JP2000339118A - Print controller method and printer and recording medium recording print control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the disappearance of print data at the time of a printer error to the minimum. SOLUTION: This printing device 3 is provided with an LAN I/F 31 which controls communication through a network 4 with a computer, an error table 323 which preliminarily registers and stores whether or not power disconnection for the recovery of each kind of error of a printing device 3 is necessary, and a CPU 33 which receives a printing request from the computer through the LAN I/F 31, and instructs the confirmation of the state of the printing device 3 to an engine interface 35, and receives the report, and returns a positive response for accepting the printing request to the computer when the state of the printing device 3 is normal, and refers to the error table 323 when the state of the printing device 3 is an error state, and returns the positive response for accepting the printing request to the computer when the unnecessity of the power disconnection for the recovery of the error is registered, and waist for the next printing request without any response to the printing request when the necessity of the power disconnection is registered.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing control method for a printing apparatus connected to a network, a printing apparatus, and a recording medium on which a printing control program is recorded. Returns a positive response, and then receives print data,
The present invention relates to a printing control method, a printing apparatus, and a recording medium on which a printing control program is recorded in a printing apparatus that receives print data as long as a receiving buffer for storing the print data is free.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing apparatus, a use environment as shown in FIG.
And a printing device 3 provided commonly to the computers 1 and 2
When the computer 1 or 2 receives a print data transmission connection request in an environment where is connected to the network 4, a connection request response is returned as an acknowledgment to accept the connection request, and the print data provided in the printing device 3 is The print data has been received as long as there is a free space in the receiving and storing buffer. Therefore, even when a print request is issued from another computer 2 during printing of print data from the computer 1 while printing is interrupted due to, for example, a paper jam error or the like, the reception buffer is empty. As long as the print data transmission connection request has been accepted, the print data has been received from the computer 2.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, when an error occurs that requires the power of the printing apparatus to be turned off in order to recover, that is, in the case of a page printing apparatus, fixing is performed. If a paper jam occurs in a printer, or if a dot printer causes a paper jam at a place where the print head is entangled during printing, when the power is turned off to repair an error, the computer 1
Not only the data received from
There is a problem that the data received from is also deleted.

[0004] Further, the computer 2 has a problem that it is determined that printing is being performed because the print data is transmitted, and it is not until the user goes to the printing apparatus to find out that an error has occurred. .

It is an object of the present invention to minimize the loss of print data at the time of a printer error and to improve the convenience of a printing device connected to a network.

[0006]

A first print control method according to the present invention is provided in a network common to at least one computer, and when a print request is issued from the computer via the network, a print request is issued. A print control method for a printing apparatus of a type that receives a print data as long as a reception buffer for receiving and storing print data from the computer has a free space. When there is, check whether an error that requires turning off the power of the printing apparatus for restoration has occurred,
If the print request has been issued, the acknowledgment is not returned in response to the print request from the computer.

According to a second printing control method of the present invention, in the first printing control method of the present invention, in response to various errors of the printing apparatus, it is determined whether or not it is necessary to turn off the power to recover the errors. It is characterized in that it is registered in the error storage unit in advance, and the occurrence of an error that requires the power-off is checked by referring to the error storage unit.

According to a third printing control method of the present invention, it is necessary to register and store in advance in the error storage unit whether or not it is necessary to turn off the power to recover the error in response to various errors in the printing apparatus. A first step, a second step of confirming whether the state of the printing apparatus is in a normal state or an error state when a print request is received from a computer via a network; and A third step of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network if the state is normal, and an error state if the second step is an error state. A fourth step of determining whether or not power-off is required for repairing the error by referring to the error storage unit; and And if the error is registered as not requiring power-off, a fifth step of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network; and If you have been registered as requiring a disconnection,
And a sixth step of waiting for the next print request without responding to the print request from the computer.

