JPH04257917A - Print server - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a print server so as to unnecessitate the test printing before the main printing at the print server when printing the output data of a document processor. CONSTITUTION:When a print data is inputted from a document processor 102 through a network bus 107 to a print server 101, the print server prepares a print image data from the print data. The print server 101 transmits the prepared print image data to the document processor 102 as the input source of the print data. At the document processor 102, an image to be actually printed can be recognized based on the transmitted print image data.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print server device that prints data input from, for example, information processing equipment.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, print server devices that receive data from information processing equipment and perform printing are equipped with a variety of font image data and a high-speed printer capable of high-density output in order to perform high-quality printing. , the printer developed print image data in a format compatible with the printer of the own device and printed it out from the printer of the own device. Further, the printer was configured to accept print requests from a plurality of information processing devices via a communication line, LAN, or the like.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example described above, it is not possible to install a large number of print server devices for printing because they are expensive, and the print server devices are installed physically far away from the information processing device that makes the print request. There have been situations in which trial printing has become difficult in cases where the cost of printing is high.

[0004] In this case, there is a drawback that the print requester has to print without actually seeing the print image to be printed on the media.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and even in a system connected to a print server that makes trial printing difficult, it is possible to easily print the print image that will actually be printed on the media before actual printing. The purpose is to make it possible to confirm.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the print server device of the present invention has the following configuration.

[0007] A print server device that is connected to a communication network, creates print image data based on print data input through the communication network, and prints out the print image data, which prints the created print image data. The apparatus further includes print image data sending means for sending print image data to another device connected to the communication network via a communication network.

[0008]

[Operation] With the above configuration, the print server device can send the created print image data to the information processing device that is the source of the print request.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of a print server device connected to a network will be shown below as an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 101 is a print server device, and 102 to 106 are independently operable document processing devices. A network bus 107 allows the print server device 101 and the document processing devices 102 to 106 to access each other, and connects the devices 101 to 106 to each other via transceivers 108 to 113. 106 allows the print server device 101 to be used.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the print server device 101. In FIG. 2, 207 is a CPU that controls this print server device, and receives print data from other document processing devices according to the data format according to the steps in the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5, which will be described later. It develops the print image and controls the output to the printing section. This CPU 207 is connected to a network interface 206 via a system bus 205 and can exchange information with other document processing devices via a transceiver 108 and network bus 107. 208 is R
OM (Read Only Memory)
Various control programs for the CPU, a document processing program involving data transfer shown in FIG. 3, a data transfer processing program shown in FIG. 4, and font data used when developing print images are stored. 209 is system bus 20
RAM (Random Access M
emory).

202 is a disk interface 204
It is used when a large amount of font data necessary for developing a print image is held in a hard disk storage unit connected via the RAM 209, or when storing various data that cannot be stored in the RAM 209.

The processing results are transmitted to the network interface 206, transceiver 108, and network bus 10.
7 to another document processing apparatus, or output to the printing unit 201 connected via the printing unit interface 203.

Next, the print processing of the print server device configured as described above will be explained.

When the print server device 101 prints out the integrated document file created by the document processing device 102 in FIG. Transfer data.

The print server device 101 that has received the print data performs print processing according to the algorithm shown in FIG.

First, in S10 and S11, the printer is in a state where it can accept print requests from other devices, and is waiting to receive a print request. If there is a print request from another device, the print server device connects with the device that made the print request in S12, receives the print data that is subsequently sent, and receives the print data.
It is temporarily stored in the AM 209 or the HD storage unit 202.

[0018] When the print data is successfully received, it is determined in S13 whether or not the received print data specifies that the image is to be developed into a print image and then sent to another device.

If a sending request has been specified, print image development is performed in accordance with the sending request specification, which will be described later, in step S14.

[0020] When no sending request is specified, or when it is determined in S15 that execution of printing by the print server device is specified even though a sending request is specified,
In S16, the print image is developed in accordance with the resolution and development method of the printer's printing unit as usual, and in S17, this developed data is sent to the printing unit through the printer I/F to execute printing.

[0021] When the printing is completed or the transfer of the print image is completed (in the case of NO at S15), a report is sent to the device that sent the print data as to whether or not the series of processing was successful, and the process ends. .

