Information processing apparatus and method, print system, and computer readable medium

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a management unit that manages a plurality of printing devices;

a checking unit that intermittently checks whether print instruction information for any of the printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus is stored in a storage unit;

a determining unit that determines whether the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the information processing apparatus and determines whether the print instruction information is for one of the plurality of printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus if the print instruction information is stored in the storage unit; and

a processor that performs processing for allowing a specific printing device to shift to a checking state in which the specific printing device intermittently checks whether print instruction information is stored in the storage unit if the determining unit has determined that the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the specific printing device.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, as the processing for allowing the specific printing device to shift to the checking state, the processor sends data to the specific printing device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a printer that prints the document if the checking unit has checked that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the information processing apparatus is stored in the storage unit,

wherein, if the checking unit has checked that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device is retained in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a printer that prints the document if the checking unit has checked that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the information processing apparatus is stored in the storage unit,

wherein, if the checking unit has checked that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device is retained in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, as the processing for allowing the specific printing device to shift to the checking state, the processor supplies information used for sending data to the specific printing device to a requesting device that has requested the service to generate print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, upon detecting a predetermined consecutive number of times or greater that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device has been stored in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, upon detecting a predetermined consecutive number of times or greater that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device has been stored in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein, upon detecting a predetermined consecutive number of times or greater that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device has been stored in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein, upon detecting a predetermined consecutive number of times or greater that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device has been stored in the storage unit, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein, upon detecting a predetermined consecutive number of times or greater that print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document in the specific printing device has been stored in the service, the determining unit determines that the specific printing device is not in the checking state.

11. An information processing method comprising:

managing a plurality of printing devices by an information processing apparatus;

intermittently checking whether print instruction information for any of the printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus is stored in a storage unit;

determining, by the information processing apparatus, whether the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the information processing apparatus and determining, by the information processing apparatus, whether the print instruction information is for one of the plurality of printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus if the print instruction information is stored in the storage unit; and

the information processing apparatus performing processing for allowing a specific printing device to shift to a checking state in which the specific printing device intermittently checks whether print instruction information is stored in the storage unit if the determining determines that the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the specific printing device.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

managing a plurality of printing devices by an information processing apparatus;

intermittently checking whether print instruction information for any of the printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus is stored in a storage unit;

determining, by the information processing apparatus, whether the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the information processing apparatus and determining, by the information processing apparatus, whether the print instruction information is for one of the plurality of printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus if the print instruction information is stored in the storage unit; and

the information processing apparatus performing processing for allowing a specific printing device to shift to a checking state in which the specific printing device intermittently checks whether print instruction information is stored in the storage unit if the determining determines that the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the specific printing device.

13. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a management unit that manages a plurality of printing devices;

a checking unit that intermittently checks whether print instruction information for any of the printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus is stored in a storage unit;

a determining unit that determines whether the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the information processing apparatus or one of the plurality of printing devices managed by the information processing apparatus if the print instruction information is stored in the storage unit;

a processor that performs processing for allowing a specific printing device to shift to a checking state in which the specific printing device intermittently checks whether print instruction information is stored in the storage unit if the determining unit has determined that the print instruction information indicating an instruction to print a document is for the specific printing device;

a receiving unit that receives a notice that the printing device will shift to a power-saving state in which the printing device intermittently does not check whether print instruction information is stored in the storage unit; and

a storing unit that stores a table which notes a status of the printing device, the status indicates whether the printing device is in checking state or in power-saving state,

wherein the processor performs processing for allowing the specific printing device to shift to the checking state if the status of the specific printing device is power-saving mode according to the table stored in the storing unit.