JP2012196834A - Printer and print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase a speed of data transfer between a host device and a printer, and to continue operation without interruption even when transfer failure occurs in a transfer path between the host device and the printer.SOLUTION: Print image data is transferred through a plurality of transfer paths 11, and control information is transferred through a control line. The transfer path 11 are arranged for every print image data of each color. Each transfer path 11 is composed of a plurality of lanes 13 as a serial bus based on the PCI Express standard. Communication control parts 74 on a host device 10 side connected to the lanes 13 and communication control parts 84 on a printer side connected to the respective lanes 13 are composed of PCI Express devices for transferring data based on the PCI Express standard. A retransmission rate diagnosis part 83 detects the transfer failure on every lane 13, and data is transferred by using the lanes 13 except for the transfer failure lane 13.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing system.

  Conventionally, a printing request from a host device is temporarily received by a host device provided separately from the printing device, and print image data generated by the host device in accordance with the received printing request is sent via a data transfer path to the printing device. A printing system is known in which printing image data is printed by a printing apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, in such a printing system, the data transfer path connecting the host device and the printing device is separated into a data line for transferring print image data and a control line for transferring control information related to print control for the print image data. A technique for increasing the data transfer speed from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus is known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  Specifically, in Patent Document 2, a data line is used for transmission of image data from a printer controller, which is a host device, to a printer engine, which is a printing device that substantially performs printing, and between the printer controller and the printer engine. A technique using a control line for transmitting and receiving various control signals is disclosed. Patent Document 2 discloses that image data for each color is transferred in parallel by separating data lines used for transmitting image data for each color.

  However, in the conventional technology, when a transfer failure occurs in the data transfer path connecting the host apparatus and the printing apparatus, printing cannot be performed, and hardware including the data transfer path needs to be replaced. was there. In other words, conventionally, it has been difficult to increase the speed of data transfer and cope with a transfer failure in a data transfer path without interrupting the operation of the printing apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and realizes high-speed data transfer between a host device and a printing device, and a transfer failure occurs in a transfer path between the host device and the printing device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing system that can operate continuously without interruption even in the case of failure.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides a host device that includes a plurality of first transfer paths that transfer print image data of different colors and a second transfer path that transfers control information. A plurality of printing means for printing an image of the print image data, and a plurality of first transfer paths corresponding to each of the plurality of first transfer paths, from the host apparatus to the first transfer path A plurality of data management means for outputting the print image data transferred via the printing means to the printing means, and a print control means for controlling the plurality of data management means, each of the plurality of first transfer paths Is composed of a plurality of lanes which are serial buses of the PCI Express standard, and each of the plurality of data management means is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes and is connected to the front via the corresponding lane. A plurality of communication control units that perform data transfer based on the PCI Express standard with the host device, and each of the plurality of communication control units includes a detection unit that detects a packet retransmission rate of a corresponding lane; The control unit specifies a lane in which a transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of lanes based on the detection result of the detection unit, and transfers the print image data using a lane other than the specified lane. A printing apparatus that controls the plurality of data management means and the host apparatus.

  Further, the printing system of the present invention includes a host device, a printing device connected to the host device by a plurality of first transfer paths that transfer print image data of different colors and a second transfer path that transfers control information. , Each of the plurality of first transfer paths is composed of a plurality of lanes which are serial buses of the PCI Express standard, and the host device is connected to each of the plurality of first transfer paths. A plurality of communication means provided corresponding to the print image data to the printing apparatus via the first transfer path, wherein each of the communication means is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes. And a plurality of first communication control means for transferring data based on the PCI Express standard with the printing apparatus via the corresponding lane, and the printing apparatus includes the print image data. A plurality of printing means for printing the image of the data, and the print image data transferred from the host device via the first transfer path is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of first transfer paths. A plurality of data management means for outputting to the printing means; and a print control means for controlling the plurality of data management means. Each of the plurality of data management means is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes. And a plurality of communication control means for transferring data based on the PCI Express standard with the host device via the corresponding lane, each of the plurality of communication control means detecting the packet retransmission rate of the corresponding lane The print control unit identifies a lane in which a transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of lanes based on a detection result of the detection unit, and identifies the identified lane. As the transfer of the print image data using the outer lane, it controls a plurality of data management unit and the host device is a printing system.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the speed of data transfer between a host device and a printing device, and to interrupt even when a transfer failure occurs in a transfer path between the host device and the printing device. There is an effect that it is possible to provide a printing apparatus and a printing system that can operate continuously without any problems.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of a printing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of the host device. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of the host device. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a protocol hierarchy of the communication control unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of transfer pattern information, (A) is a diagram illustrating an example of transfer pattern information corresponding to lane normal information, and (B) is a transfer corresponding to defective transfer lane information. It is a figure which shows an example of pattern information. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of the printer apparatus. FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing the communication unit in the host device, the data management unit in the printer device, and the transfer path. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a protocol hierarchy of the communication control unit. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an example of the image output unit. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating the structure of an example of a printer apparatus including a paper transport system. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of control information transmitted and received between the host device and the printer controller of the printer device. FIG. 12 is an example sequence diagram conceptually showing the printing process according to this embodiment. FIG. 13A is a sequence diagram of an example showing more specifically the printing process according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13-2 is a sequence diagram of an example showing more specifically the printing process according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13C is a sequence diagram of an example showing more specifically the printing process according to the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process executed on the printer apparatus side in the print process according to the present embodiment. FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram showing interrupt processing executed in the printing processing according to the present embodiment. FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a transfer pattern of print image data transferred from the upper apparatus side to the printer apparatus side when no transfer failure lane has occurred. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing a transfer pattern of print image data transferred from the host device side to the printer device side when a transfer failure lane occurs.

  Exemplary embodiments of a printing apparatus and a printing system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, for easy understanding, production printing to which the printing system according to the present embodiment is applied will be schematically described. In production printing, the basic idea is to perform a large amount of printing in a short time. For this reason, in production printing, in order to speed up printing and efficiently manage jobs and print data, a workflow system that manages from creation of print data to distribution of printed materials is constructed. .

  The printing system according to the present embodiment relates to a part that executes printing in a production printing workflow. RIP (Raster Image Processor) processing and printing of bitmap data obtained by RIP processing are performed by different apparatuses. Do. The RIP process takes the longest processing time in the printing process, and the printing speed can be increased by separating the apparatus that performs the RIP process from the apparatus that performs the printing process.

(Outline of printing system applicable to the embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an example of a printing system 1 applicable to the embodiment of the present invention. The printing system 1 is configured by connecting a host device 10 and a printer device 17 as a printing device by a plurality of transfer paths 11 (details will be described later) and a control line 12. The printer device 17 is a device that prints images of a plurality of colors. In the present embodiment, the printer device 17 is a device capable of printing four color images of Y (Yellow), C (Cyan), M (Magenta), and K (Black) as a plurality of color images. It will be explained as being.

  The host device 10 performs RIP processing in accordance with print job data supplied from the host device, and creates bitmap data for each color, which is print image data. At the same time, the upper level apparatus 10 creates control information for controlling the printing operation based on the print job data, host apparatus information, and the like. The bitmap data (print image data) for each color is print image data for each color of Y, M, C, and K, which are colors that can be printed by the printer device 17.

  The print image data for each color created by the host device 10 is supplied to a printer engine unit (not shown) of the printer device 17 via a plurality of transfer paths 11 (details will be described later). Control information is transmitted and received between the upper level apparatus 10 and the printer controller 14 via the control line 12. The printer controller 14 controls the printer engine unit (not shown in FIG. 1) based on the transmission / reception of the control information, and executes printing according to the print job.

  Although the printing method is not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, a print image is formed on a printing paper by an inkjet method. Further, as the printing paper, continuous form paper (continuous form) that is continuous paper in which perforable perforations are punched at a predetermined interval is used. In production printing, this continuous paper is often used as printing paper. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to this, and a cut sheet having a fixed size such as A4 size or B4 size may be used as the printing paper. In the continuous paper, a page refers to an area sandwiched between perforations that are struck at a predetermined interval, for example.

(Host device)
FIG. 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the host device 10. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103, and a hard disk drive (HDD) 104 are connected to the bus 100. An external I / F 110, a control information I / F 111, and an image data I / F 112 are further connected to the bus 100. These units connected to the bus 100 can communicate with each other via the bus 100.

  In ROM 102 and HDD 104, a program for operating CPU 101 is stored in advance. The RAM 103 is used as a work memory for the CPU 101. That is, the CPU 101 controls the overall operation of the host device 10 using the RAM 103 as a work memory in accordance with programs stored in the ROM 102 and the HDD 104.

  The external I / F 110 corresponds to, for example, TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) and controls communication with the host device. The control information I / F 111 controls communication of control information. The image data I / F 112 controls communication of print image data of each color. As the image data I / F 112, PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus Express) is used (details will be described later). The method of the control information I / F 111 is not particularly limited, but here, as with each color image data I / F 112, PCI Express is used.

  In such a configuration, print job data transmitted from the host device is received by the external I / F 110 of the host device 10 and stored in the HDD 104 via the CPU 101. The CPU 101 performs RIP processing based on the print job data read from the HDD 104, generates bitmap data for each color, and writes it to the RAM 103. For example, the CPU 101 renders PDL (Page Description Language) by RIP processing, generates bitmap data of each color, and writes it to the RAM 103. The CPU 101 compresses and encodes the bitmap data of each color written in the RAM 103 and temporarily stores it in the HDD 104.

  For example, when the printing operation is started in the printer device 17, the CPU 101 reads out the bitmap data of each color compressed and encoded from the HDD 104, decodes the compressed code, and converts the decompressed bitmap data of each color into print image data. Are written in the RAM 103 respectively. The CPU 101 reads out the print image data of each color from the RAM 103, performs various processes described in detail later, outputs the print image data from the image data I / F 112, and supplies the image data to the printer device 17. Further, the CPU 101 transmits / receives control information to / from the printer device 17 via the control information I / F 111 according to the progress of the printing operation.

(Functional configuration of the host device)
In FIG. 3, the higher-level device 10 according to the present embodiment is shown as functional blocks divided for each function realizing means determined based on hardware and software. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper level device 10 includes a print job data receiving unit 60, an image data generating unit 62, an image data storage unit 64, a transfer control unit 66, a transfer pattern storage unit 68, and control information communication. Unit 69 and communication unit 76.

  The print job data receiving unit 60 receives print job data from a host computer (not shown). The image data generation unit 62 generates print image data for each color by performing RIP processing on the data received by the print job data reception unit 60. The image data storage unit 64 is a storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), and stores print image data for each color generated by the image data generation unit 62.

  The transfer pattern storage unit 68 stores in advance transfer pattern information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data of each color. Details of various information such as transfer pattern information stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 will be described later.

