JP2020134968A - Print data generation device and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a print data generation device and a printing system capable of suppressing increase in a device size and a manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: When a printer 100 is not in a printable state, print data is not transmitted to a printer 100 but stored, and the print data in a data buffer is updated along with the change of current time. When the printer 100 becomes the printable state, the latest print data, which shows the closest point of time to the current time, is selected from points of time of print data in the data buffer and transmitted to the printer 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a print data generator and a printing system that generate print data to be printed by a printer.

A technique for recording the date and time of printing on a printed matter is generally used. However, as the print date and time, there may be a difference in the print date and time depending on whether the time at the time of editing the print data is printed or the time at the time of printing is printed. That is, when printing is performed immediately after editing the print data, there is no significant difference between the time when the print data is edited and the time when the print data is edited. However, if the printing device performs a cleaning operation or the like immediately after editing the print data, printing is performed after the cleaning operation is completed, so that there is a difference between the time when the print data is edited and the time when printing. Occurs.

When printing the time when the print data is edited as the print date and time, the print date and time can be printed by including the print date and time in the print data when the print data is generated. However, when printing the time at the time of printing as the print date and time, it is not possible to predict the time when the printer actually prints. Therefore, when the print data is generated, the print data including the print date and time when the printer actually prints is included. Could not be generated.

Patent Document 1 discloses a printing apparatus having a print data generation function. In Patent Document 1, when printing the time at the time of editing the print data or the time at the time of printing as the print date / time, when printing the time at the time of printing, the data of the print date / time is used by the print data generation function provided in the printing device. A printing apparatus for generating and printing is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-307795

However, if the printing device is provided with a print data generation function as in Patent Document 1, there is a concern that the size of the substrate and the size of the device itself will be increased due to the addition of the print data generation function, and the manufacturing cost will be further increased. There was a problem of uploading.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a print data generation device and a printing system capable of suppressing an increase in size of the device and an increase in manufacturing cost.

Therefore, the print data generation device of the present invention includes print data including a generation means for generating print data including time data and used when printing with the printing device, and a state acquisition means for acquiring the state of the printing device. In the generation device, the time data is data at a time when printing is performed by the printing device, and the print data generated by the generation means when the state acquisition means acquires a printable state of the printing device. It is characterized in that it further includes a time data updating means for updating the time data included in.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a print data generation device and a printing system capable of suppressing an increase in size of the device and an increase in manufacturing cost.

It is an external view which showed the printing system. It is a block diagram which shows the inside of a host computer. It is a flowchart which showed the print data generation transmission processing. It is a figure which showed the data of the date and time and the time stored in the buffer of RAM. It is a figure which showed the dialog which specifies whether or not to perform print data generation transmission processing. It is a flowchart which showed the print data generation transmission processing. It is a flowchart which showed the print data generation transmission processing.

(First Embodiment)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and drawings, and can be appropriately modified and implemented without changing the gist thereof.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing a printing system 110 to which this embodiment can be applied. In the printing system 110, the printer 100 and the host computer 200 are connected by a print cable 201. The print data used for printing on the recording medium P is generated by the host computer 200, and the generated print data is transmitted to the printer 100 via the print cable 201. Further, the host computer 200 acquires the state of the printer main body 101 via the print cable 201.

The printer 100 draws out the recording medium P from the roll-shaped paper set in the feeding unit 105, and discharges the liquid from the recording head 10 to the recording medium P to perform printing. The printed recording medium P is detected by an exit sensor (not shown), and when the rear edge of the printed page reaches the cutting position of the cutter unit 50, the rear edge of the page printed by the cutter (not shown) is cut. And discharged.

The printer main body 101 includes an operation panel 103 for performing operations such as various settings and pausing, and for notifying the operator of the status of the printer 100. The printer main body 101 includes a recording head 10 in which a plurality of ejection ports are arranged over the entire width of the recording medium P, and discharges liquid from each recording head 10 corresponding to four colors to the recording medium P. You can print the image in full color.

