JP2000293337A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform printing without waiting time when a printer receiving print job data can not execute printing for some reason. SOLUTION: This system makes plural printers connected through a network a group based on their processable language and defines one among printers belonging to the group of the same language as a management printer. The management printer receives a status signal from all of the printers belonging to the group of the same language and distributes print job data from any printer in an unprintable state to another printer belonging to the same language group.

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 apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a printing apparatus) receiving print job data.
The present invention relates to a system capable of performing printing without waiting for time when printing cannot be performed for some reason.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a printing system has been proposed in which a plurality of host computers and a printer are connected via a network line, and when any one of the host computers transmits print job data to the printer, printing can be executed. .

For example, when print job data described in a language that cannot be processed is received, the print job data is transferred to another printer to create print data, and the print data is returned to the printer that has received the print job data. A printing system configured to execute printing (see JP-A-6-103004), a specific printer stores functions of a printer in a network and a processable language, and prints print job data when print job data is received. Analyze, automatically select the best printer from the printers in the network,
There are known printing systems (see JP-A-7-31665 and JP-A-5-324224) in which print job data is transferred to execute printing.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional printing system, if many print jobs are queued in one printer, the next print cannot be executed until the processing is completed, and the print job cannot be executed. If a printer error occurs during the execution of, or the paper runs out, the error will be repaired, or the next printing cannot be performed until paper is replenished, and it will take time until printing is completed. was there.

[0005] In view of such a problem, the present invention provides a print job.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of performing printing without waiting for time when a printer receiving data cannot execute printing for some reason.

[0006]

Therefore, a printer according to the present invention connects a plurality of printing apparatuses to each other via a network line, receives print job data from a data processing apparatus, and performs printing. Wherein the plurality of printing apparatuses are configured to include at least printing means for executing printing based on the print job data and communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from another printing apparatus. Are grouped based on the languages that can be processed, and one of the printing devices belonging to the same language group is set as a management printing device, and the management printing device is assigned to all the printing devices belonging to the same language group. Receiving a status signal from a printing device, when one of the printing devices cannot print, print job data from the printing device is assigned to the same language group. Characterized in that without such delivery to other printing devices for.

One of the features of the present invention is that a management printer is provided for each group of printers that support the same printer language, and when the printer that receives print job data cannot execute printing for some reason, the management printer issues the same language. The point is that print job data is distributed to other printers belonging to the group, and printing is executed. Thus, when many print jobs are queued in one printer, printing can be executed without waiting for a time even when a printer error occurs or the paper runs out.

Further, printers that support the same printer language are grouped and stored in advance, and it is not necessary to set the printer language as a condition for selecting a printer at the time of job distribution. It is sufficient to select the printer to be delivered from only the status of the job, and the delivery of the print job data can be processed efficiently, and the user does not need to check the status of the printer.

Although the management printer supports one printer language, the management printer may support a plurality of different printer languages. Alternatively, the management printer may be a printer that supports one printer language or may support a plurality of different printer languages. The user may be able to select whether to use the printer.

That is, a printing system according to the present invention is a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are mutually connected by a network line, and printing job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus and printing is performed. The plurality of printing apparatuses are configured to include at least a printing unit that executes printing based on the print job data and a communication unit that transmits and receives data to and from another printing apparatus. Grouped based on languages that can be processed, among the plurality of printing devices, a printing device that can process different languages of the plurality of groups is a management printing device,
The management printing apparatus receives status signals from all printing apparatuses in a plurality of groups, and when one of the printing apparatuses cannot perform printing, print job data from the printing apparatus is transmitted to another printing apparatus belonging to the same language group. It is characterized in that it is distributed.

