JP2001154813A - Network printer device and network printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network printer system for confirming the set position of a printer device which transmits a specific instruction through a network. SOLUTION: The list of printer devices is displayed (S1), and an operator selects a desired printer device from the list (S2). A printer designating means 205 transmits an instruction for requesting a response to the selected printer device (S3). A network controller part 104 of the printer device starts a response request processing means 103 (S7), and lets the operator to know the response processing by using an LCD and a simple speaker or the like on a control panel part 101 (S8). The operator confirms whether or not the printer device is correctly selected according to the communication (S4), and when the printer device is correctly selected (S5; Y), the printer designation processing is continued, and the printing processing is terminated (S6).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printer and a network printer system.
In particular, the present invention relates to a network printer system that controls printer print processing in a network environment in which a plurality of workstations and a plurality of printer devices are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a plurality of computers and a plurality of printers have been connected to a network to efficiently perform various business processes. In such a network printer system in which a plurality of printer devices are arranged on a network, when the print control unit of the computer specifies the position of the printer device that transmits the print information, the operator sets each printer device. This is done by examining the specified identifier and selecting the corresponding identifier from the list of identifiers by the print control unit of the computer.

[0003]

However, in the above-described system which is selected by the operator, since the identifier used to specify the printer device is abstract and ambiguous, the printer which the operator wants to use due to a difference in memory or the like. Frequently, a printer device different from the device is selected. Further, since it is necessary to perform the specifying operation of the printer device before performing the printing process, the name of the specified printer device is not changed, or the specified printer device is not in use. Or, when the installation position has moved to a position far from the operator, the operator has to re-specify another printer device again. Whenever such a situation occurs, an operation of reselecting an identifier having a high degree of encouragement occurs every time, and the time and mental burden on the operator is great.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a network printer device which can specifically confirm where a printer device which has transmitted a specific command via a network is installed. . A second object of the present invention is to provide a network capable of specifically confirming where a printer that has sent a specific command via a network is installed when an operator designates a printer that the user wants to print. It is to provide a printer system. A third object of the present invention is to allow the operator to easily confirm the installation location of the designated printer device visually or by hearing when the operator designates the printer device to print, and has a hearing impairment, a visual impairment, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a network printer system which allows even an operator to confirm the installation location of a designated printer.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to perform a printing process in a network environment, one or a plurality of workstations are connected, and print data and a response request are transmitted and received from the connected workstations. Transmitting and receiving means, output means for outputting the print data received by the transmitting and receiving means, and when the transmitting and receiving means receives a response request from the workstation, a notifying means for notifying to that effect by light or voice or the like , The first object is achieved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printer system comprising the network printer according to the first aspect and one or more workstations connected to the network printer via a network. The station
Printer designating means for transmitting a response request to the selected network printer device for printing, and when the response request from the printer designating means is received via the transmitting / receiving means, the notifying means notifies the effect to that effect. The second object is achieved by automatically notifying.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, when the printer designating unit transmits a response request to the selected network printer for printing, the network designating unit notifies the printer. The third object is achieved by notifying the user of the fact by light or voice or the like to specify the installation position of the network printer device on the network.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Here, an embodiment in which the invention is applied to a network system including a plurality of workstations and a printer will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer device according to the present embodiment. This printer device includes an operation panel unit 101, a printer controller unit 102, a network controller unit 104, a printer engine 105, and a response unit 106.

An operation panel unit 101 controls a printer and performs various settings. The network controller unit 104 is connected to a network and transmits and receives communication data to and from a workstation. Printer engine 10
Reference numeral 5 performs image formation and printing of the received print data. The printer controller unit 102 controls three modules: an operation panel unit 101, a network controller unit 104, and a printer engine 105. Further, the printer controller unit 102 includes a response request processing unit 1.
03. The response unit 106 includes the operation panel unit 1
01, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an LED (Light Emitting Diode) installed on a printer, or a simple speaker, buzzer, etc. installed inside.

