JP2017182257A - Communication controller and communication control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication controller capable of appropriately performing communication with a specific device, and a communication control program.SOLUTION: A communication controller controlling communication with a device comprises: a first communication section acquiring identification information of a specific device by communication with respect to a first end point of the specific device; a second communication section acquiring identification information of a communicable device by communication with respect to a second end point of the communicable device by using the second end point; and a device selection section selecting a device corresponding to the specific device out of devices from which the second communication section acquires the identification information based on the identification information acquired by the first communication section and the identification information acquired by the second communication section. The second communication section executes the communication with respect to the second end point of the device selected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication control device and a communication control program.

  A printer driver that operates on Windows (registered trademark) provided by Microsoft (registered trademark) as an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) is known. An XPS printer driver that processes an XPS file described in the XPS (XML Paper Specification) specification is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-257820 A

  Assume an environment in which a host such as a PC (personal computer) equipped with the printer driver communicates with a printer via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. In this case, exclusive communication or synchronous communication is required for the stability and certainty of communication using a common communication path. The exclusive communication mentioned here means that, for example, during the period in which print data necessary for printing execution is transmitted from the host to the printer, other commands that are not necessary for the printing execution are not executed. In the command transmission / reception period, the print data transmission is not executed. The synchronous communication is, for example, control in which the host receives a response from the printer to the transmitted command after the host transmits a command to the printer. In the printer driver, there is a restriction such as a standardly defined specification, and thus it may occur that such control cannot be performed correctly.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a communication control apparatus and a communication control program that can appropriately perform communication with a specific device.

  One aspect of the present invention is a communication control apparatus that controls communication with a device, and a first communication unit that acquires identification information of the specific device by communication with the first endpoint of the specific device; A second communication unit that acquires identification information of the communicable device by communication with the second endpoint of a device communicable using the second endpoint, and the identification information acquired by the first communication unit And a device selection unit that selects a device corresponding to the specific device among the devices from which the second communication unit has acquired the identification information based on the identification information acquired by the second communication unit. The second communication unit performs communication with the second endpoint of the selected device.

  According to the said structure, the communication control apparatus can ensure the communication path | route using a 2nd endpoint between the specific devices which are communication objects. That is, another communication path that does not interfere with the communication path using the first endpoint is secured with the specific device that is the communication target. Thereby, the stability and certainty of communication are ensured, and communication with a specific device can be performed appropriately.

In one aspect of the present invention, the first end point is an end point used for communication by a printer class, the second end point is an end point used for communication by a vendor class, and the first communication unit The second communication unit may acquire the identification information included in the status information of the USB device that is the communication destination.
According to this configuration, identification information can be obtained from status information that can be acquired by communication with a USB device (printer) using each of the first and second endpoints.

One of the aspects of the present invention is that the communication control apparatus has in advance a group ID that defines a group of USB devices corresponding to communication using the second endpoint, and the second communication unit is recognizable. The identification information may be acquired from USB devices belonging to a group defined by the group ID among USB devices.
According to this configuration, identification information can be easily obtained from each USB device that supports communication using the second endpoint.

In one aspect of the present invention, the first communication unit transmits print data for causing the specific device to execute printing by communication with the first endpoint of the specific device that is a printer. The second communication unit may transmit a command related to the function setting of the selected USB device through communication with the second endpoint of the USB device that is the selected device.
According to this configuration, it is possible to independently execute communication related to print execution and transmission / reception of the command between the communication control device and the printer without interfering with each other.

  The technical idea of the present invention is also realized by a device other than the communication control device. For example, a program (communication control program) that causes each unit of the communication control device to execute each process as described above, a computer-readable storage medium that stores the program, or each process as described above by each unit of the communication control device Each of these methods can be regarded as an invention.

The block diagram which shows the structure etc. of a host. The flowchart which shows a communication control process. The figure which shows a device path list.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Each figure is only an example for explaining the present embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the host 10 according to the present embodiment. The host 10 is a device having a capability equivalent to a PC or a PC. The host 10 is a specific example of a communication control apparatus that controls communication with a device such as a USB device. The host 10 is connected to the printer 30 that is one of the USB devices and controls the printer 30. Therefore, the host 10 may be called a print control apparatus. Further, not only the host 10 as a whole is regarded as a communication control device or a print control device, but also a part of the configuration of the host 10 (for example, a configuration including the control unit 11) is regarded as a communication control device or a print control device. Is possible.

