JP2006192601A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system which solves the problem that the inability to perform other printing processes damages the overall performance of an entire process during reception by omitting time spent on the reception of electronic mail data which resultantly cannot be processed by erasing data from a mail server without receiving the data when the size of the electronic mail data is very large and exceeds the size storable in the memory of a printing device. <P>SOLUTION: The printing system has a data size comparison means to acquire the size information of the electronic mail data prior to reception of the electronic mail data from the mail server and compare the size of the electronic mail data with the size of data receivable and a means to erase the electronic mail data from the mail server without receiving when the comparison by the data size comparison means judges that the electronic mail data is larger as the result of comparison by the data size comparison means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more specifically to a printing apparatus having a function of receiving an e-mail and printing a body of the e-mail and an attached file attached to the e-mail. .

  In recent years, some printing apparatuses used in offices have a function of receiving an e-mail and printing a file attached to the e-mail, but the above-described printing apparatus has at least one e-mail worth. In many cases, analysis processing is performed after data is temporarily stored. This is because it is desired to finish the mail reception process and disconnect the mail server. This is also because some of the attached file data is forward-referenced. Forward referencing refers to referring to data from the back of the data string (data received before). In such a data format, the processed data cannot be discarded and the analysis is completed. It is necessary to hold all the data until it is done.

  In a conventional printing device, the data size of the e-mail is very large, and even when the data exceeds the capacity that can be stored in the memory of the printing device, the data is received and stored when the memory area for data storage becomes full. Judging that it was impossible.

As another conventional example, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 can be cited.
JP 2001-249858 A JP 2001-358754 A

  Conventional printing devices also receive unprocessable e-mail data, resulting in wasted time spent on receiving processing, during which other print processing cannot be performed, degrading overall processing performance. There was a problem that it was.

  In order to solve the above problems, the printing apparatus of the present invention acquires size information of the corresponding e-mail data from the mail server before receiving the e-mail data, and the size of the e-mail data and the receivable data size A data size comparing means for comparing, and if the result of the comparison by the data size comparing means is that the e-mail data is larger, a means for deleting the e-mail data from the mail server without receiving it. Have.

  Furthermore, when the electronic data is determined to be larger than the receivable data size as a result of the comparison by the data size comparison means, there is provided means for displaying a message on the display unit.

  Further, when the comparison by the data size comparing means shows that the e-mail data is larger than the receivable data size, the apparatus has means for printing a message.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the data size of the e-mail is very large and exceeds the capacity that can be stored in the memory of the printing apparatus, the data is deleted from the mail server without receiving the data. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the time spent for receiving e-mail data that cannot be processed as a result, and to solve the problem of degrading the performance of the entire process because other print processing cannot be performed during reception. .

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a system configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an information processing apparatus 101 is, for example, a computer, and functions as a supply source of image information or a printer control apparatus. In this embodiment, a laser beam printer (printer) is used as the printing apparatus 102. Needless to say, the printing apparatus applied in the present embodiment is not limited to a laser beam printer, and may be a printer of another printing method such as an ink jet printer.

  The printer controller 103 generates raster data for each page based on image information (for example, image data, page description language, etc.) supplied from the information processing apparatus 101, and sends the raster data to the printer engine 105.

  The printer engine 105 forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum based on the raster data supplied from the printer controller 103, and records the image by transferring and fixing the latent image on a recording medium (electrophotographic method). To do.

  The panel unit 104 is used as a user interface. The user can instruct a desired operation by operating the panel unit 104.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the printing apparatus 102. In the figure, 201 is a printer housing. Reference numeral 202 denotes an operation panel on which a switch for giving various instructions by the user, an LED display, an LCD display, and the like for displaying messages, printer settings, and the like are arranged. It is one mode. Reference numeral 203 denotes a board accommodating portion that accommodates boards constituting the electronic circuit portions of the printer controller 103 and the printer engine 105.

  220 and 250 are paper cassettes for holding paper (recording medium) S, and have a mechanism for electrically detecting the paper size by a partition plate (not shown). Reference numerals 221 and 251 denote cassette clutches, which take out the uppermost sheet S of the sheets S placed on the sheet cassettes 220 and 250, respectively, and drive force that transmits the extracted sheets S from a driving means (not shown). Therefore, the sheet feeding rollers 222 and 252 are conveyed. The cam rotates intermittently each time a sheet is fed, and feeds one sheet S corresponding to one rotation. 221 s and 251 s are paper detection sensors that detect the amount of paper S held in the paper cassettes 220 and 250, respectively.

