JP2001092605A - Data controller and internet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a conventional printer which is not corresponding to the Internet to perform printing through the Internet. SOLUTION: A printer device 3 arranged on the Internet 2 is provided with an Internet communicating means for directly receiving print data from a computer 1 on the Internet 2 and a data transfer means for transferring the print data to another printer device. Thus, even a conventional printer device 5 not corresponding to the Internet can receive the data from the Internet 2 through the printer device 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an Internet printer for printing print data directly from a computer on the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional network print system will be described below with reference to FIGS. In general network printing, there are a method in which print data is output via a spooler of a print server computer and a method in which print data is directly output to a printer. Here, the case of directly outputting to a printer will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, a computer 15 and a printer 3 are connected on the same network.
FIG. 7 shows components for controlling network printing. Computer 15 is the printer driver 1
The printer device 3 includes a communication unit 8 and a printing unit 19.

[0004] In the network print system configured as described above, an operation when printing a document of an application on a computer will be described.

When printing from an application (not shown) on the computer 15, the application calls the printer driver 18 and issues a print instruction (step S1).

The printer driver 18 creates print data that can be interpreted by the printer device 3 using the data of the application (step S2), and transmits the print data from the communication means 17 to the printer device 3 (step S3). The transferred data is received by the communication means 8 of the printer device 3 (step S4), and is usually temporarily stored in a page memory (not shown), converted to a final print format, and printed out. (Step S5).

[0007]

Heretofore, when printing a document of a computer using a network, it has been general to print the document via a network in an office such as a LAN on a premises. With the development of the Internet infrastructure, printing via the Internet has become possible.

[0008] However, when printing via the Internet, printing cannot be performed unless the printer is compatible with the Internet, and generally, existing conventional printers cannot be used.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an Internet printer capable of performing Internet printing even with a conventional printer that does not support Internet printing.

[0010]

In order to solve this problem, an Internet printer according to the present invention is a printer device arranged on the Internet, and the printer device has print data directly from a computer on the Internet. And a data transfer unit for transferring print data to another different printer. The printer is further provided with a spool for storing print data.

As a result, even a conventional printer that does not support the Internet can support Internet printing via the Internet printer according to the present invention.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
It is configured to include data receiving means and transfer means for transferring data received by the data receiving means, and can transfer data received from a line to another terminal.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Internet communication means connectable to the Internet and capable of receiving print data directly from a computer on the Internet, and data for transferring the print data to another different printer. This configuration includes a transfer unit, and enables data to be transferred to a conventional printer that is not compatible with the Internet for printing.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In these drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system of an Internet printer according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing each component of the Internet printer in detail, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the Internet printer system.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the Internet printer according to the present embodiment, a computer 1 and a printer 3 are connected via the Internet 2, and a printer 3 and a printer 5 are connected to a general-purpose interface 4 or a local LAN. (Not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the computer 1 comprises an application 6 and a communication means 7, and the printer device 3 comprises a communication means 8, a data analysis means 9 and a printing means 10. Further, the printer device 5 includes the communication unit 1
1. It comprises a printing means 12 and is connected to the printer device 3 by a general-purpose interface 4. Here, a detailed configuration of the printing unit 10 and the printing unit 12 is omitted.

In the Internet printer configured as described above, the computer 1
The processing up to printing on the printer 5 via the printer 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

The application 6 of the computer 1 designates output destination information to "print and output to the printer 5 via the printer 3 connected to the Internet 2" (step S1). In this case, the print instruction from the application 6 may be a case where a printer driver is used or a case where the application itself directly performs a print operation.

The output destination information and the print data are transmitted from the communication means 7 to the printer 3 via the Internet 2 (step S2). The printer device 3 receives the output destination information and the print data via the communication means 8 (step S3).

The output destination information is analyzed by the data analysis means 9 to determine whether it is a print instruction for its own printer or a transfer instruction to another printer (step S).
4). If the print instruction is the own printer, the printing means 1
The data is printed out according to 0 (step S5). If the print instruction is for another printer, the communication unit 8 transfers the print data to the destination printer. Here, the data is transferred to the printer device 5 (step S6).

