JP2003085097A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the necessity for continuously connecting a line with a mail server. SOLUTION: The line of a printer 1 is not ordinarily connected to a mail server 4. When a receiving demand command of e-mail is inputted from a client PC 3 connected thereto via Internet communication network 2, the line with the mail server 4 is connected and the e-mail stored in the mail server 4 and addressed to oneself is received. The e-mail is analyzed, a printing command described in the e-mail is extracted, the printing command is executed, and the printing is started.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device having an e-mail receiving function and performing a printing operation by executing a print command described in the received e-mail.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, when an electronic mail is connected to a network such as an internet communication network and an electronic mail is received through this network, a print command described in the electronic mail is acquired and executed. A printer device was developed to print by
It is put to practical use.

The conventional printer device of this type has an interval of a few seconds to a few tens of seconds in order to improve the responsiveness to a print command input from the outside by using electronic mail.
I checked the mail server on the network at a rate of once to see if the e-mail addressed to me had arrived. When an e-mail addressed to itself is confirmed, it is immediately received and analyzed, and the print command described in the e-mail is acquired and executed.

For this reason, the printer needs to repeatedly access the mail server on the network at relatively short intervals of several seconds to several tens of seconds, so that the line with the mail server is always connected.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional printer device of this type, the line with the mail server is always connected and the mail server is repeatedly accessed in a short cycle, resulting in a heavy communication load. . Further, since the mail server is accessed regardless of whether or not the electronic mail has reached the mail server, the processing efficiency is poor. Moreover, since only one command for one print content can be described in one e-mail, it is possible to send multiple e-mails each describing commands for different print contents at any time and print them together later. There wasn't.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object thereof is to reduce the communication load because it is not necessary to always connect the line with the mail server and to make senseless mail. Providing a printer device that can improve processing efficiency by eliminating access to the server, and that can send multiple e-mails that describe commands for different print contents at any time and print them together later Is what you are trying to do.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a printer device having a function of receiving an electronic mail and executing a print command described in the received electronic mail to perform a printing operation, during normal operation, If the line to the mail server is not connected and the command to receive email is input from the outside, the line is connected to the mail server so that the self-mail stored in the mail server can be received. It is the one.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is a Web system in which a program for transmitting a reception request command of an electronic mail is incorporated in the printer device according to the invention according to claim 1 above.
A web server function for sending pages is provided, and this web
When receiving the above-mentioned e-mail reception request command sent by the execution of the program from the external terminal of the page destination, the line is connected to the mail server so that the e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server can be received. It was done.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in a printer device having an e-mail receiving function and executing a print command described in the received e-mail to perform a printing operation, the printer device operates in parallel with a mail server. The line is not connected, and when a preset e-mail reception time comes, the line is connected to the mail server to receive the e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is a method in which the program of the invention according to claim 3 is incorporated with a program for setting a schedule of an electronic mail reception time.
Web server function to send page b
Based on the schedule of the e-mail reception time set by executing the program from the external terminal of the page b destination, connect the line to the mail server and receive the e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server. It was done.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, this embodiment is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a client PC (Personal Computer) 3 connected via an Internet communication network 2 sends an e-mail describing a print command to the printer device 1 having a Web server function, thereby causing the printer device 1 to operate. This is the case of printing operation. By the way, Figure 1
In the above, one mail server 4 is a mail server provided on the Internet communication network 1 to receive an electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1, and the other mail server 5
Is a mail server provided on the Internet communication network 1 to receive an electronic mail addressed to the client PC 3.

First, the configuration of the printer device 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the printer device 1. The printer device 1 includes a communication control unit 1
1, a main control unit 12, a Web server function unit 13, a schedule storage unit 14, a clock unit 15, a schedule management unit 16, a printer mechanism unit 17, a printer driver 18, a transmitted mail creation unit 19, a mail transmission / reception unit 20, received mail analysis It includes a part 21 and the like.

