JP4909004B2 - Printing apparatus control method, printing apparatus control program, and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus control method, a printing apparatus control program, and a printing apparatus having a printing section that prints print data of an input print job and a non-volatile storage section that stores a print job to be printed. Is.

  Due to recent advances in computer technology, the increase in capacity and price of hard disks has been remarkable, and along with this, hard disks are often used as inexpensive mass storage devices in consumer general equipment. One example is a printer such as a printer, and various advantages can be obtained by storing print jobs in a hard disk.

  One advantage of using a hard disk is that if the next print job is sent even when a print error has occurred in the printer, the data is temporarily stored in the mass storage device without refusing it. In other words, after the current printing is completed, the print job can be executed without having to re-transfer (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below).

However, in the state where the print job is simply spooled to the hard disk, the print processing is not resumed until the error is resolved. Therefore, the print processing is performed when a job that can be processed even when this error occurs is received. Technology has also been devised. For example, when a print process is stopped due to a specific paper out error, when a print request is made on another non-insufficient paper, the process is performed before the job in error ( For example, the following patent document 3). A configuration is also known in which a job in which a printing error has occurred is simply stored in the HDD and other jobs are preferentially processed until the error is resolved (for example, Patent Document 4 below).
JP 09-169141 A JP-A-10-271300 JP 2000-066222 A JP 2004-001320 A

  The above-described conventional technique is to preferentially process a job that is not affected by whether or not the print process is executed due to an error occurring in the printer, thereby avoiding a stagnation of the print process when an error occurs. is there. As an example of such an error, there is a case where a specific size (type) of a paper having a plurality of paper feed ports is out.

  However, in general, it is natural that frequently used paper is likely to run out of paper, and because it is used frequently, many jobs may not be able to continue processing due to the error. Many. Also, in the case of an error such as ink or out of toner, most jobs cannot be printed, but the conventional technology cannot handle it. Eventually, the error state is resolved by the user refilling paper or refilling ink. Most of the time is waiting.

  Further, when a plurality of jobs are received in such an error state, they are usually accumulated one after another on the hard disk, but this state is not improved unless some of these users solve the error. However, the user who has generated an out-of-paper or out-of-ink error is not aware of the state, and the user who sent the job later must perform the resolution work without performing the resolution work.

  Here, if any of the users performs the resolution work, what is printed immediately after that is the job that caused the error. In other words, the job causing the problem is printed with repriority no matter who performs the resolution work. Therefore, a person other than the user who has caused the error must wait until his / her job is printed even if the solving work is performed. However, in many cases, a job that runs out of paper or ink often has a large amount of data and tends to take a long time to print. In addition, such a job may cause an error again even if the error is resolved, and in many cases, it is troublesome for a user other than the user who transmitted the job.

  In view of the above problems, the problem of the present invention is that, when an error that requires a user recovery operation occurs during the print processing of a print job, and the error is resolved by the recovery operation, it is flexible according to the user's designated operation. The purpose of this is to make it possible to control the print processing order of print jobs.

In order to solve the above problems, a printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a printing unit that prints input print data, and a storage unit that stores print data instructed to be printed by the printing unit. When the error is resolved after an error has occurred in the printing unit, the print data stored in the storage unit can be printed by the printing unit due to the resolution of the error. A receiving unit that receives a selection operation from a user, and when the selection unit receives a selection operation from the user, the printing unit performs printing of print data according to the selection operation by printing other print data A control unit that controls to give priority over the first determination unit, a first determination unit that determines whether a certain period of time has elapsed since the occurrence of an error in the printing unit, and the first determination unit There was closed and limiting means for limiting the selection operation from a user in the reception unit until it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit, when the error is resolved, the first decision If it is not determined by the means that the predetermined time has elapsed, the print data stored in the storage unit is controlled to be printed in accordance with a predetermined priority order .

  According to the above configuration, after an error that requires a user recovery operation occurs during the print job printing process, if the error is resolved by the recovery operation, the print job can be flexibly changed according to the user's designated operation. The print processing order can be controlled. For example, even if there is a user who does not attempt to recover a printing error while causing the printer to become inoperable by causing a printing error such as running out of paper or ink, a user who has performed recovery work more than a user who has failed to recover This print job can be preferentially printed.

