JP2001154822A - Network printer device and network printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network printer system for allowing an operator to specify a printer device even when the operator is not acquainted with the identification name of the printer. SOLUTION: An operator sets an information key for specifying the operator himself (S1), and a printer specifying means 205 tries the reception of the position information of a printer device from a network (S2). An operator at the printer device side executes the transmission processing of the position information of the printer device (S5), and inputs the same key as the previously inputted key (S6). A series of data including the position information and the previously inputted information key are generated, and transmitted only once to a whole network (S7). When the information key of the received series of data is matched with the preserved information key (S3; Y), a printer specifying means 205 sets it as print condition data (S4), and transfers the control to a print condition setting processing part 203.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printer and a network printer system.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a network printer system that controls printer print processing in a network environment in which a plurality of computers and a plurality of printer devices are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, systems for efficiently performing various business processes by connecting a plurality of computers and a plurality of printers to a network have become widespread. In such a printer control system in which a plurality of printer devices are arranged on a network, when the print control unit of the computer specifies the position of the printer device that transmits the print information, each printer device on the network specifies the position of the printer device. This has been done by the operator selecting a printer device to print from a specified group of identifiers.

[0003]

However, in the above-described method of selecting by the operator, since the identifier used to specify the printer is abstract and ambiguous, a printer which does not match the operator's recognition is selected. That happened frequently. Also,
Since it was necessary to perform the specific operation of the printer device used for printing before performing the printing process, the name of the printer device once specified was changed, or the specified printer device became in use. If not, or if the installation position has moved to a position far from the operator, it is necessary to specify again another printer device.

[0004] Further, if the position of the printer device is found after the operator has executed the printing process once, the printing device must be re-designated and the printing process must be re-executed. When such a situation occurs, an operation of re-selecting an identifier having a high degree of encouragement occurs each time, and the time and mental burden on the operator is great.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a network printer capable of easily transmitting position information on a network from an operation panel of the printer device when an operator specifies a printer device to perform printing. It is to provide a device. A second object of the present invention is to provide a network printer capable of specifying and using a printer to print without requiring the operator to know the identification name of the printer when specifying the printer to print. Is to provide a system. A third object of the present invention is to provide a network printer system capable of designating a printer device for printing even after execution of print processing.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a network printer is provided with an operation unit for setting position information and print data on a network, and a single or a single operation unit for performing print processing in a network environment. A transmitting / receiving unit connected to a plurality of workstations for transmitting / receiving print data to / from the connected workstation; and an output unit for outputting the print data received by the transmitting / receiving unit, wherein the transmitting / receiving unit includes the operating unit The first object is achieved by transmitting the location information on the network set in step (1) to the workstation in the network environment.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer system comprising the network printer according to the first aspect and one or more workstations connected to the network printer via a network. The station
An information key for specifying the network printer device to be printed selected by an operator; and a printer specifying device for receiving position information from the transmitting / receiving device of the network printer device, wherein the printer specifying device performs the transmission / reception of the network printer device. When the position information received from the means matches the position information included in the information key which has already been set, the print data is transmitted to the network printer device as the print condition data using the received position information, whereby the second Achieve two objectives.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the network printer system according to the second aspect, the printer identification unit is configured to receive the location information from the transmission / reception unit of the network printer device in a network environment until the location information is received. The third object is achieved by stopping transmission of print data to the printer.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Here, an embodiment in which the invention is applied to a network system including a plurality of workstations and a printer will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer device according to the present embodiment. This printer device includes an operation panel unit 101, a printer controller unit 102, a network controller unit 104, and a printer engine 105.

An operation panel unit 101 controls the printer and performs various settings. The network controller unit 104 is connected to a network and transmits and receives communication data to and from a workstation. Printer engine 10
Reference numeral 5 performs image formation and printing of the received print data. The printer controller unit 102 controls three modules: an operation panel unit 101, a network controller unit 104, and a printer engine 105. Further, the printer controller unit 102 is provided with the position information transmitting unit 1.
03.

