JP2000177208A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To complete a printing process without interruption even in the case a printing operation other than the accepted printing operation is demanded during the printing process. SOLUTION: The apparatus is connected with an external appliance via a plurality of one way or two way interfaces for data communication. The communication data are classified into printing data and data other than the printing data so as to be outputted (102, 103). According to the printing data, the communication interface for the data is switched (105). During the printing data process, the operation is controlled such that a data process other than the printing process is not executed until the last page process is finished so as to discharge the paper sheet (110).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method for receiving control data transmitted from an external device such as a host computer, processing the control data in a control unit, and printing based on the processed control data. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus having a plurality of interfaces capable of one-way or two-way data communication,
A plurality of host terminals having an interface capable of one-way or two-way data communication can be connected, and when a print command is received from one host terminal via one interface, the other interface is electrically powered off (data is turned off). (Transmission / reception is stopped), and when a series of printing is completed, the power-off state is released and all the interfaces are returned to the initial state (data communication possible state).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the control command and the printing of the printer main body are controlled differently, control commands such as power off, reset, power on, cleaning, head replacement, etc. When a control signal such as that described above is received, an operation not intended by the user may be performed if the control is executed as it is. That is, if the power is turned off by the power-off instruction from the other user while one user is printing, the print request of the first user cannot be satisfied.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method according to the present invention are provided.
It is characterized mainly by the following configuration.

That is, the image forming apparatus has a plurality of interfaces for communicating data by connecting to an external device, and a plurality of interfaces for separately outputting data received by the plurality of interfaces into print control data and non-print control data. Interface control means, interface switching control means for switching a data reception interface according to the printing control data output from the interface control means, and print control data and non-printing control data received by the interface switching control means Control command analysis means for analyzing the control command of
Printer control for processing the control data for printing in accordance with the analysis, and controlling the processing of the control data for non-printing purposes not to be executed until the processing of the last page is completed and the sheet is ejected during the processing of the print control data. Means.

The image forming method comprises a communication step of communicating data by connecting to an external device, and a plurality of interfaces for outputting the data communicated in the communication step into print control data and non-print control data. Control process;
An interface switching control step of switching a data reception interface according to the printing control data output in the interface control step; and analyzing control commands of the printing control data and the non-printing control data received in the interface switching control step. Processing the control data for printing in accordance with the control command analysis step and the analysis, and do not execute the processing of the control data for non-printing use until the processing of the last page is completed and the paper is discharged during the processing of the print control data. And a printer control step for performing the control.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Description of Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus> FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes a first host computer connected to the printer via a bidirectional parallel interface, and reference numeral 101 denotes a second host computer connected to the printer via a bidirectional serial interface. Here, it is assumed that the interface has a plurality of logical channels including a control channel and a data channel.

The first bidirectional interface control unit (10
2) controls the bidirectional parallel interface to
The control data sent from the host computer (100) is divided into data of the data channel (control data for printing) and data of the control channel (control data for non-printing purposes).
The control channel data is sent to the first control channel control command analysis unit (104), and the data channel data is sent to the interface switching control unit (105).

The second bidirectional interface control unit (10
3) controls the bidirectional serial interface and
The control data sent from the host computer (101) is divided into data of the data channel (control data for printing) and data of the control channel (control data for non-printing purposes). (106), and the data of the data channel is sent to the interface switching control unit (105).

The first control channel control command analyzer (1)
04) classifies and stores control commands transmitted from each host computer via the control channel of the parallel interface, and sends them to the interface switching control unit.

An interface switching control unit 105 controls switching of a plurality of interfaces.

Second control channel control command analyzer 10
Reference numeral 6 classifies and stores a control command transmitted from each host computer via a control channel of the serial interface, and sends data to the interface switching control unit 105.

The control command analysis unit 107 analyzes control commands passed from the interface control units (102, 103) and the panel operation unit, divides the control commands into print control commands and other control commands, and stores the data in the respective blocks. send.

A panel operation unit 108 converts a user operation into control data and transfers the control data to a control command analysis unit.
Reference numeral 09 denotes a print data analysis unit which analyzes print data based on the print control data analyzed by the control command analysis unit (107) and sends a print control command to the printer control unit (110).

The printer control unit (110) interprets a control command for printing and other control commands, performs arbitration and control between the device control units, and prints on paper.

The panel display section (111) informs the user of the overall information of the printer based on the information of each section of the printer passed to the control command analysis section (107).

