JP2000172477A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a host computer not wait by performing print request reception, page expansion, and page image storage at a device which is expecting an instruction to start printing of 2nd and succeeding sets. SOLUTION: The printer 50 comprises a CPU 1, a storage device 2, a print part 3, etc. When the printer 50 receives a next print request while waiting for a 2nd set to print, the CPU 1 stores the page expansion and page image of the received request in the storage device 2. Then page information is registered in a print wait list and it is checked whether or not there are remaining print data. When print data are left, the same operation is repeated so as to save the remaining print data. When no print data is left, it is considered that the registration of all the print data in the print wait list is completed, so the print part 3 converts the print data from a host computer into an image and prints it on a paper sheet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer having an electronic sort function for printing using image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In conventional electronic sort printing, when a plurality of copies are to be printed, a necessary number of copies may be designated by an operation unit after confirming whether the first copy has been printed correctly. In this case, printing of the second copy and thereafter is in a state of waiting for an instruction from the operator.

When a next print request is issued from a host computer to a printer that is waiting for an instruction to start printing for the second copy or later, the host computer receives the next print request. Will be awaited.

When a next print request is issued from a host computer to a printer apparatus in a state of waiting for an instruction to start printing of the second copy or later, the operator does not receive the next print request, so that an operator is also required. You will have to wait.

[0005] In addition, even if test printing is set for the next print request to a printer apparatus that is waiting for an instruction to start printing for the second copy or later, the next print request is not received. The computer and the operator will have to wait.

When the next printing is executed on a printer apparatus waiting for an instruction to start printing the second copy and thereafter, the next printing is performed between the printing of the first copy and the printing of the second copy. The drawback is that the printing is mixed.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a print request reception, a page expansion, and a print processing to an apparatus which is in a state of waiting for a print start instruction for the second copy and thereafter. By saving the page image, the host computer does not have to wait, and when it is not the same discharge destination, a print request is received and printing is performed, so that the operator does not have to wait. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide a printer device that does not wait for an operator by performing printing preferentially when test printing is set.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer apparatus having an electronic sort function for performing printing using image data. It is characterized in that it has a next print request receiving means for receiving the next print request when waiting for the start of the eyes, and a page image storing means for expanding the received print request into pages and storing the page images.

Further, the printer device according to the second aspect of the present invention has a discharge destination confirming means for confirming a discharge destination when the print request is received while waiting for activation of the second copy of the electronic sort. It is characterized by:

Further, in the printer device according to the third aspect of the present invention, when waiting for activation of the second copy of the electronic sort, the discharge destination of the print request receiving the print request is determined by the discharge destination confirmation unit. If it is determined that the print request is not the same, the printer includes a non-identical discharge destination print request printing unit that executes printing of the print request.

The printer device according to the present invention receives the next print request and waits for the start of the second copy of the electronic sort, and if the test print is set, the test print is executed. It is characterized in that it has a test print priority executing means for executing printing preferentially.

Further, the printer according to the invention of claim 5 is characterized in that it has a test print priority execution selecting means for selecting the test print priority execution means.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer device showing one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a printer device 50 includes a CPU 1, a storage device 2, a printing unit 3, and the like. The CPU 1 is a device that executes the present invention, the storage device 2 is a storage device that stores a plurality of page images, and the print unit 3 converts print data from a host computer into an image and prints the image on paper.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the next print request is received while waiting for the start of printing of the second copy and thereafter (S
1). Next, the page development and page image of the received print request are stored in the storage device 2 (S2). Next, the page information is registered in the print standby list (S3). It is checked whether there is remaining print data. If there is print data (Yes in S4), the process returns to S2 to save the remaining print data. It is checked whether there is remaining print data. If there is no remaining print data (S4
No), the registration is completed because all the print data has been registered in the print standby list.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention. In FIG. 3, when printing in a state of waiting for the start of printing of the second copy and thereafter of FIG. 2 ends, the print waiting list is checked, and if there is image data waiting to be printed (yes in S11), registration is performed. The printing of the image data is executed using the registered page information (S12). Thereafter, the image data is deleted from the print waiting list (S
13) In order to check the next print waiting list, S
Return to before 11. The print waiting list is checked, and if there is no image data waiting to be printed (No in S11), the process ends.

FIG. 4 shows page information of image data of a print request of the printer of the present invention. In FIG. 4, a page image number, a paper feed tray, and a paper discharge tray are stored for each page of image data as page information of image data of a print request. Therefore, image data having 10 pages is
Page information. In the example of FIG. 4, only one page is shown, and the page image number is 1, the paper feed tray is tray 2, and the paper discharge tray is tray 1.

FIG. 5 is a waiting list of image data of a print request of the printer of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the first indicates that page information 1 exists, the second indicates that page information 2 exists, and the n-th indicates that page information n exists. Therefore, when the image data of the print request is five pages, page information 1 to 5 are stored in the waiting list.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the next print request is received while waiting for activation of the second and subsequent copies (S21). It is checked whether the discharge destination of this print request is the same discharge destination as the print waiting for the start of printing of the second copy or later, and if it is the same discharge destination (yes in S22), it is registered in the print standby list. (S2
4), end. It is checked whether the discharge destination of the print request is the same as the print destination waiting for the start of printing of the second copy and thereafter, and if the discharge destination is not the same (No in S22), the printing is executed (S23). ,finish.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention. In FIG. 7, the next print request is received while waiting for the start of printing of the second copy and thereafter (S3).
1). If the print request is a test print (yes in S32), the print waiting for the start of the second copy of the electronic sort is registered in the print standby list (S33), and the test print is executed (S33).
34), ending. If the print request is not a test print (no in S32), the print request is registered in the print standby list (S3).
5), end.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the state of waiting for printing of the second copy, the print request is received, the page of the print data is expanded, and the page is saved. No more.

Further, according to the present invention, when the print request is not the same destination, the print request is received and the printing is executed, so that the operator does not have to wait.

Further, according to the present invention, when test printing is set, priority is given to executing printing, so that the operator does not have to wait.

According to the present invention, even when test printing is set, whether to execute printing with priority or
It is possible to select whether or not to perform the test printing, and it is possible to prevent the test printing from being mixed between the first and second copies.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a page information diagram showing page information of image data of the printer device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a print standby list diagram showing a print standby list of image data of the printer device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 Storage device 3 Printing part 50 Printer device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer having an electronic sort function for performing printing using image data, a next print request receiving means for receiving a next print request when waiting for activation of a second copy of electronic sort; A printer apparatus comprising: a page image storage unit that expands a print request into pages and stores page images. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge destination confirmation unit that confirms a discharge destination when the print request is received while waiting for activation of a second copy of the electronic sort. apparatus. 3. When waiting for the start of the second copy of the electronic sort, if the discharge destination of the print request that has received the print request is not the same discharge destination as determined by the discharge destination confirmation means, 3. The printer device according to claim 2, further comprising a non-identical discharge destination print request printing unit that executes printing of the print request. 4. A test print priority execution means for receiving a next print request and waiting for the start of the second copy of the electronic sort and, if a test print is set, executing the test print with priority. The printer device according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The printer apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a test print priority execution selecting unit that selects the test print priority execution unit.