  The communication unit 76 controls communication of print image data of each color, and is provided for each print image data of each color. That is, in the present embodiment, the host device 10 is configured to include a communication unit 76C, a communication unit 76M, a communication unit 76Y, and a communication unit 76K. The communication unit 76 </ b> C transfers the print image data for cyan (C) to the printer device 17. The communication unit 76M transfers the print image data for magenta (M) to the printer device 17. In addition, the communication unit 76Y transfers the print image data for yellow (Y) to the printer device 17. Similarly, the communication unit 76K transfers the print image data for black (K) to the printer device 17.

  In the following description, when the members of the respective colors are described generically, description of C, M, Y, and K may be omitted. That is, when the communication unit 76C, the communication unit 76M, the communication unit 76Y, and the communication unit 76K are collectively referred to, the communication unit 76 for each color or simply the communication unit 76 may be described. Hereinafter, the same applies to other members.

  A plurality of transfer paths 11 for transferring print image data between the upper level device 10 and the printer device 17 are provided independently for each color print image data. That is, in the present embodiment, as the plurality of transfer paths 11, a transfer path 11C that connects the communication unit 76C and the printer device 17, a transfer path 11M that connects the communication unit 76M and the printer device 17, and a communication unit 76Y. And a transfer path 11 </ b> Y that connects the printer device 17 and a transfer path 11 </ b> K that connects the communication unit 76 </ b> K and the printer device 17.

Each of the plurality of transfer paths 11 (transfer paths 11C, 11M, 11Y, and 11K) includes a plurality of lanes. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the transfer path 11 </ b> C includes _four lanes 13 </ b> C _{1 to} 13 </ b> C ₄ . Similarly, each of the other transfer paths 11M, 11Y, and 11K includes four lanes (lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ , and 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ). Each lane 13 is composed of a PCI Express standard high-speed serial bus.

  In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which each transfer path 11 includes four lanes. However, the transfer path 11 is not limited to four as long as it includes two or more lanes.

  Next, details of each color communication unit 76 will be described.

The communication unit 76C includes a data transfer circuit 70C and a communication control unit 74C. The communication control unit 74C includes a plurality of communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ in the transfer path 11C. Each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ is a PCI Express device that independently performs data transfer based on the PCI Express standard.

Each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ is connected to the printer device 17 via the lane 13 (each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ ) which is a PCI Express standard high-speed serial bus.

  The communication units 76M, 76Y, and 76K have the same configuration as that of the communication unit 76C.

That is, the communication unit 76M includes a data transfer circuit 70M and a plurality of communication control units 74M. The communication control unit 74M includes a plurality of communication control units 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ in the transfer path 11M. The communication unit 76Y includes a data transfer circuit 70Y and a plurality of communication control units 74Y. The communication control unit 74Y includes a plurality of communication control units 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ in the transfer path 11Y. Similarly, the communication unit 76K includes a data transfer circuit 70K and a plurality of communication control units 74K. The communication control unit 74K includes a plurality of communication control units 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ in the transfer path 11K.

Each of the communication control units 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ , 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , and 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ is a PCI Express device that independently performs data transfer based on the PCI Express standard. In addition, each of the communication control units 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ , 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ is a lane 13 (lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y ₁₎ which is the PCI Express standard high-speed serial bus described above. To 13Y ₄ and 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ).

  For this reason, in this embodiment, each of the plurality of communication control units 74 provided in the communication units 76 of each color can perform data transfer based on the PCI Express standard independently of each other via the different lanes 13. It has become a structure.

In the present embodiment, the case where each communication unit 76 is provided with four communication control units (in the case of the communication unit 76C, communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ ) will be described. The communication control unit 74 is not limited to four as long as it is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes 13 in the transfer path 11 of each color.

  FIG. 4 shows a protocol hierarchy (architecture) of the communication control unit 74 which is a PCI Express device.

  As shown in FIG. 4, each of a plurality of communication control units 74 provided in each color communication unit 76 includes a physical layer 77, a data link layer 78, and a transaction layer 79, and a protocol layer based on the PCI Express standard. Indicates.

  The transaction layer 79 converts the request received from the data transfer circuit 70 into a PCI Express transaction packet (hereinafter referred to as a packet) and transfers it to the data link layer 78. The data link layer 78 adds a sequence number or the like to the packet and transfers it to the physical layer 77. The physical layer 77 sequentially transfers the packets with added sequence numbers and the like to the lane 13.

The data transfer circuit 70C is serially connected to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ and divides the cyan print image data transferred from the transfer control unit 66 into raster data units, and each divided raster data is divided into raster data units. And distributed to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ according to the transfer pattern information stored in the memory 72C.

  The data transfer circuits 70M, 70Y, and 70K perform the same processing as the data transfer circuit 70C.

That transfer, the data transfer circuit 70M, 70Y, 70K, respectively, each of the communication control unit _{74M 1 ~74M 4, 74Y 1 ~74Y} 4, are serially connected to each of the _74K 1 _{~74K 4,} from the transfer control unit 66 Each of the magenta print image data, yellow print image data, and black print image data is divided into raster data units, and each divided raster data is stored in each of the memories 72M, 72C, and 72K. Each of the communication control units 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ , 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , and 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ is distributed according to the transfer pattern information.

  Here, details of the transfer pattern information will be described.

  The transfer pattern information is information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data of each color. The transfer pattern indicates a distribution method in which raster data obtained by dividing the print image data in the data transfer circuit 70 for each color is distributed from the data transfer circuit 70 for each color to a plurality of communication control units 74 (that is, lanes 13). .

Specifically, the transfer pattern refers to a method of distributing raster data from the data transfer circuit 70C to the plurality of communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C _4, and from the data transfer circuit 70M to the plurality of communication control units 74M ₁ to 74M ₄ . Raster data distribution method, raster data distribution method from the data transfer circuit 70Y to the plurality of communication control units 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , and raster data from the data transfer circuit 70K to the plurality of communication control units 74K ₁ to 74K ₄ Shows the distribution method.

  In this embodiment, the data transfer circuit 70 for each color divides print image data into raster units. However, the print image data may be divided into predetermined units, and is limited to raster data units. Absent.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of transfer pattern information.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the transfer pattern information is stored in the transfer order in which raster data is transferred in parallel from the data transfer circuit 70 to the plurality of communication control units 74 (in FIG. 5A, 1st data, 2nd data). The sequence number of raster data distributed to each communication control unit 74 is determined for each 3rd data).

In FIG. 5, the communication control unit 1 to the communication control unit 4 indicate the communication control unit 74 provided in the communication unit 76 of each color. Therefore, when the communication unit 76C includes a communication control unit 1 to the communication control unit 4 in FIG. 5, respectively, show the respective communication control unit _74C 1 _{~74C 4.}

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5A, at the first transfer from the data transfer circuit 70C to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ (see the 1st data row in FIG. 5A), the raster 1 , Raster data of raster 2, raster 3, and raster 4 are distributed to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ . In the second transfer to the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ (refer to the 2nd data row in FIG. 5A), the raster data of the raster 5, raster 6, raster 7, and raster 8 are stored. shows that distributed to each of the communication control unit _74C 1 _{~74C 4.}

For this reason, the raster data distributed according to the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5A is sequentially transferred from the data transfer circuit 70C to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ to the communication control unit 74C ₁ . The raster data of raster 1, raster 5 and raster 9 are transferred in order.

When 4 is also referenced, these raster data is converted sequentially received by the transaction layer 79 of the communication control unit 74C ₁ to the packet. Then, is added a sequence number to each packet in the data link layer 78, from the physical layer 77 to the lane @ 13 C _1, in the order of raster data transferred, the packet of each raster data is sequentially transferred.

Similar processing is performed for each of the other communication control units 74C _{2 to} 74C ₄ and the other communication units 76 (communication unit 76M, communication unit 76Y, and communication unit 76K).

  This transfer pattern information is stored in each of the memories 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) of the data transfer circuit 70 (70C, 70M, 70Y, 70K) for each color. The transfer pattern information is also stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68.

  Note that the transfer pattern information illustrated in FIG. 5A is a pattern in which data transfer is performed using all of the four lanes 13 connected to each of the plurality of communication control units 74 provided in the communication unit 76. . For this reason, the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5A is associated with the lane normal information indicating that all the lanes 13 are normal (the state in which no transfer failure occurs), and the memory 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) and the transfer pattern storage unit 68.

  In addition, the memory 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) and the transfer pattern storage unit 68 transfer the transfer failure lanes among the lanes 13 connected to the communication control units 74 of the communication units 76 of the respective colors. In association with the defective lane information, transfer pattern information indicating a data distribution method using the lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred is stored.

FIG 5 (B), 4 lanes 13 which are connected to respective communication unit 76 of each color, for example, of the @ 13 C ₁ ~ lane @ 13 C _4, for example, transfer when lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lane Pattern information is given.

As shown in FIG. 5 (B), the transfer pattern information associated with the information indicating a transfer failure of lanes @ 13 C ₄ as the transfer failure lane information is raster data in lanes @ 13 C ₁ ~ Lane @ 13 C ₃ except lane @ 13 C ₄ is A transfer pattern is determined so as to be sequentially distributed.

  That is, the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5B is the transfer order in which raster data is transferred in parallel from the data transfer circuit 70 to the plurality of communication control units 74 (in FIG. 5A, 1st data, 2nd data, For each 3rd data), the sequence number of raster data to be distributed to the communication control unit 74 corresponding to (connected to) the lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred in each communication control unit 74 It has established.

For this reason, in the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5B, for example, in the first transfer from the data transfer circuit 70C to each communication control unit 74C, the raster data of raster 1, raster 2, and raster 3 are This indicates that distribution is performed to communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ other than the communication control unit 74C ₄ connected to the transfer failure lane. In the second transfer, the raster data of the raster 4, the raster 5, and the raster 6 are distributed to the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ .

For this reason, the raster data distributed according to the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5A is sequentially transferred from the data transfer circuit 70C to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ to the communication control unit 74C ₁ . The raster data of raster 1, raster 5 and raster 9 are transferred in order.

For this reason, the raster data distributed according to the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5B is sequentially transferred from the data transfer circuit 70C to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ to the communication control unit 74C ₁ . The raster data of raster 1, raster 4, and raster 7 are transferred in order. Further, the communication control section 74C ₂ is raster 2, raster 5, raster data in the raster 8 is transferred sequentially. Further, the communication control unit 74C ₃ are raster 3, raster 6, raster data of the raster 9 are sequentially transferred.

Referring also to FIG. 4, the transaction layer 79 of each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ sequentially receives the raster data and converts each raster data into a packet. Then, the data link layer 78 adds a sequence number to each packet, and the physical layer 77 sequentially transfers the packets to each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₃ .

On the other hand, raster data is not transferred to the communication control unit 74C ₄ connected to the lane 13C ₄ where the transfer failure has occurred.

