JP2002046327A - Printer control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To update control program information at any time without interrupting printing operation in a printer control device. SOLUTION: A monitoring function for always monitoring a use condition of each module and an operating condition of a printer is provided so that a specific operation can be executed by recognizing an event that occurs during the operating condition of the printer. Each of the modules writes the use condition, memory mapping information and version information to a module information table and can read it at any time. When the monitoring function receives a control program updating request from an external interface, the function forms a trigger table and executes a preliminary registration operation to a non-volatile memory medium. When an event occurs, the preliminary registration condition in the non-volatile memory is retrieved and looks up the module information table to compare it therewith so that the updating of the module can be executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The software of a conventional printer control device checks and initializes hardware at power-on, loads the memory from a nonvolatile memory or a nonvolatile storage medium onto the memory, and receives print information from an external interface. To control the printing operation and control the maintenance and inspection work by operating the operator panel.

[0003] The software of the control device is divided into a plurality of modules by function, has a function of being relocated to an arbitrary memory area, and has a function of deleting, adding, and updating when necessary. When updating the control program information, temporarily suspend the printing operation of the printer, replace the non-volatile storage medium manually or use the maintenance program, or receive information from the external interface to update some or all of the modules I do.

[0004]

When all or a part of the software of the printer control device is updated, an operator's intervention request 8 is made as shown in FIG. It is necessary to delete or invalidate the used module and enable a module previously expanded in an arbitrary memory, or to read out from the nonvolatile storage medium 9 and reload the memory.

Therefore, in order to update the software, it is necessary to stop the printing operation and to load the control program information by an operation of the operator even when updating a function not directly related to the printing operation. . In the present invention, in order to update software and print resources, an operator does not occupy the printer at a specific time, sends information to the printer at an arbitrary time and saves the information internally, and when a specific event occurs A means for easily maintaining and updating the software by updating the information is provided.

[0006]

A monitor function for constantly monitoring the use state of each module and the operation state of the printer is provided, which is constantly monitored at predetermined time intervals, and recognizes an event occurring during the operation of the printer and executes a specific process. Be prepared to do it. Each module writes its use state, memory layout information, and version information in the module information table so that it can be read at any time. Each module reports the use status to the module information table managed by the monitor function at the start and end of the processing.

When the monitor function receives a control program information update request from the external interface, it creates a trigger table in a nonvolatile storage medium and performs a temporary registration process.
In addition, when an event such as power-on, transition to an off-line state, or occurrence of a fault occurs, a temporary registration state is searched, and a module information table is referred to and compared so that a module can be updated.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a schematic flow chart of a module updating process performed by a monitor function according to the present invention. Update determination information is added to the control program information 2 passed from the host computer 1 or the external interface so that the update time of the program can be determined in accordance with the usage status of the printer. The control program information to which the update determination information is added as described above is sent to the control device at an arbitrary time through an external interface or a host interface,
The control device that has received the information temporarily registers the information in the nonvolatile storage medium 7 or the nonvolatile memory, records the update determination information in the trigger table 3 and stores the information in the nonvolatile storage medium 7.

The monitor function requires a temporarily registered update when an event 4 occurs in the control device at the time of power-on or transition to the offline mode, and there is a module that can update the event that has occurred. The trigger table 5 is read from the nonvolatile storage medium 7 and searched for. If there is a module that needs to be updated and the old module is unused by referring to the module information table, a new module is determined. It is loaded into the memory to make it valid, and the module information table is referred to and updated 6 to make it invalid and deleted from the nonvolatile storage medium.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the printer receives control program update information 11 from an external interface while performing a print operation while receiving print data from a host computer, the update information is non-volatile. It is temporarily registered in the memory or the non-volatile storage medium 12.
If there is not enough free space in the nonvolatile memory or the nonvolatile storage medium 12, registration is not performed and an error is reported to the interface that sent the update information.

When the monitor function recognizes the occurrence of an event 13 such as a print operation failure, the monitor function searches the update determination information of the control program information written in the trigger table to determine the presence or absence of a module that needs to be updated in the event, and updates the module. Processing 14 is performed.

The version information of the module may be transmitted in response to an inquiry by an external interface or e-mail, so that it is possible to support creation of update determination information of an update source of control program information of a host computer or the like.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the control program information of an arbitrary capacity sent from the external interface at an arbitrary time can be printed without stopping the online printing operation.
The printer software can be automatically updated to the latest state with the minimum necessary information transmission / reception without requiring the intervention operation by the operator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic flowchart of module update processing performed by a monitor function of a printer control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a module update process performed by a conventional control device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a module update process according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host computer, 2 ... Control program information used for update, 3 ... Trigger table in which update determination information is written, 4 ... Event that triggers module update,
5: trigger table read from nonvolatile storage medium; 6: module update processing; 7: nonvolatile storage medium of printer control device; 8: print operation stop request by operator; 9: nonvolatile storage medium of printer control device;
... A request for restarting the printing operation by the operator, 11 ... A request for updating the module via the external interface, 12 ... A non-volatile storage medium of the printer control device, 13 ... An event such as a printing operation failure, 14 ... A module updating process, 15 ... , 16: Request for restart of printing operation by operator.

Claims (7)

[Claims] In the information passed from an external interface to a printer in the form of print data or e-mail,
It has a function to attach the printer control program information with special header information such as an escape code so that it can be distinguished from the original print information and process the control program information. In a printer control device having a function that can be rearranged and a module can be replaced when the module is not in use, a function of monitoring the use state of the module is provided, and module update determination is performed in header information of control program information sent from the outside. A printer control device characterized in that control program information sent to a printer control device at an arbitrary time can be automatically updated by adding information without interrupting a printing operation of the printer. 2. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein control program information used for updating is stored in a nonvolatile storage medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a nonvolatile memory. 3. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein the control program information used for updating is all modules. 4. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein the control program information used for updating is a part of modules. 5. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein each module has unique version information, and the information can be read by operating an external interface or an operator panel. 6. The printer control device according to claim 1, wherein the control program information includes print resource information and print mechanism unit control information in addition to the control program. 7. The control program information is updated when the power of the printer is turned on, when the printer goes off-line, or when an event such as a command from an external interface is performed, and is inserted into the job spooler of the operating system of the printer control device. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Printer control device as described.