JPH09205510A - Print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reliability of the system storing display data of a host device to a printer together with print data so as to manage the display data and the print data definitely. SOLUTION: In the case of transmitting print data from a host device 1, a reduced image generating means 104 generates display data, a reduced image transfer reception means 112 transfers the data to a printer 2 and a data transfer means 108 transfers the print data. The display data and the print data are stored in a storage device of the printer 2 and in the case of printing the print data of the printer 2 again, print data information of the printer 2 is obtained by a user interface means 105 and makes a print command and a reduced image transfer reception means 112 reads the display data out of the printer 2 and a reduced image display means 109 displays the data onto a display device 110. As a result, when it is judged that the display data are printed out, the user interface means 105 uses a print command means 107 to gives only a print command to the printer 2, by which the data are printed out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly to a printing system for printing color photographic images, illustration images and the like with high quality.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of printing system, a printing apparatus is connected to a host apparatus represented by a personal computer or a workstation, and printing data is sent from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus to perform a printing operation. A scanner or a CD-ROM input device may be connected to the host device, and a photographic image or an illustration image input from the host device is subjected to image processing by another image processing system, which is used as print data. Further, since the purpose is high-quality printing, the print data is necessarily high in density, and color images are generally red (R), blue (B), green (G), (referred to as RGB. ) Three colors or cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K) (CMY)
Each of the four colors (referred to as K) is overlapped to form a color number of several million colors, and therefore the volume of printing data is generally large. For example, 300 dpi (D
When printing with a printing device having an output accuracy of a pixel density of ot Par Inch (the number of pixels per inch), R
The size of GB data is about 25.4 MB (MB = megabyte) for A4 size color printing data.

Next, a conventional printing system will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional printing system, FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a host device of the printing system of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is an example of a printing device of the printing system of FIG. It is a block diagram.

9 to 11, this conventional printing system comprises a host device 3 and a printing device 4.

In this printing system, print data already created by another image processing system is stored in the storage device 302 of the host device 3. Since printing data such as a high-quality color photographic image or illustration image is generally large in size as described above, a large-capacity magnetic disk device is often used as the storage device 302. In some cases, multiple units are connected. The data read / write unit 303 reads print data from the storage device 302, and print data is stored in the storage device 302.
Is a means to write. Generally, the storage device 302 is controlled by an operating system that controls the entire host device 3, and reading and writing procedures are usually performed via this operating system. Of course, also here, when the data read / write means 303 reads / writes data to / from the storage device 302, it actually goes through the operating system, but since it is not directly related to the description, the existence of the operating system is omitted unless otherwise specified. .

When the data read / write means 303 reads out the print data, it is not read at once but is read in units that can be processed by each means at once. The reduced image creating unit 304 receives the print data read by the data reading / writing unit 303, and creates a small image data by thinning processing. This reduced image is used as display data to be displayed on the display device 310 mainly composed of a CRT display or a liquid crystal display. The display device 310 generally has a resolution of about 72 dpi, which is extremely lower than that of the printing device 4.
If the print data is displayed as it is, it cannot be displayed outside the screen, or if the thinning process is performed while displaying the data, it takes a long time to display the data. By creating such display data and displaying the data, it is possible to display at high speed and efficiently as a result. The user interface means 305 receives an instruction from an operator who operates the host device via the input device 306, and when supplying information to the operator, displays characters or pictorial symbols on the display device 310. The input device 306 is composed of a keyboard, a mouse and the like, and the information operated by the operator can be obtained by the user interface means 305. The mode in which the user interface unit 305 performs display on the display device 310 differs depending on the type of the host device, but is as shown in FIG. 7 when using the PC-98 series of NEC Corporation. In this case, the keyboard is used to input numerical values and characters, and the mouse is used to specify the input position and select a pictogram on the screen.

The print instructing means 307 receives an operator's instruction from the user interface means 305 and issues a print instruction to the printing apparatus 2 based on the instruction. The data transfer unit 308 sends the print data sent from the data read / write unit 303 to the printing device 4. The input / output unit 311 is composed of hardware for electrical matching and input / output when connected to the printing apparatus 4 by a cable, but it also has detailed signals for sending print data, other data, and commands. Is controlled, and software is also included internally.