The printer device 5 receives the transfer data by the communication means 11 (step S7), and prints out by the printing means 12 (step S8).

According to the above procedure, it is possible to print out from the application of the computer 1 to the printer device 5 not compatible with the Internet via the printer 3 connected to the Internet.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the components of the Internet printer according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention in detail, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system.

As shown in FIG. 4, the Internet printer system of the present embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that the printer device 3 is provided with a spool means 13 and a storage means 14.

In the Internet printer configured as described above, the computer 1
A process up to printing on the printer device 5 via the printer device 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the application 6 of the computer 1, the printer 3 connected to the Internet 2
Then, output destination information for printing and outputting to the printer device 5 is designated (step S1). In this case, the print instruction from the application 6 may be a case where a printer driver is used or a case where the application itself performs a print operation.

The output destination information and the print data are transmitted from the communication means 7 to the printer 3 via the Internet 2 (step S2). The printer device 3 receives the output destination information and the print data via the communication means 8 (step S3).

The received output destination information and print data are temporarily stored in the storage means 14 by the spool means 13. Thereby, even when data is transmitted from a plurality of computers, the data can be received at the same time, which has the effect of expediting the opening of processing of the other computer. Further, in parallel with the operation of storing the data, the spool unit 13 performs an operation of sequentially taking out the stored data and passing it to the data analysis unit 9 (step S4).

The data analysis means 9 analyzes the output destination information and determines whether it is a print instruction for its own printer or a transfer instruction to another printer (step S5).
If the print instruction is for the printer itself, the printing means 10 prints out the data (step S6). If the print instruction is for another printer, the communication unit 8 transfers the print data to the destination printer. Here, the data is transferred to the printer device 5 (step S7).

The printer device 5 receives the data by the communication means 11 (step S8), and prints out the data by the printing means 12.

According to the above-described procedure, printing can be performed from the application of the computer 1 to the printer 5 that is not compatible with the Internet via the printer 3 connected to the Internet. Further, since the spooling device and the storage device are provided in the printer connected to the Internet, data can be received from a plurality of computers at the same time.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a printer device arranged on the Internet, wherein the printer device is provided with an Internet communication means capable of receiving print data directly from a computer on the Internet. By including data transfer means for transferring data to another different printer device,
Even a conventional printer that does not support the Internet can support Internet printing via a printer connected to the Internet.

Further, by providing the spooling means and the storage means on the printer device side, data can be received from a plurality of computers at the same time, and the processing of the computers can be expedited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in detail each component of the Internet printer system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the Internet printer system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing in detail each component of an Internet printer system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the system of the Internet printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a conventional network print system.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional network print system.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional network print system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 15 Computer 2 Internet 3, 5 Printer device 4 General-purpose interface 6 Application 7, 8, 11, 17 Communication means 9 Data analysis means 10, 12, 19 Printing means 13 Spool means 14 Storage means 16 Network 18 Printer driver

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A data control device comprising: data receiving means; and transfer means for transferring data received by the data receiving means. 2. A data control device, comprising: a receiving unit capable of receiving data from an external line; and a transfer unit for transferring data received by the data receiving unit. 3. A data control device, comprising: a receiving unit capable of receiving data from an external line; and a transfer unit for transferring data received by the data receiving unit to an internal line. 4. A receiving means capable of receiving data from an external line, a storing means for storing data received by the data receiving means, and a transferring means for transferring data stored in the storing means to an internal line. Including data controller. 5. An Internet printer comprising: Internet communication means connectable to the Internet and capable of receiving print data directly from a computer on the Internet; and data transfer means for transferring print data to another different printer device. 6. The Internet printer according to claim 5, further comprising a spool unit for storing print data. 7. The Internet printer according to claim 5, further comprising storage means for storing print data received from the Internet, and spool means for storing print data.