JP4917560B2 - Image forming apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention connects to a network and receives print job information from the data processing device via the network, and performs a print operation of the print job information and requests acquisition of printer identification information from the data processing device via the network. Then, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that responds printer identification information to a requesting data processing apparatus, and a control method therefor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, network-compatible image forming apparatuses that are connected to a network, receive a print job from a data processing apparatus such as a personal computer apparatus via the network, and record and output printed matter of the print job are widely used.

  A user who uses such an image forming apparatus has built a system of various usage forms, and is required to cope with various usage forms.

  For example, a user who uses a handheld personal computer device, a so-called laptop computer, has a demand for printing a document even when moving to various places. However, even if an attempt is made to use an image forming apparatus installed at the destination, the installed printer driver is not compatible, and it is necessary to newly install a printer driver, which may result in poor usability. is there.

  In particular, when the image forming apparatus installed at the transfer destination is the same model as the image forming apparatus to which the already installed printer driver corresponds, it is very burdensome to newly install the printer driver in this way. I can feel it.

  In addition, when replacing an image forming apparatus with the same model but a new one, a system administrator needs to install a printer driver in all personal computer apparatuses that have used the image forming apparatus until then. It will be a big burden for them.

A proposal that can cope with such a situation is described in Patent Document 1. In that case, by having a fake serial number other than the regular serial number and using this fake serial number, the system can recognize different printer devices (image forming devices) as the same one. Thus, installation of a new printer driver is prevented from occurring when using a different printer device.
JP 2004-78377 A

  However, in such a conventional apparatus, the situation where it can be used is limited, causing a problem that it cannot be used for general purposes.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a convenient image forming apparatus and a control method thereof when using the same type of image forming apparatus.

  The present invention connects to a network and receives print job information from the data processing device via the network, and performs a print operation of the print job information and requests acquisition of printer identification information from the data processing device via the network. Then, the printer identification information is an image forming apparatus that responds to the requesting data processing apparatus, and the model is composed of individual identification serial numbers and a plurality of categories of identification information as apparatus information of the own terminal. A device information storage unit that stores at least information and a model information stored in the device information storage unit as a serial number included in the printer identification information, and responds with a value calculated based on a predetermined calculation method Serial number calculation means is provided.

  Further, the serial number calculating means combines a first element obtained by extracting only information of a predetermined category of the model information and a second element calculated by applying a predetermined operation to all elements of the model information. Thus, the serial number is calculated.

  Further, the apparatus further comprises setting flag storage means for storing a user operable setting flag for setting whether to use the serial number calculation means, and the setting flag indicates that the serial number calculation means is used. Responds by placing the serial number calculated by the serial number calculating means in the printer identification information and responding, and if the setting flag indicates that the serial number calculating means is not used, the device information storage The serial number stored in the means is arranged in the printer identification information to respond.

  When the print job information is received from the data processing device via the network and connected to the network, the print job information is printed and the printer processing unit requests the printer to obtain the printer identification information from the data processing device via the network. And a method for controlling the image forming apparatus that responds to the requesting data processing apparatus, and includes device identification information of the terminal itself, including a serial number for individual identification and identification information for a plurality of categories. A device information storage means storing at least model information, and using the model information stored in the device information storage means as a serial number included in the printer identification information, a value calculated based on a predetermined calculation method; A step of responding.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, if the model information of the device information is the same model, the data processing device can be recognized as the same machine, so that the usability of the device is greatly improved.

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

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In this figure, in this network system, a personal computer apparatus PC and two network-compatible image forming apparatuses FXa and FXb are connected via a local area network LN.

  For example, a widely used Windows (registered trademark) operating system of Microsoft Corporation is introduced as a basic system (operating system) in the personal computer apparatus PC, and application software for creating a document or a local area network is used. A network compatible printer driver that transmits print job information (described later) to the network compatible image forming apparatuses FXa and FXb via the LN is installed.

  When a request for acquiring printer identification information is issued from the personal computer apparatus PC, the network-compatible image forming apparatuses FXa and FXb create printer identification information (described later) and respond to the personal computer apparatus PC. A printout of print data included in the received print job information is recorded and output. It also has an image reading function and functions as a network scanner.

  Here, the print job information is information that is a combination of print instruction information representing print properties (paper size, recording resolution, etc.) and print data.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the network-compatible image forming apparatus FX (FXa, FXb).