Similarly, other and the communication control section _74C 2 _{~74C 3,} another communication section 76 (communication unit 76M, the communication unit 76Y, a communication unit 76K) same processing for each is performed.

  As described above, the present embodiment is configured to enable data transfer using the lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred.

Similarly, the memory 72 of the data transfer circuit 70 provided in the communication unit 76 of each color (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K ), and the transfer pattern storage unit 68, and each lane 13 except lane @ 13 C _4, a plurality Transfer pattern information indicating that raster data is distributed to lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred is stored in advance in association with transfer failure lane information indicating the transfer failure in the lane 13.

  That is, the memory 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) and the transfer pattern storage unit 68 have a plurality of lanes 13 for transferring data from each of the plurality of communication control units 74 connected to the data transfer circuit 70 for each color. The type of the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred, such as when any one of the transfer failure occurs, when any two transfer failure occurs, and when any three transfer failure occurs. Depending on the number, a plurality of transfer patterns for distributing raster data to lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which a transfer failure has occurred is stored.

  The lane normal indicating that all the lanes 13 are normal in the memory 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) of the data transfer circuit 70 and the transfer pattern storage unit 68 provided in the communication unit 76 of each color. Transfer pattern information for transferring data using all of the four lanes 13 connected to each of the plurality of communication control units 74 provided in the communication unit 76 in association with the information (see FIG. 5A). Is also remembered.

  Further, the memory 72 (72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K) and the transfer pattern storage unit 68 store identification information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data to be transferred next. Therefore, in the data transfer circuit 70 for each color, each raster data obtained by dividing the print image data transferred from the transfer control unit 66 is transferred to each communication based on transfer pattern information corresponding to the identification information stored in the memory 72. This is distributed to the control unit 74.

  This identification information is rewritten by the transfer control unit 66. Therefore, the data transfer circuit 70 for each color is configured to distribute the raster data to each communication control unit 74 based on the transfer pattern information corresponding to the identification information rewritten by the transfer control unit 66.

  On the other hand, the control information communication unit 69 transfers control information to and from the printer device 17.

  The transfer control unit 66 transfers the print image data of each color stored in the image data storage unit 64 to the corresponding color communication unit 76 and transmits the identification information indicating the transfer pattern of the print image data of each color to each communication. The data is transferred to the unit 76. For this identification information, for example, transfer failure lane information indicating a transfer failure lane or lane normal information may be used.

(Printer device)
FIG. 6 shows an exemplary configuration of the printer device 17. In FIG. 7, the configuration of the communication unit 76 of the host device 10 and the configuration of the data management unit 30 of the printer device 17 are illustrated in an enlarged manner.

The printer device 17 includes a printer controller 14 and a printer engine 15. A control line 12 is connected to the printer controller 14, and control information is transmitted to and received from the host apparatus 10 via the control line 12 to control the printing operation. The printer engine 15 is connected to the host device 10 via the transfer path 11 (11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K) connected to each of the color communication units 76 (76C, 76M, 76Y, 76K) of the host device 10. Has been. As described above, each transfer path 11 includes a plurality of lanes 13. For this reason, the printer engine 15 is connected to each of the communication control units 74 (74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ , 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ , 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ ) of the host device 10 in total 16 Lane 13 (13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ , 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ , 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ) of the book (four lanes 13 × 4 colors provided for each color communication unit 76) Is connected to the higher-level device 10.

  Under the control of the printer controller 14, the printer engine 15 performs print processing using print image data of each color transferred from the upper level device 10 via the plurality of lanes 13.

  The printer controller 14 and the printer engine 15 will be described in more detail.

  The printer controller 14 includes a CPU 21 and a print control unit 22, and the CPU 21 and the print control unit 22 are connected to the bus 20 so that they can communicate with each other. The control line 12 is also connected to the bus 20 via a communication I / F (not shown). The CPU 21 operates according to a program stored in a ROM (not shown) and controls the overall operation of the printer device 17. The print control unit 22 transmits / receives commands and status information to / from the printer engine 15 based on transmission / reception of control information to / from the host device 10 via the control line 12 to control the operation of the printer engine 15. To do.

  The print control unit 22 includes a memory 22A. Similarly to the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72 of the upper level device 10, the memory 22A stores transfer pattern information in advance in association with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information. Note that the transfer pattern information associated with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information is the same information as the information stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72 of the host device 10.

  The printer engine 15 includes a plurality of data management units 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K). In addition, the printer engine 15 includes an image output unit 50 that outputs an image based on print image data to a sheet to form an image, and a conveyance control unit 51 that controls conveyance of the print sheet.

  Each data management unit 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K) is connected to the print control unit 22 by engine control lines 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K, respectively. The print control unit 22 can individually transmit and receive control signals to and from the data management units 30Y, 30M, 30Y, and 30K via the engine control lines 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K.

  Further, the transfer paths 11 (11C, 11M, 11Y, and 11K) are connected to the data management units 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K), respectively. That is, each data management unit 30 is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of transfer paths 11.

  Each data management unit 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K) includes a memory 31 (31C, 31M, 31Y, 31K), and each color print image transferred from the host device 10 via the transfer path 11 Data is stored in the memory 31 (31C, 31M, 31Y, 31K), respectively.

  Each of these memories 31C, 31M, 31Y and 31K has a capacity capable of storing print image data for at least three pages. The print image data for three pages corresponds to, for example, the print image data of the page being transferred from the upper level device 10, the print image data of the page currently being output, and the print image data of the next page.

  Further, the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y and 30K include communication units 86C, 86M, 86Y and 86K, respectively.

  The communication unit 86C receives the print image data for cyan (C) from the upper level device 10 via the transfer path 11C and transfers it to the image output unit 50. The communication unit 86M receives magenta (M) print image data from the upper level apparatus 10 via the transfer path 11M and transfers it to the image output unit 50. In addition, the communication unit 86Y receives print image data for yellow (Y) from the upper level device 10 via the transfer path 11Y and transfers it to the image output unit 50. Similarly, the communication unit 86K receives black (K) print image data from the upper level device 10 via the transfer path 11K and transfers it to the image output unit 50.

  Next, details of the communication unit 86 (communication units 86C, 86M, 86Y, 86K) in the data management unit 30 (data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K) for each color will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, the communication unit 86C includes a data transfer circuit 80C and a communication control unit 84C. The communication control unit 84C includes a plurality of communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ in the transfer path 11C. Each of the communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₄ is a PCI Express device that independently performs data transfer based on the PCI Express standard.

Each of the communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₄ is connected to each communication control unit of the host device 10 via the lane 13 (each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ ) which is the PCI Express standard high-speed serial bus. 74 (74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ ).

  The communication units 86M, 86Y, and 86K have the same configuration as that of the communication unit 86C.

That is, the communication unit 86M includes a data transfer circuit 80M and a communication control unit 84M. The communication control unit 84M includes a plurality of communication control units 84M _{1 to} 84M ₄ provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ in the transfer path 11M. The communication unit 86Y includes a data transfer circuit 80Y and a communication control unit 84Y. The communication control unit 84Y includes a plurality of communication control units 84Y _{1 to} 84Y ₄ provided corresponding to the plurality of lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ in the transfer path 11Y. Similarly, the communication unit 86K includes a data transfer circuit 80K and a communication control unit 84K. The communication control unit 84K includes a plurality of communication control units 84K _{1 to} 84K ₄ provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ in the transfer path 11K.

Each of the communication control units 84M _{1 to} 84M ₄ , 84Y _{1 to} 84Y ₄ , 84K _{1 to} 84K ₄ is a PCI Express device that independently performs data transfer based on the PCI Express standard.

Further, each of the communication control unit _{84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M 1 ~84M} 4, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, 84K 1 ~84K 4 is lane 13 (lane @ 13 C ₁ is a high-speed serial bus PCI Express standards described above Through 13C ₄ , 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ , and 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ), each communication control unit 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ that is a PCI Express device provided on the host device 10 side , 74M _{1 to} 74M ₄ , 74Y _{1 to} 74Y ₄ , and 74K _{1 to} 74K ₄ .

As described above, in the present embodiment, the transfer path 11 for transferring the print image data between the upper level apparatus 10 and the printer apparatus 17 is provided for each color print image data (transfer paths 11C, 11M,. 11Y, 11K), and each transfer path 11 independently of one another are a plurality of lanes ₁₃ capable of data transfer based on the PCI Express standard by _{(13C 1 ~13C 4, 13M 1} ~13M 4, 13Y 1 ~13Y 4, 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ). Then, each of the communication control unit 74 on the host device 10 side connected to each lane 13 and each of the communication control unit 84 on the printer device 17 side connected to each lane 13 are independent of each other to the PCI Express standard. Based on this configuration, data transfer is possible.

  For this reason, in the present embodiment, the packet is monitored independently for each lane 13, and the data transfer based on the PCI Express standard is possible for each lane 13 independently.

In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which each color communication unit 86 is provided with four communication control units 84 (in the case of the communication unit 86C, communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₄ ). However, each color communication unit 86 may be provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes 13 in the transfer path 11 of each color, and is not limited to four.

Each communication control unit _{84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M 1 ~84M} 4, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, each of the _84K 1 _{~84K 4} the retransmission rate diagnosis section _{83 (83C 1 ~83C 4, 83M} 1 ~83M 4 , 83Y _{1 to} 83Y ₄ , 83K _{1 to} 83K ₄ ). The retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83 is a functional unit that diagnoses the retransmission rate of packets transferred from the higher-level device 10 via the lane 13 connected to the communication control unit 84 in which the retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83 is provided. (Details will be described later).

  FIG. 8 shows a protocol hierarchy (architecture) of each communication control unit 84 which is a PCI Express device. FIG. 7 also shows a part of the protocol hierarchy.

  As shown in FIG. 8, each of the plurality of communication control units 84 provided in each color communication unit 86 includes a physical layer 89, a data link layer 88, and a transaction layer 87, and a protocol layer based on the PCI Express standard. Indicates.

  The physical layer 89 receives a packet transferred from the corresponding communication control unit 74 via the lane 13 and transfers the packet to the data link layer 88. The data link layer 88 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the packet, and notifies the packet sequence number and the result to the data link layer 78 (see FIG. 4) of the communication control unit 74 that is the data link layer on the transmission side. To do. In the data link layer 78 of the communication control unit 74 on the host device 10 side, when the result is an abnormality notification, the packet of the sequence number corresponding to the abnormality notification is retransmitted. In addition, even when the data link layer 78 of the communication control unit 74, which is the data link layer on the transmission side, cannot receive the result within a predetermined time, the packet with the corresponding sequence number is retransmitted. For this reason, the retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83 is a functional unit of the data link layer 88. That is, the retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83 diagnoses the retransmission rate of the received packet by measuring the number of packet retransmissions in the data link layer 88.

  The retransmission rate indicates the ratio of the number of times that a packet was retransmitted to the total number of packets transferred to each communication control unit 74.

