JP6791026B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for printing a document created by a user on a terminal device such as a personal computer.

When a user prints a document created on a terminal device, the document is converted into a print language that can be recognized by the image forming device using a printer driver or a printing application, and transmitted to the image forming device by an appropriate interface.

Normally, in an image forming apparatus, UEL (Universal Exit Language) of PJL (Printer Job Language), Ctrl-D (in the case of Postscript (registered trademark)), EOJ command, and JOBT command of PRESCRIBE (registered trademark) are used as data delimiters. Judgment is made, and the data received up to that point is processed as one job and printed.

In addition, the delimiter code registered by the user is compared with the print data so that the print data of the non-compatible print language that does not support the delimiter code normally used can be supported, and the print data is separated based on the result. A partitioning technique has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-212927

However, in the prior art, depending on the printer driver or printing application used by the user, there may be print data that should actually be treated as one job after the above delimiter code, or conversely, the above delimiter code may be included in the print data. There were cases where it was included. In such a case, the data may be cut off at a position not intended by the user, resulting in a print result not intended by the user.

Further, when the user registers the delimiter code, there is a possibility that the code included in the print data is input, and the data may be determined to end at an unexpected place. Furthermore, when another user sends print data in the same print language, if the print data happens to contain a delimiter code registered by another user, the print data will be separated by that code, so printing will be performed. There was a problem that an error occurred in the interpretation of the language, or even if the error did not occur, the print result was interrupted in the middle of the page.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reliably separating print data at a location specified by a printer driver or a printing application. The purpose.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that recognizes a delimiter of the print data and executes a print process by detecting an existing delimiter code set in advance from the received print data. A delimiter code detection unit that detects the existing delimiter code from the data, a special command detection unit that stores the one-time delimiter code stored in the special command in the storage unit when a special command is detected, and the print data. It includes a timeout management unit that detects an interface timeout with the source, and the delimiter code detection unit invalidates the detection of the existing delimiter code when the special command is detected by the special command detection unit. The one-time delimiter code stored in the storage unit is detected as a delimiter of the print data from the print data, and the special command detection unit detects the one-time delimiter code by the delimiter code detection unit. Then, the one-time delimiter code is deleted from the storage unit, and the delimiter code detection unit, when the special command detection unit detects the special command, continues until the one-time delimiter code is detected. The detection of the existing delimiter code is invalidated, and when the special command detection unit detects the special command, the timeout management unit performs the interface timeout until the delimiter code detection unit detects the one-time delimiter code. It is characterized by disabling the detection of .

According to the present invention, the print data delimiter can be detected by the one-time delimiter code set by the special command, so that the print data can be printed at a location specified by the printer driver or the print application that is the source of the print data. It has the effect of being able to be reliably separated.

It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the embodiment of the image forming apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the print data to which the special command shown in FIG. 1 is added. It is a flowchart explaining the operation at the time of detecting a special command in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. It is a sequence diagram explaining the detection operation of an internal time-out by the time-out management unit shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations showing the same functions.

The image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a copying machine, an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Printer / Product), or the like, and referring to FIG. 1, the operation unit 2, the document reading unit 3, the input / output unit 4, and the like. It includes a storage unit 5, an image processing unit 6, a printing unit 7, and a control unit 8.

The operation unit 2 is a user interface such as a keyboard or a touch panel that gives instructions for executing print processing, inputs print settings, displays set values, and displays detailed error details.

The document scanning unit 3 irradiates light on a document fed by a document feeding device (not shown) or a document placed on a contact glass by a user, and receives the reflected light or the like to receive image data. It is a scanning scanner.

The input / output unit 4 has a function of transmitting / receiving information to / from a network 10 such as a LAN or a terminal device 20 connected via various interfaces such as parallel and USB. The input / output unit 4 is an interface for transmitting and receiving print data such as document data including image data, information of the image forming apparatus 1, and error information by a predetermined protocol.

The storage unit 5 is a storage means such as a semiconductor memory or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) for storing original images and print data. The storage unit 5 is also used as a memory for image processing and a memory for storing various settings. Further, the storage unit 5 may be an SD card, a USB memory, or the like that is detachably arranged from the outside. The delimiter code 51 and the special command 52 are stored in the storage unit 5. Further, the storage unit 5 stores the one-time delimiter code 53.

