JP2001121791A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a printing system capable of easily grasping a printing processing progress. SOLUTION: A host computer is equipped with a network interface 4 for transmitting and receiving printing data and printing control data and a printer 2 is equipped with a receiving buffer 12 for temporarily storing the received printing data, a network interface 10 performing the communication with the host computer 1, an operation key 18 for performing the operation of the printer 2 and a display 17 letting a user see the data of the printer 1. The host computer 1 and the printer 2 are connected to a system through the communication of a network 3 and the required time up to the completion of a presently performed printing job is estimated to be successively displayed on the display 5 of the printer. The user's waiting time up to the completion of a presently performed printing job can be displayed on the display of the printer to be reported to a user wating the completion of printing by the printer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing system, for example, a printing system connected to a host computer via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing system is generally constructed by connecting a plurality of or a single computer and one or a plurality of peripheral devices such as a printer. In many cases, multiple computers, printing accuracy such as the number of dots, monochrome
A printing system is constructed for the purpose of printing characteristics such as color, characteristics such as printing speed, decentralized printing, and efficient maintenance management. The printing system is built for such various advantages.

[0003]

However, although the above-described conventional printing system has various advantages,
On the other hand, it has many disadvantages. For example, it generally involves the following various problems.

First, it is impossible for a user to know how long the print data being printed by the printer is to be printed, by looking at the display of the printer.

Second, it is impossible for a host computer located far from the printer to know how long the print data being printed by the printer is to be printed.

Thirdly, how long is the next print data waiting in the printer's receive buffer sent after the print data being printed being printed completed?
The user cannot see the display of the printer.

Fourthly, it is necessary to know how long the next print data waiting in the printer's reception buffer, which has been sent after the print data being printed, will be completed in a distance from the printer. I can't figure out on one host computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of easily grasping the progress of a printing process.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a printing system according to the present invention comprises a host computer having a network interface capable of transmitting and receiving print data and print control data; A system includes a receiving buffer for temporarily storing data, a network interface for communicating with a host computer, operation keys for operating the printer, and a printer having a display for showing information of the printer to a user. , And estimates the time required to complete the print job currently being printed and sequentially displays the estimated time on the display of the printer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the same system as the first aspect of the present invention, the result of estimating the time required for the print job currently being printed to be completed is estimated via the network interface. It is good to send to.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the same system as the first aspect of the present invention, the time required for a print job waiting for print processing in the printer reception buffer to complete printing is estimated, and the display of the printer is performed. May be displayed sequentially.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the same system as the second aspect of the present invention, the result of estimating the time required for a print job waiting for print processing in the printer reception buffer to complete printing is determined by the network. It may be transmitted to a host computer via an interface.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the printing system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG.
To FIG. 8, there is shown one embodiment of the printing system of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printing system according to the present embodiment. Also, FIGS. 2 to 8
Is a flowchart showing an operation example.

The printing system applied to the embodiment is as follows.
The host computer 1 and the printer 2 are connected and constructed by the LAN 3. The arrows in FIG. 1 indicate the direction in which data or information flows. The thick solid line of each arrow indicates the direction in which the print data flows, the thin solid line indicates the direction in which the control information flows, and the dotted line indicates the direction in which the waiting time information flows.

The host computer 1 is further subdivided into a network interface 4, a display 5, a manager software 6, a printer driver 7,
And a data transfer rate measurement mechanism 30 having a network data transfer rate measurement process 31 and a data transfer rate DB (database) 32.

The printer 2 includes a network IF (interface) 10, a print manager 11, a reception buffer 12, a hard disk (HD) 13, and an interprinter 1.
4, an image buffer 15, a printing mechanism 16, a display 17, a control panel 18, a built-in clock 19, and a waiting time estimating mechanism 20 having a time information DB (database) 21 and a waiting time estimating process 22. Be composed.

The display 17 of the host computer 1 configured as described above can display at least the print job 8 and the print waiting time information 9. In the present embodiment, print data can be transmitted to the printer 2 via the LAN 3 from a host computer having the following functions.

The printer configured as described above and having the following functions can receive print data transmitted from the host computer 1 and perform printing. One or more host computers 1 and one or more printers 2
The present embodiment will be described below with an example of a printing system configured as a device connected to a system connected by the third method.