  The data link layer 88 transfers the transferred packet to the transaction layer 87 when there is no abnormality in the packet. The transaction layer 87 transfers the packet received via the physical layer 89 and the data link layer 88 to the corresponding data transfer circuit 80 in units of raster data (see FIG. 7).

Therefore, the color of the data transfer circuit 80C, 80M, 80Y, and each of the 80K, a plurality of communication control unit _{84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M 1 ~84M} 4, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, 84K 1 ~84K 4 Data in units of raster data is sequentially transferred from each.

Returning to Figure 7, the data transfer circuit 80C is connected to the communication control unit _84C 1 _{~84C 4,} the raster data transferred from the communication control unit _84C 1 _{~84C 4,} is stored in the memory 82C The data is rearranged based on the transfer pattern information corresponding to the identification information and stored in the memory 31C as print image data of each color.

  In the memory 82C provided in the data transfer circuit 80C, similarly to the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72, transfer pattern information is stored in advance in association with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information. Yes. Note that the transfer pattern information associated with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information is the same information as the information stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72 of the host device 10. The memory 82C stores identification information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data. The identification information is rewritten under the control of the print control unit 22 (details will be described later).

Further, the data transfer circuit 80C print data transferred from the upper level device 10 via the transfer path 11C (lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ ) according to the control signal received from the print control unit 22 via the engine control line 40C. Is stored in the memory 31C. Similarly, the data transfer circuit 80C reads print image data from the memory 31C in accordance with a control signal received from the print control unit 22 via the engine control line 40C, and supplies it to the image output unit 50 described later.

Further, the data transfer circuit 80C is that each at diagnosed retransmission rate of retransmission rate diagnosis section _83C provided on each of the communication control unit _{84C (84C 1 ~84C 4) (} 83C 1 ~83C 4), higher-level device When the threshold of the retransmission rate transmitted from 10 via the print control unit 22 is exceeded, the communication control unit 84 provided with the retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83C (83C _{1 to} 83C ₄ ) exceeding the retransmission rate is provided. A signal indicating a transfer failure of the connected lane 13 is transferred to the print control unit 22.

  Similarly to the data transfer circuit 80C, the data transfer circuits 80M, 80Y, and 80K are provided with memories 82M, 82Y, and 82K, respectively. In these memories 82M, 82Y, and 82K, similarly to the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72, transfer pattern information is stored in advance in association with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information. Note that the transfer pattern information associated with each of the transfer failure lane information and the lane normal information is the same information as the information stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 and the memory 72 of the host device 10. Further, identification information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data is stored in the memories 82M, 82Y, and 82K. The identification information is rewritten under the control of the print control unit 22 (details will be described later).

  The data transfer circuit 80M, the data transfer circuit 80Y, and the data transfer circuit 80K have the same configuration as the data transfer circuit 80C. Therefore, detailed description of the data transfer circuit 80M, the data transfer circuit 80Y, and the data transfer circuit 80K is omitted.

  The print image data of each color output from the data management unit 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y and 30K) is supplied to the image output unit 50. The image output unit 50 executes printing using print image data of each color. In the present embodiment, printing based on print image data is performed by an ink jet method in which printing is performed by ejecting ink from nozzles provided in the head. Of course, the printing method is not limited to the ink jet method, and for example, a laser printer method or the like may be used.

  FIG. 9 shows an exemplary configuration of the image output unit 50. The image output unit 50 includes an output control unit 55 and heads 56C, 56M, 56Y, and 56K for the colors C, M, Y, and K. The relationship between each color and the heads 56C, 56M, 56Y, and 56K is not limited to this example. Each output control unit 55 connects each output line 32C, 32M, 32Y and 32K to which the print image data of each data management unit 30C, 30M, 30Y and 30K is output and the head 56C, 56M, 56Y and 56K. To control. That is, the output control unit 55 can set a path so that each head 56C, 56M, 56Y, and 56K selects and connects 1 to each of the output lines 32C, 32M, 32Y, and 32K.

  The path connecting each output line 32C, 32M, 32Y and 32K and each head 56C, 56M, 56Y and 56K can be set by a user operation using, for example, a dip switch. Not limited to this, the path may be set by a control signal (not shown) from the print control unit 22.

(Printing paper transport system)
The conveyance control unit 51 is connected to the print control unit 22 by the conveyance control line 41 and controls conveyance of a sheet on which an image based on print image data is formed by the image output unit 50. FIG. 10 schematically shows an example of the structure of a printer apparatus 200 including a paper transport system that can be applied to the present embodiment. As described above, in this embodiment, the printer device 200 uses continuous paper as printing paper.

  The printing paper 201 is supplied from the printing paper supply unit 210 to the first transport unit 230 via the power operation box 220. The printing paper 201 is conveyed by the first conveyance unit 230 through a plurality of rollers and the like by the conveyance control of the conveyance control unit 51, and is aligned, and the printer engine units 240 and 250 corresponding to the printer engine 15 described above. To be supplied.

  The printer engine units 240 and 250 perform printing in accordance with the print image data on the printing paper 201 supplied from the first transport unit 230 in the printing unit 241 corresponding to the image output unit 50 described above. The printing paper 201 that has been printed is discharged from the printer engine unit 250 by the conveyance control of the conveyance control unit 51 and is supplied to the second conveyance unit 260. The printed printing paper 201 is transported in a predetermined manner inside the second transport unit 260 and discharged, and is supplied to the cutting unit 270. The printing paper 201 after printing is cut according to the perforation by the cutting unit 270, and each page is separated.

  Here, since the printer apparatus 200 performs printing on the printing paper 201 that is a continuous sheet of continuous pages, the printing paper 201 is printed on the printing paper 201 by the printer engine units 240 and 250, and the printing paper 201 is then transferred to the second transport unit 260. The printing paper 201 is always present in the path from the printer to the paper.

  In addition, another set of configurations including the first transport unit 230, the printer engine units 240 and 250, and the second transport unit 260 is prepared, and the printing paper 201 after printing discharged from the front second transport unit 260 is prepared. Is reversed and supplied to the first conveyance unit 230 on the rear side, whereby double-sided printing on the printing paper 201 becomes possible.

(Details of Print Processing According to Embodiment)
Next, the printing process according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail. FIG. 11 shows an example of control information transmitted / received via the control line 12 between the upper level apparatus 10 and the printer controller 14 of the printer apparatus 17. The control information roughly includes (1) job (JOB) information, (2) information indicating a printer status and a printing process, (3) information indicating a printing condition, and (4) information indicating a connection. included.

  The job information of (1) notifies the start and end of a job (JOB). The job start includes a job start notification from the host device 10 to the printer controller 14 and a response from the printer device 17 to the host device 10 in response to the notification. The job end includes a notification from the host apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 that all print processes requested by the job start and a response from the printer controller 14 to the host apparatus 10 in response to the notification. In response to these job start and job end responses, a job identifier (JOBID) for identifying the job is transmitted from the printer controller 14 to the upper level apparatus 10.

  The information indicating the printer status and the printing process in (2) includes printing process acceptance start, printer information request and notification, printing process start, printing process request, data transfer completion, data reception completion, and printing. Notification of process completion, process status report, SC (Service Control) notification, and error occurrence and cancellation.

  In the present embodiment, as the error occurrence notification, the above-described transfer failure lane information indicating the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred, the identification information, an instruction to disconnect the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred, and the like are notified. .

  In the printing process reception start, the printer device 14 notifies the upper level device 10 that the printer controller 14 can receive the printing process. The printer information request and notification includes a request for necessary printer information from the host apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 and a response from the printer controller 14 to the host apparatus 10 in response to the request.

  The start of the printing process includes a notification from the upper level apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 that preparation of print image data is completed, and a response from the printer apparatus 17 to the upper level apparatus 10 in response to the notification. The print image data preparation completion notification is performed in the output order of print image data and in units of pages (processes). A page can be said to be a printing unit in which printing is performed in a series of printing operations.

  The print process request includes a print process notification from the printer controller 14 to the upper level device 10 and a response from the higher level device 10 to the printer controller 14 in response to the notification. In response to this print process request, the printer controller 14 sends color information (Yellow, Cyan, Magenta or Black) indicating the colors Y, C, M, and K to be printed, a process identification number processID, and a plane identification number to the upper level apparatus 10. Notify them. Note that the plane corresponds to each image based on print image data of each color printed on one page. The printer controller 14 notifies these pieces of information according to the request order of the plane unit and the engine, that is, the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K. That is, print image data composed of bitmap data goes to the upper level apparatus 10 from the printer engine 15 side.

  The completion of the data transfer is notified from the upper level device 10 to the printer controller 14 of the completion of the transfer of the requested plane print image data. The completion of data reception is notified from the printer controller 14 to the upper level device 10 that reception of the requested plane print image data has been completed. The completion of the printing process is notified from the upper level device 10 to the printer controller 14 that the printing request for all pages (process) has been completed. In the process status report, the print status of the page (process) is notified from the printer controller 14 to the upper level apparatus 10. At this time, the printer controller 14 acquires information regarding paper feed, paper discharge, and printing start from the printer engine 15, adds the acquired information to the notification and transmits the information to the upper level device 10.

  In the SC notification, the host device 10 requests the printer controller 14 to acquire transfer failure information of the printer device 17, and the transfer failure information acquired in response to the request is transmitted from the printer controller 14 to the host device 10. Be notified. The error occurrence and cancellation is notified from the host device 10 to the printer controller 14 of the occurrence of the error on the host device 10 side and the cancellation of the error.

  The information indicating the printing condition (3) includes setting of the printing condition, that is, notification of the printing condition from the upper level apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 and the response of the printer controller 14 to the notification. Examples of printing conditions include a printing form, printing type, paper supply / discharge information, printing surface order, printing paper size, printing data size, resolution and gradation, and color information.

  The print mode indicates, for example, whether to perform double-sided printing or single-sided printing on the printing paper 201. The print type indicates whether print image data exists and is to be printed, or whether print image data does not exist and is a blank page. The paper supply / discharge information indicates identification information such as a paper source and a paper output destination stacker of the printing paper 201. The printing surface order indicates whether printing is performed on the printing paper 201 from the front surface to the back surface or from the back surface to the front surface. For example, when a continuous paper is used as the printing paper 201, the printing paper size indicates the length in the transport direction of the printing paper 201 of the page to be printed. The print data size indicates the data size of the print image data. The resolution and gradation indicate the resolution and gradation when printing the print image data on the printing paper 201. The color information indicates whether printing is performed in full color using colors C, M, Y, and K, or a single color using only color K, for example.

  The information indicating the connection in (4) includes registration and cancellation, and the host device 10 and the printer controller 14 register each other's information and cancel the registered information.

(Print sequence)
Next, the printing process will be described. First, the printing process performed on the printer device 17 side during the printing process will be specifically described.

