JP2006155468A - Print system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system whose output performance is rapid. <P>SOLUTION: This system makes it possible changing over dynamically whether an engine is initiated after rendering is done or output processing of an engine is performed while doing rendering by counting object classification and object number beforehand and noticing them to a printer in print data which a printer driver in a host computer generates. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an output device such as a printing device and a printing system such as a host computer that generates print data.

  Generally, there is a printing apparatus as an apparatus that takes in data supplied from a host computer and outputs the data in a predetermined form. The printing apparatus renders the received data for one page and outputs it to a sheet.

As another conventional example, Patent Document 1 can be cited.
JP 2004-021458 A

  However, if this rendering time is not in time for the engine speed, the engine temporarily enters a halt state, and even after rendering is finished, the printing process cannot be performed immediately and the engine startup process is performed before processing. As a result, the paper output may be significantly slowed down.

  In addition, there is a setting that always starts the printing process after rendering is finished so that the engine does not enter the hibernation state. However, even if the rendering time is sufficiently in time with the engine speed, it always waits for the rendering to end and the output time Could be late.

(Object of invention)
An object of the present invention is made to solve the above-described problems. In print data generated by a printer driver in a host computer, the object type and the number of objects are counted in advance and notified to the printing apparatus. It is possible to start an engine after rendering, or to dynamically switch engine output processing while rendering, and to provide a printing system with high output performance as a result.

  In addition, the host computer acquires in advance the threshold values of the object type and the number of objects from the printing apparatus, and notifies the printing apparatus of pages exceeding the threshold values. The notified printing device operates with the setting to start and output the engine after rendering until the last page that exceeds the threshold, and operates with the setting to output the engine while rendering after the last page that exceeds the threshold. As a result, it is to provide a printing system with high output performance.

  The printing apparatus and printing system of the present invention that achieve the above object have the following configuration.

  That is, when print data is generated by the printer driver of the host computer, the function for counting the object type and the number of objects, the function for notifying the counted object type and the number of objects to the printing apparatus, and the notified printing apparatus are predetermined. And means for switching whether to perform engine output processing while rendering, or to start engine output processing after rendering, according to the threshold value.

  In addition, the host computer has a function of acquiring the threshold of the object type and the number of objects from the printing device in advance, a function of notifying the printing device of the page exceeding the acquired threshold, and the notified printing device. A function is provided that operates in a process of starting engine output after rendering up to the last page exceeding the threshold, and operates in a process of outputting engine while rendering after the last page exceeding the threshold.

(Function)
In such a configuration, in the print data generated by the printer driver of the host computer, whether to start the engine after rendering or perform engine processing while rendering by notifying the printing apparatus by counting the object type and the number of objects in advance It is possible to dynamically switch and provide a printing apparatus with high output performance.

  In addition, the host computer acquires in advance the threshold values of the object type and the number of objects from the printing apparatus, and notifies the printing apparatus of pages exceeding the threshold values. The notified printing device operates with the setting to start and output the engine after rendering until the last page that exceeds the threshold, and operates with the setting to output the engine while rendering after the last page that exceeds the threshold. As a result, it is possible to provide a printing apparatus with high output performance.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, whether the engine is started after rendering by counting the object type and the number of objects in advance using the print data generated by the printer driver of the host computer and notifying the printing apparatus. This makes it possible to perform engine output processing or dynamically switch while rendering, resulting in faster output performance.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the host computer previously acquires the threshold values for the object type and the number of objects from the printing apparatus, and notifies the printing apparatus of pages exceeding the threshold values. The notified printing device operates with the setting to start and output the engine after rendering until the last page that exceeds the threshold, and operates with the setting to output the engine while rendering after the last page that exceeds the threshold. As a result, the output performance can be increased.

Example 1
Before describing the present embodiment, a configuration of a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer suitable for applying the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Needless to say, the printer to which the present embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer and the ink jet printer, and may be a printer of another printing method.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printer control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example.

  In the figure, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer.

  In the printer 1500, reference numeral 12 denotes a printer CPU, which accesses various devices connected to the system bus 15 based on a control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in the external memory 14. An image signal as output information is output to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected through the printing unit interface 16 under overall control. The HD 14 is a storage device that stores output image data and toner usage, and is access-controlled by a disk controller (DKC) 20.

  Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 12, and is configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown).

  4000 captures image information read from a document by the scanner unit via the device input unit 21.

  The processing operation of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment in the printing apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in this embodiment.

  In step S <b> 21, the printer driver in the host computer generates print data including a print command that can be processed on the printing apparatus side from the drawing command passed from the OS.

  The object type and the number of objects of the print data generated in step S22 are counted. When the counting of the object type and the number of objects for each page is completed, in step S24, the counted object type and the number of objects are added to the print data generated in step S21.

  In step S25, the print data added with the counted object type and the number of objects is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control processing of the host computer in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In step S31, the transmitted printing apparatus determines whether or not the rendering time of the object type and the number of objects is in time for the engine speed based on the threshold value of the limit.

  If it is determined that it is not in time, the page number is stored in step S32. When the determination for all pages is completed, it is determined in step S34 whether or not a page for which rendering time is determined not to meet the engine speed is stored.

  If the page number is stored, the printing process is started with the setting to output the engine after the rendering process of all pages in step S35. If the page number is not stored, in step S36, the printing process is started with a setting for performing the engine output process while rendering all pages.

(Example 2)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the second embodiment.

  The host computer acquires in advance the rendering processing capability and engine speed information for each object type of the printing apparatus that transmits the print data, or acquires the information of the printing apparatus through a bi-directional communication connection such as a network. It shall be. Based on the acquired information, the printing apparatus stores the limit of the number of objects as threshold data for each object type whose engine processing speed is sufficient for rendering processing time.

  In step S <b> 41, the printer driver in the host computer generates print data including a print command that can be processed on the printing apparatus side from the drawing command passed from the OS.

  In step S42, the object type and the number of objects of the print data generated are counted. In step S43, it is determined whether the counted object type and the number of objects are in time for the rendering process at the engine speed of the printing apparatus from the threshold data acquired in advance. If it is determined that it is not in time, the page number is stored in step S44. When the comparison with the threshold values for all pages is completed, in step S46, the page number stored when the rendering time is not in time for the engine speed is added to the print data generated in step S41. In step S47, the print data and the added page number are transmitted to the printing apparatus.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  When the printing apparatus receives the print data, in step S51, the printing apparatus determines whether a page number that does not meet the rendering time is added to the engine speed. If it is determined that there is no page number whose rendering time does not meet the engine speed, in step S52, the print processing is performed with the setting for performing engine output while rendering all pages.

  If a page number that does not meet the rendering time is added, rendering processing for one page is performed in step S53. Next, in step S54, it is determined whether or not it is the last page among the pages determined not to be in time for the engine speed. If it is not the last page, the next page is rendered and the process is continued. If it is determined that the page is the last page, engine output processing is started in step S55. Since it can be determined that the rendering process is in time for the engine speed for all subsequent pages, the engine output process is performed while performing the rendering process in step S56.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of print data including a print command generated by the host computer in the embodiment.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of print data in which an object type and the number of objects are added to a print command generated by the host computer in the embodiment.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating control processing of the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the control processing of the host computer in Example 1 of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the printing apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the control processing of the host computer in Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure showing the structure of the print data containing the print command which the host computer in a present Example produces | generates. It is a figure showing the structure of the print data which added the object classification and the number of objects to the print command which the host computer in a present Example produces | generates.

Claims (5)

  In the print data generated by the printer driver of the host computer, the object type and the number of objects in the print data are counted and notified to the printing apparatus, and the limit of rendering processing in which the object type and the number of objects are predetermined in the notified printing apparatus A printing system characterized in that if there is a page exceeding a certain threshold value, engine output processing is started after rendering all objects in the page.   2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the object types in the print data are characters, figures, and images, respectively.   For the information on the object type and the number of objects notified from the host computer, a threshold which is a limit of rendering processing depending on the performance of the printing apparatus to be notified is set in advance, and page information exceeding the threshold is notified to the printing apparatus. The printing system according to claim 1.   4. The printing according to claim 3, wherein in the printing apparatus notified of the page exceeding the threshold, the pages after the last page of which the threshold is exceeded are subjected to an engine output process during rendering. system.   4. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value of the object type and the number of objects depending on the performance of the printing apparatus is acquired from a printing apparatus connected to a network.

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