(Overview of Printing System) A host computer 1 comprising a host computer 1, a printer 2, and a LAN 3 includes a network interface 4 for transmitting data to the printer 2 via the LAN 3, a printer driver 7 for generating a print job 8, and a printer driver 7. A manager software 6 for managing the print waiting time information 9 received from the printer 2 through the network interface 4,
A display 5 for transmitting the print waiting time information 9 to the user.

The manager software 6 manages the network interface 4, the display 5, and the printer driver 7, and measures a network data transfer rate.
And data transfer rate D for saving and reusing measurement results
B32.

The printer 2 has a network interface 1 for receiving print data received via the LAN 3.
0, a print manager 11 for managing the received print data, and a reception buffer 1 for temporarily storing the print job 8
2, a hard disk 13 for storing the print job 8,
An interprinter 14 for analyzing the print job 8 and converting it to bit image data, an image buffer 15 for storing the bit image data, a printing mechanism 16 for printing bit image data in the image buffer 15,
It comprises a display 17 for displaying the status of the printer 2, a control panel 18 for setting the printer, and a printer built-in clock 19.

The print manager 11 includes a reception buffer 1
2. Manages the hard disk 13, the interprinter 14, the image buffer 15, the printing mechanism 16, the display 17, the control panel 18, and the built-in clock 19, and calculates the waiting time of the print job 8 using the management information obtained from each of them. The waiting time estimating mechanism 20 is managed.

The waiting time estimating mechanism 20 includes a waiting time information DB 21 in which the correlation information between the data format and the data size of the past print job and the waiting time is stored. And a waiting time estimation process 22 for calculating

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example 1. The first operation example shows the flow of processing for calculating the print completion waiting time of the currently printing job and displaying it on the printer display. In the operation example 1, the state of the reception buffer is checked (step S1), and it is checked whether or not the buffer is empty (S2).

If the buffer is not empty (S2 / NO),
The current clock is obtained from the built-in clock and is set as the print processing start time (S3). The entire print job is stored on the hard disk (S4). Print data of a certain size is extracted from the print job on the hard disk (S5). The print data is processed by an interprinter to create bit image data (S6). The size of the unprocessed print data of the print job on the hard disk is checked (S7). The processing completion time in steps S6 and S7 is calculated by a waiting time estimation process (S8). The estimated time is displayed on the display (S9). It is checked whether the processing of the entire print job is completed (S10).

When the above check is completed (S10 / Y
ES), the current time is acquired from the built-in clock, and is set as the print processing end time (S11). The actual waiting time until the printing is completed is calculated and added to the waiting time information DB (S12).

In the first operation example, when the bit image data converted by the interprinter of the print job whose printing is started does not exceed the capacity of the image buffer, the print manager waits for the bit image data format by using the wait time information DB. The correlation information with time and the size of the unprocessed bit image data are checked, the waiting time at that time is calculated by a waiting time estimation process, and the result is displayed on a display to inform the user. At the end of printing, the time actually required for printing is calculated from the print start time and the print end time of the internal clock of the printer, and the calculation result is stored in the waiting time information DB. FIG. 2 shows this state.

In the first operation example, the waiting time of the user until the print job being printed is completed is calculated using the information of the waiting time information DB, and the calculation result is displayed on the display of the printer. This makes it possible to function as a printing system that informs a user waiting for the completion of printing by the side of the waiting time.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation example 2. The operation example 2 shows the flow of processing for calculating the print completion waiting time of the printing job and displaying the waiting time on the display of the host computer. In the operation example 2, the state of the reception buffer is checked (step S21), and it is checked whether or not the buffer is empty (S22).

If the buffer is not empty (S22 / N
O), the current clock is acquired from the built-in clock and set as the print processing start time (S23). The entire print job is stored on the hard disk (S24). Print data of a certain size is extracted from the print job on the hard disk (S25). The print data is processed by an interprinter to create bit image data (S26). The size of the unprocessed print data of the print job on the hard disk is checked (S27). The processing completion time in steps S26 and S27 is calculated by a waiting time estimation process (S28).