A printing apparatus according to the present invention is a printing apparatus that is provided in a network in common with at least one computer and receives a print request from the computer via the network, and is connected to the computer via the network. A network interface unit that controls communication, an error storage unit that pre-registers and stores whether or not the error requires power-off for recovery in response to various errors of the printing apparatus, and a print request from the computer. Is received via the network interface unit, the status of the printing apparatus is instructed to the engine interface unit to receive the report, and if the status is normal, an acknowledgment for accepting the print request is received. The computer via the network interface unit To the computer, if an error state is found, the error storage unit is referred to, and if it is registered that power supply is not required to be repaired for the error, an acknowledgment for accepting the print request is sent to the network interface unit. A CPU that returns to the computer via the CPU and waits for the next print request without responding to the print request when it is registered that the power needs to be turned off;
A receiving buffer for temporarily storing print data sent from the computer after the acknowledgment, a status of a printing mechanism unit instructed by the CPU, and a result thereof reported to the CPU; An engine interface unit for controlling the printing process, and a printing mechanism unit for performing the printing process under the control of the engine interface unit.

According to the first recording medium of the present invention, in response to various errors in the printing apparatus, whether or not the error requires power-off for recovery is registered in an error storage unit in advance.
First processing for storing, and second processing for confirming whether the state of the printing apparatus is in a normal state or an error state when a print request is received from a computer via a network, In the second process, if the status is normal, the third process returns an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network. If there is, a fourth process of determining whether or not power-off is required for repairing the error by referring to the error storage unit; and in the fourth process, the error is determined by power-off. If it is registered as unnecessary, in the fifth process and the fourth process of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network, If it is registered that the power needs to be turned off, a print control program for causing the computer to execute a sixth process of not responding to a print request from the computer and waiting for the next print request is executed. It is recorded.

A second recording medium according to the present invention includes a network interface unit for controlling communication with a computer via a network,
Whether or not the error requires a power-off for recovery is registered and stored in advance, and a print request from the computer is received via the network interface means, and the status of the printing apparatus is thereby determined. A confirmation is instructed to the engine interface means, the report is received, and if the status is normal, an acknowledgment for accepting the print request is returned to the computer via the network interface means. Referring to the error storage unit, if it is registered that the power supply is not required to recover the error, an acknowledgment for accepting the print request is returned to the computer via the network interface unit, and the power supply is turned off. If it is registered that Control means for making no response and waiting for the next print request, receiving buffer means for temporarily holding print data sent from the computer after the acknowledgment, state of the print processing means instructed by the control means And reporting the result to the control means,
An engine interface for controlling the print processing of the print processing means, and a print control program for causing a computer to function as print processing means for performing print processing under the control of the engine interface means are recorded.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a connection form of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. The printing apparatus 3 according to the present invention is installed so as to be commonly used by the computer 1 and the computer 2, and is connected to the computer 1 or 2 via a network 4.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. The printing device 3 is a LAN that controls communication with the computers 1 and 2 via the network 4.
While confirming the states of the I / F 31, the RAM 32, the CPU (central processing unit) 33 for controlling the printing apparatus 3, the ROM 34 in which the printing control program of the printing apparatus 3 is stored, and the printing mechanism unit 36 An engine interface 35 that controls the printing mechanism 36 and a printing mechanism unit 36 that performs printing processing under the control of the engine interface 35 are provided.

The RAM 32 has a reception buffer 321 for temporarily holding print data sent from the computer 1 or 2, and a CP from the data in the reception buffer 321.
A print data storage unit 322 for storing print data analyzed and extracted by the U.
An error table 323 pre-registered as to whether the error requires power-off for recovery is provided. Here, the network 4 will be described assuming a LAN (local area network), but the network 4 is not limited to this and may be a network other than the LAN.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

First, when the computer 1 completes the print data creation processing and is ready to transmit to the printing apparatus 3, the computer 1 issues a print data transmission connection request to the printing apparatus 3.

The CPU 33 of the printing device 3 receives this connection request via the network 4 and the LAN I / F 31 (step S1 in FIG. 3).

