Image forming system for tandem printing and user notification

A control apparatus of an image forming system, the control apparatus comprising:

• an interface which performs data communications with another device connected to a network;
• a management table which manages an operation state of each of image forming apparatuses connected to the network;
• and
• a controller which, when a printing request for a tandem print job that corresponds to one print job that is distributed to the image forming apparatuses to complete the one print job, is received, prepares a schedule in which the tandem print job is distributed to the image forming apparatuses connected to the network based on the operation state of each of the image forming apparatuses, and transmits a content of the printing that is executed by each of the image forming apparatuses according to the schedule and wherein the controller causes a user to designate the user's desired ending time of the tandem print job when the tandem print job is received, and causes another print job to interrupt the tandem print job if an estimated ending time is earlier than the desired ending time designated by the user when a printing request for the print job is received during execution of the tandem print job.

A control apparatus of an image forming system, the control apparatus comprising:

• an interface which performs data communications with another device connected to a network;
• a management table which manages an operation state of each of image forming apparatuses connected to the network;
• and
• a controller which, when a printing request for a tandem print job that corresponds to one print job that is distributed to the image forming apparatuses to complete the one print job, is received, prepares a schedule in which the tandem print job is distributed to the image forming apparatuses connected to the network based on the operation state of each of the image forming apparatuses, and transmits a content of the printing that is executed by each of the image forming apparatuses according to the schedule,
• wherein the controller provides an originator of the tandem print job with options of combinations of image forming apparatuses to execute the tandem print job, and prepares a schedule of the tandem print job in accordance with one of the options selected by the image forming apparatuses or the external device, and
• wherein the controller provides estimated ending time of the tandem print job corresponding to the options of combinations.

A method of controlling an image forming system, the method comprising:

• preparing a schedule in which a tandem print job that corresponds to one print job that is distributed to a plurality of image forming apparatuses to complete the one print job, is distributed to the plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to a network based on an operation state of each of the image forming apparatuses when a printing request for the tandem print job is received;
• transmitting a content of the printing to be executed by each of the image forming apparatuses based on the schedule, to each of the image forming apparatuses;
• causing a user to designate user's desired ending time of the tandem print job when the tandem print job is received;
• and
• causing another print job to interrupt the tandem print job if an estimated ending time is earlier than the user's desired ending time when the print job is received under execution of the tandem print job.