  In the present embodiment, in the initial state (the state from when the power supply to the host device 10 and the printer device 17 is started until before the printing process is executed), the memories 72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K, the transfer pattern storage unit 68, and the memory 22A, the memories 82C, 82M, 82Y, and 82K of the printer device 17 store lane normal information in advance as identification information indicating the transfer pattern of print image data. It will be explained as a thing. The identification information is stored in the memory as it is before the power supply to the host device 10 and the printer device 17 is interrupted last time. The processing may be performed using the stored identification information.

  FIG. 12 shows a print process executed on the printer device 17 side in the present embodiment between the print control unit 22, the conveyance control unit 51, and the color data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K. It is an example sequence diagram which shows notionally the flow of the signal exchanged. Here, it is assumed that full-color printing using the colors C, Y, M, and K is performed. When the print control unit 22 receives information on the print paper 201 as control information from the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ100), the print control unit 22 sets a paper feed length for the transport control unit 51 based on the received information (SEQ110). The paper feed length is, for example, the size of one page in the transport direction.

  When the print control unit 22 receives the print job for the first page (page # 1) from the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ101), the print control unit 22 applies the colors C, M, and Y to the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K, respectively. A request is made to start data transfer for the first page for each of the colors K and K (SEQs 110a, 110b, 110c and 110d). In accordance with this request, the data management unit 30 </ b> C requests the upper page 10 for print image data of the first page of color C. Then, in the data transfer circuit 80C in the data management unit 30C, each packet of the print image data of the first page of color C transferred from the upper level device 10 in response to this request is stored in the memory 82C for each raster data unit. After rearranging according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information being stored, it is stored in the memory 31C.

  Similarly, each data management unit 30M, 30Y, and 30K requests the first page of print image data of each color Y, M, and K from the host device 10 in accordance with the request of SEQ 110b, 110c, and 110d. Each data management unit 30M, 30Y, and 30K stores each packet of print image data of the first page of each color M, Y, and K transferred from the upper level device 10 in response to this request in the memory 82M for each raster data unit. , 82Y, and 82K, the data are rearranged according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information, and then stored in the memories 31M, 31Y, and 31K, respectively.

  On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 12, while the print control unit 22 requests the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K to transfer data of the first page, the print control unit 22 The print job of the next second page transmitted from 10 is received (SEQ102). The received print job is held in a memory (not shown) or the like.

  When the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K complete the transfer of the print image data for the first page of each color from the upper level device 10, they notify the print control unit 22 accordingly (SEQ111a, 111b, 111c and 111d). In response to the notification, the print control unit 22 requests the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K to start data transfer of the second page (page # 2) (SEQ 112a, 112b). 112c and 112d).

  In response to this request, the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K request the second page print image data of each color from the upper level device 10, and are transferred from the upper level device 10 in response to this request. Each packet of the print image data of the second page of each color is rearranged according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information stored in the memories 82C, 82M, 82Y, and 82K for each raster data unit. Store in the memories 31C, 31M, 31Y and 31K.

  On the other hand, when the print control unit 22 receives notification of the end of data transfer for the first page from all of the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K, it requests the conveyance control unit 51 to start paper conveyance (SEQ113). ). In response to this request, the conveyance control unit 51 starts conveying the printing paper 201 at a predetermined speed. In addition, the print control unit 22 requests the conveyance control unit 51 to start paper conveyance, and instructs each data management unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K to start printing the first page ( SEQ114).

  For example, when the printing paper 201 reaches a predetermined position, the transport control unit 51 notifies the print control unit 22 that the printing is possible (SEQ117). In response to the printable state report from the transport control unit 51, the print control unit 22 instructs the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K to start the printing (SEQ118).

  Each data management unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K starts printing in response to a print head instruction. In this example, it is assumed that the heads of the respective colors C, Y, M, and K are arranged in the order of the heads 56C, 56Y, 56M, and 56K along the conveyance direction of the printing paper 201. In this case, when the first print position of the first page on the print paper 201 reaches the print position of the head 56C, the data management unit 30C first starts reading the print image data of the first page from the memory 31C. The print image data of color C read from the memory 31C is transferred to the image output unit 50. Then, the print image data is supplied to the head 56C via the output control unit 55, and printing on the printing paper 201 is performed (SEQ119a). When printing of the first page of color C is completed, this is notified to the print control unit 22 (SEQ120a).

  Subsequently, when the top position of printing the first page on the printing paper 201 reaches the printing position by the head 56Y, the data management unit 30Y starts reading the print image data of the first page from the memory 31Y. The print image data of color Y read from the memory 31Y is transferred to the image output unit 50. Then, it is supplied to the head 56Y via the output control unit 55, and printing on the printing paper 201 is started (SEQ119b). When printing of the first page of color Y is completed, this is notified to the print control unit 22 (SEQ 120b).

  Similarly, printing of the colors M and K is sequentially started (SEQ 119c and 119d), and when printing is completed, the print control unit 22 is notified to that effect (SEQ 120c and 120d).

  On the other hand, when the transfer of the print image data of each color of the second page started in the above SEQ 112a to 112d is completed, each data management unit 30C, 30M, 30Y and 30K notifies the print control unit 22 to that effect. (SEQ115). In response to this data transfer completion notification, the print control unit 22 instructs each data management unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K to start printing the second page (SEQ116).

  Each of the data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K starts printing the second page after finishing printing the first page. For example, after the first page has been printed (SEQ 120a) after the first page has been printed (SEQ 120a), the data management unit 30C reads the second page from the memory 31C when the head print position of the second page reaches the print position by the head 56C. The color C print image data is read out and supplied to the image output unit 50, and printing on the print paper 201 is started (SEQ121a). When the printing of the color C is completed, this is notified to the printing control unit 22 (SEQ 122a).

  Similarly, in the data management units 30Y, 30M, and 30K, when the top position of the second page reaches the print position by the heads 56Y, 56M, and 56K, the print image data of each color is read from the memories 31Y, 31M, and 31K. Then, printing on the printing paper 201 is started (SEQ 121b to 121d). When the printing of each color is completed, this is notified to the print control unit 22 (SEQ 122b to 122d).

  When the print control unit 22 receives the print end notification for the color K of the second page from the data management unit 30K, the print control unit 51 determines that the printing of the last page by the print job has been completed. A stop is requested (SEQ123). In response to this request, the conveyance control unit 51 stops the conveyance of the printing paper 201 and reports the fact to the printing control unit 22 (SEQ124). Thereby, a series of printing processes is completed.

  Next, the flow of signals exchanged between the upper level apparatus 10, the printer controller 14, and the color data management units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K in the printing process will be described.

  13A to 13C are exchanged among the print control unit 22, the conveyance control unit 51, and the color data management units 30C, 30M, 30C, and 30K in the printing process according to the present embodiment. It is an example sequence diagram which shows the flow of a signal notionally.

  13A to 13C, reference signs A to F indicate that the process shifts to a corresponding reference sign between different drawings. In the following description, it is assumed that the print job is to print all two pages.

  Referring to FIG. 13A, first, from the printer controller 14 side, each of the color data management units 30C, 30Y, 30M, and 30K has a packet retransmission rate threshold as a threshold for identifying a transfer failure in lane 13. Is transmitted (SEQ198). Each of the color data management units 30C, 30Y, 30M, and 30K that has received the retransmission rate threshold information has a memory 82 (82C) of a data transfer circuit 80 (80C, 80Y, 80M, 80K) provided in each of the color data management units 30. , 82Y, 82M, 82K), the retransmission rate threshold value information is stored. Then, the end of setting is notified from the color data management units 30C, 30Y, 30M, and 30K to the printer controller 14 (SEQ199).

  Next, the job start control information is transmitted from the upper level apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 (print control unit 22) via the control line 12 (SEQ200). In response to this control information, the printer controller 14 transmits control information that responds with a job identifier jobID = 1 to the upper level apparatus 10 via the control line 12 (SEQ201). At the same time, the printer controller 14 acquires resources for executing the job as the job starts. Then, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating the start of printing process reception to the upper level apparatus 10 via the control line 12 (SEQ202).

  Next, the upper level apparatus 10 transmits control information for setting printing conditions to the printer controller 14 via the control line 12 (SEQ203). As described with reference to FIG. 11, the printing conditions set for the printer controller 14 include the printing mode, printing type, paper supply / discharge information, printing surface order, printing paper size, print image data size, and resolution. And tone and color information. Also, information on the number of pages to be printed can be included in the printing conditions. When this control information is received by the printer controller 14, various printing conditions included in the received control information are written in, for example, a register of the printing control unit 22 and the printing conditions are set.

  Next, the upper level apparatus 10 transmits control information for starting the printing process for the first page to the printer controller 14 via the control line 12 (SEQ204). This control information includes a process identification number processID = 1 for identifying the process and an image identification number imageID = 1 indicating an image constituting the first page. The printer controller 14 returns control information for starting the print process, which is a response to the start of the print process, to the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ205).

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits print process request control information to the upper level apparatus 10 to request print image data. This print process request is sequentially made for each of the colors C, Y, M, and K in accordance with the color arrangement order in the printer engine 15. In this example, it is assumed that the heads of the respective colors C, Y, M, and K are arranged in the order of the heads 56Y, 56C, 56M, and 56K along the conveyance direction of the printing paper 201.

  First, the printer controller 14 transmits print process request control information for requesting print image data of color Y to the upper level apparatus 10 via the control line 12 (SEQ206). This control information includes a process identification number processID = 1 that designates a process and color information Yellow that designates a color Y. The host device 10 returns control information including the image identification number imageID = 1 to the printer controller 14 as a response to the control information (SEQ207). Upon receiving this control information, the printer controller 14 requests the data management unit 30Y corresponding to the color Y to start transfer of print image data (SEQ208).

In response to this request, the data management unit 30Y requests print image data of a plane of color Y from the upper level device 10 via the lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ as the transfer path 11Y (not shown). In response to the request, print image data of color Y distributed to the lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ in units of raster data according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information is packetized from the upper level apparatus 10 to the data management unit 30Y. It is transferred in units (SEQ209). Each of the transferred raster data is rearranged according to the transfer pattern by the data transfer circuit 80Y to become print image data, and is allocated for the print image data of the first page in the memory 31Y of the data management unit 30Y. Stored in the area.

Hereinafter, for the other colors C, M, and K, the same processing as in the above-described SEQ206 to SEQ209 is repeated, and the print image data of each color distributed in raster data units according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information is The data management unit 30C from the host device 10 via each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ as the transfer path 11C, the lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ as the transfer path 11M, and the lanes 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ as the transfer path 11K , 30M and 30K, respectively. The transferred raster data is rearranged according to the transfer pattern by the data transfer circuits 80C, 80M, and 80K to become print image data, and the print image data for the first page in each of the memories 31C, 31M, and 31K. (SEQ210 to SEQ221).

