Multi-functional image processing apparatus

A data processing method comprising the steps of:

• a) inputting job instructions;
• b) storing the job instructions inputted in said step (a) into a memory;
• c) determining an order of execution of a plurality of jobs, wherein said step (c) includes the step (c-1) of discriminating whether a job corresponding to a job instruction inputted in said step (a) can be executed or cannot be executed as a result of an error status before starting to execute the job, and a step (c-2) of skipping a job which is discriminated to be inexecutable as a result of the error status in the step (c-1);
• and
• d) informing of an inexecutable function of the job skipped in the step (c-2) to an instruction source that issued the job instruction inputted in said step (a).

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting job instructions;
• a memory for storing a plurality of job instructions inputted by said input means;
• determining means for determining an execution order of a plurality of jobs based on the job instructions inputted by said input means, wherein said determining means includes discrimination means for discriminating whether a job according to a job instruction inputted by said input means can be executed or cannot be executed as a result of an error status before starting to execute the job, and skipping means for skipping a job which is discriminated to be inexecutable by the discrimination means as a result of the error status;
• and
• notification means for informing of an inexecutable function of the job skipped in by the skipping means to an instruction source that issued the job instruction inputted by said input means.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting job instructions;
• a memory for storing a plurality of job instructions inputted by said input means;
• and
• determining means for determining an execution order of a plurality of jobs based on the job instructions inputted by said input means, wherein said determining means includes discrimination means for discriminating whether or not a job according to a job instruction inputted by said input means can be executed before starting to execute the job, and skipping means for skipping a job which is discriminated to be inexecutable by the discrimination means,
• wherein the job instruction inputted by said input means includes a priority condition for giving a priority to a corresponding job, and
• wherein, when the priority condition is that a cost required for executing of image processing should be relatively low, said determining means determines the execution order such that a job given priority is executed during lower cost hours.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting a job instruction including a priority condition;
• discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the job instruction inputted by said input means includes an indication for reducing a processing cost of a corresponding job;
• and
• determination means for determining an execution order of jobs corresponding to job instructions inputted by said input means such that a cost of the corresponding job is reduced, when said discrimination means discriminates that the job instruction includes the indication for reducing the processing cost.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting a job instruction for a corresponding job;
• setting means for setting a mode in which a change of contents of the corresponding job is allowed in accordance with a kind of job corresponding to the job instruction inputted by said input means;
• discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the job corresponding to the job instruction inputted by said input means can be executed;
• and
• control means for changing contents of a job discriminated to be inexecutable by said discrimination means when the mode is set by said setting means.

A data processing method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a job instruction including a priority condition;
• discriminating whether or not the job instruction inputted in said inputting step includes an indication for reducing a processing cost of a corresponding job;
• and
• determining an execution order of jobs according to job instructions inputted in said inputting step such that the cost of the corresponding job is reduced, when said discrimination step discriminates that the job instruction includes the indication for reducing the processing cost.

A data processing method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a job instruction for a corresponding job;
• setting a mode in which a change of contents of the corresponding job is allowed in accordance with a kind of job corresponding to the job instruction inputted in said inputting step;
• discriminating whether or not the job corresponding to the job instruction inputted in said inputting step can be executed;
• and
• changing contents of a job discriminated to be inexecutable in said discriminating step when the mode is set in said setting step.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a method for controlling a data processing apparatus, the program comprising:

• program code for an input step of inputting job instructions;
• program code for a storage step of storing the job instructions inputted in the input step into a memory;
• program code for as discrimination step of discriminating whether a job corresponding to a job instruction inputted in the input step can be executed or cannot be executed as a result of an error status before starting to execute the job;
• program code for a determination step of determining an order of execution of a plurality of jobs, wherein the determination step includes a job-skip step of skipping a job which is discriminated to be inexecutable as a result of the error status in said discriminating step;
• and
• program code for a notification step of informing of an inexecutable function of the job skipped in the job-skip step to an instruction source that issued the job instruction inputted in the input step.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a method for controlling a data processing apparatus, the program comprising:

• program code for an input step of inputting a job instruction including a priority condition;
• program code for a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not the job instruction inputted in the input step includes an indication for reducing a cost of a corresponding job;
• and
• program code for a determination step of determining an execution order of jobs according to job instructions inputted in the input step such that the cost of the corresponding job is reduced when the discrimination step discriminates that the job instruction includes the indication for reducing the cost.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a method for controlling a data processing apparatus, the program comprising:

• program code for an input step of inputting a job instruction for a corresponding job;
• program code for a mode setting step of setting a mode in which a change of contents of the corresponding job is allowed in accordance with the kind of job corresponding to the job instruction inputted in the input step;
• program code for a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not the job corresponding to the job instruction inputted in the input step can be executed;
• and
• program code for a change step of changing contents of a job discriminated to be inexecutable in the discrimination step when the mode is set in the mode setting step.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a method for controlling a data processing apparatus, the program comprising:

• program code for an input step of inputting job instructions;
• program code for a storage step of storing the job instructions inputted in the input step into a memory;
• and
• program code for a determination step of determining an order of execution of a plurality of jobs, wherein the determination step includes a discrimination step of discriminating whether or not a job corresponding to a job instruction inputted in the input step can be executed before starting to execute the job, and a job-skip step of skipping a job which is discriminated to be inexecutable in the discrimination step,
• wherein the job instruction inputted in the input step includes a priority condition for giving a priority to a corresponding job, and
• wherein, in the determination step, when the priority condition is that a cost required for execution of image processing should be relatively low, the job execution order is determined such that a job given priority is executed during lower cost hours.