Further, the printing system according to the present invention is a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are mutually connected by a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus and printing is performed. Each of the plurality of printing devices is configured to include at least a printing unit that executes printing based on the print job data and a communication unit that transmits and receives data to and from another printing device. The management printing devices are grouped based on the languages that can be processed, and the management printing device is one of the printing devices belonging to the same language group or the plurality of printing devices process the plurality of different languages that are grouped. The printing device that can be used is selected by the user, and the management printing device receives status signals from all of the plurality of printing devices, and Wherein the printing apparatus has no such delivery to other printing devices belonging to the same language group print job data from the printer when unprintable.

As the management printer, any printer belonging to the same language group may be set. However, in consideration of the data processing capability of each printer, the printer having the highest data processing capability is preferably set as the management printer. In the former case, the load of the print job can be distributed, while in the latter case, the printer having a low data processing capacity only has to process the print processing, and the processing efficiency can be improved.

That is, the languages and data processing capabilities that can be processed by the plurality of printing devices are transmitted to all other printing printers, and printing devices that each have a language that can be processed and a common language are grouped. A printing device having the highest data processing capability in the same language group is determined as a management printing device, and the management printing device stores printing devices belonging to the same language group, while another printing device belonging to the same language group manages printing. The device can be adapted to be stored.

The printer to which print job data is to be distributed may be any printer as long as it belongs to the same language group. However, in consideration of print processing time, it is preferable to select the printer based on the processing capacity. That is, it is preferable that the management printer selects a printer to be distributed based on the print processing capacity.

Further, a printing apparatus used in the printing system as described above is also new. That is, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus used in a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus and printing is performed. Printing means for executing printing based on print job data; grouping means for grouping other printing apparatuses capable of processing a common language with a language which can be processed by the user; and a language group which can be processed by the user A comparison unit that compares the data processing capabilities of the printing devices in the printer, and, when the data processing capability of the printer itself is the highest, the printer as the management printing device, and stores the other printers in the same language group. Storage means for storing the printing apparatus having the highest data processing capacity as the management printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is not the printing apparatus having the highest data processing capacity; Selection means for receiving a job distribution request from another printing device at the time of a print management printing device and selecting another printing device to which a print job is to be distributed, and a language and print processing that can be processed between the other printing devices Communication means for transmitting and receiving capability data, transmitting a job distribution request and print job data to the management printing apparatus when the printing apparatus cannot print, and communicating with the selected printing apparatus when the printing apparatus is the management printing apparatus. On the other hand, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus characterized by including a distribution unit that distributes print job data.

The data processing device processes the signal to print jo
Any device that outputs b data may be used, but a host computer is generally used. One or more data processing devices may be used. The data processing device and the printer may be connected by any means, for example, by a network line.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to specific examples shown in the drawings. 1 to 5 show a preferred embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the printing system of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a printing system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of printers (printing apparatuses) 100.
... and a plurality of host computers (data processing devices)
Are connected by a network line 300,
Any of the host computers 200... Can transmit print job data to the printer 100 and perform printing.

FIG. 2 shows functional blocks of the host computer 200. The host computer 200 includes a personal computer main body 210, a keyboard 211 for performing various settings and instructions, and a display 2 for performing display.
12, a memory 213 for holding registered contents, a CPU 214 for performing various arithmetic processing, a speaker 215 for outputting sound
It is composed of

FIG. 3 shows functional blocks of the printer 100. The printer 100 is a printer body (printing means) 11
0, an operation panel 111 for various settings and displays, a memory (storage means) 11 for storing registered contents
2. It comprises a CPU (grouping means, comparison means, selection means, communication means, distribution means) 113 for performing processing.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the grouping process of the printers 100... When the power of a certain printer 100 is turned on, the printer 100 has its own printer capability information,
Specifically, the support language and the data processing capability are broadcast to other printers 100 in the same work group connected via the network line 300. Here, data processing capacity is printing speed, CPU1
13 and the memory size of the mounted memory 112. The printer 100 that has received the printer capability information broadcasts its own printer capability information to all the printers 100. Therefore, all the printers 100 temporarily hold the supported languages and data processing capabilities of all the printers 100... In the network.

Next, each of the printers 100... Supports a plurality of printers 1 that support the same language as its own language.
Among 00, it is determined whether or not its own processing capability is the highest. If the own processing capacity is the highest, all the other printers 100... That support the same language as the management printer are stored. If it is not the printer with the highest data processing capability, the printer with the highest processing capability is stored as the management printer. When there are a plurality of printers 100 having the same processing capacity, the printer 100 having the lower network address can be the management printer.

For example, the language supported by the printer Pr1 is:
PCL, printing speed: 20 ppm: M of CPU113
IPS value: 100 mips, mounted memory size: 32M
Byte, printer Pr2 supported language: PCL, print speed: 8 ppm: MIPS value of CPU 113: 7
0 mips, mounted memory size: 8 MByte, printer Pr3 supports languages: PS, print speed: 20p
pm: MIPS value of CPU 113: 90 mips, mounted memory size: 20 MByte, printer Pr4 supports language: PS, print speed: 8 ppm: CPU 11
MIPS value of 3: 80 mips, mounted memory size: 8
MByte, printer Pr5 supported languages: PCL,
Printing speed: 18 ppm: MIPS of CPU113
Value: 100 mips, mounted memory size: 20 MByte
e.

When the power of the printer Pr1 is turned on, the printer Pr1 has its own printer capability information (support language: PCL, print speed: 20 ppm: CPU1).
13 MIPS value: 100 mips, on-board memory size: 32 MBytes) for all other printers Pr2-P
r5, and the other printers Pr2 to Pr5 that have received the capability information of the printer Pr1 also transmit their own capability information to all the other printers Pr1 to Pr5, and
1 to Pr5 hold all other capability information.

Next, each of the printers Pr1 to Pr5 is grouped according to a support language, for example, a support language PC.
The printers Pr1, Pr2, and Pr5 are grouped for L, and the printers Pr3 and Pr4 are grouped for the supported language PS. Compare it with a printer. In this example, the printer Pr1 is for the support language PCL,
Since the printer Pr3 has the highest processing capability for the support language PS, the printer Pr3, Pr5, or Pr4 of another same language is stored as the management printer by itself, while
Other printers Pr2, Pr5 or Pr4 of the same language store the printers Pr1 or Pr3 as management printers. As a result, the printers in the network are conceptually classified into a group of printers of the supported language PCL shown in FIG. 4A and a group of printers of the supported language PS shown in FIG. 4B. Can be.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the print job data distribution process. First, when processing is started, the management printer 100 receives a status signal periodically or irregularly issued from the printer 100 belonging to its own language group, and determines whether or not this includes a job distribution request. A determination is made (step S103), and the above processing (steps S101 to S103) is repeated until there is a job distribution request.

When there is a job distribution request, the management printer 1
00 determines whether printing can be performed by itself (step S104). If processing can be performed, printing is performed based on print job data (step S106). (Steps S105 and S107), and the printer 100
Is delivered (step S108), and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the ordinary printer 100, the print jo
Wait until data b is received (step S110),
When the print job is received, it is determined whether or not print processing can be performed by itself, that is, whether or not many print jobs are queued.
It is determined whether a printer error has occurred during the execution of step b, or the paper has run out (step S11).
1) If printing is possible, printing is executed based on the print job data (step S112). If printing is not possible, a job distribution request and print job are sent to the management printer 100.
The data is transmitted (step S113), and the process ends.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the printer languages PrL and Pr5 coexist as printer languages among the printers Pr1 to Pr5 connected to the network, the management printers Pr1 and Pr3 are provided for each language group. Is selected, the management printers Pr1 and Pr3 are printers in their own language group, that is, the management printers Pr1 and Pr3.
Stores printers Pr2 and Pr5, and the management printer Pr3 stores a printer Pr4. Each printer Pr2, Pr
5 or Pr4 notifies its management printers Pr1 and Pr3 of the language group to which it belongs to at any time about its own status.

