JP3774703B2 - Printing apparatus, control method, storage medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to printing control of a printing apparatus in a printing system including a data processing apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of printing apparatuses.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, after receiving print information via a predetermined communication medium, a printer apparatus such as a laser beam printer cannot receive other print data until the received print data is processed and printed. .
[0003]
Further, even when a plurality of print data can be received via a predetermined communication medium with a large amount of memory resources, the processing of the data received later is performed after the print data received earlier.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the processing of the print data in the conventional printing apparatus is configured as described above, if the processing of the previously received print data is long, the subsequent print data processing will be executed more and more slowly, and printing There was a problem that the processing efficiency was lowered.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the first object of the present invention is transferred when it is determined that the printer is not ready for printing in another printing apparatus. By receiving the print data, and adding the transfer history of a plurality of printing apparatuses that transferred the print data in response to determining that the received print data is not in a state for entering the print operation, To provide a mechanism for recognizing the transfer status and the transfer source from the transfer history even when the print data is successively transferred to a plurality of other printing apparatuses.
[0006]
The second object is to notify the data processing device of a plurality of transfer destination information based on the transfer history when it is determined that the print operation is not performed in another printing device. It is to provide a mechanism that allows a user of a data processing apparatus as a transfer source to check a transfer history.
[0007]
The printing apparatus according to the present invention has the following characteristic configuration.
A printing apparatus in a printing system including a data processing apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of printing apparatuses, and receives print data transferred when it is determined that the printing apparatus is not ready for printing in another printing apparatus. Receiving means for transferring, and transferring means for adding the transfer histories of a plurality of printing apparatuses that transferred the print data in response to determining that the received print data is not ready for printing operation. It is characterized by that.
[0008]
The control method according to the present invention has the following characteristic configuration.
In a control method in a printing system including a data processing apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of printing apparatuses, reception for receiving print data transferred when it is determined that the printing apparatus is not ready for printing operation in another printing apparatus And a transfer step of adding to the received print data a transfer history of a plurality of printing apparatuses that transferred the print data in response to determining that the print data has not been put into a print operation. Features.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus (also referred to as a printer) to which a printing control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.
[0015]
In the figure, reference numerals 1-1 to 1-n denote host computers that are connected to a network NET so as to be communicable with the printer main body 10 using a predetermined protocol. A printer controller 12 receives print data from each of the host computers 1-1 to 1-n, performs predetermined data processing, and then prints with an image printing unit (printer engine) 11. At this time, operations other than the image data creation processing associated with printing are also controlled by the printer controller 12, and a control signal is transmitted to the image printing unit (printer engine) 11.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the print control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0017]
In the printer controller 12, reference numeral 13 denotes a reception buffer for receiving print data sent from the host computers 1-1 to 1-n. An image forming unit 14 converts print data into bitmap image data.
[0018]
A controller state determination unit 15A determines whether print data is currently being processed. A print data transfer unit 16 transfers the received print data to the network NET again when the controller state determination unit 15A determines that the print data is currently being processed.
[0019]
A network identification unit 17 identifies the connection status of other printer devices (not shown) on the network NET to which the printer body 10 is connected. A status transmission unit 18 transmits a status of the printer main body 10 to the network computer NET to any of the host computers 1-1 to 1-n that are print data reception sources. The reception buffer 13, the image forming unit 14, the controller state determination unit 15A, the print data transfer unit 16, the network identification unit 17, and the like are such that an MPU or the like chip-on on a control board (not shown) is a ROM or an external memory (not shown). The same function may be achieved by executing the control program read from the program.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, (1)-(6) shows each step.
[0021]
First, in step (1), the printer controller 12 receives the transmission data from any of the host computers 1-1 to 1-n by the reception buffer 13.
[0022]
Next, in step (2), the controller state determination unit 15A checks whether or not the printer controller 12 is currently processing the print data, and if it is now ready to process the print data. In step (3), the image forming unit 14 creates normal image data, the printer engine 11 performs normal printing, and the process ends.
[0023]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (2) that the current printer controller 12 cannot immediately start processing the print data, in step (4), the network identification unit 17 may select another appropriate network NET. Search for and identify printer candidates that can be printed.
[0024]
At this time, as a means for searching for another printer on the network NET, for example, a means for searching for a printer of the same product in the minimum area of the network or determining a transfer destination in advance by a printer driver may be selected.
[0025]
In step (5), the print data transfer unit 16 transfers the print data received from the host to the print data transfer destination printer identified and determined in step (4). In step (6), a status notifying the host that has transmitted the print data that the print data received by the status transmission unit 18 is to be transferred to another printer is returned, and the process is terminated.
