JP2004185645A - Paper feed/discharge control method of printing paper and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print control device enabling an efficient continuous printing. <P>SOLUTION: Data based on a printing request are converted to intermediate codes in terms of pages by an intermediate code generation part 11 and retained in an intermediate code file 12. A page information management part 13 detects the presence/absence of the following page for the individual intermediate codes. When the following page is present, page information showing the presence of the following page is added, when the page concerned is developed to actual image data in an actual image data generation part 14, to the front area of the actual image data, and accumulated in a spool file 15. The actual image data with the page information are transmitted to a printer, whereby the paper discharge control processing of the preceding page and the paper feed control processing of the following page are simultaneously performed in the printer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system and a component device thereof, for example, in which printing paper supply / discharge control is performed at the same time to speed up printing processing.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a remarkable tendency to increase the functionality of a printing apparatus regardless of the cost and to reduce the cost by suppressing functions to some extent. In the latter case, the hardware is usually reduced, and the buffer for storing print data is also reduced in capacity as much as possible. In a conventional printing apparatus in which the capacity of a buffer for storing print data is less than a page unit, printing based on print data is performed after paper feeding, and discharge control is performed after printing is completed. Paper for the next page was being fed.

  As described above, in the printing apparatus having a small buffer capacity, the printing paper for the next page is fed when the printing paper for the previous page is discharged. There has been a problem that the reception of print data and its analysis processing must be suspended. In addition, there is a problem in that paper ejection and paper feeding take time because they are realized by hardware, which prolongs the printing time.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides an improved print control method that enables efficient continuous printing even when the buffer capacity is less than one page. It is in.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system and its constituent devices suitable for implementing the above-described printing control method.

  A paper supply / discharge control method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is a method for performing paper supply / discharge control of printing paper when performing continuous printing, and when data to be printed extends over a plurality of pages, a preceding page. Is spooled with page information indicating that a succeeding page exists in the previous area of the data, and the presence or absence of a succeeding page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data when the preceding page is printed. When it is determined that there is a subsequent page, the discharge control process of the print sheet for the preceding page and the paper feed control process of the print sheet for the subsequent page are performed at the same time.

  Another paper supply / discharge control method according to the present invention is based on the premise that data based on a print request is converted into an intermediate code for each page and held, and the intermediate code is read and expanded into actual image data to be printed. I do. When it is detected that the intermediate code extends over a plurality of pages, when the real image data for the preceding page is expanded, page information indicating that a subsequent page of the page exists is added to the real image data and spooled. Keep it. During the printing process of the preceding page, the presence / absence of a succeeding page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled real image data. If there is a succeeding page, the print sheet discharge control process for the preceding page and the succeeding page The page print sheet feed control process is performed at the same time.

  In each of the sheet supply and discharge control methods, when the print instruction of the subsequent page is canceled, the page information is deleted before the discharge control processing of the preceding page.

  The present invention also provides a printing control device and a printing device, or a recording medium for providing a printing control function to a computer.

  The print control apparatus according to the present invention includes: an image processing unit that converts data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, holds the converted code, reads the intermediate code, and expands the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed, Page information that indicates whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists for each of the intermediate codes, and indicates that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded when the subsequent page exists. And a page information adding means for adding the page information to the preceding area of the real image data, and by sending the real image data to which the page information is added to a printing apparatus, a discharge control process based on the real image data and The printing apparatus performs the paper feed control process based on the subsequent page at the same time.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a data holding unit that obtains and holds the real image data from the print control device, and information that detects the page information from the held real image data and determines whether there is a subsequent page. A decoding unit and a control unit that, when there is a succeeding page, perform a discharge control process of the print sheet for the preceding page and a feed control process of the print sheet of the succeeding page at the same time.

  The printing apparatus further includes a trailing edge detection sensor that detects the trailing edge of the sheet being printed. In this case, the control unit starts a paper feed control process for printing the succeeding page when the trailing edge of the sheet being printed on the preceding page is detected when the succeeding page exists. The configuration is as follows.

  The recording medium of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute the following processing.