  The paper feed roller 222 is a roller that conveys the leading edge of the paper S to the registration shutter 224. The paper feed roller 252 is a roller that conveys the leading edge of the paper S to the paper feed roller 222. Reference numeral 260 denotes an optional paper feed roller (paper feed relay transport roller) that feeds paper S fed from a paper feed option unit (not shown) into the printer 102 main body. Reference numeral 224 denotes a registration shutter that can stop paper feeding by pressing the paper S.

  Reference numeral 231 denotes a manual feed tray, and 225 denotes a manual paper feed clutch. The paper feed clutch 225 is used to convey the leading edge of the paper S to the registration shutter 224. The paper S to be used for image recording is fed by selecting one of the paper cassettes 220 and 250 and the manual feed tray 225.

  The printer engine 105 communicates with the printer controller 103 according to a predetermined communication protocol, selects one of the sheet cassettes 220 and 250 and the manual feed tray 225 according to an instruction from the printer controller unit 103, In response to the print start instruction, the paper S is transported from the corresponding paper feeding means to the registration shutter 224. The printer engine 105 includes a sheet feeding unit, a mechanism relating to an electrophotographic process such as formation, transfer, and fixing of a latent image, a sheet discharge unit, and a control unit thereof.

  An image recording unit 204 includes a photosensitive drum 205, a toner holding unit, and the like, and forms a toner image on the paper S by an electrophotographic process. On the other hand, 206 is a laser scanner unit that supplies image information by a laser beam to the image recording unit.

  In the laser scanner unit 206, reference numeral 207 denotes a laser unit that drives a built-in semiconductor laser and emits a laser beam in accordance with an image signal (/ VIDEO signal) sent from the video controller 203. The laser beam emitted from the laser unit 207 is scanned by a polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror) 208 and forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum 205 via the imaging lens group 209 and the reflection mirror 211. A beam detector 210 detects a laser beam emitted from the laser unit 207 and outputs a main scanning synchronization signal. A light amount sensor 212 detects the light amount of the laser beam emitted from the laser unit 207.

  In the image recording unit 204, reference numeral 241 denotes a primary charger that uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 205. Reference numeral 240 denotes a developing unit that develops toner on the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 205 that is charged by the primary charger 241 and laser-exposed by the laser scanner unit 206. A transfer charger 244 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum developed by the developing unit 240 onto the paper S fed by the registration roller 223. Reference numeral 243 denotes a cleaner that removes residual toner on the photosensitive drum 205. Reference numeral 242 denotes a pre-exposure lamp that performs static electricity removal on the photosensitive drum 205. A fixing device 226 heat-fixes the toner image formed on the paper S by the image recording unit 204 on the recording paper S. Reference numeral 227 denotes a conveyance roller that discharges and conveys the paper S. Reference numeral 227s denotes a paper discharge sensor that detects a paper discharge state of the paper S. A paper discharge flapper 228 switches the transport direction of the paper S on which image recording has been completed to the face-down paper discharge tray 232 side, or switches to the face-up paper discharge tray (not shown) or the paper discharge option unit side (not shown). Reference numerals 229 and 230 denote discharge rollers that discharge the sheet S conveyed by switching the discharge flapper 228 to the face-down discharge tray 230. Reference numeral 230 s denotes a discharge stack amount detection sensor that detects the stack amount of the sheets S stacked on the face-down discharge tray 230.

  The printer 102 can be further equipped with optional units such as an optional cassette and an envelope feeder.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printer controller 103. A panel interface unit 301 performs data communication with the panel unit 104. The CPU 309 can confirm the contents set / instructed by the user on the panel unit 104 via the panel interface unit 301. Reference numeral 302 denotes a host interface unit for two-way communication connection with the information processing apparatus 101 such as a host computer via a network. Reference numeral 306 denotes an engine interface unit for communication connection with the printer engine 105. The CPU 309 can control the signal via the engine interface unit 306 and recognize the state of the signal, that is, the state of the printer engine 105.

