JP3468225B2 - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having a function of storing print job data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among printing apparatuses, there is an apparatus capable of storing print job data in the printing apparatus and performing printing according to the print job data at any time.

[0003]

As a printing apparatus having the above-mentioned function (generally called an on-demand printing function), the received print job data (what is instructed to be saved) is converted into an intermediate code format. There are a device that converts and saves print job data (data consisting of intermediate codes that can be converted into image data to be supplied to the print engine at high speed) and a device that saves received print job data as is. is doing.

In a printing apparatus of the type in which print job data instructed to be saved is converted into intermediate code format print job data and saved, printing is performed when printing of the saved print job data is instructed. Processing that requires a relatively long time for converting job data into print job data in the intermediate code format (hereinafter referred to as intermediate encoding processing) is not performed. Therefore, this type of printing device functions as a device in which printing of the stored print job data is immediately started. However, when this type of printing apparatus continuously receives print job data instructing to save and normal print job data (print job data not instructing to save), printing of the normal print job data is performed. However, it is also a device that does not start until the intermediate encoding process for the print job data to be stored is completed (a device that delays the start of printing of normal print job data).

On the other hand, in the printing apparatus of the type in which the print job data is stored as it is, the storage of the print job data is completed almost at the same time as the reception of the print job data is completed. For this reason, in this type of printing apparatus, even if the normal print job data is received immediately after the print job data instructing to be stored, the start of the printing of the normal print job data is delayed. There is no. However, with this type of printing apparatus, when printing of the stored print job data is instructed, processing involving intermediate coding processing is performed, so this type of printing apparatus prints the first page. By the way, it takes a longer time than a printing apparatus that stores print job data in the intermediate code format.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus having a function of storing print job data, which is a normal printing job data, It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus in which printing of any stored print job data is always started quickly.

A second object of the present invention is a printing apparatus having a function of saving print job data, in which normal print job data is always quickly started and saved. The print job data
An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus in which once printing is performed, the printing is quickly started.

[0008]

In order to solve the above first problem, in the printing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, a save job data storage unit for storing some save job data, Upon receiving the supply of data for supply in a predetermined format,
Printed matter generating means for generating a printed matter according to the supply data, save instruction print job data including save instruction information for instructing to save, and normal print job data not including the save instruction information are received. And a format conversion unit for executing format conversion processing for converting print job data into intermediate format data, which is data of a format capable of generating supply data at high speed, and stored by the reception unit. If the format conversion processing is being executed by the format conversion means when the reception of the instruction print job data is started, the save instruction print job data is stored in the saved job data storage means as save job data. When the processing is started and the format conversion processing is not being executed by the format conversion means, the format conversion means is used to save it. A save instruction data processing unit that starts intermediate conversion data related to the instruction print job data and stores it as save job data in the save job data storage unit, and a receiving unit starts reception of normal print job data. When the conversion instruction saving processing is being executed by the saving instruction data processing means, the execution is interrupted and then the format converting means is used to generate the intermediate format data related to the normal print job data. After executing the normal print control processing for generating the supply data from the intermediate format data and supplying the data to the printed matter generation means, the save instruction data processing means is caused to continue the interrupted conversion save processing, and the save instruction data processing means If the conversion save process has not been executed,
When a normal print job data processing unit that executes normal print control processing and printing of a certain save job data stored in the save job data storage unit are instructed, supply data relating to the save job data is created. And a stored job data print control means for supplying the printed matter generation means.

As described above, in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, as a general rule, conversion saving processing (intermediate generated from the save instruction print job data is performed on the received save instruction print job data. A process of storing the format data in the save job data storage means as save job data related to the save instruction print job data) is performed. However, before the conversion save processing for a certain save instruction print job data is completed (when the reception of the save instruction print job data is completed but the conversion save processing is not completed), the normal print job data When the reception is started, the conversion saving process is interrupted, and the normal print control process for generating a printed matter according to the normal print job data is performed. After the normal printing control process is completed, the interrupted conversion saving process is continued (the conversion saving process is restarted from the interrupted position).

That is, the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus in which the storage instruction print job data is finally stored as intermediate format data capable of high-speed printing. The printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention is also an apparatus in which the processing for printing the normal print job data is preferentially performed. Therefore, the printing apparatus of the present invention is a printing apparatus in which printing is always started quickly for both normal print job data (normal print job data) and saved print job data (saved job data). Will function as.

In implementing the printing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if the intermediate format data and the supply data are data of different formats, the intermediate format data and the supply data are You may keep the same data.

Further, in realizing the printing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, when the printing of certain saved job data stored in the saved job data storage means is instructed as the saved job data print control means. In the case where the conversion instruction saving processing is being executed by the saving instruction data processing means, the execution of the saving is interrupted, the supply data relating to the saved job data is created and supplied to the printed matter generating means, and then the saving instruction is executed. It is possible to employ means for causing the data processing means to continue the interrupted conversion and storage processing.

