JP2006260187A - Status monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To drastically reduce the network traffic volume that is used for status monitor. <P>SOLUTION: In the status monitor of peripheral equipment, connected to network so as to be shared by a plurality of computers, peripheral equipment, is operated in cooperative manner with a status monitor, and provided with an identification information managing function for registration-managing the identification information of each computer which has performed access to the peripheral equipment and a status information transmitting function for transmitting the status information of the peripheral equipment to each computer, having the identification information managed by the identification information managing function, only when the status of the peripheral equipment is changed. Only when the status information of the peripheral equipment is changed, will the status information be transmitted by the status information transmitting function. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a status monitoring program (hereinafter referred to as status monitor) for monitoring the status of peripheral devices connected to a network such as a network printer.

  Taking a network printer as an example, conventionally, when a computer transmits a print job to a connected printer and controls so that image data included in the print job can be printed, the computer is not able to Error information such as print paper jam or ink or print paper shortage is received from the printer, and the received information is displayed on a computer display or the like. This notifies the user of the status of the printer.

  Even when the printer is not performing a printing operation, the computer receives information such as the online / offline status of the printer and the open / close status of the printer cover from the printer, and the received information is displayed on the computer display and the like. To be displayed.

  As described above, in order to obtain the printer status, the computer transmits a command (status transmission request command) instructing the printer to transmit the status to the printer, and receives the command as a response. The status transmitted from the printer is converted into a displayable form such as characters and graphics and displayed on a computer display or the like. In this case, a request for status transmission from the computer to the printer is usually made at predetermined time intervals. A program that performs the above management on a computer is a program called a status monitor or a printer status management program. As described above, the status monitor polls the printer at regular time intervals and collects the printer status (see Patent Document 1).

  Conventionally, the relationship between a printer on a network, a computer that controls the printer, an application program running on the computer, a printer driver, and a status monitor has a configuration as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, 1 is a network to which a computer or printer is connected, 2 is a computer A connected to the network 1, 3 is a similar computer B, 4 is a similar computer C, 5 is a similar computer D, 6 Is a network printer A connected to the network 1, 7 is a similar network printer B, 10 is an application program operating on the computer A, 11 is operating on the computer A, and status information of the printer A is displayed. The managed status monitors A and 12 operate on the computer A and are printer drivers A for controlling the operation of the printer A when printing is performed by the printer A. If the computer A performs printing processing with another printer (for example, printer B), the printer driver B13 and status monitor B14 for the other printer are also installed. A system controller 20 controls the entire system of the printer A, receives a print job transmitted from the computer, converts it into print bitmap data that can be handled by the engine controller, and passes it to the engine controller. This is a network function implemented in the controller. Reference numeral 22 denotes an engine controller for controlling the mechanical mechanism of the engine unit, the printer head, and the like on the basis of information such as sensors of the engine unit of the printer A. An engine unit 23 mainly includes a mechanical mechanism for sequentially ejecting ink of a specified color to a specified location on the printing paper by moving or driving the printing paper or the printer head. .

  In the above configuration, when the application program 10 of the computer A requests printing, the printer driver A12 is activated, and the computer operator wants to output by the printer driver various parameter settings, the size of the printer and printing paper, Specify the print mode. At this time, the printer driver refers to information periodically collected by the status monitor in order to know the state of the printer on the network.

  The status monitor itself also displays the printer status on the computer display in a manner that is easy for the operator to understand based on the collected information. For example, the remaining amount of ink, the remaining amount of paper, and the like that change every moment during printing are displayed in graphs and numerical values. Even when the printer is not printing, it displays whether the printer is turned on or off, whether the printer is online or offline, whether it is normal or faulty, whether the cover is open, and the like.

