu column of the dedicated application, or the like. Also, user can specify image forming apparatus2as a transmission destination for each job300, and he or she can set up the application of “alarm” and “calendar”, an address of a document box or server3, or the like.

Then, command interpreting part120performs a command interpreting process. Command interpreting part120interprets the character string of command310set in memory part19. Thereby, command interpreting part120sets attribute data with the control data of image forming apparatus2to command310and stores it in memory part19.

Then, command instructing part130performs a time acquiring process. Command instructing part130acquires the present time from an internal clock, GPS, a radio wave base station, server3, or the like.

Then, command instructing part130determines whether or not it is the set time. For example, command instructing part130determines to Yes if the present time is the specific time before the set time in command310. The specific time may be sufficient time for waking up image forming apparatus2, such as several seconds—several tens or hundreds of seconds, or the like. Command instructing part130determines to No, if other.

In Yes, command instructing part130advances a process to Step S106.

In No, command instructing part130returns a process to Step S104, and standby state is continued until it comes the specific time before the set time comes.

If it is the specific time before the set time, command instructing part130performs a command instructing process. Command instructing part130performs the instruction that execute job300in image forming apparatus2corresponding to the contents of command310. In this case, command instructing part130may transmit a magic packet, or the like, and may make image forming apparatus2start the specific time before executing job300. The sending the magic packet, or the like, maybe after instructing to execute job300but before the actual execution. Thereby, image forming apparatus2, which is in the standby state, or the like, becomes in the active status, and received job300can be executed, immediately. Also, command instructing part130may transmit job300stored in memory part19or job300accumulated in server3to image forming apparatus2, which is set. Also, command instructing part130may instruct to execute scanning to image forming apparatus2.

Then, the job executing part200in image forming apparatus2, or the like, which acquires job300, executes job300corresponding to the instructions acquired from command instructing part130in terminal1. Job executing part200can execute job300of a print, job300of a scan, and job of a transmission300, or the like, corresponded to the instruction, respectively. As above-mentioned, the image forming apparatus controlling process according to the embodiment in the present disclosure is ended.

The following effects can be obtained with a configuration as mentioned above. In a typical image forming apparatus, after a job has been reserved in an image forming apparatus, even in a case where settings of an alarm or a calendar in the user terminal is changed, the job cannot be executed in the image forming apparatus as coupled to the change of setting by the user, directly.

On the other hand, image forming system X according to the embodiment in the present disclosure includes terminal1and image forming apparatus2. Terminal1includes job accumulating part100, command acquiring part110, command interpreting part120, and command instructing part130. Job accumulating part100accumulates job300. Command acquiring part110acquires command310for setting time and executing for job300accumulated by job accumulating part100. Command interpreting part120interprets command310acquired by command acquiring part110. Command instructing part130instructs to execute job300in image forming apparatus2at the set time corresponding to command310interpreted by command interpreting part120. Image forming apparatus2includes job executing part200. Job executing part200executes job300with an instruction of command310acquired from command instructing part130in terminal1.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to directly-couple settings of the alarm or the calendar, or the like, in terminal1for the user and to execute job300with instructions from terminal1. Also, it becomes to set about job300, flexibly, with an operation of terminal1that is familiarity to the user. Also, it becomes possible to process transmitting data of a print to a specific user, at specific date, such as St Valentine's Day or a user's birthday, or the like, easily. Therefore, the usability according to control of job300for the user becomes better.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command310corresponds to job300of a print, a scan, and/or a transmission.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to control job300corresponding to various function of image forming apparatus2from terminal1, easily.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command310includes a specifier of a repetition for a specific period as time.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to instruct to execute job300with repeat settings, or the like, flexibly and easily, if required.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command310includes a specifier that sets job300by a specific formula.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to select required job300, easily, and to execute it.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command310includes a specifier that sets a sender, and prints or transmits an e-mail.

As configured in this way, it can execute job300that requires to distribute and output from many e-mails, easily.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command310includes a specifier that sets a user ID and a password, and an address to access.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to execute job300made to cooperate with the server3on a cloud, or the like, easily.

Also, as for terminal1according to the embodiment in the present disclosure, command instructing part130starts image forming apparatus2at a specific time before executing job300.

As configured in this way, it becomes possible to ensure executing of job300at the time specified by a user.

In addition, in the embodiment in the present disclosure, it is written that command310is set up by a character string. However, it may be set, directly, by using GUI, such button on the dedicated application or the device driver, is possible. Also, on the contrary, from a terminal application in terminal1, or the like, command310may be set up, directly, by using a script language, or the like. In such a case, a character string may be inputted by the standard stream (stdin) of the dedicated application, or the like.

As configured in this way, command310can be flexibly-set up according to user environment.

Also, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although it is written that the time of command310is set up corresponding to time of an alarm or a calendar, it is not limited to the case. For example, time may be set up by a OS command, such as “cron”, or function of OS, such as a task scheduler, or the like. Also, it is possible to be inputted a command converted into a form of file for OS, such as a batch file, from the providing page of a built-in Web server of OS, or the like. Also, it is also possible for a job to schedule by using a service and a demon of OS.

As configured in this way, even if the dedicated application, alarm, calendar, or the like, has hung up, it becomes possible to execute job300by using the function of OS.

Also, the present disclosure is applicable to information processing apparatus other than an image forming apparatus. That is, it may be a configuration by using a network scanner, a server that connected with a scanner, separately, by using USB, or the like.

Also, the configuration and operation of the above-mentioned embodiment is an example, and it cannot be overemphasized that it can change suitably and can execute in the range that does not deviate from the aim of the present disclosure.