Claims
- 1. An information processing device connected to a plurality of printing devices and at least one terminal device via a network, comprising:
advice data creating means for creating advice data based on print data and command data, the print data being related to each of the plurality of the printing devices, and the command data being related to print commands outputted from the terminal device to the plurality of printing devices.
- 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising selecting criteria means for selecting criteria for creating advice data, wherein the advice data creating means creates the advice data based on the criteria for creating advice data selected by the criteria selecting means.
- 3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the criteria for creating advice data includes at least one of a first criteria related to a load on at least one of the plurality of printer devices and a second criteria related to cost of at least one of the plurality of printer devices.
- 4. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the advice data creating means includes:
load calculating means for calculating a load on at least one of the plurality of printing devices based on the printing data and the command data when a first criteria related to a load on at least one of the plurality of printer devices is selected; and data creating means for creating advice data to reduce the load of the at least one of the plurality of printer devices.
- 5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the advice data created by the advice data creating means recommends changing a layout of the plurality of printer devices.
- 6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the advice data created by the advice data creating means recommends replacing a position of a predetermined printer device with a position of another printer device.
- 7. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the command data includes the number of printed pages per unit time in each of the plurality of printing devices (P), and the load calculating means calculates the load based on the number of printed pages per unit time.
- 8. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the print data includes printing speed of each of the plurality of printing devices, and the load calculating means calculates the load based on the printing speed.
- 9. The information processing device according to claim 7, wherein the advice data creating means further includes upper limit establishing means for establishing an upper load limit value and comparing means for comparing the established upper load limit value with the calculated load, and the data creating means creates advice data when the calculated load exceeds the upper load limit value.
- 10. The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the upper load limit value is established by a user by using the upper limit establishing means.
- 11. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the print data includes a tray size of a paper supply tray of each of the plurality of printing devices, and
the load calculating means calculates a ratio of the tray size to the number of printed pages per unit time as the load of each printing device.
- 12. The information processing device according to claim 11, wherein the load calculating means includes:
pre-exchange load calculating means for calculating a sum of a first load and a second load as a pre-exchange load, the first load being imposed on a first printing device in which a first paper supply tray is inserted, and the second load being imposed on a second printing device in which a second paper supply tray is inserted; and post-exchange load calculating means for calculating a sum of a third load and a forth load as a post-exchange load, the third load being imposed on the first printing device in which the second paper supply tray is inserted, and the forth load being imposed on the second printing device in which the first paper supply tray is inserted; wherein the data creating means creates advice data to recommend an exchange of the first and second paper supply trays if the post-exchange load is less than the pre-exchange load.
- 13. The information processing device according to claim 12, wherein the data creating means creates advice data to recommend the exchange of the first and second paper supply trays when a type of the first paper supply tray is identical with a type of the second paper supply tray.
- 14. The information processing device according to claim 12, wherein the data creating means creates advice data to recommend an exchange of layout positions of the first and second printing devices when a type of the first paper supply tray is different from a type of the second paper supply tray.
- 15. The information processing device according to claim 12, wherein the advice data creating means further includes effect calculating means for subtracting the post-exchange load from the pre-exchange load to obtain an effect, the data creating means creates advice data to recommend the exchange of the paper supply trays to maximize the calculated effect.
- 16. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the command data includes an amount of toner consumption per unit time in each of the plurality of printing devices, and the print data includes a toner capacity in each of the plurality of printing devices.
- 17. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the advice data created by the advice data creating means recommends the terminal device to switch an output destination of the print commands from a predetermined printing device to another printing device.
- 18. The information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the advice data creating means further includes error establishing means for establishing an error value, and
when a difference between a device performance of the given printing device and a device performance of the another printing device is equal to or less than the established error value, the advice data creating means creates advice data.
- 19. The information processing device according to claim 18, wherein the device performance includes at least a printing speed of each of the plurality of printing devices.
- 20. The information processing device according to claim 18, wherein the error value is established by a user by using the error establishing means.
- 21. The information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the advice data recommends a terminal device or a user thereof to change an output destination, the terminal device or the user having printing the largest volume among the predetermined printing devices.
- 22. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the advice data creating means creates advice data to correct an uneven distribution of loads among the plurality of printing devices.
- 23. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the advice data creating means creates advice data to decrease loads on the plurality of printing devices to an average load or less.