In the printing device 4, the printing data sent from the host device 3 is received by the data receiving means 212 through the input / output unit 202, and is stored in the storage device 205 in the printing device 4 by the data reading / writing means 206. The data receiving unit 212 receives the printing data sent from the host device 3, and sequentially sends it to the data reading / writing unit 206 for storage in the storage device 205. Storage device 20
Reference numeral 5 is composed of a large-capacity magnetic disk like the storage device 302 of the host device 3.

Therefore, the printing device 4 can store a plurality of print data transferred from the host device 3 as long as the capacity of the storage device 205 permits. Further, since the storage device 205 uses a magnetic disk, it is normally held even when the printing device 4 is powered off.
The print data already stored in the storage device 205 can be printed by sending only the print instruction without sending it from the host device 3 again. The print instruction can specify the target print data by specifying the name stored in the storage device 205 or the number managed by the printing device 4.

The host device control means 204 receives a print instruction issued from the host device 3 and processes other commands. The data management unit 207 manages internal information such as the current print data storage status of the storage device 205. The image correction / editing unit 209 performs a work of editing the data that can be processed by the printing mechanism unit 211 to print the print data on a sheet, and makes the print more beautiful when actually printed. Correction of color information,
Performs gradation correction processing. After that, the data sending means 208 sends the printing data to the printing mechanism section 211,
The printing mechanism unit 211 actually performs a mechanism operation of putting ink on paper.

Next, the operation of the conventional printing system will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the printing system of FIG. 9, FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the storage state of the storage device of the printing apparatus of FIG. 11, and FIG. 14 is FIG.
3 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the information area of FIG.

9 to 12, print data is created by another image processing system or the like (step 21) and stored in the storage device 302 (step 22). Although this step is not directly related to the printing system, in the printing system, the printing data must be stored in the storage device 302 in order for the data read / write unit 303 to read the printing data. In accordance with an operator's instruction, the data read / write means 303 reads the print data stored in the storage device 302 (step 23). The read printing data is referred to by the reduced image creating means 304, and the printing data is created by thinning out the printing data to create display data (step 24). The created display data is stored in the storage device 30 by the data read / write means 303.
After being stored in step 2, the reduced image display means 309 displays the image on the display device 310 (step 25). The operator visually confirms what the printing data is like by this. The operator refers to the display data displayed on the display device 310 and determines whether to print the print data (step 26). The result is received by the user interface unit 305, and in the case of printing, the user interface unit 305 instructs the data transfer unit 308 to transfer the print data, and transfers the currently read print data to the printing device 4 (step 27). ). Immediately before transfer, the data transfer unit 308 sends out the name, size, and number of used colors of print data. The name of the print data is determined by the operator through the user interface, but the size and the number of colors used are the data transfer means 30.
8 automatically recognizes. In the printing device 4, the data receiving means 212 sequentially receives the printing data sent from the host device 3, and the data reading / writing means 206 writes the printing data in the storage device 205.
At this time, the data read / write unit 206 stores the information in the storage device 205 based on the information of the print data sent immediately before sending the print data, and further records this information in the information area of the storage device 205. When the print data has been transferred, the print instruction means 307 causes the host device control means 2
A print instruction is input to 04 (step 28). The name of the print data is specified in the print instruction. When the print instruction is input, the data read / write unit 206 sequentially reads the print data from the storage device 205 based on the designated print data name. The read printing data is printed by the image correction / editing unit 209 and the data sending unit 208, which sends the printing data to the printing mechanism unit 211. The data sending unit 208 sends the print data in synchronization with the processing of the printing mechanism unit 211, and also the data reading / writing unit 2 at any time.
Since the print data is transferred while being read according to 06, new print data cannot be transferred from the host device 3 to the printing device 4 during this time. If the printing data is not printed in step 26, the host device 3 reads the printing data information from the host device control means 204 (step 29).