The delimiter code 51 is a command used as a delimiter for print data in a general page description language. For example, as the delimiter code 51, UEL (Universal Exit Language) of PJL (Printer Job Language), Ctrl-D (in the case of Postscript), EOJ command, JOBT command of PRESCRIBE, and the like are registered in advance.

The special command 52 is a command indicating that the print data is separated by the one-time delimiter code 53. The special command 52 is a command agreed with the printer driver of the terminal device 20 for transmitting print data and a print application (hereinafter referred to as a print data sender), and as shown in FIG. 2, the print data It is added before. Further, the special command 52 has an area for storing the one-time delimiter code 53, and the print data transmission source can set an arbitrary one-time delimiter code 53.

The image processing unit 6 is an arithmetic processing circuit of a microcomputer or the like equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. For example, enlargement / reduction processing, density adjustment processing, and the like. Execute various jobs related to image processing such as gradation adjustment processing.

The printing unit 7 is a printing means for printing the document image read by the document reading unit 3 and the print data received from the terminal device 20. For example, the printing unit 7 forms a latent image on the surface of the photoconductor drum based on print data, forms an image using the latent image as a toner image with toner, and transfers the toner image from the photoconductor drum to a recording paper. Then, the toner image is fixed on the recording paper and discharged.

The control unit 8 is an arithmetic processing circuit of a microcomputer or the like equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. A control program for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 is stored in the ROM. The control unit 8 reads the control program stored in the ROM and expands the control program in the RAM to control the entire device according to various instruction information input from the operation unit 2.

Further, the control unit 8 functions as a delimiter code detection unit 81, a special command detection unit 82, and a timeout management unit 83.

The delimiter code detection unit 81 detects the delimiter code 51 in the print data as a delimiter for the print data when the print data is received. When the special command detection unit 82 instructs the code switching, the detection of the existing delimiter code (delimiter code 51) is invalidated, and the one-time delimiter code 53 in the print data is detected as the delimiter of the print data.

When the special command detection unit 82 detects the special command 52 added before the print data, the special command detection unit 82 stores the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the special command 52 in the storage unit 5, and also stores the delimiter code detection unit 81. Instruct the time-out management unit 83 to switch the code.

The timeout management unit 83 detects an interface timeout when the first timeout time in which communication with the terminal device 20 is set is exceeded. Further, the timeout management unit 83 invalidates the detection of the interface timeout when the special command detection unit 82 instructs the code switching, and prints without detecting the one-time delimiter code 53 after receiving the special command 52. When the state in which data reception is interrupted exceeds the set second timeout time, an internal timeout is detected.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 when the special command 52 is detected will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
The special command detection unit 82 detects the special command 52 by comparing the received data with the special command 52 stored in the storage unit 5 (step S101). Since it is agreed in advance that the special command 52 is added before the print data, the special command 52 operates only immediately after the start of data reception or immediately after the delimiter code 51 is detected by the delimiter code detection unit 81.

Next, the special command detection unit 82 stores the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the special command 52 in the storage unit 5 (step S102).

Further, the special command detection unit 82 instructs the time-out management unit 83 to switch the code, and invalidates the detection of the interface timeout by the time-out management unit 83 (step S103).

Further, the special command detection unit 82 instructs the delimiter code detection unit 81 to switch the code, and invalidates the detection of the existing delimiter code (delimiter code 51) by the delimiter code detection unit 81 (step S104).

Next, the control unit 8 receives the print data following the special command (step S105) and stores the print data in the storage unit 5 byte by byte (step S106).

Next, the delimiter code detection unit 81 compares the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the storage unit 5 in step S102 with the print data stored in the storage unit 5 in step S106 (step S107). The one-time delimiter code 53 is detected. Then, the delimiter code detection unit 81 determines whether or not the one-time delimiter code 53 has been detected (step S108).

If the one-time delimiter code 53 is not detected in step S108, the process returns to step S105, and the control unit 8 continues to receive print data.

When the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected in step S108, the delimiter code detection unit 81 notifies the special command detection unit 82 and the timeout management unit 83 of the detection of the one-time delimiter code 53, and the control unit 8 sets the control unit 8. Interpretation of the print data stored in the storage unit 5 and printing processing are executed (step S109). The printing data interpretation and drawing processing prior to the printing processing may be performed in parallel with steps S105 to 108.

The special command detection unit 82 notified by the delimiter code detection unit 81 that the one-time delimiter code 53 has been detected deletes the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the storage unit 5 (step S110). As a result, the valid period of the one-time delimiter code 53 set by the special command 52 is between S102 and S110. That is, the special command 52 that sets the one-time delimiter code 53 is different from the print data, and is valid only for the print data received by the interface that received the special command 52.