[0026]
The status content at this time may be expressed as, for example, “transfer print data to XXXXXX”.
[0027]
“XXX × XXX” is a name on the network NET of the printer that is the transfer destination, and information on the printer name of the transfer destination is received from the network identification unit 17. At the same time, the printer name of the transfer destination may be printed.
[0028]
Furthermore, when the controller state determination unit 15A predicts the time required for processing the received print data and determines that the time allowed for the subsequent print data processing is greater than a certain time, the controller state determination unit 15A It is also possible to transfer subsequent print data.
[0029]
The “certain time” at this time may be a method of reading from a storage device (such as a ROM) provided in the printer controller 12, or may be determined by a user (a driver on the host computer). A method of attaching the time to the print data may be used.
[0030]
[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, the controller state determination unit 15A determines whether or not the printer controller 12 can process the print data and transfers the received print data to another host. For example, “ When it is determined from various sensor information inputs whether the printer engine can perform a printing operation such as “Cover not open” or “No paper out”, and when it is determined not to enter the printing operation The received print data may be detoured and transferred to a printer capable of printing operation on the network NET. The embodiment will be described below.
[0031]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a print control apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0032]
In the figure, reference numeral 15B denotes a printer state determination unit that determines whether print data is currently being processed or whether the printer engine is ready to perform a printing operation (for example, “the cover is not open”). , It is determined that the printer engine is not in a state where printing operation such as “no paper out” is not possible).
[0033]
The print data transfer unit 16 transfers the received print data to the network NET again when the printer status determination unit 15B determines that the print operation is not possible.
[0034]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, (1)-(6) shows each step.
[0035]
First, in step (1), the printer controller 12 receives the transmission data from any of the host computers 1-1 to 1-n by the reception buffer 13.
[0036]
Next, in step (2), the printer status determination unit 15B checks whether or not the printer is currently in a state for entering a printing operation, and if it is determined that the printer is ready for a printing operation now. In step (3), the image forming unit 14 creates normal image data, the printer engine 11 performs normal printing, and the process ends.
[0037]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (2) that the current printer controller 12 cannot immediately enter the printing operation, in step (4), the network identification unit 17 selects another appropriate ( Find and identify potential printer candidates.
[0038]
At this time, as a means for searching for another printer on the network NET, for example, a means for searching for a printer of the same product in the minimum area of the network or determining a transfer destination in advance by a printer driver may be selected.
[0039]
In step (5), the print data transfer unit 16 transfers the print data received from the host to the print data transfer destination printer identified and determined in step (4). In step (6), a status notifying the host that has transmitted the print data that the print data received by the status transmission unit 18 is to be transferred to another printer is returned, and the process is terminated.
[0040]
The status content at this time may be expressed as, for example, “transfer print data to XXXXXX”.
[0041]
“XXX × XXX” is a name on the network NET of the printer that is the transfer destination, and information on the printer name of the transfer destination is received from the network identification unit 17. At the same time, the printer name of the transfer destination may be printed.
[0042]
Further, when the printer status determination unit 15B predicts the time required for processing the received print data and determines that the time allowed to enter the subsequent print data processing is a certain time or more, the printer status determination unit 15B It is also possible to transfer subsequent print data.
[0043]
The “certain time” at this time may be a method of reading from a storage device (not shown) provided in the printer controller 12 or a user (a driver on the host computer). May be a method of attaching the time determined by to print data.
[0044]
[Third Embodiment]
In the second embodiment, when it is determined that the received print data cannot be printed, a printer candidate to which the print data can be transferred is determined on the assumption that there is a printer capable of printing on the network. Although the case of transferring print data has been described, since the printer usage status on the network changes dynamically, when the received print data is transferred to the printer determined as the transfer destination, the printing process or printing operation cannot be performed. In some cases, the printer has changed to a state, and in that case, another printer candidate may be searched for and transferred by detour. Therefore, when such a situation occurs, the transfer source information creates and transfers the transfer history information so that it is not unknown whether the print data has been transferred from any printer first. Control may be performed so that the print data is attached and transferred. The embodiment will be described below.
[0045]
The hardware configuration is the same as in FIG.
[0046]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a third data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention. In addition, (1)-(6) shows each step.
[0047]
First, in step (1), the printer controller 12 receives the transmission data from any one of the host computers 1-1 to 1-n by the reception buffer 13.
[0048]
Next, in step (2), the printer status determination unit 15B checks whether or not the printer is currently in a state for entering a printing operation, and if it is determined that the printer is ready for a printing operation now. In step (3), the image forming unit 14 creates normal image data, the printer engine 11 performs normal printing, and the process ends.