  For this purpose, the status monitor A11 periodically issues a status transmission request command to the printer A. The system controller 20 that has received the status transmission request command via the network function 21 receives the status information of the system controller itself and the engine controller 22 (sensors and mechanisms of the engine section controlled by the engine controller). Together with the received information (status information collected from the mechanism or the like), the status information of the printer A is transmitted to the computer A via the network function. If the computer A causes the printer B to perform the printing process, the computer A must install a printer driver B13 for the printer B and a status monitor B14. That is, as many printer drivers and status monitors as the number of printers used by the computer need to be installed in the computer.

  As described above, the status monitor installed in the computer is installed in the system controller of the printer as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 and operates in conjunction with the status monitor to complement the status monitor function. The transmission program operates as shown in FIG. First, when the printer is activated and ready for operation, the status information transmission program monitors whether a status transmission request command has been sent from any computer (whether the printer has received the status transmission request command). Continue (No in FIG. 6). On the other hand, when the status monitor is executed, the computer side monitors whether a preset time has passed (No in FIG. 5). When the status monitor detects that the preset time has elapsed (Yes in 1 in FIG. 5), a status transmission request command is transmitted to the target printer (who wants to know the state) (2 in FIG. 5). ). If this computer uses multiple printers, the status monitors for the printers (the same number as the number of printers) are installed, and each status monitor is the target. A status transmission request command is transmitted to the printer. As described above, when the status monitor transmits the status transmission request command to the target printer, the status monitor thereafter waits for the status information to be returned from the target printer (No in 3 in FIG. 5).

  As described above, when the status monitor transmits the status transmission request command, the printer monitors whether the status transmission request command has been received as described in 1 of FIG. It is possible to recognize that the status transmission request command transmitted by has arrived (Yes in FIG. 6). When the status transmission request command reception is recognized, the status information transmission program collects status information of each part of the printer by the function of the system controller (2 in FIG. 6). When all the status information is collected, the collected status information is returned to the computer that has transmitted the status transmission request command (3 in FIG. 6).

  Since the status monitor continues to wait for the status information to be returned from the printer as described in 3 of FIG. 5, the status monitor recognizes the return of status information from the printer (Yes in 3 of FIG. 5). The returned status information of the printer is stored in a storage area (memory) designated (managed) by the status monitor in advance (4 in FIG. 5). Thereafter, the status monitor displays the status information of the printer stored in the storage area (that is, collected periodically) on the computer display (display) in a format that can be understood by the printer operator (FIG. 5). 5). Further, when there is a request for referring to status information from a printer driver or an application program, the status information stored in the storage area is provided.

  In this way, the status monitor operates in conjunction with the status information transmission program installed in the printer system controller firmware, periodically polls the printer, collects printer status information, and displays the information on the display. indicate.

Naturally, the computers B, C, D, etc. connected to the network are also installed with a printer driver and status monitor corresponding to the printer to be printed, and operate in the same manner as the computer A described above. To do.
JP 09-251356 A

  As described above, the conventional status monitor periodically transmits a status transmission request command from the computer side, and the status information is transferred in response to the status transmission request command. That is, since one computer acquires the status of one printer, a round-trip packet of a status transmission request command and status information flows on the network. As the number of printers and computers connected to the network increases, the round-trip packet becomes twice the number of printers and personal computers. In recent years, a single personal computer has been shared by many printers. In addition, since there are many types of printers and the price is low, a plurality of printers are often connected to one network. Such a situation has increased the amount of network traffic used for status monitoring, and has come to squeeze other traffic on the network.

  For example, in general, a high-speed printer has a large amount of print data (print job). Therefore, when printing with a high-speed network printer, a large network traffic is required. However, as described above, when many printers and computers are connected to one network, the status monitor of each computer requires a lot of traffic on the network. The traffic that should be used is under pressure, and the transfer speed of print data decreases. That is, the printing speed of the printer is reduced.

  Also, when a function that operates on the network, such as a status monitor, is transferred to a new function for a device that is operating on the network, all the devices on the network are changed to the new function at the same time. Otherwise, there will be devices that can handle the new functions and devices that cannot handle them, and it will often not work properly.

  The present invention has been made focusing on the above points, and is intended to provide a status monitor that is connected to a network and can significantly reduce the amount of network traffic used for status monitoring. .

