JP2658931B2 - Printer controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer controller having a bidirectional port as an interface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-21517 discloses a file multiplexer / buffer having a function as a multiplexer and a buffer as an interface for connecting a plurality of host computers as upper devices to one printer. Thus, a system has been disclosed which is capable of notifying a host computer of a message such as printer status information and failure information. Data input from multiple host computers is collected in a file multiplexer buffer. In the file multiplexer buffer, the selector selects data input from one of the plurality of host computers as selected data, and sends the selected data to an MPU (microprocessor unit). The MPU sends the selected data to the printer via the level conversion circuit. This makes it possible to transmit data from the printer to the host computer via the reverse route.

On the other hand, for example, in a conventional printer controller having an interface using a bidirectional Centronics port as a bidirectional port, as shown in FIG. When job JOB _n is received (step S1), it is determined whether or not the print job JOB _n is a status response request for causing the printer to respond with status information and the like (step S2). If printing business JOB _n is not a status response request, the print work JOB _n it is determined whether the drawing data (step S3), and if the print work JOB _n is drawing data, the drawing process of the printing business JOB _n Is executed (step S4). After the drawing process is completed, the printing process of the print job JOB _n is executed (Steps S5 and S5)
6), and return to the receiving process of step S1 again. Step S
In step 3, if the print job JOB _n is not drawing data, the individual process indicated by the print job JOB _n is performed (step S7), and the process returns to the reception process of step S1. And
In step S1, a new print job JOB _n input from one of the plurality of host computers is received, and in step S2, if the received new print job JOB _n is a status response request, After interpreting the job description language of the print job JOB _n and transmitting the status response data to be responded to the one host computer (steps S8 and S9), the process returns to the reception process of step S1.

[0004]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
When the file multiplexer buffer disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 517 is used as an interface, a selector for switching between a plurality of host computers is required in addition to a circuit for executing the original print control, which complicates the structure.
Further, when the selector is receiving data from one host computer at a certain time, it cannot receive data from another host computer. For this reason, the transmission request for requesting the printer status information, the failure information, and the like from the other host computer is in a state where the selector can be switched (that is, the transmission request to the other host computer after all the reception processes being executed are completed). (The service is available), and the host computer cannot immediately obtain the printer status information, failure information, and the like.

[0005] Also in the conventional printer controller described with reference to FIG. 8, similarly, while the printer controller is running the printing business JOB _n from one host computer, the status response request from another host computer , Until the drawing process and the printing process of the print job JOB _n in Steps S4, S5, and S6 are completed, or until the individual process in Step S7 is completed, the host computer immediately sends the printer status information and the like. I can't get it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printer controller capable of transmitting printer status information to a host device immediately in response to a request from the host device.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a drawing connected to a first and second higher-level device and a printer and transmitted from one of the first and second higher-level devices is provided. A first input port connected to the first higher-level device, the printer controller controlling the printer by executing a print job including a processing step and a subsequent print processing step; A first bidirectional port having a first output port connected to the second host device; and a second bidirectional port connected to the second host device.
And a second input port connected to the second higher-level device.
A first bidirectional port having an output port of the second bidirectional port; a first input buffer memory connected to the first input port of the first bidirectional port; A second input buffer memory connected to the second input port; an input terminal connected to the first and second input buffer memories; and an output terminal, the control being connected to the printer. A first output buffer memory connected to the output terminal of the control unit and the first output port of the first bidirectional port; the output terminal of the control unit and the second output buffer memory The second of the bidirectional ports
A second output buffer memory connected to the output port of the first bidirectional port; a first signal line connecting the first input port of the first bidirectional port to the input terminal of the control unit; A second signal line connecting the second input port of a second bidirectional port and the input terminal of the control unit; wherein the control unit is configured to control the first and second host devices. Receiving the print job transmitted from the one of the first and second bidirectional ports via one of the first and second bidirectional ports and one of the first and second input buffer memories; A print job is executed, and while the print job is being executed, a device ID information request transmitted from the other one of the first and second higher-level devices is transmitted to both the first and second devices. And the other of the first and second ports Receiving via one of the first and second signal lines connected to the other of the two bidirectional ports, unless the print processing step in the print job is performed, In response to the device ID information request, device ID information and status information representing the status of the printer are created, and the device ID information and the status information are stored in the first and second higher-level devices. The other one of the first and second output buffer memories connected to the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports;
A printer controller is provided which transmits data via the other of the first and second bidirectional ports.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a printer controller according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to first and second higher-level devices (typically host computers) 1 and 2 and a printer 3, and includes The print job transmitted from one of the second higher-level devices 1 and 2 (JOB shown in FIG. 1)
_n , JOB _{n + 1} , or JOB _{n + 2} . ) To control the printer 3.
The printing job includes a drawing processing step and a subsequent printing processing step.

