IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

This invention allows a user to immediately grasp the print status of a job only by inputting a print instruction of a job stored and held in an image forming apparatus. This invention also provides a user-friendly apparatus that notifies the user of a predicted time until completion of printing. For this purpose, the image forming apparatus of this invention has a touch panel formed on the display screen of the operation unit. A list of jobs registered in a Hold job list is displayed on the display screen. When the user selects at least one job and touches a “Test print” or “Print” button, the print job is registered in the print execution queue. Simultaneously, a list of unprinted print jobs registered in the print execution queue is automatically displayed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the system configuration according to the embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of a multi function peripheral (MFP) according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed arrangement of the control unit of the MFP according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of firmware that constructs the process of the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of the setting window of a printer driver executed by a host computer;

FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of the property setting window of the printer driver executed by the host computer;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the structure of job data generated by the printer driver;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are views showing a display example of a Box tab in the touch panel unit of the MFP according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a view showing a display example of a list of jobs registered in a selected box;

FIGS. 10A to 10D are views showing transition of a Box tab window;

FIG. 11 is a view showing a display example of a hold tab in the touch panel unit of the MFP according to the embodiment;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are views showing transition of a window when a job in the hold tab is selected;

FIG. 13 is a view showing a job management table managed by the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the main process of the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a Hold list display process executed by the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an active job list display process executed by the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a BOX list display process executed by the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an intra-BOX job list display process executed by the MFP control unit according to the embodiment;

FIGS. 19A and 19B are views showing window transition according to the second embodiment;

FIGS. 20A and 20B are views showing window transition according to the second embodiment; and

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a print process procedure registered in a print execution queue according to the embodiment.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a print medium on the basis of print job data received from an external device and outputting the image, comprising: a holding unit which holds a received print job in a memory unit;a first display unit which displays a list of print jobs held by said holding unit so as to allow a user to select a print job;a detection unit which detects input of a print instruction for a job selected by the user from the jobs in the list displayed by said first display unit;a registration unit which registers the job selected by the user in a print execution queue to execute a print process in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected by said detection unit; anda second display unit which displays a list of unprinted print jobs in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected by said detection unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second display unit displays a time required until completion of printing of each print job in the list of unprinted print jobs.

3. A control method of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a print medium on the basis of print job data received from an external device and outputting the image, comprising: a holding step of holding a received print job in a memory unit;a first display step of displaying a list of print jobs held in the holding step so as to allow a user to select a print job;a detection step of detecting input of a print instruction for a job selected by the user from the jobs in the list displayed in the first display step;a registration step of registering the job selected by the user in a print execution queue to execute a print process in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected in the detection step; anda second display step of displaying a list of unprinted print jobs in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected in the detection step.

4. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a print medium on the basis of print job data received from an external device and outputting the image, comprising: a determination unit which analyzes a received print job and determines whether the print job is a print job of a hold request or a print job of a print output request;a storing unit which analyzes the received print job and stores image data of each page of the print job in a memory unit;a first registration unit which registers, in a print execution queue to execute a print process, a job represented by image data of each page stored in the memory unit if said determination unit determines that the job is a print job of a print output request;a management unit which manages, as a job waiting for a print instruction request, the job represented by image data of each page stored in the memory unit if said determination unit determines that the job is a print job of a print output request;a first display unit which displays a list of jobs managed by said management unit so as to allow a user to select a job;a detection unit which detects input of a print instruction for a job selected by the user from the jobs in the list displayed by said first display unit;a second registration unit which registers the job selected by the user in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected by said detection unit; anda second display unit which displays a list of unprinted print jobs in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected by said detection unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second display unit displays a time required until completion of printing of each print job in the list of unprinted print jobs.

6. A control method of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a print medium on the basis of print job data received from an external device and outputting the image, comprising: a determination step of analyzing a received print job and determining whether the print job is a print job of a hold request or a print job of a print output request;a storing step of analyzing the received print job and storing image data of each page of the print job in a memory unit;a first registration step of registering, in a print execution queue to execute a print process, a job represented by image data of each page stored in the memory unit if it is determined in the determination step that the job is a print job of a print output request;a management step of managing, as a job waiting for a print instruction request, the job represented by image data of each page stored in the memory unit if it is determined in the determination step that the job is a print job of a print output request;a first display step of displaying a list of jobs managed in the management step so as to allow a user to select a job;a detection step of detecting input of a print instruction for a job selected by the user from the jobs in the list displayed in the first display step;a second registration step of registering the job selected by the user in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected in the detection step; anda second display step of displaying a list of unprinted print jobs in the print execution queue in accordance with the input of the print instruction detected in the detection step.