Image forming system with beacon technology

In accordance with an embodiment, a beacon utilization system comprises an image forming apparatus, a server and a mobile terminal. The image forming apparatus wirelessly transmits a beacon including identification information, and sends a status to the server. The server receives the identification information from the mobile terminal, and sends map information for displaying the image forming apparatus specified by the identification information to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives the beacon, sends the identification information to the server, receives the map information from the server, and displays a map screen for displaying the status of the image forming apparatus indicating a position of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the map information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-141735, filed Jul. 19, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a utilization of a beacon technology in relation to an image forming apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, utilization of a beacon serving as a radio signal is being promoted. A typical reception distance of the beacon from a transmitter is a few tens of meters. There is a system that puts a transmitter of a beacon in a store. In the system, if a customer comes to the store, a mobile terminal of the customer receives the beacon. Thereupon, the mobile terminal automatically receives a coupon of the store from a server, and thus, the user can easily get the coupon of the store and use the coupon.

An image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) is known (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-226350). There is a case in which a plurality of the image forming apparatuses such as the MFPs is arranged at one floor or in a certain locale (such as a copy room) in a company and the like. Therefore, there is a demand for the user to select which device to use after grasping a status such as electric power and a job and the like of each of surrounding apparatuses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment, a beacon utilization system comprises an image forming apparatus, a server and a mobile terminal. The image forming apparatus wirelessly transmits a beacon including identification information, and sends a status to the server. The server receives the identification information from the mobile terminal, and sends map information for displaying the image forming apparatus specified by the identification information to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives the beacon, sends the identification information to the server, receives the map information from the server, and displays a map screen for displaying the status of the image forming apparatus indicating a position of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the map information.

In accordance with an embodiment, a beacon utilization system comprises an image forming apparatus, a server and a mobile terminal. The image forming apparatus wirelessly transmits a beacon including first identification information and sends a status to the server. The mobile terminal receives the beacon and sends the first identification information and second identification information of a user to the server. The server stores a job of the user, receives the first identification information and the second identification information from the mobile terminal, and sends the job of the user specified by the second identification information to the image forming apparatus specified by the first identification information.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method by a mobile terminal involves receiving a beacon transmitted by an image forming apparatus; sending identification information of the image forming apparatus included in the beacon to a server; receiving map information from the server; and displaying a map screen for displaying a status of the image forming apparatus indicating a position of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the map information.

In accordance with an embodiment, a beacon utilization method by a system which comprises an image forming apparatus, a server and a mobile terminal involves wirelessly transmitting a beacon including identification information, and sending a status to the server by the image forming apparatus; receiving the identification information from the mobile terminal, and sending map information for displaying the image forming apparatus specified by the identification information to the mobile terminal by the server; and receiving the beacon, sending the identification information to the server, receiving the map information from the server, and displaying a map screen for displaying the status of the image forming apparatus indicating a position of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the map information by the mobile terminal.

Hereinafter, each embodiment is described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a diagram illustrating the constitution of a beacon utilization system100. The beacon utilization system100is equipped with an image forming apparatus1, a terminal device2, a server3and a mobile terminal4. All the elements1-4are connected via a network N and can mutually carry out communication.

The image forming apparatus1is an MFP including a plurality of functions such as print, scan and the like. A plurality of the image forming apparatuses1is connected to the network N. The image forming apparatus1is equipped with a processor11, a memory12, a display13, an operation section14, a card reader15and a transmitter16. The operation section14which includes buttons and a touch panel receives an operation of a user. The card reader15reads an ID (Identification) card to acquire identification information of the user. The transmitter16periodically transmits a beacon including unique identification information of the image forming apparatus1. The beacon is a radio signal based on a standard, for example, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). Bluetooth is a registered trademark. The unique identification information of the image forming apparatus1is, for example, a MAC (Media Access Control address) address.

The image forming apparatus1regularly notifies the server3of the identification information, a status and an option item to be installed of the image forming apparatus1. The status includes a status of a job, a status of electric power, presence/absence of an error status, a residual quantity of toner, a residual quantity of papers and the like. The status of the job refers to the number of uncompleted jobs that the image forming apparatus1has and whether each job is being held or being executed. The status of the electric power refers to power-ON or power-OFF of the power supply of the image forming apparatus1and the current mode (sleep mode and ready mode) relating to electric power. The error status refers to a case in which there is no sheet in a cassette, sheet jam and a case in which toner becomes empty. The image forming apparatus1detects an option item to be installed. The option item is, for example, a finisher including a stapling function and a bookbinding function and a hole punch including a hole punching function.

The terminal device2which is a PC (Personal Computer) is equipped with a processor21, a memory22, a display23and an operation section24. The operation section24which is a keyboard or a mouse receives an operation of a user. The terminal device2receives an input of identification information of a user such as a password and a login name from the user. The terminal device2sends the identification information of the user to the server3, and requests the server3to carry out authentication of the user. The terminal device2receives the operation of the user if it is determined that the user is adaptable.

