JP2006244245A - Automatic printing switching device by detecting connection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem wherein too much time is required for printing in a present method, and battery exhaustion may occur in the middle of the printing, since most of recent information terminals are driven by a battery and a radio data transfer speed itself is set to be too slow. <P>SOLUTION: When the information terminal makes printing, the content of print data is changed in response to a connection I/F speed with a printer, the amount of the print data, and the remaining amount of the battery, etc. Specifically, when a transfer speed is favorable by cable connection, image data is transferred. When the speed is quite slow by radio connection, data is transferred not by the image data but by a character code, so as to shorten time till the end of the printing as much as possible. In the case of battery driving, the content of the data to be transferred is transferred not by the image data but by the character code, according to the remaining amount of the battery regardless of radio or cable connection. Thus the burden on the battery in transferring the data is relieved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system including a printing apparatus having both a wired interface and a wireless interface and a host device.

  In the basic system installed in the current information terminal, the data flowing through the I / F is the same regardless of the connection type between the information terminal and the printing apparatus.

  However, current information terminals are beginning to be equipped with an I / F that enables connection with a printing apparatus not only by wired connection but also by wireless connection in the sense of emphasizing its mobility.

  In addition, the conventional wired connection type I / F is originally a specification provided for connecting an external device to a stationary information processing apparatus. In the sense of electricity, many are not aware of mobile information terminals.

  In spite of such a state, mobile information terminals are designed with an emphasis on battery driving as the driving format, and the problem of product power in I / F connection with external devices is a key. It is coming.

  In these mobile terminals, the operation often differs greatly between battery-powered operation and other power supply operations. In particular, when the battery is driven, there are many cases where the internal processing speed is dynamically changed depending on the remaining amount of the battery.

  Similarly, at this time, the operation speed in the device control of the communication I / F system is largely changed.

  In consideration of this, the present invention relates to a data processing apparatus for providing stable data transfer.

Moreover, as a prior art example, patent document 1 and patent document 2 can be mention | raise | lifted, for example.
JP 2001-310530 A JP 2003-330692 A

  Up to now, information terminals and printing devices are usually connected by wire, and when printing is performed, printing methods and methods are defined according to the data transfer speed of the I / F. It was. However, in recent years, wireless I / Fs are increasing as connection I / Fs with external devices on the information terminal side. However, unfortunately, when printing with these I / Fs, when connecting to a printing device and printing, the method is not uniform and does not correspond to the transfer speed, but rather the connection is wireless. However, the printing method often remains the same as when wired.

  However, since many of the information terminals in recent years are battery-powered, the wireless data transfer speed itself is often set to be very slow, and the current method takes too much time to print, and printing is performed. The battery may run out while you are still.

  Therefore, the present invention is characterized in that when the information terminal performs printing, the content of the print data is changed depending on the connection I / F speed with the printing apparatus, the amount of print data, the remaining battery level, and the like.

  Specifically, when the transfer speed can be expected with a wired connection (for example, a USB cable), the conventional printing method (current image data transfer) is performed, and when the wireless connection has a very slow speed, The object is to reduce the time until the end of printing as much as possible by transferring data with character codes instead of image data.

  In case of battery drive, regardless of wireless or wired connection, the content of data to be transferred is transferred by character code instead of image data according to the remaining battery level to reduce the burden on the battery for data transfer. .

  According to the present invention, the print data transfer time and the print time can be kept constant to some extent by changing the contents of the data itself sent to the print device in accordance with the I / F data transfer speed of the information terminal and the printing device. it can.

  In addition, particularly when the information terminal is battery-driven, there is an effect that battery consumption can be minimized by the above-mentioned correspondence.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention is:
1. 1. The information terminal can be driven by a battery, and has a plurality of I / Fs so that both wired and wireless connections are possible for connection with a printing apparatus. The printing device is equipped with a printing FONT, and it is equipped with a plurality of wireless and wired I / Fs as input I / Fs for printing data as well as information terminals. Therefore, the present invention can be effectively used by having an operating environment in which printing can be automatically performed by switching automatically.

  FIG. 1 shows the relationship between a normal information terminal and a printing apparatus.

  Up to now, information terminals have often been connected by using cables for connection with printing apparatuses (specifically, I / Fs such as USB, 1394, etc.) to perform printing. In recent years, however, an increasing number of devices have an I / F that can be connected to a printing apparatus using a wireless connection. As a result, information terminals can perform printing using a large number of wired and wireless I / Fs.

  Examples of I / F typified by wireless include IrdA (infrared communication) and 802.11b.

  FIG. 2 summarizes the assumed transfer rates X1 to 5 of the wireless connection formats 1 to 3 and the wired connection formats 1 to 2, and the setting values A and B that should be registered in advance for each. It is a table.

  The set values A and B are individually determined according to each connection method. The set value B can be used without being concerned about battery consumption even when the battery is driven using a normal transfer method. The data size that can be transferred and the set value A describe the data size that seems to be impossible to send a data size larger than this even when the battery is not driven, considering the transfer time.

  In this embodiment, for simplification of description, the upper limit of the data size in data transfer is provided only for two types of driving conditions, AC driving and battery driving, but depending on the remaining battery level, Further, by providing a more detailed upper limit of the data transfer size, the set values in the table of FIG. 2 can be expanded, and printing control with higher system can be performed.

