Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Data corruption – power interruption – or print prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2002-10-29
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Data corruption, power interruption, or print prevention
C358S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473192
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing control apparatus, paratus, a printing control method and a storage medium storing a program capable of being read by a computer, in which printing processing of a printing unit is controlled by analyzing printing information received from a data processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a printing system to which a printing control apparatus of this kind can be applied, when an error is generated during processing of received data, intervention of an operator is awaited by displaying an error state on a display unit of the printing apparatus, or printing processing is continued by automatically skipping the error by fault continuation means determined at each of processing steps, comprising input, development and output steps, when a preassigned time period has elapsed after the error state.
Since the conventional printing control apparatus is configured in the above-described manner, printing cannot be performed until an operator comes while displaying the error state. Accordingly, for example, when a printing apparatus is shared, continuously transmitted data cannot be processed, resulting in large delay in printing.
Even if error skip is automatically performed, normal printing is not guranteed because the basic cause of the error in printing data is not removed. Accordingly, for example, a disturbed image output is obtained in the case of an error in development, output using a sheet of an erroneous size may be obtained in the case of an error of no sheets, or output of blurred printing is obtained in the case of consumption of toner.
In the conventional printing apparatus, for example, when processing cannot be continued because, for example, there is no sheet to be fed, a normal printing result cannot be guaranteed due to an insufficient memory capacity, or an assigned font is not mounted, the apparatus shifts to an error state, where, for example, the operator's instruction of continuation/interruption of printing, or the operator's operation of setting sheets is awaited.
In such cases, even if a succeeding job is present and can be processed with no problem, the printing apparatus interrupts processing. Accordingly, all of succeeding jobs are made in a waiting state. Hence, particularly when the printing apparatus is used on a network by a plurality of users, it is very inconvenient to use th e apparatus.
For example, in a printer where only A4-size sheets are eset, if a job J
1
requiring A3-size sheets and a job J
2
requiring A4-size sheets are spooled and processed in this sequence, an error requesting A3-size sheets to the operator is generated because the job J
1
cannot be processed, and the process is interrupted.
In this case, although the spooled job J
2
can be processed with no problem, the processing of the job J
2
is held until the error due to the job J
1
is released.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing control apparatus, a printing control method and a storage medium storing a program capable of being read by a computer, in which when an error is generated during processing of printing information received from a data processing apparatus or each of data processing apparatuses, printing information is received from the data processing apparatus, serving as the source of transfer of the printing information, by releasing the error or notifying the data processing apparatus of information indicating cancel of a printing job. Even if each kind of error is generated during processing of the, received printing information, it is possible to provide a state of resuming reception of printing information from the data processing apparatus by executing error releasing processing corresponding to the type of the error. Hence, it is possible to shorten the time required for providing the data processing apparatus with a printable state, to reduce burden in error releasing processing, and to prevent stagnation of the succeeding printing job from the data processing apparatus.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a printing control apparatus, a data processing method for a printing control apparatus, a printing control system, a data processing method for a printing control system, and a storage medium storing a program capable of being read by a computer, in which even when a cause to interrupt printing is generated during processing of a preceding job, if the cause is a cause to interrupt printing which does not hinder execution of the succeeding job, succeeding jobs are preferentially and sequentially executed. Hence, even if a cause to interrupt printing is generated while executing jobs received in advance, succeeding jobs capable of being processed are sequentially processed in accordance with the cause to interrupt printing. As a result, succeeding jobs can be efficiently processed by preventing a state in which all of succeeding jobs are held due to a cause to interrupt printing peculiar to the preceding job.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a printing control apparatus capable of communicating with a data processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium. The printing control apparatus includes detection means for detecting an error for a printing job based on printing information received from the data processing apparatus, determination means for determining a type of the error detected by the detection means, releasing means for executing error releasing processing based on the type of the error determined by the determination means, and control means for cancelling the printing job after the error releasing processing by the releasing means.
In an embodiment, the control means notifies a source of transfer of the printing information of information relating to the cancel of the printing job.
In another embodiment, the control means notifies a source of transfer of the printing information of the type of the error determined by the determination means.
In still another embodiment, the printing control apparatus further includes first setting means for setting a time-out value for performing notification of the type of the error. When a time period after the detection means has detected the error exceeds the time-out value set by the first setting means, the control means notifies a source of transfer of the printing information of the type of the error determined by the determination means.
In still another embodiment, the printing control apparatus further includes second setting means for setting a time-out value for performing notification of cancel information. When a time period after the detection means has detected the error exceeds the time-out value set by the second setting means, the control means notifies a source of transfer of the printing information of information relating to the cancel of the printing job.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a printing control apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of data processing apparatuses via a predetermined communication medium. The printing control apparatus includes detection means for detecting an error for a printing job based on printing information received from one of the data processing apparatuses, determination means for determining a type of the error detected by the detection means, releasing means for executing error releasing processing based on the type of the error determined by the determination means, and control means for cancelling the printing job after the error releasing processing by the releasing means.
In an embodiment, the control means notifies one of the data processing apparatuses of Information relating to the cancel of the printing job by identifying an apparatus where the printing inf
Asasaka Hidetoshi
Kidani Hideyuki
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Grant II Jerome
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