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the peripheral device registers and manages the identification information of each computer that has accessed the peripheral device, and the peripheral device includes the peripheral device. A status information transmission function for transmitting the status information of the peripheral device to each computer having the identification information registered by the identification information management function only when the status changes, and the status monitor includes the peripheral device The status information is transmitted from the monitoring device, and when the status information is transmitted, it is received and the status information of the peripheral measures is collected.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the status monitor according to the first aspect, the status monitor and the status information transmission function are mounted so as to be added to the conventional status monitor and the status information transmission function. And a network configuration in which a computer or peripheral device adopting a conventional status monitor and a computer or peripheral device adopting the status monitor of the first aspect of the invention can be mixed. It is characterized by.

  The amount of network traffic used for status monitoring is greatly reduced, and the execution speed of peripheral devices on the network is not reduced.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

(First embodiment)
An embodiment when the status monitor of the present invention is applied to a printer will be described. The system configuration of the present embodiment may be the same as the system configuration of the conventional example (FIG. 4). A new status monitor as shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the computer side, and the firmware of the system controller on the printer side includes a new status information transmission program as shown in FIG. 3 and a computer as shown in FIG. Equipped with an identification information management program for registering and managing identification information. That is, the status monitor of the present invention can be easily adopted by simply changing / adding a new status monitor, a new status information transmission program, and an identification information management program to the conventional computer or printer.

  FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the identification information management program, FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the new status monitor, and FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the new status information transmission program, and the operation of this status monitor will be described.

  When the identification information management program as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1 is executed, all accesses from the computer to the printer are continuously monitored (No in FIG. 1). In addition, an identification information management table that can manage the identification information of the computer that has accessed the printer and the network address in association with each other is provided. If a network address itself (for example, an IP address) is adopted as computer identification information, it is not necessary to be associated with the address information because it is also address information, and in a packet transmitted / received on the network. Since the IP address is included and the acquisition of the address is easy, in this embodiment, the IP address is employed as computer identification information hereinafter. When there is an access to the printer from the computer (when a packet addressed to the printer has arrived) (Yes in FIG. 1), the IP address (identification information) of the computer is acquired (from the received packet) Compare with the IP address registered in the identification information management table (2 in FIG. 1).

  As a result, if the current IP address is not registered in the identification information management table, that is, if it is a new IP address (Yes in 3 in FIG. 1), the new address is entered in the identification information management table. Additional registration is performed (4 in FIG. 1). If the current IP address is already registered in the identification information management table (No in 3 of FIG. 1), the identification information management program is terminated as it is (5 in FIG. 1). Even after the new address is additionally registered in the identification information management table, the identification information management program is terminated (5 in FIG. 1). Normally, in a conventional printer, a command analysis processing program that receives a command transmitted from a computer and analyzes the command or the like receives and processes a packet from the computer.

  Therefore, after the identification information management program is completed, the received packet is transferred to the command analysis processing program, the program execution is also transferred to the command analysis processing program, and the conventional processing is performed (6 in FIG. 1). Normally, when a computer searches for a printer to be used on the network (searches), installs a printer driver for that printer, or connects to the printer when the computer is started with the printer driver or printer utility installed At the time of confirmation, the state of the printer is confirmed when a network link with the printer is established, when the printer driver is executed, or the like.

  That is, the printer is accessed before the print job is transmitted to the printer to be used. Therefore, the identification information management program can register the IP address of the computer in the identification information management table before the computer sends the print job (in a special case, the computer can send the print job once before sending the print job. If there is no access to the printer, status information may not be displayed because the printer status information has not been acquired at the start of printing of the print job. However, the IP address may not be displayed when the print job arrives. Status information can be sent to the computer immediately.

  The computer having the identification information registered in the identification information management table can be said to be a computer that intends to use (or may use) this printer. That is, it is a computer that wants the status information of this printer.