(1) a process of converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed
(2) a process of detecting whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists for each of the converted intermediate codes;
(3) a process of adding page information indicating that the subsequent page exists to the previous area of the actual image data when the actual image data for the page is expanded when the subsequent page exists in each page;
(4) Processing for sending the actual image data to which the page information has been added to a printing apparatus.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the printing paper for the next page is fed simultaneously with the discharge of the printing paper for the preceding page, continuous printing can be performed efficiently. This has a specific effect that the time for a printing shop can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows an example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

  This printing system is configured by connecting a host computer 1 and a printing device 2 via a printer cable. The printing apparatus 2 forms an image on printing paper by executing a predetermined printing process when receiving printing data and accompanying format information from the host computer 1. In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 2 is assumed to be an inexpensive serial printer with a small buffer capacity. However, this does not make it impossible to use another high-end printer. The connection form with the host computer 1 may be either a stand-alone state or a network connection state.

  The host computer 1 executes a program through a predetermined system program, and controls and monitors the program. Specifically, it includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Randum Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an internal or external hard disk (HD) 3 arranged on a system board (not shown). The CPU reads out a required program from the HD 3 as appropriate and executes a required process. The HD 3 stores an application program (hereinafter, AP) for generating print target data and format information, a print control program (printer driver) for realizing the print control device of the present invention, and the like.

  The host computer 1 also includes a display device 4 having a monitor screen, a data input device 5 for inputting various setting information, a media reading device 6 including a CD-ROM drive and an FDD, and a connection interface with a private network. Communication control device 7 is connected. The display device 4 is configured to display a predetermined dialog window in response to an instruction from a system program, an AP, a print control program, or the like. The data input device 5 is a keyboard, mouse, or other pointing device.

  The print control program is usually developed by a manufacturer of the printing apparatus 2, is recorded on a flexible disk (FD) or a CD-ROM in a form readable by the host computer 1, and is distributed. At the time of use, the host computer 1 reads through the media reading device 6 or the communication control device 7 and installs it on the HD 3.

  Next, an embodiment of a print control device realized by the host computer 1 reading the print control program will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the print control device 10 has functional blocks of an intermediate code generation unit 11, a page information management unit 13, and a real image data generation unit 14. Further, an intermediate code file 12 and a spool file 15 formed in a memory unit (not shown) are provided. FIG. 2 shows only the components necessary for carrying out the present invention.

The intermediate code generation unit 11 converts data based on a print request from the application unit (AP) into an intermediate code for each page and stores the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12. The intermediate code is composed of, for example, position information for data in page units and image information at the position, that is, bitmap data for characters, shape data for graphics, and image data for multi-valued images such as photographs. Is done.
Converting data based on a print instruction request to intermediate code once requires complicated processing if the data is directly converted to real image data. This is because the data size is generally small.

  The real image data generation unit 14 sequentially reads out intermediate codes from the intermediate code file according to the execution status of the printing process by the printing apparatus 2, develops the intermediate codes into real image data to be printed, and accumulates them in the spool file 15. .

  The page information management unit 13 monitors the accumulation and readout status of the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12, and determines whether or not the intermediate code is the first page, and that each intermediate code has an intermediate code for a subsequent page. Is detected. In the case of the intermediate code of the first page, a preloading command indicating this is added to the area before the real image data when the real image data for the page is expanded. If there is a subsequent page, page information indicating that fact is generated, and this is added to the area after the preloading command and the area before the real image data when the real image data for the page is expanded. This is a process that focuses on the fact that conversion to intermediate code is relatively lighter than expansion to real image data, and at the time of expansion of real image data, it is possible to determine whether there is an intermediate code for the next page. The printing end notification is sent to the AP at the time of conversion into the intermediate code. If it is not canceled at this time, the processing automatically shifts to the actual image data development.

  The page information management unit 13 can detect that the print request for the subsequent page has been canceled from the AP. When the succeeding page is canceled, the intermediate code of the corresponding page is deleted, and the fact that the page is canceled is displayed on the display device 4. Also, a cancel command for instructing data clear is inserted in the area before the paper ejection command.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the printing apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment.