A carriage motor controller 112 controls a carriage motor for moving the print head in the scanning direction.
Reference numeral 13 denotes an LF motor control unit that controls an LF motor that moves the paper in the sub-scanning direction, and 114 denotes a print data analysis unit (10
9) A print head control unit that controls the print head based on the data generated and sprays ink onto paper to perform printing.

<Contents of Control> The operation when printing is performed such that a power-on control command is transmitted from the first host computer (100) via the control channel and print data is transmitted via the data channel will be described.

Control data is sent from the first host computer (100) to the first bidirectional interface control section (102) via the bidirectional interface. The first bidirectional interface control unit (102) is an IEEE1
It controls the 284 parallel interface to receive control data. The control data is divided into data of a data channel and data of a control channel, and a power-on control command from the control channel is sent to a first control channel control command analysis unit (104), and printing control data from the data channel is transmitted. Are all sent to the interface switching control unit (105).

The interface switching control unit (10
5) is provided with one reception buffer, and if the control data of the data channel from the second bidirectional interface control unit (103) is not received, the print control data is passed from the first bidirectional interface control unit (102). At this point, a reception buffer is allocated to the first interface (here, a parallel interface is shown), and thereafter, the operation is performed so as not to receive control data (print control data) of the data channel from the second bidirectional interface.

The state of the second interface (here, a serial interface is shown) from which control data of the data channel can no longer be received is notified from the interface switching control unit (105) to the second bidirectional interface control unit (103). From the point in time, the second bidirectional interface controller performs control not to accept data of the data channel. Such control is the same for the first bidirectional interface control unit (102).
When the data channel from the second host computer (101) is received, the state of the first interface where the control data of the data channel is no longer received is changed from the interface switching control unit (105) to the first bidirectional interface control unit (102). To the first bidirectional interface control unit (10
2) controls not to accept data of the data channel. Both interfaces operate such that the control channel is always accepted.

The control command analysis unit (107) issues a request for a control command including the print command stored in the reception buffer to the interface switching control unit (105). The other control commands are sent to the print data analysis unit (109) and the printer control unit (110). The print data analysis unit (109) interprets the transmitted print control data, and divides the print control data into printer control commands, such as paper feed, paper discharge, printing, paper feed, and the like, and image data.
Send the analysis result to. The "print data" referred to here is data expressed in a printing printer language such as PostScript.

The printer control unit (110) interprets the received printer control command, for example, a paper feed command, and
The LF motor drive command is sent to the motor control unit (113) to feed the printing paper, the print command is interpreted, and the carriage motor drive command is sent to the carriage motor control unit (112) to print the print head. Is operated in the scanning direction, interprets image data, transmits an ink ejection command to the print head control unit 114, and forms an image on paper.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control command analysis unit (107).

The control command analysis unit (107) fetches one unit of control data from the reception buffer of the interface switching control unit (105) (S201), determines whether the data is print control data (S202), and prints the control data. If not, it is determined that the data is non-printing control data and is not sent to the print data analysis unit (109) (S206).

If it is print control data, it is sent to the print data analysis unit (109) and then sent to the printer control unit (110).
Is printed. This processing result is sent to the printer control unit (1).
10) is received as a control result (S203), and it is determined whether or not the discharge of the last page is completed based on the result (S204). If the discharge has not been completed, the control data for printing is sent to the print data analysis unit (109) (S2).
05), The printing process is continued.

If the result of the determination is that the discharge of the last page has been completed, one unit of control data is taken out again from the reception buffer (S207), and it is checked whether it is print control data (S207).
208), if so, the control data for printing is sent to the print data analysis unit (109) (S205). If not, the control data for non-printing use is sent to the printer control unit (S209). By controlling in this way,
Until the non-printing-use control command receives the completion of discharge of the last page, it is possible not to send it to the print data analysis unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the interface switching control unit (105).

The interface switching control unit (10
5) has one reception buffer and checks whether there is data reception in the data channel of the first bidirectional interface control unit (102) (S301). If there is data reception, the first interface is set as the reception buffer. Assignment (S304), print control data of the data channel transmitted from the host computer (100) connected to the first interface is received in the reception buffer. In the present embodiment, since there is one reception buffer, the operation is performed so as not to receive control data of the data channel from the second bidirectional interface thereafter.