  The new status monitor and the new status information transmission program shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 operate in conjunction with the conventional example, and the new status information transmission program complements the status information collection function of the new status monitor. When the new status monitor is executed, it waits while monitoring whether status information from the printer is suddenly received (received) (No in FIG. 2).

  On the other hand, when the new status information transmission program is executed, it monitors whether or not a preset time has passed (No in FIG. 3). When it is detected that a preset time has passed (Yes in FIG. 3), status information of each part of the printer is collected using the system controller function (2 in FIG. 3). When the collection of the status information is completed, the status information is compared with the contents of the status information buffer (previous status information: initial value is empty) that temporarily stores the status information (3 in FIG. 3). Since the status information buffer is empty at the beginning after execution of the new status information transmission program and the comparison results do not match (No in 4 in FIG. 3), it is determined that the status has changed, and the status information collected this time is displayed. After being overwritten and saved in the status buffer, the status information collected this time is transmitted to all the computers registered in the identification information management table (computers that intend to use this printer) (5 in FIG. 3). If the collected status information is compared with the status information buffer (previous status information) and the comparison results match, it is determined that the status has not changed, and the process returns to the beginning of the new status information transmission program ( (Yes in FIG. 3). The new status information transmission program operates as described above, and transmits the changed status information to all the computers registered in the identification information management table only when the status changes.

  When the transmitted status information arrives at the computer, since the status monitor is monitoring as described above (No in FIG. 2), it can be recognized that the status information has arrived at the computer (1 in FIG. 2). Yes). Therefore, the status monitor stores the received status information in a storage area designated in advance (2 in FIG. 2). Thereafter, the status information stored in the storage area is converted into a format that is easy for the user to understand and displayed on the display (3 in FIG. 2).

(Effect of the first embodiment)
As described above, in the status monitor of a peripheral device connected to a network and shared and used by a plurality of computers, the peripheral device registers and manages identification information of each computer that has accessed the peripheral device, and the peripheral device The status information is transmitted to all computers registered in the identification information management table only when the status of the computer changes, and the status monitor installed in the computer is periodically transmitted from the peripheral device. By receiving status information and collecting status information of the peripheral measures, the amount of network traffic used for status monitoring is greatly reduced, and the execution speed of peripheral devices on the network is reduced. There will be no such thing.

(Second embodiment)
An embodiment when the status monitor of the present invention is applied to a printer will be described. The system configuration of the present embodiment may be the same as the system configuration of the conventional example (FIG. 4). A new status monitor that can coexist with the status monitor of the conventional example is added on the computer side, and a part of the conventional status information transmission program is changed in the system controller firmware on the printer side so that it can coexist with it. A new status information transmission program and an identification information management program for managing identification information of a computer that has accessed the printer are added. In other words, the status of the present invention can be easily achieved by simply changing a part of the conventional status information transmission program and adding a new status monitor, new status information transmission program, and identification information management program to the conventional computer or printer. (In the first embodiment, an identification information management program is added, and the status monitor and status information transmission program are replaced with a new status monitor and a new status information transmission program. In the second embodiment, it is the same that the identification information management program is added, but the conventional status monitor and the status information transmission program are left as they are, and a new status monitor and a new status information transmission program are newly added. .)

  The conventional status monitor used in the second embodiment is exactly the same as that described in the above-mentioned conventional example (FIG. 5), and the status information transmission program is the same as the conventional status information transmission program ( 6) is partially changed like the conventional status information transmission program 2 of FIG. 7, 1, 2, and 3 are the same as 1, 2, and 3 in FIG. That is, the conventional status information transmission program 2 is obtained by adding 1a and 1b to the conventional status information transmission program of FIG. The identification information management program, new status monitor, and new status information transmission program are the same as those described in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 3).

  In the above configuration, for example, in FIG. 4, the new status monitor compatible printer A and the conventional status monitor compatible printer B, the new status monitor installed computer A, and the conventional status monitor installed computer B, C are configured as described above. An operation example in the case of a system configured such that D is connected to the network 1 will be described.

