JP2001232919A - Printer server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer server in which the quality of print results can be enhanced under sheet end state by solving the problem of a conventional continuous form printer, that the print results become illegible at the sheet end and forced printing causes deterioration of print results, and stopping print operation at a legible position. SOLUTION: When the control section 21 of a printer server 20 detects sheet end of a continuous form printer 4 through a sheet end detector 22, a command for temporarily inhibiting transmission of print data is transmitted to a client 1 through an LAN 2. Upon receiving an operation of an operator under sheet end state, a command for permitting transmission of print data in specified unit is transmitted to the client 1 and the received print data is printed on the continuous form printer 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer server connected to a printer using continuous paper, and more particularly to an improvement in data processing when paper runs out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A continuous paper printer prints a series of data such as various forms and program lists on a continuous printing paper (continuous paper). In the continuous paper, page breaks such as perforations are formed at predetermined lengths, and the user cuts and uses the print result at these breaks.

In a conventional printing system including a continuous paper printer, a LAN (Local Area Network) is used as shown in FIG.
rk) and the like, a continuous paper printer is shared. This network includes a client 1 that issues a print request, a LAN 2, a printer server 3, and a continuous paper printer 4. In general, another client device is connected to the LAN 2, but is not shown here for the sake of explanation.

As shown in FIG. 4, the continuous paper printer 4 mainly includes a print head 11, a platen 12, a paper-out detector 13, and a print control unit 14. Supplied. The out-of-paper detector 13 includes a microswitch 15.

[0005] The client 1 is connected to the LAN 2 and transmits print data to the printer server 3 via the LAN 2 in predetermined block units. When receiving a print stop instruction from the printer server 3 via the LAN 2, the client 1 temporarily suspends transmission of print data until receiving a print restart instruction from the printer server 3.

[0006] The printer server 3 is connected to the LAN 2 and the continuous paper printer 4, and receives an LA message from the client 1.
The print data received via N2 is buffered, and the buffered print data is output to the continuous paper printer 4 while monitoring the state of the continuous paper printer 4. When receiving a signal indicating the occurrence of an error from the continuous paper printer 4, the printer server 3 transmits a print stop instruction to the client 1. The printer server 3 receives a signal indicating that the error has been cleared, and
To output a print restart instruction.

The print head 11 of the continuous paper printer 4 performs printing on the continuous paper 10 sandwiched between the continuous paper printer 4 and the platen 12. The out-of-paper detector 13 detects the out-of-paper state of the continuous paper by the operation of the microswitch 15 and outputs the print control unit 1.
A signal indicating that the paper has run out is output to 4. While the continuous paper 10 is present, the microswitch 15 is pushed by the continuous paper 10 and is in an ON state. However, when the continuous paper runs out of paper, the switch is released and turned off.

The print control unit 14 controls the print head 11 based on print data input from the printer server 3 and performs printing on continuous paper. The print control unit 14 receives a signal indicating that the paper is out of paper from the paper out detector 13 and outputs a signal indicating that an error has occurred to the printer server 3. Furthermore, when the continuous paper 10 is newly supplied and the out-of-paper detector 13 does not output a signal indicating that the paper is out, the print control unit 14 outputs a signal indicating that the error has been released to the printer server 3.

That is, in a network including a conventional continuous paper printer, a client 1 transmits print data via a LAN 2, a printer server 3 receives and buffers the print data, and outputs the data to a continuous paper printer 4. I do. The print control unit 14 of the continuous paper printer 4 receives the input of the print data, controls the print head 11, and starts printing on the continuous paper 10. Eventually, when the continuous paper 10 is out of paper, the micro switch 15 is turned off, the out-of-paper detector 13 outputs a signal indicating that the paper is out, and the print control unit 14 receives the signal indicating that the paper is out, and A signal indicating that an error has occurred is output to the printer server 3. Then, the printer server 3 transmits a signal for interrupting the transmission of the print data to the client 1 via the LAN 2, and the client 1 interrupts the transmission of the print data.

At this time, since there is a certain distance between the microswitch 15 and the print head 11, the last part of the print is cut off in the middle of the page.