The recording medium P set in the feeding unit 105 is fed (in the direction of arrow A) to the printer main body 101 by driving the feeding roller by the driving force of the feeding motor (not shown). The recording medium P fed to the printer main body 101 is detected by an inlet sensor (not shown) and is conveyed to the position of the recording head 10 by a transfer belt (not shown) that is rotationally driven by the driving force of a transfer motor (not shown). .. Further, the transfer position of the recording medium P is controlled by an encoder (not shown) that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the transfer belt.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the inside of the host computer 200. In the host computer 200, the CPU 211, the RAM 212, the program storage device 213, and the database 214 are connected by a main bus. The CPU 211 operates based on the control program stored in the program storage device 213. The RAM 212 is a memory that mainly provides a work area of the CPU 211, and also includes a data buffer for storing print data and the like. The database 214 is referenced and updated from the control program stored in the program storage device 213. The program storage device 213 includes a print data generation program and a print data transmission program, and generates print data and transmits the generated print data to the printer 100. Hereinafter, the print data includes the print date and time, and is the print data for printing the time at the time of printing as the print date and time.

The printer 100 in this embodiment does not have a function of generating print data. Therefore, when the print data includes the generation date and time, the printer cannot specify the print date and time and reflect it in the print data. That is, all the contents to be printed, including the print date and time, are generated by the print data generation program provided in the program storage device 213.

The print data generation program generates print data when the operator gives a print instruction. When the print data is generated, the state acquisition means confirms the state of the printer 100, and if the printer 100 is in a printable state, the print data is transmitted to the printer 100. When the status of the printer 100 is confirmed and the printer 100 is not in a printable state due to a cleaning operation or the like, the printer 100 waits without printing, and when the printable state is reached, the print data is transmitted to the printer 100.

When waiting without printing in this way, there is a difference between the time when the print data is generated and the time when the print data is actually printed. Conventionally, when the printer 100 does not have a function of generating print data, it is not possible to print the printing time when waiting without printing.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, print data is generated by the print data generation program, the state of the printer 100 is checked, and if the printer 100 is not in the printable state, the printer 100 keeps the generated print data in the data buffer. Wait without sending to. Then, when a predetermined time elapses during the standby, the print data with the updated printing date and time is regenerated and held in the data buffer. In this way, the printer 100 waits while updating the print data until the printer 100 becomes printable. Then, when the printer 100 becomes printable, the print data of the date and time closest to the current time in the data buffer is transmitted to the printer 100 for printing.

In this way, when the printer 100 is not in the printable state, the print data is held while updating the time data of the date and time included in the print data until the printer 100 is in the printable state. As a result, the difference between the date and time actually printed by the printer 100 and the date and time printed included in the print data can be reduced. Hereinafter, the details of the printing data generation method in the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the print data generation and transmission process of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the print data generation / transmission process of the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The main body that performs each process in the print data generation / transmission process described here is the CPU 211.

When the print data generation transmission process is started, in S301, the buffer index n, which is the number of print data stored in the data buffer, is set to n = 0, and is an added value of the time until the print data is newly updated. Set t to a predetermined value (t = 1 in this embodiment). In addition, it clears the data in the data buffer. Then, in S302, the predicted time, which is the time at which printing is actually predicted to be performed by the printer 100, is set to the current time acquired by the current time acquisition means. After that, in S303, print data is generated with the date and time as the current time, and the generated print data is saved in the buffer [n] which is a data buffer.

In S304, the buffer index n is incremented to n = 1, and in S305, it is determined whether the buffer index n has reached a predetermined buffer upper limit (in the present embodiment, the upper limit is n = 3). If the upper limit is reached, the process proceeds to S307 with n = 0 in S306. If the upper limit is not reached, the process shifts from S305 to S307.

In S307, it is determined whether or not the printer 100 is in a printable state. If the printer 100 is not in a printable state and cannot print, the process proceeds to S308. If the printer 100 is in a printable state and is printable, the process proceeds to S311.

When the transition from S307 to S308 is performed, it is determined in S308 whether or not the print data is not stored in the buffer [n] or whether the current time exceeds the time of the print data stored in the buffer [n]. ..

If the determination in S308 is a [No] determination, the process proceeds to S304 and the process from S304 is repeated. If the judgment in S308 is [Yes], the process proceeds to S309, the predicted time is set to the predicted time + t (t = 1), and in S310, print data is generated with the date and time as the predicted time, and the generated print data is used. Save in the buffer [n].

