JP2009061636A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer capable of shortening spool time by a host computer and communication time between the host computer and a printer when performing large-size print for a plurality of sheets. <P>SOLUTION: The printer includes a mass storage device for storing data of a plurality of copies when receiving a printing instruction on the data of the plurality of copies, and a control means. After the data of the plurality of copies are stored in the mass storage device, one copy of the data of the plurality of copies is printed, and when an operator instructs the control means not to perform printing, the control means performs control to erase the remaining data stored in the mass storage device. When the operator instructs the control means to perform printing, the control means performs control to print the remaining data stored in the mass storage device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a printer having a mass storage device.

  As a conventional printer, an apparatus that prints at a time designated by an operator is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In addition, when power control is performed, a printer that stores electricity in a time zone in which the power usage fee is inexpensive is known (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, output can be started or completed at a desired time by reading a document in advance and setting an output time in a copying machine. This conventional example is effective when the output device is in use and printing cannot be performed immediately, or when output is desired at a specific time.

Further, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, the electric double layer capacitor Cc is charged in a time zone in which a power usage fee is cheap among a plurality of fee forms set by an electric power company. During the day, by using the electric power stored in the electric double layer capacitor Cc, the usage amount of expensive electric power is suppressed, but the user's urgent image forming processing request in this time zone I can respond.
JP-A-6-268781 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-266122

  In recent years, many large format printers having a printing size exceeding A1 have been commercialized. The printed matter that is the target of these printers is important in terms of hue, arrangement balance, etc., when a photograph, illustration, poster or the like is printed large. For this reason, trial printing is often performed to check hue, arrangement, and the like. Also, these print data are large data that may be several hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. For this reason, when trial printing and actual printing are performed separately, there is a problem that it takes a considerable time to spool data for creating print data in the host computer and to transfer data from the host computer to the printer.

  Further, when a LAN is used for communication, there is a problem that other communication is affected because the LAN is occupied as well as the communication time.

  Further, in printing, for example, A0 printing takes from several minutes to several tens of minutes. Therefore, in order to print a plurality of sheets, it takes a time unit of printing, and there is a problem that other printing cannot be performed during this time.

  In addition, reduction of power consumption is an important issue in order to reduce running costs.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer that can shorten the spool time in the host computer and the communication time between the host computer and the printer.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a printer that can increase the operational efficiency of the printer and reduce the cost if a large amount of printing that does not need to be corrected is executed during the time when the printer is free.

Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can further reduce the cost if printing is performed in a time zone with a low power charge such as nighttime power.

The present invention includes a large-capacity storage device that stores the data of a plurality of copies upon receiving a print command for the data of a plurality of copies, and a control unit. The controller is stored in the large-capacity storage device when the operator instructs that one of the plural sets of data is printed and not printed after being stored in the large-capacity storage device. Erase the remaining data. Further, when the operator instructs printing, the control means prints the remaining data stored in the mass storage device.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the spool time in the host computer and the communication time between the host computer and the printer.

  In addition, according to the present invention, if a large amount of printing that does not need to be corrected is executed during the time when the printer is available, the operational efficiency of the printer can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

In addition, according to the present invention, if printing is performed in a time zone with a low power charge such as nighttime power, there is an effect that further cost reduction can be performed.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printer 10 and a host computer 20 that are Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  The printer 10 is a large format printer, and includes a controller 1, a hard disk 2, a platen 4, and a carriage 5.

  The hard disk 2 is an example of a large-capacity storage device that stores a plurality of copies of data upon receiving a print command for the copies of the plurality of copies.

  After the controller 1 stores the data in the large-capacity storage device, when the operator instructs that one of the plural sets of data is printed and not printed, the remaining data stored in the large-capacity storage device is stored. Erase data. The controller 1 is means for printing the remaining data stored in the mass storage device when the operator instructs printing.

  Further, the controller 1 performs control so that the remaining data is printed at the time designated by the operator. Further, the controller 1 controls the remaining data to be printed in a time zone where the power charge is low.

  Next, a normal operation for printing one sheet will be described in the first embodiment.

  First, data for one sheet is sent from the host computer 20. The controller 1 first transports the printing paper 3 wound in a roll shape to the platen 4.

  Next, while moving the carriage 5 in the direction of the arrow, ink is ejected from an ink ejection head arranged in the carriage 5 in accordance with the received data, and an image for one line is printed.

  Next, the paper is conveyed for one line, and the above-described operation is repeated to print a target print image.

  Next, operations unique to the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

  When printing is started by data transfer from the host computer 20 in S1, one sheet is printed in S3 while storing the print data in the hard disk 2 in S2.

  Next, in S4, whether or not printing is possible is determined by an instruction from the operator. The instruction by the operator is executed via a GUI provided in the host computer 20. At this time, the operator checks the color arrangement of the printed matter, the print contents, etc., checks whether the target print is finished, and instructs whether or not printing is possible.

  When the operator instructs not to print, the data on the hard disk 2 is erased in S5 and the process is terminated.

  When the operator instructs printing, the process waits until a preset time in S6, reads the remaining data from the hard disk 2 in S7, prints the remaining n-1 sheets, and ends.

  If the printing time determined in S6 is specified when the printer is not normally used, such as at night, the use efficiency of the printer 10 can be increased and the printing cost can be reduced.

  In addition, if the start of printing is set in a time zone where the power is low, such as a nighttime power zone, the cost of printing itself can be reduced, and the printing cost can be further reduced.

  That is, in the first embodiment, when the printer 10 connected to the mass storage device such as the hard disk 2 is instructed to print a plurality of sheets from the host computer 20, the data is stored in the hard disk 2, One sheet is printed as the mark print. Next, the user determines whether or not printing is possible. If the determination result is negative, the data in the hard disk 2 is erased, and printing ends. On the other hand, if the determination result is acceptable, the remaining printing is executed in a time zone where the printer 10 is free, a time zone where the power is low, such as at night.

Further, in the first embodiment, for easy understanding, one sheet is printed at first. However, first, a plurality of sheets may be printed as one part, and the same processing is performed as described above. Can do. In this case, if the one-sheet printing in S3 is set as one-part printing, and the n−1 sheet printing in S7 is read as n−1-part printing, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a printer 10 and a host computer 20 that are Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the control action of Example 1 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Printer,
1 ... Controller,
2. Hard disk,
4 ... Platen,
5 Carriage,
20: Host computer.

Claims (4)

A mass storage device for storing the plurality of sets of data upon receiving a print command for the plurality of sets of data;
After the plurality of sets of data are stored in the large-capacity storage device, when the operator instructs that one of the plurality of sets of data is printed and not printed, the data is stored in the large-capacity storage device. Control means for erasing the remaining data and printing the remaining data stored in the mass storage device when the operator instructs printing;
A printer comprising: In claim 1,
A printer that prints the remaining data at a time designated by an operator. In claim 2,
A printer characterized in that the remaining data is printed in a time zone when the power charge is low. In claim 1,
A printer characterized in that the mass storage device is a hard disk.

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