  The host 10 includes a control unit 11 such as an IC including a RAM, a ROM, a CPU, and other storage media. Further, the host 10 includes a storage device 12 configured by, for example, a hard disk drive, an operation receiving unit 13, a USB interface (I / F) 14, a display unit 15, and the like. The operation receiving unit 13 is a means for receiving an input operation from the outside (user), and may correspond to a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, various input keys, buttons, and the like. The display unit 15 is a display that displays various images under the control of the control unit 11. The touch panel is displayed on the display unit 15.

  The USBIF 14 includes one or more USB ports, and is connected to the printer 30 via the USB port and the USB cable 40. That is, in the present embodiment, communication between the host 10 and the printer 30 is executed via the USB cable 40. Although not shown, the printer 30 may have any configuration that a known printer has. The printer 30 may be not only a function as a printer but also a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a scanner, a facsimile, and a network terminal. The printer 30 corresponds to an example of a specific device. Although not shown, one or more USB devices different from the printer 30 may be connected to the USBIF 14 of the host 10 via a plurality of USB ports, USB hubs, or the like.

  In the control unit 11, the CPU executes processing according to each program stored in the ROM, other storage medium, or the storage device 12 under the OS 20, so that an application 21 that is a kind of these programs or a printer driver 22 and the communication control module 23 are realized. It is assumed that the OS 20 is Windows provided by Microsoft, and the printer driver 22 is a printer driver that can operate under the OS 20 and corresponds to, for example, XPS Version 4. The communication control module 23 has an I / F for accessing a printer class 24 and a vendor class 25 described later. The communication control module 23 corresponds to a communication control program. Further, the communication control module 23 may be regarded as a kind of extended function that the printer driver 22 has.

  When the USB device is connected to the USBIF 14, the host 10 calls a class driver corresponding to the type of the USB device by plug and play. As shown in FIG. 1, when the printer 30 is connected to the USBIF 14, the communication control module 23 acquires a descriptor from the printer 30, and recognizes that the connected USB device is a printer by this descriptor. To do. As a result, the communication control module 23 calls a printer class 24 that is a class driver for realizing communication with the printer. As described above, a series of standard initial operations starting from automatic detection of the USB device connected to the USBIF 14 is also referred to as enumeration. The printer class 24 implements communication using a communication protocol (a data transfer procedure in USB communication) and an end point that are standardized according to the type of USB device of the communication destination (in this case, a printer).

  The application 21 is various software having, for example, spreadsheet, document creation, drawing, or other specific functions. The user selects the printer 30 as a printing destination device by input from the operation reception unit 13 to a predetermined user interface (UI) screen displayed on the display unit 15 with the application 21 activated in the host 10. The printing instruction can be performed. In response to the print instruction, the printer driver 22 corresponding to the selected printer 30 is activated.

  The printer driver 22 generates print data based on the data generated by the application 21. The data generated by the application 21 is assumed to be a file corresponding to the XPS format, but may be data corresponding to other formats. The print data is data for causing the printer 30 to execute printing (data that can be interpreted by the printer 30). Various formats of print data are conceivable, but if the printer 30 is, for example, an ink jet printer, it may be bitmap data that defines dot on / off for each pixel.

  The print data generated by the printer driver 22 is added by the communication control module 23 to a queue corresponding to the selected print destination device (printer 30) (hereinafter, “corresponding printer queue”) managed by the spooler 26. The spooler 26 is software that manages the order of a plurality of communications between the host 10 and the printer 30 and the like, and can be said to be a function of the OS 20. The printer class 24 transmits the data arranged in the corresponding printer queue to the printer 30. At this time, the printer class 24 communicates with a predetermined endpoint among the endpoints of the printer 30.

  An end point is a type of communication end point as is known in USB communication. Each endpoint is configured to include a buffer. The USB cable 40 that connects the host 10 and the printer 30 is physically a common cable. However, since the printer 30 has a plurality of end points, the host 10 recognizes each as an independent communication path. In the example of FIG. 1, the printer 30 has a plurality of end points including at least the end points EP1 and EP2.

  The end point EP1 is an end point (first end point) used for communication by the printer class 24. When transmitting some data (for example, a packet including print data) from the USB I / F 14 to the printer 30, the printer class 24 adds an endpoint address that uniquely corresponds to the endpoint EP 1 and transmits the data. A packet having an endpoint address corresponding to the endpoint EP1 is temporarily held in the endpoint EP1. The control unit 31 on the printer 30 side performs processing such as printing according to the data transmitted to the end point EP1. Such setting registration of the endpoint address corresponding to the endpoint EP1 on the OS 20 is executed, for example, when the communication control module 23 is installed in the OS 20 or in the process of enumeration.