The communication control section 11 controls the transmission and reception of data via the Internet communication network 2. Then, the data received via the Internet communication network 2 is given to the main control unit 12.

The main control unit 12 controls the Web server function unit 13, the schedule management unit 16 and the mail transmission / reception unit 20 based on the data sent via the Internet communication network 2.

The Web server function unit 13 realizes a function as a Web server for selecting the Web page information requested to be browsed from the outside through the Internet communication network 2 from the Web page information file 22 and transmitting it to the request source. Is.

The schedule storage unit 14 stores electronic mail reception schedule data that specifies the date and time of reception of electronic mail. The clock unit 15 measures the current date and time. The schedule management unit 16 has a function of adding, editing, and deleting data to and from the schedule storage unit 14, the electronic mail reception schedule data stored in the schedule storage unit 14, and the current time measured by the clock unit 15. It has a function of controlling whether or not to receive an electronic mail by comparing the date and time data of.

The printer mechanism 17 includes a print head, a motor, a power transmission mechanism for the motor, and the like, and prints on a print medium such as paper. Printer driver 1
Reference numeral 8 controls the printing operation of the printer mechanism unit 17 based on the print command described in the electronic mail. The send mail creating unit 19 uses the printer driver 1
The printing control by 8 is monitored, and when the printing is completed normally, a printing completion mail is created, and when the printing ends in error, an error mail is created.

The mail sending / receiving unit 20 has a function of sending the electronic mail created by the outgoing mail creating unit 19 and a function of accessing the mail server 4 and receiving the electronic mail addressed to itself. The received mail analysis unit 21 analyzes the electronic mail received by the mail transmission / reception unit 20, extracts the print command described in the electronic mail, and instructs the printer driver 18 to execute the print command.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a receiving process executed by the main control unit 12. The main control unit 12 starts this reception process every time the communication control unit 11 takes in the data on the Internet communication network 2.

First, in ST (step) 1, it is determined whether or not the received data is data requesting browsing of a Web page. Then, in the case of the data requesting to browse the web page, the web server function unit 13 is notified of the address (URL) of the web page for which the browse request is made.

If the received data is not the data for requesting the browsing of the Web page, it is determined in ST2 whether or not the command data is for requesting the reception of the electronic mail. Then, in the case of command data requesting reception of an electronic mail, the mail transmission / reception unit 12 is notified of reception execution of the electronic mail.

If the received data is neither the data requesting the browsing of the Web page nor the command data requesting the reception of the electronic mail, it is determined in ST3 whether or not the setting data of the electronic mail reception schedule. Then, in the case of the setting data of the email reception schedule, the schedule management unit 16 is notified of the update of the email reception schedule.

If the received data is neither the data requesting the browsing of the Web page, the command data requesting the reception of the electronic mail, nor the setting data of the electronic mail reception schedule, other processing is executed.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the electronic mail reception schedule table 30 formed in the schedule storage unit 14. This email reception schedule table 30
Indicates a connection cycle to the mail server 4 which becomes the e-mail reception schedule and its designated time in the order of set numbers which are consecutive numbers from "1" and a flag (1: valid, 0 : Invalid) and is memorized. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the email reception schedule of the setting number “1” is set to 1 every day.
It is data indicating that the line with the mail server 4 is connected at 0:00 and the electronic mail is received, and is valid because the flag is set to "1". Also, the e-mail reception schedule for the setting number "2" is
This data indicates that the line is connected to the mail server 4 to receive an electronic mail every Tuesday at 13:00, and is invalid because the flag is reset to "0". The e-mail reception schedule with the setting number “3” is data indicating that the line is connected to the mail server 4 at 18:00 every day to receive e-mail, and the flag is set to “1”. Therefore, it is effective.