  Reference numeral 303 denotes an image data generation unit that generates (rasterizes) raster data to be supplied to the printer engine 105 based on image information supplied from the information processing apparatus 101. Reference numeral 305 denotes an image memory for temporarily storing the generated raster data. A CPU 309 controls a device connected to the CPU bus 311 based on a control program code held in the ROM 304. Reference numeral 307 denotes a RAM as a temporary storage memory used by the CPU 309. For example, 310 includes a non-volatile memory for holding control information such as a density correction table. A DMA control unit 308 transfers raster data in the image memory 305 to the engine interface unit 306 according to an instruction from the CPU 309.

  Reference numeral 311 denotes a CPU bus including an address, data, and control bus. The panel interface unit 301, the host interface unit 302, the image data generation unit 303, the ROM 304, the image memory 305, the engine interface unit 306, the RAM 307, the DMA control unit 308, the CPU 309 and the EEPROM 310 are all connected to all devices connected to the CPU bus 311. Is accessible.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a software structure. The host computer 101 and the printer main body 102 are connected via an interface cable. The inside of the printer controller 103 shows the software structure. The input unit 401 is a part that controls communication with the host computer 101, analyzes a communication protocol, and stores data input from the host computer in the reception buffer 402. When data is stored in the reception buffer 402, the analysis unit 403 operates. The analysis unit 403 reads the data stored in the reception buffer 402, analyzes the data, generates an object (intermediate code) corresponding to each command, and stores it in the intermediate buffer 404. In this embodiment, the command supported by the printer is PDL (Page Description Language), but all the data that can be printed for each page is the same even if it is not PDL. Intermediate data is managed for each page. When data is stored in the intermediate buffer 404, the drawing processing unit 405 operates. The drawing processing unit 405 reads the intermediate data from the intermediate buffer 404 for each page, generates print image data for one page, and stores it in the image buffer 406. When print image data for one page is generated, the output unit 407 operates. The output unit 407 reads the image data from the image buffer 406, converts it into a video signal, and transfers it to the engine. The actual printing is performed by transferring the video signal to the engine.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a mechanism for sending and receiving electronic mail. First, when an e-mail document is created on the information processing apparatus 501 and an e-mail addressed to the e-mail address set in the printer 505 is transmitted, the e-mail is transferred to the mail server 502 on the sending side. The mail server 502 refers to the destination email address described in the header information of the email, finds the destination mail server, and transfers the email to the mail server 504 via the Internet 503. The mail server 504 on the receiving side that receives the e-mail refers to the destination address and stores the e-mail for each destination (user). The printer 505 periodically inquires the mail server 504 and reads data if an e-mail addressed to the printer 505 is received.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the data structure of the e-mail. The e-mail data 601 includes a header area 602 and a text area 603, and the text area 603 includes a mail text 604 and zero or more attached files (605, 606). The header area 602 includes a sender's mail address (From), a destination mail address (To), a carbon copy destination mail address (Cc), a blind carbon copy destination mail address (Bcc), and a mail transmission time (Date). ), A title (Subject), a sender's mail address (Sender), a list of addresses to which a reply to the message should be sent (Replay-To), and an identifier (In-Replay-To) indicating which message the reply is for. include. The attached file (605, 606) is JPEG format data in this embodiment, but the same applies to the TIFF format and other data formats.

  In addition, in order to transmit / receive an electronic mail on a network, information necessary for each network protocol such as an SMTP header, a TCP header, an IP header, and an HDLC header (not shown) is added.

  FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a general mail receiving procedure. POP command transmission / reception between a client (a printer in this embodiment) and a POP server is shown. First, the client transmits a USER command 701 to specify a mailbox in the mail server. At this time, mail account information is also added together with the USER command. When an OK status is returned from the POP server, the mailbox password is specified by the PASS command 702. When an OK status is returned from the POP server, a STAT command 703 is transmitted next, and the number of messages (number of mails) in the mail server and the (total) size of the messages are acquired. Next, the size of one message is acquired by the LIST command 704. Next, the unique ID of the designated message is acquired by the UIDL command 705. Next, message data 707 is acquired by a RETR command 706. The RETR command is repeated multiple times. When all the data has been received, the connection with the mail server is disconnected with the QUIT command 708.