The position information transmitting means 103 is activated by an operator's instruction from the operation panel section 101. When the position information transmitting unit 103 is activated, a series of data including the position information of the printer device on the network [identification name or address code (MAC address) on the network] and the identification code unique to the operator is created. Is done. And the printer controller 10
2 issues a request to the network controller 104 to transmit (broadcast) the created data only once to the entire network. Upon receiving the data transmission request from the printer controller unit 102, the network controller unit 104 transmits the specified data to any workstation on the network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a workstation according to the present embodiment. This workstation includes a print processing control unit 202 and an application unit 201. Print processing control unit 202
Are print condition setting processing unit 203 and print processing unit 204
It has. The print processing control unit 202 controls print processing necessary when the application unit 201 generates print data. The print condition setting processing unit 203 sets conditions such as a paper size and a printer device for printing. The print processing unit 204 transmits the print data generated by the application unit 201 to the printer device according to the print conditions set by the print condition setting processing unit 203. The print condition setting processing unit 203 includes a printer specifying unit 205, and the print processing unit 204 includes a print control unit 206.

The printer specifying unit 205 is executed when a printing condition setting request is issued from the application unit 201 and when a printer specifying request is received from the printing control unit 206. The printer specifying unit 205 stops the subsequent processing until receiving the position information of the printer including the expected operator-specific identification code from the network connected to the workstation, When the position information is received, the stopped processing is restarted.

The print control unit 206 is executed when a print request is issued from the application unit 201. The print request issued from the application unit 201 is sent from the print processing control unit 202 to the print processing unit 204 and reaches the print control unit 206. The print control unit 206 calls the printer specifying unit 205 of the print condition setting processing unit 203 before transferring the control of the print request to the print processing unit 204.
The called printer specifying unit 205 stops the processing until receiving the position information of the printer device to print from the network. When the process is restarted by the printer specifying unit 205, that is, the printer device for printing is specified (selected), the print control unit 206 sets the specified printer device as an output destination, and performs printing. Control is passed to the processing unit 204.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the network system according to the present embodiment. FIG.
The printer of FIG. 1 and the workstation of FIG.
Network systems 1 to 303 are connected by a bus and incorporated. Normally, in such a network system, when printing is performed from the application units 201 of the workstations 301 to 303 to specific printers 304 to 307 on the network, first, print data from the workstation is transmitted to any of the printers. It is necessary to specify whether to print in 304 to 307.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when printing is performed from a workstation to a specific printer device on a network. First, the application unit 20 running on the workstation
1 issues a print condition setting request to the print processing control unit 202. The print processing control unit 202 transmits the print condition setting request to the print condition setting processing unit 203. The print condition setting processing unit 203 displays a screen for setting the print conditions, and permits the setting by the operator. Here, the operator selects a process of selecting a printer device for printing.

When the operator selects a printer to print, the printing condition setting processing unit 203 calls the printer specifying unit 205. The printer specifying unit 205 displays a screen for prompting the user to set an information key for specifying the operator, and sets the information key for specifying the operator (step 1). This information key is also used when transmitting the position information from the printer device, and is used to confirm whether the position information received by the printer identifying means 205 on the workstation is transmitted for itself. What is used.

After setting the information key and displaying a message indicating that the operator wants to transmit the position information from the printer, the printer specifying unit 205 attempts to receive the position information of the printer to be printed from the network ( Step 2). If the acquisition of the position information of the printer device to be printed fails (step 3; N), the acquisition is attempted again (step 2). At this time, it appears to the operator that the processing has stopped.

Next, on the printer device side, the operator moves to the printer device to which he / she wants to output, and executes a process of transmitting position information of the printer device to be printed from the operation panel of the printer device (step 5). The execution request from the operation panel is sent to the printer controller unit 102, and the position information transmitting unit 103 is called. The position information transmitting means 103 performs panel display for requesting input of an information key for specifying an operator in the same manner as in step 1. Here, the operator inputs the same key as that previously input (step 6). A series of data including the location information on the network [identification name or address code (MAC address) on the network] and the information key entered earlier is created and transmitted only once to the entire network (broadcast) ) Is performed (step 7).