That is, although the probability of actually occurring is extremely low, when the printing of certain save job data stored in the save job data storage means is instructed, the save instruction data processing means executes the conversion save processing. It is possible that When such a situation occurs, the printing apparatus of the first aspect should be configured so that the save job data is printed after the conversion save process executed by the save instruction data processing means is completed. However, if the save job data print control means as described above is adopted, when the save job data storage means is instructed to print certain save job data, the save instruction data processing means Even when the conversion saving process is being executed, a printing device in which printing is prioritized can be obtained.

In order to solve the above second problem, the printing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention has a storage job data storage unit for storing some storage job data and a predetermined format supply. Printed matter generation means for receiving a supply of the working data and generating a printed matter according to the supplied data,
Receiving means for receiving save instruction print job data including save instruction information for instructing to save and normal print job data not including the save instruction information, and save instruction received by the receiving means. Saving means for storing the print job data in the saved job data storage means as saved job data, and normal print job data received by the receiving means are converted into intermediate format data and then converted into supply data to generate a printed matter. When the normal print control means to be supplied to the means and the print of certain save job data stored in the save job data storage means are instructed, if the save job data is not the intermediate format data, the save job data is saved. While converting the job data into intermediate format data and then converting it into supply data and supplying it to the printed matter generation means, The saved job data in the existing job data storage means is changed to the converted intermediate format data, and if the saved job data is the intermediate format data, the intermediate format data is converted to supply data. And a stored job data print control means for supplying the printed matter generation means.

That is, in the printing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the save instruction print job data is received, the save instruction print job data is stored as the save job data as it is, and each save is performed when printing is performed for the first time. Job data is rewritten to intermediate format data that can be printed at high speed. Therefore, in the printing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the start of the processing of the normal print job data is not delayed because the save instruction print job data is saved (the normal print job data is always The printing is started quickly), and once the stored print job data is printed, the printing apparatus functions as a printing device that starts the printing quickly.

Even when the printing apparatus of the second aspect is realized, the intermediate format data and the supply data may be different formats, or the intermediate format data and the supply data may be the same data. You can also leave it.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus 1.
It is a network printer used in a state of being connected to several personal computers (PC) 20 in which a printer driver 25 for 0 is installed via a LAN cable 100. The printer driver 25
Is provided to the user of each PC 20 by a recording medium such as a CD-ROM 27 or by downloading from a website operated by the manufacturer of the printing apparatus 10.

The printing apparatus 10 has a control section 11, a control panel 12 and a printing mechanism section 13 as main constituent elements.

The control panel 12 is an interface between the user and the printing apparatus 10. The control panel 12 has a plurality of buttons that the user can press,
A plurality of LEDs for indicating the operating state of the printing device 10,
A liquid crystal display on which various messages are displayed is provided.

The printing mechanism section 13 is under the control of the control section 11.
This is a mechanism for printing on paper. The printing mechanism unit 13 receives a supply of image data (hereinafter referred to as supply data) for one page or a plurality of pages, and a print engine that actually prints on the paper, and supplies the paper to the print engine. However, a transport mechanism including various devices (paper feeding device, paper discharging device, etc.) for discharging the printed paper to the outside of the printing device 10 is included.

The control unit 11 includes a network interface circuit 111, a CPU 112, a RAM 113 and an HDD 1.
14, a memory control unit 115, a ROM 116, an interface circuit unit 117, and the like. As illustrated, the network interface circuit 111 and the ROM 116
Are respectively connected to the memory control unit 115,
The CPU 112, the RAM 113, the HDD 114, and the interface circuit unit 117 are connected to the memory control unit 115. The interface circuit unit 117 is connected to the control panel 12 and the printing mechanism unit 13, and the memory control unit 115 is connected to the printing mechanism unit 13.

Network interface circuit 111
Is a circuit that receives print job data (details will be described later) transmitted from the PC 20. The ROM 116 is a non-volatile memory that stores programs and font data. The CPU 112 is a control circuit that integrally controls each unit in the control unit 11 according to a program stored in the ROM 116.

The RAM 113 is a memory used as a work area of the CPU 112. The HDD 114 is an auxiliary storage device that stores the saved job data 30, the job management table 35, and the like. The stored job data 30 is print job data that allows the user to operate the control panel 12 to cause the printing apparatus 10 (control unit 11) to perform printing, and the job management table 35 is stored in the HDD 114. Saved job data 3
It is a table in which stored job management information is stored for each 0. Saved job data 30, saved job management table 3
Details of 5 will be described later.

The memory control section 115 transfers data from the network interface circuit 111 to the RAM 113 according to an instruction from the CPU 112, and the RAM 11
3 is a circuit that performs a process of transferring the print data created on the printer 3 to the print engine in the print mechanism unit 13 and the like. The interface circuit unit 117 is a circuit used by the CPU 112 to control various devices in the control panel 12 and the printing mechanism unit 13. Between the CPU 112 and the control panel 12, the CPU 112 and the printing mechanism unit 1 are provided.
3 is composed of several interface circuits for exchanging data with the transport mechanism and the like.

