JP4007370B2 - Printing paper supply / discharge control method and printing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to, for example, a printing system that speeds up printing processing by performing printing paper supply / discharge control at the same time, and a configuration apparatus thereof.

  In recent years, the tendency of a printing apparatus to be highly functional regardless of cost and the tendency to reduce the cost by suppressing functions to some extent are remarkable. In the latter case, the hardware is usually reduced, and the capacity of the buffer for storing the print data is reduced as much as possible. In a conventional printing apparatus in which the capacity of the buffer for storing print data is less than a page unit, printing based on the print data is executed after paper feeding, paper discharge control is performed after printing, and when paper discharge is completed The printing paper for the next page was being fed.

  As described above, since the printing apparatus with a small buffer capacity feeds the printing paper for the next page when the printing of the printing paper for the previous page is completed, the printing paper feeding is completed. There was a problem that the reception of print data and the analysis process had to be suspended. In addition, since paper discharge and paper supply are realized by hardware, it takes time, and there is a problem that the time required for printing is prolonged.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides an improved print control method that enables efficient continuous printing even when the buffer capacity is less than one page. There is.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system suitable for carrying out the above-described printing control method and a component device thereof.

  The paper supply / discharge control method of the present invention that solves the above problem is a method for performing paper supply / discharge control of printing paper when performing continuous printing, and when the data to be printed covers a plurality of pages, the preceding page The page information indicating that a subsequent page exists in the previous area of the data is spooled, and the presence / absence of the subsequent page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data during the printing process of the previous page. It is determined that when there is a subsequent page, the print paper discharge control process for the preceding page and the print paper feed control process for the subsequent page are performed at the same time.

  Another paper feeding / discharging control method of the present invention is premised on a process of converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, holding the intermediate code, and reading the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed. To do. When it is detected that the intermediate code covers a plurality of pages, page information indicating that there is a subsequent page of the page when the actual image data for the preceding page is expanded is added to the actual image data and spooled. Keep it. Whether or not there is a subsequent page is determined by referring to page information of the spooled actual image data during the printing process of the preceding page. If there is a subsequent page, the print paper discharge control process for the preceding page and the subsequent page are determined. The paper feed control process for the printing paper of the page is performed at the same time.

  In each paper supply / discharge control method, when the print instruction for the succeeding page is canceled, the page information is erased before the discharge control process for the preceding page.

  The present invention also provides a printing control apparatus and a printing apparatus, or a recording medium that gives a printing control function to a computer.

  The print control apparatus of the present invention converts the data based on the print request into an intermediate code for each page and holds it, reads the intermediate code and develops it into actual image data to be printed, and the converted For each individual intermediate code, it is detected whether there is an intermediate code for the subsequent page. If there is a subsequent page, page information indicating that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. A page information adding means for adding to the previous area of the actual image data, and sending out the actual image data with the page information to the printing apparatus, thereby enabling a paper discharge control process based on the actual image data; The sheet feeding control process based on the succeeding page is performed at the same time by the printing apparatus.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a data holding unit that acquires and holds the real image data from the print control apparatus, and information that determines the presence or absence of a subsequent page by detecting the page information from the held real image data When there is a succeeding page, the decoding means and a control means for performing the printing paper discharge control process for the preceding page and the printing paper feed control process for the succeeding page at the same time are provided.

  Note that the printing apparatus further includes a trailing edge detection sensor that detects the trailing edge of the sheet being printed. In this case, the control unit starts a paper feed control process for printing the succeeding page when the trailing edge of the sheet being printed for the preceding page is detected when the succeeding page exists. Configure as follows.

  The recording medium of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium that records a program for causing a computer to execute the following processing.