Further, the delimiter code detection unit 81 detected by the one-time delimiter code 53 activates the detection of the existing delimiter code (delimiter code 51) (step S111).

Further, the timeout management unit 83 notified by the delimiter code detection unit 81 that the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected enables the detection of the interface timeout (step S112).

Next, the control unit 8 determines whether or not there is subsequent data (step S113). Then, when there is data to be continued in step S113, the control unit 8 executes the process as the next print data (step S114). In this way, when the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected in the print data after receiving the special command 52, even if the data is connected thereafter, it is processed as separate data.

If there is no data to be continued in step S113, the control unit 8 ends the printing process as it is.

Next, the operation of detecting the internal timeout by the timeout management unit 83 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Regarding the processing that overlaps with the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the same step numbers are assigned and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

When the interface timeout is invalidated by the detection of the special command 52, the data cannot be kept waiting and the detection of the interface timeout cannot be re-enabled unless the one-time delimiter code 53 set by the special command 52 is received. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the one-time delimiter code 53 is not received after the special command 52 is detected by detecting the internal timeout separately from the interface timeout. The second timeout time used for detecting the internal timeout is not set by the general user, but is set by the administrator. The administrator needs to set the second timeout time appropriately from the parameters such as the usual usage of the MFP / Printer, data reception start, reception completion, print start, and print completion.

First, the terminal device 20 of the print data transmission source is set to a state in which bidirectional communication is possible with the image forming device 1 (step S201). When the terminal device 20 of the print data transmission source sets the one-time delimiter code 53 by the special command 52, the two-way communication is automatically enabled.

After receiving the special command 52, the timeout management unit 83 activates the internal timeout timer when the reception of the print data is interrupted without detecting the one-time delimiter code 53 (step S202).

Then, when the second timeout time in which the reception of print data is interrupted is exceeded, the timeout management unit 83 detects the internal timeout, and the one-time delimiter code 53 is not sent to the terminal device 20. The unreceived message to be notified is transmitted (step S203).

The start timing of the internal timeout timer may be when the special command 52 is received. In this case, the timeout management unit 83 detects the internal timeout when the one-time delimiter code 53 is not received even after the second timeout time set from the reception of the special command 52 has elapsed.

The terminal device 20 that has received the unreceived message in step S203 transmits the one-time delimiter code 53 to the image forming device 1. As a result, in the image forming apparatus 1, the control unit 8 can complete the printing process, and the special command detecting unit 82 can delete the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the storage unit 5. Further, the timeout management unit 83 can enable the detection of the interface timeout, and the delimiter code detection unit 81 can enable the detection of the existing delimiter code (delimiter code 51).

If nothing is sent from the terminal device 20 even after the unreceived message is transmitted, the timeout management unit 83 retransmits the unreceived message. The number of unreceived messages sent and the transmission interval can be set as appropriate.

If nothing is sent from the terminal device 20 even after sending the set number of unreceived messages, the connection of the network 10, parallel, USB, etc. is disconnected, or the terminal device 20 has some reason. It is assumed that data cannot be transmitted due to this. Therefore, in this case as well, the printing process is executed in the same manner as when the one-time delimiter code 53 is received, and the deletion of the one-time delimiter code 53, the detection of the interface timeout, and the detection of the existing delimiter code (delimiter code 51) are enabled. ..

At this time, if the received data is halfway (when the data is interrupted in the middle of the print page), the control unit 8 prints up to the point where the print page is established. Then, if the remaining data is to be printed as garbage (many sheets are printed), it is advisable not to print or to print an error page (printed matter describing the error content).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the division of print data is recognized by detecting the division code 51 stored in the storage unit 5 as a preset existing division code from the received print data. In the image forming apparatus 1 that executes the printing process, the delimiter code detection unit 81 that detects the delimiter code 51 in the print data and the one-time delimiter stored in the special command 52 when the special command 52 is detected. A special command detection unit 82 that stores the code 53 in the storage unit 5 is provided, and the delimiter code detection unit 81 invalidates the detection of the delimiter code 51 when the special command 52 is detected by the special command detection unit 82. Then, the one-time delimiter code 53 stored in the storage unit 5 is detected from the print data as a delimiter for the print data, and the special command detection unit 82 detects the one-time delimiter code 53 by the delimiter code detection unit 81. , The one-time delimiter code 53 is deleted from the storage unit 5.
With this configuration, the print data break can be detected by the one-time break code 53 set by the special command 52, so that the print data can be printed at a location specified by the printer driver or print application that is the source of the print data. It can be surely separated. Further, since the one-time delimiter code 53 is provided with a valid period and the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected by the delimiter code detection unit 81, the one-time delimiter code 53 is deleted from the storage unit 5, a special command 52 is added. It can be a valid delimiter only for print data, and false detection of the delimiter code can be prevented.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the special command 52 is detected by the special command detection unit 82, the delimiter code detection unit 81 invalidates the detection of the delimiter code 51 until the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected.
With this configuration, the delimiter of the print data can be determined only by detecting the one-time delimiter code 53, and the print data can be reliably delimited at the location specified by the printer driver or the printing application that is the source of the print data. ..

Further, in the present embodiment, the timeout management unit 83 for detecting the interface timeout with the source of the print data is provided, and the timeout management unit 83 detects the special command 52 when the special command detection unit 82 detects the special command 52. , The detection of the interface timeout is invalidated until the one-time delimiter code 53 is detected by the delimiter code detection unit 81.
With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the state in which the detection of the delimiter code 51 is disabled from continuing due to the interface timeout.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the special command 52 is detected by the special command detection unit 82, the timeout management unit 83 detects the unreceived state of the one-time delimiter code 53 as an internal timeout, and transmits the print data. Is sent an unreceived request notifying that the one-time delimiter code 53 has not been received.
With this configuration, the printer driver or printing application that is the source of the print data can be requested to send or retransmit the one-time delimiter code 53, the data cannot be kept waiting, and the detection of the interface timeout cannot be re-enabled. The state can be avoided.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the reception of the one-time delimiter code 53 is not detected even if the timeout management unit 83 transmits an unreceived request, the print processing of the received print data is executed and the special command detection unit is executed. 82 deletes the one-time delimiter code 53 from the storage unit 5, the delimiter code detection unit 81 enables the detection of the delimiter code 51, and the timeout management unit 83 enables the detection of the interface timeout.
With this configuration, it is possible to return to the state before the special command 52 is detected by the special command detection unit 82.

It is clear that the present invention is not limited to each of the above embodiments, and each embodiment can be appropriately modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. Further, the number, position, shape, etc. of the constituent members are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be a suitable number, position, shape, etc. for carrying out the present invention. In each figure, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals.

1 Image forming device 2 Operation unit 3 Document reading unit 4 Input / output unit 5 Storage unit 6 Image processing unit 7 Printing unit 8 Control unit 10 Network 20 Terminal device 51 Delimiter code 52 Special command 53 One-time delimiter code 81 Delimiter code detection unit 82 Special command detection unit 83 Timeout management unit

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus that recognizes a division of print data and executes a print process by detecting an existing delimiter code set in advance from the received print data.
A delimiter code detection unit that detects the existing delimiter code from the print data,
When a special command is detected, a special command detection unit that stores the one-time delimiter code stored in the special command in the storage unit, and a special command detection unit.
A timeout management unit for detecting an interface timeout with the source of the print data is provided.
When the special command is detected by the special command detection unit, the delimiter code detection unit invalidates the detection of the existing delimiter code, and the one-time delimiter code stored in the storage unit from the print data. Is detected as a delimiter of the print data,
When the one-time delimiter code is detected by the delimiter code detection unit, the special command detection unit deletes the one-time delimiter code from the storage unit .
When the special command is detected by the special command detection unit, the delimiter code detection unit invalidates the detection of the existing delimiter code until the one-time delimiter code is detected.
The timeout management unit is characterized in that when the special command is detected by the special command detection unit, the detection of the interface timeout is invalidated until the one-time division code is detected by the delimiter code detection unit. Image forming device. When the special command is detected by the special command detection unit, the time-out management unit detects the unreceived state of the one-time delimiter code as an internal timeout, and sends the print data to the source of the one-time delimiter code. the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting the unreceived request for notifying the non-reception. When the reception of the one-time delimiter code is not detected even if the unreceived request is transmitted by the timeout management unit, the printing process of the received print data is executed, and the special command detection unit performs the one-time. remove the delimiter code from the storage unit, the delimiter code detection unit, said enable the detection of existing delimiter code, the time-out management unit, according to claim 2, characterized in that to enable detection of said interface timeout The image forming apparatus described.

Images