The operation of the printing apparatus 10 will be described below.

The printing apparatus 10 has print job data (hereinafter referred to as normal print job data) instructing that printing should be performed without saving, and print job data instructing to save (save job data 30 stored in the HDD 114). The stored data; hereinafter referred to as save instruction print job data) is a device capable of receiving and processing.

Therefore, the printer driver 25 is provided with a function of transmitting normal print job data and save instruction print job data. The printer driver 2
The normal print job data transmitted by the printer 5 is similar to the print job data transmitted by the printer driver for the printer that does not have the function of storing the print job data, and the save instruction print transmitted by the printer driver 25 is executed. The job data is the normal print job data to which information indicating that the print data is the save instruction print job data, a user name, and a job name are added.

Further, the printing apparatus 10 uses certain print job data (normal print job data and saved job data 30).
The apparatus is capable of starting reception of other print job data and receiving a print instruction of the save job data 30 during printing related to.
Note that the printing apparatus 10 designates when the operation for designating the saved job data 30 (the operation for selecting the combination of the user name and the job name) and the operation for designating the printing are performed on the control panel 12. The device determines that a print instruction of the saved job data 30 has been given.

In the printing apparatus 10, the above-described functions are constantly executed by the control unit 11 in the management process, and in parallel with the management process, the storage process, the save process, and the conversion save process are performed. Process, conversion process or print control process
The device is realized by being executed.

The storage process is a process of storing the normal print job data transmitted from the PC 20 in the HDD 114 as it is and registering information indicating that the normal print job data should be printed in a queue. The storage processing is completed in about the same time as the time required to receive the print job data.

The save process is a process of storing the save instruction print job data transmitted from the PC 20 as it is in the HDD 114 as the save job data 30. This saving process is completed in about the same time as the time required to receive the save instruction print job data.

The conversion save process is a process of converting the sent save instruction print job data into print job data whose content is represented by an intermediate code and storing it as the save job data 30 in the HDD 114. Here, the intermediate code is a code that can be converted at high speed (within a predetermined time) into image data that is a format of data to be supplied to the print engine in the print mechanism unit 13.

This conversion save process is a process that takes longer than the time required to receive the save instruction print job data (process that continues to be executed even after the reception of the print job data is completed). Further, the conversion saving process cannot be interrupted before the reception of the print job data is completed, but the execution thereof can be interrupted after the reception of the print job data is completed. Note that the interrupted conversion saving process is continued by the conversion process (details will be described later).

Whether the save process or the conversion save process is executed when the save instruction print job data is received will be described later. At the end of the save process, a storage area indicating the storage area in which the save job data 30 is stored is stored. The area information, the user name and job name included in the save instruction print job data, and the stored save job data 30 are print job data that has not been intermediately encoded (hereinafter referred to as unconverted save job data 30). ), The saved job management information consisting of the save format information and the received date and time,
It is added to the job management table 35. On the other hand, at the end of the conversion save process, print job data in which the saved save job data 30 stored in the job management table 35 is intermediate coded (hereinafter referred to as converted saved job data 3
The saved job management information in which the save format information indicating that it is 0) is set is added. Further, when the conversion saving process is interrupted, print job data in which the intermediate coding of the saved job data 30 has been started but the intermediate coding has not been completed in the job management table 35 (hereinafter,
Saved job management information in which save format information indicating that the job is the saved job data during conversion 30) is set is added.

The management process, print control process, and conversion process are the processes whose procedures are shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the management process is a process that is started when the power of the printing apparatus 10 is turned on, and the control unit 11 that has started the management process first performs each function normally. It is confirmed (step S10)
1). If the control unit 11 finds that there is an abnormality in the printing apparatus 10 in which the process after step S102 cannot be started, the control unit 11 sends a message to that effect to the control panel 12 at step S101.
Display on the LCD panel of. Then, the control unit 11 waits for the work for eliminating the abnormality to be performed by the user (each unit is in a state of functioning normally).

After confirming that each unit is functioning normally, the control unit 11 performs three types of events such as the start of receiving the save instruction print job data, the start of receiving the normal print job data, and the input of the print instruction of the save job data 30. It waits for any of them to occur (step S102). The process of step S102 is executed even while the print job data is being received. However, when the print job data is being received, the occurrence of the print job data is waited (monitored) in step S102 because the print instruction of the save job data 30 is input from the control panel 12 (control panel 12). However, the operation of designating the saved job data 30 and the operation of instructing the printing thereof are only performed.

When the event whose occurrence is detected in step S102 is the start of receiving the save instruction print job data (step S103; start of receiving the save job), the control unit 11 determines that the state of the printing apparatus 10 (self) is the first. It is determined whether or not the type 1 idle state is set (step S111). Here, the first type idle state is a state in which neither the conversion saving process, the conversion process, nor the print control process is performed.