The schedule management unit 16 operates as follows each time the main control unit 12 notifies the update of the electronic mail reception schedule. That is, when the data for notifying the addition of the e-mail reception schedule is received, the connection cycle, the designated time, and the flag “1” (valid) are stored in the unused setting number area of the e-mail reception schedule table 30 according to the notification. To do. When the data for notifying the editing of the e-mail reception schedule is received, the connection cycle, the designated time or the flag stored in the e-mail reception schedule table 30 is changed according to the notification. When the data notifying the deletion of the e-mail reception schedule is received, the data stored in the e-mail reception schedule table 30 is selectively deleted according to the notification.

Further, the schedule management unit 16 is adapted to execute the one-division processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 every time the time measured by the clock unit 15 has passed one minute. That is, when the schedule management unit 16 starts this one-division processing, first, in ST11, the current date and time measured by the clock unit 15 are acquired. Next, in ST12, the connection cycle and the designated time of valid data (flag = 1) of the data stored in the e-mail reception schedule table 30 of the schedule storage unit 14 are acquired. Then, in ST3, it is determined whether or not there is data in which the connection period and the designated time of the valid email reception schedule data match the current date and time. If there is no valid e-mail reception schedule data that matches the current date and time, the interrupt processing this time is ended.

On the other hand, if there is valid e-mail reception schedule data that matches the current date and time,
In ST4, the mail transmission / reception unit 20 is notified of the reception of the electronic mail. This is the end of the interrupt process this time.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a main part of a process executed by the mail transmission / reception unit 20 when receiving a notification of reception execution of an electronic mail from the main control unit 12 or the schedule management unit 16.

That is, when the mail transmission / reception section 20 receives the e-mail reception execution notification, the mail control section 11 controls the communication control section 11 to connect the Internet line to the mail server 4 in ST21. At this time, if the line connection fails at ST22, the line connection error is processed.

On the other hand, when the Internet line with the mail server 4 is normally connected, in ST23, the mail server 4 is requested to receive the electronic mail. Then, in ST24, the electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1 is stored in the mail server 4, and when the electronic mail is received, the electronic mail is transferred to the received mail analysis unit 21.

In this way, the mail transmitting / receiving unit 20 repeats the process of receiving the electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1 stored in the mail server 4 and transferring it to the received mail analyzing unit 21. Then, if all the electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1 stored in the mail server 4 is received in ST26, the Internet line with the mail server 4 is disconnected in ST27, and this processing is ended.

When the electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1 is not stored in the mail server 4 in ST24, the Internet line with the mail server 4 is immediately disconnected, and this processing is ended.

Next, a description will be given of a case where the user prints from the client PC 3 connected to the Internet communication network 2 using the printer device 1 having the above-mentioned configuration.

First, the user is the client PC 3
The e-mail software installed in the printer is activated to create an e-mail addressed to the printer device 1, and a print command for desired print content is described in the e-mail and transmitted. When printing a plurality of print contents, an electronic mail in which a print command is described is created and sent separately. Thus, the electronic mail transmitted from the client PC 3 is transmitted to the mail server 4 via the Internet communication network 2 and stored therein.

Next, the user activates the Web browser installed in the client PC 3 and inputs the Web page address of the printer device 1 to access. Then, the Web server function unit 13 of the printer device 1 operates, and the Web top page screen 41 having the layout shown in FIG. 7, for example, is displayed on the display of the client PC 3.

Here, when the user wants to immediately perform the printing operation, the user selects the printer menu "mail reception request" 41a on the Web top page screen 41. Then, the Web page on the display is switched to the mail reception request confirmation page screen 42 having the layout shown in FIG. Then, the user selects the button “Yes” on the mail reception request confirmation page screen 42. Then, the command data requesting the reception of the electronic mail is transmitted from the client PC to the printer device 1 via the Internet communication network 2.

As a result, in the printer device 1,
The mail transmitting / receiving unit 20 operates and the Internet line with the mail server 4 is connected. And the mail server 4
The electronic mail addressed to the printer device 1 stored in is received and transferred to the received mail analysis unit 21. Accordingly, the received mail analysis unit 21 analyzes the electronic mail, extracts the print command described in the electronic mail, and instructs the printer driver 18 to execute the print command. As a result, the printer mechanism unit 17 operates under the control of the printer driver 18, and the print content is printed based on the print command described in the electronic mail.

