JP2005011263A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer system capable of finishing continuous jobs without requiring utility. <P>SOLUTION: The printer system in which a printer 1 provided with a controller 11, an operation panel 12 and a printer engine 13 is connected with a host 2 and which is capable of printing image data prepared by the host 2 comprises a function (function realizing means CPU 26) for continuously printing continuous data temporarily as one job when data constituted of a job form are continued. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer system in which a printer including a controller, an operation panel, and a printer engine is connected to a host, and image data created by the host is printed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a printer system in which a printer including a controller, an operation panel, and a printer engine is connected to a host and image data created by the host is printed, for example, disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4 relating to job connection technology There is a technology.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-071592 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-345993 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-065869 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-259088
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For example, when files created by a plurality of applications such as WORD, EXCEL, and POWERPOINT are printed via a driver, they are processed by a printer as a job unit, and it is difficult to perform finishing such as stapling and sorting together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printer system capable of finishing a continuous job without requiring a utility.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer system in which a printer having a controller, an operation panel, and a printer engine is connected to a host and printing image data created by the host. When the configured data is continuous, it has a connected print processing means for temporarily considering the continuous data and performing the connected print processing as the same job.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the printer system according to the first aspect is characterized in that a printer system for specifying job data from different applications by the number of jobs or the number of files to be connected is a main feature.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the second aspect, when job data is registered and saved in an external storage device in advance, the printer system that also includes registration saved job data as a connection target is the main feature. To do.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the first aspect, when the paper sizes of the jobs to be connected are different, the printer system based on the largest number of paper sizes is a main feature.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the first aspect, when the stapling position becomes inappropriate due to the configuration of each job to be connected, the stapling position is changed based on the maximum printing direction of all pages. The system is the main feature.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the second aspect, as a cancellation condition when the number of linked jobs or the number of jobs itself is not specified, a duplex printing mode and a mode for printing two pages on one sheet of paper are provided. The main feature is a printer system that automatically cancels a job in which a layout configuration including emphasis exists.
The invention according to claim 7 is the printer system according to claim 1, in which when a job composed of a small number of sheets is continuously processed, the printer system is connected to improve the performance efficiency by connecting the jobs according to the setting. Features.
[0005]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of jobs are regarded as “the same job” and processed in the printer so that no special utility is required.
According to the second aspect, the range of jobs to be linked according to the first aspect can be specified by the number of jobs by a command so as not to be aware of the limitation due to time.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, data stored in an external storage device such as high-frequency data can be linked as a job, so that it is not necessary to transmit it again.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of files are connected, assuming a case where the paper sizes are different, the same job is unified with a frequently used paper size.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the staple printing misalignment is prevented by using the maximum number of printing directions as a reference.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, not all the same jobs are processed, but as a result, connection of jobs having various layouts is set as a release condition from the viewpoint of avoiding page layouts in which the user's line of sight changes greatly.
According to the seventh aspect, depending on the user environment, in the case of a solution system in which one job is composed of 1 to 2 pages and is fixed, the job configuration is unnecessary for the printer, which greatly increases the printing performance. In cases where there is a significant impact, the performance impact is reduced by incorporating a certain amount of jobs into the same job.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing in detail a printer controller in the printer system of the present invention.
This printer system is configured by connecting a printer 1 and a host 2, and image data (print data) created by the host 2 is printed out by the printer 1. The host 2 has a hard disk 3.
The printer 1 includes a printer controller 11, an operation panel 12, a printer engine 13, a hard disk 14, and a main power supply 15. These functions are well known and will not be described.
The printer controller 11 includes a host interface 21, a program ROM 22, a font ROM 23, a panel interface 24, a disk interface 25, a CPU 26, a RAM 27, an NVRAM 28, an engine interface 29, and a network interface 30. These functions are also well known and will not be described.