  Hereinafter, as an example of the best mode for carrying out the invention, an embodiment relating to a printer device having a non-volatile storage unit that performs print processing in response to a command from a host device and stores a print job to be printed. Illustrate.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of a printer according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an operation unit for instructing execution of various functions of the device such as a print instruction. The operation unit 1 includes a plurality of keys, buttons, switches, and the like.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a display unit for notifying the user of the state of the device and various operation results. The display unit 2 is composed of a liquid crystal panel, an LED, and the like, and constitutes user interface means together with the operation unit 1.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a communication unit that performs communication with an external device. The communication unit 3 includes one or a plurality of various interfaces such as a parallel port (IEEE1284, etc.), a network interface (CSMA / CD, etc.), USB, IEEE1394, and the like. The communication unit 3 is used when inputting print data to the device or when performing various operations such as printing without using the operation unit 1. Note that when the communication unit 3 is configured by USB, IEEE1394, or the like, the communication unit 3 can also be used to connect an HDD 7 described later.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a control unit that executes each function of the device, and includes components such as a microprocessor, a system bus, and an input / output chip set. The control unit 4 controls various output operations in response to various input operations from the operation unit 1 and the communication unit 3 and controls print output processing of the printing unit 8 described later.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes a ROM as a storage device. ROM 5 is an abbreviation for read-only memory and is a nonvolatile storage device. A control procedure to be described later executed by the control unit 4 is stored in the ROM 5 as a control program, for example.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes a RAM which is a kind of storage device. RAM is an abbreviation for random access memory, and is a volatile storage device. In particular, the RAM 6 includes a buffer 61 that is used when handling a large amount of data such as print data, a work area 62 that temporarily stores variables required when the control unit 4 performs various controls, and the like. Made.

  Reference numeral 7 denotes an HDD which is a kind of storage device. HDD is an abbreviation for hard disk drive, and is composed of a hard disk, which is a nonvolatile storage device, and a mechanism for driving the hard disk. In the HDD 7, a print data storage unit 71 that stores and stores print data input via the communication unit 3, and a data management storage unit 72 that stores management information of contents stored in the print data storage unit 71. Etc. are assigned.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a printing unit that executes printing. The printing unit 8 includes a paper feeding mechanism, a drawing mechanism, and the like, and executes printing of data processed by the control unit 4. The mechanisms constituting each part of the printing unit 8 are provided with various detection devices, and can detect various operation errors such as paper out, paper jam, out of ink, and cover open. Although the printing method of the printing unit 8 is arbitrary, the printing unit 8 can be configured using a printer engine such as an inkjet method or an electrophotographic method.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of the flow up to the occurrence of an error to be solved by the present invention and the flow of processing as a countermeasure in the printer apparatus of FIG.

  Normally, this type of printer waits for a print instruction from one or a plurality of host computers connected via the communication unit 3 (for example, a network) after power-on (step S101). In this state, it is assumed that a print instruction from user A is issued. The instruction from the user A is to print a relatively large print job “A1.DOC” composed of a plurality of pages.

  According to the instruction, the printer apparatus starts the printing process of the print job “A1.DOC” (step S102). The print job at this time is not stored in the HDD 7 but is processed in the buffer 61 in the RAM 6.

  Here, it is assumed that the printing paper runs out during the printing process (step S103). Since printing cannot be continued when this happens, the printer device displays an out-of-paper error, and then receives the remaining data of the print job and stores it in the HDD 7 (step S104). Thereafter, the printer device continues to wait for the paper to be replenished. However, since user A does not notice a paper out error, it is assumed that several tens of minutes have elapsed without being replenished (step S105).

  Further, in this state, it is assumed that a print instruction from another user B is issued. The instruction from the user B is to print the print job “B2.TXT” with a relatively small amount (step S106). The printer apparatus receives the instruction, but since printing cannot be started, all the received print jobs “B2.TXT” are stored in the HDD 7 and set in a print reservation state (step S107).

  Further, in this state, it is assumed that a print instruction from another user C is issued. The instruction from the user C is to print the print job “C3.TIF” (step S108).

  The printer apparatus receives the instruction, but since printing cannot be started, all the received print jobs “C3.TIF” are stored in the HDD 7 and set in a print reservation state (step S109).

  At this point, it is assumed that the user C notices that a paper out error has occurred, and that the user C has replenished paper (step S110).