  First, when the conventional status monitor-installed computer C uses the conventional status monitor-compatible printer B, the configuration itself described in the conventional example is the same, and the conventional status monitor functions as usual. When the new status monitor installed computer A uses the new status monitor compatible printer A, the computer A functions as described in the first embodiment because it has the same configuration as in the first embodiment.

  When the computer D with the conventional status monitor installed uses the new status monitor compatible printer A, a status transmission request command is transmitted from the conventional status monitor (FIG. 5) installed in the computer D (2 in FIG. 5). ). On the other hand, in the printer A, since the identification information management program continues to monitor all accesses from the computer to the printer (as described in the first embodiment) (No in FIG. 1), The status transmission request command transmitted from the computer D is first received by the identification information management program. Then, the identification information (IP address) of the computer D is registered in the identification information management table (4 in FIG. 1).

  Thereafter, the identification information management program is bypassed (5 in FIG. 1), and the process proceeds to the command analysis processing program. Since this command analysis processing program analyzes that this command is a status transmission request command, the program execution processing moves to the conventional status information transmission program 2 (FIG. 7) installed in the printer A. Since this program monitors whether or not the status transmission request command has been received (No in 1 of FIG. 7), it can be recognized that the status transmission request command transmitted by the computer D has arrived (FIG. 7). 1 Yes). When it is recognized that the status transmission request command has arrived, the identification information of the computer D that has transmitted the status transmission request command is acquired from the information of the packet that has transmitted the status transmission request command (1a in FIG. 7). ). Although the identification information of the computer D has already been registered in the identification information management table as described above, since the conventional status transmission request command has been transmitted, it is determined that the computer is a conventional status monitor installed computer. The acquired identification information (that is, the identification information of the computer D) is deleted from the identification information management table (that is, excluded from the transmission target of the new status information transmission program).

  Thereafter, the status information transmission program 2 collects status information of each part of the printer by the function of the system controller (2 in FIG. 7). When all the status information is collected, the collected status information is returned to the computer D that has transmitted the status transmission request command (3 in FIG. 7). As described above, the status of the printer A can be returned to the computer D as in the conventional status information transmission program (FIG. 6). Therefore, a conventional status monitor can function as usual in the computer D. Further, the new status information transmission program of the printer A does not transmit the status to the printer D.

  Finally, if the computer A with the new status monitor installed uses the conventional printer B that supports the status monitor, since the printer B is a conventional type printer and the status monitor is only supported by the conventional type, the computer A The status monitor for printer B to be installed is the conventional status monitor (FIG. 5). Therefore, even in this combination, the conventional status monitor functions as usual.

  In the above-described embodiment, as described with reference to FIG. 7, in the conventional status information transmission program 2 partially changed, only the conventional status monitor is installed in the computer that has transmitted the conventional status transmission request command. The computer is deleted from the identification information management table, but some computers have a new status monitor installed. However, when searching for a printer to be used on the network When installing the printer driver, when checking the printer connection when starting up the computer with the printer driver, printer utility, etc. installed, when checking whether the network link with the printer is established, When checking the printer status when the printer driver is executed, etc., the status transmission request command is sent to the target printer as in the case of the conventional status monitor, and the response is returned from the printer side. Some status information can be checked.

  To cope with such a computer, in the conventional status information transmission program 2 of FIG. 7, when the identification information of the computer that has transmitted the status transmission request command is deleted from the identification information management table, Only when a predetermined number of times are received within a preset time without receiving the status transmission request command, the identification information of the computer that has transmitted the status transmission request command is obtained from the identification information management table. Configure it to be deleted. By doing so, the identification information of the computer can be deleted only when the conventional status monitor periodically sends a status transmission request command (a computer on which the conventional status monitor is installed). Even if the computer on which the new status monitor is installed sends a status transmission request command once or twice for confirmation, the identification information of the computer is not deleted from the identification information management table (reverse Then, the status information is transmitted by the new status information transmission program, and the new and old status monitors can easily coexist.