[0007]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first control example of the present invention. First, the job is jointed (S1). Then, it is determined whether or not a job start declaration exists (S2). If it is present, page description data is processed (S3), and continues until the job ends (S4). When the job ends, the next job starts. Data is discarded until the declaration (S5), and if there is a next job start declaration (S6), the job start declaration is discarded and page description data processing is performed (S7). If a job end declaration exists (S8), the joint of the two jobs is ended (S9).
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second control example of the present invention. First, the job is jointed (S1). Then, the number of jobs to be jointed is set (S2), and it is determined whether or not a job start declaration exists (S3). If there is, page description data is processed (S4) and continues until the job is completed. (S5) When finished, data is discarded until the next job start declaration (S6). If there is a next job start declaration (S7), the job start declaration part is discarded and page description data processing is performed (S8). ). If the number of jobs to be joined is satisfied (S9), if there is a job end declaration (S10), the joint of the two jobs is ended (S11).
[0008]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a third control example of the present invention. Jobs to be linked can be linked to job format data held in an external storage device (hard disk 14). That is, if it is not the last job to be linked, the job format data held in the external storage device (hard disk 14) is read (S1 to S5).
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a fourth control example of the present invention. The job to be linked can be linked to job format data held in the external storage device (hard disk 14), and in the job linkage process, a unified process of paper size and finishing (staple) is performed. That is, a frequently used condition is selected and processed (S1 to S7).
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a fifth control example of the present invention. In the second control example shown in FIG. 3, if there is a job in which a layout configuration including a mode (2-in-1) including double-sided printing and printing of two pages on one sheet exists, the jobs are linked at that time. The job is automatically canceled (S1 to S4).
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a sixth control example of the present invention. When a small number of sheets is turned on (S1) and a job start declaration exists (S2), page data is processed (S3), pages are counted (S4), and if a job end declaration exists (S5). If the page count is a small number (S6), the small number sheet job is continued X times (S7) and a joint job is performed (S8). When printing a small number of jobs in succession, if it is determined whether the small number of jobs are continued X times, the jobs are connected and printed.
[0009]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect, different applications can be collectively processed, and finishing such as stapling and sorting can be performed without using a utility.
According to the second aspect, since the user can specify the number of jobs to be linked, if the driver has this function, the convenience is further enhanced.
According to the third aspect, the jobs can be easily connected by registering and storing in advance such as data to be commonly connected.
According to the fourth and fifth aspects, the difference in the paper size and the staple binding direction is unified according to the tendency of the connected jobs as a whole, so that it is possible to eliminate irregularities and inconsistencies in the print results.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to save paper by setting the possibility that the layout has to be changed frequently as a result of forcing the connection process to be a release condition.
According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to improve the linked job processing efficiency by fetching a small number of jobs of about 1-2 pages into the same job.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing details of a printer controller in a printer system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first control example of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second control example of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a third control example of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a fourth control example of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a fifth control example of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a sixth control example of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Host 11 Printer controller 12 Operation panel 13 Printer engine 26 CPU (function realization means)

Claims (7)

In a printer system in which a printer having a controller, an operation panel, and a printer engine is connected to a host and printing image data created by the host, when the data configured in the job format is continuous, the continuous data is temporarily stored. And a linked print processing means for performing linked print processing as the same job. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein job data from different applications is designated by a command number or a file number to be linked. 3. The printer system according to claim 2, wherein when job data is registered and saved in an external storage device in advance, the registration saved job data is also a connection target. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the maximum number of paper sizes is used as a reference when the paper sizes of the jobs to be connected are different. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the staple position is changed on the basis of the maximum number of print directions of all pages when the staple position becomes inappropriate due to the configuration of each job to be connected. 3. The printer system according to claim 2, wherein a layout configuration including a duplex printing mode and a mode for printing two pages on one sheet is regarded as important as a cancellation condition when the number of linked jobs is not specified or the number of jobs is not specified. A printer system that automatically cancels a job if it exists. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein when a job composed of a small number of sheets is continuously processed, the job is linked by setting to improve performance efficiency.

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