(1) Processing for converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding it, and reading the intermediate code to develop it into actual image data to be printed;
(2) Processing for detecting whether or not there is an intermediate code for the subsequent page for each converted intermediate code;
(3) A process of adding page information indicating that the subsequent page exists to the previous area of the actual image data when developing the actual image data for the page when there is a subsequent page in each page.
(4) Processing for sending the actual image data to which the page information is added to the printing apparatus.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the printing paper for the next page is fed simultaneously with the discharge of the printing paper for the preceding page, so that continuous printing can be performed efficiently. There is a specific effect that the printing time can be shortened.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied is shown in FIG.

  This printing system is configured by connecting a host computer 1 and a printing apparatus 2 via a printer cable. When the printing apparatus 2 receives print data and accompanying format information from the host computer 1, the printing apparatus 2 executes a predetermined printing process to form an image on printing paper. In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 2 is assumed to be an inexpensive serial printer with a small buffer capacity. However, implementation with other high-quality printers is not impossible. The connection form with the host computer 1 may be either a stand-alone state or a network connection state.

  The host computer 1 executes, controls and monitors the program through a predetermined system program. Specifically, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Randum Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a built-in or external hard disk (HD) 3 arranged on a system board (not shown) are provided. The CPU reads out the required program from the HD 3 as appropriate and executes the required processing. The HD 3 stores an application program (hereinafter referred to as AP) that generates print target data and format information, a print control program (printer driver) for realizing the print control apparatus of the present invention, and the like.

  The host computer 1 also includes a display device 4 having a monitor screen, a data input device 5 for inputting various setting information, a media reading device 6 including a CD-ROM drive and an FDD, and a connection interface with a local network. The communication control device 7 is connected. The display device 4 is configured to display a predetermined dialog window in response to an instruction from a system program, AP, print control program, or the like. The data input device 5 is a keyboard, mouse, or other pointing device.

  The print control program is usually developed by the manufacturer of the printing apparatus 2 and is recorded and distributed in a form readable by the host computer 1 on a flexible disk (FD) or CD-ROM. When used, the host computer 1 reads through the media reading device 6 or the communication control device 7 and is installed in the HD 3.

  Next, an embodiment of a print control apparatus realized by the host computer 1 reading the print control program will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the print control apparatus 10 includes functional blocks of an intermediate code generation unit 11, a page information management unit 13, and an actual image data generation unit 14. In addition, an intermediate code file 12 and a spool file 15 formed in a memory unit (not shown) are provided. FIG. 2 shows only the components necessary for carrying out the present invention.

The intermediate code generation unit 11 converts data based on a print request from the application unit (AP) into an intermediate code for each page and stores it in the intermediate code file 12. The intermediate code is composed of, for example, position information for data in page units, and image information at the position, that is, bitmap data for characters, shape data for figures, and image data for multi-valued images such as photographs. Is done.
Converting data based on a print instruction request to intermediate code once is complicated if the data is converted directly to actual image data, and is also converted to intermediate code rather than directly converting to actual image data This is because the data size is generally small.

  The actual image data generation unit 14 reads out the intermediate code sequentially from the intermediate code file according to the execution status of the printing process by the printing apparatus 2, develops it into actual image data to be printed, and stores it in the spool file 15. .

  The page information management unit 13 monitors the accumulation and reading status of the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12, whether or not the intermediate code is the first page, and each intermediate code has an intermediate code for the subsequent page. Whether or not is detected. In the case of the intermediate code of the first page, a preloading command indicating that fact is added to the previous area of the actual image data when developing the actual image data for the page. If there is a subsequent page, page information indicating that fact is generated and added to the area after the preloading command and the area before the actual image data when developing the actual image data for the page. This is a process that focuses on the fact that the conversion to intermediate code is relatively lighter than the expansion to actual image data, and at the point of expansion of the actual image data, it can be determined whether there is an intermediate code for the next page. In this case, the end of printing is notified to the AP side at the time of conversion to the intermediate code. If it is not canceled at this time, the processing is automatically transferred to the development of the actual image data as it is.