Upon receiving the connection request, the CPU 33 requests the engine interface 3 to check the status of the printing apparatus 3.
5, the engine interface 35 acquires the state of the printing apparatus 3 from the printing mechanism 36, and
This is reported to the PU 33 (step S2).

The CPU 33 knows whether the printing device 3 is in a normal state or an error state based on the result of the status confirmation of the printing device 3 reported from the engine interface 35 (step S3).

In step S3, if no error is reported and the printing apparatus 3 is in a normal state,
Returns a connection request response to the computer 1 via the LAN I / F 31 as an acknowledgment for accepting the connection request (step S5).

If an error has occurred in step S3, the CPU 33 refers to the error table 323 in the RAM 32 and determines whether the error reported from the engine interface 35 requires power-off for repairing the error. I do.

Here, the error table 323 will be described with a specific example. For example, if the reported error is a paper-out error, if the printing apparatus 3 is replenished with paper, the error is recovered and printing is continued, so that there is no need to turn off the power of the printing apparatus 3. In the case of an error, for example, data 0 is registered in the error table 323 in advance, as it is not necessary to turn off the power.

If the error is a paper jam during printing, the power may be cut off to repair the jam. For example, data 1 is registered in advance in the error table 323 as a power cut-off. (Step S
4).

In step S4, if the reported error is registered as not requiring power-off, the CPU 3
3 returns a connection request response to the computer 1 via the LAN I / F 31 as an acknowledgment for accepting the connection request (step S5).

If it is determined in step S4 that the reported error requires that the power be turned off, the CP
U33 does not respond to the print data transmission connection request from the computer 1 and waits for the next print data transmission connection request (step S7).

Following step S5, ACK (acknowledge)
The print data is sequentially received while the signal and the free space of the receiving buffer are returned to the computer 1 and stored in the receiving buffer 321. The CPU 33 analyzes and extracts the print data stored in the reception buffer 321 to create print data, stores the print data in the print data storage unit 322, and instructs the engine interface 35 to perform a print process (step S6).

In the above description, the case where the printing apparatus 3 is started from the computer 1 has been described. However, while the printing apparatus 3 is started from the computer 1 and printing is being performed, the computer 2 connects to the printing apparatus 3 for print data transmission. Obviously, the present invention can be applied even when requested. For example, in the above step S4, the fact that the error was a paper jam during printing means that when the computer 1 sent a print data transmission connection request, the previous data by the computer 1 or the data of another computer was already printed by the printing apparatus. 3 means that printing is in progress.

FIG. 1 shows a case where two computers are used as an example of the connection form of the printing apparatus of the present invention. However, the number of computers may be three or more or one. It is clear that the present invention can be applied in any case.

As described above, according to the present invention, when an error requiring power-off occurs, even if a print data transmission connection request is received from the computer, an acknowledgment for accepting the connection request is not returned. This solves the conventional problem that the print data is unconditionally received and the received data is erased when the power is turned off.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.
It is composed of The configuration of the computer 5 is basically the same as that described in the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. The recording medium 6 records a print control program. The recording medium 6 may be a magnetic disk, an optical recording disk, a semiconductor memory, or another recording medium. The print control program is read from the recording medium 6 into the computer 5, and controls the same operation as in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0033]

According to the first effect of the present invention described above, when the printing apparatus receives the print data transmission connection request, the state of the printing apparatus is checked, and there is a possibility that the power is cut off for error recovery. In some cases, print data is not received without returning a response to the computer, so that loss of print data at the time of error is minimized.