  Therefore, even when the same data transfer method, for example, wireless communication 2 is used, it is necessary to consider the set value A2 and the set value B2 in the power supply state on the information terminal side.

  If it is not battery-powered, it can be printed if the time is written in consideration of the result, but it takes an extremely long time. For example, when data larger than the set value A2 is transferred and printing is attempted. Is switched to a printing method using, for example, a FONT equipped with a printing apparatus, instead of the normal printing method.

  FIG. 3 shows a specific flow of these.

  When printing a document or the like, “print” is usually selected from each application. As internal processing of the system, print data is acquired as in S301 of FIG. 3, and print data is generated in S302. After that, this data is stored once, sent to the printing apparatus according to the convenience of the information terminal, and printing is started.

  However, in the present invention, the connection method between the printing apparatus and the information terminal is confirmed in S303.

  First, what is important is the connection format between the information terminal and the printing device, but what is equally important is the drive format of the information terminal.

  In step S303, the information terminal drive method and connection format are confirmed.

  If it is determined that the battery is not driven, the process proceeds to S304. In S304, the connection type with the printing apparatus is confirmed, and the “setting value A” of the maximum number of data transfer when the battery is not driven is referred to.

  This “set value A” is registered together with the “set value B” in advance by the connection method between the information terminal and the printing apparatus as shown in FIG. This is the maximum transfer size that matches the data transfer rate in the nuclear connection method.

  Similarly, “setting value B” is the maximum transfer size when the information terminal is battery-driven.

  These maximum transfer sizes are used to determine whether the print data created in S302 can be transferred as it is when printing is performed. In particular, the reason for dividing into “setting value A” and “setting value B” is that, depending on the information terminal, even when the same I / F is used, the battery is driven and the battery is AC driven. In order to reduce power consumption, there are information terminals that change the transfer speed and the like. Therefore, it is necessary to have two setting values for each I / F.

  Since the connection method between the information terminal and the printing apparatus is established in S303, the setting values A and B in the case of the connection method are acquired according to the table of FIG.

  In S304, the size of the print data to be printed this time is compared with the set value A referred to in FIG. 2, and it is determined whether the print data can be transmitted to the printing device as it is.

  If the transmission size is larger than the appropriate value A, it is known that there are many problems with the transfer time if the data generated in S302 is directly sent with the current connection method. Whether it is built in is checked. If it is built in, the data generated in S302 is discarded and replaced with print data using FONT to reduce the print data and print (S306).

  However, if there is no FONT in the printing apparatus, the data created in S302 can only be transmitted as it is, so it is expected that it will take a considerable amount of data transfer speed and printing time. Then, a normal printing operation is performed as in S308.

  Similarly, when it is determined in S303 that the information terminal is battery-driven, the value to be compared with the data size to be printed is determined when the connection format with the printing apparatus is determined as in S309. Set value B ”.

  If the size to be transferred in S309 exceeds the set value B, the remaining battery level is confirmed in S310. If the data size is large, the battery may run out during data transfer. If there is no problem with the remaining battery level, it only takes time to complete printing, so that the user is informed as in S314, and normal printing is processed in S315.

  However, if the remaining battery capacity is not sufficient, the transfer size must be reduced. Therefore, as shown in S311, it is confirmed whether the printing apparatus has a built-in FONT. Print using FONT.

  However, if the built-in FONT is not provided, there is no battery and data transfer itself is not possible. Therefore, an error message such as “no battery” is displayed as in S313, and the process is terminated.

  Next, when the data transfer size is smaller than the “set value B” to be compared when the battery is driven and there is a problem with the remaining battery level in S309, normal printing is performed as in S320.

  If there is a problem with the remaining battery level in S316, it is checked in S317 whether the printing apparatus has a built-in FONT. If so, the data generated in S302 is discarded and the FONT code is used. The data is converted back to print data, and data transfer and printing are performed (S318).

  In S317, if there is a problem with the remaining battery level but the printer does not have a built-in FONT, the data transfer itself is not possible. As shown in S319, an error message such as “no battery” is displayed and processing is performed. finish.

It is a connection example with a typical information terminal and printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Setting values A and B calculated from each data transfer method and print size used in the present invention. It is a rough flowchart in connection with the Example of this invention.

Claims (4)

  Information terminal device capable of operating by both battery drive and AC drive as a driving method, and a printing device connectable to the information terminal device, when there are a plurality of types of wired connection and wireless connection as means for connecting both. When sending print data from the printer to the printing device, the means for knowing the size of the print data, the means for knowing the transfer speed of the I / F, the means for knowing the drive mode at the time of data transfer, and the remaining battery level when the battery is driven A printing system comprising means for knowing and means for changing and transmitting data transfer contents according to these conditions.   2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the format of the data content to be transmitted is changed by predefining a transferable size for each connection method.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer method is changed for each connection method between a battery drive and an AC drive.   2. The data transfer process and the data content are changed by providing a data transfer upper limit in a stepwise manner in accordance with the remaining battery capacity and the transfer data size for one connection method. The printing system described.

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