Here, the storage device 2 of the printing device 4 is shown in FIG.
The storage state of 05 is shown. The storage device 205 is roughly divided into an information area and a data area. The print data transferred from the host device is stored in the data area. The information area includes a setting information area for storing internal setting information of the printing apparatus 2 and a data information area for each stored image. FIG. 14 shows an explanatory diagram of the data information area. The data information area stores the name, size, number of colors used, location, etc. of each image stored. This is the information of the print data transmitted immediately before the transfer of the print data in step 27 described above and stored in the storage device 205 by the data read / write means 206. Step 2 above
In No. 9, by reading this data information area, it is possible to obtain what the printing data currently stored in the storage device 205 of the printing device 2. This data information is
Read by the user interface means 305,
It is displayed on the display device 310 (step 30). When there is an instruction to read the data information, the host device control means 20
The data management means 207 reads the contents of the information area stored in the storage device 205, and the host device 3
The host device control means 204 sends the information to the user interface means 305, and the user interface means 305 displays the information on the display device 310. The operator is mainly from the name shown there,
If it is the data to be printed, the name of the printing data displayed there is designated from the input device 306 (step 30). The user interface unit 305 retrieves the display data stored in the storage device 302 in step 25 from the print data name designated in step 30 (step 3).
1). If the corresponding display data exists, the data is read (step 32), and the reduced image display means 309 displays it on the display device 310. If the data for display is searched and it is not found, the data for display is not displayed. If the operator decides to print based on this (steps 34, 35), the user interface means 3
From 05, the print data name of the print data information read in step 29 is passed to the print instruction means 307,
A print instruction is issued to the printing device 4. The host device control means 204 issues an instruction to the data read / write means 206,
As described above, the print data is sent to the print mechanism unit 211 and printed.

Further, as a conventional known example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 516/516
Japanese Patent No. 486 is known.

The conventional printing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 516486 will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a conventional printing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 516486.

This conventional printing apparatus is connected to a host computer 401, and the host computer 401 sends instructions to the printing apparatus 402 for drawing characters and figures.
In the case of character drawing, the print data sent is code data, and this code data is the font ROM 405.
And the font data corresponding to the code data is output. In the case of drawing a graphic, the graphic data is input to the character / graphic reduction / enlargement circuit 406, and after the graphic data is edited, the image data for the graphic data is drawn at the drawing position of the page memory 409 and printed by the printer 500.

When a data read instruction is issued from the host computer 401, the processor 403 causes the page memory 4 to read.
09, and the image data is sent to the host computer 401. There are some forms of image data at the time of the read instruction, and each time the image data is edited using the compression / expansion circuit 407 or the like, it is sent to the host computer 401. A storage device that stores image data in the printing device 402 is a page memory, which is a storage device that stores image data for one sheet of paper.

[0021]

In the above-mentioned conventional printing system, since the printing data is stored in the storage device of the printing device and the display data is stored in the storage device of the host device 3, For example, when the display data is deleted, the printing data stored in the storage device of the printing device 4 is stored in the printing device 4 without knowing what kind of printing data the printing data was. When the print data is erased, the display data stays in the storage device of the host device 3, and when the display data increases, the capacity of the storage device is unknowingly squeezed. When a plurality of host devices 3 are connected to each other, the display data of the print data stored in the storage device 4 may exist in another host device, and the printing device 4 The contents of the print data stored becomes unclear from the host device without this display data, the reliability of the system is lowered.

In the printing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 516486, there is no distinction between (1) display data and print data, and the contents of the print data cannot be confirmed before printing. (2) The page memory can store only print data for one sheet of paper, and to manage multiple print data, it must be stored in the storage device on the host computer side. Similarly, the storage device of the host computer is pressed.

(3) As in the printing system described above, the reliability of the system is reduced when a plurality of host devices are provided. There is a disadvantage that.

[0024]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks of the problems to be solved by the present invention and to provide a printing system for centrally managing printing data and display data in a printing apparatus. It is in.