At this time, if the printing is performed normally, the sending mail creating unit 19 creates a printing completion mail and sends it back to the sender of the corresponding electronic mail, in this case, the client PC 3. The print completion mail is transmitted to the mail server 5 via the Internet communication network 2 and stored therein.

On the other hand, when the printing operation is to be performed periodically, the user selects the printer menu "reception scheduling" 41b on the Web top page screen 41. Then, the Web page on the display is shown in FIG.
The screen is switched to the mail reception scheduling setting page screen 43 having the layout shown in. On this screen 43, a list of email reception schedule data set in the email reception schedule table 30 of the schedule storage unit 14 is displayed in the list portion 43a. In the list, the symbol "y" is a valid mark. That is, from the screen 43 shown in FIG. 9, data for setting to receive an e-mail at 10:00 every day and 18
It can be seen that the setting data for receiving the e-mail at 00:00 is valid.

If there is no change in the above settings, the button "send setting" 43b on the screen 43 is input. In this case, E-mail reception schedule table 3
The email reception schedule data set to 0 is not updated. Therefore, the printer device 1 is
It operates to connect the line with the mail server 4 at 10:00 and 18:00 every day to receive an electronic mail.

On the other hand, when adding another e-mail reception schedule data to the above setting, the button "add" 43c on the screen 43 is input. Then, the Web page on the display has the layout shown in FIG.
Switch to 4. Then, the user inputs the desired e-mail reception schedule connection period and the designated time, and inputs the button "add" 44a. As a result, this email reception schedule data is added to the email reception schedule table 30. For example, when "every day" is input as the connection cycle and "15:00" is input as the specified time as shown in FIG. 10, the connection cycle is "every day" and the specified time is "15:00". The e-mail reception schedule data of is added to the e-mail reception schedule table 30. As a result, the printer device 1 operates so as to connect to the line with the mail server 4 at 15:00 every day and receive an electronic mail.

In the case of editing existing e-mail schedule data, the corresponding e-mail schedule data is selected in the list portion 43a and then the button "edit" 43d is input. Then, the Web page on the display is switched to the mail reception scheduling edit page screen having the same layout as the mail reception scheduling addition page screen 44, and the connection period and the designated time of the selected email schedule data are displayed. After correcting the specified time, enter the button "Edit" (displayed in place of the button "Add"). As a result, the corresponding e-mail reception schedule data in the e-mail reception schedule table 30 is changed to the corrected content.

To delete existing e-mail schedule data, select the corresponding e-mail schedule data in the list section 43a and then press the "Delete" button 43e. Then, the Web page on the display is switched to the mail reception scheduling deletion page screen having the same layout as the mail reception scheduling addition page screen 44, and the connection cycle and the designated time of the selected e-mail schedule data are displayed. Enter the button "Delete" (displayed in place of the button "Add" or "Edit"). As a result, the corresponding email reception schedule data is deleted from the email reception schedule table 30.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the printer device 1 waits until an electronic mail reception request command is input from the external client PC 3 connected via the Internet communication network 2 or the schedule. E-mail reception schedule table 3 in the storage unit 14
During normal times until the current date and time matches the e-mail schedule data set to 0, the line with the mail server 4 is not connected and the e-mail reception request command is input or the e-mail schedule is set. When the current date and time match the data, the line with the mail server 4 is connected to receive the e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server, analyze the e-mail,
Execute the print command described in this email,
It is supposed to print.

Therefore, since the printer device 1 does not need to always connect the line to the mail server 4, the communication load of the printer device 1 can be reduced. In most cases, the user sends an e-mail addressed to the printer device 1 and then issues a reception request command for the e-mail. Therefore, when the line with the mail server 4 is connected in response to this command, the e-mail addressed to itself has arrived at the mail server 4, so it is useless to access the mail server 4 even though the e-mail has not arrived. Can be eliminated and the processing efficiency can be improved.