The waiting time information is sent to the host computer via the network I / F (S29). The network communication waiting time is calculated by the network transfer rate measuring process (S30). The sum of steps S29 and S30 is set as the waiting time and displayed on the display of the host computer (S31). It is checked whether the processing of the entire print job is completed (S32).

When the process is completed in step S10 (S32 / Y
ES), the current time is obtained from the built-in clock, and is set as the print processing end time (S33). The actual waiting time until the printing is completed is calculated and added to the waiting time information DB (S34).

In the second operation example, if the bit image data converted by the interprinter of the print job whose printing has started does not exceed the capacity of the image buffer, the print manager uses the wait time information DB to store the wait time for the bit image data format. Check the correlation information and the size of the unprocessed bit image data, calculate the waiting time at that time by the waiting time estimation process, and send the result to the manager software of the host computer via the network from the network interface. Tell

The manager software adds the waiting time caused by the network communication calculated by the network data transfer rate measuring process to the waiting time sent from the printer, and displays the result on the display of the host computer. FIG. 3 shows this state.

In the second operation example, the user's waiting time until the printing job being printed is completed is calculated using the waiting time information DB and the data transfer speed DB information on the host computer side, and the calculation result is transferred to the host computer via the network. By displaying on the computer display,
It is possible to function as a printing system that informs a user who is away from the printer and waits for printing completion of the waiting time.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are flowcharts showing the third operation example. The operation example 3 shows the flow of the process of calculating the print completion waiting time of the print waiting job and displaying it on the display of the printer. In the operation example 3, the standby time of the print job currently being processed is calculated (step S
41). The subroutine 1 of FIG. 5 is executed.

In subroutine 1 of FIG. 5, the state of the receiving buffer is checked (step S51), and it is checked whether or not the buffer is empty (S52).

If the buffer is not empty (S52 / N
O), the current clock is acquired from the built-in clock and set as the print processing start time (S53). The entire print job is stored on the hard disk (S54). Print data of a certain size is extracted from the print job on the hard disk (S55). The print data is processed by the interprinter to create bit image data (S56). The size of the unprocessed print data of the print job on the hard disk is checked (S57). The processing completion time in steps S56 and S57 is calculated by a waiting time estimation process (S58).
Check whether the processing of the entire print job is completed (S
59).

The calculated time is added to the required waiting time (S61). It is checked whether there is a print job on the hard disk (S62). The print job at the head of the hard disk is designated as a standby time calculation target (S6).
3). The standby time of the designated print job is calculated (S
64). Thereafter, the processing shifts to the processing of subroutine 2 in FIG.

In subroutine 2 of FIG. 6, the data format of the print job is checked (S71). The data size of the print job is checked (S72). The waiting time is calculated by the waiting time information estimation process (S73). The calculated standby time is added to the required standby time (S74).

After the processing of the subroutine 2 in FIG. 6 is completed, the process returns to the main routine, and the calculated time is added to the required waiting time (S81). It is checked whether the print job is a print job designated by the user (82). The next job on the hard disk is set as a standby time calculation target (S83). The estimated time is displayed on the display (S84). Check whether the processing of the specified print job is completed (S8)
5).

If the printing is completed (S85 / YES), the current time is obtained from the internal clock and the printing process is terminated (S86).
The actual waiting time until the printing is completed is calculated and added to the waiting time information DB (87). Thus, the processing of the operation example 3 is completed.

In the operation example 3, if the bit image data converted by the interprinter of the print job whose printing has been started exceeds the capacity of the image buffer, and the print job not processed by the interprinter remains on the hard disk, The print manager uses the waiting time information DB to correlate the waiting time for the bit image data format and the data format of the print job remaining on the hard disk, the size of the unprocessed bit image data, and the size of the print job remaining on the hard disk. Is calculated by the waiting time estimation process, and the result is displayed on the display to inform the user. At the end of printing, the time actually required for printing is calculated from the printing start time and the printing end time of the internal clock of the printer, and the calculation result is stored in the waiting time information DB. This situation is shown in FIGS.