- 24. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the advice data creating means includes:
cost calculating means for calculating a cost required for at least one of the plurality of printing devices based on the printing data and the command data when a second criteria related to cost of at least one of the plurality of the printing devices is selected; and data creating means for creating advice data to reduce the cost of the at least one of the plurality of printing devices.
- 25. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
notice destination establishing means for establishing a notice destination; and notifying means for notifying the advice data to the established notice destination.
- 26. The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising exception period establishing means for establishing an exception period, wherein the advice data creating means ignores command data related to print commands outputted during the established exception period and creates advice data.
- 27. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the command data includes log data.
- 28. An information processing device connected to at least two printing device groups and at least one terminal device via a network, each of the at least two printing device groups having a plurality of printing devices, comprising:
group load calculating means for calculating a load on each of the at least two printing device groups based on print data related to the plurality of printing devices and command data related to print commands outputted from the terminal device; and advice data creating means for creating advice data to reduce a load on at least one of the printing device groups.
- 29. The information processing device according to claim 28, wherein the command data includes the number of printed pages of each of the at least two printing device groups, the print data includes a printing speed of each of the at least two printing device groups, the group load calculating means calculates a ratio of the printing speed to the number of printed pages of the printing device group as the load on the printing device group.
- 30. The information processing device according to claim 29, wherein the number of printed pages of the printing device group is a sum of printed pages per unit time of each printing device belonging to the printing device group, and
the printing speed of the printing device group is a sum of printing speed of each printing device belonging to the printing device group.
- 31. The information processing device according to claim 29, wherein the advice data creating means creates advice data to recommend an exchange of layout positions of a first printing device and a second printing device, the first printing device belonging to a first printing device group, and the second printing device belonging to a second printing device group.
- 32. The information processing device according to claim 28, wherein the advice data creating means creates advice data to recommend one of the at least two printing device groups to install a new printing device.
- 33. A network printing system comprising: an information processing device; a plurality of printing devices; at least one terminal device: and a network for connecting the information processing device, the plurality of printing devices, and the at least one terminal devices, wherein the information processing device comprises:
advice data creating means for creating advice data based on print data related to each of the plurality of printing devices and command data related to print commands outputted from the terminal devices to the printing devices.
- 34. A computer program for an information processing device implementing:
a function for acquiring print data related to a plurality of printing devices; a function for acquiring command data related to print commands outputted from the terminal device to the at least one of the plurality of printing devices; and an advice data creating function for creating advice data based on the print data and the command data.
- 35. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data based on the print data, the command data, and selected criteria for creating advice.
- 36. The computer program according to claim 35, wherein the criteria for creating advice includes at least one of a first criteria and a second criteria, the first criteria being related to a load on the printing device, and the second criteria being related to a cost of the printing device.
- 37. The computer program according to claim 35, wherein the advice data creating function includes:
a load calculating function for calculating a load on at least one of the plurality of printing devices based on the print data and the command data when the first criteria is selected; and a data creating function for creating advice data to reduce the load of the at least one of the plurality of printing devices.
- 38. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the advice data created by the advice data creating function recommends changing a layout of the plurality of printing devices.
- 39. The computer program according to claim 38, wherein the advice data created by the advice data creating function recommends exchanging positions of a predetermined printing device and another printing device.
- 40. The computer program according to claim 37, wherein the command data includes the number of printed pages per unit time in each of the plurality of printing devices, and the load calculating function calculates the load based on the number of printed pages per unit time.
- 41. The computer program according to claim 40, wherein the print data includes a printing speed of each of the plurality of printing devices, and the load calculating function calculates the load based on the printing speed.
- 42. The computer program according to claim 40, wherein the advice data creating function further includes an upper limit value establishing function for establishing an upper load limit value, and a comparing function for comparing the established upper load limit value and the calculated load, and the data creating function creates advice data when the calculated load exceeds the upper load limit value.
- 43. The computer program according to claim 42, wherein the upper load limit value is established by a user by using the upper limit value establishing means.
- 44. The computer program according to claim 40, wherein the print data includes a tray size of a paper supply tray of each of the plurality of printing devices, and
the load calculating function calculates a ratio of the tray size to the number of printed pages per unit time as the load of each of the plurality of printing devices.