  Further, when the transfer of the print image data of one plane is completed, the upper level device 10 transmits control information indicating completion of data transfer to the printer controller 14. In response to this control information, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating completion of reception of print image data to the upper level apparatus 10.

  For example, when the transfer of the print image data of the color Y plane is completed, the upper level apparatus 10 transmits data transfer completion control information including the image identification number image = 1 and the color information Yellow to the printer controller 14 ( SEQ222). On the other hand, when the transfer of the print image data from the upper level apparatus 10 via the transfer path 11Y is completed, the data management unit 30Y transmits a notification to that effect to the printer controller 14 (SEQ223). In response to this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits data reception completion control information including the image identification number image = 1 and the color information Yellow to the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ224).

  Thereafter, for the other colors C, M, and K, the processing similar to that in the above-described SEQ222 to SEQ224 is repeated along with the completion of the transfer of each print image data, and control information indicating completion of data reception is transmitted to the host device 10. (SEQ225 to SEQ233).

  In step SEQ <b> 233, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating completion of data reception for the last print image data of the first page (that is, print image data of color K) to the upper level apparatus 10, and then transmits the control information to the transport control unit 51. Instruct to prepare for printing. In accordance with this instruction, the conveyance control unit 51 starts conveying the printing paper 201 to the printing position.

  The description shifts to FIG. 13B, and when the transfer of the print image data of each color of the first page is completed, the upper level apparatus 10 sends control information for starting the printing process of the second page via the control line 12 to the printer controller 14. (SEQ234). This control information includes a process identification number processID = 2 for identifying the process of the second page and an image identification number image = 2 indicating an image constituting the second page. The printer controller 14 returns control information for starting the printing process, which is a response to the start of the printing process, to the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ235).

  For example, when printing all two pages, the print process start request is completed by the processing of SEQ234 and SEQ235. Therefore, when the host apparatus 10 receives a response to the print process start request for the second page in SEQ 235, it sends control information for completion of the process start request in which job identifier jobID = 1 is specified in SEQ 236 to the printer controller 14. Send.

  Next, in the same manner as in SEQ 206 to SEQ 221 described above, the printer controller 14 transmits control information for a print process request to the upper level apparatus 10 and requests print image data. The print process request is sequentially made for each of the colors Y, C, M, and K in accordance with the color arrangement order in the printer engine 15.

  First, the printer controller 14 transmits print process request control information for requesting print image data of color Y to the upper level device 10 via the control line 12 (SEQ237). This control information includes a process identification number processID = 2 that designates a process and color information Yellow that designates a color Y. The host device 10 returns control information including the image identification number imageID = 2 to the printer controller 14 as a response to the control information (SEQ238). Upon receiving this control information, the printer controller 14 requests the data management unit 30Y corresponding to the color Y to start transfer of print image data (SEQ239).

In response to this request, the data management unit 30Y requests print image data of a plane of color Y from the upper level device 10 via the lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ as the transfer path 11Y (not shown). In response to the request, print image data of color Y distributed in units of raster data is transferred to the lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information from the upper level apparatus 10 to the data management unit 30Y. (SEQ240). Each of the transferred raster data is rearranged according to the transfer pattern by the data transfer circuit 80Y to become print image data, and is assigned for the print image data of the second page in the memory 31Y of the data management unit 30Y. Stored in the area.

Hereinafter, for the other colors C, M, and K, the same processing as that of SEQ237 to SEQ240 is repeated, and the print image data of each color distributed in units of raster data according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the identification information is The data management unit 30C from the host device 10 via each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ as the transfer path 11C, the lanes 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ as the transfer path 11M, and the lanes 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ as the transfer path 11K , 30M and 30K, respectively. The transferred raster data is rearranged according to the transfer pattern by the data transfer circuits 80C, 80M, and 80K to become print image data, and the print image data for the first page in each of the memories 31C, 31M, and 31K. (SEQ244 to SEQ251, SEQ255 to SEQ258).

  Similarly to the above, the host device 10 transmits control information indicating completion of data transfer to the printer controller 14 every time transfer of print image data of one plane is completed. In response to this control information, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating completion of reception of print image data to the upper level device 10.

In the example of FIG. 13-2, when the transfer of the print image data of color Y transferred in SEQ240 is completed, the upper level apparatus 10 transmits control information indicating completion of data transfer to the printer controller 14 (SEQ252). . When the transfer of print image data via the lanes 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ as the transfer path 11Y is completed from the upper level apparatus 10, the data management unit 30Y transmits a notification indicating that to the printer controller 14 ( SEQ253). In response to this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits data reception completion control information including the image identification number image = 2 and the color information Yellow to the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ254).

  Thereafter, for the other colors C, M, and K, the same processing as SEQ252 to SEQ254 described above is performed upon completion of the transfer of each print image data, and control information indicating completion of data reception is transmitted to the host device 10. (SEQ259 to SEQ267).

  In the example of FIG. 13-2, a response indicating that the print preparation from the conveyance control unit 51 is completed in response to the print preparation instruction to the conveyance control unit 51 immediately before SEQ 234 described above is immediately after SEQ 240. The printer 51 is notified from the unit 51. Upon receiving this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits two pieces of control information for starting the printing process with the process identification number processID = 1 and the process identification number processID = 2 to the upper level apparatus 10 (SEQ241, SEQ243). ). As a result, the host device 10 is notified that the first and second pages can be printed.

  At the time of SEQ241, the transfer of the print image data of each color of the first page to the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K is completed. Therefore, the printer controller 14 notifies each data management unit 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K of a print instruction for printing the first page (SEQ242). This print instruction is held, for example, by being stored in the memories 31Y, 31C, 31M, and 31K in each of the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K. The actual printing operation according to this printing instruction is executed in time with the printing operation of the subsequent page.

  Further, in the example of FIG. 13B, the printer controller 14 sends the print image data of the plane of color C that is secondly transferred to the upper level device 10 by transmitting the control information for starting the printing process of SEQ241 and SEQ243. The request is delayed (see SEQ 244). Due to this delay, the transfer of the print image data of the color Y plane that was first transferred is completed before the transfer of the print image data of the color K plane is started (SEQ253). reference). Furthermore, the transfer of the print image data of the color K plane is started after the notification process (SEQ253) of the transfer of the print image data of the color Y plane (SEQ257, SEQ258).

  According to the present embodiment, the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K that control the data transfer of each color Y, C, M, and K are configured independently of each other, and the printer controller 14 includes each data management unit 30Y, Communication can be performed independently with 30C, 30M, and 30K, and each data management unit 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K performs processing independently. Therefore, even if another process interrupts in the middle of a series of processes by the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K, there is no need to change each process.

  In SEQ 267, when the printer controller 14 notifies the upper level apparatus 10 that the transfer of the print image data of the color K plane has been completed, the printer controller 14 notifies the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K. A print instruction for printing the second page is notified (SEQ268).

  The description shifts to FIG. 13C, and the printer engine 15 prints the first page in accordance with the print instruction of SEQ242 and starts feeding the printing paper 201. The printer engine 15 notifies the printer controller 14 of the start of feeding the first page (SEQ 269). Upon receiving this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating that the feeding of the first page has been started to the host apparatus 10 with the process identification number processID = 1 (SEQ270). When paper feeding is started, the printer engine 15 synchronizes the operations of the data management units 30Y, 30C, 30M, and 30K with each other, and stores the colors Y, C, M, and K from the memories 31Y, 31C, 31M, and 31K. The print image data is read out, and each plane of the first page on the printing paper 201 is sequentially printed.

  Similarly, the printer engine 15 notifies the printer controller 14 of the start of feeding of the second page when the printing of the first page is completed and the printing of the second page is started (SEQ271). Upon receiving this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating that the feeding of the second page has been started to the upper level apparatus 10 with the process identification number processID = 2 (SEQ272). The printer engine 15 synchronizes the operations of the data management units 30Y, 30M, 30Y, and 30K, and reads the print image data of the colors Y, C, M, and K from the memories 31Y, 31M, 31Y, and 31K, respectively. Then, each plane of the second page on the printing paper 201 is sequentially printed.

  Further, when the printing of each color of the first page is completed and the first page of the printing paper 201 is discharged, the printer engine 15 notifies the printer controller 14 (SEQ273). Upon receiving this notification, the printer controller 14 transmits control information indicating that the printing paper 201 of the first page has been discharged to the upper level apparatus 10 with the process identification number processID = 1 (SEQ274). Similarly, when the printing of each color of the second page is completed and the second page of the printing paper 201 is discharged, the printer engine 15 notifies the printer controller 14 (SEQ275), and the printer controller 14 In response to this notification, the process identification number processID = 2 is sent to the host device 10 as control information indicating that the second page of printing paper has been discharged (SEQ276).

  When the upper level apparatus 10 receives a paper discharge report corresponding to information indicating the number of print pages included in the control information for setting the printing condition in SEQ203, for example, from the printer controller 14, printing by the job notified of the start in SEQ200 is performed. Assuming that the job has been completed, job completion control information with job identification number jobID = 1 is transmitted to the printer controller 14 (SEQ277). Upon receiving this control information, the printer controller 14 sends the response control information to the upper level apparatus 10 with the job identification number jobID = 1 (SEQ278). Thereby, a series of printing processes is completed.

(Interrupt processing performed by the printer controller)
The printer controller 14 executes the interrupt process shown in FIG. 14 every predetermined time when power is supplied to the printer controller 14. FIG. 14 shows an interrupt processing routine executed by the printer controller 14.

As shown in FIG. 14, the printer controller 14 determines whether or not a transfer failure lane has occurred every predetermined time (step S404). The printer controller 14 determines in step S404 by determining whether or not a notification indicating the occurrence of the lane 13 in which the packet retransmission rate exceeds the retransmission rate threshold is received from each color data management unit 30. In the data transfer circuit 80 for each color data management unit 30, a plurality of communication control unit ₈₄ which is connected to the data transfer circuit _{(84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M 1} ~84M 4, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, 84K 1 ˜84K ₄ ), the retransmission rate diagnosis unit 83 (83C _{1 to} 83C ₄ , 83M _{1 to} 83M ₄ , 83Y _{1 to} 83Y ₄ , 83K _{1 to} 83K ₄ ) receives the retransmission rate diagnosis result as needed. In each data transfer circuit 80, when the received retransmission rate diagnosis result exceeds the retransmission rate threshold value of the retransmission rate threshold value information (see SEQ198 in FIG. 13-1) transmitted from the printer controller 14, the printer controller 14 Is notified of a signal indicating the occurrence of a transfer failure lane. Then, the printer controller 14 may determine that a transfer failure lane has occurred by determining reception of a signal indicating the occurrence of a transfer failure lane.

  If a negative determination is made in step S404, the printer controller 14 ends this routine. If an affirmative determination is made, the printer controller 14 proceeds to step S406.