  The printing apparatus 2 is used by mounting a paper feed tray 21 and a paper discharge tray 22 on a printer body 20. An ASF (auto sheet feeder) motor 23 is provided near the mounting opening of the paper feed tray 21, and the printing paper S is guided to a predetermined position of the printing mechanism 24 by driving the ASF motor. A PF (paper feed) motor 25 is provided in the vicinity of the mounting opening of the paper discharge tray 22, and when the PF motor 25 is driven, the printing paper is conveyed in the direction of the paper discharge opening. Printed at 24. After printing, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 22. The printing device 20 also includes a sensor 27 for detecting the lower end of the printing paper S, so that the sensor 27 can detect that the printing paper S has been conveyed by the PF motor 25 and the printing process has been completed. Has become. The output of the sensor 27 is notified to the control unit 26.

  The operations of the ASF motor 23, the printing mechanism 24, and the PF motor 25 are controlled by the control unit 26. The control unit 26 detects the page information from the print data (actual image data) from the host computer and determines the presence or absence of a subsequent page. The print data management unit 261 also controls the operation of the printing mechanism 24 and the motors 23 and 25. A mechanism control unit 262 for performing the operation is provided. The print data management unit 261 has a buffer having a data capacity of less than one page, and detects page information by referring to the head of the print data stored in this buffer.

  Next, a paper supply / discharge control method using the printing system will be described.

  FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are processing procedure diagrams in the print control device 10.

  Upon receiving a continuous print request from the AP, the print control device 10 converts data based on the print request into an intermediate code in page units and stores the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12 (step S101: Yes, S102, S103). . When the storage of the intermediate code for at least one page is completed, the development to the actual image data is started (step S104). At this time, the page information management unit 13 determines whether the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12 is the first page, and if it is the first page, adds a preloading command to the previous area of the actual image data ( Step S105: Yes, S106). When it is detected that an intermediate code exists for the succeeding page, page information is created and added to the area before the actual image data (the area after the preloading command) (step S107: Yes, S108). . The page information may be information indicating that one succeeding page exists, or may be information indicating the number of pages when intermediate codes for at least several pages exist.

  The actual image data to which the page information has been added is stored in the spool file 15 (step S109), and is read and transmitted to the printing apparatus 2 when the transmission timing is reached (step S110: Yes, S111).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure of the print control device 10 when the print request for the subsequent page is canceled, that is, when the cancel command is transmitted from the AP. Upon receiving the cancel command, the print control device 10 checks whether printing of the preceding page has been completed (steps S201 and S202). If the printing of the preceding page has not been completed, a cancel command is inserted in the area after the last column of the actual image data of the preceding page (Step S202: Yes, S203), and further, a paper ejection command is inserted in the area thereafter (Step S202). Step S204). Thereafter, the actual image data is stored again in the spool file 15 (step S205). If printing of the preceding page has been completed when the cancel command is received from the AP, the above processing is ignored (step S202: Yes).

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the structure of the actual image data stored in the spool file 15 in this manner. FIG. 6A shows the data structure of the first page, and FIG. 6B shows the data structure of the second page. FIG. 9C shows the data structure in the case where the print request is canceled from the AP before the printing of the second page is completed.

  Next, a processing procedure on the printing apparatus 2 side will be described with reference to FIG.

  The printing device 2 first analyzes the received print data (actual image data to which page information and the like are added as necessary) (step S301).

When the preloading command is detected, the ASF motor 23 is driven to start feeding the printing paper S (step S302). When page information is detected, the page information is set in an auxiliary memory (not shown) (step S303: Yes, S304). Thereafter, the PF motor 25 is driven to set the printing paper S at a predetermined position of the printing mechanism 24 (step S305), and the actual image data is read from the buffer to execute the printing process (step S306). When the lower end of the sheet is detected by the sensor 27 (step S307: Yes), it is checked whether there is a subsequent page based on the page information set in advance. If there is a subsequent page (step S308: Yes), the ASF motor 23 is also driven while the PF motor 25 is driven, and sheet feeding for the subsequent page is started (step S309).
Thereafter, the set page information is updated, and the processing from step S305 is repeated until there is no subsequent page (step S308: No).

  Although the example of FIG. 7 shows a case where page information is set and sequentially updated, each time the page information in the buffer is read to check whether a subsequent page exists or not. Is also good.

