JP3887859B2 - Network printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network printer connected to a client via a network, and more particularly to a network printer that outputs printout history data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a network printer, for example, a technique for outputting printout history data of a facsimile apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-350786. In this method, at least a printout history such as a file name, a user name, the number of pages, a printout date and time, and a printout result is transmitted in response to a user request. That is, when the requester is an administrator, a list of printout histories of all users is transmitted, and when the requester is a general user, only the printout history of the requester is transmitted.
[0003]
The user who has received the printout history can check the actual printout status, that is, data such as normal termination and abnormal termination from a remote location or on the print server.
[0004]
Such a technique for transmitting a printout history is used not only for facsimile apparatuses but also for ordinary printers.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, with such a technique, only character data is sent as a printout history, so it was not possible to confirm the actual printed state on paper. For this reason, for example, although the printout history is normal termination, when you go to the network printer and look at the printed paper, font conversion has occurred and characters are not output correctly Or a part of the figure pattern disappeared. When such a problem occurs, the efficiency of document creation work is significantly reduced when the distance between the client and the network printer is large. In particular, when using a remote output center, etc., we want to check the output on the spot, so even if the client and the network printer are connected via a network, there is a network printer directly. I often brought it to a place to do it.
[0006]
On the other hand, when there is a problem in actual output, there is a system that can use a print preview on a print server to repeat a calibration and data retransmission cycle until a desired output is obtained. However, in this case, the processing that can be performed on the preview is often limited, and the processing desired by the user cannot always be performed. Further, if this cycle is performed by stopping other processing of the network printer, the work efficiency of all users who share the network printer is reduced.
[0007]
In addition, as described above, in a network printer or the like used in an office, a client and a network printer are separated from each other, and a single printer is shared by many users. There's a problem. For this reason, when confirming an output document such as whether paper output has been completed, the contents of the transmitted document may be forgotten, and the printout history contains only character data such as the file name, user name, and number of pages. In many cases, it is difficult to identify a document that has been transmitted or a document that needs to be confirmed.
[0008]
Furthermore, there is a system for storing high-resolution bitmap data in order to reuse the data after decomposition. The high-resolution bitmap data after decomposing is an accurate one that directly reflects the print result, but in today's high-resolution and high-capacity areas, these data are referred to via the network to confirm the printout. Use is unrealistic due to the difficulty in handling the data.
[0009]
Therefore, there is a network printer configured to create a low resolution bitmap (thumbnail) in order to simplify the handling of the stored high resolution bitmap data. However, such a network printer stores only documents that can be reused, and does not leave an image for other documents. Even if thumbnails are created for all documents, high-resolution bitmap data is saved, which causes a problem in terms of storage capacity.
[0010]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a network printer that can store printout history data of an actual printout image with a small capacity and can be easily confirmed. And
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in a network printer connected to a client via a network, a data receiving means for receiving a print data file input via the network, and a print in the print data file Image expansion means for image-expanding data and the image expansion Image development by means Bitmap data Images based on The Printing means for printing, and when the image based on the bitmap data is printed by the printing means, the bitmap data is Low resolution image data generating means for generating low resolution image data by converting into low resolution bitmap data; and Along with additional data extracted from data previously added to the corresponding print data file Data storage means for storing in the storage device as printout history data; Accept selection conditions entered via the input device, From the printout history data stored in the storage device The content of the additional data matches the selection condition Do Low resolution image data History data selection display command means for performing a display command, and By history data selection display command means chosen The low resolution image Read data from the storage device, An image based on the low-resolution image data There is provided a network printer comprising display control means for displaying on a screen of a display device.
[0012]
In such a network printer, when the data receiving means receives the print data file input via the network, the image developing means develops the image of the print data in the print data file. The printing means prints an image based on the bitmap data that has been developed. To do. The low resolution image data generating means When an image based on bitmap data is printed by the printing means, The image-developed bitmap data is converted into low-resolution bitmap data to generate low-resolution image data. Then, the data storage means converts the low resolution image data Along with the additional data extracted from the data added in advance to the corresponding print data file The printout history data is stored in the storage device.