Therefore, (1) the printing system of the present invention includes a host device that creates print data and display data corresponding to the print data, sends out the print data, and issues a print instruction, and print data from the host device. In a printing system including a printing device that performs printing in response to a print instruction, the host device includes a unit that transfers the display data to the printing device and a unit that receives the display data sent from the printing device. The printing apparatus includes means for receiving the display data sent from the host apparatus, means for storing the received display data, and means for transferring the stored display data to the host apparatus. There is. (2) In the printing system of the present invention, the host device of the above (1) inputs a signal by the operator operating the first storage device that stores the print data created by this host device or other devices. An input device, a display device that displays pictograms and characters, a data read / write unit that reads print data from the first storage device and writes print data to the first storage device, and data from the input device. User interface means for interfacing between the receiving operator and the host device, reduced image creating means for receiving print data from the data reading / writing means and creating display data, and receiving display data from the reduced image creating means for display on the display device And a reduced image display means for performing display data corresponding to the print data to the printer and display data from the printer. Reduced image transfer / reception means for receiving, print instructing means for giving a print instruction in response to an instruction from the user interface means, data transfer means for receiving print data from the data reading / writing means and sending this print data to a printing device, and printing And an input / output unit for connecting to the device. (3) In the printing system of the present invention, the printing device according to (1) and (2) above includes a second storage device that stores at least one print data and display data corresponding to the print data. An input / output unit for connecting to the host device and a data read / write unit for writing print data and display data to the second storage device and reading print data and display data from the second storage device. The printer includes a printer control unit that controls the entire printing apparatus and a printing mechanism unit that receives the printing data read by the data reading / writing unit and prints. (4) In the printing system of the present invention, the printer control unit according to (3) above receives the print data and the display data sent from the host device and sends the display data stored in the second storage device to the host. Data receiving / transferring means for transferring to the device; data reading / writing means for receiving print data and display data from the data receiving / transferring means and reading / writing the data from / to the second storage device; and the second storage device Data management means for managing the storage information of the print data and display data stored in the second storage, and the second storage for receiving the print instruction and other commands issued from the host device and managing the response and the data management means. Host device control means for transferring device data storage information to the host device;
Image correction / editing means for receiving print data read from the data read / write means and performing image correction and editing work on the print paper to print the print data so that optimum printing can be obtained in the printing mechanism section. A data sending means for receiving the print data from the image correction / editing means and sending the print data to the print mechanism part; and a print mechanism part for printing the print data from the data send means on a print sheet. ing.

[0026]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION At the same time as printing data is sent from a host device to a printing device, display data is also sent and stored in a storage means of the printing device. When printing the print data stored in the storage means of the printing device, the display data is read by the reduced image transfer / reception means and displayed on the display device by the reduced image display means. The operator can recognize what kind of print data is stored without printing the print data stored in the printer, and the host device does not need to store the display data.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a printing system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a host device of the printing system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a printing device of the printing system of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows an example.

1 to 3, the printing system of the present embodiment comprises a host device 1 and a printing device 2.

In FIG. 2, the host device 1 includes an input device 106 composed of a keyboard, a mouse and the like, a storage device 102 such as a fixed magnetic disk or an optical disk capable of reading and writing with a large capacity, a CRT display or a liquid crystal display. And the like, and a control unit 101. The host device 1 is composed of a personal computer, a workstation, or the like, and the printing data to be printed by the printing system is created by another application of the host device 1 or some other image processing system, or by another host. Even if it is created by the device, the print data is stored in the storage device 10 of the host device 1.
If it can be transferred to 2, printing is possible. The storage device 102 mainly stores print data, but may also store an operating system used by the host device 1 and programs of other systems. At this time, various data is stored in the storage device 102 in the form of files by the operating system operating on the host device 1, and the print data is also stored by the same method.

The control unit 101 is composed of various means for controlling the printing system of this embodiment, and has a data read / write means 103, a reduced image creating means 104, a user interface means 105, and a print instructing means 107.
Data transfer means 108 and reduced image display means 109
And an input / output unit 111 and a reduced image transfer unit 112.

The printing device 2 is a storage device 205 capable of storing a large capacity, such as a fixed magnetic disk, and an input / output section 20 that is electrically connected to the host device 1.
2, a printing mechanism unit 211, and a printer control unit 210 that controls the entire printing apparatus 201. The printer control unit 210 includes a data receiving / transferring unit 203, a host device controlling unit 204, and a data reading / writing unit 206.
A data management means 207 and a data transmission means 208
And an image correction / editing unit 209 and a printing mechanism unit 211.

The host device 1 and the printing device 2 have an input / output unit 1
11, the input / output unit 202 is used as an interface to be connected by a cable. The input / output unit 111 and the input / output unit 202 not only perform electrical connection but also control fine signals for sending print data, other data, and commands, and internally include software. However,
Here, since there is no direct relation, the description is omitted.