  As a result, in the case of the prior art, the printer apparatus starts the printing process of “A1.DOC”, which is the oldest job in the print reservation state. In the present invention, the user operates the job to be printed next. Selectable from the panel.

  For example, it is assumed here that the user C selects “C3.TIF”, which is a print job transmitted by the user C (step S111). The printer apparatus starts the printing process of “C3. TIF” as specified in step S111 and completes it (step S112).

  Next, the printer apparatus starts and completes the printing process of “A1.DOC”, which is a job in which a printing error has occurred, with respect to what is stored in the HDD 7 (step S113). Next, the printer apparatus starts the printing process of “B2.TXT”, which is the next job in the print reservation state, and completes it (step S114). The printer apparatus that has processed all jobs in the print reservation state again waits for a print instruction from the host computer (step S115).

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the state of the print data storage unit 71 of the HDD 7 of FIG. The print data storage unit 71 stores the print job data received in one communication process via the communication unit 3 as a unit in a file format. Each of these files has a unique name and is managed by that name.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a state at the time when the process of step S109 in FIG. 2 is completed. Here, reference numeral 21 is a job data file “A1.DOC” from user A, 22 is a job data file “B2.TXT” from user B, and 23 is a job data file “C3.TIF” from user C. It is. As described above, the print data storage unit 71 stores the contents of the print data of each print job in the file format. The file name information itself is stored not in the print data storage unit 71 but in the data management storage unit 72 (see FIG. 4). The contents of each file in FIG. 3 may store the print data received as a print job as it is, or may store the result of appropriate processing.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the internal configuration of the data management storage unit 72 of FIG. 4 represents the state at the time point when the process of step S109 in FIG. 2 is completed as in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the data management storage unit 72 stores management information indicating the storage contents of the print data file stored in the print data storage unit 71. The management information is composed of five items (fields) shown in 31 to 35 per file, and the five items are collectively called a record. Here, reference numeral 31 denotes a “file name” item for storing a file name that is an identifier of each file. In the example of FIG. 3, three items “A1.DOC”, “B2.TXT”, and “C3.TIF” are stored. The file name is stored.

  Reference numeral 32 denotes a “start address” item that stores address information indicating a location where each file is stored in the print data storage unit 71. The unit of the numerical value representing the address information is also determined based on a certain standard. Reference numeral 33 denotes a “data size” item that stores the data size of each file. The unit of the numerical value representing the size is determined by a certain standard.

  Reference numeral 34 denotes a “print order” item that stores the priority of print processing of each file. A record with a smaller numerical value is printed first. In addition, “0” is stored in data that does not require print processing or data that has undergone print processing, and is recognized as not being subject to print processing. In the example of FIG. 4, printing is set in the order of record 36, record 37, and record 38.

  Reference numeral 35 denotes a “print interruption position” item that stores a start position for performing printing processing of each data. In the case of a partially postponed printing process that can occur according to the present invention, it is stored which part is not printed. This numerical value can be composed of various information such as an address in the data, the number of print columns, the number of print pages, the number of copies, or a combination thereof. All of these data whose values are not “0” are in a partially postponed state, while some data whose value is “0” are in a partially postponed state. In the example of FIG. 4, the record 36 is in a partially postponed state, but the value is “0”. The storage location and storage capacity of specific print data can be determined from the three management information indicated by reference numerals 31 to 33 in FIG. 4, and the next print data to be processed is determined from the two management information indicated by 34 to 35. The location can be determined. In the management information, one record is assigned to one file, and each record is stored for all files.

  In the case of FIG. 4, the record 36 stores 21 files “A1.DOC” shown in the example of FIG. 3, the record 37 stores 22 files “B2.TXT” shown in the example of FIG. Stores 23 files “C3.TIF” shown in the example of FIG. In addition, there is a blank record indicating the end at the end of all records. As shown in 39, the content of the blank record is 0 for all items. By detecting this blank record, the number of all data files can be detected.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the data management storage unit 72 in the apparatus according to the present invention as in FIG. FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the data management storage unit 72 immediately after “C3.TIF” is selected as the job to be printed next by the user C in the process of step S111 of FIG. It has changed to the state shown in item 41.