The second effect is that, in the case where an error occurs in which the power supply may be cut off, the print data is not received, so that the user of the computer does not need to go to the printing apparatus. It is possible to know the error condition.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 computer 3 printing device 31 LAN I / F 32 RAM 321 reception buffer 322 print data storage unit 323 error table 33 CPU 34 ROM 35 engine interface 36 printing mechanism unit 4 network 5 computer 6 recording medium

Claims (6)

[Claims] At least one computer is provided on a network in common, and when receiving a print request from the computer via the network, returns an acknowledgment for accepting the print request, and thereafter print data from the computer. A print control method for a printing apparatus that receives the print data as long as a reception buffer that receives and stores the print data is provided, and when a print request is received from the computer, a power supply of the printing apparatus is restored for restoration. Check for any errors that may require disconnecting, and if so,
A print control method, wherein the acknowledgment is not returned in response to a print request from the computer. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein in response to various errors of the printing apparatus, whether or not the power supply needs to be turned off to recover the error is registered in an error storage unit in advance, and the error which needs to be turned off is registered. 2. The print control method according to claim 1, wherein occurrence confirmation is performed by referring to the error storage unit. 3. A first step in which, in response to various errors in the printing apparatus, whether or not it is necessary to turn off the power to recover the errors is registered and stored in an error storage unit in advance. A second step of confirming whether the state of the printing apparatus is in a normal state or an error state when a print request is received via the printer. A third step of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network; and, if an error state is detected in the second step, a power supply for repairing the error. A fourth step of determining whether or not disconnection is required by referring to the error storage unit; and A fifth step of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network in a case where the error is registered as unnecessary, and in the fourth step, it is registered that the error requires power-off. A response to the print request from the computer and waiting for the next print request. 4. A printing apparatus provided in a network common to at least one computer and receiving a print request from the computer via the network, the network controlling communication with the computer via the network. An interface unit; an error storage unit that pre-registers and stores whether or not the error requires power-off for recovery in response to various errors of the printing apparatus; and a network interface unit that receives a print request from the computer. Through the network interface unit, and instructs the engine interface unit to confirm the status of the printing device and receives the report.If the status is normal, the network interface unit receives an acknowledgment for accepting the print request. To the computer via If it is in the error state, the error storage unit is referred to, and if it is registered that the power supply is not required to be repaired for the error, an acknowledgment for accepting the print request is received via the network interface unit. A CPU that returns to the computer and waits for the next print request without responding to the print request when it is registered that the power supply needs to be turned off, and print data sent from the computer after the affirmative response. A reception buffer that is temporarily held, an engine interface unit that checks the status of the printing mechanism unit instructed by the CPU, reports the result to the CPU, and controls a printing process of the printing mechanism unit; A printing mechanism for performing a printing process under the control of an interface unit. 5. A first process in which, in response to various errors in a printing apparatus, whether or not the error requires power-off for recovery is registered and stored in an error storage unit in advance, A second processing for confirming whether the state of the printing apparatus is in a normal state or an error state when a print request is received via the printer. In case,
A third process of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network; and an error state in the second process,
A fourth process of determining whether or not power-off is required for repairing the error by referring to the error storage unit; and in the fourth process, the error is registered as not requiring power-off. A fifth process of returning an acknowledgment for accepting the print request to the computer via the network; and, in the fourth process, when the error is registered as requiring power off, the computer No response is made to the print request from the client, and the sixth print job waits for the next print request.
And a printing control program for causing a computer to execute the processing of (1) and (2). 6. A network interface unit for controlling communication with a computer via a network. In response to various errors of a printing apparatus, whether or not the error requires power-off for recovery is stored and stored in advance. A storage unit, by receiving a print request from the computer via the network interface unit, instructing the engine interface unit to confirm the status of the printing apparatus, receiving the report, and if the status is normal, Returning an acknowledgment of accepting the print request to the computer via the network interface unit, and referring to the error storage unit if an error has occurred, and registering that power is not required to be repaired to correct the error. Acknowledgment to accept the print request if Control means for returning to the computer via the network interface means and waiting for the next print request without responding to the print request when it is registered that the power needs to be turned off, after the affirmative response A receiving buffer unit for temporarily storing print data sent from the computer, a status of a print processing unit instructed by the control unit, a status of the print processing unit being reported, and the result being reported to the control unit; And a print control program for causing a computer to function as print processing means for performing print processing under the control of the engine interface means.