  Note that the page information management unit 13 can detect that the print request for the subsequent page from the AP has been canceled. When the subsequent page is canceled, the intermediate code of the corresponding page is deleted, and the display device 4 displays that the cancellation has been made. Also, a cancel command for instructing data clear is inserted in the area before the paper discharge command.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the printing apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment.

  The printing apparatus 2 is used by mounting a paper feed tray 21 and a paper discharge tray 22 on a printer main body 20. An ASF (auto sheet feeder) motor 23 is provided near the loading opening of the paper feed tray 21, and the printing paper S is guided to a predetermined position of the printing mechanism 24 by driving the ASF motor. A PF (paper feed) motor 25 is provided in the vicinity of the mounting opening of the paper discharge tray 22, and the printing paper is conveyed toward the paper discharge opening by driving the PF motor 25. 24. After printing, the paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray 22. The printing apparatus 20 also includes a sensor 27 for detecting the lower end of the printing paper S so that the sensor 27 can detect that the printing paper S has been transported by the PF motor 25 and the printing process has been completed. It has become. The output of the sensor 27 is notified to the control unit 26.

  The operations of the ASF motor 23, the printing mechanism 24, and the PF motor 25 are controlled by the control unit 26. The control unit 26 controls the operation of the print data management unit 261 that detects page information from print data (actual image data) from the host computer and determines whether there is a subsequent page, and the printing mechanism 24 and the motors 23 and 25. A mechanism control unit 262 is provided. The print data management unit 261 has a buffer having a data capacity less than one page, and detects page information by referring to the head portion of the print data stored in this buffer.

  Next, a paper supply / discharge control method using the printing system will be described.

  4 and 5 are process procedure diagrams in the print control apparatus 10.

  The print control apparatus 10 receives the continuous print request from the AP, converts the data based on the print request into an intermediate code for each page, and stores it in the intermediate code file 12 (steps S101: Yes, S102, S103). . When the accumulation of the intermediate code for at least one page is completed, development into actual image data is started (step S104). At this time, the page information management unit 13 determines whether the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12 is the first page, and if it is the first page, adds a preloading command to the previous area of the actual image data ( Step S105: Yes, S106). Further, when it is detected that an intermediate code exists for the subsequent page, page information is created and added to the previous area of the actual image data (the subsequent area of the preloading command) (Yes at step S107: S108). . The page information may be information indicating that there is a subsequent page, or may be information indicating the number of pages when at least several pages of intermediate codes exist.

  The actual image data to which the page information is added is accumulated in the spool file 15 (step S109), and is read and transmitted to the printing apparatus 2 when the sending timing is reached (steps S110: Yes, S111).

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure of the print control apparatus 10 when a print request for a subsequent page is canceled, that is, when a cancel command is transmitted from the AP. When receiving the cancel command, the print control apparatus 10 checks whether printing of the preceding page has been completed (steps S201 and S202). If printing of the preceding page is not completed, a cancel command is inserted in the area after the last row of the actual image data of the preceding page (step S202: Yes, S203), and a paper discharge command is inserted in the subsequent area (step S202: Yes). Step S204). Thereafter, the actual image data is re-accumulated in the spool file 15 (step S205). If printing of the preceding page has been completed when the cancel command is received from the AP, the above processing is ignored (step S202: Yes).

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the structure of actual image data stored in the spool file 15 in this way. FIG. 6A shows the data structure for the first page, and FIG. 6B shows the data structure for the second page. (C) shows the data structure when the print request is canceled from the AP before the second page is printed.

  Next, the processing procedure on the printing apparatus 2 side will be described with reference to FIG.

  The printing apparatus 2 first analyzes the received print data (actual image data to which page information or the like is added if necessary) (step S301).