[0013]
User When the selection condition is input via the input device, the history data selection display command means that has received the selection condition has the contents of the additional data match the selection condition from the printout history data stored in the storage device. Low resolution image data Select and command display. The display control means then selects the selected Low resolution image Read data from storage, An image based on the low-resolution image data It is displayed on the screen of the display device.
[0014]
Thereby, the printout history data of the actual printout image can be stored with a small capacity and can be easily confirmed.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the concept of functions of this embodiment. The data receiving unit 1a of the network printer 1 receives the print data file 2 input via the network. The image development means 1b develops an image of the print data in the print data file and causes the print unit 1c to print it out according to a command. The low-resolution image data generating unit 1d converts the bitmap data that has undergone image development into low-resolution bitmap data and generates low-resolution image data. Then, the data storage unit 1e stores the low resolution image data printout history data in the storage device 1f.
[0016]
The user selects a desired one from the printout history data stored in the storage device 1f in this way using the history data selection display command means 3, and issues a display command. Then, the display control means 1g reads the selected printout history data from the storage device 1f and displays it on the screen of the display device 4.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions related to this embodiment of the network printer of this embodiment. The network printer 50 is connected to a plurality of clients 10, 20, 30, etc. via the network 40. In each client 10, 20, and 30, a print data file such as a document is created by the user. The print data file is composed of print data that is actually printed on paper and various accompanying data associated therewith. In the accompanying data, data such as whether to make low-resolution bitmap data described later public or private is input and added by the user. This print data file is sent to the network printer 50 via the network 40 and printed out there.
[0018]
The network printer 50 is provided with an input device 51 such as a keyboard and a mouse. The input device 51 can select a printout history and issue a display command. The network printer 50 displays the printout history selected and displayed on the screen of the display device 52.
[0019]
The network control unit 53 receives the print data file via the network 40. And all the data that accompanies the print data file, that is, the file name, the file sender name, the host name, the received date and time, “public”, “private”, etc. This is sent to the print job management unit 54.
[0020]
The print job management unit 54 receives the print data file sent from the network control unit 53, stores it in the internal print queue, and sends it to the decomposer 55 as necessary. The accompanying data extraction unit 56 uses the file name, the file storage location on the client 10, 20, 30 side, and the file sender name as search data to be displayed on the screen of the display device 52 for searching the printout history. Extract the application name, paper size to be used, etc.
[0021]
By the way, if the printer driver corresponding to the network printer 50 is provided in advance to the client 10, 20, 30 side, the accompanying data according to the present embodiment is the data that can be understood on the client 10, 20, 30 machine by PDL (page Description language) Can be described as a comment in the file. In this embodiment, at least a file name, a file sender name, a file storage location, host name data, judgment data for determining whether to display low-resolution bitmap data, and the like are added as search data. Is desirable.
[0022]
Whether or not to display the low-resolution bitmap data can be determined by selecting either “public” or “non-public” on the printer driver. That is, if it is “public”, it can be displayed, and if it is “private”, it cannot be displayed. The default is “public”. The “public” and “private” settings may also be made on the network printer 50. Further, in the case of “private”, only the sender of the file may be able to display it by inputting a password or the like. Alternatively, even the file sender may not be able to display the low resolution bitmap data.
[0023]
The accompanying data including the setting data “public” and “private” like this is sent to the history management unit 60.
The decomposer 55 generates high-resolution bitmap data to be printed by the print unit 57 from the print data file sent from the print job management unit 54. The high resolution bitmap data is also sent to the low resolution image data generation unit 59.
[0024]
The accompanying data extraction unit 58 receives the response from the decomposer 55, extracts the attribute data of the document generated during decomposition, and sends it to the history management unit 60. Here, the response from the decomposer 55 is a message indicating that font replacement has occurred or an error has occurred. On the other hand, the attribute data of the document includes the character type, the amount of characters, the size of the photo image, and the number of line segments specific to the graphic portion, and these are counted during decomposition.