Then, the control section 11 determines that the printing apparatus 10 is in the first type idle state (step S11).
If 1; YES), the conversion saving process for the received storage instruction print job data is started (step S112). That is, the control unit 11 controls the converted saved job data 3 corresponding to the save instruction print job data.
The process of storing 0 in the HDD 114 is started. on the other hand,
When the state of the printing apparatus 10 is not the first type idle state (step S111; NO), the control unit 11 starts the save process for the save instruction print job data that has started to be received (step S113). . That is,
The control unit 11 starts the process of storing the unconverted save job data 30 corresponding to the save instruction print job data in the HDD 114.

Then, the control unit 11 which has started the conversion saving process or the saving process returns to step S102 and waits only for the input of the print instruction of the save job data 30 until the reception of the save instruction print job data is completed. After the reception of the save instruction print job data is completed, the input of the print instruction of the save job data 30 and the start of receiving the save instruction print job data or the normal print job data are waited.

When the event whose occurrence is detected in step S102 is the start of reception of normal print job data (step S103; start of reception of normal job), the control unit 1
1 determines whether or not the state of the printing apparatus 10 is the second type idle state (step S121). Where the second
The seed idle state is a state in which print control processing (details described later) are not being executed.

Then, when the state of the printing apparatus 10 is the second type idle state (step S121; YES),
The control unit 11 starts the print control process in which the normal print job data of which the reception is started is the job data to be processed (step S122), and then returns to step S102. If the conversion saving process or the conversion process (details will be described later) is being executed at the time of executing step S122, the control unit 11 performs the conversion saving process or the conversion process being executed before starting the print control process. The execution of the process (interruption required process in the figure) is interrupted.

On the other hand, when the state of the printing apparatus 10 is not the second type idle state (step S121; NO),
The control unit 11 starts the storage process of storing the normal print job data in the HDD 114 (step S123), and then returns to step S102.

When a print instruction for the saved job data 30 is input (steps S102 and S10).
3; save job print instruction input), and the control unit 11 determines whether or not the state of the printing apparatus 10 is the second type idle state (step S131). Then, when the state of the printing apparatus 10 is the second type idle state (step S13)
1; YES), if the conversion saving process or the conversion process is being executed, the control unit 11 interrupts the execution of the process, and then executes the print control process in which the saved job data 30 is the process target job data. Is started (step S13
2). Then, the control unit 11 returns to step S102.

On the other hand, when the state of the printing apparatus 10 is not the second type idle state (step S131; NO),
That is, when the print control process is being executed, the control unit 11 registers in the queue that the saved job data 30 instructed to be printed should be printed (step S133), and then returns to step S102.

In addition, step S122 or step S
As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 11 that has started the print control processing as a result of the processing of 132 firstly converts the job data to be processed into converted saved job data 30, unconverted saved job data 30, and save during conversion. It is determined which of the job data 30, the normal print job data stored by the storage process, and the print job data whose reception has started (step S201).

When the job data to be processed is the converted saved job data 30 (step S201; converted data), the control unit 11 reads the intermediate saved converted saved job data 30 from the HDD 114. , The supply data is generated by expanding the read converted saved job data 30, and the printing mechanism unit 13
To the internal print engine (step S202).

When the job data to be processed is the unconverted saved job data 30 (step S201; unconverted data), the control section 11 causes the PC 20 (printer driver 2).
5) a process of reading the unconverted save job data 30 which is the data in the form just transmitted from the HDD 114 and generating intermediate code form data from the read unconverted save job data 30; and the process of the intermediate code form data The process of generating supply data and supplying it to the print engine is performed in parallel (step S203). Further, in step S203, the control unit 11 converts the unconverted saved job data 30 in the printed HDD 114 into the converted saved job data 30 (HDD1
The unconverted save job data 30 in 14 is replaced with the intermediate code form data generated from the unconverted save job data 30, and the save format information of the corresponding save job management information in the save job management table 35 is changed. (Change process) is also performed.

When the job data to be processed is the conversion-in-progress retention job data 30 (step S201; conversion-in-progress data), the control unit 11 stores the conversion-in-progress retention job data 30, a part of which is intermediate code, in the HDD 114. The process of generating intermediate code form data from the read during-conversion save job data 30 and the process of generating supply data from the intermediate code form data and supplying it to the print engine are performed in parallel ( Step S20
4). Further, in step S204, control unit 11 also performs a process for replacing processed save job data during conversion 30 in HDD 114 with converted save job data 30.

When the job data to be processed is the normal print job data stored by the storage process (step S201; stored normal data), the control unit 11 reads the normal print job data from the HDD 114 and reads it. The process of generating intermediate code form data from the normal print job data 30 and the process of generating supply data from the intermediate code form data and supplying the data to the print engine are performed in parallel (step S205).

If the job data to be processed is the normal print job data whose reception has started (step S
201; normal data), the control unit 11 performs processing for receiving normal print job data, processing for generating intermediate code form data from the received normal print job data, and supply from the intermediate code form data. A process of generating data and supplying it to the print engine is performed (step S206).

