PRINT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, DATA MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND DATA MANAGEMENT METHOD

Abstract

A print management system, which is used for managing printing of document data using a printing unit adapted to form a print image on a printing medium, comprises a schedule storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event basis, schedule information containing the time and date of an event and identification information for the attendees of the event, a print status storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, print status information describing the print status of the document data, an input unit adapted to input user identification information, and a control unit adapted to identify, based on the schedule information and the print status information, document data to be printed depending on the user and controlling display of a screen prompting to print the identified document data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a topology diagram illustrating an exemplary system configuration.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary copy machine configuration.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the hardware configuration of an information processor.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of information managed on the schedule server.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an exemplary meeting summary table.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an exemplary individual meeting table.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating an exemplary presenter table.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating an exemplary participant table.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an exemplary meeting matrix.

FIG. 10A, 10B are schematic views illustrating an exemplary meeting matrix production process.

FIG. 11 is a figure schematically illustrating a display of information concerning a specific meeting selected by a user from a meeting list.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary meeting matrix.

FIGS. 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D are schematic views illustrating the way printing is performed if a portion of the meeting documentation has been printed out.

FIGS. 14A, 14B are diagrams illustrating exemplary displays of messages prompting users to register presentation documentation.

FIGS. 15A, 15B are diagrams illustrating exemplary displays of messages prompting users to print presentation documentation.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of basic processing.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of presenter confirmation processing.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating the flow of participant confirmation processing.

FIGS. 19A and 19B are diagrams illustrating a meeting matrix, in which a plurality of pieces of documentation can be registered by presenters.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary display used for the confirmation of re-printing.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an expanded individual meeting table.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system with a plurality of copy machines connected on a network.

Claims

1. A print management system for managing printing of document data, comprising: a schedule storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event basis, schedule information containing the time and date of an event and identification information for the attendees of the event;a print status storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, print status information describing the print status of the document data;an input unit adapted to input user identification information; anda control unit adapted to, based on the schedule information and the print status information, identify document data to be printed depending on the user, and to control display of a screen prompting the user to print the identified document data on a display unit.

2. The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising a timer unit for measuring time, wherein the control unit identifies the event within a predetermined period based on a comparison between the present moment measured by the timer unit and the time and date contained in the schedule information.

3. The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising an acquisition unit adapted to acquire a list of events the user is scheduled to attend based on a comparison between the user identification information and the attendee identification information contained in the schedule information, wherein the control unit carries out the display control and the identification of document data for the events contained in the acquired event list.

4. The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising an updating unit adapted to update the print status information based on print processing carried out in the print unit.

5. The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising a document storage unit adapted to store the document data, wherein the control unit, furthermore, identifies document data to be printed based on the update of the document data stored in the document storage unit.

6. The print management system according to claim 1, further comprising: a reception unit adapted to receive all the document data associated with a designated event for combined printing, anda print control unit adapted to, based on the print status information, identify document data that has not been printed by the user among the document data received for the combined printing by the reception unit, and to direct the printing unit to print the identified document data.

7. The print management system according to claim 6, in which the print control unit outputs information indicating that the printing of the document data printed by the user among the document data received for the combined printing by the reception unit has been completed.

8. A print management system according to claim 1 further comprising a document storage unit adapted to store document data.

9. A print management system according to claim 1 further comprising a registration status storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, registration status information describing the registration status of the document data; wherein the control unit determines, based on the schedule information and the registration status information, whether the user should register the document data, and controls display of a screen prompting to register the document data on a display unit if the data is supposed to be registered.

10. A data management device for managing printing of document data using a printing unit adapted to form a print image on a printing medium, comprising: a schedule storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event basis, schedule information containing the time and date of an event and identification information for the attendees of the event;a print status storage unit adapted to store, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, print status information describing the print status of the document data;an input unit adapted to input user identification information;a control unit adapted to, based on the schedule information and the print status information, identify document data to be printed depending on the user, and to control display of a screen prompting the user to print the identified document data on a display unit.

11. A data management device for managing printing of document data using a printing unit adapted to form a print image on a printing medium, comprising: an acquisition unit adapted to acquire schedule information containing, on a per-event basis, the time and date of an event and identification information on the attendees of the event, and print status information indicating, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, the print status of the document data,an input unit adapted to input user identification information;a control unit adapted to identify, based on the schedule information and the print status information, document data to be printed depending on the user and to control display of a screen prompting the user to print the identified document data on a display unit.

12. A data management method for managing printing of document data using a printing unit adapted to form a print image on a printing medium, comprising: acquiring schedule information containing, on a per-event basis, the time and date of an event and identification information on the attendees of the event, and print status information indicating, on a per-event and per-attendee basis, the print status of the document data;inputting user identification information; andbased on the schedule information and the print status information, identifying document data to be printed depending on the user and controlling display of a screen prompting the user to print the identified document data on a display unit.

13. A program stored in a storage medium which when loaded into a programmable processing apparatus and executed performs a method as claimed in claim 12.

14. A machine-readable storage medium having the program of claim 13 stored thereon.