JP2995420B2 - Network disconnection method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a network disconnection method for disconnecting a logical connection between a network terminal device and a printer.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a network in which a plurality of terminal devices and a plurality of printers each assigned an address are physically connected to one transmission path. FIG. 3 shows an example of such a network.

In FIG. 3, two printers A ₁ and A ₂ and 5
Two terminal devices B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅ are connected to one loop transmission line. Note that the terminal devices B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅
Are control terminals such as personal computers and word processors.

In a network in which such a plurality of printers A ₁ and A ₂ are connected to one loop transmission path, if information is to be printed out, a terminal device that intends to print out, for example, a terminal device B ₁ Multiple printers A ₁
And it must be established logical connections to identify one of A _2. The specified printer, for example printer A ₁ receives the output data from the terminal device B _1, executes a printout.

When the printout is completed the terminal apparatus B ₁ represents, it is necessary to interrupt the logical connection between the printer A _1.

Conventional disconnection method, the terminal device B ₁ is, when data to be transmitted to the transmission path does not exist for a predetermined time or more, i.e., when the countdown performs countdown from a predetermined time-out value has been completed, disconnection signal Is transmitted on the transmission path.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional disconnection method, regardless of the type of the printer logically connected to the terminal device, if there is no transmission data for a fixed time (time corresponding to the timeout value), the disconnection from the terminal device is performed. Since the signal is transmitted, the logical connection state is maintained for an unnecessarily long time depending on the type of the printer. Therefore, another terminal device cannot establish a logical connection with the printer, and cannot use the printer. Therefore, there is a problem that the use efficiency of the printer is poor.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to change the timeout value depending on the type of the printer and to increase the utilization efficiency of the printer.

[Means for solving the problem]

In the network disconnection method according to the present invention, a plurality of terminal devices and a plurality of printers each assigned an address are physically connected to one transmission path, and the terminal device is connected to each of the plurality of printers. In a network having storage means for storing a timeout value for each type of printer in association with an address, the terminal device, and printout based on output data from the terminal device among the plurality of printers. The logical connection with the specific printer that was performed is a network disconnection method in which the terminal device sends a disconnection signal to the specific printer via the transmission path to disconnect, and while there is transmission data, Reading a timeout value from the storage unit based on an address assigned to the specific printer; During chromatography data is not, and a step of continuing performs countdown from the read out value, and a step of sending a disconnection signal to the specific printer via the transmission path after the countdown ends.

(Operation)

When a logical connection with the printer is established, the terminal device reads a timeout value corresponding to the type of the printer from the memory from the storage unit.

The terminal device starts counting down from the read timeout value when there is no data to be transmitted.

Since the timeout value differs for each type of printer,
The logical connection is not maintained for longer than necessary.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

A case where the disconnection method according to the present invention is applied to the network shown in FIG. 3 will be described.

This network consists of two printers A ₁ and A ₂ and 5
Two word processors B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅ are physically connected to one loop transmission line. Therefore, in this network, word processors B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅ share printers A ₁ and A ₂ .

Printer A ₁ and A ₂ are different types of printers, for example, a printing speed is different printers, each address is assigned [A _1] and [A _2].

As shown in FIG. ₂ , the word processors B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅ include a control unit 21, an input / output unit 22, a memory 23, and a timer 24 connected to the control unit 21. And The control unit 21 is connected to a transmission line via an interface 25.

The word processor _{B 1, B 2, B 3} , B 4, and each of the memory 23 of the B ₅ is the printer A ₁ and A ₂ address [A _1] and [A _2], the printer A ₁ and A ₂ A timeout value corresponding to each type is stored. Here, the timeout value defines the time from when the output from the word processor is lost to when the disconnection signal is output. That is, the word processor outputs a disconnection signal to the printer if there is no continuous output data for the time represented by the timeout value.

Next, the operation of this network will be described with reference to FIGS.

Each control unit 21 of the word processors B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , and B ₅
, When information to be printed out, first, the printer A ₁ or in step S1, an inquiry whether available to the printer A _2. Word processor B ₁ is as specified printer printer A ₁ in the present embodiment, the case of performing an inquiry to the printer A _1.

Printer A ₁ determines whether available in step S2 when receiving the inquiry is responsive to a word processor B _1. At this time, if connection is possible, a logical connection is established and a response is made.

Word processor B ₁ which has received the response from the printer A ₁
When the response is usable, the control unit 21 reads the timeout value stored at the address [A ₁ ] in the timeout value storage area of the memory 23 in step S3, and sets the timeout value in the timer 24. . On the other hand, when the notification indicates that the printer cannot be used, the control unit 21 inquires the printer again. For the second inquiry,
Be performed again to the printer A _1, it may be performed again to the printer A _2.

Next, the control section 21 of the word processor B ₁ represents activates the timer In step S4 (countdown start), a step
In S5, it is determined whether there is output data in the data storage area in the memory 23.

If the output data exists, the transmission is performed in step S6, the process returns to step S3, the timeout value is set again in the timer 24, and the countdown is started.

When the output data is lost in the memory 23, the control unit 21
It is determined in step S7 whether or not the timer 24 has completed the countdown (timeout).

If the timer 24 has not finished counting down, the process returns to step S5 again to determine the presence or absence of data.

When the timer 24 has completed the countdown, the control unit 21 sends a disconnection signal to the transmission line in step S8. The sent disconnection signal to the transmission path is transmitted to the printer A _1. Printer A ₁ is the cross-sectional logical connection upon receiving a disconnection signal.

In the above embodiment, the case where the terminal device is a word processor has been described. However, another device such as a personal computer may be used.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when the logical connection between the terminal device and the printer is established, the terminal device reads out the timeout value according to the type of the printer from the storage unit, and the transmission data is When the printer runs out, the countdown is performed from the timeout value for each type of printer, so that the logical connection state is not maintained for an unnecessarily long time, and the printer can be effectively used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a disconnection method according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a terminal device of a network to which the disconnection method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a network to which the disconnection method according to the present invention is applied. A ₁ , A ₂ …… Printer, B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₃ , B ₄ , B ₅ …… Terminal device, 2
1 ... Control unit, 22 ... Input / output unit, 22 ... Memory, 24 ...
Timer, 25 ... interface.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A plurality of terminal devices and a plurality of printers each assigned an address are physically connected to one transmission line, and the terminal devices correspond to respective addresses of the plurality of printers. In a network having a storage unit that stores a timeout value for each type of printer, the terminal device, and a specific printer that has performed a printout based on output data from the terminal device among the plurality of printers. Is a network disconnection method in which the terminal device sends a disconnection signal to the specific printer via the transmission path to disconnect the logical connection. Reading a time-out value from the storage means based on the assigned address; A step of continuing performs countdown from timeout value, disconnection method of a network which comprises a step of sending a disconnection signal through the transmission channel after the countdown ends to the specific printer.