JP2577377Y2 - Printing control device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

In the present invention, even when print data that does not include a page break execution command at the end is received, it is determined that there is no data in the reception buffer and data remains in the page buffer. The present invention relates to a print control device that prints out all data in a page buffer to a print unit after a lapse of time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, this type of print control apparatus has been controlled to print out print data stored therein only in the following cases.

(1) A line feed command included in received data,
Or, when the print position reaches the next page due to the automatic line feed function provided in the printer to automatically determine the line feed.

(2) When a page break execution command (command) is received.

(3) When a specific operation is performed by an operation switch provided in the printer. (4) When an error such as memory full occurs in the printing device.

(5) A case where the reset is performed while data is stored in the page memory.

[0007]

However, in such a print control device, when a document file or the like transmitted from the outside is received and printed by a printer, a page break is generally added to the end of the file or the like. In many cases, the command does not include an execution instruction, and the data of the last page of the file or the like often remains in the memory without being printed by the printer. Also, in order to print out the data left in such a memory, the printer will not print out unless several key operations are performed in order to prevent malfunction of the printer. Had the problem of being bothersome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is intended that print data remaining in a printing apparatus without being printed out be detected when a number of conditions are detected and the conditions are met. It is an object of the present invention to provide a print control device that controls automatic print output.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a printing unit, character data and image data.
An interface for receiving print data consisting of, a page buffer for storing a receive buffer the received data is stored, at least one page of character data and image data contained in the received data, data in the receive buffer Process the character data and image data
And a central processing unit for storing print data in the page buffer and sending print data in the page buffer to a printing unit and printing out the print data, the print data stored in the page buffer. predetermined but the character image data detecting means for detecting whether the image data or a text data, the print data in the page buffer when the said character image data detecting means that the character data is detected in the first Time is set and before
When the character image data detection means detects that the print data in the page buffer is image data, the first
A timer time setting means for the second predetermined time is set longer than the predetermined time, a data detecting means for detecting whether data exists in the page buffer, and in the reception buffer, the received said data detecting means starts timing upon detecting that there is no data in the buffer, and clears the counting when it detects that the data is present in the receive buffer, the timing without being cleared from the start of the time measurement The first set in the time setting means
Or a clock means for the second predetermined time to output a signal when the elapsed, the central processing unit, said Pejiba
If the print data in the buffer is character data,
When the image data detection means detects, the data detection
Means for determining whether data is present in said page buffer;
Check that there is no data to be processed in the receive buffer.
And the timing means detects the first predetermined time.
The page back when the signal is output
All character data existing in the file
And prints out the print data in the page buffer.
The character image data detecting means detects that the image data is image data.
When the data detecting means detects that the page buffer
Data is present in the buffer and processed in the receive buffer
It is detected that there is no data to be
Time means measures the second predetermined time and outputs the signal
The image data in the page buffer
All of the data are sent to the printing unit and printed out .

According to the printing control device of the present invention, the data detection is performed.
The output means receives data while data exists in the page buffer.
Check that there is no data to process in the communication buffer.
And the timekeeping means is set to the timekeeping time setting means.
When the first or second predetermined time is counted and the signal is output
In this case, the central processing unit performs the processing in the page buffer.
Data is sent to the printing unit and printed out.
If there is no page break instruction at the end of the data,
The user issues a print output command using a panel switch, etc.
Even if there is no data, does the data no longer exist in the receive buffer?
Print out all print data after a predetermined time from
Can be. Therefore, it is not printed out in the page buffer.
Command operation to print the print data remaining in the
It is and this abbreviated.

In addition, the mark stored in the page buffer
When character data is image data, it is character data.
Compared to when printing is not performed until data is
Is set to a longer time, so images with large data
When receiving image data from an external computer, etc.
For example, in computers with little memory,
In order to process the image data into multiple parts,
Data transmission may stop for a short period of time
Also prevents the execution of erroneous automatic print output due to short stoppage
can do.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a printing unit 1 performs printing based on print data, an interface 2 receives print data, and a reception buffer 3.
Stores the received data, the page buffer 4 stores one page of the character data and the image data included in the received data, and the control means 5 controls the data detecting means 6, the timing means 7 and the central processing unit 8. Become.