After executing any one of steps S202 to S206, the control section 11 determines whether or not the information regarding the print job data to be processed is registered in the queue (step S207), and the information is registered. If YES (step S207; YES), the process from step S201 is executed with the print job data to be processed next as the job data to be processed. On the other hand, when the information regarding the print job data to be processed is not registered in the queue (step S207; NO), the control unit 11
Starts the conversion process by checking whether or not the saved job management information indicating that the unconverted print job data 30 or the converting job data 30 exists is stored in the saved job management table 35 ( Alternatively, it is determined whether or not it is necessary to restart (step S20).
8). Then, when it is not necessary to start or restart the conversion process (step S208; NO), the control unit 1
1 ends the print control process. On the other hand, when it is necessary to start or restart the conversion process (step S208;
If YES, the control unit 11 starts or restarts the conversion process (step S209), and then ends the print control process.

Then, at the time of conversion processing, the control unit 11 operates as shown in FIG.
It operates according to the procedure shown in. That is, the control unit 11 that has started the conversion process uses the unconverted save job data 30 (the save job data 30 stored in the save process) or the in-conversion save job data 30 stored in the HDD 114.
Processing (conversion saving processing or saving job data 30 in which the conversion processing has been interrupted) is converted to converted saved job data 30 in which all are converted into intermediate codes (step S301). If the unconverted save job data 30 and the in-conversion save job data 30 exist, the control unit 11 processes the in-conversion save job data 30 in step S301. If a plurality of unconverted save job data 30 are present, the oldest received unconverted save job data 30 is processed in this step S301.

Then, when the conversion of the unconverted saved job data 30 or the in-conversion job data 30 is completed, the control unit 11 manages the saved job in the saved job data 30 in the job management table 35. The information is changed to information including save format information indicating that the save job data 30 is the converted save job data 30, and the step S301 ends.

As already described, when the normal print job data is received during the execution of step S301 (FIG. 2: steps S102 and S103; normal job reception starts), the control unit 11 performs the conversion process. The print control process is started with interruption (step S122, see step S206 in FIG. 3). Further, when the save instruction print job data is received during the execution of step S301, the control unit 11 starts the save process without interrupting the conversion process (step S113 in FIG. 2). Then, when the print instruction of the save job data 30 is input during the execution of step S301, the control unit 11 interrupts the conversion process and starts the print control process (see step S132).

After completion of step S301, the controller 11
H by referring to the job management table 35
Whether or not the unconverted save job data 30 remains in the DD 114 (because there are no two save job data during conversion 30), the HDD is stored when the step S301 is completed.
It is determined that the stored job data 30 during conversion does not remain in 114) (step S302).

When the unconverted save job data 30 remains (step S302; YES), the control section 11 returns to step S301 and the unconverted save job data 30 (the reception date and time is the oldest). Thing) to start the conversion.

Then, the control unit 11 ends the conversion process when the unconverted save job data 30 (and the save-in-conversion job data 30) is not stored in the HDD 114 (step S302; NO). To do.

As described above, in the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when in the first type idle state (C
The conversion saving process is started with respect to the save instruction print job data transmitted by the PU 112 (when no heavy load process is performed). If the normal print job data is sent when the save instruction print job data has been received but the conversion save process has not been completed, the conversion save process is interrupted and the normal print process is interrupted. The print control process for the job data is started.

When the print control process for the normal print job data is completed, the interrupted conversion save process is continued in the conversion process, and the save job data related to the save instruction print job data is stored in the HDD 114. A state in which converted saved job data 30, which is data that can be printed at high speed, is stored is formed as 30.

Further, the save processing is started for the save instruction print job data transmitted when not in the first type idle state (for example, when the printing related to the normal print job data is performed). And CPU1
When it is no longer necessary for the 12 to perform a heavy processing, the conversion processing is started and the HDD 11
The unconverted saved job data 30 stored in No. 4 is converted into the converted saved job data 30. When the normal print job data is transmitted during the execution of the conversion process, the conversion saving process is interrupted and the print control process for the normal print job data is started.

Since the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment operates in this way, the printing apparatus 10 can always print the normal print job data and the saved print job data. It is possible to provide the user with a printing environment in which printing is started quickly.

<Second Embodiment> A printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a simplified version of the printing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. It is the same device as the printing device 10. Also,
The printer driver for the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment is
Printer driver 25 for the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment
Is the same as. For this reason, in the following, by using the reference numerals used in the description of the first embodiment, the configuration and operation of the printing device 10 according to the second embodiment will be focused on the parts different from the printing device 10 according to the first embodiment. Will be explained.

In the printing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment, the control unit 11 constantly executes management processing, and in parallel with the management processing, storage processing, storage processing, and print control processing are executed depending on the situation. The device is configured as described above.

Each processing will be described below in order.

FIG. 5 shows a printing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment.
6 is a flowchart of management processing executed by the control unit 11 of FIG.

