JP2001084201A - Network adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate various settings including a printer, that is suitable for the environment of each of a plurality of clients in the case of performing printing, etc., from the clients via a network. SOLUTION: In this network adapter 103 which receives data from host computers 101 and 102 via a network 105 and outputs the data to a printer 104, environment information corresponding to the computers 101 and 102 is set. Then, environment information corresponding to a host computer receiving the data is selected in the set environment information, and the received data is outputted to the printer 104, based on the selected environment information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a network adapter that receives data from a plurality of clients via a network and outputs the data to a connected device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a network adapter is used in a predetermined network environment, a setting suitable for the environment is made for the network adapter, and only one type of setting can be held.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in order for a plurality of users to access one resource in various situations in a network environment, it is necessary to change settings each time. However, since the various parameters are reset, the efficiency is very low.

[0004] Further, since only one type of setting can be held, there is a problem that flexibility is lacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. When printing is performed from a plurality of clients via a network, various settings including a printing apparatus suitable for the environment of each client can be easily performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a network adapter that can perform the operation.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network adapter for receiving data from a plurality of clients via a network and outputting the data to a connected device. Receiving means, setting means for setting environment information corresponding to the plurality of clients, and selecting, from the environment information set by the setting means, environment information corresponding to the client receiving the data by the receiving means. The information processing apparatus further includes a selection unit, and an output unit configured to output data received by the reception unit to a connected device based on the environment information selected by the selection unit.

Further, the setting means sets the environment information in a file format.

Further, the selection means selects environment information in a set file format.

Further, the setting means sets a network protocol as environment information.

Further, the setting means sets environment information including a state of the connected device.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of a network system in a case where the network adapter according to the present embodiment is connected to a printer, which is a printing apparatus, and used in a network environment will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to the present embodiment. In the figure, 101,
Reference numeral 102 denotes a host computer as a client, which transmits an instruction to select a setting value file of a network adapter described later and print data via a network of 105. 103 is a network adapter,
Host computer 10 via network 105
1 and 102, and print data is output to a printer described later. A printer 104 interprets print data transmitted by the host computer via the network adapter 103 and prints a document corresponding to the data.

In the above configuration, first, a setting for transmitting data from the host computer 101 to the printer 104 via the network adapter 103 for printing, for example, environmental parameters such as a network protocol as a set value file 1 as the network adapter 10.
Set it to 3. Next, parameters for printing from the host computer 102 are stored in the host computer 101.
If it is different from the environment, for example, the host computer 101
A difference in network protocol due to a difference in operation system between the host computer 102 and the host computer 102 is set in the network adapter 103 as the setting value file 2.

When the host computer 101 performs printing, the host computer 101 notifies the network adapter 103 that setting of the setting value file 1 is to be performed, and performs printing. Thereafter, when the host computer 102 prints,
Although it is necessary to change the setting of the network adapter 103, it is not necessary to reset many parameters one by one, and it is sufficient to notify only that the setting of the setting value file 2 is performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the network adapter 103 according to the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a host interface, which is connected to the network 105 and
Alternatively, print data and the above-described setting value file switching instruction command are received from the CPU 102. Reference numeral 202 denotes a read-only memory (ROM), which stores a microinstruction group necessary for sequentially informing the CPU of a control procedure and various information necessary for data conversion processing when the CPU supplies a control signal to each unit. Memory. 203 is a microprocessor type central processing unit (CPU),
For example, it is configured in the form of a sequential circuit including a clock pulse generation circuit, a delay circuit, a gate circuit, and other logic circuits.

Reference numeral 204 denotes a readable / writable random access memory (RAM), which has an area for storing an operation state of each device and a work area necessary for executing each process. Reference numeral 205 denotes a rewritable nonvolatile memory, which is a memory for storing a setting value file according to the present embodiment. Reference numeral 206 denotes a printer interface, which receives a packet indicating which setting value file to use from among the setting value files stored in the non-volatile memory 205 and the setting of the packet via the host interface 201 from the host computers 101 and 102. The input data is transmitted to the printer 104. Reference numeral 207 denotes a system bus.
203 is electrically connected to the host interface 201, the printer interface 206, the ROM 202, the RAM 204, and the nonvolatile memory 205, and is used to transfer memory addresses and data.

FIG. 3 shows the nonvolatile memory 20 shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a fifth embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes an area for a set value file in the nonvolatile memory 205. Reference numeral 302 denotes a factory shipment value file, which indicates an initial value of the setting value in the setting value file. 30
3, 304 and 305 are setting value files added as setting values as needed. Reference numeral 306 denotes a free area in the setting value file area 301 which can be further added. Reference numeral 307 includes a factory shipment value file.
This indicates that the setting value file 1 among the setting value files is used. Note that the initial state of the setting value file is only the factory shipping value file 302.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, in the above-described initial state, a certain user creates a setting value file 1 for setting the output environment from the host computer 101, and another user creates a setting value file 1 from each host computer. This shows a state in which the setting value files 2 and 3 have been created in order to set the output environment according to the output environment.
Then, in this state, the user who created the setting value file 1 outputs data using the setting state of the setting value file 1.

The commands available for the setting value file are as follows. (1) Creation of setting value file (2) Setting of parameters in setting value file (3) Copying of setting value file (4) Deletion of setting value file (5) Selection of setting value file In the above embodiment, Although the contents of the setting value file were various parameters to the network adapter according to the network environment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the state parameters of the connection destination device such as a printer connected to the network adapter It is also possible to apply to such as.

In this case, it is possible to easily set the print environment as well as the network environment as desired.

Even if 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.), an apparatus (for example, a copier, a facsimile) comprising one device Device).

An object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (CPU or MP) of the system or the apparatus.
It goes without saying that U) can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements 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 an 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 instruction 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 functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When printing is performed from a plurality of clients via a network, various settings including a printing device suitable for the environment of each client can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a network adapter 103 according to the embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a nonvolatile memory 205 shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Host Computer 102 Host Computer 103 Network Adapter 104 Printer 105 Network 201 Host / I / F 202 ROM 203 CPU 204 RAM 205 Nonvolatile Memory 206 Printer / I / F

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A network adapter for receiving data from a plurality of clients via a network and outputting the data to a connected device, a receiving unit for receiving data from the plurality of clients, and setting environment information according to the plurality of clients. Setting means for selecting, from among the environment information set by the setting means, selecting means for selecting environment information corresponding to a client that has received data by the receiving means, and the setting means based on the environment information selected by the selecting means. An output unit for outputting data received by the receiving unit to the connected device. 2. The network adapter according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets the environment information in a file format. 3. The network adapter according to claim 2, wherein the selection unit selects environment information in a set file format. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said setting means sets a network protocol as environment information.
Network adapter as described in. 5. The network adapter according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets environment information including a status of the connected device.