Further, the printer device 1 according to the present embodiment can easily cope with a situation in which the user sends a plurality of e-mails each describing commands for different print contents at any time and prints them all together later. be able to.

In the above-described embodiment, the client PC 3 gives the e-mail reception request command from the Web page of the printer device 1, but the printer device 1 and the client PC 3 are RS23.
Alternatively, the client PC 3 may be connected by a dedicated line such as 2C, and the e-mail reception request command may be directly transmitted from the client PC 3 to the printer 1.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the invention of claim 1 of the present application, since the electronic mail is received by connecting to the mail server in response to the instruction from the user, the line with the mail server is always connected. The communication load can be reduced without the need to connect, the access to meaningless mail server can be eliminated, and the processing efficiency can be improved. In addition, multiple e-mails with commands for different print contents can be written at any time. It is possible to provide a printer device that can respond to sending and batch printing later.

According to the invention of claim 2 of the present application,
In addition to achieving the same effect as that of the invention described in claim 1, the user can issue an e-mail reception command by using the Web page, and a printer device with high versatility can be provided.

According to the invention of claim 3 of the present application,
It connects to the mail server according to the schedule specified by the user and receives e-mails, so it is not necessary to always connect the line with the mail server to reduce the communication load and access to the meaningless mail server. Thus, it is possible to provide a printer device capable of improving processing efficiency by eliminating the need to send a plurality of e-mails each describing commands for different print contents, and printing them collectively at a later time.

According to the invention of claim 4 of the present application,
In addition to achieving the same effect as that of the invention described in claim 3, the user can set the reception schedule of the electronic mail by using the Web page, so that the printer device with high versatility can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a printer device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a main part of a reception process executed by a main control unit of the printer device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an email reception schedule table table formed in a schedule storage unit of the printer device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a main part of a one-part dividing process executed by the schedule management unit of the printer device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a main part of mail reception processing executed by a mail transmission / reception unit of the printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a web top page screen displayed on the display of the client PC in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a mail reception request confirmation page screen displayed on the display of the client PC in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a mail reception scheduling setting page screen displayed on the display of the client PC in the same embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a mail reception scheduling addition page screen displayed on the display of the client PC in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Printer device 2 ... Internet communication network 3 ... Client PC 4, 5 ... Mail server 11 ... Communication control unit 12 ... Main control unit 13 ... Web page function unit 14 ... Schedule storage 15 ... Clock 16 ... Schedule Management Department 17 ... Printer mechanism 18 ... Printer driver 19 ... Outgoing mail composer 20 ... E-mail sending / receiving unit 21 ... Received mail analysis unit 30 ... E-mail reception schedule table

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer device having an e-mail reception function and performing a printing operation by executing a print command described in a received e-mail, wherein a line with a mail server is not connected during normal operation, When a command for receiving an electronic mail is input from the printer, the line is connected to the mail server to receive the electronic mail stored in the mail server and addressed to itself. 2. We transmitting a Web page incorporating a program for transmitting an e-mail reception request command.
b. It has a server function, and when it receives an e-mail reception request command sent by execution of the program from an external terminal to which this Web page is sent, it connects to the mail server and is stored in the mail server. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the printer device receives an electronic mail addressed to itself. 3. A printer device having a function of receiving an electronic mail and performing a printing operation by executing a print command described in the received electronic mail, wherein a line with a mail server is not connected in normal time, A printer device, wherein a line is connected to the mail server at a set e-mail reception time to receive an e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server. 4. The electronic mail having a Web server function for transmitting a Web page incorporating a program for setting a schedule of an electronic mail reception time, and the electronic mail set by executing the program from an external terminal to which the Web page is transmitted. The printer device according to claim 3, wherein a line is connected to the mail server based on the schedule of the reception time to receive the e-mail addressed to itself stored in the mail server.