(Effect of the second embodiment)
As described above, a new status monitor that can coexist with the status monitor of the conventional example is added on the computer side, and a part of the conventional status information transmission program is changed in the firmware of the system controller on the printer side. By adding a new status information transmission program that can coexist with it and an identification information management program for managing the identification information of the computer that has accessed the printer, a new status as described in the first embodiment can be obtained. Computers and printers that support monitors and computers and printers that only support conventional status monitors can coexist on the same network, and all computers and printers are replaced at the same time when a new status monitor is adopted. There is no need, sequentially added configuration can be taken, such as going to the adoption of computers and printers of the new Status Monitor. In other words, the minimum capital investment can be selected when moving to the new status monitor.

(Third embodiment)
In the first and second embodiments, the identification information managed by the identification information management function (identification information management program) is the identification information of a computer that has visited the printer in the past. Some computers corresponding to the registered identification information do not use the printer for a while (for example, for several hours or more). Continuing to transmit status information to such a computer is useless from the viewpoint of traffic on the network and from the viewpoint of printer status information transmission processing.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, as an item managed by the identification information management program, in addition to associating the identification information of the computer with the network address, information on the time of access is also associated. When the time information is time information before a predetermined time (for example, one hour) from the current time, the identification information management program displays the identification information associated with the time information. Delete from the managed identification information management table.

  Similarly, the computer corresponding to the currently registered identification information may include a computer whose power is turned off. In this case as well, it is useless to continue transmitting status information from the viewpoint of traffic on the network and from the viewpoint of printer status information transmission processing.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when the status information transmission program transmits the status information, if there is no reception response from the computer, the identification information management program manages the identification information of the computer. Delete from the identification information management table.

(Effect of the third embodiment)
As described above, when the identification information or status information having time information before a predetermined time (for example, one hour) is transmitted from the identification information management table managed by the identification information management program, the computer By deleting the identification information of the computer that did not receive a response from the side, it is possible to prevent unnecessary status information from being transmitted over the network, reduce network traffic, and reduce unnecessary processing of peripheral devices. it can.

Flow chart of identification information management program Flow chart of stator monitor of the present invention Flow chart of status information transmission program of the present invention The figure which shows the system configuration example of the computer and printer which are connected to the network Conventional stator monitor flowchart Conventional stator information transmission program flowchart Flow chart of a conventional status information transmission program with some changes

Explanation of symbols

1 Network 2 Computer A
3 Computer B
4 Computer C
5 Computer D
6 Printer A
7 Printer B
10 Application program 11 Status monitor A
12 Printer driver A
13 Printer driver B
14 Status monitor B
20 System Controller 21 Network Function 22 Engine Controller 23 Engine

Claims (4)

  In a status monitor of a peripheral device connected to a network and used in common by a plurality of computers, the peripheral device operates in conjunction with the status monitor and has two functions that complement the function of the status monitor. The identification information management function for registering and managing the identification information of each computer that has accessed the computer, and the peripheral device status information is managed by the identification information management function only when the status of the peripheral device changes. A status information transmission function for transmitting to each computer having identification information, and a status monitor installed in the computer monitors that status information is transmitted from the peripheral device. Received when status information is sent from Status monitor, characterized in that collecting the status information of the peripheral action Te.   The status monitor according to claim 1, wherein the status monitor and the status information transmission function can operate together with a conventional status monitor and a status information transmission function, and a computer or a peripheral device employing the conventional status monitor; A status monitor characterized in that a network configuration in which computers and peripheral devices adopting the status monitor according to claim 1 are mixed is possible.   3. The status monitor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein from the identification information group of each computer managed by the identification information management function, the identification information of a computer that has not accessed the peripheral device for a certain period of time is deleted. A status monitor characterized by   3. The status monitor according to claim 1, wherein the status information transmission function deletes the identification information of a computer that does not respond when status information is transmitted from the identification information group of each computer managed by the identification information management function. A status monitor characterized by that.

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