Method and apparatus for executing load distributed printing

An information processing apparatus which can transmit a print job to a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising:

• a print queue setting unit configured to set one of a plurality of print queues corresponding to the plurality of printing apparatuses as a basic print queue and to set remaining print queues other than the basic print queue as backup print queues;
• a print job registration unit configured to register print job information in the basic print queue, the print job information including print data or information for linking to the print data;
• a backup job registration unit configured to generate backup job information corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic print queue and to register the backup job information in the backup print queues;
• a job control unit configured to, when the print job information registered in the basic queue is registered in each of the basic print queue and the backup print queues, preferentially output a print job corresponding to the print job information to a corresponding printing apparatus, and when no print job information is registered in the basic print queue, and only the backup job information is registered in the backup print queues, change the backup job information registered in the backup queues to print job information and output the print job to a corresponding printing apparatus;
• a detection unit configured to detect that an error has occurred in the printing apparatus, wherein, when the error has occurred in the printing apparatus, said backup job registration unit generates backup job information corresponding to the print job that is in the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred, and registers the generated backup job information in backup print queues corresponding to printing apparatuses other than the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred without removing the print job information registered in the basic print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted, wherein the backup job information includes information for linking to the print job information and does not include a body of print data;
• and
• a deleting unit configured to delete, in accordance with a recovery of the interrupted printing, the backup job information registered in the backup print queues by said registration unit, and to delete, in accordance with a schedule up of backup job information, the print job information registered in the basic print queue that corresponds to the printing apparatus which has interrupted printing.

A load distributed printing method in an information processing apparatus that includes a plurality of print queues each functioning as one of a backup print queue and a basic print queue and executes output to a printing apparatus based on print job information registered in the basic print queue with higher priority than backup job information registered in the backup print queue, comprising:

• an output step of outputting a print job in accordance with a schedule up by a schedule-up processing of print job information registered in the plurality of print queues, wherein the output step outputs, when print job information is registered in the basic print queue, a plurality of print jobs sequentially to the printing apparatus based on the print job information registered in the basic print queue, even if backup job information is registered in the backup print queue, and the output unit outputs, when print job information is not registered in the basic print queue, a plurality of print jobs sequentially to the printing apparatus based on a plurality of backup job information registered in the backup print queue;
• a registration step of, in accordance with an interruption of printing of print data based on print job information registered in the basic print queue, registering backup job information in backup print queues corresponding to a printing apparatus other than the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted without removing the print job information registered in the basic print queue that corresponds to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted, wherein the backup job information includes information for linking to the print job information and does not include a body of print data;
• and
• a deleting step of deleting, in accordance with a recovery of the interrupted printing, the backup job information registered in the backup print queues in said registration step, and deleting, in accordance with a schedule up of backup job information, the print job information registered in the basic print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted.

A load distributed printing method of executing printing while distributing a load to a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising:

• a print queue setting step of setting one of a plurality of print queues corresponding to the plurality of printing apparatuses as a basic print queue and setting remaining print queues other than the basic print queue as backup print queues;
• a print job registration step of registering print job information in the basic print queue, the print job information including print data or information for linking to the print data;
• a backup job registration step of generating backup job information corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic print queue and registering the backup job information in the backup print queues;
• a job control step of, when the print job information is registered in each of the basic print queue and the backup print queues, preferentially outputting a print job corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic queue to a corresponding printing apparatus, and, when no print job information is registered in the basic print queue, and only the backup job information is registered in the backup print queues, changing the backup job information registered in the backup queues to print job information and outputting the print job to a corresponding printing apparatus;
• a step of detecting that an error has occurred in the printing apparatus;
• a step of, when the error has occurred in the printing apparatus, generating backup job information that corresponds to the print job which exists in the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred, and registering the generated backup job information in the backup print queues corresponding to printing apparatuses other than the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred without removing the print job information registered in the basic print queue that corresponds to the printing apparatus which has interrupted printing, wherein the backup job information includes information for linking to the print job information and does not include a body of print data;
• and
• a deleting step of deleting, in accordance with a recovery of the interrupted printing, the backup job information registered in the backup print queues in said backup job registration step, and deleting, in accordance with a schedule up of backup job information, the print job information registered in the basic print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted.

A non-transitory storage medium storing, in executable form, a load distributed printing program that controls an information processing apparatus, which includes a plurality of print queues each functioning as one of a backup print queue and a basic print queue and executes output to a printing apparatus based on print job information registered in the basic print queue with higher priority than backup job information registered in the backup print queue, wherein the load distributed printing program executes:

• an output step of outputting a print job in accordance with a schedule up by a schedule-up processing of print job information registered in the plurality of print queues, wherein the output unit outputs, when print job information is registered in the basic print queue, a plurality of print jobs sequentially to the printing apparatus based on the print job information registered in the basic print queue, even if backup job information is registered in the backup print queue, and the output unit outputs, when print job information is not registered in the basic print queue, a plurality of print jobs sequentially to the printing apparatus based on a plurality of backup job information registered in the backup print queue;
• a registration step of, in accordance with an interruption of printing of print data based on print job information registered in the basic print queue, registering backup job information in backup print queues corresponding to a printing apparatus other than the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted without removing the print job information registered in the basic print queue that corresponds to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted, wherein the backup job information includes information for linking to the print job information and does not include a body of print data;
• and
• a deleting step of deleting, in accordance with a recovery of the interrupted printing, the backup job information registered in the backup print queues in said registration step, and deleting, in accordance with a schedule up of backup job information, the print job information registered in the basic print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted.

A non-transitory storage medium which stores, in executable form, a load distributed printing program of executing printing while distributing a load to a plurality of printing apparatuses, wherein the load distributed printing program executes:

• a print queue setting step of setting one of a plurality of print queues corresponding to the plurality of printing apparatuses as a basic print queue and setting remaining print queues other than the basic print queue as backup print queues;
• a print job registration step of registering print job information in the basic print queue, the print job information including print data or information for linking to the print data;
• a backup job registration step of generating backup job information corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic print queue and registering the backup job information in the backup print queues;
• a job control step of, when the print job information is registered in each of the basic print queue and the backup print queues, preferentially outputting a print job corresponding to the print job information registered in the basic queue to a corresponding printing apparatus, and, when no print job information is registered in the basic print queue, and only the backup job information is registered in the backup print queues, changing the backup job information registered in the backup queues to print job information and outputting the print job to a corresponding printing apparatus;
• a step of detecting that an error has occurred in the printing apparatus;
• a step of, when the error has occurred in the printing apparatus, generating backup job information corresponding to the print job that exists in the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred, and registering the generated backup job information in the backup print queues corresponding to printing apparatuses other than the printing apparatus in which the error has occurred without removing the print job information registered in the basic print queue that corresponds to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted, wherein the backup job information includes information for linking to the print job information and does not include a body of print data;
• and
• a deleting step of deleting, in accordance with a recovery of the interrupted printing, the backup job information registered in the backup print queues in said backup job registration step, and deleting, in accordance with a schedule up of backup job information, the print job information registered in the basic print queue corresponding to the printing apparatus in which printing was interrupted.