  Next, the printer controller 14 determines whether or not the print job is being transferred (step S406). The printer controller 14 receives a signal indicating the end of JOB after the execution time of the determination process in step S406 has received a signal indicating the start of JOB from the higher-level device 10 (see SEQ200 in FIG. 13-1) (see FIG. 13-3). If it is within the period up to SEQ 277), an affirmative determination is made in step S406. On the other hand, if the execution time of the determination process in step S406 is outside the period from when the signal indicating the start of JOB is received until the signal indicating the end of JOB is received, the printer controller 14 determines negative in step S406. Make a decision.

  Then, the printer controller 14 repeats the affirmative determination until a negative determination is made in step S406, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S408.

Next, the printer controller 14 identifies a lane 13 in which a transfer failure has occurred among a plurality of lanes 13 (13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ , 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y _{1 to} 13Y ₄ , 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ). (Step S408). In step S408, for example, the printer controller 14 transmits a signal indicating an inquiry of a transfer failure lane from the printer controller 14 to the data transfer circuit 80 of each color data management unit 30, and information indicating the transfer failure lane included in the reply thereto. To identify the lane 13 in which the transfer failure occurred.

  Next, the printer controller 14 reads the transfer pattern information associated with the transfer failure lane information indicating the transfer failure lane identified in step S408 from the memory 22A. Then, the read transfer pattern information is set as a transfer pattern of print image data transferred to the data management unit 30 connected to the lane 13 where the transfer failure has occurred (step S409).

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits a signal indicating disconnection of the transfer failure lane to the data management unit 30 (step S410). Specifically, the printer controller 14 sends the electrical connection between the defective transfer lane and the communication control unit 84 to the data management unit 30 including the communication control unit 84 connected to the defective transfer lane identified in step S408. A signal indicating a connection release instruction is transmitted to the data management unit 30.

For example, if the lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lanes, the printer controller 14, a switch for electrically connecting a communication control unit 84C ₄ connected to the lane @ 13 C ₄ and the lane @ 13 C ₄ (not shown) Is transmitted to the data management unit 30C. Data management unit 30C that has received this signal, a switch for electrically connecting the communication control section 84C ₄ lanes @ 13 C _4, from the connected state electrically connected, to electrically disconnected disconnected state Switch.

  Next, the printer controller 14 uses the transfer pattern information set in step S409 as identification information indicating the transfer pattern of the next print image data and is connected to the transfer failure lane identified in step S408. The data is transmitted to the data management unit 30 having 84 (step S411). This identification information is stored in the memory 82 of the data management unit 30 to which the identification information is transmitted.

For example, if the lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lanes, the printer controller 14, the data management unit 30C having a communication control section 84C ₄ connected to the lane @ 13 C _4, lane @ 13 C ₄ is at a transfer failure Lane Identification information for identifying transfer pattern information (see, for example, FIG. 5B) associated with transfer failure lane information indicating that there is information is notified. The identification information is stored in a memory 82C provided in the data transfer circuit 80C of the data management unit 30C.

  For this reason, the data management part provided with the communication control part 84 connected to the lane 13 where the transfer failure occurred among the plurality of data management parts 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K) by the process of step S411. The memory 82 of the 30 data transfer circuits 80 stores identification information indicating a transfer pattern for performing data transfer using the lanes 13 other than the defective transfer lanes.

That is, by the processing in step S411, the color data management unit 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K) in a plurality of lanes _{13 (13C 1 ~13C 4, 13M} 1 ~13M 4, 13Y 1 ~13Y 4, 13K 1 ~ 13K ₄ ) in which raster data received from the host device 10 via the lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred can be rearranged according to the transfer pattern corresponding to the newly set identification information. It becomes.

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits the information indicating the transfer failure lane identified in step S408 and the information indicating the occurrence of transfer failure to the upper level device 10 (step S412). In the host device 10 that has received the information indicating the occurrence of transfer failure and the information indicating the transfer failure lane, the control information communication unit 69 of the host device 10 receives the data. Then, information indicating the accepted transfer failure lane is stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68.

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits a signal indicating an instruction for disconnecting a defective transfer lane to the upper level apparatus 10 (step S414). The host device 10 receives a signal indicating a transfer failure lane separation instruction at the control information communication unit 69 and, according to the received transfer failure lane separation instruction, the lane 13 corresponding to the information indicating the transfer failure lane stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68. Disconnect. This disconnection is performed by, for example, releasing the connection state between the communication control unit 74 connected to the lane 13 indicated by the transfer failure lane information and the lane 13. This connection state is released by providing a switch (not shown) that switches between the connection state in which each communication control unit 74 and the lane 13 are electrically connected or the disconnected state, for example. This can be done by switching this switch.

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits the transfer pattern information set in step S409 to the upper level apparatus 10 as identification information indicating the transfer pattern of the next print image data (step S416). Then, the printer controller 14 ends this routine.

For example, when the lane 13C ₄ is a transfer failure lane, the printer controller 14 sets identification information for identifying transfer pattern information associated with transfer failure lane information indicating that the lane 13C ₄ is a transfer failure lane. To the higher-level device 10.

  In the host device 10 that has received the identification information, the transfer control unit 66 receives the identification information via the control information communication unit 69. In the transfer control unit 66, the data of the communication unit 76 including the communication control unit 74 connected to the lane 13 where the transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of communication units 76 (76C, 76M, 76Y, 76K). The identification information is transferred to the transfer circuit 70. The lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred may be obtained by reading the information indicating the transfer failure lane received from the printer device 17 and stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 in step S412. Then, in the data transfer circuit 70 to which the identification information is transferred, the identification information is stored in the memory 72 provided in the data transfer circuit 70.

For example, if the lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lanes, the data transfer circuit 70C from the transfer control unit 66, the transfer pattern information lane @ 13 C ₄ is associated with the defective transfer lane information indicating that the defective transfer lane The identification information for identifying is transferred. Then, the data transfer circuit 70C stores the received identification information in the memory 72C.

  For this reason, by the process of step S416, the communication unit 76 including the communication control unit 74 connected to the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of communication units 76 (76C, 76M, 76Y, 76K). The data transfer circuit 70 stores identification information indicating a transfer pattern for performing data transfer using the lanes 13 other than the defective transfer lanes.

  For this reason, by executing the processing of step S404 to step S416, both the host device 10 side and the printer device 17 side can perform data transfer via the lanes 13 other than the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred. Become. Further, both the host device 10 and the printer device 17 are in a state in which raster data using the same transfer pattern can be rearranged for the print image data of each color.

  In normal printing processing, as described above, each data transfer circuit 70 on the host device 10 side and each data transfer circuit 80 on the printer device 17 side are stored in the memory (72, 82) of each circuit. The raster data is rearranged according to the transfer pattern information corresponding to the identification information.

  Next, the procedure of the printing process performed in the present embodiment when the interrupt process is executed will be described in detail. FIG. 15 is an exemplary sequence diagram conceptually showing the flow of signals exchanged among the upper level apparatus 10, the printer controller 14, and each color data management unit 30.

  First, as described with reference to FIGS. 13A to 13C, job start control information is transmitted from the upper level apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 (print control unit 22) via the control line 12 (SEQ <b> 200). (See also FIG. 13-1)). Upon receiving this control information, the printer controller 14 transmits the response control information to the upper level apparatus 10 with the job identification number jobID = 1 (SEQ201 (see also FIG. 13-1)).

  Then, after the sequence shown in FIGS. 13-1 to 13-3 is performed (not shown in FIG. 15), the host apparatus 10 transmits job end control information to the printer controller 14 (SEQ277 (FIG. 15)). 13-3))). Upon receiving this control information, the printer controller 14 transmits the response control information to the upper level device 10 with the job identification number jobID = 1 (SEQ278 (see also FIG. 13-3)). Thereby, a series of printing processes is completed.

  Then, the printer controller 14 performs an interrupt process every predetermined time as shown in FIG. When the notification indicating the occurrence of the lane 13 in which the packet retransmission rate exceeds the retransmission rate threshold is transmitted from each color data management unit 30 (SEQ300), the printer controller 14 waits until the transfer of the print job is completed (SEQ300). Step 404, Step S406).

  Then, the printer controller 14 makes a response to the job end control information (SEQ277, 278) to determine the completion of the transfer of the print job. Then, the printer controller 14 inquires each color data management unit 30 about a transfer failure lane (SEQ301). Each color data management unit 30 that has received an inquiry for a transfer failure lane identifies the lane 13 in which the transfer failure has occurred, and transmits information indicating the specified lane 13 to the printer controller 14 as information indicating the transfer failure lane. (SEQ302).

  The printer controller 14 identifies the defective transfer lane by receiving information indicating the defective transfer lane from each color data management unit 30 (step S408). The printer controller 14 then transfers the transfer pattern information associated with the transfer failure lane information indicating the specified transfer failure lane to the data management unit 30 connected to the lane 13 where the transfer failure occurs. It is set as a transfer pattern for the incoming print image data (step S409).

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits a signal indicating the disconnection of the defective transfer lane to the data management unit 30 (step S410, SEQ303). In the data management unit 30 that has received the instruction to disconnect the transfer failure lane, after switching the transfer failure lane 13 and the communication control unit 84 connected to the transfer failure lane 13 to the electrically disconnected connection release state Then, a transfer failure lane separation completion notification is output to the printer controller 14 (SEQ304).

  Next, the printer controller 14 uses the transfer pattern information set in step S409 as identification information indicating the transfer pattern of the next print image data, and the communication control unit 84 connected to the transfer failure lane specified in step S408. Is transmitted to the data management unit 30 provided with (step S411, SEQ305).

  Of the plurality of data management units 30 (30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K), the data management unit 30 including the communication control unit 84 connected to the lane 13 where the transfer failure has occurred includes the data management unit 30 The data transfer circuit 80 stores identification information indicating a transfer pattern for performing data transfer using the lanes 13 other than the defective transfer lanes. Then, a response signal is transmitted to the printer controller 14 (SEQ306).

  Next, the printer controller 14 transmits information indicating the transfer failure lane specified in step S408 and information indicating the occurrence of transfer failure to the upper level device 10 (step S412 and SEQ307). In the host device 10 that has received the information indicating the occurrence of transfer failure and the information indicating the transfer failure lane, the control information communication unit 69 of the host device 10 receives the data. Then, information indicating the accepted transfer failure lane is stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68. Then, a signal indicating an acknowledgment response is transmitted from the host device 10 to the printer controller 14 (SEQ308).

  Next, a signal indicating an instruction for disconnecting a defective transfer lane is transmitted from the printer controller 14 to the upper level apparatus 10 (step S414, SEQ309). When the host device 10 receives the signal indicating the transfer failure lane separation instruction by the control information communication unit 69, the lane corresponding to the information indicating the transfer failure lane stored in the transfer pattern storage unit 68 in accordance with the received transfer failure lane separation instruction. 13 is cut off. Then, a transfer failure lane separation completion notification is transmitted from the host device 10 to the printer controller 14 (SEQ310).

