US Patent 7136179 Printing system and printing control method therefor

Efficient and optimum printing is enabled using multiple, different models of printers. When a scanner receives a multiple simultaneous output instruction from the operator, the instruction of multiple simultaneous output, printing instruction information specified by the operator (such as the number of prints, duplex printing and stapling) and multiple pieces of image data produced according to multiple models of printers are transmitted to a printing management server. When the printing management server receives the multiple simultaneous output instruction, the printing instruction information and the multiple pieces of image data, the server stores and manages the printing instruction information and the multiple pieces of image data in association with each other. Image data corresponding to a desired printer is transmitted based on the stored and managed data.