[0025]
The low resolution image data generation unit 59 generates low resolution bitmap data from the high resolution bitmap data. At this time, all the data created in accordance with different sizes of paper are also reduced to the same size. The low resolution bitmap data is sent to the history management unit 60 as printout history data.
[0026]
The history management unit 60 associates each of the accompanying data from the accompanying data extraction unit 56 and the accompanying data extraction unit 58 with the low resolution bitmap data from the low resolution image data generation unit 59, and prints it out as printout history data. Is stored in an HDD (hard disk) 61. Further, the history management unit 60 reads out printout history data stored in the HDD 61 in accordance with an instruction from the input device 51, and displays a printout history screen described later on the screen of the display device 52.
[0027]
Further, the history management unit 60 performs automatic management of printout history data. For example, when the printout history data in the HDD 61 exceeds a certain number, the data is deleted in order from the oldest in time. When a file having the same storage location and file name is repeatedly sent, only the latest printout history data is saved.
[0028]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a printout history screen displayed on the screen of the display device 52. A document data portion 71 is displayed on the most right side of the screen. The document data portion 71 includes a document name field, a sender field, a page field, and a disclosure field. The document name column displays the document name, the sender column displays the sender name, and the page column displays the number of pages of the document. In addition, the state of whether or not to display the low resolution bitmap data of the document is displayed in the disclosure column. That is, “Y” indicates that the low-resolution bitmap data is displayed, and “N” indicates that the data is not displayed. If there is a document whose printout history is to be displayed on the screen, the cursor 71a is placed on the line of the document.
[0029]
On the document data portion 71, a number display portion 72 is provided. In the number display portion 72, “30” is displayed as a default, but can be switched as desired by the user. A number of document data corresponding to the number is displayed in the document data portion 71. If the end button 73 is pressed, the operation on the printout history screen is ended.
[0030]
On the other hand, a condition selection unit 74 is provided on the upper left side of the screen. The condition selection unit 74 includes a display order input unit 74a, search condition input units 74b and 74c, and a display command button 74d. The display order input unit 74a is a part for designating the display order of the document data part 71, and is “order in which the file data is input”, “order in which the graphics in the file data are large”, “order in which the characters are large”, The user selects and inputs from “in order of most photos” or the like. A mouse and keyboard are used for input. The default is "in order of file input time".
[0031]
The search condition input parts 74b and 74c are parts for inputting search conditions. The search condition input part 74b includes "document name", "sender", "page", "storage location", "transmission date / time", The user selects and inputs from “document attribute”, “status”, “paper size”, “message from printer”, and the like. In addition, the search condition input unit 74c inputs characters and the like included in the conditions input to the search condition input unit 74b.
[0032]
When the input of these conditions is completed and the display command button 74d is pressed, a list of documents that meet the conditions is displayed in the document data section 71. When a desired document is designated with the cursor 71a from the document data portion 71 and is selected by pressing the return key on the keyboard, an image of the low resolution bitmap data of the selected document is displayed on the low resolution image display portion 75. Is displayed. At the same time, detailed data of the document being displayed on the low resolution image display unit 75 is displayed in the detailed data column 76 below the low resolution image display unit 75. As this detailed data, “storage location”, “transmission date / time”, “status (normal or abnormal)”, “paper size”, and the like are displayed. In addition, as data extracted during decomposition, each ratio data for the entire print screen of photo image, graphic, and text is displayed. In addition, a message from the printer is displayed.
[0033]
Note that if the display command button 74d is pressed without input to the search condition input units 74b and 74c, documents of all files are searched.
Next, a processing procedure in the network printer 50 for displaying such a printout history screen will be described.
[0034]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure from receipt of a print data file to generation of printout history data.
[S1] A print data file is received from the client.
[S2] Extract accompanying data from the received print data file.