  Next, the transfer pattern information set in step S409 is transmitted from the printer controller 14 to the host apparatus 10 as identification information indicating the transfer pattern of the next print image data (step S416, SEQ311).

  The host device 10 that has received the identification information includes a communication control unit 74 that is connected to the lane 13 in which a transfer failure has occurred, among the plurality of communication units 76 (76C, 76M, 76Y, 76K). The identification information is transferred to the data transfer circuit 70 of 76. Then, a signal indicating an acknowledgment response is transmitted from the upper level apparatus 10 to the printer controller 14 (SEQ312).

  By executing the interrupt processing described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, for example, the following data is transferred from the upper level device 10 side to the printer device 17 side via each lane 13.

For example, the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5A is associated with the lane normal information in the memory 72 provided in each of the transfer pattern storage unit 68 of the host device 10 and the data transfer circuit 70 of each color communication unit 76. Suppose that it was remembered. Further, in each of these transfer pattern storage unit 68 and a memory 72, lane @ 13 C ₄ is in correspondence with the transfer failure lane information indicating that the defective transfer lane, transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5 (B) are stored Suppose that

Similarly, it is assumed that the transfer pattern information shown in FIG. 5A is stored in association with the lane normal information in the memory 22A of the printer device 17 and the memory 82 of the data transfer circuit 80 in the data management unit 30 for each color. . Further, each of these memory 22A and memory 82, in association with the transfer failure lane information indicating that the lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lanes, and transfers the pattern information shown in FIG. 5 (B) have been stored .

  Then, by executing the sequence shown in FIG. 15, the transfer pattern storage unit 68 of the host device 10, the memory 72 provided in each of the data transfer circuits 70 of each color communication unit 76, the memory 22A of the printer device 17, and Assume that lane normal information is stored as identification information indicating a transfer pattern of print image data to be transferred next in each of the memories 82 of the data transfer circuit 80 in the data management unit 30 of each color.

In this case, it is assumed that one page of print image data A is transferred to the data transfer circuit 70C of the communication unit 76C, for example, as shown in FIG. Then, the data transfer circuit 70C reads the transfer pattern (see FIG. 5A) corresponding to the lane normal information as the identification information stored in the memory 72C. Then, the transferred print image data A is divided into a plurality of raster data and distributed to each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ according to the transfer pattern. Accordingly, raster data in the order along the transfer pattern shown in FIG. 5A is sequentially transferred from each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₄ to each of the lanes 13C ₁ to 13C ₄ for each packet. .

These packets are received by each of the communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₄ on the printer device 17 side connected to each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ . Then, the data transfer circuit 80C rearranges the print image data A in the order along the transfer pattern shown in FIG. 5A, and outputs the print image data A from the data transfer circuit 80C.

On the other hand, the poor transfer lane @ 13 C ₄ occurs. In this case, interrupt processing as described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 is executed, so that the transfer pattern storage unit 68 of the host device 10, the memory 72C of the data transfer circuit 70C of the communication unit 76C, memory 22A of the printer 17, to each of the memory 82C of the data transfer circuit 80C of the data management section 30C, then as identification information indicating a transfer pattern of the print image data to be transferred, the lane @ 13 C ₄ is defective transfer lane The indicated transfer failure lane information is stored.

Therefore, in this case, it is assumed that one page of print image data A is transferred to the data transfer circuit 70C of the communication unit 76C, for example, as shown in FIG. Then, the data transfer circuit 70C, as identification information stored in the memory 72C, transfer patterns lane @ 13 C ₄ corresponds to the defective transfer lane information indicating that the defective transfer lane (see FIG. 5 (B)) Read. Then, the transferred print image data A is divided into a plurality of raster data and distributed to the respective communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ according to the transfer pattern. Thereby, raster data in the order along the transfer pattern shown in FIG. 5B is sequentially transferred from each of the communication control units 74C _{1 to} 74C ₃ to each of the lanes 13C ₁ to 13C ₃ for each packet. .

These packets are received by each of the communication control units 84C _{1 to} 84C ₃ on the printer device 17 side connected to each of the lanes 13C _{1 to} 13C ₃ . Then, the raster image data is rearranged in the order along the transfer pattern shown in FIG. 5B by the data transfer circuit 80C, so that the print image data A is output from the data transfer circuit 80C.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the transfer path 11 for transferring print image data between the upper level apparatus 10 and the printer apparatus 17 is provided for each color print image data (transfer path 11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K), and each transfer path 11 includes a plurality of lanes 13 (13C _{1 to} 13C ₄ , 13M _{1 to} 13M ₄ , 13Y _{1 to} 13Y) that can transfer data independently of each other based on the PCI Express standard. ₄ , 13K _{1 to} 13K ₄ ). Then, the communication control unit ₇₄ of the host device 10 side that are connected to each lane _{13 (74C 1 ~74C 4, 74M} 1 ~74M 4, 74Y 1 ~74Y 4, 74K 1 ~74K 4) each, and each lane 13 each of the communication control unit ₈₄ of the connected printer 17 side _{(84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M 1} ~84M 4, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, 84K 1 ~84K 4) is, in the PCI Express standard, independently of one another Based on this configuration, data transfer is possible.

  That is, in the present embodiment, the packet is monitored independently for each lane 13, and the data transfer based on the PCI Express standard is possible for each lane 13 independently.

  Then, each of the communication control units 84 of the printer device 17 diagnoses the packet retransmission rate in the lanes 13 connected to each communication control unit 84, and determines the lanes 13 other than the transfer failure lanes determined based on the diagnosis result. The data is transferred between the host device 10 and the printer device 17.

  For this reason, the printing system 1 and the printer device 17 according to the present embodiment continue to operate without interruption even when a transfer failure occurs in the transfer path 11 between the upper level device 10 and the printer device 17. can do.

  Further, in the printing system 1 and the printer device 17 as a printing device according to the present embodiment, print image data is transferred via a plurality of transfer paths 11. The host device 10 and the printer controller 14 transfer control information via the control line 12.

  For this reason, it is possible to realize high-speed data transfer between the host device 10 and the printer device 17.

  Accordingly, in the printing system 1 and the printer device 17 according to the present embodiment, the data transfer between the host device 10 and the printer device 17 is speeded up, and the transfer path between the host device 10 and the printer device 17 is achieved. 11 even when a transfer failure occurs, operation can be continued without interruption.

1 printing system 10 upper apparatus 11,11C, 11M, 11Y, 11K transfer channel 12 control lines _{13,13C, 13C 1 ~13C 4, 13M} , 13M 1 ~13M 4, 13Y, 13Y 1 ~13Y 4, 13K, 13K 1 -13K ₄ lanes 14 Printer controller 15 Printer engine 17 Printer device 22 Print control unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K Data management unit 50 Image output unit 51 Transport control unit 55 Output control unit 56C, 56M, 56Y, 56K Head 76, 76C , 76M, 76Y, 76K communication unit 70,70C, 70M, 70Y, 70K data transfer circuit 72,72C, 72M, 72Y, 72K memory _{74,74C, 74C 1 ~74C 4, 74M} , 74M 1 ~74M 4, 74Y, _{74Y 1 ~74Y 4, 74K, 74K} 1 ~ 4K ₄ communication controller 80,80C, 80M, 80Y, 80K data transfer circuit 82,82C, 82M, 82Y, 82K memory _{83,83C, 83C 1 ~83C 4, 83M} , 83M 1 ~83M 4, 83Y, 83Y 1 ~ _{83Y 4, 83K, 83K 1 ~83K} 4 retransmission rate diagnosis section _{84,84C, 84C 1 ~84C 4, 84M} , 84M 1 ~84M 4, 84Y, 84Y 1 ~84Y 4, 84K, 84K 1 ~84K 4 communication controller

JP 2004-287519 A JP 2002-254663 A

Claims (4)

A printing apparatus connected to a host apparatus by a plurality of first transfer paths that transfer print image data of different colors and a second transfer path that transfers control information,
A plurality of printing means for printing an image of the print image data;
A plurality of data management means provided corresponding to each of the plurality of first transfer paths, and outputting the print image data transferred from the host device via the first transfer path to the printing means;
Print control means for controlling the plurality of data management means;
With
Each of the plurality of first transfer paths is composed of a plurality of lanes that are serial buses of the PCI Express standard,
Each of the plurality of data management means includes a plurality of communication control means that are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes and perform data transfer with the host device based on the PCI Express standard via the corresponding lanes. And
Each of the plurality of communication control means has detection means for detecting the packet retransmission rate of the corresponding lane,
The print control unit identifies a lane in which a transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of lanes based on the detection result of the detection unit, and transfers the print image data using a lane other than the specified lane. And controlling the plurality of data management means and the host device,
Printing device. The print control unit associates in advance transfer failure lane information indicating a lane in which a transfer failure has occurred with transfer pattern information indicating a distribution method of print image data to lanes other than the lane in which the transfer failure has occurred. Having stored storage means;
Transfer pattern information corresponding to transfer failure lane information indicating a transfer failure lane identified based on the detection result is used as transfer pattern information indicating a next print image data distribution method, and the host device and the data management 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of data management units and the higher-level device are controlled to transmit the print image data using a lane other than the specified lane by transmitting to the unit.   3. The printing according to claim 2, wherein the transfer pattern information indicates a distribution method in which divided data obtained by dividing the print image data into a plurality of data units is distributed to a plurality of lanes corresponding to the first transfer paths. apparatus. A printing system comprising: a host device; and a plurality of first transfer paths that transfer print image data of different colors and a printing device that is connected to the host apparatus by a second transfer path that transfers control information. ,
Each of the plurality of first transfer paths is composed of a plurality of lanes that are serial buses of the PCI Express standard,
The host device is
A plurality of communication means provided corresponding to each of the plurality of first transfer paths, and transferring the print image data to the printing apparatus via the first transfer path;
Each of the communication means includes a plurality of first communication control means that are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes and that perform data transfer with the printing apparatus based on the PCI Express standard via the corresponding lanes. ,
The printing apparatus includes:
A plurality of printing means for printing an image of the print image data;
A plurality of data management means provided corresponding to each of the plurality of first transfer paths, and outputting the print image data transferred from the host device via the first transfer path to the printing means;
Print control means for controlling the plurality of data management means;
With
Each of the plurality of data management means includes a plurality of communication control means that are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of lanes and perform data transfer with the host device based on the PCI Express standard via the corresponding lanes. And
Each of the plurality of communication control means has detection means for detecting the packet retransmission rate of the corresponding lane,
The print control unit identifies a lane in which a transfer failure has occurred among the plurality of lanes based on the detection result of the detection unit, and transfers the print image data using a lane other than the specified lane. And controlling the plurality of data management means and the host device,
Printing system.

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