  When deleting server data, first, the client transmits a USER command 709 to specify a mailbox in the mail server. At this time, mail account information is also added together with the USER command 709. When an OK status is returned from the POP server, the mailbox password is designated by the PASS command 710. When an OK status is returned from the POP server, a STAT command 711 is transmitted next, and the number of messages (number of mails) and the (total) size of the messages in the mail server are acquired. Next, the unique ID of the designated message is acquired by the UIDL command 712. Next, the DELE command 713 is transmitted, and the specified message is deleted. Finally, the connection with the mail server is disconnected by the QUIT command 714.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the main processing of the printing apparatus shown in this embodiment. The printing apparatus shown in this embodiment performs various initialization processes (not shown) after turning on the power, and enters the data input waiting loop after the start-up process is completed. Specifically, in step 801, an inquiry is made to the mail server to check whether an e-mail addressed to itself has arrived. If the mail has arrived, the process proceeds to step 803, and if the mail has not arrived, the process returns to step 801. It is assumed that information necessary for accessing the server, such as a mail server address, own mail address, and password, is input in advance from the panel operation unit and stored in a nonvolatile storage area. Further, the server may be inquired periodically at regular intervals. In step 802, the size of one e-mail data is checked. Use the STAT command described above. In step 804, the size of the e-mail data is compared with the size of the reception buffer. It is assumed that the size of the reception buffer is determined in advance. As a result of the comparison process, if the e-mail data is smaller than the reception buffer size, the process proceeds to step 805, where the e-mail data is read. The above-mentioned RETR command is used for reading e-mail data. The read e-mail data is stored in the reception buffer. At this time, the mail is not deleted from the server only by reading the mail. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the reception buffer size is determined in advance.

  In step 806, the data stored in the reception buffer is analyzed, an intermediate code in a format suitable for internal processing is generated according to the data, and printing processing is performed according to the intermediate code. The intermediate code is managed for each page and stored in the storage area. Details of step 806 will be described later. When the printing process is completed, in step 808, the corresponding e-mail data in the mail server is deleted. The above-described DELE command is used to delete the e-mail data.

  If the mail data size is larger than the size of the reception buffer in step 804, the process proceeds to step 808, and an error message is displayed on the display unit.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the data analysis & printing process in step 806 of FIG.

  In step 901, an e-mail header analysis process is performed. Here, the header information is also printed together with the text. In step 902, the mail body is analyzed and an intermediate code for printing the body is generated. Although the printing apparatus shown in the present embodiment prints the mail text, the mail text may not be printed, and only the attached file may be printed.

  In step 903, it is checked whether an attached file is attached to the received electronic mail. If an attached file is not attached, the process proceeds to step 906. If an attached file is attached, the process proceeds to step 904, where the attached file is analyzed, and intermediate data is generated. If there are a plurality of attached files, the process of 904 is repeated. In step 905, it is checked whether analysis of all attached files has been completed. When all the attached files have been analyzed, the process ends. If there is an attached file that has not been analyzed, the process returns to step 904 to repeat the analysis process. In step 906, the intermediate code for one page is read and a print image is generated. Intermediate code is generated and managed for each page. In step 907, the print image generated in step 906 is converted into a video signal and transferred to the printer engine. The printer engine prints a print image on paper by receiving a video signal, and discharges the paper. In step 908, it is checked whether all intermediate codes have been printed. If all the intermediate codes have been printed, the process ends. If printing has not been completed, the process returns to step 906 to repeat the printing process.

Other embodiment 1
In the present embodiment, the side that transmits the e-mail is not limited to the computer, and the same applies to the case where the scanner device or a copier equipped with the scanner is attached and the e-mail attached with the image captured by the scanner is transmitted. .

Other embodiment 2
Even when it is determined that the size of the e-mail on the server is larger than the size of the reception buffer, the same applies to the case where only the header of the e-mail is read. In that case, the header part is recognized (analyzed) simultaneously with the reading of the e-mail data, only the header part of the e-mail is read, and the data is deleted from the mail server when the head of the mail body part is recognized.

  Acquire information such as the destination address and subject from the header and display a message on the operation unit. Alternatively, it is displayed on the history print as error information. History printing is a function for printing the reception history of emails received by the printer, and information such as the reception time, sender's email address, subject, status (normal end, error), etc. is described for each email. . The same applies to the case where similar information is notified by sending an e-mail to a destination address.