The data detecting means 6 detects whether data exists in the page buffer 4 and the receiving buffer 3, and outputs the detection result to the central processing unit 8. The clocking means 7 starts operation when the data detecting means 6 detects that there is no data in the reception buffer 3, clears when data is detected, and a predetermined time has elapsed without being cleared from the operation start. At this time, a signal is output to the central processing unit 8. The central processing unit 8 processes the data in the receiving buffer 3 and stores it in the page buffer 4, and sends the data in the page buffer 4 to the printing unit 1 based on output signals from the data detecting means 6 and the timing means 7. To print out. Further, the central processing unit 8 stores the page buffer 4
Stored print data to detect whether the image data or a text data within, but when the print data of the page buffer 4 detects that it is character data, timer means 7
Is set to a first predetermined time, and when it is detected that the print data in the page buffer 4 is image data, the predetermined time counted by the timer 7 is set to the first predetermined time.
The second predetermined time is set longer than the first predetermined time .

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the print control apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, when the process is started, first, the counter "N" of the timer 7 is set to "0" and the constant "X" is set to "10".
000 "(step S21). Next, the presence / absence of data in the reception buffer 3 is detected by the data detection means 6 (step S22).
N "is cleared to" 0 "(step S23) Then, the received data is converted to character data or image data (hereinafter, referred to as" data ").
It is determined by the central processing unit 8 whether or not these are simply print data (step S24). If the print data is not print data, the received data becomes a print control command, and processing according to the print control command is performed. (Step S2
Five).

Next, it is determined whether the print control command is a print output command (step S26). If the print control command is a print output command, the current print data stored in the page buffer 4 is processed by the central processing unit. 8 to the printing unit 1 (step S27), "X" is set to "10000" (step S42), and the process returns to step S22 and the same processing is repeated. If it is not a print output command in step S26, the process returns to step S22 and the same processing is repeated.

If the received data is print data in step S24, the print data is stored in the page buffer 4, and the print position is updated (step S2).
8). The print position indicates the position of the last data stored in the page buffer 4.

Then, whether or not the print data stored in the page buffer 4 is image data is determined by the central processing unit 8 (step S40). If the print data is image data, the value of "X" is "1". 20000 "(step S41), and thereafter, the flow shifts to step S29. on the other hand,
If it is not image data, that is, if it is character data, the process proceeds to step S29 without performing the process of step S41.

Next, the print position is set to the current page buffer 4.
Is determined (step S29). If it is in the page buffer 4, the process returns to step S22 and the same processing is repeated. If it is not in the page buffer 4, the process proceeds to step S27 and prints out. Is performed. That is,
In step S29, when it is determined that the print data stored in the page buffer 4 has exceeded the storage capacity of the page buffer 4, print output is performed.

If there is no data in the receiving buffer 3 in step S22, "N" is incremented by "1" (step S30), and "N" is compared with "X" (step S31). , N> X, “N” is cleared to “0” (step S32), and if N ≦ X, step S
Returning to 22, the same processing is repeated. Step S
When the process of step 32 is completed, the presence / absence of print data in the page buffer 4 is detected by the data detecting means 6 (step S33). If print data exists, the process proceeds to step S27 where printing is performed and the print data is printed. If not, step S22
Return to If there is no data in the reception buffer 3 by the above processing, the counting operation of "N" is started, and the "N" counting operation is started.
The value "1" set to "X" without clearing "N"
0000 "or" 20,000 ", that is,
If there is print data in the page buffer 4 at the time when the set time has elapsed, a process of printing out is performed.

According to the above processing, the case where the received data of the command for performing the print output is received and the case where the page buffer 4
When the print data stored in the page buffer 4 exceeds the storage capacity of the page buffer 4 and when the state in which there is no data in the receive buffer 3 continues for a set time, the print data stored in the page buffer 4 Will be printed. Therefore, if the page break command is not included at the end of the received data, all the print data is printed out after a predetermined time, even if the user does not issue a print output command using a panel switch or the like. Therefore, a command operation for printing remaining print data that has not been printed out can be omitted.