Next, the operation of the printer will be described. The response request processing unit 103 is activated by receiving a response request transmitted from a workstation on the network via the network controller unit 104. The activated response request processing unit 103 is operated by the printer controller unit 102 and the operation panel unit 10.
Activate the response means 106 via 1. Response means 106
Displays a message indicating that a response request is currently being received on the LCD on the operation panel unit 101, or drives an LED installed on the printer device or a simple speaker installed inside for a certain period of time to Alternatively, the operator is notified by sound that the response request has been received.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a workstation according to the present embodiment. This workstation includes an application unit 201 and a print processing control unit 202. Print processing control unit 202
Are print condition setting processing unit 203 and print processing unit 204
It has. The print processing control unit 202 controls print processing required when print data is generated from the application unit 201. The print condition setting processing unit 203 sets a paper size, a printer device for printing, and the like. The print processing unit 204 transmits the print data generated by the application unit 201 to the printer according to the print conditions of the print condition setting processing unit 203. The print condition setting processing unit 2
Reference numeral 03 includes a printer designation unit (response request transmission unit) 205. Printer designating means (response request transmitting means) 2
Reference numeral 05 is activated when the print condition setting processing unit 203 receives a print condition setting request from the application unit 201 and executes a process of designating a printer to print. When activated, the printer designation means (response request transmission means) 205 transmits a response request command to the currently designated printer device on the network.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the network system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, printer devices 304 to 307 represent the printer device of FIG. 1, and workstations 301 to 303 represent a network system incorporating the workstation of FIG. Here, for example, when the printer designation means (response request transmission means) 205 of the workstation 302 transmits a response request command to the printer apparatus 306 which performs printing by the designation processing of the print condition setting processing unit 203, the designated printer apparatus 306 Response means 106 displays a response to the operator.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when printing is performed from a workstation to a printer on a network. First, when printing from the application unit 201 of the workstation to a specific printer device on the network,
First, it is necessary to specify which printer device prints the print data from the workstation. First, a request for print condition setting is issued from the application unit 201 running on the workstation to the print processing control unit 202, and the print processing control unit 202 transmits the request to the print condition setting processing unit 203. The print condition setting processing unit 203 displays a screen for setting print conditions, and permits setting by an operator. Here, the operator selects a printer device selection process for printing. When the print processing control unit 202 allows the operator to set a printer device for printing, the print condition setting processing unit 203
A list of printer devices currently connected to the network is displayed (step 1).

The operator selects a printer to be used from the displayed list (step 2). When the operator selects a printer device for printing, the print condition setting processing unit 203 causes the printer
Call 5 This called printer designation means 20
5 transmits a response request command to the selected printer (step 3). When the selected printer on the network receives this response request command, the network controller 104 of the printer activates the response request processing means 103 (step 7). Then, the response means 106 is activated by the activated response request processing means 103.
Informs the operator that the printer device selected using the LCD, LED light emitting element, simple speaker or the like on the operation panel unit 101 is the user (step 8).

The operator confirms whether or not the printer to which he / she wants to output is correctly selected by a display message, an LED lighting, or a light or sound such as a response sound indicated by the printer (step 4). ). As a result of the confirmation, if the printer device selected from the list is different from the printer device that the operator wants to use (Step 5; N), the process returns to Step 2 and the operator selects another printer device from the list again and selects the printer device that he wants to use. Steps 3 to 8 are repeated until is selected. On the other hand, if the printer device selected from the list is the printer device that the operator wants to use (step 5; Y), the printer designation process is continued, and the printing process ends (step 6).

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the printer receives a response request from a workstation on the network, the notifying means notifies the operator by a display device such as light or a sound generating device. It is possible to easily and specifically confirm where the printer device that has sent the specific command via the printer is located.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the printer designating means automatically notifies the operator of the selected network printer device by a display device such as a light or a sound generating device. When specifying a printer to be performed, it is possible to easily and specifically confirm where the printer device that has sent the specific command via the network is installed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the notifying means of the network printer notifies the operator by means of a display device such as light or a sound generating device, so that the installation location of the designated printer can be easily confirmed visually or audibly. Can be. In addition, when the notification unit notifies by a display device such as light, it is possible for even an operator with a hearing impairment to confirm.For example, when the notification is performed by a sound generating device, the operator with a visual impairment can specify the installation location of the printer. You can check.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a workstation in the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when a printing process is performed from a workstation to a printer device on a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 operation panel unit 102 printer controller unit 103 response request processing unit 104 network controller unit 105 printer engine 106 response unit 201 application unit 202 print processing control unit 203 print condition setting processing unit 204 print processing unit 205 printer designation unit (response Request transmission means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transmitting / receiving means for connecting to one or more workstations for transmitting and receiving print data and a response request from the connected workstation for performing printing processing in a network environment; A network printer device, comprising: an output unit that outputs print data; and a notifying unit that, when the transmission / reception unit receives a response request from the workstation, notifies the reception of the response request by light, voice, or the like. . 2. A network printer system comprising: the network printer device according to claim 1; and one or more workstations connected to the network printer device via a network, wherein the workstation is selected. Printer designating means for transmitting a response request to a network printer device for printing, wherein when a response request from the printer designating means is received via the transmitting / receiving means, the notifying means automatically informs the effect. A network printer system for notifying. 3. The printer designating means sends a response request to the selected network printer device for printing, and the notifying device of the network printer device notifies the network printer device of the response request by light or voice. 3. The network printer system according to claim 2, wherein an installation position of said network printer device can be specified.