As shown in the figure, the control unit 11 which has started the management process first confirms that each unit functions normally (step S401). After confirming that the respective units are functioning normally, the control unit 11 selects one of the three types of events such as the start of receiving the save instruction print job data, the start of receiving the normal print job data, and the input of the print instruction of the save job data 30. Wait for the occurrence of a step (step S4)
02). The process of step S402 is the same as step S2.
Similarly to step 02, the process is executed while the print job data is being received, and in the state where the print job data is being received, in step S402, a print instruction of the save job data 30 is issued from the control panel 12. Is input (monitored) only when is input.

When the event whose occurrence is detected in step S402 is the start of reception of the save instruction print job data (step S403; start of reception of the save job), the control section 11 controls the transmitted save instruction print job data. ,
As it is, the saving process of storing the saved job data 30 in the HDD 114 is started (step S411). At the end of this saving process, the saved job data 30
Storage area information indicating the storage area in which is stored, the user name and job name included in the save instruction print job data,
Saved job management information including save format information and received date and time indicating that the stored saved job data 30 is print job data that has not undergone intermediate coding (hereinafter referred to as unconverted saved job data 30) Are added to the job management table 35.

Then, the control section 11 carries out step S402.
Returning to step 3, until reception of the save instruction print job data is completed, only the input of the print instruction of the save job data 30 is waited, and after the reception of the save instruction print job data is completed, the save job data 30 While waiting for the input of the print instruction, the reception of the save instruction print job data or the normal print job data is awaited.

When the event whose occurrence is detected in step S402 is the start of reception of normal print job data (step S403; start of normal job reception), the control unit 1
1 determines whether the printer 10 is in the idle state (step S421). Here, the idle state is a state in which print control processing (details described later) are not being executed.

When the printing device 10 is in the idle state (step S421; YES), the control section 11 starts the print control process with the normal print job data, the reception of which has been started, as the process target job data. After performing (step S422), the process returns to step S402.

On the other hand, when the printer 10 is not in the idle state (step S421; NO), the control section 11 keeps the received normal print job data as it is.
After storing in the HDD 114 and starting a storage process for registering that the normal print job data should be printed in the queue (step S423), the process returns to step S402.

When a print instruction for a certain stored job data 30 is input (steps S402 and S4)
03; input of print instruction for stored job), and the control unit 11 determines whether the state of the printing apparatus 10 is idle (step S431). Then, when the state of the printing apparatus 10 is the idle state (step S431; YE
S), the control unit 11 starts the print control process using the stored job data 30 as the process target job data (step S432), and then returns to step S402.

On the other hand, if the printing apparatus 10 is not in the idle state (step S431; NO), that is, if the printing control process is being executed, the control unit 11
Registers in the queue that the stored job data 30 instructed to be printed should be printed (step S433), and returns to step S402.

Then, the control unit 11 according to the second embodiment.
Executes the print control process of the procedure shown in FIG. That is, the control unit 11 that has started the print control process as a result of the process of step S422 or step S432 firstly determines that the job data to be processed is the unconverted save job data 30, the converted save job data 30 (details will be described later), It is determined whether the print job data is the normal print job data stored by the storage process or the print job data of which reception is started (step S501).

If the job data to be processed is the unconverted saved job data 30 (step S501; unconverted data), the control section 11 causes the PC 20 (printer driver 2
5) a process of reading the unconverted save job data 30 which is the data in the form as it is transmitted from the HDD 114, generating data in the intermediate code form from the read unconverted save job data 30, and the data of the intermediate code form. To supply data to the print engine and supply it to the print engine in parallel (step S502). Also,
In step S502, the control unit 11 prints the unconverted saved job data 30 in the HDD 114 that has printed.
Is the converted saved job data 30 that is data in the form of an intermediate code generated from the unconverted saved job data 30.
And the conversion of the format of the save job data 30 is stored in the save job management table 35.

If the job data to be processed is the converted saved job data 30 (step S501;
(Converted data), the control unit 11 converts the converted saved job data 30 that has already been intermediate coded into the HDD 11
Converted saved job data 3 read from 4
The supply data is generated by expanding 0 and supplied to the print engine in the print mechanism unit 13 (step S5).
03).

The job data to be processed is stored in H
If it is the normal print job data stored in the DD 114 (step S501; queuing normal data),
The control unit 11 sends the normal print job data to the HDD 11
Normal print job data 3 read from
The process of generating intermediate code form data from 0 and the process of generating supply data from the intermediate code form data and supplying it to the print engine are performed (step S50).
4).

If the job data to be processed is the normal print job data whose reception has started (step S
501; normal data), the control unit 11 receives the normal print job data, generates intermediate code form data from the normal print job data, and supplies data from the intermediate code form data. Is generated and supplied to the print engine (step S505).

Then, the control section 11 carries out step S502.
After performing any one of the processes from to S505, it is determined whether or not the information regarding the print job data to be processed is registered in the queue (step S506). If the information is registered (step S506; YES), The processing from step S501 is executed using the print job data to be processed next registered in the queue as the processing target job data. On the other hand, if the information about the print job data to be processed is not registered in the queue (step S
506; NO), the control unit 11 ends the print control process.