  Here, the value of the print order item 41 of the record 38 selected in step S111 changes from “3” to “1”, and the processing priority is the highest among all the records. The values of the print order items 41 of the other records are all increased by one for each record having a value smaller than the original value “3” of the record 38. Specifically, the value of the print order item 41 of the record 36 is changed from “1” to “2”, and the value of the print order item 41 of the record 37 is changed from “2” to “3”. Thereby, the printing of the record 38 is performed with the highest priority. Further, the value of the print interruption position item 35 of the record 36 is “0”, which is not changed from the state of FIG. 4, but this is because the record 36 originally stores only the data after the error occurrence as shown in step S104. This is because all data is subject to future print processing.

  If a print error occurs during print processing of print data stored in the HDD 7 as in record 37 or record 38, since all of the stored data is not subject to subsequent printing, it is often the case. The print interruption position item 35 is a value other than “0”.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure after the power is turned on in the printer apparatus according to the present invention. The control procedure of FIG. 6 is stored in the control program storage unit in the ROM 5, and this flowchart starts when the user turns on the power switch of the printer.

  In step S201, various initializations of the device are performed. The initialization processing includes software processing such as a control program and hardware processing of various devices in the device, and performs processing so that a mechanism such as the communication unit 3 and the printing unit 7 can be used. At the same time, the value of the variable f is set to 0. The variable f exists in the work area 62 in the RAM 6 and is used as a variable indicating whether an error has occurred during printing. A value of 0 indicates that no error has occurred.

  In step S202, it waits for a fixed time for an event to occur. An event is an event that causes a change in the state of the device, and refers to an operation of the device by the user, a change in the state of the device due to the operation of the device, or the like. Specifically, the case where the user operates the operation unit 1 or the case where an instruction is sent to the device via the communication unit 3 is detected. When the state of the device is changed, it is detected that the printer is out of ink. Cases, or when paper is jammed. In this apparatus, various processes are performed in response to these events.

  In step S203, it is checked whether an event has occurred in step S202. If an event has occurred, the process proceeds to step S204, and if not, the process proceeds to step S221.

  In step S204, it is checked whether the event has occurred due to the communication unit 3 receiving data by communication. If there is data reception, the process proceeds to step S206. If no data is received, the process proceeds to step S205.

  In step S205, various processes are performed according to the event generated in step S203. As determined in step S204, processing of events other than the data reception event by the communication unit 3 is processed here. As an example of such an event, an operation of the operation unit 1 such as an internal data print instruction, an apparatus setting process instruction, or the like is executed according to each instruction. Another example is the occurrence of a phenomenon such as a printer running out of ink or a paper jam. In these cases, printing is interrupted or stopped, and processing such as generating a warning on the display unit 2 to the user is performed. carry out.

  After processing each event, the process returns to step S202 and waits for the next event to occur. The device continues to repeat the processing from step S202 to step S236 until the power is turned off. In step S206 to step S220, processing for a data reception event by the communication unit 3 is performed as determined in step S204. In step S206, the data transmitted via the communication unit 3 is received and stored in the buffer 61. In this process, a certain amount of data is received and stored depending on the capacity of the buffer.

  In step S207, it is checked whether the data received in step S206 corresponds to the head of all data. If so, the process proceeds to step S208, and if not, the process proceeds to step S213. Generally, a command is added to data to be communicated, and it can be determined whether or not it is the head portion of the data by the command.

  In steps S208 to S212, the process is executed only when the received data is the head of all the data. In step S208, it is checked whether or not the device is currently printing. If not, the process proceeds to step S209. If the printing process is being performed, the process proceeds to step S211.

  In step S209, it is checked whether a printing error is currently occurring in the device. If a printing error is not occurring, the process proceeds to step S210, and if it is occurring, the process proceeds to step S211. Since the printing process cannot be performed while the printing error is occurring, the received data is controlled to be stored in the HDD 7.

  In step S210, the value of variable s is set to zero. The variable s exists in the work area 62 in the RAM 6 and is used as a variable indicating whether or not the received data is stored in the print data storage unit 71 thereafter. Here, the value of the variable s being 0 indicates that it is not necessary to store the received data in the print data storage unit 71.

  On the other hand, in step S211, the value of the variable s is set to 1. That the value of the variable s is 1 indicates that the received data is stored in the print data storage unit 71. In step S212, a new file is created. When a new file is created, a record is not created in the data management storage unit 72, the file name is determined from the received data command, temporarily stored in the work area 62, and the print data storage unit 71. Is obtained, and the head address is stored in the work area 62.