When the preloading command is detected, the ASF motor 23 is driven to start feeding the printing paper S (step S302). When page information is detected, the page information is set in an auxiliary memory (not shown) (step S303: Yes, S304). Thereafter, the PF motor 25 is driven to set the printing paper S at a predetermined position of the printing mechanism 24 (step S305), and the actual image data is read from the buffer and the printing process is executed (step S306). When the lower end of the sheet is detected by the sensor 27 (step S307: Yes), whether or not there is a subsequent page is checked based on preset page information. If there is a subsequent page (step S308: Yes), the ASF motor 23 is also driven in a state where the PF motor 25 is driven, and feeding of the subsequent page is started (step S309).
Thereafter, the set page information is updated, and the processes after step S305 are repeated until there is no subsequent page (step S308: No).

  In the example of FIG. 7, an example in which the page information is set and sequentially updated is shown. However, each time the page information in the buffer is read to check whether a subsequent page exists. Also good.

  As described above, in the communication system according to the present embodiment, when the data to be printed covers a plurality of pages, page information is added to the previous area of the actual image data for the preceding page and spooled, and the preceding page is stored. Refers to the page information of the spooled data at the time of the printing process to determine whether or not there is a succeeding page. Since the processing is performed at the same time, even in an inexpensive printing apparatus having a buffer capacity of less than one page, it is not possible to prolong the time required for printing in continuous printing.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a printing system to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of a printing control apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. Explanatory drawing of the processing procedure of the printing control apparatus when a continuous printing request is issued. Explanatory drawing of the processing procedure of a printing control apparatus when the printing request about a subsequent page is canceled. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure of actual image data stored in a spool file, where (a) is the first page, (b) is the second page, and (c) is a print request before the second page is printed. This is an example when is canceled. FIG. 6 is a processing procedure explanatory diagram on the printing apparatus side when a continuous print request is received.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Printing apparatus 10 Print control apparatus 11 Intermediate code generation part 12 Intermediate code file 13 Page information management part 14 Real image data generation part 15 Spool file 20 Printer main body 23 ASF motor 24 Printing mechanism 25 PF motor 26 Control part 261 Printing Data management unit 262 Mechanism control unit 27 Sensor for detecting bottom edge of paper S Printing paper

Claims (5)

When data based on a print request is converted into an intermediate code for each page and held, and when the intermediate code is read and developed into actual image data to be printed,
When it is detected that the intermediate code covers a plurality of pages, page information indicating that there is a subsequent page of the page when the actual image data for the preceding page is expanded is added to the actual image data of the preceding page. Spool it,
A paper discharge control method, wherein when a print cancel request is received before printing of the preceding page is completed, a cancel command is inserted in the area after the last column of the actual image data of the preceding page and respooling is performed.   2. The paper discharge control method according to claim 1, wherein when a print cancel request is received before the printing of the preceding page is completed, a paper discharge command is inserted in a region after the cancel command. Image processing means for converting and holding data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, reading the intermediate code, developing it into actual image data to be printed, and spooling it;
For each of the converted intermediate codes, it is detected whether there is an intermediate code for the subsequent page. If there is a subsequent page, it is determined that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. Page information adding means for adding page information representing the previous area of the actual image data of the preceding page ,
The page information adding means inserts a cancel command into the rear area of the last column of the actual image data of the preceding page and respools when a print cancel request is received before the printing of the preceding page is completed. Print control device.   4. The print control according to claim 3, wherein the page information adding unit inserts a paper discharge command in an area after the cancel command when a print cancel request is received before the preceding page is printed. 5. apparatus. A process of converting and holding data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, reading the intermediate code, developing it into actual image data to be printed, and spooling it;
For each of the converted intermediate codes, it is detected whether there is an intermediate code for the subsequent page. If there is a subsequent page, it is determined that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. A process of adding page information to the front area of the actual image of the preceding page ;
When a print cancel request is received before printing of the preceding page is completed, a program for inserting a cancel command into the area after the last column of the actual image data of the preceding page and respooling is recorded. Computer-readable recording medium.

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