The control unit 101 of the host device 1 controls the entire printing system. The print data stored in the storage device 102 is read by the data read / write unit 103. The data read / write means 103 reads out data in a unit size that can be processed by other means, and sequentially passes the data to the other means. With other means, the next print data is received as soon as the processing of the print data for each unit is completed. The read-out printing data is reduced by the thinning-out image creating means 104 by thinning processing, and data having an image size smaller than that of the printing data is created. As described in the section of the prior art, this reduced data is displayed on the display device 1.
10 is display data for displaying efficiently and rapidly at 10 and is displayed on the display device 110 by the reduced image display means 109. The user interface means 105 is a part mainly operated by an operator, receives an operator instruction from an input device 106 such as a keyboard or a mouse, and displays the result on the display device 110. Data transfer means 108
Receives print data from the data read / write unit 103 and transfers the print data to the printing device 2 sequentially. When transferring print data, the name, size, and number of used colors of the print data are transferred immediately before the print data. At this time, the name of the print data is determined by the operator through the user interface means 105, but the size and the number of colors used are automatically recognized and determined by the data transfer means 108. The print instruction unit 107 issues a print start command to the printing apparatus 2 in response to a print instruction from the user interface unit 105 regarding the print data already transferred to the printing apparatus 2. The reduced image transfer / reception means 112 transfers the display data displayed by the reduced image display means 109 to the printing device 2 and stores it in the storage device 205 in the printing device 2. Since the extension character "sml" for indicating that the data is display data when stored is added to the name of the stored data, the print data and the display data can be easily distinguished. Further, the reduced image transfer / reception means 112 can identify the data with this extension as display data and read it from the storage device 205 of the printing device 2.
The input / output unit 111 is an interface unit that electrically connects the host device 1 and the printing device 2.

The printing device 2 is basically the same as the printing device 4 of FIG. 11 described in the section of the prior art, and the host device 1
The data receiving / transferring means 203 for receiving and transferring the display data between and is different from the data receiving means 212 in FIG.

The data receiving / transfer means 203 can transfer the display data in the storage device 205 of the printing device 2 to the host device 1 based on an instruction from the host device 1. The host device 1 can receive the display data by the reduced image transfer / reception means 122.

Next, the operation of the printing system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printing system of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the storage state of the storage device of the printing apparatus of FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a structure of the information area of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of contents displayed on the display device of the host device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining another example of contents displayed on the display device of the host device of FIG. FIG.

1 to 5, print data to be printed by the printing device 2 is created (step 1). Since this print data needs to be read by the data read / write means 103, it needs to be stored in the storage device 102 capable of doing so (step 2). The print data stored in the storage device 102 can store a plurality of print data as long as the storage capacity of the storage device 102 permits. That is, steps 1 and 2 can be performed in advance asynchronously with the operation of the printing system.

One print data selected by the operator is read from the storage device 102 by the data read / write means 103 (step 3). At this time, the printing data is not read all at once, but is read dividedly for each unit that can be processed by the following means. The read-out print data is used as display data by the reduced image creating means 104 (step 4). The created display data is displayed on the display device 110 by the reduced image display means 109 (step 5). When the operator confirms the display data on the display device 110 and determines that the print data is the data to be printed (step 6), the operator notifies the user interface means 105. As a result, the display data is transferred from the reduced image display unit 109 to the printing device 2 by the reduced image transfer / reception unit 112 via the input / output unit 111 of the host device and the input / output unit 202 of the printing device 2 (step 7). After sending the display data, the data transfer means 108 transfers the print data (step 8).

Actually, from the viewpoint of the printing apparatus 2, both the display data transfer and the print data transfer do not distinguish the type of data, and it operates as if two pieces of print data were sent in succession. The data receiving / transferring unit 203 of the printing apparatus 2 receives the data transfer instruction from the host apparatus 1 and obtains the printing data itself and information such as the name, size, and number of colors used of the printing data. Here, the display data name is G
AZOU1. sml, size is 30KB, number of colors used is 3
Color, print data name is GAZOU1, size is 10M
B, it is assumed that the printing data that the number of used colors is 3 is sent. Here, the recording configuration of the storage device 205 of the printing apparatus 2 is shown in FIG. The storage device 205 is roughly divided into two recording areas, an information area and a data area. In the information area, various state setting information of the printing apparatus 2 is recorded at the head, and subsequently, for each printing data in which the name, size, data location, and number of colors used of the data currently stored in the storage device 205 are stored. Information is recorded. These are numbered in the order in which they are stored, and by designating this number, each print data can be designated. Actual display data and print data are stored in the data area. Basically, the respective display data and print data are sequentially stored from the beginning of the data area. Here, FIG. 5 shows a recording configuration of the storage device 205 when steps 7 and 8 of FIG. 4 are performed. In FIG. 5, the storage device 205 has already been used.
IMAGE. Display data and print data named "sml" and "IMAGE" are stored, and the names are GAZOU1. sm
It indicates that the data 1, GAZOU1 is stored. The characters ".sml" are added to the display data after the same name as the print data.