  In step S213, the value of the variable s is checked. If the value is 0, the process proceeds to step S217. If the value is not 0, the process proceeds to step S214. The value of the variable s is set in step S210 or step S211 when the head portion of the data is received, and when the portion other than the head portion of the data is received, that portion is skipped. Continue communication.

  In step S214, the data received in the buffer 61 in step S206 is analyzed and stored in the print data storage unit 71. Since the value of the variable s is not 0, it is determined that printing is in progress when data reception is started or that a printing error has occurred. Therefore, the received data is not subjected to printing processing as usual. Data is added to the empty area in the print data storage unit 71 acquired in S206 and saved.

  In step S215, it is checked whether the data received in step S206 is the last of all data, and if so, the process proceeds to step S216. If the received data is not the final of all data, the process returns to step S202, and the remaining data is received and the storage process is continued.

  In step S216, a record for the temporary file created in step S212 is additionally registered in the data management storage unit 72. By adding a new record to the data management storage unit 72 and setting the contents of each item in the record, the temporary file is determined as a normal file. Here, for each item, the file name item 31 stores the file name stored in the work area 62 in step S212, the start address item 32 stores the address stored in the work area 62 in step S212, and the data size item. In 33, the total amount of data additionally stored in step S214 is stored. In the print order item 34, the contents of the print order item 34 of all records waiting for print processing in the data management storage unit 72 are checked, and a value obtained by adding 1 to the maximum value is set. As a result, the priority of waiting for printing is registered as the lowest record. A predetermined initial value “0” is set in the print interruption position item 35. The contents registered here are referred to and executed later in steps S221 to S236.

  In step S217, the data stored in the buffer 61 is analyzed, and the printing process is executed via the printing unit 8. The buffer 61 stores print data received via the communication unit 3 in step S206.

  In step S218, it is checked whether a printing error has occurred in the device. If a printing error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S219. If not, the process returns to step S202, and the remaining data is received and stored in the buffer 61. Continue to run. In this embodiment, the printing error is a state where the printing process cannot be continued due to detection of paper out, paper jam, out of ink, cover open, etc., but can be recovered by the user's work. Point to.

  In step S219, the user is notified that a printing error has occurred. Specifically, the LED on the display unit 2 is turned on, and the content of the error that has occurred and the message of the operation guide for the error are displayed on the liquid crystal panel on the display unit 2. In step S220, 1 is set to the value of the variable f indicating that a printing error has occurred. At the same time, the time when the error occurs is acquired and stored in the work area 62. Thereafter, the process returns to step S202, and continues to wait for the error state to be recovered.

  In steps S221 to S236, since it is determined in step S203 that there is no event to be processed at present, if there is data to be printed in the HDD 7, control is performed to start the printing process. In step S221, it is checked whether or not the device is currently printing. If not, the process proceeds to step S222. If printing is being performed, the process returns to step S202. In this case, since the printing process cannot be started, the next opportunity is waited. In step S222, it is checked whether or not a printing error is currently occurring in the device. If no printing error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S223, and if it has occurred, the process returns to step S202. Also in this case, since the printing process cannot be started, the next opportunity is waited.

  In step S223, it is checked whether or not there is data waiting to be printed. If there is such processing, the process proceeds to step S224, and if not, the process returns to step S202. The presence or absence of data waiting for printing is determined by checking all records in the data management storage unit 72 and checking whether or not there is a corresponding record because a record whose print order item 34 is not “0” is data waiting for printing. judge.

  In step S224, the value of the variable f is checked. If the value is not 0, the process proceeds to step S225. If the value is 0, the process proceeds to step S231. If the value of the variable f is 0, it means that no printing error has occurred. Therefore, the printing reservations in step S231 and subsequent steps are performed in the normal order without changing the priority order, which is a feature of the present invention. The printed data is printed.

  In step S225, the value of variable f is set to zero. Since the role of the variable f is completed in step S224, the value of the variable f is returned to 0, which is a normal state value.

  In step S226, the elapsed time from the occurrence of the printing error to the present is checked. If a certain time has been exceeded, the process proceeds to step S227, and if not, the process proceeds to step S231. Since the current state is that the printing error has been recovered as determined in step S222, the elapsed time can be calculated by comparing the current time with the value of the error occurrence time stored in the work area 62 in step S220. it can.