On the workstation side, the printer specifying unit 205, which has stopped the process while waiting for the acquisition of the position information of the printer device, receives the position information transmitted from the printer device. At this time, the printer specifying means 205
If the information key included in the received location information is different from the one already stored, it determines that the location information is not information waiting for itself, and transmits it again to the network. If the information key matches the stored one, the printer specifying unit 205 determines that the expected position information has been received, and proceeds to the next process (step 3). In the next process, the received position information of the printer is set as print condition data (step 4), and control is passed to the print condition setting processing unit 203.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when print data is generated by the application unit of the workstation. Here, steps 5 to 7 in the processing procedure of FIG. 5 are the same processing procedures as the processing procedure shown in FIG. The application unit 201 on the workstation sends a print execution request to the print processing control unit 202 together with option settings such as reselection of the printer device for printing on the printer device. The print processing control unit 202 passes this request to the print processing unit 204.

The print processing unit 204 calls the print control unit 206 before starting the print processing. Printing control means 20
In step 6, it is determined whether an operator specifies an option for reselecting a printer or whether a printer to be printed by the print condition setting processing unit 203 has not been specified (step 11). Here, when it is not necessary to reselect a printer device to be printed (step 11; N), printing is executed by the print processing unit 204 (step 13). When it is necessary to reselect a printer device (step 11;
Y) A message is displayed to the operator, the printer specifying means 205 is called (step 12), and the process is stopped until a printer to be printed can be specified (selected).

Here, the operator moves to the printer to which he / she wants to output, and executes a process of transmitting the position information of the printer from the operation panel of the printer (step 5). The execution request from the operation panel is sent to the printer controller unit 102, and the position information transmitting unit 103 is called. The position information transmitting means 103 performs panel display for requesting input of an information key for specifying an operator. Here, the operator inputs a key designated on the workstation (step 6). A series of data including the location information on the network [identification name or address code (MAC address) on the network] and the information key entered earlier is created and transmitted only once to the entire network (broadcast) ) Is performed (step 7). The workstation extracts the position information of the printer device from the received data and sets it as a printer device for printing (step 12). Then, control is passed to the print processing unit 204 of the printer device to execute printing (step 14).

[0024]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the transmitting / receiving means transmits the position information from the position information transmitting means to the workstation in the network environment, the operator can specify the printer without having to check the printer identification name. can do.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the position information received from the position information transmitting means of the network printer device matches the position information included in the information key, the printer specifying means prints the received position information on the printing condition. Since the data is transmitted from the print processing means to the network printer, the operator can use the printer without knowing the printer's identification name.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the printer specifying unit stops the print data transmitted from the print processing unit to the network printer until the position information is received from the position information transmitting unit of the network printer on the network. Since the printer to be printed can be specified even after the execution of the processing, the operator can re-specify the printer to be printed after the execution of the printing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a network printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a workstation in the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a processing procedure when printing is performed from a workstation to a specific printer on a network.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a processing procedure when print data is generated by an application unit of a workstation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 operation panel unit 102 printer controller unit 103 position information transmitting unit 104 network controller unit 105 printer engine 201 application unit 202 print processing control unit 203 print condition setting processing unit 204 print processing unit 205 printer specifying unit 206 print control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] An operation means for setting position information and print data on a network, and a single or a plurality of workstations for performing a printing process in a network environment. Transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving, and output means for outputting print data received by the transmitting / receiving means, wherein the transmitting / receiving means transmits position information on the network set by the operation means to a workstation in a network environment. A network printer device, characterized in that: 2. A network printer system comprising: the network printer device according to claim 1; and one or more workstations connected to the network printer device via a network, wherein the workstation is selected by an operator. A printer key for setting an information key for specifying the network printer device to perform printing, and receiving position information from the transmission / reception unit of the network printer device, wherein the printer specification unit receives the position information from the transmission / reception unit of the network printer device. When the received position information matches the position information included in the already set information key, the received position information is transmitted as print condition data to the network printer device as print data. Network printer system. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printer specification unit stops transmitting print data to the network printer device until receiving position information from the transmission / reception unit of the network printer device on the network environment. 2. The network printer system according to 2.