After transferring the display data and the print data, the print instruction means 107 of the host device 1 issues a print instruction command to the host device control means 204 of the printing device 2 (step 9). In the print instruction, by specifying the number indicating the image to be printed in the information area stored in the storage device 205 or the name of the print data, which print data is desired to be printed is specified. The host device control unit 204 receives the issued print instruction, and starts reading the print data to be printed from the data read / write unit 206. The data read / write unit 206 reads the print data from the storage device 205 and sends it to the image correction / editing unit 209. The image correction / editing means 209 stores the print data in the printer 2.
When printing with, the color values and gradations are corrected so that the printing can be performed with the best quality, and where on the paper the printing data is printed is adjusted. Further, for example, if the print size is smaller than that of the paper, the image correction / editing unit 209 prints the print data by arranging the print data at an appropriate position on the print paper. Then, the data sending unit 208 sends the data to the printing mechanism unit 211. Data transmission means 2
08 prints in synchronization with the printing mechanism unit 211 (step 10). This is because normal printing cannot be performed unless the mechanical operation of the printing mechanism and the speed of data transmission are matched.

If the operator gives an instruction not to print in step 6, the user interface means 10
Reference numeral 5 issues to the host device control unit 204 of the printing apparatus 2 an instruction to read the print data information stored in the storage device 205 from the host device control unit 204 of the printing apparatus 2. As described in the section of the conventional technique, the host device control means 204 uses the data management means 207 to store data in the storage device 2.
It is possible to read the contents of the information area stored in 05 (step 11). The process after this has been performed by the printing device 2 before, and is the process for reprinting the data in which the printing data and the display data are already stored in the storage unit 205 of the printing device 2.
The above-mentioned print data information is the contents of the information area shown in FIG. 5. By reading this, it is possible to read what kind of image is stored in the storage device 205 of the printing device 2. Details of the information area of the storage device 205 will be described with reference to FIG. For example, the current storage device 205
Stores a total of four display data and print data, and shows the number representing each data, the data name, the image size, the number of colors used, and the value of the address where the actual data is stored. ing. This information is, of course, used when the display data or the print data is read by the data read / write unit 206 at the time of printing, but is read at the request of the host device 1 and the host device control unit 204 makes the host device 1 It may be sent to. The user interface means 105 displays a list of the read information on the display device 110. An explanatory diagram of this display is shown in FIG. FIG. 8 shows an example, and here, only the contents of the data information area of the storage device 205 are listed. The operator looks at this list and confirms which print data is to be printed. Here, the printing data IMAGE is printed, so that the user interface unit 1
An instruction is issued to 05 (step 12). The user interface unit 105 uses the reduced image transfer / reception unit 112 to send the IMAGE display data IMA from the printing apparatus 2.
GE. Sml is read (step 13), and the reduced image display means 109 displays it on the display device 110 (step 1).
4). The name of the display data is ".sml" added after the name of the print data. Therefore, in particular, the user only needs to specify the name of the print data to be printed without the operator managing it as the display data. The interface means 105 can be recognized. FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen in which the display data read out here is displayed on the display device 110. The display data is displayed in the upper right of the screen. Figure 7
Is an example, and this display mode does not depend on this. When the operator sees the display data displayed on the display device 110 and determines that the data is data to be printed (step 15,
16) The user interface unit 105 issues the instruction. The user interface means 105 displays the data name IMAGE. The data with the name IMAGE excluding ".sml" of sml is recognized as the print data that has already been transferred to the storage device 205 of the printing apparatus 2, and the print instruction unit 107 issues only the print instruction to the printing apparatus 2. (Step 17). Subsequent processing is the same as in step 9 described above, and designated print data is printed.

In this embodiment, the case where the host device and the printing device are connected one-to-one has been described, but a network connection is configured such that a plurality of host devices are connected to one printing device. In this way, the print data and the display data in the printing device can be shared by any connected host device. Also, when reading the information in the data information area of the printing device with the host device, all the display data stored at the same time is read,
It is also possible to display them side by side on the display device of the host device and print one of them.

