JP3713699B2 - Printing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A printing system including a host device such as a personal computer and a printer that receives print data from the host device and performs printing is known. A normal printer has a receive buffer. When the host device finishes sending the print data to the printer, the printer stores the print data in the reception buffer, and it takes more time to process the print data and complete the printing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For this reason, there is a discrepancy at the same time between the number of printed sheets that the host device has sent to the printer and the number of printed sheets that have actually been printed (discharged) by the printer. For this reason, the host device cannot accurately grasp the number of printed sheets (number of discharged sheets) by the printer and transmit it to the user. Further, when the printer is performing multi-copy (multiple copies) printing, the host device cannot accurately know what number of pages and what number of copies (number of copies) has been printed, and cannot notify the user.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing system in which a host device can accurately grasp the number of prints completed by a printer and transmit it to a user.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The printing system of the present invention includes a printer and a host device that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the printer. The printer returns information to the host device over a plurality of times at time intervals while receiving print data from the host device and information generating means for generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed. Responding means, and information return means for setting this information in the response if information indicating completion of printing is generated when each response is returned. The host device includes data creation means for creating print data, data management means for managing page information related to the number or order of pages of the print data, data transmission means for sending print data to the printer, and returned from the printer. If the response receiving means that receives each response and information indicating completion of printing is set in the received response, the printing is completed based on the information indicating the completion of printing and the page information managed by the data management means. A status grasping means for grasping the print completion status relating to the number of pages that have been printed or not printed, and a user interface means for providing the user with the acquired print completion status.
[0006]
According to this printing system, a response is returned from the printer a plurality of times while the host device sends print data to the printer. Each time printing of each sheet of paper is completed, the printer includes information to that effect in the response. Therefore, the host device determines from the response whether the printer has finished printing the current page or how many pages have not been printed. The user can be notified of the remaining information and notified.
[0007]
In a preferred embodiment, the host device divides print data relating to one print job into a plurality of packets, and sequentially transmits the plurality of packets to the printer. The printer returns each response each time it receives each packet.
[0008]
In a preferred embodiment, the host device divides each page of print data relating to one print job into a plurality of packets, and sequentially transmits the plurality of packets to the printer. The printer returns each response each time it receives each packet.
[0009]
In a preferred embodiment, the host device manages the page information related to the number of pages or the page order of the print data, and based on the information indicating the print completion included in the received response and the managed page information. , Grasp the print completion status related to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of pages that have not been printed.
[0010]
In a preferred embodiment, the host device manages the number of copies of each page in addition to the page information related to the number of pages or the page order of the print data, information indicating the completion of printing included in the received response, and management Based on the page information and the number of copies, the print completion status related to the pages that have been printed and the number of pages that have been copied or left unprinted and the number of copies is determined.
[0011]
The host device of the system of the present invention, typically a computer, can be implemented by a computer program, which can be installed or loaded on the computer through various media such as disk storage, semiconductor memory, and communication network. it can.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013]
A printer 3 is connected to the host computer 1. The host computer 1 includes a printer driver 5 and a print monitor 9 as program modules for controlling the printer 1.
[0014]
The printer driver 5 performs attribute setting / display of the printer 3 and generation of print data to be sent to the print monitor 5. The printer driver 5 displays a graphic user interface screen for setting / displaying the attributes of the printer 3 on the display of the host computer 11 and operates in response to a user command from the input device 13 such as a mouse or a keyboard. To do. The printer driver 5 passes the generated print data to the spooler 7 included in the OS.
[0015]
The print monitor 9 inputs the print data generated by the printer driver 3 from the spooler 7, creates a packet according to the communication protocol with the printer 3 based on the input print data, and exchanges the packet and response with the printer 3. In addition, error / warning / number display based on information such as printer status, error, and printing completion included in the response from the printer 3 is performed. The print monitor 9 displays a graphic user interface screen for performing error / warning / number display on the display 11 and operates in response to a user command from the input device 13 such as a mouse or a keyboard.
[0016]
The printer 3 is, for example, a page printer provided with an electronic copying type print engine 29. Between the print monitor 9 of the host computer 1 and the printer 3, a packet is sent from the print monitor 9 to the printer 3 according to a predetermined communication protocol, and a response to the packet is returned from the printer 3 to the print monitor 9. Is repeated. Packets and responses are always paired. There are a plurality of types of packets sent to the printer 3, such as those for declaring the start of a print job and the start of a page, those for transmitting image data of each page, and those for inquiring the status of the printer 3. The printer 3 returns a response to the command immediately after completing the reception of the command. Each response includes status information, error information, print completion information, and the like of the printer 3 when the response can be returned.
[0017]
The image data of each page is divided into a plurality of packets and sent to the printer 3. In general, the image data sent to the printer 3 has a plurality of types such as a bitmap image developed as a bit map and a vector image expressed by a function, and the present invention can be applied to any type. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a bit image that is bitmap-developed on the host side is sent to the printer 3 for easy understanding. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the bit image of each page is divided into band data packets for each band and sent to the printer 3.