After a while, when the user supplies the continuous paper 10,
When the micro switch 15 is turned on, the print control unit 14
Outputs a signal indicating that the error has been cleared, and the printer server 3 transmits an instruction to restart the print data to the client 1 via the LAN 2. Then, the transmission of the print data from the place where the client 1 was interrupted is restarted.

[0012]

As described above, in the above-described conventional print system, printing is performed halfway on the last page of continuous paper, and printing cannot be performed to the last page. There was a problem that it became difficult.

In view of this, a technique has been considered in which the content to be printed on the last page is stored in a buffer of the printer server, and after the continuous paper is supplied, the page is printed again. Since the print result up to is printed on the next page again, resources such as ink cannot be used effectively.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-163682,
As described in "Printer paper-out processing method", etc., a technique has been disclosed in which paper is forcibly released and printing is performed until the end of the page so that the paper does not change in the middle of the page. In this case, printing is performed up to the edge of the paper, so that continuous paper is in a free state between the print head and the roller for feeding the paper, which deteriorates paper handling characteristics and print quality. However, there is a problem in that the metal is deteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. Even when printing on continuous paper, it is possible to prevent the paper from being changed in the middle of a page and to prevent the deterioration of print quality. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer server device and a printer device that can perform the above.

[0016]

According to the present invention, there is provided a printer server apparatus which is connected to a continuous paper printer, receives print data from a client in block units, and outputs the print data to the continuous paper printer. ,
Means for detecting that the continuous paper printer has run out of paper, means for notifying the client that the continuous paper printer has run out of paper and prohibiting the transmission of print data, and the next print data Means for sequentially permitting the client to transmit blocks.

Further, in the printer server device according to the present invention, the means for detecting the paper shortage is disposed between the continuous paper printer and the paper supply source, and detects the paper shortage of the continuous paper printer. And a detection unit disposed at a position more than one page away from the print head of the continuous paper printer.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 The printer server device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is used in place of a conventional printer server. That is,
As shown in FIG. 1, a print system including a printer server according to the present embodiment basically includes a client 1 as a print request source, a LAN 2, a printer server 20, and a continuous paper printer 4. . Also,
The printer server 20 includes a control unit 21 and an out-of-paper detector 2.
2 is included. In addition, about the thing similar to the conventional thing,
The same reference numerals are given and the detailed description is omitted.

The control unit 21 of the printer server 20 receives print data from the client 1 via the LAN 2, temporarily buffers the print data, and outputs it to the continuous paper printer 4. The control unit 21 corresponds to each unit for prohibiting and permitting transmission of print data of the present invention. Also, the control unit 21
Is connected to an out-of-paper detector 22 as a means for detecting out-of-paper in the present invention, and when the out-of-paper detector 22 detects out-of-paper in the continuous paper printer 4, transmission of print data to the client 1 is prohibited. Send instructions.

Here, the out-of-paper detector 22 is attached to the outside of the continuous paper printer 4, and specifically includes a micro switch 25 and an operation button 26 as shown in FIG. . The micro switch 25 is
It turns on while the continuous paper 10 is present, and turns off when the continuous paper 10 runs out. The microswitch 25 is arranged on the upstream side of the continuous paper with respect to the print head 11 of the continuous paper printer 4. This is to prevent the print head 11 from performing a printing operation after the continuous paper has run out. This microswitch 25 corresponds to the detection unit of the present invention.

Further, when the operation button 26 is pressed by the operator when the micro switch 25 is OFF, the printer server 20 sends the print data in the next block unit to the client 1 as an operation for requesting the print data. A signal that permits transmission of the message is transmitted.

Next, the operation of the printer server device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the client 1 transmits print data to the printer server 20 according to the present embodiment via the LAN 2, the printer server 2
The control unit 21 outputs the print data to the continuous paper printer 4. Then, the continuous paper printer 4 starts printing on the continuous paper based on the print data.