  The “certain time” to be compared with the elapsed time in step S226 can be set by the user from the operation unit 1 or the like as a threshold time for operating this function. The set value of “fixed time” is stored in a non-volatile storage device in the device, for example, the HDD 7, and a menu operation by key input on the input panel of the operation unit 1 or a setting change means via the communication unit 3. It can be changed by the user.

  In step S227, it is checked whether there are a plurality of data waiting to be printed. If there are a plurality of data, the process proceeds to step S228. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S231. The investigation method here is determined by examining all records in the data management storage unit 72 as in step S223 and examining whether there are a plurality of records in which the value of the print order item 34 is not “0”. If there are no more than one, it is not necessary to change the priority order. Therefore, the print processing of the data reserved for printing in step S231 and subsequent steps is performed in the normal order.

  In step S228, the user is given an opportunity to select a print job to be processed with the highest priority. The processing after step S225 is performed when the state in which printing processing could not be performed due to the occurrence of a printing error is resolved and printing is possible. Job selection operation becomes possible. As an example of the selection operation, a list of jobs that are currently waiting for printing is displayed on the liquid crystal panel of the display unit 2, and the user selects a desired job by pressing an operation key of the operation unit 1 while referring to the list. Press the key to confirm.

  Note that it is possible to cancel the job selection operation without selecting a specific job in step S228. In this case, if the cancel key is pressed, the processing is continued with the current priority order.

  Alternatively, according to the user setting, the selection operation of the specific job (from S226 to S230 described below) can be prevented, that is, the user can set or select whether to perform the designation operation. A special variable may be provided for such user setting. For example, when invalid content (for example, a negative numerical value) is set as a “certain time” value to be compared with the elapsed time in step S226, for example. In addition, a configuration in which a specific job selection operation (from S226 to S230 described below) is not executed is also conceivable.

  In step S229, it is checked in step S228 whether the user has changed the highest priority job to another job. If the job has been changed to another job, the process advances to step S230. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S231, and the printing process of the data reserved for printing in the same order is restarted.

  In step S230, the result of the operation in step S228 is reflected in the priority item 34 of the data management storage unit 72. Specifically, the value of the print order item 34 of the record corresponding to the job selected by the user in step S228 is minimized, and the value of the print order item 34 of the other record is the print of the record corresponding to the job selected by the user. For a record having a value smaller than the original value of the order item 34, a process of increasing each value by one is performed. When the record 38 is selected in the example of FIG. 4, the result is as shown in FIG.

  In step S231, the highest priority data is detected from all print waiting data, and a part of the data is converted into a printable form and stored in the buffer 61. The highest priority data is determined by detecting the smallest record in which the value of the print order item 34 of all records in the data management storage unit 72 is other than zero. The data read position is determined by the value of the print interruption position item 35 of the corresponding record in the data management storage unit 72 at the first processing, and is determined from the data subsequent to the previous processing at the second and subsequent processing. The amount of data read is determined by the buffer capacity and the like.

  In step S232, the print data set in the buffer 61 in step S231 is printed. Printing processing is performed by transferring data in the buffer 61 from the control unit 4 to the printing unit 8. In step S233, it is checked whether an error has occurred in the printing unit 8. If an error has occurred, the process proceeds to step S234. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S235.

  In step S234, the processing status of the data currently being printed is checked, and information indicating the portion that has been printed is stored. Here, since a printing error has already been detected in step S233, information indicating an unprinted portion is set in the print interruption position item 35 of the corresponding record in the data management storage unit 72 in preparation for resuming the processing for the currently processed data. To do. Here, since the unprinted portion can be determined based on the content of the error that has occurred, if the print interruption position item 35 is set according to the content of the error, printing can be reliably restarted from the unprinted portion. .

  For example, if a paper jam occurs, all the pages being printed need to be reprinted. Therefore, information on the data indicating the head of the currently processed page is stored. Control such as storing data information indicating the head of the page is performed in step S234. Then, the process proceeds to step S219, and processing such as error display is executed.