  In the figure, a system control unit 1 performs various control processes such as a control process of each part of the network-compatible image forming apparatus FX and a print control process. The system memory 2 is executed by the system control unit 1. The control processing program and various data necessary for executing the processing program are stored, and the work area of the system control unit 1 is configured. The parameter memory 3 is the network-compatible image forming apparatus FX. The clock circuit 4 outputs current time information.

  The scanner 5 is for reading a document image at a predetermined resolution, the plotter 6 is for recording and outputting an image at a predetermined resolution, and the operation display unit 7 is a network-compatible image forming apparatus FX. It consists of various operation keys and various displays.

  The magnetic disk device 8 is for storing print data and various other data, and the local area network interface circuit 9 is for connecting the network-compatible image forming device FX to the local area network LN. The local area network transmission control unit 10 executes communication control processing of various predetermined protocol suites for exchanging various data with other data terminal devices via the local area network LN. belongs to.

  The USB unit 11 is for connecting various USB devices and exchanging various information, and is provided with a re-sector pull 12 for connecting a communication cable.

  These system control unit 1, system memory 2, parameter memory 3, clock circuit 4, scanner 5, plotter 6, operation display unit 7, magnetic disk device 8, local area network transmission control unit 10, and USB unit 11 Are connected to the internal bus 13, and data exchange between these elements is mainly performed via the internal bus 13.

  FIG. 3A shows an example of information stored in the parameter memory 3. In this case, in the parameter memory 3, the USB serial number set in the own terminal, the model information representing the device information of the own terminal, the serial number generated by the calculation method described later, and the function for generating the serial number are designated on / off. A function flag for enabling (operation by the user) and other appropriate information are stored.

  An example of a general format of model information is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the model information is composed of a plurality of category identifiers. Specific examples of model information are shown in FIGS. In the case of FIG. 2C, the model information is composed of two elements: a grade identifier representing the device function and a model identifier corresponding to the model name. Further, in the case of FIG. 4D, it is composed of three elements: a grade identifier representing the device function, a model identifier corresponding to the model name, and a type identifier representing the model type.

  Here, for example, “LP” is assigned to the grade identifier when a laser beam printer unit is provided as an apparatus function, and “JP” is assigned when an inkjet printer unit is provided. Since the model identifier is a model name, for example, an appropriate character string such as “1000” or “2000” is given. As the type identifier, for example, “A” is assigned in the case of the standard configuration, and “B” is assigned in the case of the option configuration.

  In addition, prior to the printing operation, the operating system of the personal computer apparatus PC requests the printer apparatus (in this case, the network-compatible image forming apparatus FX) to obtain printer identification information, Check if a suitable printer driver (control software for properly operating the printer device) is installed.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the printer identification information includes a vendor ID that is identification information of a producer, a product ID that is identification information of a device model, a serial number that represents a unique number of the device, and a device ID. Consists of.

  The device ID is composed of a producer name (MFG) and a model name (MDL) as shown in FIG. MFG and MDL are abbreviations of information elements that are generally used.

  The operating system of the personal computer PC matches the elements included in the received printer identification information with the vendor ID, product ID, serial number, and device ID registered in the installed printer driver. It checks whether it can use the installed printer driver.

  An example of the inspection process at this time is shown in FIG.

  It is checked whether or not the vendor ID included in the printer identification information matches the vendor ID registered in the printer driver (determination 101). When the result of determination 101 is YES, the product ID included in the printer identification information is determined. And the product ID registered in the printer driver are checked (determination 102), and if the result of determination 102 is YES, the serial number included in the printer identification information and the printer driver are registered in the printer driver. Whether the device ID included in the printer identification information matches the device ID registered in the printer driver. Check whether or not (determination 104) and the result of determination 104 is YES Kiniwa determines that the corresponding printer driver is installed (step 105).

  If any of the determinations 101, 102, 103, and 104 is NO, it is determined that the corresponding printer driver is not installed (process 106). In this case, the operating system starts processing for installing a necessary printer driver.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of processing when a printer identification information acquisition request is received from a personal computer apparatus PC or the like.

  When the printer identification information acquisition request is received (YES in the determination 201), it is checked whether or not the function flag stored in the parameter memory 3 is turned on (determination 202). When the result of determination 202 is YES, serial number generation processing is executed (processing 203) to generate a serial number. If the result of determination 203 is NO, the USB serial number stored in the parameter memory 3 is set as the serial number (process 204).

  Then, printer identification information as shown in FIG. 4A is created (process 205). Here, the vendor ID, the product ID, and the device ID are stored in advance as elements (not shown) of the parameter memory 3, respectively.

  Then, the printer identification information created in process 205 is returned to the personal computer apparatus PC that is the acquisition request source (process 206).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the serial number generation process (process 203).

  First, a part of model information, for example, a grade identifier is read and stored in the buffer A (process 210). The character string stored at this time is referred to as “SSS”.

  Next, the entire model information is read out and stored in the buffer B (processing 211). Next, a predetermined operation is applied to the value stored in the buffer B to obtain the value “XX” (process 212). Here, as the predetermined operation applied in the process 212, a well-known arithmetic operation such as a CRC operation or a SUM value operation can be used. The value “XX” is a hexadecimal number.

  Then, the value “XX” obtained in the process 212 is converted into a character string (for example, an ASCII character string) (process 213). The character string obtained by conversion at this time is assumed to be “YYYY”.

  Finally, the character string “SSS” stored in the buffer A and the character string “YYYY” obtained in processing 213 are combined to obtain a serial number (processing 214). Therefore, the obtained serial number is “SSSYYYY”.

  In this way, in the present embodiment, the serial number is created by combining the character string of a part of the model information value and the character string representing the result of calculation using all the values. For example, the same serial number can be generated by different individuals (devices) having the same model information.

  As a result, even if the user of the personal computer apparatus PC uses another network-compatible image forming apparatus FX, the personal computer apparatus PC can perform a printing operation using the same printer driver.

  In the above-described embodiment, the serial number is generated every time a request for acquiring the printer identification information is received. The serial number once generated is stored in the “generated serial number” in the parameter memory 3. Thereafter, when a request for acquiring the printer identification information is received, the “generated serial number” stored in the parameter memory 3 can be read, and the read value can be used as the serial number. Thereby, the responsiveness when receiving the acquisition request for the printer identification information is improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the network-compatible image forming apparatus also has a scanner function. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiment as long as it has a network printer function. The same can be applied.

  Further, the present invention can be applied in the same manner even when the USB device function is not provided. In this case, the serial number stored in the parameter memory 3 is not a USB serial number but a unique serial number.

The block diagram which showed an example of the network system concerning one Example of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a network-compatible image forming apparatus FX (FXa, FXb). 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of information stored in the parameter memory 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of printer identification information. The flowchart which showed an example of the test | inspection process which the operating system of personal computer apparatus PC performs. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of a network-compatible image forming apparatus when a printer information acquisition request is received. The flowchart which showed an example of the serial number generation process.

Explanation of symbols

1 System control unit 2 System memory 3 Parameter memory

Claims (4)

When the print job information is received from the data processing apparatus via the network and connected to the network, the print job information is printed, and when the printer receives the printer identification information from the data processing apparatus via the network, An image forming apparatus for responding printer identification information to a requesting data processing apparatus,
As device information of the own terminal, device information storage means that stores at least model information consisting of individual identification serial numbers and a plurality of categories of identification information,
A serial number calculation unit that uses model information stored in the device information storage unit as a serial number included in the printer identification information and responds with a value calculated based on a predetermined calculation method is provided. Image forming apparatus.   The serial number calculating means combines a first element obtained by extracting only information of a predetermined category of the model information and a second element calculated by applying a predetermined operation to all elements of the model information. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a serial number is calculated. Furthermore, a setting flag storage means for storing a user operable setting flag for setting whether or not to use the serial number calculation means,
When the setting flag indicates that the serial number calculation means is used, the serial number calculated by the serial number calculation means is placed in the printer identification information and responds, and the setting flag indicates the serial number 3. A response according to claim 1, wherein when the calculation means is not used, the serial number stored in the device information storage means is arranged in the printer identification information and responded. Image forming apparatus. When the print job information is received from the data processing apparatus via the network and connected to the network, the print job information is printed, and when the printer receives the printer identification information from the data processing apparatus via the network, An image forming apparatus control method for responding printer identification information to a requesting data processing apparatus,
As the device information of the own terminal, comprising a device information storage means for storing at least model information consisting of a serial number for individual identification and a plurality of categories of identification information,
An image forming method comprising: using model information stored in the device information storage unit as a serial number included in the printer identification information, and responding with a value calculated based on a predetermined calculation method Control method of the device.