[S3] Decompose the print data file to generate high resolution bitmap data.
[S4] Low resolution bitmap data is generated from the high resolution bitmap data. At this time, the response of the decomposer and the search data generated during the decomposition are extracted.
[S5] High resolution bitmap data is printed on paper.
[S6] Accompanying data is added to the low-resolution bitmap data to generate printout history data.
[S7] The generated printout history data is stored in the HDD 61.
[0035]
Note that the order of steps S4 and S5 may be reversed.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for displaying the printout history screen. This flowchart is started when a printout history reference request is made on the network printer 50.
[S11] A printout history screen is displayed.
[S12] On the printout history screen, acceptance of input of document search conditions is executed.
[S13] It is determined whether or not a document list display command corresponding to the search condition has been issued. If yes, the process proceeds to step S14. If not, the process returns to step S12.
[S14] The printout history other than the low resolution bitmap data is displayed on the screen of the display device 52 of the network printer 50.
[S15] It is determined whether or not the search condition has been changed. If so, the process returns to step S12, and if not, the process proceeds to step S16.
[S16] It is determined whether or not an instruction to end the printout history screen has been issued. If yes, this flowchart is ended. If not, the process proceeds to step S17.
[S17] It is determined whether or not a low resolution bitmap data display command has been issued. If yes, the process proceeds to step S18. If not, the process returns to step S15.
[S18] It is determined whether or not the display commanded document can be disclosed. If the document can be disclosed, the process proceeds to step S20.
[S19] It is determined whether the creator of the document file for which the display command has been issued and the user who has issued the display command are the same by checking the password or the like. If they are the same, the process proceeds to step S20. If not, the process returns to step S15.
[S20] The low-resolution bitmap data of the document instructed to be displayed is displayed.
[0036]
As described above, in this embodiment, since the low-resolution bitmap data is displayed on the printout history screen, a rough image of the printout result can be obtained without looking at the actually printed paper. It can be easily confirmed. In addition, since the bitmap data has a low resolution, the message volume can be reduced.
[0037]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the attached data “public” and “non-public” can be added in advance for each print data file, the confidentiality of the document contents can be maintained.
[0038]
In this embodiment, the search data extracted from each print data file is added to the printout history data and stored, and the search condition is selected and input on the printout history screen. Since a list of files can be displayed, it is easy to search for a document for which low resolution bitmap data is to be displayed. In addition, since the rough shape of the document output by another person is known, collaborative work is facilitated.
[0039]
Furthermore, since a response from the decomposer and data generated at the time of decomposition are added to the printout history data, it is possible to easily find a desired file from among a large amount of print data files. At the same time, for example, when font replacement occurs, data that is difficult to understand becomes clear with low-resolution bitmap data, and the status of the printout becomes easier to understand.
[0040]
In addition, since the accompanying data can be added to the printout history by the operation of the client, it is possible to specify “public”, “non-public”, etc., and to perform an original classification, which makes the search easier.
[0041]
In this embodiment, the low resolution bitmap data is displayed on the display device 52 of the network printer 50. However, the low resolution bitmap data is displayed together with other printout history data via the network 30. It may be sent to the clients 10 and 20 and displayed on the display device of each client. In this way, the user can easily check the printout result without having to go to the network printer 50 at a remote location. Also, the work of proofreading by looking at the print preview can be performed on the terminal without going to the network printer. Therefore, working efficiency is improved. Furthermore, compared to the conventional case where calibration and data retransmission are repeated using the print preview until the desired output is obtained on the print server, the application that created the print data file can be used for calibration. The degree of freedom is high. Furthermore, since the resolution of the bitmap data is reduced, the transmission speed is also high.
[0042]
By the way, in this embodiment, as ancillary data that can be added on the client side, an example of adding “public” and “private” has been shown, but in addition to these, “public in group”, “post”, “Presentation materials”, “submission documents”, “drafts”, and “general documents” may be added.