  As described above, in the communication system of the present embodiment, when the data to be printed extends over a plurality of pages, the page information is spooled with the page information added to the previous area of the actual image data of the preceding page. The presence or absence of a succeeding page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data at the time of the printing process. If the succeeding page exists, the process of controlling the discharge of the printing paper for the preceding page and the controlling the feeding of the printing paper of the succeeding page Since the processing and the processing are performed at the same time, even if the printing apparatus is inexpensive and the buffer capacity is less than one page, the time required for continuous printing is not prolonged.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of the print control apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the print control device when a continuous printing request is issued. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the print control apparatus when a print request for a subsequent page is canceled. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing an example of the structure of actual image data stored in a spool file. FIG. 4A shows a first page, FIG. 4B shows a second page, and FIG. Is an example in the case where is canceled. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure on the printing apparatus side when a continuous printing request is received.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Printing device 10 Printing control device 11 Intermediate code generation part 12 Intermediate code file 13 Page information management part 14 Real image data generation part 15 Spool file 20 Printer main body 23 ASF motor 24 Printing mechanism 25 PF motor 26 Control part 261 Printing Data management unit 262 Mechanism control unit 27 Sensor for detecting lower edge of paper S Printing paper

Claims (9)

  A method for controlling the supply and discharge of printing paper when performing continuous printing, wherein when data to be printed extends over a plurality of pages, it is determined that a succeeding page exists in a preceding area of the data for a preceding page. The page information is added and spooled, and during the printing process of the preceding page, the presence or absence of the subsequent page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data. A sheet supply / discharge control method, wherein a sheet discharge control process of a sheet and a sheet feed control process of a print sheet of the subsequent page are performed at the same time.   When the data based on the print request is converted into an intermediate code on a page basis and held, and when the intermediate code is read and expanded into actual image data to be printed, when the intermediate code is detected as extending over a plurality of pages. In addition, when the real image data of the preceding page is expanded, page information indicating that a subsequent page of the page exists is added to the real image data and spooled. The presence / absence of a succeeding page is determined by referring to the page information of the actual image data. If there is a succeeding page, the process of controlling the discharge of the printing paper for the preceding page and the process of controlling the feeding of the printing paper of the subsequent page are performed. A sheet supply / discharge control method which is performed at the same time.   3. The paper supply / discharge control method according to claim 1, wherein when the print instruction of the subsequent page is canceled, the page information is deleted before the paper discharge control processing of the preceding page. Image processing means for converting the data based on the print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed,
It is detected whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists for each of the converted intermediate codes, and if a subsequent page exists, it is determined that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. Page information adding means for adding the page information to be added to the previous area of the real image data,
By sending the real image data to which the page information is added to the printing device, the paper ejection control process based on the real image data and the paper feed control process based on the succeeding page are simultaneously performed by the printing device. A print control device characterized in that the print control is performed.   When the print instruction for the subsequent page is canceled, the page information adding means inserts a page information deletion instruction command for the subsequent page into an area before a discharge command for the preceding page. The print control device according to claim 4, wherein A data holding unit that acquires and holds the actual image data from the print control device according to claim 4 or 5,
Information decoding means for detecting the page information from the held real image data to determine the presence or absence of a subsequent page,
A printing apparatus comprising: a control unit that performs, at the same time, a print sheet discharge control process for a preceding page and a print sheet feed control process for the subsequent page when a subsequent page exists.   A trailing edge detection sensor for detecting a trailing edge of the sheet being printed; wherein the control unit detects the trailing edge of the sheet being printed for the preceding page when the trailing page is present; 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a sheet feeding control process for printing a page is started. A process of converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed;
A process of detecting whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists for each of the converted intermediate codes;
A process of adding page information indicating that the subsequent page exists to the previous area of the real image data when the real image data for the page is expanded when the subsequent page exists in each page;
Sending the real image data to which the page information is added to a printing device;
Computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute the program is recorded. A paper ejection control process based on actual image data of a preceding page and a paper feed control based on the succeeding page, comprising a printing device according to claim 6 or 7, and a computer reading the program from the recording medium according to claim 8. A printing system wherein the processing is performed at the same time.

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