Image forming apparatus with high operability

Abstract

A job including image data to be subjected to printing is transmitted from a user PC to an image forming apparatus. Upon execution of printing in the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus notifies the user PC of completion of printing. The image forming apparatus also saves the job subjected to printing after assigning an ID for saving to the job. A screen appears on the user PC to give notification of completion, with a button for giving an instruction for re-outputting. The user PC gives an instruction to re-output the job by pressing the button, so that the image forming apparatus does reprinting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative example of a configuration of an image forming system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an illustrative example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 that is MFP (Multi Function Peripheral).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an illustrative example of a functional configuration for performing a re-operation process in image forming apparatus 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an illustrative example of a hardware configuration of a user PC 5 realized by a general personal computer or the like.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an illustrative example of a functional configuration for performing a re-operation process in user PC 5.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a re-operation process performed in image forming apparatus 1.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a re-operation process performed in user PC 5.

FIG. 8 shows a process flow in an image forming system in accordance with a first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows an illustrative example of a screen giving notification of printing completion.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the content of reprocessing performed at step S115 in image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a process flow in an image forming system in accordance with a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows an illustrative example of a screen for changing print settings.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the content of reprocessing performed at step S115 in image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows an illustrative example of a screen for changing an output form.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the content of reprocessing performed at step S115 in image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with a third embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a re-operation process performed in image forming apparatus 1 in accordance with a modification.

FIG. 17 shows an illustrative example of a log-in screen.

FIG. 18 shows an illustrative example of a basic screen.

FIG. 19 shows an illustrative example of a screen in which a job list is displayed.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an output unit outputting first image data according to a first job;a holding unit holding said first image data even after completion of said first job; anda transmission unit transmitting data giving notification of completion of said first job and data for giving an instruction to re-output said first image data to an information processing apparatus, upon completion of an output according to said first job.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an instruction input unit inputting an instruction to re-output said first image data, wherein said output unit re-outputs said first image data held by said holding unit, in response to said instruction.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if a process of outputting second image data is being performed when said instruction is received, said output unit generates an interruption in the process of outputting said second image data to perform a process for re-outputting said first image data.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if a process of outputting second image data is being performed when said instruction is received, said output unit performs a process for re-outputting said first image data after termination of the process of outputting said second image data.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if a process of outputting second image data is waiting as a process to be performed when said instruction is received, said output unit performs a process for re-outputting said first image data after termination of the process of re-outputting said second image data.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said instruction input unit also inputs an instruction about a timing at which a process for re-outputting said first image data is performed, together with said instruction to re-output.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said instruction input unit is an operation unit provided for said image forming apparatus.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said holding unit holds said first image data together with information about a user who gives an instruction for said output,said image forming apparatus further comprising:an authentication unit performing user authentication based on log-in information input by said operation unit; anda presentation unit presenting a list of image data held in said holding unit together with information about an authenticated user and/or instruction means for presenting said list and giving an instruction to re-output said image data.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a management unit deleting said first image data held in said holding unit after a prescribed period of time has passed.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding unit holds said first image data even after a process of outputting second image data is performed after said first image data is output.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding unit assigns identification information to said first image data, andsaid transmission unit additionally gives notification of said identification information,said image forming apparatus further comprising a reception unit receiving an instruction to re-output said first image data using said identification information from said information processing apparatus, whereinsaid output unit re-outputs said first image data corresponding to said identification information included in said instruction received by said reception unit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission unit additionally transmits to said information processing apparatus an output condition that can be set at a time of re-outputting.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising: an output unit outputting first image data received from an information processing apparatus according to a first job;a transmission unit, upon completion of an output according to said first job, giving notification of completion of said output;a holding unit holding said first image data;a display unit displaying a screen for giving an instruction to re-output said first image data held in said holding unit; andan operation unit giving an instruction to re-output said first image data.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an authentication unit performing user authentication based on log-in information input by said operation unit, wherein said display unit displays said screen after said user authentication.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein if said holding unit holds said first image data and second image data as image data of which output has been completed by said output unit, said display unit displays a list of said first image data and said second image data on said screen.

16. An information processing apparatus comprising: a reception unit receiving, from an image forming apparatus that has output image data according to a job, data giving notification of completion of said job and data for giving an instruction to re-output said image data;a display unit displaying said data received by said reception unit on a screen; andan instruction unit instructing said image forming apparatus to re-output said image data according to said screen.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said instruction unit gives an instruction about an output condition different from an output condition in said output of said image data, as an output condition for re-outputting said image data.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said instruction unit additionally instructs said image forming apparatus about a timing at which a process for re-outputting said image data is performed, together with said re-outputting.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said reception unit receives information about an output condition that can be set at a time of re-outputting from said image forming apparatus, said information processing apparatus further comprising a presentation unit presenting said information, whereinsaid instruction unit gives an instruction about an output condition at a time of re-outputting of said image data based on presented said information.

20. An image processing program product causing a computer to perform image processing including the steps of: outputting image data according to ajob;performing a process for holding said image data even after completion of said job;transmitting data giving notification of completion of said job and data for giving an instruction to re-output said image data to an information processing apparatus, upon completion of an output according to said job;inputting an instruction to re-output said image data; andre-outputting held said image data, upon an input of said instruction to re-output said image data.

21. An image processing method comprising the steps of: outputting image data according to a job in an image forming apparatus;transmitting data giving notification of completion of said job and data for giving an instruction to re-output said image data to an information processing apparatus that has given an instruction to output said image data from said image forming apparatus, upon completion of an output according to said job;storing said image data in a holding unit even after completion of said job in said image forming apparatus;giving an instruction from said information processing apparatus to said image forming apparatus to re-output said image data, according to a screen displaying data giving notification of completion of said job and data for giving an instruction to re-output said image data; andre-outputting said image data according to said instruction in said image forming apparatus.