  The application 21 designates the corresponding printer queue in order to communicate with the printer 30. For example, as described above, an operation in which the user selects the printer 30 as a printing destination device by inputting to the UI screen is processing for designating the corresponding printer queue for the application 21. As described above, the data added to the corresponding printer queue is transmitted to the endpoint EP1 of the printer 30 by the printer class 24. That is, it can be said that the corresponding printer queue and the end point EP1 of the printer 30 are substantially linked. Therefore, the application 21 can reliably communicate with the endpoint EP1 of the printer 30 by designating the corresponding printer queue.

  On the other hand, the end point EP2 is a general-purpose end point (second end point). The USB device can have such a general-purpose endpoint EP2 for communication with a class driver (vendor class 25) that uses a communication protocol uniquely determined by the vendor of the USB device. The vendor class 25 adds an end point address uniquely corresponding to the end point EP2 when transmitting some data (a packet including the data) from the USB I / F 14 to the USB device (for example, the printer 30). To send. A packet having an endpoint address corresponding to the endpoint EP2 is temporarily held in the endpoint EP2 of the destination USB device. The control unit 31 on the printer 30 side performs processing according to the data transmitted to the end point EP2.

  However, unlike the printer class 24, the vendor class 25 is not naturally associated with the corresponding printer queue by the OS 20. Therefore, the corresponding printer queue and the end point EP2 of the printer 30 are not linked, and conventionally, the application 21 can communicate with the end point EP2 of the printer 30 even if the corresponding printer queue is specified. There wasn't. In view of such problems, in the present embodiment, communication control processing described below is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing communication control processing according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 2, processing realized by the application 21 and processing mainly realized by the communication control module 23 are shown together.

  The application 21 designates the corresponding printer queue and requests the communication control module 23 to transmit a predetermined command (step S100). The command is, for example, a command related to function setting of the printer 30. Specifically, a setting that activates and deactivates various functions of the printer 30 and a command that needs to be exchanged between the host 10 and the printer 30 to change the setting. It is a kind of. The command may be a command for the host 10 to inquire about the state of consumables such as ink and paper in the printer 30, or a command for causing the printer 30 to perform maintenance processing such as cleaning the print head. .

  Upon receiving the request, the communication control module 23 adds a status information request to the designated corresponding printer queue, thereby causing the printer class 24 to execute communication for acquiring the status information of the printer 30 (step S200). ). The printer class 24 transmits a status information request to the endpoint EP1 of the printer 30. On the printer 30 side, the control unit 31 that has received the status information request via the end point EP 1 transmits the status information of the printer 30 to the printer class 24. As a result, the communication control module 23 can obtain the status information of the printer 30.

  In general, the status information of a USB device includes various information unique to the device, such as the presence or absence of various optional functions, in addition to the status of the USB device (“printing” status for a printer). In this embodiment, it is assumed that the status information of the printer 30 includes the individual identification ID of the printer 30. The individual identification ID is unique identification information assigned to one product. Therefore, even printers of the same type that are mass-produced have different individual identification IDs.

  The communication control module 23 extracts the individual identification ID from the status information of the printer 30 acquired in step S200, and holds the extracted individual identification ID in a predetermined storage area (step S210). According to such steps S200 and S210, the communication control module 23 and the printer class 24 acquire the identification information of the specific USB device through communication with the endpoint EP1 of the specific USB device (printer 30). It can be said that it functions as a part.

  Next, the communication control module 23 displays a list of USB devices corresponding to USB communication (USB communication by vendor class 25) using the end point EP2 among USB devices that the OS 20 can recognize via the USB I / F 14. Obtain (step S220). Naturally, the printer 30 is a USB device that supports USB communication using the end point EP2. In the present embodiment, the host 10 has in advance an end point address corresponding to the end point EP2 and a unique group ID that defines a group of USB devices corresponding to USB communication using the end point EP2. It shall be. Such setting registration of the endpoint address and group ID on the OS 20 is executed, for example, when the communication control module 23 is installed in the OS 20 or in the process of enumeration.