In the third operation example, the user's waiting time until the printing of the print job that has not started the printing process and is waiting on the hard disk is completed is calculated using the information of the waiting time DB. Display on the display. This makes it possible to function as a printing system that informs a user waiting for printing completion by the printer of the waiting time.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing the operation example 4. The fourth operation example shows the flow of the process of calculating the print completion waiting time of the print waiting job and displaying it on the display of the host computer. Note that this operation example 4
Are the same as steps S41 to S83 and steps S85 to S87 in the above operation example 3. The difference is that step S84 of the operation example 3 replaces the subroutine 3 shown in FIG. In the operation example 4, the standby time of the print job currently being processed is calculated (step S4).
The description up to 1) to make the next job on the hard disk a standby time calculation target (S83) is omitted. After the processing in step S83 is completed, the process proceeds to subroutine 3.

In subroutine 3 of FIG. 8, wait time information is sent to the host computer via the network I / F (S91). The network communication waiting time is calculated by the network transfer rate measuring process (S9).
2). The sum of steps S91 and S92 is defined as a waiting time,
Display on the display of the host computer (S9
3). After the processing in step S93 is completed, the process returns to the main routine, and the processing in steps S85 to S87 is continued.

In the operation example 4, when the bit image data of the print job whose printing has been started by the interprinter exceeds the capacity of the image buffer and the print job not processed by the interprinter remains on the hard disk, The print manager uses the waiting time information DB to correlate the waiting time for the bit image data format and the data format of the print job remaining on the hard disk, the size of the unprocessed bit image data, and the size of the print job remaining on the hard disk. Is calculated by a waiting time estimation process, and the result is transmitted from the network interface to the manager software of the host computer via the network. The manager software calculates the latency caused by network communication calculated by the network data rate measurement process,
In addition to the waiting time sent from the printer, the result is displayed on the display of the host computer. FIGS. 7 and 8 and FIGS. 5 and 6 show this state.

In the operation example 4, the waiting time of the user until the printing job which has not started the printing process and is waiting in the hard disk is completed is printed by the waiting time DB information and the data transfer speed DB information on the host computer side. The calculation result is used, and the calculation result is displayed on the display of the host computer through the network. This makes it possible to function as a printing system that informs a user who is away from the printer and waits for printing completion of the waiting time.

[0049]

As apparent from the above description, the printing system of the present invention temporarily stores the received print data, communicates with the host computer, operates the printer, and prints the currently printed print data. The time required until the job is completed is estimated and sequentially displayed on the display of the printer to display the information of the printer on the display. According to this operation example, the user's waiting time until the print job being printed is completed is calculated using the information in the waiting time information DB, and the calculation result is displayed on the display of the printer. This makes it possible to inform the user waiting for the printing completion near the printer of the waiting time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation example 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a subroutine 1 of operation examples 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a subroutine 2 of operation examples 3 and 4;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation example 4;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a subroutine 3 of an operation example 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Printer 3 LAN 4 Network interface 5 Display 6 Manager software 7 Printer driver 8 Print job 9 Print waiting time information 10 Network interface 11 Print manager 12 Receive buffer 13 Hard disk 14 Interprinter 15 Image buffer 16 Printing mechanism 17 Display 18 Control Panel 19 Printer Built-in Clock 20 Latency Estimation Mechanism 21 Time Information DB 22 Latency Estimation Process 31 Network Data Transfer Speed Measurement Process 32 Data Transfer Speed DB

Claims (4)

[Claims] A host computer having a network interface capable of transmitting and receiving print data and print control data; a reception buffer for temporarily storing received print data; a network interface for communicating with the host computer; An operation key for operating the printer and a printer equipped with a display for showing the printer information to the user are connected to the system via network communication, and the time required for the currently printing job to be completed is determined. A printing system characterized by guessing and displaying sequentially on a display of a printer. 2. A system similar to the printing system according to claim 1, wherein a result of estimating a time required for the print job currently being printed to complete printing is transmitted to the host computer via the network interface. Characteristic printing system. 3. A system similar to the printing system according to claim 1, wherein a time required for a print job waiting for print processing in the printer reception buffer to complete printing is estimated and sequentially displayed on a display of the printer. A printing system, characterized in that: 4. A system similar to the printing system according to claim 2, wherein a result of estimating a time required for a print job waiting for print processing in the printer reception buffer to complete printing is transmitted via a network interface. A printing system for transmitting the data to the host computer.