JPH05138998A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a wait time for printout by outputting data which needs to be printed out urgently. CONSTITUTION:CPU determines whether there is any output hindrance in an output part, in step S1. If it is determined that there is an output hindrance, CPU waits until the output is normalized. Then if it is found that the normalization is realized in step S2, CPU interprets whether an output source for image information is set in the following step S3. If it is interpreted that setting an output sequence is already done in step S3, CPU outputs image information according to the set output sequence. However, it is determined that the output sequence has not been set, in step S3 or there is no output hindrance in the output part, in step S1, CPU processes the operating sequence in step S4 so that image information is output in the order of data stored in a storage part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for accumulating image information and outputting it as a visible image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image processing apparatus, when a plurality of output requests are issued to one printer connected to the apparatus,
These are sequentially stored in the memory and are printed out in the order in which the output requests are issued. At that time, if you cannot print out due to a paper jam in the printer,
As soon as the failure is recovered and printout becomes possible, the order of output requests is maintained, and the printout is performed according to the order.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image processing apparatus, since the order of printing out is fixed, an unexpected situation such as paper jam or paper shortage occurs and it takes time to recover. If you wait for output, the printout will take more time,
The total waiting time for printout is the delay time due to an unforeseen event plus the waiting time for waiting, and there is a problem that if it is necessary to print out urgently, it cannot be handled.

[0004]

The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems, and has the following constitution as one means for solving the above-mentioned problems. That is, in an image processing apparatus including image storage means for storing input image information and output means for outputting the image information stored in the image storage means as a visible image according to an instruction, an output failure in the output means is detected. Means, a means for detecting the recovery of the output failure, and a setting means for arbitrarily setting the output order of the image information in the output means after the recovery, and when the setting is not made, the image The image information is output from the output means in the order of being stored in the storage means, and when there is the setting, the image information is output from the output means in the order according to the setting. Preferably, the setting means includes means for displaying a list capable of identifying the image information stored in the image storage means, and the output order of the image information is set using the list.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned structure, a function that urgently needs to print out is preferentially output to shorten the waiting time for printout.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, in the operation unit 100,
The order of printouts, which will be described later, etc. are set, and the line control unit 500 processes image information sent from an external device (not shown). The image signal control unit 300 also processes the image information received from the line control unit 500 and sends it to the printer 400. The printer 400 outputs the image information from the image signal controller 300 as a visible image. The storage unit 600 stores the image information from the line control unit 500. The CPU 200 operates the operation unit 100, the image signal control unit 300, and
A central control unit that controls the printer 400, the line control unit 500, the storage unit 600, and the like.

Next, the operation section constituting the apparatus according to this embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the operation unit 100. In FIG. 2, various messages are displayed on the message display 110, and a cursor key 120 is a key for moving the cursor displayed on the message display 110 up and down. Is. Also,
The OK key 130 is a key for determining what is selected by the cursor, and the start key 140 is a key for instructing restart of the operation.

In the apparatus according to the present embodiment, when image information and a printout instruction thereof are sent from an external device (not shown) to the line controller 500, the image information is temporarily
It is stored in the storage unit 600, from which the line control unit 500,
It is sent to the printer 400 via the image signal processing unit 300 and is output as a visible image there. During this series of operations, when another image information and a printout instruction thereof are sent from the external device to the line control unit 500,
The image information is stored in the storage unit 600, and it waits until a series of operations for the image information for which the processing is instructed before is completed.

Furthermore, the line control unit 500 is connected to the external device.
When another image information and an instruction to print out the image information are sent to the storage unit 600, they are sequentially stored in the storage unit 600, and when the output processing for the previous image information is completed, the image information is output similarly to the image information. It The image information stored in the storage unit 600 is held in the storage unit 600 until the printout is completed.

The operation procedure of the apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below. When a plurality of pieces of image information exist in the storage unit 600 in a state of waiting for output, for example, the printer 4
Even when 00 is stopped due to a paper jam, the image information during printout and the image information before output are held in the storage unit 600 as described above. Then, when the paper jam of the printer is cleared and the printer can be operated again, the message shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the message display 110.

In FIG. 3, print data A, B, C
Is a name for identifying each image information stored in the storage unit 600. Further, the cursor 111 is a cursor for selecting image information having a name,
Move the cursor 111 up and down with the cursor keys 120 and
After the cursor 111 is moved to the image information name to be output next, the OK key 130 is pressed to determine the output order.

When the image information to be output first is determined, the message shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the message display 110. On this display screen, the image information to be output second is selected. The output order after that is also determined in the same manner. Then, after that, when the start key 140 is pressed, the image information is transferred from the storage unit 600 to the printer 40 via the line control unit 500 and the image signal processing unit 300 in the order set in the above procedure.
Sent to 0 and output there.

The image information for which the order of printout is set is output according to the set order, but for the image information for which the order is not set, the image information for which the order is set is output. After that, the storage unit 60
It is output according to the order stored in 0. Therefore, the outline of the output processing procedure of the image information in the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the image information output processing procedure in the apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the figure, in step S1, the CPU 200 determines whether or not there is an output failure in the output unit (printer). If it is determined that there is an output failure, the recovery of the failure is awaited in step S2. Then, when it is determined that the failure is restored in step S2, it is determined in the subsequent step S3 whether or not the output order of the image information is set.

If it is determined in step S3 that the output order is set, the CPU 200 outputs the image information in accordance with the set order in step S5. However, if the output order is not set in step S3 or if it is determined in step S1 that there is no output failure in the output section, the image information is output in the order stored in the storage section 600 in step S4. To process.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When multiple image information is output continuously as a visible image, if the output is disabled due to a paper jam or paper outage, it is necessary to set the output order after the failure recovery and print out urgently. By preferentially outputting different image information, the waiting time for output can be shortened, and it is possible to perform printout according to the degree of urgency.

In the above embodiment, the output order of the image information is set after the paper jam or the like occurs in the printer. However, before the failure occurs, the output order of all the image information to be output is set in advance. It may be set in advance, and after the failure is recovered, the data may be output in the order of those. The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
After the failure caused in the output of the image information is recovered, the image information is output in the set order, so that there is an effect that the image information that needs to be printed out can be preferentially output and the waiting time can be shortened. ..

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory view of an operation unit according to the embodiment,

[Figure 3]

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a message display example on a message display;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an image information output processing procedure in the apparatus according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Operation Unit 110 Message Display 120 Cursor Keys 130 OK Key 140 Start Key 200 CPU 300 Image Signal Control Unit 400 Printer 500 Line Control Unit 600 Storage Unit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koichi Unno 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus comprising: an image storage unit for storing input image information; and an output unit for outputting the image information stored in the image storage unit as a visible image according to an instruction. A means for detecting a failure, a means for detecting recovery of the output failure, and a setting means for arbitrarily setting the output order of the image information in the output means after the recovery, and when the setting is not made An image processing apparatus, wherein image information is output from the output means in the order in which the image is stored in the image storage means, and when there is the setting, the image information is output from the output means in the order according to the setting. .. 2. The setting means includes means for displaying a list capable of identifying image information stored in the image storage means, and the output order of the image information is set using the list. The image processing device according to claim 1.