US 8,553,267 B2Granted

Image forming system

AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsTakuya Katsuki, Takashi Nakagawa

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Abstract

If the user of an information processor enters into it a performance request to perform a job and a notification request to notify one or more other information processors of batch processing for the job, this processor transmits the performance and notification requests to a management apparatus. When the management apparatus receives the requests, the apparatus transmits to that processor or those processors a batch m processing notification inviting it or them to transmit to the apparatus a performance request to perform a job. If, within a specified length of time after the notification transmission, the management apparatus receives from that processor or at least one of those processors a performance request to perform a job, the apparatus transmits to an image forming apparatus the jobs which the image forming apparatus is requested to perform. Then, the image forming apparatus performs the jobs by means of batch processing.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An image forming system comprising:

a plurality of information processors each including a displaying means;
a management apparatus connected to the information processors;
the management apparatus including a receiving means for receiving from any one of the information processors a performance request to perform a job;
the management apparatus further including a batch processing notifying means;
and
an image forming apparatus connected to the management apparatus for receiving the job from the management apparatus and performing the received job;
wherein, when the receiving means receives the performance request, the batch processing notifying means transmits to at least one of the other information processors a batch processing notification inviting said at least one of the other processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job;
wherein, when said at least one of the other processors receives the batch processing notification, the associated displaying means displays information that said at least one of the other processors is invited to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job,
wherein the image forming apparatus includes;
an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of paper;
a controlling means for turning off the image forming means if the controlling means waits for a job for a time longer than a specified value;
and
an information transmitting means for transmitting switching information to the management apparatus, the switching information indicating that the image forming means is not supplied with power;
and
wherein if, after the receiving means of the management apparatus receives the switching information, the receiving means receives from one of the information processors a performance request to perform a job, the batch processing notifying means of the management apparatus transmits to at least one of the other processors a batch processing notification inviting said at least one of the other processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job.

12 more elements

An image forming system comprising:

a plurality of information processors each including a displaying means;
a management apparatus connected to the information processors;
the management apparatus including a receiving means for receiving from any one of the information processors a performance request to perform a job;
the management apparatus further including a batch processing notifying means;
and
an image forming apparatus connected to the management apparatus for receiving the job from the management apparatus and performing the received job;
wherein, when the receiving means receives the performance request, the batch processing notifying means transmits to at least one of the other information processors a batch processing notification inviting said at least one of the other processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job;
wherein, when said at least one of the other processors receives the batch processing notification, the associated displaying means displays information that said at least one of the other processors is invited to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job,
wherein each of the information processors further includes:
an entering means where a performance request to perform a job can be entered with or without a notification request to notify at least one of the other information processors of batch processing;
and
a transmitting means for transmitting the performance and notification requests to the management apparatus if the performance request is entered with the notification request at the entering means;
and
wherein, when the receiving means of the management apparatus receives the performance and notification requests, the batch processing notifying means of the management apparatus transmits to said at least one of the other processors a batch processing notification inviting said at least one of the other processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job.

11 more elements

An image forming system comprising:

a plurality of information processors each including a displaying means;
a management apparatus connected to the information processors;
the management apparatus including a receiving means for receiving from any one of the information processors a performance request to perform a job;
the management apparatus further including a batch processing notifying means;
and
an image forming apparatus connected to the management apparatus for receiving the job from the management apparatus and performing the received job;
wherein, when the receiving means receives the performance request, the batch processing notifying means transmits to at least one of the other information processors a batch processing notification inviting said at least one of the other processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job;
wherein, when said at least one of the other processors receives the batch processing notification, the associated displaying means displays information that said at least one of the other processors is invited to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job,
wherein the management apparatus further includes a batch processing storing means;
wherein, if the batch processing notifying means transmits to at least one of the other processors the batch process notification, the batch processing storing means stores the job for which the notification was transmitted to said at least one of the other processors and said at least one of the other processors in relation to the job;
and
wherein, if the receiving means of the management apparatus receives from one of the information processors a performance request to perform a job, the batch processing notifying means of the management apparatus transmits, to the information processor or processors associated with a job stored in the batch processing storing means and related to the job for which the receiving means has received the performance request, a batch processing notification inviting the associated processor or processors to transmit to the management apparatus a performance request to perform a job.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/065,925Filed 1 Apr 2011
Priority: JP 2010-0863852 Apr 2010
Published: US 2011/0242596 A16 Oct 2011
Granted: 8 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04N 1/00344
Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture…:…
G06F 3/1221
Reducing or saving of used resources, e.g. avoiding waste of consumables or improving usage of hardware resources: with regard to power consumption
G06F 3/1262
Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device: by grouping or ganging jobs
G06F 3/1268
Print job management: job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself