JP2006227967A - Program, information processor, printing system, and method for outputting printing data - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that two processings, i.e. printing data preparation processing and printing data output processing, are concentrated and a load may be imposed to other software to be driven on an operating system (OS). <P>SOLUTION: An information processor 1 outputs a RAM using state acquisition instruction to a printer device 2, and the capacity of a RAM 21 is sufficient for the printing operation of the printer device 2 on the basis of information concerned with RAM capacity obtained from the printer device 2, refrains from outputting printing data to the printer device 2. When the application quantity of the RAM 21 is insufficient for the printing operation of the printer device 2, the information processor 1 outputs the printing data to the printer device 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a program, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, and a print data output method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a printing system combining an information processing apparatus and a printer apparatus as an image forming apparatus, a program used therefor, and an information processing apparatus or system, for example, the following are known.

As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561, in a printer apparatus test system for testing a printing operation of a printer apparatus from application software, a print data replication unit that replicates print data to be transmitted to the printer apparatus when printing from the application software is provided. There is a printer device test system characterized by the above.
JP 2000-222154 A

As described in Patent Literature 2, an information processing system including a printer, a printer server connected to the printer, and a client that uses the printer via the printer server, the printer server operating the printer Broadcasting means for selecting whether or not to broadcast the status to the client, monitoring means for monitoring the operating state of the printer, and broadcasting means selected when broadcasting is selected. And a broadcast means for broadcasting the changed operating state to the client when the changed operating state of the printer is obtained by the client, wherein the client requests a notification of the operating state of the printer. Transmission selection means for selecting whether or not to transmit to the printer server, and when the transmission selection means selects transmission of the request signal. , At a predetermined time interval, there is an information processing system comprising transmitting means for transmitting a request signal to the printer server, the.
JP 2001-282472 A

As described in Patent Document 3, a printer driver that is executed by a computer device connectable to a printer and drives the printer according to a default function via a bidirectional interface, for starting a print job on the computer device In response, an inquiry unit that queries the printer for the current status via the bi-directional interface, a change unit that changes the default function according to the current status of the printer, and the bi-directional interface according to the changed function There is a printer driver that includes a drive unit that transmits print data to a printer.
JP 2000-343794 A

As described in Patent Document 4, in a printing system in which a client system and a printer are connected to a server system and the status of the connected printer can be displayed on the client system, the client system displays the status of the server system. In response to the request, the server system includes an acquisition unit that acquires a status from the printer, and a transmission unit that transmits the status acquired by the acquisition unit to the client system, and receives the request. There is a printing system that sometimes activates the acquisition unit to acquire the status from the printer and transmits the acquired status to the client system by the transmission unit when the acquisition unit is not activated.
JP 2002-196896 A

As described in Patent Document 5, in a printing system including an information processing apparatus and a printer that performs printing based on image data from the information processing apparatus, an image data storage unit that stores image data in the information processing apparatus; And a print status monitoring means for monitoring and controlling the output of the image data stored in the image data storage means to the printer in accordance with the printer status information from the printer, and the printer notifies the information processing apparatus of the printer status information There is a printing system that prints image data from a page corresponding to printer status information from the printer.
JP 2000-298571 A

As described in Patent Document 6, a method for processing print information, a step of storing received print information in a memory, a measurement step for measuring the amount of received print information, and a measurement result And a control process for controlling the stop and restart of reception by determining the magnitude relation between the received print information amount and the control reference amount.
JP 2000-326596 A

As described in Patent Document 7, a control processing start recognition system for connecting a server and a client so that two-way communication is possible, and recognizing that the client has started a predetermined control processing by the client. On the server side, control instruction detecting means for detecting that a predetermined control instruction is given from the client to the server by the two-way communication, and when the control instruction detecting means detects a control instruction from the client, Control processing start notifying means for notifying the client that control processing based on the control instruction has been started by bidirectional communication, and control by the control processing start notifying means by the bidirectional communication on the client side A control process for recognizing that the predetermined control process has started when a process start notification is made. It has control processing start recognition system comprising a start recognition means.
JP 2001-162906 A

As described in Patent Document 8, the printer includes a printer and a host device that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the printer. The printer is sent from the host device and a memory that is used as a reception buffer. Receive means for receiving incoming print data in the reception buffer, print means for performing printing based on the print data received in the reception buffer, and grasping the current status and error of the printer, and status information indicating the grasped status and error Status information means for creating and holding; and response means for creating a response including status information currently held in response to a data transmission command sent from the host device and returning the response to the host device. The host device determines whether the print data creation means for creating the print data and one created print job. Data transmission means for dividing the print data into a plurality of partial data, creating a plurality of data transmission commands each including the respective partial data, and sequentially transmitting them to the printer; Status acquisition means for receiving status responses and acquiring status information included in each response, and print data is divided into one or a plurality of partial data different for each page, and a data transmission command for each page Prior to sending the page, a page start declaration command including the specification of the number of copies of each page can be sent, and the printer can send a page with multiple copies notified by the page start declaration command. If all of the data transmission commands for one page can be stored in the reception buffer, this reception buffer Printing for the number of copies is executed based on the accumulated data transmission command for one page, and the host device further copies each page prior to transmission of the data transmission command for each page. A means for transmitting a page start declaration command including the designation of the number of copies and whether or not all of the data transmission commands for one page can be stored in the reception buffer of the printer for a page having a plurality of copies, that is, multi-copy Multi-copy success / failure judgment means for judging success or failure, and the data transmission means of the host device includes all of the data transmission commands for one page for the page for which the multi-copy success / failure judgment means judges multi-copy failure. There is a printing system that repeatedly transmits the number of copies to the printer.
Japanese Patent No. 3546935

  As described above, in a general printing system, the status of a printer device is monitored, and print data is output from the computer (information processing device) side according to the status of the printer device.

  By the way, as a printer device, for example, a serial type image forming that performs main scanning with a recording head that ejects droplets of recording liquid and forms an image on a recording medium while feeding the recording medium in a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. When the apparatus is used, it takes time to perform main scanning of the recording head, and the printing speed is relatively slower than that of the line type image forming apparatus. On the other hand, the processing speed and print data transfer speed of the information processing apparatus that outputs print data to the image forming apparatus tend to increase.

  In this case, the image forming apparatus is provided with memory means such as a RAM (hereinafter referred to as “RAM”), and print data received from the information processing apparatus is temporarily stored in the RAM, whereby the information processing apparatus side. Can receive multiple copies of print data at once. However, if the RAM capacity of the image forming apparatus has been used up, the print data cannot be stored in the image forming apparatus any more, so the RAM of the image forming apparatus remains with the print data retained on the information processing apparatus side. The printer waits for the printer to become free (can be used), and performs processing such as transferring print data again.

  However, on the information processing apparatus side, the print data is not created one page at a time, but is created separately, and the print data created by the division is sequentially output to the image forming apparatus. At this time, on the information processing apparatus side, since the means (program) for creating print data continues to create the remaining print data, the print data creation process and the print data output process are performed in parallel.

  For this reason, the two processes of the print data creation process and the print data output process are concentrated, and there is a problem that a load is imposed on software such as other application software operating on the operating system (OS).

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a program, an information processing apparatus, a printing system, and a print data output method for reducing the processing load on other programs not involved in creation and output of print data. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a program according to the present invention is a program that causes a computer to perform a process of outputting print data to an image forming apparatus including a memory unit that can store print data. Divide the print data and output it to the image forming device, obtain information about the memory usage from the image forming device before outputting the divided print data, and use the memory usage sufficient to perform the printing operation When the amount is the amount, the output of the divided print data is refrained, and when the memory usage is insufficient to perform the printing operation, the computer is configured to output the divided print data.

  Here, it is preferable to cause the computer to perform processing for designating the usage amount of the memory means on the user interface screen when the usage amount is sufficient for performing the printing operation. In addition, it is preferable that the computer refrains from outputting the divided print data according to the amount of memory used, or causes the computer to perform a process of designating on the user interface screen whether or not to perform the process of outputting the divided print data.

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a program according to the present invention.

  The printing system according to the present invention includes the information processing apparatus according to the present invention.

  A printing system according to the present invention is a printing system including an information processing apparatus that generates and outputs print data, and an image forming apparatus that performs printing based on the print data output from the information processing apparatus. In the image forming apparatus, the memory means for storing print data to be printed, the means for grasping the usage status of the memory means for storing the print data, and the memory usage status acquisition command from the information processing apparatus are used. Means for notifying the usage amount of the memory means, and the information processing apparatus includes a storage means for holding the created print data, a means for outputting the created print data to the image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus. A memory usage status acquisition command for acquiring the usage amount of the memory means used by the information processing device, and acquiring the usage amount of the memory means. The divided image data is output to the image forming apparatus, and before the divided print data is output, the memory forming status acquisition command is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. When the amount of memory means used is sufficient to perform the printing operation, the divided print data is not output and the amount of memory means used by the image forming apparatus performs the printing operation. When the print data is insufficient, the divided print data is output.

  According to the print data output method of the present invention, when the print data is divided and the use amount of the memory unit is sufficient for the print operation based on the use amount of the memory unit of the print image forming apparatus, the use amount is the print operation. In this configuration, the divided print data is not sent until it becomes insufficient.

  According to the program according to the present invention, the information processing apparatus provided with the program, the printing system including the information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the print data output method according to the present invention, Since the data is divided and output to the image forming apparatus, and based on the information on the memory usage of the image forming apparatus, the output of the print data is refrained when the usage of the memory means is sufficient to perform the printing operation. It is possible to distribute print data output processing, improve processing efficiency, and reduce the load on other software running on the OS.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a printing system according to the present invention.
This printing system includes an information processing apparatus 1 and a printer apparatus 2 that is an image forming apparatus. First, the printer device 2 controls the entire printer device 2, which is a memory unit that stores (stores) print data to be printed transferred from the information processing device 1, and the print data stored in the RAM 21. Are sequentially read and the engine control unit 23 is controlled to print on a recording medium (also referred to as image formation, recording, printing, printing, etc.), and a printer based on information from the print control unit 22 An engine control unit 23 that controls the drive of the engine 24, a RAM usage status management unit 25 that manages the usage status of the RAM 21, and the like are provided.

  In the printer device 2, when the RAM usage status acquisition unit 25 receives the RAM usage status acquisition command from the information processing device 1, the RAM usage status management unit 25 grasps the usage amount of the RAM 21, and indicates the usage amount of the RAM 25. Information is sent to the information processing apparatus 1. That is, the RAM usage status management means 25 grasps the usage status of the RAM 21 that stores the print data and the memory usage status acquisition command (request for information on the usage (usage status) of the RAM 21 from the information processing apparatus 1). It also serves as means for notifying the RAM 21 usage amount (hereinafter also referred to as “RAM size”).

  On the other hand, the information processing apparatus 1 includes a printer driver 11 that creates print data that can be printed by the printer apparatus 2, a spooler 12 that has an OS that divides and stores the print data generated by the printer driver 11, and the printer driver 11. Includes a language monitor 13 that sequentially receives the print data generated from the spooler 12 from the created print data, and sends the print data to the printer device 2, a display device (display) 14, an OS (not shown), application software, and the like. ing. The spooler 12 also serves as storage means for holding the created print data.

  Here, the printer driver 3 displays on the display device 14 a user interface screen that allows the user to specify whether or not to execute print data output control processing corresponding to the RAM size of the printer device 2 on the display 9. And fetch the specified result. In addition, the printer driver 3 causes the display device 14 to display a user interface screen that can specify the RAM size (usage amount) of the printer device 2 when the print data output to the printer device 2 is refrained. Process to capture the result.

  Note that the RAM size (set usage amount) for determining whether the usage amount of the RAM 21 is sufficient or insufficient for performing the printing operation is an optimal value (print data transfer) for the printer device 2 that is the target of the printing operation. The initial value is a minimum value that does not cause the printer head to stop operating during the operation.

  The language monitor 13 outputs a RAM usage status acquisition command of the printer device 2 to the printer device 2 before outputting the print data dividedly received from the spooler 12 to the printer device 2. The RAM usage status information from the apparatus 2 is received. The received RAM size is compared with a set usage amount for determining whether the usage amount is sufficient or insufficient for performing a preset printing operation. It is determined whether the usage amount is sufficient or insufficient, and printing data is output or printing data is output according to the determination result. That is, the language monitor 13 sends out the generated print data to the image forming apparatus, and sends out a memory usage status acquisition command for acquiring the usage amount of the memory means used by the image forming apparatus. It also serves as a means of obtaining the amount of usage.

  It should be noted that the language monitor 13 may determine whether the RAM size is sufficient or insufficient for performing the printing operation, and relates to the RAM usage status (RAM size). The information may be sent to the printer driver 11 via the spooler 12 and performed by the printer driver 11.

The print data output process in the printing system configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
When there is divided print data created by the printer driver 11 and not output to the printer apparatus 2, the information processing apparatus 1 sends a RAM usage status acquisition command (RAM usage status confirmation) from the language monitor 13 to the printer apparatus 2. Command) and the RAM usage status information is returned from the printer apparatus 2. When the RAM usage status information is returned from the printer apparatus 2, the usage amount (RAM size) of the RAM 21 of the printer apparatus 2 is calculated. Compared with a predetermined set usage amount, it is determined whether the usage amount of the RAM 21 is a sufficient usage amount or an insufficient usage amount for the printer device 2 to perform a printing operation.

  That is, when print data necessary for the printer apparatus 2 to perform a printing operation is stored (stored) in the RAM 21, it is determined that the print apparatus 2 is “sufficient” (over the amount of use), and the printer apparatus 2 is determined to be “insufficient” (the amount of use has not been reached) when the print data necessary for performing the printing operation is not stored in the RAM 21.