The server3is equipped with a processor31and a memory32. The server3carries out the authentication of the user if the authentication of the user is requested from each of the terminals1,2and4, and returns an authentication result to each of the terminals1,2and4. The server3stores the status and the option item received from each image forming apparatus1in the memory32in association with the identification information of each image forming apparatus1. Furthermore, the memory32may store the option item in advance in association with the identification information of each image forming apparatus1. The server3holds map information in which a position of each image forming apparatus1is regulated in advance.

In the beacon utilization system100, it is possible for an image forming apparatus1desired by the user to carry out printing, that is, network printing. In the network printing, firstly, the terminal device2generates a print job through an operation of the user who receives the authentication, and sends the print job together with the identification information of the user to the server3. The server3stores the print job received from the terminal device2in the memory32in association with the identification information of the user. The image forming apparatus1receives print jobs of the user from the server3after carrying out the authentication of the user, and displays the print jobs as a list. The image forming apparatus1carries out the print job selected by the user.

The mobile terminal4is equipped with a processor41, a memory42and a touch panel43(display and operation section). The mobile terminal4includes an application for using a beacon transmitted by the image forming apparatus1. The application receives an input of the identification information of the user such as the password and the login name from the user. The application sends the identification information of the user to the server3, and requests the server3to carry out the authentication of the user. The application is possible to use various functions if it is determined that the user is adaptable. The mobile terminal4receives the beacon transmitted by the image forming apparatus1.

Hereinafter, a processing of the mobile terminal4at the time the user carries out the network printing with reference to a flowchart inFIG. 2. The processors11,21,31and41of the image forming apparatus1, the terminal device2, the server3and the mobile terminal4execute programs in the memories12,22,32and42to carry out each following processing.

The user sends the print job from the terminal device2to the server3in order to carry out the network printing. The user carries the mobile terminal4at a floor at which the image forming apparatus1is located in order to carry out the printing. The mobile terminal4carries out the authentication of the user to determine that the user is adaptable.

The mobile terminal4automatically starts the application (Act12) if receiving the beacon transmitted by the image forming apparatus1(Act11).

The application (mobile terminal4) sends the identification information (first identification information) of the image forming apparatus1included in the received beacon and the identification information (second identification information) of the user to the server3(Act13). The server3sends the map information for displaying the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information to the mobile terminal4. In the present embodiment, there is a plurality of image forming apparatuses1around the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information. The server3sends the map information including the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information and the image forming apparatuses1around the specified image forming apparatus1to the mobile terminal4. Further, the server3sends the statuses and the option items of the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information and each image forming apparatus1around the specified image forming apparatus1to the mobile terminal4.

The application receives the map information and the status and the option item of each image forming apparatus1from the server3(Act14).

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating a map screen200.

The application displays the map screen200for displaying the status of the image forming apparatus1which is a map screen indicating a position of the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information included in the received beacon (Act15). The application displays a map of surroundings of the image forming apparatus1specified by the received beacon on the map screen200. The application displays an icon201of the image forming apparatus1specified by the received beacon and icons202-204of the image forming apparatuses1around the specified image forming apparatus1.

The application displays a point P indicating the position of the user at a predetermined position corresponding to the image forming apparatus1specified by the received beacon. The icons202-204and the point P are included in the map information received from the server3. The icons202-204and the point P may be objects. The application may receive the icons202-204and the position information of the point P from the server3, and place the icons202-204and the point P on the map to generate the map screen200.

If receiving the selection of the icons201-204of the image forming apparatuses1from the user (Act16), the application displays the status of the selected image forming apparatus1and a status screen210indicating the option item to be installed by the image forming apparatus1as shown inFIG. 4(Act17). The status screen210displays a status of a print job of each user, a status of electric power, a residual quantity of toner of Y-K and a residual quantity of sheets in each cassette from the first stage to the third stage of the image forming apparatus1.

Furthermore, the application may display the icons201-204of the respective image forming apparatuses1corresponding to the statuses of the respective image forming apparatuses1at the time of displaying the map screen200in Act214as shown inFIG. 5. The icons201-204corresponding to the statuses of the image forming apparatuses1may be included in the map information. Further, the application may change the icons201-204as the objects according to the statuses.

The application may display the icon201of the image forming apparatus1which is in standby in white and display the icons202and204of the image forming apparatuses1which are executing the job in black. The application may display the icon203of the image forming apparatus1which is in the error status in black. The application may display the content of the error around the icon203. In this way, the application can display the image forming apparatus1which can be immediately used in such a way as to be easily grasped by the user.

The application may display the icons201-204of the respective image forming apparatuses1corresponding to the option items to be installed by the respective image forming apparatuses1. The icons201-204corresponding to the statuses of the image forming apparatuses1may be included in the map information. Further, the application may change the icons201-204as the objects according to the option items to be installed by the respective image forming apparatuses1. The application may display the icon204of the image forming apparatus1having a finisher with a pattern indicating the image forming apparatus with the finisher.