[0043]
Here, “in-group disclosure” is added to data that can be referred to by anyone who is in the same group as the person who sent the file. By doing this, when working together in a group sharing a network printer, it is possible to refer to the printout history of another person from a remote location, and work efficiency is improved.
[0044]
“Postings” and “Presentation materials” are all for automatically adding low resolution bitmap data to data to be “open” for the purpose of facilitating document sharing. In this case, it is particularly desirable to add the storage location of the original file to the file as accompanying data.
[0045]
“Submitted documents” is added to the file where you want to keep a copy. This is generally private.
A file to which “draft” is added is automatically unpublished, and when a file in the same storage location is input to a network printer, only a new printout history is left.
[0046]
The “general document” is added to a file that does not store the low resolution bitmap data in the HDD 61 or the like.
In this way, by classifying documents according to the purpose of use and changing the processing according to the classification, more appropriate processing can be performed in constructing the printout history, and the printout history is easy to see and use.
[0047]
In addition, since the objects to be disclosed can be limited, a network printer can be used instead of e-mail. In this case, data with pictures can be shared while e-mail is exchanged only with characters.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, the image of the print data of the print data file input via the network is developed, When the printing means prints an image based on the bitmap data, The bitmap data is converted into low-resolution bitmap data to generate low-resolution image data, and the low-resolution image data is stored in a storage device as printout history data. Depending on selection conditions according to user operations Selected and displayed Low resolution image Since the data is read from the storage device and displayed on the screen of the display device, the printout history data of the actual printout image can be stored with a small capacity, and That image It can be easily confirmed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the concept of functions of this embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functions related to the present embodiment of a network printer.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a printout history screen displayed on the screen of the display device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure from receipt of a print data file to generation of printout history data.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for displaying a printout history screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Network printer
1a Data receiving means
1b Image development means
1c Print section
1d Low-resolution image data generation means
1e Data storage means
1f storage device
1g Display control means
2 Print data file
3 History data selection display command means
4 display devices
10, 20, 30 clients
40 network
50 Network printer
51 Input device
52 Display device

Claims (6)

In a network printer connected to a client via a network,
Data receiving means for receiving a print data file input via the network;
Image development means for developing an image of the print data in the print data file;
Printing means for printing an image based on the bitmap data developed by the image development means;
Low resolution image data generating means for generating low resolution image data by converting the bitmap data into low resolution bitmap data when an image based on bitmap data is printed by the printing means;
Data storage means for storing the low-resolution image data in a storage device as printout history data together with additional data extracted from data previously added to the corresponding print data file ;
Receiving the selection condition input via the input device, selecting the low resolution image data in which the content of the additional data matches the selection condition from the printout history data stored in the storage device; History data selection display command means for performing,
Display control means for reading out the low resolution image data selected by the history data selection display command means from the storage device and displaying an image based on the low resolution image data on the screen of the display device;
A network printer. The additional data added to the printout history data further relates to information related to processing when the corresponding print data is developed by the image development unit, and bit map data developed by the image development unit. The network printer according to claim 1 , comprising at least one of information . The additional data added to the printout history data includes type information corresponding to the purpose of use of the corresponding print data,
The history data selection display command means determines whether display of the low resolution image data is permitted based on the type information corresponding to the low resolution image data selected from the printout history data, 2. The network printer according to claim 1, wherein the display command is issued only when it is determined that the permission is granted . When the number of the printout history data stored in the storage device by the data storage means exceeds a certain number, the data storage means further includes history data management means for erasing the printout history data in order of the oldest stored time. The network printer according to claim 1, wherein: When the printout history data having the same storage location and file name in the storage device is repeatedly selected by the history data selection display command means, and the display command of the corresponding low resolution image data is issued 2. The network printer according to claim 1, further comprising history data updating means for storing only the latest printout history data in the storage device. 2. The network printer according to claim 1, further comprising history data transmitting means for transmitting the printout history data to the requesting client side via the network in response to a request from the client side.

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