Next, the contents of step S14 in FIG. 3 are as follows.
Creation and transmission of print image data will be explained with reference to FIG. 4.

First, in S20, it is determined whether data specifying resolution is added to the print data received. If it has been added, the specified resolution is set in S22, and if it has not been added, the resolution corresponding to the printing unit 201 is set in the resolution memory 210 on the RAM 209 in S21.

Next, in step S2, it is determined whether or not the received data has been added with data specifying a development area, in which only a specific portion of the print data is developed into a print image.
Determine by 3. A value is given to the development area memory 211 on the RAM 209 so that if it has been added, the specified portion is developed in S25, and if it has not been added, all the received print data is developed into a print image in S24.

Next, the above set resolution memory 2
10 and expansion area memory 211 as parameters,
Bitmap development of print image data is performed from the print data, and this data is held on the RAM 209.

In S27, it is checked whether the device to which the expanded print image data is to be sent is connected, and if it is not connected, the connection is established in S28.

Finally, in S29, the above-mentioned print image data is sent to the connected device, and this process ends.

According to the procedure described above, the print server device of this embodiment can create a print image in response to a request from a device that has created and sent print data, and can send it back to the requesting device. . As a result, the document processing device that created the print data can view the print image without actually printing it, and there is no need for trial printing even if the print server device is located at a remote location or the cost is high. Therefore, one print server device can be shared by document processing devices located far apart.

[0029]

[Other Embodiments] The present print server device may be configured to always send the print image data to the sender of the print data and to request designation of resolution, image development area, etc. before starting printing. The print server device is shown in Figure 5.
A case in which image development and printing processing is performed according to the flowchart will be described.

First, in S30 and S31, the printer is in a state of accepting print requests from other devices, and is waiting to receive a print request. If there is a print request from another device in S31,
In S32, a connection is established between the data sending source device and this print server device, and the print data is temporarily received in the RAM 209 or hard disk storage unit 202.

When the print data is successfully received, the print data is expanded into print image data based on the print data in S33, and the expanded print image data is sent back to the sender of the print request in S34.

On the other hand, the device that has received the print image data looks at the print image data and determines whether it is acceptable or not, and returns the result as a confirmation response to the print server device.

[0033] The returned confirmation response is received in S35 and its contents are checked. In S36, it is checked whether the content of the confirmation response is a data resending designation, and if it is a resending response, the process returns to the print data receiving step of S32.

If resending is not specified, it is checked in S37 whether printing is specified to be cancelled, and if cancel is not specified, printing is executed by sending print image development data to the printing unit 201 through the printing unit I/F 203 in S38. S3 if canceled
Branch to 9.

[0035] When printing is completed, or when the process is completed without printing due to cancellation designation, in S39, a report is made to the device that sent the print data as to whether or not the process has been successfully completed. Disconnect and exit.

[0036]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the print server device according to the present invention can print media before actual printing even if the print server device is connected to a print server device that is difficult to perform trial printing due to distance or other reasons. This has the advantage that the actual print image can be easily confirmed and shared by many remotely installed information processing devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a system in which print server devices of an embodiment are connected via a network.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a print server device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of print processing in the print server device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of print image development processing according to the specified area/resolution in the flowchart of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of print processing in a print server device according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Print server device 102
~106 Document processing device 107 Network bus 108~
113 Transceiver unit 201
Printing section 202 Hard disk (HD) storage section 203 Printing section interface (printing section I/F) 204 Disk interface (disk I/F) 205 System bus 206
Network interface 207
CPU

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A print server device that receives print data via a communication system, creates print image data based on the input print data, and prints out the print image data, the created print image data A print server device comprising: an output means for outputting the information to the communication system. 2. The print server device according to claim 1, further comprising print image data creation means for creating print image data at a resolution specified by the device from which the print data is input. 3. A claim characterized by comprising print image data creation means for extracting from the print data an area designated by a device from which the print data is input, and creating print image data based on the extracted print data. Item 1
The print server device described in section. 4. The output destination of the print image data is a device connected to the communication system that is the sender of the print data on which the print image data is based. The print server device described.