JPH05270064A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a printing apparatus capable of printing a large amount of data in a short time even when a page printer is used. A plurality of page printers, a storage unit for storing created document data, a data cutting unit for reading out desired document data from the storage unit and cutting out the data for each page, and sequentially sending the data, and the one page. Page printer calculation means for calculating the optimum printer for printing from a plurality of printers when the minute data is received, and page printer switching means for sending the data for each page to the calculated printer. By doing so, data is optimally distributed to a plurality of printers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character processing device and a printing device for printing out a document created by a typesetting system using a plurality of page printers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when calibrating and maintaining document data such as characters and images created by document creating means such as a character processing device and a typesetting system,
A database is stored in a storage device and printed out on paper. For example, in a publication that requires a large amount of character data, a high-speed printing device (for example, 60 pages / minute, A4 paper) using continuous paper (which is very expensive) connected to a large computer is used for printing and proofreading. It is common to do In recent years, there is a laser printing method that can be connected to a personal computer or a workstation and is inexpensive, that is, a so-called page printer (hereinafter also simply referred to as a printer) that can print at a considerably high speed (for example, 12 pages / minute, A4 paper) Developed and used.

[0003]

However, even though the page printer has become capable of printing at high speed as described above, when dealing with a large amount of data, the printing device connected to the large-sized computer still has to be relied upon. Didn't get This is several times slower than the printing device in terms of the printing speed of the page printer, and it is not suitable for a publication such as a submission, printing, and publication in the shortest possible time. In addition, the number of sheets that can be set in one machine is limited, and since it is possible to set a small number of sheets for the amount of data to be handled, it is very troublesome because it is necessary to repeat the setting of sheets, and as a result, it takes time. However, there was a problem that it was not practically usable. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that prints a large amount of data in a short time by using a plurality of page printers.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in a printing apparatus for printing out a document created by a document creating means using a plurality of page printers, a storage means for storing the created document as document data, Ideal for printing when desired document data is read from the storage means and cut out into data for each page, and the cut-out data for each page is sequentially transmitted, and printing when the data for one page is received. A printer, a page printer calculation means for calculating the printer from a plurality of page printers, and a page printer switching means for sending the data for each page sent from the data cut-out means to the calculated page printer. It is characterized by that.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the optimum page printer for printing is calculated from among a plurality of page printers, and data for each page is sequentially sent to this page printer. Even a printing device can print in a short time.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the calibration of an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, 1 is a document creating means, 2 is a storing means, 3 is a data cutting means, 4 is a page printer switching means, 5 is a page printer calculating means, 10, 20, 3
0, ... Are page printers.

The document creating means 1 is a device for creating a document such as a typesetting device and a character processing device. These include CRT
It is possible to interactively create a document by connecting a display device such as a keyboard, a mouse and the like.

The storage means 2 is a storage device such as a hard disk or an FD, which stores the document created by the document creation means 1 as data, and is connected to the document creation means 1 online or offline. There is.

The data cut-out means 3 is connected to the storage means 2 and the page printer switching means 4. First, desired document data to be printed is read from the storage means 2 and the read document data is used for printing. Cut out data for each page of the page printer. This is because the document data stored in the storage means is created irrespective of the number of characters in one line of the printer used and the number of lines in one page. By dividing and cutting out corresponding data, it is possible to print at a predetermined position on a sheet (for example, A4 or A3) set in the printer. And the cut out 1
The data for each page is sequentially sent to the page printer switching means 4.

The page printer switching means 4 is connected to the data cut-out means 3, the page printer calculation means 5, the page printers 10, 20, 30, ... And the data for each page sequentially sent from the data cut-out means 3. Every time it receives a request, the page printer calculation unit 5 is inquired about an optimum printer for sending this data, and the printer is switched to the optimum printer calculated by the page printer calculation unit 5 and the data is sequentially sent.

The page printer calculation means 5 is connected to the page printer switching means 4 and, when an inquiry is received from the page printer switching means 4, a plurality of page printers 1 to which optimum printers are connected for printing are connected.
It is calculated from 0, 20, 30, ... That is, when the printing speeds of the respective printers are the same, when the inquiry is received, when one of the plurality of printers, for example, only the printer 10 is not in operation, the inactive printer 10 is calculated. .. If there are two or more inactive printers, one of the inactive printers is calculated according to a predetermined priority order. Further, when all the connected printers are in operation, the printer that finishes printing fastest is calculated. On the other hand, when the printing speeds of the printers are different, the printer that finishes printing the fastest including the printer that is not in operation is calculated. In either case, the calculated printer information is sent to the page printer switching means 4.

