Print production system, print order receiver, and image forming apparatus and method

1 . A print production system, comprising:

a print order receiver that includes image acquiring means for acquiring first image data and input means for inputting print orders each of which is made for print production of one or more frame images of second image data among said first image data, wherein said print order receiver relates, for each print order, order information corresponding to a print order input by said input means and said second image data of said one or more frame images to each other and outputs said second image data and said order information related to each other, as well as said print order receiver has a function of selecting urgent finishing in which said print production is performed preferentially, and, when said urgent finishing is selected and outputs urgent finishing information showing that said urgent finishing has been selected by giving said urgent finishing information to said order information; and

an image forming apparatus that includes means for receiving said second image data and said order information related to each other for each print order from said print order receiver, means for performing said print production corresponding to said received order information using said received second image data, an output section for outputting one or more produced prints by said performing means, and means for enabling to identify said one or more produced prints of said print order as said urgent finishing when said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing is output to said output section.

2 . The print production system according to claim 1 ,

wherein said output section of said image forming apparatus includes a first output section for said urgent finishing and a second output section for ordinary finishing, and

wherein said enabling means allows to output said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing to said first output section for said urgent finishing, thereby enabling to identify said print order as said urgent finishing.

3 . The print production system according to claim 2 ,

wherein said image forming apparatus further includes a sorter for sorting one or more produced prints for each print order and outputting said sorted produced prints and a packer for bundling and packing said one or more produced prints for each print order and outputting said bundled and packed produced prints, and

wherein said first output section for said urgent finishing is said packer and said second output section for said ordinary finishing is said sorter.

4 . The print production system according to claim 1 ,

wherein said image forming apparatus further performs print production of an identification print for identifying as said urgent finishing in case of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing and

wherein said enabling means allows to output said identification print which shows that said urgent finishing has been performed together with said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing, thereby enabling to identify said print order as said urgent finishing.

5 . The print production system according to claim 1 ,

wherein said image forming apparatus further includes a packer for bundling and packing one or more produced prints for each print order and outputting said bundled and packed produced prints, and

wherein said packer uses a first packing bag for said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing and a second packing bag for said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to ordinary finishing, which are different from each other, and

wherein said enabling means allows to output said first packing bag in which said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing are bundled and packed and which is different from said second packing bag, thereby enabling to identify said print order as said urgent finishing.

6 . The print production system according to claim 1 ,

wherein print production system plural print order receivers comprises said print order receiver and one or more print order receivers having a configuration as same as said print order receiver and each of said plural print order receivers outputs identification information for identification of itself by giving said identification information to said order information,

wherein said image forming apparatus outputs said one or more produced prints of said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing to said output section using said identification information so that one print order receiver that have received said print order corresponding to said urgent finishing can be distinguish from the remainder of said plural print order receivers.

7 . A print production system, comprising:

plural print order receivers, each including image acquiring means for acquiring first image data and input means for inputting print orders each of which is made for print production of one or more frame images of second image data among said first image data, wherein said print order receiver relates, for each print order, order information corresponding to a print order input by said input means and said second image data of said one or more frame images to each other and outputs said second image data and said order information related to each other: and

an image forming apparatus that includes means for receiving said second image data and said order information related to each other for each print order from said print order receiver, means for performing said print production corresponding to said received order information using said received second image data, and an output section for outputting one or more produced prints by said performing means,

wherein each print order receiver outputs identification information for identification of itself by giving said identification information to said order information, and

wherein said image forming apparatus outputs said one or more produced prints of said print order to said output section using said identification information so that one print order receiver that have received said print order can be distinguish from the remainder of said plural print order receivers.

8 . A print order receiver that is connected to at least one other print order receiver and at least one printer for performing production of one or more prints, comprising:

image acquiring means for acquiring first image data;

input means for inputting print production orders, each of which is made for print production of one or more frame images of second image data among said first image data;

information acquiring means for acquiring a print order status by said at least one other print order receiver connected and a print production status of said at least one printer connected;

computing means for computing, for each print order, a reception time at which said one or more produced prints corresponding to said print production order is receivable based on a content of each of said print production orders, said acquired print order status by said at least one other print order receiver, and said acquired print production status of said at least one printer; and

a display for displaying said computed reception time.

9 . The print order receiver according to claim 8 , further comprising:

selection means for selecting one of ordinary finishing and urgent finishing in which said print production is performed preferentially as compared with one or more print production orders of said ordinary finishing that are input at an earlier time.

10 . The print order receiver according to claim 8 ,

wherein, after said print production order is input by said input means, processing for establishing said print production order is performed, and

wherein during a period from completion of said inputting of said print production order to said establishing of said print production order, said reception time is updated in accordance with said acquired print order status by said at least one other print order receiver and said acquired print production status of said at least one printer.

11 . The print order receiver according to claim 8 ,

wherein while said print production order is waiting, said computing means predicts a provisional print reception time from said acquired print order status by said at least one other print order receiver and said acquired print production status of said at least one printer and displays said predicted provisional print reception time on said display.

12 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming section for producing one or more prints by recording one or more images on a recording medium in accordance with image data; and

a packer for producing a print pack by bundling and packing one or more produced prints for each order,

wherein print production by said image forming section and print pack production by said packer are controlled so that a print on a top in said print pack becomes a print on which a selected image has been recorded.

13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said selected image is an image selected from among images in one print order in which production of said one or more prints is ordered.

14 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said selected image is an image selected from among not images in print orders in which said print production is ordered but images prepared in advance.

15 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said selected image is an image whose human subject face area is smallest among images containing human subjects in one print order in which production of said one or more prints is ordered.

16 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said selected image is an image which is selected from among images in one print order in which production of said one or more prints is ordered and does not contain a human subject.

17 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said selected image is an image obtained by blurring an index image of one print order in which production of said one or more prints is ordered.

18 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein an image having undergone processing is recorded on said top print.

19 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

wherein said top print is a product print.

20 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 ,

further comprising: a print order receiver that receives print production orders,

wherein said image forming section produces said one or more prints by recording image data supplied from said print order receiver, and

wherein said print order receiver includes means for selecting an image to be recorded on said top print in said print pack.

21 . An image forming method, comprising the steps of:

producing one or more prints by recording one or more images on a recording medium in accordance with image data; and

producing a print pack by bundling and packing one or more produced prints for each order,

wherein a print on a top in said print pack becomes a print on which a selected image has been recorded.