  Step S220 will be specifically described. The communication control module 23 extracts a device path including the group ID from the device paths for each recognizable USB device, and generates the extracted device path list (device path list) as the list. To do. The device path is information held internally to recognize each USB device connected to the OS 20.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the device path list 50. In the device path list 50, a device path is described for each index (for example, headings expressed by numbers 1, 2, 3,...). The device path (device path with index number 1) of a certain USB device is expressed as follows, for example.
\\? \ usb # vid_04zz & pid_1104 & mi_03 # 6 & 145699dd & 0 & 0003 # {2826B7BA-16B3-4EBA-B5A6-28684BC0A1DD}

  In such a device path, “04zz” of “vid_04zz” corresponds to the vendor ID. The vendor ID is an ID given to each vendor that manufactures a device, and the same vendor ID is given to all products manufactured by the same vendor. In the present embodiment, the vendor ID in each device path included in the device path list 50 is naturally a vendor ID corresponding to the vendor that manufactured the printer 30. In the device path, “1104” of “pid_1104” corresponds to the product ID. The product ID is an ID commonly given to the same product from the same vendor. The product ID in each device path included in the device path list 50 may be the same or different. In the device path, “2826B7BA-16B3-4EBA-B5A6-28684BC0A1DD” corresponds to the group ID. That is, it can be said that the device path list 50 is a list of USB devices (device paths) belonging to a group having a common group ID among products manufactured by a certain vendor.

  If only one USB device is connected to the host 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the device path included in the device path list 50 is only the device path of the printer 30. On the other hand, if there are a plurality of USB devices connected to the host 10 including the printer 30, a plurality of device paths can be listed in the device path list 50.

  Next, the communication control module 23 designates one USB device included in the list generated in step S220, and acquires status information of the designated USB device (designated USB device) in the vendor class 25. Communication is executed (step S230). When referring to the example of FIG. 3, for example, the communication control module 23 specifies one device path in order from the lowest index number in the device path list 50. The vendor class 25 transmits a status information request to the endpoint EP2 of the designated USB device indicated by the designated device path. The designated USB device on the receiving side receives the status information request via the end point EP2, and transmits the status information to the vendor class 25 in response to this request. As a result, the communication control module 23 can obtain the status information of the designated USB device.

  The communication control module 23 extracts the individual identification ID from the status information of the designated USB device acquired in step S230, and the individual identification ID of the extracted designated USB device and the individual identification of the printer 30 held in step S210. The ID is compared (step S240). Then, the communication control module 23 branches the process depending on whether or not the individual identification ID of the designated USB device matches the individual identification ID of the printer 30 (step S250). When the individual identification IDs match (“Yes” in step S250), the communication control module 23 proceeds from step S250 to step S260. On the other hand, when the individual identification IDs do not match (“No” in step S250), The process returns from step S250 to step S230.

  If the individual identification ID of the designated USB device matches the individual identification ID of the printer 30, the printer 30 that is the specific USB device that the printer class 24 communicated with in step S200 and the USB that the vendor class 25 communicated in step S230. The device (designated USB device) is the same aircraft. On the other hand, if the individual identification IDs do not match, it means that the vendor class 25 communicated with the USB device different from the printer 30 with which the printer class 24 communicated in step S200. In step S230 that has proceeded from step S250, the communication control module 23 sets the USB device not currently specified among the USB devices included in the list generated in step S220 as the next specified USB device, and performs the above-described processing (step S230). To S250).

  According to such steps S220 to S240, the communication control module 23 and the vendor class 25 obtain the identification information of the communicable USB device by communicating with the end point EP2 of the USB device communicable using the end point EP2. It can be said that it functions as the second communication unit to acquire. Further, according to steps S240 and S250, the communication control module 23 is acquired by the first communication unit and the identification information (individual identification ID of a specific USB device (printer 30)) and the second communication unit. Based on the identification information (individual identification ID of the designated USB device), it can be said that the second communication unit functions as a device selection unit that selects a USB device corresponding to a specific USB device among the USB devices from which the identification information has been acquired. .

  In step S260, the communication control module 23 causes the vendor class 25 to execute command transmission to the USB device selected as corresponding to the specific USB device, that is, the designated USB device. Needless to say, the entity of the designated USB device in the stage of step S260 is the printer 30. The vendor class 25 transmits a command to the end point EP2 of the designated USB device. The command is a command that the application 21 requests the communication control module 23 to transmit in step S100. According to step 260, it can be said that the second communication unit executes communication with respect to the endpoint EP2 of the selected USB device.