When image data having a very large data amount is received from an external computer or the like, a computer or the like having a small memory transmits the data while processing the large image data by dividing it into a plurality of parts. For this reason, data transmission often stops for a short time. However, when data in the page buffer 4 is image data, printout is performed after the data is interrupted as compared with the case of character data. since so as to increase the predetermined time until, it is possible to prevent the execution of the automatic Printout output <br/> force inadvertent short stop, a true stop data transmission by the data processing of the data transmission Outages can be identified.

In the above description, "" in step S21
The value of “X” is “10000”.
Even if the value is set to a value other than "10000"YoAnd also
The value of “X” in step S41 is “20,000”
However, the value of “X” is larger than the value of “X” in step S21.
If it is large, you can set it to a value other than "20,000"Yo
No. Also, this value may be set from outside.

[0024]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the print control apparatus of the present invention, the data detection means has data in the page buffer and no data to be processed in the reception buffer. Is detected and the total
The time means is the first or second time set in the time setting means.
The central processing unit sends all the data present in the page buffer to the printing unit and prints out the data when the signal is output after measuring the predetermined time, so that a page feed command is included at the end of the received data. If not, even without a print output instruction user using a panel switch or the like, received
Ru can be printed out all print data from the data in the buffer no longer present after a predetermined time. Follow
Thus, a command operation for printing the print data remaining without being printed out can be omitted.

In addition, the mark stored in the page buffer
When character data is image data, it is character data.
Compared to when printing is not performed until data is
Is set to a longer time, so images with large data
When receiving image data from an external computer, etc.
For example, in computers with little memory,
In order to process the image data into multiple parts,
Data transmission may stop for a short period of time
Also prevents the execution of erroneous automatic print output due to short stoppage
can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block configuration diagram of a print control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the print control apparatus in FIG. 2 embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing part 2 Interface 3 Receive buffer 4 Page buffer 5 Control means 6 Data detection means 7 Timekeeping means 8 Central processing unit

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-59-176832 (JP, A) JP-A-59-67071 (JP, A) JP-A-62-121722 (JP, A) Jpn. , U) Shokai Sho 62-154946 (JP, U) Shokai Sho 56-73020 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 5/30 B41J 29/38 G06F 3/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A printing unit, character data and image data
An interface for receiving print data consisting of, a page buffer for storing a receive buffer the received data is stored, at least one page of character data and image data contained in the received data, data in the receive buffer Process the character data and image data
And a central processing unit for storing print data in the page buffer and sending out the print data in the page buffer to a printing unit for printing out, the print data stored in the page buffer. character image data detection means and said when the print data in the page buffer is detected by the character image data detecting means that the character data first but for detecting whether the image data or a text data
When the character image data detecting means detects that the print data in the page buffer is image data, a second position longer than the first predetermined time is set.
A timer time setting means for constant time is set, a data detecting means for detecting whether data exists in the page buffer, and in the receive buffer, said data detecting means no data in the receiving buffer starts timing upon detecting a second data in the receive buffer is cleared counting when it detects the presence, set in the count time setting means without being cleared from the start of the time measurement A timer for outputting a signal when the first or second predetermined time has elapsed, wherein the central processing unit is configured so that the print data in the page buffer is character data.
When the character image data detecting means detects
The data detection means detects that data exists in the page buffer.
And the data to be processed in the reception buffer
Detecting that the timer does not exist, and
When the signal is output after measuring the predetermined time of 1
All character data existing in the page buffer
Printed out by sending to the shaped portion, the print data in the page buffer is an image data
When the character image data detecting means detects
The data detection means detects that data exists in the page buffer.
And the data to be processed in the reception buffer
Detecting that the timer does not exist, and
When the signal is output after counting the predetermined time of 2
All the image data existing in the page buffer
A print control device for sending to a character portion and printing out .