Output requesting apparatus, output apparatus, and computer program product

Abstract

An output requesting apparatus is connected via a network to an output apparatus and a position-management server. In the output requesting apparatus, a receiving unit receives, from the position-management server, user-position information, apparatus-position information, and a map image. Based on the user-position information and the apparatus-position information, a display control unit arranges a user symbol, an apparatus symbol, and a data symbol in the map image to display the map image. An input unit receives input to select the user symbol, the apparatus symbol, and the data symbol. A transmitting unit transmits, to the output apparatus corresponding to the apparatus symbol, a command to output data corresponding to the data symbol, and information including identification information of a user corresponding to the user symbol.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a position management database shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an example of contents of a tag-signal management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an example of contents of a tag-ID-position management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A is an example of contents of a printer-information management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5B is an example of contents of a printer-ability management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an example of contents of a map-information management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an example of contents of a user-information management table shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8A is an example of a map image that depicts a people, PCs, and printers laid out therein displayed on a display screen of a monitor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8B is an example of a layout image in which ability information of printers is displayed;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a printing process according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of a printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a printing process according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of a printing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a printing process according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a functional block diagram of a printing system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a printing process according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic of a cellular phone for explaining an example when the cellular phone is used for authentication;

FIG. 17 is a schematic for explaining a layout displayed on a monitor by a printing system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 18 is a diagram of a hardware configuration of devices of the printing systems according to the first to fifth embodiments.

Claims

1. An output requesting apparatus that is connected via a network to an output apparatus and a position-management server that manages user-position information indicating a position of a user and apparatus-position information indicating a position of the output apparatus, the output requesting apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores therein data;a receiving unit that receives, from the position-management server, the user-position information, the apparatus-position information, and a map image that indicates an area where the output apparatus is installable;a display control unit that arranges a user symbol indicating the user, an apparatus symbol indicating the output apparatus, and a data symbol indicating the data in the map image based on the user-position information and the apparatus-position information, and displays the map image on a display unit;an input unit that receives input to select the user symbol, the apparatus symbol, and the data symbol in the map image; anda transmitting unit that transmits, to the output apparatus corresponding to the apparatus symbol, an output command to output the data corresponding to the data symbol, and notification-destination information including identification information of the user corresponding to the user symbol.

2. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit receives notification on data output based on notification-destination information issued by another output requesting apparatus.

3. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit receives output-start notification from the output apparatus.

4. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit receives output-start notification from the other output requesting apparatus.

5. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit receives output-state notification from the output apparatus.

6. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving unit receives output-end notification from the output apparatus.

7. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits reservation information indicating a reservation of the output command to the output apparatus.

8. The output requesting apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a reserving unit that generates the reservation information including identification information of the output apparatus and time information indicating a time to execute the output command.

9. An output apparatus that is connected via a network to a first output requesting apparatus and a second output requesting apparatus, the output apparatus comprising: an output device that performs output processing; andan output managing device that is connected to the output device via the network and instructs the output device to perform the output processing, whereinthe output managing device includes a driver storage unit that stores therein output driver software;a first receiving unit that receives, from the first output requesting apparatus, an output command to output data and notification-destination information including identification information of a user of the second output requesting apparatus;a driver selecting unit that selects output driver software corresponding to the output device from the driver storage unit;an output-data generating unit that generates output data from the data by executing the output driver software; anda first transmitting unit that transmits the output data and the notification-destination information to the output device, and transmits notification on data output to the second output requesting apparatus based on the notification-destination information, andthe output device includes a second receiving unit that receives the output data and the notification-destination information;an output unit that outputs the output data; anda second transmitting unit that transmits notification on the data output to the second output requesting apparatus based on the notification-destination information.

10. The output apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first transmitting unit transmits output-start notification to the second output requesting apparatus before the driver selecting unit selects the output driver software.

11. The output apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second transmitting unit transmits output-state notification to the second output requesting apparatus while the output data is being output.

12. The output apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second transmitting unit transmits output-end notification to the second output requesting apparatus after completion of the data output.

13. The output apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first receiving unit receives reservation information indicating a reservation of the output command from the first output requesting apparatus, andthe output managing device further includes a timing unit that controls at least one of the driver selecting unit, the output-data generating unit, and the first transmitting unit based on the reservation information.

14. The output apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reservation information includes time information indicating a time to execute the output command, andthe timing unit controls, at the time or upon elapse of the time, the driver selecting unit to select the output driver software for generating the output data.

15. The output apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the output device further includes an authentication-information receiving unit that receives user identification information unique to the user,the second transmitting unit transmits the user identification information to the output managing device,the output managing device further includes an authenticating unit that authenticates the user based on the user identification information, andthe timing unit controls, when authentication is successful, the driver selecting unit to select the output driver software for generating the output data.

16. The output apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the output device further includes: an authentication-information receiving unit that receives user identification information unique to the user; andan authenticating unit that authenticates the user based on the user identification information,the second transmitting unit transmits a result of authentication to the output managing device, andthe timing unit controls, when the authentication is successful, the driver selecting unit to select the output driver software for generating the output data.

17. A computer program product used in a system in which an output requesting apparatus is connected via a network to an output apparatus and a position-management server that manages user-position information indicating a position of a user of another output requesting apparatus and apparatus-position information indicating a position of the output apparatus, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the medium that, when executed, cause a computer to execute: receiving, from the position-management server, the user-position information, the apparatus-position information, and a map image that indicates an area where the output apparatus is installable;arranging a user symbol indicating the user, an apparatus symbol indicating the output apparatus, and a data symbol indicating data in the map image based on the user-position information and the apparatus-position information;displaying the map image;receiving input to select the user symbol, the apparatus symbol, and the data symbol in the map image; andtransmitting, to the output apparatus corresponding to the apparatus symbol, a command to output the data corresponding to the data symbol, and notification-destination information including identification information of the user.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the computer readable program codes, when executed, further cause a computer to execute transmitting reservation information indicating a reservation of the command to the output apparatus.