[0018]
The printer 3 includes a CPU 21, a RAM 23, a DMA controller 25, a pre-print processing circuit 27, a print engine 29, and the like. Packets received by the printer 3 are stored in a reception buffer in the RAM 23 by the DMA controller 25. The CPU 21 sequentially interprets the packets written in the reception buffer, creates a response to the packets, and returns the response to the print monitor 9. Band data included in each received packet is sent to the pre-printing processing circuit 27 by the DMA controller 25. The pre-printing processing circuit 27 performs pre-processing such as decompression of the compressed bit image and smoothing processing of the character / graphic outline, and generates a laser pulse signal that is pulse-width modulated based on the pre-processed bit image. To the print engine 29. The print engine 29 prints a page image on a sheet by electrophotography using the laser pulse signal.
[0019]
Further, the CPU 21 determines whether the current printer status (paper remaining amount, remaining toner amount, reception buffer free space, etc.), presence / absence or type of error, and print engine from each unit (25, 27, 29, etc.) A notification such as whether or not 29 has completed printing and discharging of each sheet of paper is received at any time, and the latest information received is stored in the work area of the RAM 23. When returning a response to the packet, the CPU 21 returns the printer status, error, and print completion information based on the latest information in the work area to the print monitor 9 in the response.
[0020]
FIG. 2 shows an operation flow of the host computer 1 and the printer 3 at the time of printing under the above configuration. FIG. 3 shows a procedure for exchanging packets and responses between the host computer 1 and the printer 3 at this time.
[0021]
When the host computer 1 starts to input print data related to one print job created by the printer driver 5 from the spooler 7 to the print monitor 9, printing starts in the flow shown in FIG. First, the printer monitor 9 initially sets a print number counter of the print job to 0 (S1). Subsequently, the print monitor 9 recognizes each page constituting the input print data and each band in each page, and the order of the pages, the order of the bands in each page, and the number of copies of each page (the number of copies). (S2), the print data is converted into a packet format according to the communication protocol with the printer 3, and the print data packet is transmitted to the printer 3 according to the grasped order (S3).
[0022]
The order of print data packets transmitted from the host computer 1 to the printer 3 is as shown in FIG.
[0023]
First, a job start packet is sent. The job start packet declares the start of the print job and specifies the attributes of the job (resolution, gradation depth, contour smoothing processing ON / OFF, paper type, etc.). Next, the page start packet of the first page is transmitted. The page start packet declares the start of the page and specifies the attributes of the page (paper size, total number of bands, band size, margin, number of copies, etc.). Next, band data packets for each band in the page are transmitted in band order. The band data packet includes attributes of the band (compression / non-compression, data size, etc.) and bit image data of the band.
[0024]
When the band data packets for all the bands on the first page have been transmitted, the page end packet for the first page is sent. The page end packet declares the end of the page. Subsequently, for the second page, a page start packet, band data packets for all bands, and a page end packet are sent in order. This is repeated for all pages in the print job. Subsequent to the page end packet of the last page, a job end packet is sent, and transmission of print data of one print job is completed.
[0025]
Refer to FIG. 2 again. Each time each print data packet is transmitted to the printer 3 in the order as described above, in the printer 3, the DMA controller 25 receives each print data packet (S11) and writes it in the reception buffer in the RAM 23 (S12). ). Subsequently, the CPU 21 of the printer 3 interprets the print data packet written in the reception buffer and generates information on the latest printer status, error, and print completion from the work area of the RAM 23 in order to create a response to the packet. Obtain (S14). The CPU 21 checks whether or not the information from the work area includes information indicating completion of printing of each sheet of paper (discharge completion) (S15). This print completion information is written in the work area of the RAM 23 by the CPU 21 in response to a signal issued from the print engine 29 every time the print engine 29 completes printing and discharging of one sheet of paper. If the print completion information is not included in the latest information from the work area, the CPU 21 sets the printer status information included in the latest information and the error information (if an error has occurred) in the response. Then, the response is returned to the host computer 1 (S18). On the other hand, if the print completion (discharge completion) information is included, the CPU 21 sets a print completion flag in the response in addition to the printer status information and error information (when an error has occurred). (S17), the response is returned to the host computer 1 (18).
[0026]
With the above operation of the printer 3, as shown in FIG. 3, a response is returned from the printer 3 to the host computer 3 for each print data packet sent from the host computer 1 to the printer 3. Includes information (whether or not there is a print completion flag) indicating whether or not printing and discharging of each sheet of paper has been completed when the response is returned. Whenever such a response is returned, in the host computer 1, as shown in FIG. 2, the print monitor 9 receives the response (S4), and checks whether a print completion flag is set in the response. (S5). If the print completion flag is set, the printer monitor 9 increments the number of discharged sheets counter by 1 (S7), the value of the number of discharged sheets counter, the page order grasped in step S2 and the copy of each page. Based on the number of copies, it is determined how many pages and how many copies have been printed (or how many pages and how many copies remain unprinted) (S8). Then, the print monitor 9 stores the latest printer status and error information included in the received response and the printed page and copy sheet (or remaining page number and copy number) grasped in step S8. It displays on the display 11 of the computer 1 (S6).