When the continuous paper runs out of paper, the out-of-paper detector 22 of the printer server 20 attached to the outside of the continuous paper printer 4 detects that the continuous paper has run out by the microswitch 25. Then, the control unit 21 transmits an instruction to prohibit transmission of print data to the client 1 via the LAN 2. Then, the client 1 stops transmitting the print data.

Here, the print head 1 of the continuous paper printer 4
Due to the misalignment between the position 1 and the micro switch 25 of the out-of-paper detector 22, the page being printed on the continuous paper is partially printed. That is, printing is not performed until the end of the page. Thus, when the operator on the printer server presses the operation button 26, the control unit 21 transmits a signal for permitting transmission of the next block of print data to the client 1 via the LAN 2. The client 1 transmits print data in units of one block, and the control unit 21 of the printer server 20 receives the print data and outputs it to the continuous paper printer 4, and the continuous paper printer 4 prints the print data in units of one block. Is performed on continuous paper based on. In this manner, the operator can perform printing to an appropriate position, make the print result easy to read, and effectively use resources such as ink.

Here, the block unit of the print data is preferably, for example, data of one line of the continuous paper printer 4. In this way, the operator can press the operation button 26 to perform printing line by line and stop printing at an appropriate position.

Further, the case where the number of operation buttons 26 is one has been described as an example. However, a plurality of operation buttons may be provided so that the number of transmission lines of print data can be selected. Specifically, a second operation button for requesting transmission of print data for n lines is arranged, and when the second operation button is pressed, the printer server 20 transmits a signal for permitting transmission of the print data. May be transmitted n times continuously. Also, there is only one operation button, and other operations (for example, a rotary switch, a numeric keypad, etc.)
It is also preferable to determine the number of transmission lines.

Further, it is preferable that the micro switch 25 is disposed at a position at least separated from the position of the print head 11 of the continuous paper printer 4 by at least one page of the continuous paper. With this configuration, printing can be performed while the last page remains unprinted, so that printing can be completed in a state where the end of the continuous paper does not become free, and print quality can be improved. .

In the printer server apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a micro switch is used as a means for detecting out of paper. In addition, an optical sensor such as a photocoupler is used. You may. In particular, in the embodiment as an adapter for the printer server device, since the paper-out sensor is externally attached to the continuous paper printer or the like, it is possible to appropriately select an easy-to-install sensor according to the shape and structure of these sensors. Is preferred. For that purpose, it is preferable that the sensor as a means for detecting the paper out has an impedance converter in its output stage so as to be able to output a unified signal.

[0029]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the printer server connected to the continuous paper printer detects that the continuous paper printer has run out of paper, the print server prohibits the client from transmitting print data. The printer server device allows the client to sequentially transmit the next predetermined unit of print data by the operation of the operator on the side and outputs the predetermined unit of print data to a continuous paper printer to perform printing. In addition, printing can be stopped at a position that is easy for the operator to read, and the continuous paper can be replaced, so that resources such as ink can be used effectively.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the printer server device according to the first aspect, the means for detecting the out-of-paper is separated from the print head of the continuous paper printer by more than one page of the continuous paper. The printer server device includes a detection unit disposed at a different position, so that printing can be performed after the paper-out condition is detected in a state where handling of continuous paper is reliable, and the printing quality in the paper-out condition can be improved. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a print system including a printer server device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a paper-out detector 22 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional print system.

FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional continuous paper printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 client, 2 LAN, 3, 20 printer server, 4 continuous paper printer, 10 continuous paper, 11 print head, 12 platen, 13, 22 paper out detector, 14 print control unit, 15, 25 micro switch, 21 control unit , 26 operation buttons.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printer server device connected to a continuous paper printer, receiving print data from a client in block units, and outputting the print data to the continuous paper printer. Means for notifying the client that the continuous paper printer has run out of paper and prohibiting the transmission of print data; and permitting the client to sequentially transmit the next print data block by operation of an operator on the printer server side. Means,
A printer server device comprising: 2. The continuous paper printer according to claim 1, wherein said paper-out detecting means is disposed between the continuous paper printer and a paper supply source. 2. The printer server device according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit disposed at a position further than a page.