[0049]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step (2) that the current printer controller 12 cannot immediately enter the printing operation, in step (4), the network identification unit 17 selects another appropriate ( Find and identify potential printer candidates.
[0050]
At this time, as a means for searching for another printer on the network NET, for example, a means for searching for a printer of the same product in the minimum area of the network or determining a transfer destination in advance by a printer driver may be selected.
[0051]
Next, in step (5), data representing the transfer history so far is attached to the received print data for the print data transfer destination printer identified and determined in step (4). The print data transfer unit 16 performs transfer to the network. In step (6), a status notifying the host that has transmitted the print data that the print data received by the status transmission unit 18 is to be transferred to another printer is returned, and the process is terminated.
[0052]
The status contents at this time may be enumerated and expressed as, for example, [transfer print data to XXXXXX] and [transfer print data to XXXXXX]. . “XXXXXX” and “XXX” are names on the network of the printer that is the transfer destination. In other words, when transferring data, the transfer status is indicated each time. Return to host. At the same time, the transfer destination printer name history is printed.
[0053]
Further, when the printer status determination unit 15B predicts the time required for processing the received print data and determines that the time allowed to enter the subsequent print data processing is a certain time or more, the printer status determination unit 15B It is also possible to transfer subsequent print data.
[0054]
The “certain time” at this time may be a method of reading from a storage device (such as a ROM) provided in the printer controller 12, or may be determined by a user (a driver on the host computer). A method of attaching the time to the print data may be used.
[0055]
The configuration of a data processing program that can be read by a printing system to which the printing control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described below with reference to the memory map shown in FIG.
[0056]
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by a printing system to which the printing control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.
[0057]
Although not particularly illustrated, information for managing a program group stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, creator, etc. is also stored, and information depending on the OS on the program reading side, for example, a program is identified and displayed. Icons may also be stored.
[0058]
Further, data depending on various programs is also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs in the computer, and a program for decompressing when the program to be installed is compressed may be stored.
[0059]
The functions shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6 in this embodiment may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when an information group including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Is.
[0060]
As described above, a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing the programmed program code.
[0061]
In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.
[0062]
As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, EEPROM, etc. Can be used.
[0063]
Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) or the like running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.
[0064]
Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the case where the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.
[0065]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, print data transferred in response to a determination that the printer is not ready for printing in another printing apparatus is received, and the received print data is already printed. Since the transfer history of a plurality of printing apparatuses that transferred print data is added in response to the determination that the print data is not ready for operation, for example, the print data is successively transferred to a plurality of other printing apparatuses. Even if a situation occurs, the transfer status and transfer source can be recognized from the transfer history.
[0066]
In addition, when it is determined that the printing operation is not in another printing apparatus, the data processing apparatus notifies the data processing apparatus of a plurality of transfer destination information based on the transfer history. The transfer history can be confirmed for the user.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus to which a printing control apparatus according to the invention can be applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print control apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a third data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by a printing system to which the printing control apparatus according to the invention can be applied.
[Explanation of symbols]
12 Printer Controller 13 Reception Buffer 14 Image Forming Unit 15A Controller Status Determination Unit 15B Printer Status Determination Unit 16 Print Data Transfer Unit 17 Network Identification Unit

Claims (7)

A printing apparatus in a printing system including a plurality of printing apparatuses capable of communicating with a data processing device,
Receiving means for receiving print data transferred in response to a determination that the printing apparatus is not ready for printing in another printing apparatus;
And a transfer means for adding the transfer histories of a plurality of printing apparatuses that have transferred the print data in response to determining that the received print data is not ready for the print operation. Printing device . The printing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized that you have a notification means for notifying a plurality of transfer destination information based on the transfer history to the data processing device. A determination unit that determines whether or not a time until a print process can be started is greater than or equal to a certain value, and the transfer unit transfers print data based on the determination by the determination unit; The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the time is based on a time determined by a user of the data processing apparatus . In a control method in a printing system including a data processing device capable of communicating with a plurality of printing devices,
A receiving step of receiving print data transferred in response to a determination that the printer is not ready for printing in another printing apparatus;
A transfer step of adding the transfer histories of a plurality of printing apparatuses that have transferred the print data in response to determining that the received print data is not already in a print operation, and transferring the print data. Control method. The method according to claim 4, characterized that you have a notifying step for notifying a plurality of transfer destination information based on the transfer history to the data processing device. A determination step of determining whether or not a time until the printing process can be entered is greater than or equal to a certain value, and the transfer step transfers print data based on the determination in the determination step; the method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the time is based on the time determined by the user of the data processing apparatus. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 4.

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