When the transition from S307 to S311 occurs, S311 selects the print data closest to the current time from the time of the print data in the buffers [0] to [2]. Then, in S312, the print data selected in S311 is transmitted to the printer 100.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing data 401 to 405 including the date and time and the time saved in the buffer in the RAM 201 when the host computer 200 gives a print instruction according to the state of the printer 100. Further, here, for the sake of simplicity, only the time is shown as the print data to be saved in the buffer. In the following description, when the time is saved in the data buffer, the print data shall be saved together with the time. Here, at 23:57 (hereinafter referred to as 23:57), the print data generation / transmission process is started in a state where the printer 100 cannot print, and when the time reaches 0:01, the printer 100 can print. Become in a state.

Further, in FIG. 4, the time is described in all the data buffers for convenience, but the time data (print data) is saved in each data buffer as the processing in the flowchart of FIG. 3 progresses. In the following description, it is assumed that the print data is not stored in the data buffer when the data in the buffer is cleared (S301 in FIG. 3). Here, each process in FIG. 3 will also be described.

In the data 401, 23:57 is stored as the current time in the buffer [0] (S303). Then, in S304, n = n + 1 becomes n = 1, and in S305, n = 1 does not reach the upper limit n = 3, so the process proceeds to S307.

In S307, the current time is 23:57, and the printer 100 is in a non-printable state, so the process shifts to S308.

In S308, since the print data is not yet stored in the buffer [1] ([Yes] determination), the process shifts to S309, the predicted time 23:57 is set to the predicted time 23:58, and the buffer [1] is set in S310. Save at 23:58.

After that, the same process is repeated from S304 (estimated time is 23:59), and 23:59 is stored in the buffer [2] in S310. At this point, the data buffer stores the upper limit of three print data.

Up to this point, the current time is 23:57, and the processes from S304 to S308 are repeated until the current time exceeds any time in the data buffer. During that time, no substantial processing is performed.

When the current time reaches 23:58 (see data 402 in FIG. 4), the current time exceeds 23:57 stored in the buffer [0] in S308. Therefore, the predicted time 23:59 is set to the predicted time 0:00 in S309, and 0:00 is stored in the buffer [0] in S310. After that, the same process is repeated from S304 (see data 402 to data 404 in FIG. 4).

When the current time reaches 0:01, the printer 100 is ready for printing. Therefore, after shifting from S307 to S311 and selecting 0:01 of the buffer [1] which is the time closest to the current time from the time of the print data in the buffers [0] to [2], the buffer [1] is selected. ] Is transmitted to the printer 100.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a dialog in which the operator specifies whether or not to perform the print data generation / transmission process of the present embodiment. The operator can select whether or not to perform print data generation transmission processing, and when the "Print" button is pressed with "Generate print data using output time" checked in the dialog shown in the figure, this book is displayed. The print data generation and transmission process of the embodiment is performed. If it is not checked, print data is generated using the time at the time of data generation and transmitted to the printer 100.

In this way, when the printer 100 is not in the printable state, the print data is saved without being transmitted to the printer 100, and the print data in the data buffer is updated as the current time changes. Then, when the printer 100 becomes printable, the print data closest to the current time is selected from the time of the print data in the data buffer and transmitted to the printer 100.

As a result, it has become possible to realize a print data generation device and a printing system that can suppress an increase in the size of the device and an increase in manufacturing cost.

In the present embodiment, the printing system 110 in which the printer 100 and the host computer 200 are connected has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a print data generation device.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below. Hereinafter, the term "job" used in the present specification refers to a printing process in which printing is performed by a printing command received by the printer.