Similarly, when no data is received on the data channel of the first bidirectional interface control unit (S30).
1) It is checked whether or not data is received on the data channel of the second bidirectional interface control unit (S302);
If data has been received, the second interface is allocated to the reception buffer (S303), and control data (printing control data) of the data channel transmitted from the host computer (101) connected to the second interface is received. To receive. Similarly to the above, since the present embodiment has one reception buffer, it operates so as not to receive control data of the data channel from the first bidirectional interface thereafter.

If there is no data reception mark of the print control data from either interface, the process of the interface switching control unit (105) proceeds to step S302.
To "No" to receive control channel control data from the control channel command analysis units (104, 106) of both interfaces (S311), and pass the control channel control data to the control command analysis unit (S31).
2).

Data from a data channel input to the interface switching control unit (print control data)
And each channel control command analysis unit (104, 106)
From the control channel input to the
/ OFF), which are output separately from each other by the respective interface control units. Therefore, when print control data is not transmitted from both of the connected host computers (100, 101), the control is performed. It can execute and control a non-printing-use control command such as power-on or power-off received from a channel.

When print control data is transmitted from one of the first and second interfaces, control data of the control channel is received from the control channel command analysis units of both interfaces (S305), and the control command analysis is performed. The control result is received from the control unit (S306), it is checked whether the control result is the operation for completing the discharge of the last page (S307), and until the discharge is completed, the control data of the control channel received in step S305 is analyzed by the control command Control so as not to be passed to the copying section (S308), and the process returns to step S305. When the control result received in step S306 indicates that the discharge of the last page is completed (S307), the control data of the control channel is passed to the control command analysis unit (S309), and the control data is transferred to the reception buffers of both the first and second interfaces. The assignment is released (S310).

In this way, when the control data for printing is received from one of the interfaces and printing is being performed, the control data of the control channel is not passed to the control command in step S308 and is not executed. When printing is performed using the print control data, the printing is not interrupted by a control command from another host computer.

That is, in the image forming apparatus and method according to the present embodiment, data is communicated by connecting to an external device through a plurality of one-way or two-way interfaces, and the communicated data is used as control data for printing and printing. The data is output separately from the external control data, and the data communication interface is switched according to the print control data. During printing control data processing, control is performed so that non-printing control data processing is not executed until the last page has been processed and discharged, so that requests other than printing received during printing processing can be accepted. Even if the printing process is completed, the printing process can be completed without interruption.

[0036]

Another Embodiment A laser beam printer may be used as an image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) in this case. The LBP can input character pattern data or the like and print it on recording paper.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 440 denotes an LBP main body, which forms an image on a recording paper as a recording medium based on a supplied character pattern or the like. Reference numeral 400 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation and an LED display are arranged.
A printer control unit 01 controls the entire LBP 440 and analyzes character pattern information and the like. The printer control unit 401 mainly converts character pattern information into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 402.

The laser driver 402 is a semiconductor laser 40
And a laser beam 4 emitted from the semiconductor laser 403 in accordance with the input video signal.
04 is turned on / off. The laser light 404 is swung right and left by the rotating polygon mirror 405 to scan on the electrostatic drum 406. Thus, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 406. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 407 around the electrostatic drum 406,
Transferred to recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 408 corresponding to a plurality of types of paper mounted on the LBP 440, and is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 409 and transport rollers 410 and 411. In rare cases, it is supplied to the electrostatic drum 406.

Although the laser beam printer has been described as an example of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the laser beam printer, but can be applied to an ink jet printer described below. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the inkjet recording apparatus IJRA. In the figure, the driving force transmission gear 50 is linked with the forward / reverse rotation of the drive motor 5013.
Lead screw 50 rotating via 11,5009
Carriage HC engaging with the spiral groove 5004 of FIG.
Has a pin (not shown) and is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper holding plate, which applies paper to the platen 50 in the moving direction of the carriage.
Press against 00. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the lever 5006 of the carriage in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a cap member 5022 for capping the front surface of the recording head.
Reference numeral 5015 denotes a suction unit for sucking the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head through the opening 5023 in the cap. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade. Reference numeral 5019 denotes a member which allows the blade to move in the front-rear direction. These members are supported by a main body support plate 5018. It goes without saying that the blade is not limited to this form and a known cleaning blade can be applied to this example. Reference numeral 5021 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery. The lever 5021 moves with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force from the driving motor is controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching. Is done. The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the area on the home position side. If this operation is performed, any of the present embodiments can be applied.