The printer controller has first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6 connected to first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2, respectively. The first bidirectional port 5
It has a first input port connected to the first host device 1 and a first output port connected to the first host device 1. The second bidirectional port 6 has a second input port connected to the second higher-level device 2 and a second output port connected to the second higher-level device 2. Each of the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6 is typically an IEEE
It is a bidirectional Centronics port which is an input / output circuit conforming to the E.P1284 standard.

The first input buffer memory 7 is connected to the first input port of the first bidirectional port 5. The second input buffer memory 8 is connected to the second input port of the second bidirectional port 6.

The control section 9 has an input terminal connected to the first and second input buffer memories 7 and 8, and an output terminal, and is connected to the printer 3.

The first output buffer memory 11 is connected to the output terminal of the control unit 9 and the first output port of the first bidirectional port 1. The second output buffer memory 12 is connected to the output terminal of the control unit 9 and the second output port of the second bidirectional port 6.

First and second input buffer memories 7 and 8 and first and second output buffer memories 11 and 12
Are temporary storage devices for temporarily storing data.

The first signal line 13 connects the first input port of the first bidirectional port 5 to the input terminal of the control unit 9. The second signal line 14 connects the second input port of the second bidirectional port 6 and the input terminal of the control unit 9.

The control unit 9 converts a print job transmitted from one of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2 (assuming that this print job is JOB _n ) into first and second print jobs. When received via one of the bidirectional ports 5 and 6 and one of the first and second input buffer memories 7 and 8,
The print job JOB _n is executed. While executing the print job JOB _n , the control unit 9 transmits the device I transmitted from the other of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2.
The D information request is transmitted to the other of the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6 and to the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6 connected to the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6. Signal line 13
And 14, the device ID information and the status of the printer 3 as a response to the device ID (identification) information request unless the print processing step in the print job JOB _n is performed. And the device ID information and the status information are transmitted to the other one of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2 by the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6. Transmission via one of the first and second output buffer memories 11 and 12 connected to the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports 5 and 6 I do. The device ID information and the status information as a response to the device ID information request are described as “response” in FIG.

More specifically, while executing the drawing processing step in the print job transmitted from the one of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2, the control unit 9 performs the first And receiving the device ID information request transmitted from the other one of the second higher-level devices 1 and 2, in response to the device ID information request, suspends the execution of the drawing processing step in the print job, Creating the device ID information and the status information;
The information and the status information are transmitted to the other one of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2.

When the other of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2 has finished receiving the device ID information and the status information, it stops transmitting the device ID information request (this is a termination Therefore, when the control unit 9 does not receive the device ID information request, it determines that there is an end request, and restarts the execution of the drawing processing step in the print job.

Instead, the control unit 9 controls the device I
When the transmission of the D information and the status information to the other one of the first and second higher-level devices 1 and 2 is completed, the printer 3 may resume the execution of the drawing processing step in the printing operation. good.

The control unit 9 includes input buffers 7 and 8
Are processed in the order of their arrival. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 1, after the reception of the printing job JOB _n , the drawing process, and the printing process, the printing job JOB _{n + 1} and the printing job JOB _{n + 2} are sequentially executed.

Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of the controller 9 of the printer controller shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Upon receiving the print job JOB _n , the control unit 9 executes a drawing process of the print job JOB _n (step S11). Unless a device ID information request is received in step S12, the control unit 9 continues the drawing process of the print job JOB _n (step S1).
3). The completion of the drawing process of the print job JOB _n
If it is detected in step S13, the print job JOB _n
Print processing (step S14), and print job JOB
_When the print processing of _n is completed, the next print job JOB _{n + 1} is received, and the same processing is performed for the next print job JOB _{n + 1} .

When the control unit 9 receives a device ID information request (that is, a request for a reverse channel (upward)) from another higher-level device in step S12 while the printing job JOB _n is being rendered. The control unit 7 performs negotiation (that is, negotiation for a response).
4 standard device ID information of minimum requirement indicated in the specification;
Extended device I including status information indicating the status of printer 3
D information and a response to another host device. In response to this response, when the above-mentioned end request is received from another higher-level device, the reverse channel is ended and the print job JOB _n
Return to the drawing process.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the device ID information.
MFG, CMD, and MDL are standard device ID information, and are minimum requirements in the above specification. ADVINF
Is extended device ID information added in the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows extended device ID information (ADVIN).
The detail of F) is shown. The extended device ID information is 4
It consists of a printer status of bytes, a memory size of 2 bytes, a currently selected hopper number of 1 byte, the number of hoppers of 1 byte, and array data giving the status of each hopper.