As described above, in the printing apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment, when the save instruction print job data is received, the unconverted save job data 30, which is the received save instruction print job data itself, is It is stored in the HDD 114. Therefore, the printing apparatus 10 is an apparatus in which the start of the processing of the normal print job data is not delayed due to the storage processing of the save instruction print job data. Further, in the printing apparatus 10, the unconverted saved job data 30 stored in the HDD 114 is converted into the converted saved job data 30 when the first printing is performed.
Therefore, in the printing apparatus 10, although it takes time until the first page is ejected when the saved job data 30 is first printed, the saved job data 30 that has been printed once is The printing will function as a device that is quickly started.

<Third Embodiment> FIG. 7 shows a schematic structure of a printing apparatus 40 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the printing device 40 according to the third embodiment includes the control unit 4
1 and the print engine 42.

Like the control unit 11, the control unit 41 controls the CP
The HDD of the control unit 41 includes a control unit 1
The stored job data 30 and the stored job management table 35, which have the same format as the stored job data 30 and the stored job management table 35, respectively, are stored. Further, the control unit 41 is controlled by the CPU by the interface manager 51, the HDD data management module 52, the job language interpretation module 53, the page description language interpretation module 54, the job management manager 55, the printing manager 56, the engine controller 57.
However, they are executed in parallel.

The interface manager 51 is a program module that is in charge of processing related to the reception of print job data, and the HDD data management module 52 is an H module.
It is a program module in charge of processing related to DD. The job language interpretation module 53 is a program module that interprets a job header included in print job data. The printing manager 56 is a program module that manages the print queue, and the page description language interpretation module 54 intermediate-codes the body data included in the print job data, and prints the print structure including the intermediate-coded data to the print queue. This is a program module registered in. The control unit 11 is configured so that a plurality of page description language interpretation modules 54 can be activated at the same time.

The engine controller 57 controls the print engine 42 (supply of data to the print engine 42, etc.).
Is a program module that actually performs. The job management manager 55 is a program module that controls each program module in an integrated manner. Under the control of the job management manager 55, the printing apparatus 40 operates as shown in FIG.

That is, the job management manager 55
The occurrence of new events is monitored (step S01),
When the occurrence of a new event is recognized (step S01; Yes), if there is a code conversion process to be interrupted, it is interrupted (step S02). If the event that has occurred is the reception of normal print job data (step S03; normal job reception), the print engine 42 prints a printed matter according to the normal job data using the page description language interpretation module 54 or the like. The normal process (step S04) for generating the event is executed, and the process for the occurred event is finished.

If the event that occurred is the reception of the save instruction job data (step S03; receive the save instruction job), the save instruction job data is saved as it is using the HDD data management module 52 or the like. The data is stored in the HDD (step S05),
Information regarding the stored job data is added to the stored job management table (step S06). Then, the job management manager 55 finishes the process for the event that has occurred. After that, the job management manager 55 recognizes that no new event has occurred in step S01. Also, the job management manager 55
Recognizes that there is stored job data that has not been converted to the intermediate code form in step S13,
A process of converting the stored job data into stored job data in the intermediate code form (step S14) and updating the contents of the stored job management table (step S15) are performed.

When the occurrence of a new event is detected during the execution of step S14 (step S01; Yes), the job management manager 55 interrupts the processing (step S02). Then, the job management manager 55
If the event that occurred is the reception of print instruction-added save instruction job data (step S03; print instruction-added save instruction job received), the page description language interpretation module 5
4. The HDD data management module 52 or the like is used to convert the job data into intermediate code form data, which is stored in the HDD as saved job data (step S0).
7). It should be noted that the print instruction-attached save instruction job data is job data (data not accepted by the printing apparatus 10 according to the first and second embodiments) in which both printing and saving are designated.

After that, the job management manager 55 adds information about the saved job data to the saved job management table (step S08). Further, the job management manager 55 converts the data in the intermediate code form obtained in step S07 into the printing manager 5
6 and the engine controller 57 to cause the print engine 42 to generate a printed matter according to the data (step S09).

When the event that has occurred is the input of a print instruction for a certain saved job (step S03; input of a saved job print instruction), the job management manager 55
Determines whether the stored job data for which printing is instructed is data that has been converted or is being converted (step S10). Then, if the saved job data is data being converted (step S10; converting), the job management manager 55 causes the page description language interpretation module 54 to restart the code conversion process related to the saved job data (step S10). S11), and after that, the contents of the stored job management table are updated (step S12). Next, the job management manager 55
Printing of the stored job data in the intermediate code form is performed in step S09.

On the other hand, if the saved job data for which printing is instructed is data that has been converted (step S
10; converted), the job management manager 55 immediately starts the process of step S09.

As described above, in the printing apparatus 40 according to the third embodiment, when the save instruction print job data is received, the unconverted save job data which is the received save instruction print job data itself is stored in the HDD. Memorized in. Therefore, the printing device 40 is a device in which the start of the processing of the normal print job data is not delayed due to the storage processing of the save instruction print job data. Also,
In the printing device 40, the unconverted saved job data stored in the HDD is converted into the saved job data in the intermediate code form when there is no processing to be performed immediately. Therefore, the printing device 40 functions as a device in which printing of the stored job data is quickly started in principle.

