Patent ID: 8248641

Claim:
A printing device configured to print printing target data received from a host apparatus on a recording medium, the printing device connectable to a lower level printing device that is a different printing device arranged on a downstream side with respect to the host apparatus via a network, the printing device comprising: a withhold command issuing unit that causes the printing device to function as a dedicated printer upon a reception of a printer occupation command from the host apparatus and issues a withhold command to the lower level printing device to instruct the lower level printing device to withhold printing, wherein, when receiving the printer occupation command from the host apparatus, the withhold command issuing unit starts a session based on a response provided by each of a plurality of printers in response to the printer occupation command; a data sending unit that sends the printing target data to the lower level printing device; a printing unit that prints the printing target data on a recording medium on a page by page basis; and a data-delete command issuing unit that, for each printed page printed by the printing unit, issues a print data deleting command to the lower level printing device to instruct the lower level printing device to delete a portion of the printing target data corresponding to the printed page, wherein, when a printing of a last page is completed, the printing device receives a printer releasing command from the host apparatus, forwards the printer releasing command to each of the plurality of printers, receives a response from each of the plurality of printers, and sends the response to the host apparatus to end the session according to the response sent to the host apparatus.