In a case in which there is a print job corresponding to the identification information of the user in the server3, the application may display the image forming apparatus1capable of executing the print job on the map screen200. For example, in a case in which a print job needs the stapling function, the application may display the icon204of the image forming apparatus1having the finisher, for example, in a blinking manner in order to indicate that the print job of the user can be carried out. In this case, the server3may send the map screen200including an instruction for displaying the icon204in a blinking manner to the mobile terminal4. Otherwise, the server3may send a message indicating that the job of the user is a print job that needs the stapling function to the mobile terminal4. Then, the mobile terminal4may indicate that the image forming apparatus1having the stapling function is capable of carrying out the print job of the user. The server3may display only the icons201-204(for example, the icon204) of the image forming apparatuses1capable of carrying out the print job of the user.

Further, after an image forming apparatus1is selected on the map screen200(Act16), the application may receive the information of the status and the option item from the server3regarding the status and the option item of the selected image forming apparatus1(Act17). Then, the application may display the status and the option item of the selected image forming apparatus1in the processing in Act17.

If the mobile terminal4receives beacons from the plurality of the image forming apparatuses1(Act11), the application sends the identification information of each of the image forming apparatuses1to the server3(Act12and Act13). The server3sends the map information including all the image forming apparatuses1specified by the identification information included in the respective beacons to the mobile terminal4. The application displays the map screen200in such away as to include all the image forming apparatuses1serving as respective transmission sources of the received beacons (Act14and Act15).

Herein, the application determines a distance from the mobile terminal4to the image forming apparatus1in, for example, three stages according to intensity of the received beacon. The application sends each distance from the mobile terminal4to the image forming apparatus1to the server3. The server3may calculate the position of the point P (position of the user) on the basis of each distance and send the map information including the position of the point P to the mobile terminal4.

Further, the mobile terminal4may calculate the point P indicating the position of the user and display the point P on the basis of each distance from the mobile terminal4to the image forming apparatus1. The mobile terminal4may notify the user of the closest image forming apparatus1on the basis of each distance. The mobile terminal4may display the icons201-204of the closest image forming apparatuses1by blinking the icons201-204or changing the color thereof so that it is understood that the image forming apparatuses1are the closest.

FIG. 6is a flowchart illustrating a processing of the server3at the time the user carries out the network printing.

The server3receives the identification information of the image forming apparatus1and the identification information of the user from the mobile terminal4(Act21).

The server3sends the map information including the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information and the image forming apparatuses1around the specified image forming apparatus1to the mobile terminal4. Further, the server3sends the statuses and the option items of the image forming apparatus1specified by the identification information and each image forming apparatus1around the specified image forming apparatus1to the mobile terminal4. (Act22).

In the present embodiment, the user can easily browse the position and the status of the surrounding image forming apparatus1and the option item to be installed by the image forming apparatus1on the map screen200of the mobile terminal4. In this way, the user can select a proper image forming apparatus1on the map screen200.

Second Embodiment

Hereinafter, a processing of a beacon utilization system100A at the time the user carries out the network printing is described with reference to a flowchart inFIG. 7.

The user sends the print job from the terminal device2to the server3in order to carry out the network printing. The user carries the mobile terminal4at a floor at which the image forming apparatus1is located in order to carry out the printing. The mobile terminal4carries out the authentication of the user to determine that the user is adaptable.

The mobile terminal4starts the application if receiving the beacon transmitted by the image forming apparatus1(Act31). The application sends the identification information of the image forming apparatus1included in the received beacon and the identification information of the user to the server3(Act32).

The server3receives the identification information of the image forming apparatus1and the identification information of the user from the mobile terminal4(Act41).

The server3sends the print job of the user to the image forming apparatus1specified from the identification information received from the mobile terminal4(Act43) if there is the print job of the user (YES in Act42). The server3ends the processing if there is no print job of the user (NO in Act42).

The image forming apparatus1receives the print job of the user from the server3(Act51).

The image forming apparatus1can set whether the print job is executed immediately or after receiving an instruction of the user in a case of receiving the print job for network printing using the beacon.

The image forming apparatus1executes the print job without the operation of the operation section14by the user (Act53) if it is set that the print job is executed immediately (YES in Act52).

The image forming apparatus1executes the print job (Act53) after receiving the instruction from the user through the operation section14(YES in Act54) if it is set that the print job is executed after receiving the instruction of the user (NO in Act52).

In the present embodiment, at the time the user arrives at the image forming apparatus1, since the image forming apparatus1is in a state of already executing the print job or already storing the print job of the user, time until the completion of the execution of the print job can be shortened.

Furthermore, even in the present embodiment, the application of the mobile terminal4may receive the map information from the server3if receiving the beacon transmitted by the image forming apparatus1. Then, the application may display the map screen200for displaying the status of the image forming apparatus1which is a map screen indicating the position of the image forming apparatus1on the basis of the map information.