  At this time, if the amount of use of the RAM 21 is sufficient for the printer device 2 to perform a printing operation, the print data output to the printer device 2 is refrained and a RAM usage status acquisition command (RAM use) is sent to the printer device 2. Returning to the process of outputting the status confirmation command), the output of the RAM usage status acquisition command is repeated until it is determined that the usage amount of the RAM 21 is insufficient for the printer device 2 to perform the printing operation.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the usage amount of the RAM 21 is insufficient for the printer device 2 to perform the printing operation, the divided print data is output to the printer device 2 (transfer is started). . In this case, the printer device 2 can be set to have no abnormality or can be a condition for outputting print data.

  In this way, the generated print data is divided and output to the image forming apparatus. Before the divided print data is output, information on the usage status of the memory means is obtained from the image forming apparatus, and the usage amount of the memory means is reduced. When the usage amount is sufficient for performing the printing operation, output of the print data is refrained until the usage amount of the memory means becomes an insufficient usage amount for performing the printing operation.

  As a result, when the print data is transferred until all the RAM of the printer device is used, the print data output processing is performed at the same time as the print data creation processing. By transferring the print data, the processing can be distributed (such output processing is referred to as “distributed output processing”). As a result, the processing load on other software running on the OS can be reduced.

  In this case, the user can specify whether or not to execute the print data output / non-output control process based on the RAM size (usage amount) on the user interface screen displayed on the display device 4 by the printer driver 3. When printing print data that is not burdened by the competition between the print data creation process and the print data output process, the print data distributed output process can be omitted.

  Also, by allowing the user to specify the set usage amount of the memory means when the usage amount is sufficient for performing the printing operation on the user interface screen displayed on the display device 4 by the printer driver, The value of the set usage amount used as the determination condition can be set according to the specifications of the printer device to be used.

It is a system configuration figure showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining print data output processing in the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing apparatus 2 ... Printer apparatus 11 ... Printer driver 21 ... RAM (memory means)
25. RAM usage status management means

Claims (7)

A program for causing a computer to perform a process of outputting the print data to an image forming apparatus including a memory unit capable of storing print data,
The generated print data is divided and output to the image forming apparatus. Before the divided print data is output, information on the memory usage is acquired from the image forming apparatus, and the memory usage is printed. Processing to output the divided print data when the usage amount is sufficient to perform the operation, and output the divided print data when the usage amount of the memory is insufficient to perform the printing operation. A program characterized by being executed by a computer.   2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the computer is caused to perform processing for designating a usage amount of the memory means on a user interface screen when the usage amount is sufficient to perform the printing operation. program.   3. The program according to claim 1, wherein the output of the divided print data according to the amount of use of the memory is refrained, or whether or not the process of outputting the divided print data is performed is designated on the user interface screen. A program characterized by causing a computer to perform processing.   The information processing apparatus capable of outputting the print data to an image forming apparatus provided with memory means capable of creating print data and storing the print data. An information processing apparatus comprising:   In a printing system provided with an image forming apparatus provided with memory means capable of storing print data and an information processing apparatus for generating and outputting print data to the image forming apparatus, the information processing apparatus is claimed in claim 4. A printing system, which is the information processing apparatus described in 1. In a printing system including an information processing apparatus that creates and outputs print data, and an image forming apparatus that performs printing based on the print data output from the information processing apparatus.
The image forming apparatus includes a memory unit that stores print data to be printed, a unit that grasps a usage status of the memory unit that stores the print data, and a memory usage status acquisition command from the information processing apparatus. Means for notifying the usage amount of the memory means,
The information processing apparatus includes a storage unit that holds generated print data, a unit that outputs the generated print data to the image forming apparatus, and a usage amount of a memory unit that is used by the image forming apparatus. A memory usage status acquisition command to be acquired and a means for acquiring the usage amount of the memory means;
The information processing apparatus divides the print data and outputs the divided print data to the image forming apparatus, and obtains the memory usage amount acquisition command from the image forming apparatus before outputting the divided print data. Based on the usage of the memory means,
When the usage amount of the memory means used by the image forming apparatus is a sufficient usage quantity for performing the printing operation, the memory means used by the image forming apparatus is refrained from outputting the divided print data. The printing system is characterized in that the divided print data is output when the amount of use is insufficient to perform the printing operation.   A print data output method for outputting print data created by an information processing apparatus to an image forming apparatus having a memory means capable of storing the print data, wherein the print data is divided and printed. When the usage amount of the memory means is sufficient for the printing operation based on the usage amount of the memory means, the divided print data is not sent out until the usage amount becomes insufficient for the printing operation. Print data output method.

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