  The designated USB device (= printer 30) on the side that receives the command transmission in step S260 receives the command via the end point EP2, and sends response data representing the response content corresponding to the received command to the vendor class 25. To send. As a result, the communication control module 23 receives response data for the transmitted command (step S270). Then, the communication control module 23 sends the response data received in step S270 to the application 21. That is, response data is returned to the command transmission request from the application 21 (step S100) (step S280). As a result, the application 21 receives the response data (step S110).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the host 10 can reliably ensure a communication path using the end point EP2 with a specific USB device that is a communication target. That is, in addition to the communication path using the endpoint EP1 that is normally secured, another communication path using the endpoint EP2 that does not interfere with the communication path is secured with the printer 30 that is the communication target.

  Specifically, in the host 10, when the application 21 designates the corresponding printer queue to transmit the command to the printer 30 and requests the communication control module 23 to transmit the command (step S 100), the communication control module 23. Executes Steps S200 to S280. That is, the application 21 can obtain response data from the printer 30 for the command via communication using the endpoint EP2 by the vendor class 25 only by executing the step S100. Accordingly, between the host 10 and the printer 30 connected via USB, for example, print data is transmitted from the host 10 to the printer 30 by communication using the endpoint EP1 by the printer class 24, and the endpoint EP2 by the vendor class 25 is set. With the communication used, command transmission from the host 10 to the printer 30 and response data return can be performed. That is, since the communication related to the print data and the communication related to the command are executed independently of each other without crosstalk, the same effects as the exclusive communication and the synchronous communication as described above are substantially secured. , Communication stability and certainty are ensured.

  Further, as described above, the communication control module 23 may be the individual USB ID obtained as a result of communication using the endpoint EP1 from the specific USB device to be communicated and the specific USB device. A communication path using the end point EP2 for a specific USB device is ensured by seeing a match / mismatch with the individual identification ID obtained as a result of communication using the end point EP2 from the USB device. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even in an environment in which a plurality of USB devices having the same product ID (for example, a plurality of printers having a common product ID) are connected to the host 10 by USB, one of them is specified. A communication path using the end point EP2 can be surely secured with the USB device.

Further, a device that is a communication partner of the present invention executed by the communication control apparatus is not limited to a USB device. That is, the present invention can be applied to communication in general using the above-described endpoint.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Host (communication control apparatus), 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Memory | storage device, 13 ... Operation reception part, 14 ... USB I / F, 15 ... Display part, 20 ... OS, 21 ... Application, 22 ... Printer driver, 23 ... Communication control module, 24 ... Printer class, 25 ... Vendor class, 26 ... Spooler, 30 ... Printer, 31 ... Control unit, 40 ... USB cable, 50 ... Device path list, EP1, EP2 ... End point

Claims (5)

A communication control device for controlling communication with a device,
A first communication unit that acquires identification information of the specific device by communication with the first endpoint of the specific device;
A second communication unit that acquires identification information of the communicable device by communication with the second endpoint of a device communicable using the second endpoint;
Based on the identification information acquired by the first communication unit and the identification information acquired by the second communication unit, the second communication unit corresponds to the specific device among the devices from which the identification information has been acquired. A device selection unit for selecting a device,
The communication control apparatus, wherein the second communication unit executes communication with the second endpoint of the selected device. The first endpoint is an endpoint used in communication by a printer class,
The second endpoint is an endpoint used for communication by a vendor class,
The communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first communication unit and the second communication unit acquire the identification information included in status information included in a communication destination USB device. It has in advance a group ID that defines a group of USB devices corresponding to communication using the second endpoint,
3. The communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second communication unit acquires the identification information from a USB device belonging to a group defined by the group ID among recognizable USB devices. . The first communication unit transmits print data for causing the specific device to execute printing by communication with the first endpoint of the specific device that is a printer,
The said 2nd communication part transmits the command regarding the function setting of the said selected USB device by communication with respect to the said 2nd endpoint of the USB device which is the said selected device, The said 1st communication part is characterized by the above-mentioned. The communication control apparatus according to claim 3. A communication control program for controlling an apparatus that communicates with a device,
A first communication function for acquiring identification information of the specific device by communication with the first endpoint of the specific device;
A second communication function for acquiring identification information of the communicable device by communication with the second endpoint of a device communicable using the second endpoint;
Based on the identification information acquired by the first communication function and the identification information acquired by the second communication function, the second communication function corresponds to the specific device among the devices from which the identification information has been acquired. A device selection function for selecting a device;
The communication control program, wherein the second communication function causes the apparatus to execute communication with the second endpoint of the selected device.

Images