[0027]
The above operation is repeated until all print data packets have been transmitted (S9).
[0028]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention only to the above embodiment. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms other than the above-described embodiment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of the host computer 1 and the printer 3 during printing.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a procedure for exchanging packets and responses between the host computer 1 and the printer 3 during printing.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Host Computer 3 Dam Printer 5 Printer Driver 7 Spooler 9 Print Monitor 11 Display 13 Input Device 21 CPU
23 RAM
25 DMA controller 27 Pre-print processing circuit 29 Print engine

Claims (8)

A printer and a host device communicably connected to the printer and controlling the printer;
The printer is
Information generating means for generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed;
Response means for sequentially receiving a plurality of packets obtained by dividing print data relating to one print job from the host device, and returning each response to the host device each time each packet is received ;
When returning each response, if information indicating completion of printing has been generated, information setting means for setting this information in the response, and
The host device is
Data creation means for creating the print data;
Data transmission means for dividing the print data relating to one print job into a plurality of packets and sequentially transmitting the plurality of packets to the printer;
Response receiving means for receiving each response returned from the printer;
When the information indicating the completion of printing is set in the received response, the status grasping means for grasping the print completion status related to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of pages that have not been printed based on the information that indicates the completion of printing And user interface means for providing the acquired print completion status to the user,
Printing system. It said data transmission means, the printing system of claim 1, wherein dividing each page of the print data according to a single print job into a plurality of packets of the host device.   The host device further includes data management means for managing page information relating to the number of pages or the page order of the print data, and the status grasping means of the host device is information indicating the completion of printing included in the response The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing completion status relating to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of unprinted pages is determined based on the page information managed by the data management unit. The data management means of the host device manages the number of copies of each page in addition to page information related to the number of pages or the page order of print data, and the status grasping means of the host device is included in the response. In addition, based on the information indicating the completion of printing and the page information and the number of copies managed by the data management means, it is related to the number of pages that have been printed and the number of pages that have been copied or left unprinted and the number of copies. To know the print completion status,
The printing system according to claim 3 . In an operation method of a printing system comprising a printer and a host device that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the printer,
The host device dividing the print data for one print job into a plurality of packets and sequentially transmitting the plurality of packets to the printer;
Each time the printer receives each packet, returning each response to the host device ;
The printer generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed;
When the printer returns each response, if information indicating completion of printing has been generated, setting this information in the response;
The host device receiving each response from the printer;
When the host device has set information indicating the completion of printing in the received response, the print completion status relating to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of pages that have not been printed is determined based on the information indicating the completion of printing. Step to grasp,
And a step of providing the user with the acquired print completion status to the user. A printer and a host device that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the printer.
Information generating means for generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed;
Response means for sequentially receiving a plurality of packets obtained by dividing print data relating to one print job from the host device, and returning each response to the host device each time each packet is received ;
In the host device in the printing system having information setting means for setting the information in the response if information indicating the completion of printing is generated when returning each response,
Data creation means for creating the print data;
Data transmission means for dividing the print data relating to one print job into a plurality of packets and sequentially transmitting the plurality of packets to the printer;
Response receiving means for receiving each response returned from the printer;
When the information indicating the completion of printing is set in the received response, the status grasping means for grasping the print completion status related to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of pages that have not been printed based on the information that indicates the completion of printing And a user interface means for providing the user with the acquired print completion status. A printer and a host device that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the printer.
Information generating means for generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed;
Response means for sequentially receiving a plurality of packets obtained by dividing print data relating to one print job from the host device, and returning each response to the host device each time each packet is received ;
If information indicating completion of printing is generated when each response is returned, the host device in the printing system having information setting means for setting this information in the response,
Data creation means for creating the print data;
Data transmission means for dividing the print data relating to one print job into a plurality of packets and sequentially transmitting the plurality of packets to the printer;
Response receiving means for receiving each response returned from the printer;
When the information indicating the completion of printing is set in the received response, the status grasping means for grasping the print completion status related to the number of pages that have been printed or the number of pages that have not been printed based on the information that indicates the completion of printing When,
A computer recording medium carrying a program for causing a computer to function as a host device of a printing system having user interface means for providing a user with the acquired print completion status. In the printer connected to the host device,
Information generating means for generating information indicating completion of printing when printing of each sheet of paper is completed;
Response means for sequentially receiving a plurality of packets obtained by dividing print data relating to one print job from the host device, and returning each response to the host device each time each packet is received ;
A printer comprising information setting means for setting, when returning each response, information indicating completion of printing if the information indicating completion of printing has been generated.

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