Print control apparatus, printing method, and print control program

Abstract

When one print job is distributed and printed by a plurality of printing apparatuses, it is intended that a desired print result of the user can be certainly obtained. A virtual distribution printer 12 detects an attribute of the print job which is inputted from an application 11 , sets the minimum division unit, in accordance with the detected attribute, in which even if the inputted print job is divided, the print result is not changed, divides the print job on the basis of the minimum division unit, and distributes and outputs the divided print jobs to a plurality of printers 13 to 16 , thereby enabling the print result expected by the user to be certainly obtained.

1 . to  21 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A print control apparatus for controlling a printing operation in a manner such that a plurality of print jobs are generated on the basis of one print request and printed by using a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising: 
 attribute obtaining means for obtaining a print attribute set for said print request; and    dividing position deciding means for deciding a dividing position of a plurality of print jobs on the basis of a minimum division unit which is set on the basis of the print attribute obtained by said attribute obtaining means,    wherein the minimum division unit is set from among a plurality of division units which vary depending on contents of the print attribute, and    wherein the minimum division unit is not divided into a plurality of print jobs.    
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising minimum division unit setting means for setting the minimum division unit from among the plurality of division units.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein if a staple printing mode to bind paper of a plurality of pages and print has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining means, said minimum division unit setting means sets a part of said print request as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising repetition discriminating means for discriminating whether data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging data of one copy or not in a case where a plurality of copies are to be printed has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining means, and 
 wherein if it is determined by said repetition discriminating means that the data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging the data of one copy, said minimum division unit setting means sets a number of pages of one copy as the minimum division unit so as to set one copy to said minimum division unit.    
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein if a duplex printing mode has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining means, said minimum division unit setting means sets two physical pages as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein if an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining means, said minimum division unit setting means sets the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein if both of a duplex printing mode and an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page have been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining means, said minimum division unit setting means sets the number of pages which is twice as large as the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising print job generating means for generating a plurality of print jobs by dividing at the dividing position which is decided by said dividing position deciding means.  
     
     
         30 . A print control method for controlling a printing operation in a manner such that a plurality of print jobs are generated on the basis of one print request and printed by using a plurality of printing apparatuses, comprising the steps of: 
 an attribute obtaining step of obtaining a print attribute set for said print request; and    a dividing position deciding step of deciding a dividing position of a plurality of print jobs on the basis of a minimum division unit which is set on the basis of the print attribute obtained by said attribute obtaining step,    wherein the minimum division unit is set from among a plurality of division units which vary depending on contents of the print attribute, and    wherein the minimum division unit is not divided into a plurality of print jobs.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , further comprising a minimum division unit setting step of setting the minimum division unit from among the plurality of division units.  
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein if a staple printing mode to bind paper of a plurality of pages and print has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets a part of said print request as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 31 , further comprising repetition discriminating step of discriminating whether data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging data of one copy or not in a case where a plurality of copies are to be printed has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, and 
 wherein if it is determined by said repetition discriminating step that the data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging the data of one copy, said minimum division unit setting step sets a number of pages of one copy as the minimum division unit so as to set one copy to said minimum division unit.    
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein if a duplex printing mode has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets two physical pages as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein if an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein if both of a duplex printing mode and an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page have been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets the number of pages which is twice as large as the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 30 , further comprising a print job generating step of generating a plurality of print jobs by dividing at the dividing position which is decided by said dividing position deciding step.  
     
     
         38 . A print control program stored on a computer readable storage medium, the program for controlling a printing operation in a manner such that a plurality of print jobs are generated on the basis of one print request and printed by using a plurality of printing apparatuses and comprising the steps of: 
 an attribute obtaining step of obtaining a print attribute set for said print request; and    a dividing position deciding step of deciding a dividing position of a plurality of print jobs on the basis of a minimum division unit which is set on the basis of the print attribute obtained by said attribute obtaining step,    wherein the minimum division unit is set from among a plurality of division units which vary depending on contents of the print attribute, and    wherein the minimum division unit is not divided into a plurality of print jobs.    
     
     
         39 . A print control program according to  claim 38 , further comprising a minimum division unit setting step of setting the minimum division unit from among the plurality of division units.  
     
     
         40 . A print control program according to  claim 39 , wherein if a staple printing mode to bind paper of a plurality of pages and print has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets a part of said print request as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         41 . A print control program according to  claim 39 , further comprising repetition discriminating step of discriminating whether data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging data of one copy or not in a case where a plurality of copies are to be printed has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, and 
 wherein if it is determined by said repetition discriminating step that the data is to be constructed by repetitively arranging the data of one copy, said minimum division unit setting step sets a number of pages of one copy as the minimum division unit so as to set one copy to said minimum division unit.    
     
     
         42 . A print control program according to  claim 39 , wherein if a duplex printing mode has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets two physical pages as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         43 . A print control program according to  claim 39 , wherein if an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page has been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         44 . A print control program according to  claim 39 , wherein if both of a duplex printing mode and an N up  printing mode to print a plurality of logical pages to one physical page have been set as the print attribute of said print request obtained by said attribute obtaining step, said minimum division unit setting step sets the number of pages which is twice as large as the number of logical pages which are to be printed to said one physical page as said minimum division unit.  
     
     
         45 . A print control program according to  claim 38 , further comprising a print job generating step of generating a plurality of print jobs by dividing at the dividing position which is decided by said dividing position deciding step.