- 45. The computer program according to claim 44, wherein the load calculating function includes:
a pre-exchange load calculating function for calculating a sum of a first load and a second load as a pre-exchange load, the first load being imposed on a first printing device in which a first paper supply tray is inserted, and the second load being imposed on a second printing device in which a second paper supply tray is inserted; and a post-exchange load calculating function for calculating a sum of a third load and a forth load as a post-exchange load, the third load being imposed on the first printing device in which the second paper supply tray is inserted, and the forth load being imposed on the second printing device in which the first paper supply tray is inserted, and the data creating function creates advice data to recommend an exchange of the paper supply trays when the post-exchange load is less than the pre-exchange load.
- 46. The computer program according to claim 45, wherein the data creating function creates advice data to recommend an exchange of the first and second paper supply trays when a type of the first paper supply tray is identical to a type of the second paper supply tray.
- 47. The computer program according to claims 44, wherein the data creating function creates advice data to recommend an exchange of layout positions of the first and second printing devices when a type of the first paper supply tray is different from a type of the second paper supply tray.
- 48. The computer program according to claim 45, wherein the advice data creating function further includes an effect calculating function for subtracting the post-exchange load from the pre-exchange load to calculate an effect, and the advice data creating function creates advice data to recommend the exchange of the paper supply trays to maximize the calculated effect.
- 49. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the command data includes an amount of toner consumption per unit time in each of the plurality of printing devices, and the print data includes a toner capacity of each of the plurality of printing devices.
- 50. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data to recommend the terminal device to change an output destination of the print commands from a predetermined printing device to another printing device.
- 51. The computer program according to claim 50, wherein the advice data creating function further includes an error establishing function for establishing an error value, when a difference between a device performance of the predetermined printing device and a device performance of the another printing device is equal to or less than the established error value, the advice data creating means creates advice data.
- 52. The computer program according to claim 51, wherein the device performance includes at least a printing speed of each of the plurality of printing devices.
- 53. The computer program according to claim 51, wherein the error value is established by a user by using the error establishing means.
- 54. The computer program according to claim 50, wherein the advice data recommends a terminal device or a user thereof to change an output destination, the terminal device or the user having printing the largest volume among the predetermined printing devices.
- 55. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data to correct an uneven distribution of loads on the plurality of printing devices.
- 56. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data to reduce the loads on the plurality of printing devices to an average load or less.
- 57. The computer program according to claim 35, wherein the advice data creating function includes;
a cost calculating function for calculating cost required for at least one of the printing devices based on the print data and the command data when a second criteria related to a cost of at least one of the plurality of printing devices is selected; and data creating function creates advice data to reduce the cost of the at least one of the plurality of printing devices.
- 58. The computer program according to claim 34, further implementing a destination establishing function for establishing a destination, and notification function for notifying the advice data to the established destination.
- 59. The computer program according to claim 34, further implementing an exception period establishing function for establishing an exception period, wherein the advice data creating function ignores the command data related to the print commands outputted during the established exception period and creates advice data.
- 60. The computer program according to claim 34, wherein the command data includes log data.
- 61. A computer program controlling an information processing device connected to at least one terminal device and at least two printing device groups via a network, each of the at least two printing device groups having a plurality of printing devices, implementing on the information processing device,
a function for acquiring print data related to the plurality of printing devices; a function for acquiring command data related to print commands outputted from the terminal device; a group load calculating function for calculating a load on each of the at least two printing device groups based on the print data and the command data; and an advice data creating function for creating advice data to reduce the load on at least one of the printing device groups.
- 62. The computer program according to claim 61, wherein the command data includes the number of printed pages of each of the printing device groups, the print data includes a printing speed of each of the printing device groups, and the group load calculating function calculates a ratio of the printing speed to the number of printed pages of each of the printing device group as the load on the printing device group.
- 63. The computer program according to claim 62, wherein the number of printed pages of the printing device group is a sum of the number of printed pages per unit time by each printing device belonging to the printing device group, and the printing speed of the printing device group is a sum of a printing speed of each printing device belonging to the printing device group.
- 64. The computer program according to claim 61, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data to recommend exchanging layout positions of a first printing device and a second printing device, the first printing device belonging to a first printing device group, and the second printing device belonging to a second printing device group.
- 65. The computer program according to claim 61, wherein the advice data creating function creates advice data to recommend installation of a new printing device to one of the printing device groups.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2002-003745 |
Jan 2002 |
JP |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is continuation-in-part based upon International Application No. PCT/JP03/00174 filed on Jan. 10, 2003 by Sunao Kawai et al., which designates the United States and is not published in English language, and claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-3745 filed on Jan. 10, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/JP03/00174 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Child |
10886682 |
Jul 2004 |
US |