  In step S235, it is checked whether the data printed in step S233 is the last part of the record currently being processed. If so, the process proceeds to step S236. If not, the process returns to step S202 to perform the print process for the current record. continue. In step S236, the record currently being processed is deleted from the HDD 7 in the device. Here, since the record currently being processed is found to have been normally completed in the determinations in steps S233 and S235, the stored contents are deleted from the print data storage unit 71, and the related record information is deleted from the data management storage unit 72. Perform the process. Thereafter, the process returns to step S202, and the next process is performed.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when an error that requires a user recovery operation occurs during the print processing of a print job and the error is resolved by the recovery operation, the user's designated operation is performed. The print processing order of print jobs can be controlled flexibly. For example, even if there is a user who does not attempt to recover from a print error while causing the printer to become inoperable due to a print error such as running out of paper or ink, the job was sent urgently after that, but the job was sent In the case where there is a user who has performed a recovery operation for the printer error because it is not possible, the print job of the user who has performed the recovery operation can be preferentially printed over the user who has failed the recovery operation.

  Alternatively, a configuration for causing the user to perform a designation operation for controlling the print processing order of the print job only when the elapsed time from the time of the error occurrence to the time of error elimination exceeds a certain time, and a configuration for allowing the user to set the certain time Alternatively, if a configuration for allowing the user to set whether or not to perform the designation operation is adopted, it is possible to control the printing process after the occurrence of the printing error to the recovery operation more finely according to the user environment or the user's preference. it can.

  The present invention is not limited to a printing method of a printer engine or the like. In various printers, that is, printing apparatuses, having a printing unit that prints print data and a non-volatile storage unit that stores a print job to be printed. Can be implemented. A control program for implementing the present invention can be stored in advance in a storage medium such as a ROM of a printing apparatus. Further, it can be installed / updated from a storage medium such as HDD or MO or CD-ROM. Moreover, when the above-mentioned communication part (3) is a network interface, it can also supply via a network from arbitrary servers.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a printer employing the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the time of the error generation in the printer which employ | adopted this invention, and the flow of the countermeasure. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a print data storage unit in a printer employing the present invention. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which showed the internal structural example of the data management memory | storage part in the printer which employ | adopted this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of control of the data management memory | storage part of FIG. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure after power activation in the printer which employ | adopted this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation part 2 Display part 3 Communication part 4 Control part 5 ROM
6 RAM
61 Buffer 62 Work area 7 HDD
71 Print Data Storage Unit 72 Data Management Storage Unit 8 Print Unit

Claims (5)

In a printing apparatus having a printing unit that prints input print data and a storage unit that stores print data instructed to be printed by the printing unit,
After the error has occurred in the printing unit, when the error is resolved, the user can select the print data stored in the storage unit that can be printed by the printing unit by eliminating the error. Accepting means for accepting,
Control means for controlling execution of printing by the printing unit of print data corresponding to the selection operation in preference to printing of other print data when the receiving means accepts a selection operation from the user;
First determination means for determining whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the occurrence of an error in the printing unit;
Possess a limiting means for limiting the selection operation from a user in the reception unit until it is determined that the predetermined time in said first determination means has elapsed,
When the error is resolved and the first determination unit does not determine that the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit determines the print data stored in the storage unit in advance. A printing apparatus that controls printing according to priority . When the error is eliminated, the display unit displays a list of print data stored in the storage unit that can be printed by the printing unit by the elimination,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accepting unit accepts an operation for selecting print data included in the list displayed by the display unit. A second determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a plurality of print data in the storage unit that can be printed by the printing unit by eliminating the error;
When the second determination unit makes a negative determination, the control unit is configured to print data that can be printed by the printing unit by eliminating the error stored in the storage unit without the selection operation. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is controlled to execute printing. A method for controlling a printing apparatus, comprising: a printing unit that prints input print data; and a storage unit that stores print data instructed to be printed by the printing unit,
After the error has occurred in the printing unit, when the error is resolved, the user can select the print data stored in the storage unit that can be printed by the printing unit by eliminating the error. Accepting process of accepting,
A control step for controlling execution of printing by the printing unit of print data corresponding to the selection operation in preference to printing of other print data when a selection operation from the user is received in the reception step;
A determination step of determining whether a certain time has elapsed since the occurrence of an error in the printing unit;
A limiting step of limiting the selection operation from the user in the reception step until it is determined that the certain time has passed in the determination step,
In the control step, when it is not determined that the predetermined time has elapsed in the determination step when the error is resolved, the print data stored in the storage unit is determined according to a predetermined priority order. A control method for a printing apparatus, characterized by controlling printing. A control program for a printing apparatus for causing a computer to realize each means according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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