FIG. 5 shows extended device ID information (ADVI
NF). When the value of the extended device ID information (ADVINF) is data of 2 bytes or more, the data is transmitted from the least significant byte first.

FIG. 6 shows details of ulStatus in FIG. The state of the printer is made to correspond to each bit of 4 bytes and 32 bits. When the bit is "1", it indicates that the state is occurring.

FIG. 7 shows details of aFeedCfg in FIG. It consists of an array of numbers given by the previous ubNumFeeders, each array being a 4-byte element: cassette type, tray status, paper status,
And paper size.

As described above, in the printer controller of FIG. 1, the communication between the printer controller and the host device is not notified by the communication in the emulation language, but is performed by the hardware protocol, that is, the device ID information of the bidirectional Centronics specification. To
A newly defined printer 3
, The host device can immediately know the status of the printer 3.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A printer controller capable of transmitting printer status information to the host device immediately in response to a request from the host device is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer controller of FIG. 1;

3 shows device ID information and extended device ID information (ADV used in the printer controller of FIG. 1);
INF).

FIG. 4 is an extended device ID information (ADVINF) of FIG. 3;
FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing actual values of extended device ID information (ADVINF).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing details of ulStatus in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing details of aFeedCfg in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a conventional printer controller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 first high-order device 2 second high-order device 3 printer 5 first bidirectional port 6 second bidirectional port 7 first input buffer memory 8 second input buffer memory 9 control unit 11 first output Buffer memory 12 Second output buffer memory 13 First signal line 14 Second signal line

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A drawing processing step and a subsequent printing processing step connected to a first and second higher-level device and a printer and transmitted from one of the first and second higher-level devices. A printer controller that controls the printer by executing a print job; a first input port connected to the first host device;
A first bidirectional port having a first output port connected to the first host device; a second input port connected to the second host device; and the second host device A second bidirectional port having a second output port connected to the first bidirectional port; a first input buffer memory connected to the first input port of the first bidirectional port; A second input buffer memory connected to the second input port of the bidirectional port; and the first and the second
A control unit having an input terminal connected to the input buffer memory and an output terminal, and connected to the printer; the output terminal of the control unit and the first output of the first bidirectional port; A first output buffer memory connected to a port; a second output buffer memory connected to the output terminal of the control unit and the second output port of the second bidirectional port; A first signal line connecting the first input port of the first bidirectional port and the input terminal of the control unit; the second signal line of the second bidirectional port;
A second signal line connecting the input port of the control unit and the input terminal of the control unit, wherein the control unit transmits the signal transmitted from the one of the first and second higher-level devices. When a print job is received via one of the first and second bidirectional ports and one of the first and second input buffer memories, the print job is executed and the print job is executed. During the execution, the device ID information request transmitted from the other of the first and second higher-level devices is transmitted to the other of the first and second bidirectional ports, and Executing the print processing step in the print job when received via one of the first and second signal lines connected to the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports. Unless the device ID is In response to the information request, device ID information of the printer and status information representing the status of the printer are created, and the device ID information and the status information are transmitted to the first and second higher-level devices. The other of the first and second output buffer memories connected to the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports;
The printer controller transmits data via the other one of the first and second bidirectional ports. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to execute the first and the second processing while executing the drawing processing step in the printing operation transmitted from the one of the first and the second higher-level devices. Upon receiving the device ID information request transmitted from the other one of the second higher-level devices, in response to the device ID information request, suspends execution of the drawing processing step in the print job, and ID information and the state information are created, and the device I
The printer controller according to claim 1, wherein the D information and the status information are transmitted to the other of the first and second higher-level devices. 3. When the transmission of the device ID information and the status information to the other of the first and second higher-level devices ends, the control unit executes the drawing process step in the print job. 3. The printer controller according to claim 2, wherein execution is resumed. 4. The other of the first and second higher-level devices stops transmitting the device ID information request when receiving the device ID information and the status information, and 3. The printer controller according to claim 2, wherein when the device ID information request is no longer received, the execution of the drawing processing step in the print job is restarted. 5. The printer controller according to claim 1, wherein said first and second bidirectional ports are bidirectional Centronics ports.