In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the printer 100 has no jobs waiting to be printed. Therefore, when the printer 100 is in a printable state and receives print data, printing can be started immediately. However, when the printer 100 has a job waiting to be printed, the received print data is printed after the job waiting to be printed is completed. Therefore, in the method of the first embodiment, the print time and the print time of the print data are set. Makes a difference.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when there is a job waiting to be printed, the standby job acquisition means recognizes the job waiting to be printed, predicts the time required for the job waiting to be printed, and generates print data.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the print data generation and transmission process of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the print data generation / transmission process of the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The main body that performs each process in the print data generation / transmission process described here is the CPU 211. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the processes in S602 to S604, and the other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

In S602, the number of unprinted data is acquired from the printer 100. After that, in S603, from the number of unprinted data acquired in S602 and the printing speed of the printer 100. Calculate the estimated time when printing of unprinted data is actually completed. Then, in S604, print data is generated at the calculated predicted time, and the generated print data is saved in the buffer [n].

As a result, even when the printer 100 has a job waiting to be printed, printing can be performed without any difference between the actual printing time and the printing time of the print data.

(Third Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, only the characteristic configuration will be described below.

In the first and second embodiments, the host computer 200 that generates print data confirms with the printer 100 to determine whether or not the printer 100 is printable. That is, it was not possible to acquire the timing at which the printer 100 transitions from the non-printable state to the printable state. In the present embodiment, the required time is stored on the host computer 200 side for each operating state of the printer 100, and the timing at which the printer 100 transitions from the non-printable state to the printable state is predicted. Then, the print data is updated from the predicted prediction result. As a result, it is possible to reduce the printing data update process when the printer 100 is not printable, and it is possible to reduce the load on the CPU 211. Here, the non-printable state of the printer 100 will be described as a cleaning operation, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other operations other than printing may be used.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the print data generation and transmission process of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the print data generation / transmission process of the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7. The main body that performs each process in the print data generation / transmission process described here is the CPU 211. The present embodiment is different from the processing of the first embodiment in the processing in S709, S710, and S711, and the other processing is the same as that of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will be omitted.

In S709, it is determined from the stored information whether the printer 100 is in the cleaning operation, and if it is in the cleaning operation, the process proceeds to S710, and the estimated time = the predicted time + the time required for the cleaning operation is calculated. Further, when the transition from S709 to S711 is performed, the same processing as in S309 of FIG. 3 in the first embodiment is performed in S711.

As a result, even when the printer 100 is in the cleaning operation, printing can be performed without updating the print data and without causing a difference between the print time and the print time of the print data.

100 Printer 110 Printing System 200 Host Computer 211 CPU

Claims (9)

A generation means for generating print data including time data and used when printing with a printing device,
A print data generation device including a state acquisition means for acquiring the state of the printing device.
The time data is data at a time when printing is performed by the printing device, and when the state acquisition means acquires a printable state of the printing device, the time data included in the print data generated by the generation means is used. A print data generation device, characterized in that it further includes a means for updating time data to be updated. A transmission means for transmitting the print data including the updated time data to the printing device is further provided.
The print data generation device according to claim 1, wherein when the state acquisition means acquires the printable state of the printing device, the transmission means transmits the print data to the printing device. Equipped with a means to acquire the current time to acquire the current time
The print data generation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the time data updating means updates the time data based on the current time acquired by the current time acquiring means. A means for selecting the print data whose time data included in the print data is closest to the current time from the plurality of print data is provided.
The print data generation device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission means transmits the print data selected by the selection means to the printing device. A standby job acquisition means for acquiring the number of jobs waiting to be printed in the printing device and the time required for the jobs is provided.
Any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the generation means generates print data based on the number of jobs waiting to be printed acquired by the standby job acquisition means and the time required for the jobs. The print data generator described in the section. A prediction means for predicting the time required for the operation of the printing device is provided.
The print data generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the time data updating means updates the time data based on the prediction result of the prediction means. The print data generation device according to claim 6, wherein the operation is a cleaning operation. Any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the operator can select as the time data the time when printing is performed by the printing apparatus and the time when the generation means generates the print data. The print data generator described in the section. A printing device that receives print data and prints based on the print data.
A print data generation device having a generation means for generating print data including time data, a state acquisition means for acquiring the state of the printing device, and a transmission means for transmitting the print data to the printing device. It is a printing system equipped with
The time data is data at a time when printing is performed by the printing device, and when the state acquisition means acquires a printable state of the printing device, the time data included in the print data generated by the generation means is used. A printing system characterized in that it further includes means for updating time data to be updated.

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