Next, a control configuration for executing the recording control of the above-described apparatus will be described with reference to a block diagram shown in FIG. In the figure showing a control circuit, 600 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, and 601 is an MP.
U and 602 are program ROMs for storing a control program executed by the MPU 601, and 603 is a dynamic ROM for storing various data (such as the recording signal and recording data supplied to the head). A gate array 604 controls supply of print data to the print head 608.
1. Data transfer control between the RAM 603 is also performed. 610, a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 608;
Reference numeral 09 denotes a transport motor for transporting the recording paper. 605 is a head driver for driving the head, and 606 and 607 are motor drivers for driving the transport motor 609 and the carrier motor 610, respectively.

The operation of the above-described control structure will be described.
4 and the MPU 601 converts the recording signal into recording data for printing. Then, the motor driver 606,
The printhead is driven according to the print data sent to the head driver 605, and printing is performed.

The components of the present invention can be incorporated into the above-described control structure of the ink jet printer, and it is apparent that the present invention can be applied not only to the laser beam printer but also to the above ink jet printer.

Note that the present invention is applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.) connected to a plurality of host computers, but is constituted by one device. The present invention may be applied to an apparatus (for example, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, etc.).

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or the apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0049]

According to the present invention, data is communicated by connecting to an external device through a plurality of one-way or two-way interfaces, and the communicated data is output separately from print control data and non-print control data. Switch the data communication interface according to the control data. During printing control data processing, a request other than printing received during the printing process was accepted by controlling so that the non-printing control data process was not executed until the processing of the last page was completed and the paper was discharged. Even in this case, the printing process can be completed without interruption.

[0050]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a process of a control command analysis unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of an interface switching control unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a laser printer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an inkjet printer.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 First host computer 101 Second host computer 102 First bidirectional interface control unit 103 Second bidirectional interface control unit 104 First control channel control command analysis unit 105 Interface switching control unit 106 Second control channel control command analysis unit 107 Control command analysis unit 108 Panel operation unit 109 Print data analysis unit 110 Printer control unit 111 Panel display unit 112 Carriage motor control unit 113 LF motor control unit 114 Print head control unit

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of interfaces for communicating data by connecting to an external device; and a plurality of interface control means for outputting data received by the plurality of interfaces separately to print control data and non-print control data. Interface switching control means for switching a data receiving interface according to the printing control data output from the interface control means; and a control command for the printing control data and the non-printing control data received by the interface switching control means. A control command analyzing means for analyzing, processing the control data for printing in accordance with the analysis, and executing the non-printing control data processing until the processing of the last page is completed and the sheet is discharged during the processing of the print control data Printer control means for controlling not to cause An image forming apparatus, comprising. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface is capable of one-way or two-way communication. 3. The execution of the non-printing-use control data command includes power-off, reset, input prime,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing includes power-on, cleaning, and head replacement. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface has a plurality of logical channels including a control channel and a data channel. 5. The data channel according to claim 4, wherein the control channel is a logical channel for communicating control data for printing, and the control channel is a logical channel for communicating control data for non-printing purposes.
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 6. When the interface switching control means receives data from the control channel and the data channel, the interface switching control means receives data from the data channel with priority and receives data from the control channel after the completion of the processing. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus receives an image. 7. A communication step of communicating data by connecting to an external device; a plurality of interface control steps of outputting the data communicated in the communication step separately to print control data and non-print control data; An interface switching control step of switching a data reception interface according to the printing control data output in the interface control step; and analyzing control commands of the printing control data and the non-printing control data received in the interface switching control step. A control command analyzing step, processing the print control data in accordance with the analysis, and during the print control data processing, the non-printing control data processing is not executed until the processing of the last page is completed and the sheet is discharged. A printer control step of controlling Forming method. 8. An image forming method according to claim 7, wherein said communication step communicates data by a one-way or two-way interface. 9. The non-printing control data processing includes power off, reset, input prime, power on,
8. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein the processing includes cleaning and head replacement. 10. The image forming method according to claim 7, wherein said communication step communicates via an interface having a plurality of logical channels including a control channel and a data channel. 11. The interface switching control step, when receiving the printing control data and the non-printing control data, receiving the printing control data with priority, and completing the processing of the printing control data. 8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein the control data outside the printing application is received later.
2. The image forming method according to 1.,