[0045]

As described above, according to the printing system of the present invention, the display data created by the host device can be stored in the printing device together with the printing data, and the data can be read out again to the host device. Since the display data can be centrally managed, the burden of saving on the host device side can be reduced, and it is possible to eliminate the problem that the data for printing is erased and the data for printing is unknown. This has the effect of improving reliability.

Further, the printing system of the present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 516486, reduces the burden of storing display data on the host device side, as well as the reliability of the system. There is an effect that the property can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a host device of the printing system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus of the printing system in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation of the printing system according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a storage state of a storage device of the printing apparatus of FIG.

6 is a diagram for explaining the structure of an information area in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of contents displayed on the display device of the host device in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining another example of contents displayed on the display device of the host device in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional printing system.

10 is a block diagram showing an example of a host device of the printing system of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus of the printing system in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation of the printing system in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a storage state of a storage device of the printing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the information area of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a conventional printing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 516486.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,3 Host device 2,4 Printing device 101 Control unit 102 Storage device 103 Data reading / writing means 104 Reduced image creating means 105 User interface means 106 Input device 107 Print instruction means 108 Data transfer means 109 Reduced image display means 110 Display device 111 Input Output unit 112 Reduced image transfer / reception unit 201 Printing device 202 Input / output unit 203 Data reception / transfer unit 204 Host device control unit 205 Storage device 206 Data read / write unit 207 Data management unit 208 Data transmission unit 209 Image correction / editing unit 210 Printer Control unit 211 Printing mechanism unit 212 Data receiving unit 302 Storage device 303 Data reading / writing unit 304 Reduced image creating unit 305 User interface unit 306 Input device 307 Print instruction unit 30 8 data transfer means 309 reduced image display means 310 display device 311 input / output unit 401 host computer 402 printing device 403 processor 404 memory 405 font ROM 406 character / graphic reduction / enlargement circuit 407 compression / expansion circuit 408 image reduction / enlargement circuit 409 page memory 500 printer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location H04N 1/387 H04N 1/387

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A host device that creates print data and display data corresponding to the print data, sends the print data and issues a print instruction, and a host device that receives the print data from the host device and outputs the print data according to the print instruction. In a printing system including a printing device that performs printing, the host device includes a unit that transfers the display data to the printing device, and a unit that receives the display data sent from the printing device. The printing device receives the display data sent from the host device, stores the received display data, and transfers the stored display data to the host device. A printing system comprising: 2. The host device stores a first storage device for storing print data created by the host device or other devices, an input device for inputting a signal when operated by an operator, and a pictorial symbol and a character. A display device for displaying, a data read / write unit for reading print data from the first storage device and writing print data to the first storage device, the operator and the host receiving data from the input device User interface means for interfacing with the apparatus, reduced image creating means for receiving print data from the data reading / writing means and creating display data, and receiving display data from the reduced image creating means for displaying on the display device. The reduced image display means for performing the transfer, the display data corresponding to the print data to the printing device, and the print device. Reduced image transfer / reception means for receiving display data from the storage unit, print instruction means for giving a print instruction in response to an instruction from the user interface means, print data received from the data read / write means, and The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a data transfer unit that sends the data to the printing apparatus, and an input / output unit for connecting to the printing apparatus. 3. A second storage device in which the printing device stores at least one print data and display data corresponding to the print data, and an input / output unit for connecting to the host device. A printer having a data read / write unit for writing print data and display data to the second storage device and for reading print data and display data from the second storage device and for controlling the entire printing device 3. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit and a printing mechanism unit that receives the printing data read by the data reading / writing unit and performs printing. 4. A data reception in which the printer control unit receives print data and display data sent from the host device and transfers the display data stored in the second storage device to the host device. A transfer means, a data read / write means for receiving print data and display data from the data receiving / transfer means, and reading / writing the data from / to the second storage device; and stored in the second storage device. A data management unit that manages the stored information of the print data and the display data, and a second storage device that receives the print instruction and other commands issued from the host device and manages the response and the data management unit. Host device control means for transferring data storage information to the host device, and print data read by the data read / write means. Image correction / editing means for performing image correction and editing work on where to print the printing data on the printing paper so that optimum printing can be obtained in the printing mechanism section, and printing data from the image correction / editing means 4. A data sending means for receiving the print data to the printing mechanism section, and a printing mechanism section for printing the printing data from the data sending means on the printing paper. Printing system.