<Modifications> Printing device 1 according to each embodiment
0 and 40 can be variously modified. For example,
The printing apparatus 10 according to each embodiment is an apparatus in which the converted saved job data 30 is data including intermediate codes, but the supply data itself to be supplied to the print engine is the converted saved job data 30. Each printing device 10 may be modified so that

Further, the printing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment.
Is a device that, if the conversion process / conversion saving process is being executed when the printing of the saved job data 30 is instructed, the process is interrupted and the printing of the saved job data 30 is started. . However, saved job data 3
Since the probability that the conversion process / conversion save process is being executed when printing 0 is instructed is small, the save job data 30
If the conversion processing / conversion saving processing is being executed when the printing of the save job data is instructed, the printing apparatus is configured so that the printing of the saved job data 30 is started after the conversion processing / conversion saving processing is completed. 10 may be modified.

Further, the printing device 10 is a device that allows the user to issue a print start instruction for the stored job data 30 by operating the control panel 12, but P
The printing apparatus 10 may be modified so that an instruction to start printing the stored job data 30 can be issued by operating C20.

[0097]

According to the printing apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide the user with a printing environment in which printing is always started quickly for both normal print data and stored print data. It can be provided. Further, according to the second printing apparatus of the present invention, for normal print data,
It is possible to always provide the user with a printing environment in which the printing is quickly started, and once the stored print data is printed, the printing is quickly started.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
It is a block diagram showing a usage pattern.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of management processing executed by the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of print control processing executed by the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a conversion process executed by the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of management processing executed by the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a print control process executed by the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an operation procedure of the printing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 40 printer 11, 41 Control unit 12 Control panel 13 Printing mechanism 20 Personal computer (PC) 25 Printer driver 27 CD-ROM 30 Saved job data 35 Stored job management table 42 print engine 111 Network interface circuit 112 CPU 113 RAM 114 HDD 115 memory control unit 116 ROM 117 Interface circuit section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 5/30 B41J 29/38 G06F 3/12

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A stored job data storage unit for storing some stored job data, and a print product generation unit for receiving supply of supply data of a predetermined format and generating a print product according to the supply data. Receiving means for receiving save instruction print job data including save instruction information for instructing to save and normal print job data not including the save instruction information; Format conversion means for performing format conversion processing for converting to intermediate format data, which is data of a format capable of generating data at high speed, and when reception of the save instruction print job data is started by the receiving means, When the format conversion processing is executed by the format conversion means, the save instruction print job data is stored in the save job data storage area. If the format conversion processing is not executed by the format conversion means, the intermediate format data relating to the save instruction print job data is started if the format conversion processing is not executed by the format conversion means. Save instruction data processing means for starting conversion and saving processing for generating and storing as save job data in the save job data storage means; and the save operation when the normal print job data reception is started by the receiving means. When the conversion saving process is executed by the instruction data processing unit, the execution is interrupted, and then the format conversion unit is used to generate the intermediate format data relating to the normal print job data and the intermediate format. Normal print control processing for generating supply data from data and supplying it to the printed matter generation means After the execution, the saving instruction data processing means is caused to continue the interrupted conversion saving processing, and if the conversion instruction saving processing has not been executed by the saving instruction data processing means, the normal print control processing is executed. And a normal print job data processing unit, which, when instructed to print a certain save job data stored in the save job data storage unit, creates supply data relating to the save job data and causes the printed matter generating unit to generate the supply data. A printing apparatus comprising: a stored job data print control unit to be supplied. 2. The stored job data print control means,
If the conversion storage processing is being executed by the storage instruction data processing means when printing of certain storage job data stored in the storage job data storage means is instructed, the execution is interrupted. 2. The printing according to claim 1, wherein after the supply data relating to the stored job data is created and supplied to the printed matter generating means, the conversion instruction saving processing is continued by the saving instruction data processing means. apparatus. 3. Storage job data storage means for storing some storage job data, and printed matter generation means for receiving a supply of supply data of a predetermined format and generating a printed matter according to the supply data. Receiving means for receiving save instruction print job data including save instruction information for instructing to save and normal print job data not including the save instruction information; Saving means for storing the save instruction print job data in the save job data storage means as save job data, and normal print job data received by the receiving means is converted into intermediate format data and then converted into the supply data. Normal print control means for converting and supplying to the printed matter generation means, and a certain storage stored in the stored job data storage means When the print job data is instructed and the save job data is not the intermediate format data, the save job data is converted to the intermediate format data and then to the supply data, and the printed matter generating means is provided. When the stored job data in the stored job data storage means is converted into converted intermediate format data, and the stored job data is intermediate format data,
A printing apparatus, comprising: stored job data print control means for converting the intermediate format data into supply data and supplying the data to the printed matter generation means.