  The process in this case is shown in the flowchart of FIG. The printing apparatus shown in this embodiment performs various initialization processes (not shown) after turning on the power, and enters the data input waiting loop after the start-up process is completed. Specifically, an inquiry is made to the server in step 1001 to check whether or not an e-mail addressed to itself has arrived. If the mail has arrived, the process proceeds to step 1003. If the mail has not arrived, the process returns to step 1001. It is assumed that information necessary for accessing the server, such as a mail server address, own mail address, and password, is input in advance from the panel operation unit and stored in a nonvolatile storage area. Further, the server may be inquired periodically at regular intervals. In step 1002, the size of one e-mail data is checked. Use the STAT command described above. In step 1004, the size of the e-mail data is compared with the size of the reception buffer.

  It is assumed that the size of the reception buffer is determined in advance. As a result of the comparison process, if the e-mail data is smaller than the reception buffer size, the process proceeds to step 1005, and the e-mail data is read. The above-mentioned RETR command is used for reading e-mail data. The read e-mail data is stored in the reception buffer. At this time, the mail is not deleted from the server only by reading the mail.

  In step 1006, the data stored in the reception buffer is analyzed, an intermediate code in a format suitable for internal processing is generated according to the data, and printing processing is performed according to the intermediate code. The intermediate code is managed for each page and stored in the storage area. Details of step 1006 are the same as those in FIG. When the printing process is completed, in step 1008, the corresponding e-mail data in the mail server is deleted. The above-described DELE command is used to delete the e-mail data.

  If the mail data size is larger than the size of the reception buffer in step 1004, the process proceeds to step 1008, and part of the mail data is read from the mail server by the RETR command. The read data is analyzed and the header information is stored. The reading process and the analysis process are repeated until the head of the mail body area is recognized. When the head of the body area is recognized, an error message is displayed on the display unit in step 1010, and the message, the e-mail reception time, sender address, subject, etc. are stored in the memory area for history printing in step 1011. An e-mail body describing an error message is created in 1012 and sent to the sender address of the original e-mail. Thereafter, in step 1007, the electronic data is deleted from the mail server.

Other embodiment 3
In this embodiment, the reception buffer size for determining the data size of the receivable e-mail is not a predetermined value, but is determined by judging the usage status (free memory capacity) of a storage device such as a hard disk. The same applies to the format.

Other embodiment 4
In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus is not limited to the laser beam printer, but the same applies to an inkjet printer or the same laser beam system and a digital multi-function peripheral.

System Configuration Cross section of printer Block diagram showing the configuration of the video controller Software structure diagram System Configuration Diagram showing email structure Sequence diagram between server and client Flow chart showing main processing Flow chart showing data analysis & printing process The flowchart which shows the process of other Example 2.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Information processing apparatus 102 Laser beam printer 103 Video controller 104 Panel operation part 105 Printer engine 301 Panel interface part 302 Host interface part 303 Image data generation part 304 ROM
305 Image memory 306 Engine interface unit 307 RAM
308 DMA control unit 309 CPU
310 EEPROM
311 CPU bus

Claims (6)

  Means for receiving e-mail data transmitted from an information processing apparatus connected via a network, analysis means for analyzing e-mail data received by the receiving means, and analysis of e-mail data according to an analysis result of the analysis means In a printing apparatus having a printing unit for performing printing, before receiving e-mail data, the size information of the corresponding e-mail data is acquired from the mail server, and the size of the e-mail data is compared with the receivable data size. A size comparison unit, and a unit that deletes the email data from the mail server without receiving the email data when it is determined that the email data is larger as a result of the comparison by the data size comparison unit. Printing device to do.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit prints the text of the received electronic mail and an attached file.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for reading only the header portion of the e-mail when the e-mail data is determined to be larger than the receivable data size as a result of the comparison by the data size comparing means. The printing apparatus as described.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a message on a display unit when it is determined that the e-mail data is larger than the receivable data size as a result of the comparison by the data size comparing means. Printing device.   2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for printing a message when it is determined that the e-mail data is larger than the receivable data size as a result of the comparison by the data size comparing means.   As a result of the comparison by the data size comparison means, when it is determined that the e-mail data is larger than the receivable data size, only the header portion of the e-mail is read, and the e-mail is sent to the sender of the e-mail. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying or transmitting header information together with information indicating that printing could not be performed normally.

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