Now, in the printer group of the support language PCL, the printer Pr2 is in a printable state,
Upon receiving the ob data, the printer Pr2 performs normal printing. On the other hand, if the printer Pr2 cannot perform printing due to an error or the like, the printer Pr2 performs printing j.
When the job data is received, the management printer Pr1
A distribution request is sent, and print job data is transferred.
When the management printer Pr1 can print, the management printer Pr1 executes printing based on the print job data. When the management printer Pr1 cannot print, the management printer Pr1 distributes the print job data to the stored printer Pr5 of the same support language and prints. The possible printer Pr5 executes printing based on the print job data.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the printer Pr1 supports two languages PCL and PS, and functions as a management printer for printers of two language groups.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a preferred embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of printer grouping in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of a distribution process of a management printer and a normal printer in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example of printer grouping.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 printer (printer) 110 printer main body (printing means) 111 operation panel 112 memory (storage means) 113 CPU (grouping means, comparison means, selection means, communication means, distribution means) 200 host computer (data processing device)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus to perform printing. The printing apparatus includes at least printing means for executing printing based on print job data and communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from another printing apparatus. One of the printing devices belonging to the same language group is set as a management printing device. The management printing device receives status signals from all the printing devices belonging to the same language group, and Print job from the printing device when the device cannot print
A printing system wherein data is distributed to other printing apparatuses belonging to the same language group. 2. A printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus and printing is performed. The printing apparatus includes at least printing means for executing printing based on print job data and communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from another printing apparatus. Of the plurality of printing devices, the printing device capable of processing the different languages of the plurality of groups is a management printing device, and the management printing device receives status signals from all the printing devices of the plurality of groups, When one of the printing apparatuses cannot print, print job data from the printing apparatus is distributed to another printing apparatus belonging to the same language group. A printing system characterized by: 3. A printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus to perform printing. A printing unit that executes printing based on the print job data; and a communication unit that transmits and receives data to and from another printing device. The group is formed based on a language that the plurality of printing devices can process. Whether the management printing device is one of the printing devices belonging to the same language group or the printing device capable of processing the plurality of different languages grouped among the plurality of printing devices is used. The management printing apparatus receives status signals from all of the plurality of printing apparatuses, and when any of the printing apparatuses cannot perform printing, the management printing apparatus A print system wherein print job data from a printer is distributed to other printing apparatuses belonging to the same language group. 4. Sending the languages and data processing capabilities that can be processed by the plurality of printing devices to all the other printing devices, and grouping the printing devices of the languages that can be processed by each of the printing devices and a common language, A printing device having the highest data processing capability in the same language group is determined as a management printing device, and the management printing device stores printing devices belonging to the same language group, while another printing device belonging to the same language group manages printing. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system stores the device. 5. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein said management printing device selects a printing device to which print job data is to be distributed based on data processing capability. 6. A printing apparatus used in a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to each other via a network line, and print job data from a data processing apparatus is received by the printing apparatus and printing is performed. Printing means for executing printing based on print job data; grouping means for grouping other printing devices capable of processing a language that can be processed by itself and a common language; printing in a language group that can be processed by the user A comparing means for comparing the data processing capabilities of the devices; and, when the data processing capability of the device is the highest, the printing device is set as the management printing device, and the other printing devices in the same language group are stored. Storage device that stores the printing device with the highest data processing capacity as the management printing device when the printing device is not the highest printing device, jo from another printing apparatus at the time of the physical printing device
b. a selection unit for selecting another printing device to which a print job is to be delivered in response to a delivery request, and transmitting and receiving data of a processable language and print processing capability to and from another printing device. A communication unit that transmits a job distribution request and print job data to the management printing device when it is impossible, and a distribution unit that distributes print job data to the selected printing device when it is the management printing device. A printing device, comprising: