JPH05150919A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To manage the use condition of each printer user by providing an information recording means, where information required for management of the use condition of each printer user is recorded, and an information processing means which processes and updates information recorded in this information recording means. CONSTITUTION:Print data of pictures, characters, etc., is sent from a host computer 2. A printer 1 is provided with a CPU 3 which executes the normal processing related to print and copy. An input buffer 4 which receives print data from the host computer 2 and an output buffer 5 where data outputted from the CPU 3 is temporarily held are connected to the CPU 3. The output buffer 5 is provided with a print part 7 with an interface 6 between them, and the interface 6 sends data held in the output buffer 5 to the print part 7. Information required for management of the use condition of each printer user is recorded by an information recording means 11, and this recorded information is processed and updated by an information processing means 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer capable of managing the usage status of each printer user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional printer does not have a function of managing the usage status of each printer user, and moreover, not only a specific printer user but also anyone who is connected to the printer connected to the host computer. It was possible to output and print the print data freely.

[0003]

Therefore, in such a conventional printer, since the usage status of each printer user is not managed, the printer occupation time of each printer user, the number of times the printer has been used, and the printer usage The usage status of each printer user, such as the number of sheets, was not known, and it was not possible to grasp whether the printers were in short supply or were used frequently.

Further, in the conventional printer, since anyone can freely use it, the memory of the printer is abused for downloading fonts, registering images, etc., and the range of use is limited. Will end up.

Further, since the conventional printer can be freely used by anyone, when many users try to print a large amount of print data at one time, they are often forced to wait for printing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of managing the usage status of each printer user.

A second object is to provide a printer which can be used only by a printer user who has registered an ID (identification symbol) in advance.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the first aspect of the present invention is an information recording means for recording information necessary for managing the usage status of each printer user, and An information processing means for processing and updating the information recorded in the information recording means is provided so that the usage status of each printer user can be managed.

In order to achieve the second object, a second aspect of the present invention is a printer user ID setting means for setting a printer user ID for identifying a printer user, and the printer user ID setting means. Printer user ID storage means for storing the printer user ID set by
A printer user ID retrieving means for retrieving the printer user ID from the printer user ID set by the printer user ID setting means, and the printer user I set by the printer user ID setting means
This is characterized in that only the printer user having the ID corresponding to D can use the printer.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, the third aspect of the present invention is to provide a printer ID for identifying a printer.
Printer ID setting means for setting the printer ID
It is determined whether the printer ID storage means for storing the printer ID set by the setting means, the printer ID stored in the printer ID storage means, and the printer ID added to the received print data match. A printer ID comparing means for comparing the print data, and the print data can be printed only when the printer ID added to the received print data matches the printer ID set by the printer ID setting means. It is a feature.

[0011]

According to the printer of claim 1, by the information recording means,
The information necessary for managing the usage status of each printer user is recorded, and the information recorded in this information recording means is processed and updated by the information processing means, thereby updating the usage status of each printer user. Can be grasped and managed.

According to the printer of claim 2, the printer user whose ID is sent from the host computer to the printer is set in the printer user ID setting means and stored in the printer ID storage means. I
The printer user ID retrieving means retrieves from D, and the printer user ID is the printer user I.
The print data can be printed only when the D setting means is set.

Further, in the printer according to claim 3, the printer ID for identifying the printer added to the print data transmitted from the host computer to the printer is set in the printer ID setting means, and the printer ID storage means is provided. The comparing means compares the printer ID stored in the printer with the printer ID stored in the printer ID, and the print data can be printed only when the printer ID is matched.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a printer, and the printer 1 includes a host computer 2
Print data such as images and characters is sent from the printer. The printer 1 is a CPU that executes normal processing relating to printing and copying.
It has a (central processing unit) 3.

An input buffer 4 for receiving print data from the host computer 2 and an output buffer 5 for temporarily storing the data output from the CPU 3 are connected to the CPU 3. The output buffer 5 has an interface 6
The printing unit 7 is provided via the. Interface 6
Is for sending the data held in the output buffer 5 to the printing unit 7.

The CPU 3 includes a ROM (read only memory: read only memory) 8 and a RAM (random access memory: readable and writable memory).
9 is connected.

The ROM 8 stores a font portion in which character data is stored, a control program for the printer 1 and a command analysis program from the host computer 2. The RAM 9 also has a memory area that can be freely used for character expansion and variable usage.

Further, the CPU 3 has an information processing means 10
And the information recording means 11 are connected. The information processing means 10 processes information necessary for managing the usage status of each printer user, such as the drive time of the printer 1 and the number of output (printing) sheets used. The information recording means 11 records the information.

Next, the print data processing operation of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of print data in the printer 1 of the present invention.

First, at step 21 in FIG. 2, a print request from each printer user is received. Then, the process proceeds to step 22, and it is searched whether or not there is a print information file of the printer user who made the print request. As this search method, as shown in FIG. 3, an ID (identification symbol) for identifying the printer user is added to each print data and transmitted, or as shown in FIG. 4, the printer is connected to a host computer. It goes without saying that any method may be used as long as it is managed from a plurality of the terminals 12 _{1 to} 12 n that have been managed by a login ID or the like, or if an ID for each printer user is assigned in advance.

Then, in step 23 of FIG. 2, it is judged whether or not there is the information file of the printer user,
If so, the process proceeds to step 24, and after creating a new information file, the process proceeds to step 25. If the information file has already been created in step 23, the process proceeds to step 25. In this step 25, the normal print processing is performed, and at the same time, the print data is processed such as counting the number of used output sheets and measuring the occupied time of the printer 1.

Then, in step 26, the latest print data obtained in the previous step 25 is used as the information recording means 11
After inputting to update the recorded information, this processing operation is ended.

<Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment described above will be described with the same reference numerals in the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, 1a is a printer, and this printer 1a is different from the printer shown in FIG. The printer 1 is different from the printer 1.

That is, a new information file is to be created for printer users who have not yet created an information file as described in the first embodiment. Therefore, when the information file cannot be created because the memory capacity is already full at the time of creating the information file, the information erasing means 13 is utilized. The processing operation of the information erasing means 13 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when a new information file is created in step 61, if it is determined in the next step 62 that the memory capacity of the information file is still available and the information file can be created, the new information file is created. After creating
This processing operation ends.

If it is determined in step 62 that the information file is full and cannot be created, the process proceeds to the next step 63, in which the printer user who has not used the printer 1 for a long time and the frequency of use. The information file of a small number of printer users is referenced and searched, and all the information of the printer users is deleted.

Then, when the memory capacity of the information file is free, the process proceeds to step 64 to create a new information file, and then this processing operation is terminated.

<Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, the same parts as those in the above-mentioned first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals in the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a printer according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, 1b is a printer,
This printer 1b does not include the information processing means 10 and the information recording means 11 in the first embodiment, but instead of the user I
D setting means 14, user ID storage means 15 and user I
The printer 1 is different from the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 only in that the D search means 16 is provided.

A printer user ID is set in the printer user ID setting means 14. Further, the printer user ID storage means 15 includes the printer user ID setting means 1
The printer user ID input from 4 is stored. Further, the printer user ID retrieval means 16 retrieves the printer user ID sent from the host computer 2 from the printer user IDs stored in the printer user ID storage means 15.

Next, the operation for setting the printer user ID and the storage (storing) operation in the printer 1b of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step 81, the printer user ID
The setting user 14 inputs and sets the printer user ID.

If this ID is a number, alphabet, or any other user who can identify each printer,
It goes without saying that anything is good.

Further, the printer user ID setting means 1
It goes without saying that the number of printer user IDs input by 4 is within the range allowed by the memory capacity of the printer user ID storage means 15.

Then, in the next step 82, it is judged whether or not the printer user ID input in the previous step 81 has already been set.

If the setting has already been made, this processing operation is terminated.

On the other hand, if the printer user ID is not set, the process proceeds to the next step 83 to store the printer user ID in the printer user ID storage means 15 and end the present processing operation.

Next, the printer user ID search operation in the printer 1b of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, at step 901, the printer user ID is transmitted from the host computer 2 to the printer 1b.

Then, the process proceeds to the next step 902, and FIG.
The printer user ID received by the printer 1b is searched from among the printer user IDs stored in the printer user ID storage unit 15. If the printer user ID received by the printer 1b is not stored in the printer user ID storage means 15, the process proceeds to step 903, after which an error message "printer user ID is not set" is returned. , This processing operation ends.

On the other hand, if the printer user ID is stored in step 902, the process proceeds to step 904 to start receiving print data, and in the next step 905, the normal printing process (data analysis, bitmap expansion, After performing printing, etc., this processing operation is ended.

<Fourth Embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this example,
The same parts as those in the third embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals in the drawings.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a printer according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, 1c is a printer, and this printer 1c is the printer user ID setting means 14 in the third embodiment. The printer 1b differs from the printer 1b shown in FIG. 7 only in that the printer user ID storage means 15 is deleted and the printer user ID card setting means 17 is provided.

Printer user ID card setting means 17
Is a part in which the ID of a printer user who is permitted to use the printer 1c is registered in a ROM card (not shown) in advance and the ROM card is inserted.

Then, by inserting this ROM card into the printer user ID card setting means 17, this ROM card is connected to the printer user ID retrieval means 16 and the printer user ID sent from the host computer 2 is sent. The printer user ID searching means 16 searches the printer user ID registered in the ROM card.

<Fifth Embodiment> Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment described above are
Description will be given by attaching the same reference numerals to the drawings.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a printer according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, 1d is a printer, and this printer 1d is the information processing means 10 and the information recording means 11 in the first embodiment. The printer ID setting means 18 is provided, and the printer ID comparison means is operated in addition to the font part in which the character data is stored in the ROM 8 and the control program of the printer 1d and the command analysis program from the host computer. This is different from the first embodiment in that it also stores a program for this.

The printer ID setting means 18 has a function of setting a printer ID for identifying a printer and a storage function of storing this printer ID.

Next, the processing operation of the printer 1d of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step 121, the print data is sent from the host computer 2 to the printer 1d, and the printer ID is also added to the print data as shown in FIG. 13 and is also sent to the printer 1d.

Then, the process proceeds to step 122, and FIG.
The printer ID setting means 18 determines whether or not the printer ID is set.

If the printer ID has not been set, the routine proceeds to step 123, where normal processing such as font calling and bitmap expansion is performed, and then step 12
Then, the procedure proceeds to step 4, where the printing is performed in the same manner as the conventional printer, and this processing operation is terminated.

On the other hand, if the printer ID is set in step 122, then in step 122,
The printer ID is used as the printer ID setting means 18 in FIG.
To store.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 125, where the CPU
The (printer ID comparison means) 3 determines whether or not the printer ID stored in the printer ID setting means 18 and the printer ID added to the print data (input data) match.

If they match, the above step 1
23 is executed, and if they do not match, the print data is discarded without being output.

The printer ID set in step 122 is stored in the printer ID setting means 18 until it is reset, and the operations from steps 121 to 125 are performed by using the print data from the host computer 2 in FIG. It is repeated each time it is received.

<Sixth Embodiment> A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15. In the present embodiment, the same parts as those in the above-mentioned fifth embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals in the drawings.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a printer according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1e is a printer, and this printer 1e is a printer 1d in the fifth embodiment with a display unit 19 added. The only difference is the printer 1d shown in FIG.

The display unit 19 displays a predetermined message or the like.

Next, the processing operation of the printer 1e of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step 151, the print data is sent from the host computer 2 of FIG. 14 to the printer 1e, and the printer ID added to the print data is also sent to the printer 1e.

Then, the process proceeds to step 152, and FIG.
The printer ID setting means 18 determines whether or not the printer ID is set.

If the printer ID has not been set, the process proceeds to step 153 to perform normal processing, and then proceeds to step 154 to perform printing in the same manner as a conventional printer, thus ending this processing operation. To do.

On the other hand, when the printer ID is set in step 152, this step 152
Then, the printer ID is stored in the printer ID setting means 18 of FIG.

Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 155, where the CPU
3 is the printer ID stored in the printer ID setting means 18 and the printer ID added to the print data
Judge whether and match.

If they match, the above step 1
53 is executed, and if they do not match, the print data is not output and is discarded. At that time, at step 156, for example, "printing impossible" or "unprintable" is displayed on the display unit 19 of FIG.
A message such as "Printer ID mismatch" is displayed.

It is needless to say that this message may have any content as long as it can be understood that printing cannot be performed because the printer IDs do not match.

In addition to displaying the message on the display unit 19, a message to that effect may be returned to the host computer 2 in FIG.

[0073]

As described above, the printer according to claim 1 of the present invention has information recording means for recording information necessary for managing the usage status of each printer user, and the information recording means. An information processing unit that processes and updates information is provided, and the usage status of each printer user can be managed.

Therefore, the usage status of each printer user can be managed, and information such as the usage frequency and the number of printing sheets used can be obtained.

The printer according to claim 2 of the present invention is a printer user ID setting means for setting a printer user ID for identifying a printer user, and a printer set by the printer user ID setting means. User ID
A printer user ID storage means for storing the printer user ID and a printer user ID search means for searching the printer user ID set by the printer user ID setting means for the printer user ID. ID
It is characterized in that only the printer user having an ID corresponding to the printer user ID set by the setting means can use the printer.

Therefore, printing can be performed only by the printer user whose printer user ID is registered, so that the printer can be used in units of groups, or a limited person can become an exclusive printer and must wait for printing. There is no.

Further, the printer according to claim 3 of the present invention is a printer ID setting means for setting a printer ID for identifying the printer, and a printer ID storage means for storing the printer ID set by the printer ID setting means. And the printer I stored in the printer ID storage means.
D and the printer ID added to the received print data
And a printer ID comparing means for comparing whether or not and the printer ID added to the received print data match the printer ID set by the printer ID setting means. The feature is that data can be printed.

Therefore, only the person who knows the registered printer ID can print, so that the printer can be used in group units, or a limited number of people can be occupied by the printer, without waiting for printing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the printer.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of print data sent to the printer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data flow among the printer, the host computer, and the terminal.

FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the printer of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the printer of FIG.

9 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the printer of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

12 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the printer of FIG.

13 is a configuration diagram of data sent to the printer of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a block configuration diagram of a printer according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the printer of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e Printer 2 Host computer 10 Information processing means 11 Information recording means 14 Printer user ID setting means 15 Printer user ID storage means 16 Printer user ID search means 17 Printer user ID card Setting means 18 Printer ID setting means (printer ID storage means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An information recording unit for recording information necessary for managing the usage status of each printer user, and an information processing unit for processing and updating the information recorded in the information recording unit. A printer characterized by being able to manage the usage status of each printer user. 2. A printer user ID setting means for setting a printer user ID for identifying a printer user, and a printer user ID for storing the printer user ID set by the printer user ID setting means. A storage unit and a printer user ID search unit for searching the printer user ID from the printer user ID set by the printer user ID setting unit are provided, and the printer user ID setting unit sets the printer user ID. A printer characterized in that only a printer user having an ID corresponding to the printer user ID can use the printer. 3. A printer ID for identifying a printer
Printer ID setting means for setting the printer ID
It is determined whether the printer ID storage means for storing the printer ID set by the setting means, the printer ID stored in the printer ID storage means, and the printer ID added to the received print data match. A printer ID comparing means for comparing the print data, and the print data can be printed only when the printer ID added to the received print data matches the printer ID set by the printer ID setting means. Characteristic printer.