US 11,809,754 B2
Printing control system
Kazuhiro Yoshimoto, Sakai (JP)
Assigned to SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Osaka (JP)
Filed by SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Sakai (JP)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/676,614.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-047334 (JP), filed on Mar. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0300216 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/1203 (2013.01) [G06F 3/121 (2013.01); G06F 3/1212 (2013.01); G06F 3/1236 (2013.01); G06F 3/1267 (2013.01); G06F 3/1268 (2013.01); G06F 3/1285 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing control system, comprising:
a plurality of image forming apparatuses set as parent units; and another plurality of image forming apparatuses set as child units, all of which are connected together through a network,
each of the parent units including a first memory that stores one or more print data items, and
each of the child units including: a second memory that stores a parent unit connection information item identifying connectable parent units included in the parent units; a job list request providing circuitry that transmits a job list request to the connectable parent units stored in the parent unit connection information item, the job list request requesting the connectable parent units to transmit a job list including a job name of the one or more print data items; and a job list response obtaining circuitry that obtains a job list response sent back from the connectable parent units to which the job list request has been transmitted, wherein
if a first child unit is included in the child units, and if the first child unit transmitting the job list request detects a parent unit which is included in the connectable parent units and does not send back the job list response within a predetermined time period,
the first child unit stores, in a non-response parent unit information item, the parent unit not sending back the job list response,
when the first child unit transmits the job list request at a next time, the first child unit transmits the job list request to a parent unit, among the connectable parent units stored in the parent unit connection information item, other than the parent unit stored in the non-response parent unit information item, and
the first child unit:
stores, in the non-response parent unit information item, the parent unit not sending back the job list request, and then, activates a timer to time a request on-hold time period limiting the transmission of the job list request;
until the request on-hold time period elapses, transmits the job list request to the parent unit, among the connectable parents unit stored in the parent unit connection information item, other than the parent unit stored in the non-response parent unit information item; and
after the request on-hold time period has elapsed, transmits the job list request to the connectable parent units stored in the parent unit connection information item and deletes, from the non-response parent unit information item, the parent unit not sending back the job list response.