Here, it is preferable that the page printer calculation means 5 includes a printer information storage means 6. The printer information storage means 6 sequentially stores the page printer information calculated every time the page printer calculation means 5 calculates an optimum printer for printing.
This page printer information includes at least one of the order information of sending data to each page printer, the printing speed information of each page printer, and the data sending amount information to each page printer.

The order information of sending data to each printer is information indicating the order of sending data for each page to each printer. For example, it is used to calculate the optimum printer when the printing speeds of the printers are all the same and all the printers are in operation. That is, every time the page printer calculation unit 5 calculates the optimum printer, the calculated printer identification symbol (generally, the printer number)
Are sent to the printer information storage means 6, the identification symbols are stored (stacked) in the order of sending, and when one page of data is received from the data cutting means 3, when all the printers are in operation, the printer information The stack in the storage means 6 is searched in order from the latest stack, and when the newest stack is searched again, the printer with the identification symbol stacked one after that is calculated as the printer that finishes printing the fastest. Of course, at this time as well, the calculated printer identification symbol is sent to and stored in the printer information storage means 6.

The print speed information of each page printer is information indicating the print speed of each printer. For example, when the printing speeds of the connected printers are different, it is used to calculate the optimum printer together with the data transmission order stacked in the printer information storage means 6. For example, when there are two or more inactive printers, the printer with the fastest printing speed is calculated. Of course, when there is only one printer that is not operating, this printer is calculated. At this time as well, the calculated printer identification symbol is sent to and stored in the printer information storage means 6.

The data transmission amount information to each page printer is information indicating the amount of data expressed as characters, symbols, figures, etc. on a sheet to each page printer at one time. For example, when the printing speeds of the connected printers are different and all the printers are in operation, the printer that finishes printing fastest based on the stacked data transmission order, the printing speed information of each printer, and this data transmission amount information. To calculate. Specifically, if the maximum amount of data that can be printed on one page is 1000 bytes, the printing speed of the printer is 10 pages / minute, that is, 6 seconds / page, and the data transmission amount is 500 bytes, then (500/1000) × 6 = 3
Therefore, the printing is completed in 3 seconds.

The page printers 10, 20, 30, ...
Both are connected to the page printer switching means 4 and sent from the page printer switching means 4.
Data for pages are sequentially printed. Each printer is equipped with a data transfer means generally called an interface for receiving the data from the page printer switching means 4.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described (see the flow chart shown in FIG. 2). The document created by the document creating means 1 is stored in the storage means 2 as document data. First, desired data is read out from the stored document data, and the following operation is repeated until there is no more desired document data stored. That is, the read data is cut out into one page of data by the data cut-out means 3, and is sequentially sent to the printer switching means 4. The printer switching means 4 includes a plurality of page printers 10, 20, 30, ... Which are connected each time data is received.
The page printer calculation unit 5 is inquired of which printer to send the data to.

In response to the inquiry, the page printer calculating means 5 sends information about the printer operating status stored in the printer information storage means 6 to the printer, the printing speed information of the printer, and the data sending amount information to the printer. While referring to the above, the optimum printer, for example, the printer 10 is calculated, and the printer information is returned to the printer switching means 4. At the same time, the printer information is also sent to the page printer information storage means 6. Upon receiving the response, the printer switching means 4 sends one page of data to the printer 10 corresponding to the identification mark. And
The data for one page sent to the printer 10 is printed.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When printing the created document using multiple sheet-fed page printers, desired document data is read out from the stored document data, cut out into data for each page, and sequentially sent out. The printer that is most suitable for printing when the data of the above is received is sequentially calculated from a plurality of printers, and one page of data is sent to this page printer for printing, so a large amount of document data can be stored. Even when printing, it can be printed in a short time. Also, because you can set a sufficient amount of paper to print a large amount of data, you do not have to repeat paper loading,
It is possible to print in a time that can be practically used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Document creation means 2 ... Storage means 3 ... Data cut-out means 4 ... Printer switching means 5 ... Printer calculation means 6 ... Printer information storage means 10, 20, 30 ... Page printers

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printing device for printing out a document created by a document creating means using a plurality of page printers, a storage means for storing the created document as document data, and desired document data from the storage means. And a data cut-out means for cutting out the data for each page and sending out the cut-out data for each page one by one, and a printer optimal for printing when the data for one page is received. A printing apparatus comprising: a page printer calculating means for calculating from a printer; and a page printer switching means for sending data for each page sent from the data cutting means to the calculated page printer. .. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the page printer calculation unit has a page printer information storage unit that stores information about the page printer that has sent the data. 3. The page printer information includes at least one of order information of sending data to each page printer, printing speed information of each page printer, and data sending amount information to each page printer. The printing device according to claim 2.