JPH06187110A - Print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print the already sent pages with the other printer or the like when printing is stopped in the middle. CONSTITUTION:When one of printers 23 connected through a transmission line 22 to a host computer 21 breaks down, on that stage, printer environment information extended in a RAM 52 or the like is saved in a second printer environment information storage part 68. The saved printer environment information can be returned by on-line to the host computer 21 side or can be inputted to the host computer 21 or the other printer by any means such as a magnetic tape. Therefore, since this printer environment information is similarly extended in the RAM 52 or the like at the other printer 23, the printer environment can be equally set, and printing can be executed from the non-printed page.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print system including print data sending means such as a host computer and a plurality of printers for receiving print data sent from the print data sending means and printing the print data. In particular, the present invention relates to a print system capable of printing the print data already sent to the printer without any trouble when a part of the printer stops printing on the way due to a failure or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 shows a conventional printing system. The host computer 11 is connected to a plurality of printers 13 _{1 to} 13 _N via a communication cable 12. The host computer 11 sends a large amount of print data to the communication cable 12 by designating a specific printer (for example, the first printer 13 ₁ ) in order to print many forms. . The first printer 13 ₁ has a large capacity RAM (random
These print data are sequentially stored in the access memory), while overlays as formats for printing forms and bit pattern data such as individual character patterns are expanded on the page memory and printed using the printing mechanism. Is supposed to do.

Here, it is assumed that the first printer 13 ₁ cannot print due to mechanical failure of a mechanical part during printing. In such a case, any of the _{second to Nth} printers 13 _{2 to} 13 _N will perform printing on behalf. When a failure occurs, the first printer 13
_Assuming that ₁ was printing the 20th page,
It is assumed that the printer 13 ₁ has received print data up to the 30th page. When the host computer 11 detects the occurrence of the failure, it stops sending the print data for the 31st page and thereafter. Then, for example, the second printer 13
Printing was started from the 21st page by specifying ₂ .

[0004]

However, in such a printing system, the host computer 11 is the first
Upon starting the printing of the printer 13 _1, it is sending pattern data of the data and special characters for generating an overlay in need at that time. Therefore, even when the second printer 13 ₂ is made to print halfway, the host computer 11 needs to take the trouble of preparing and transmitting these data again.
When processing a large amount of forms, the host computer 11 processes a large amount of data one after another and sends it as print data. Therefore, it is normal that the print data that has already been sent has been erased, and if printing is stopped midway, the data that is the source of printing the form will be used again to print out these missing print data. Had to create again.

Of course, these data are sent to the first printer 13 ₁ and stored in its large capacity RAM. However, when a failure occurs and the power is turned off, the data in the RAM is lost.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a print system which allows another printer or the like to print the pages already sent when the printing is stopped during printing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of executing printing using various data already sent to the printer for printing without having to recreate the various data for printing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a print system capable of performing print processing by switching to print data for which printing has been stopped even while print data is being received or being transmitted. To provide.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided (a) a transmission path, (b) a print data sending means for sending print data to the transmission path, and (c) a transmission path. Print data receiving means for receiving print data for itself, print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data, and bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means. Bit pattern data creating means for creating, printing means for printing using the created bit pattern data, print data and bits stored in the print data storing means when printing by the printing means is stopped midway Various data related to the creation of the bit pattern data by the pattern data creating means is saved in the nonvolatile memory as printer environment information. It is provided with a plurality of printers and a printer environment information saving means to the print system.

That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, in a print system in which a print data sending means such as a host computer and a plurality of printers are connected by imposing a transmission path, the printer receives from the print data sending means such as the host computer. The selected print data are sequentially taken out from the print data storage means, and the bit pattern data creation means creates the bit pattern data used by the printing means for printing, while the print data stored in the storage means when the printing is stopped. Also, various data such as programs required for printing, which are stored in the work memory, etc., are saved as non-volatile memory such as a magnetic disk or magnetic tape as printer environment information, and the printer environment information is saved. The above-mentioned object is achieved by making it ready for reuse.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, (a) a transmission line, (b) print data sending means for sending print data to this transmission line, and (c) receiving print data for itself via the transmission line. Print data receiving means, print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data, and bit pattern data creation for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means Means, a printing means for printing using the created bit pattern data, a printer environment information input means for inputting printer environment information from the outside, and a bit pattern data creation means and printing using the input printer environment information Environment recovery means to restore the environment where the data storage means is placed to the point when printing was stopped, and the environment recovery means to stop under the restored environment. Printing of the print data is provided to the printing system and a plurality of printers and a resuming print resuming means from a predetermined stage.

That is, in a second aspect of the present invention, in a print system in which print data sending means such as a host computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a transmission line, the printer stores the printer environment information in a magnetic disk or a magnetic tape. Etc. through a transmission path such as a storage means such as a print medium or a print data transmission means such as a host computer, and expands various data such as a program and overlay information in the printer environment information in a work memory and cancels printing. The printer environment when the occurrence of the above occurs is generated, and the printing of the stopped print data can be restarted from a predetermined stage on the basis of this.

According to the third aspect of the invention, (a) a transmission path, (b) print data sending means for sending print data to this transmission path, and (c) receiving print data for itself via the transmission path. Print data receiving means, print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data, and bit pattern data creation for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means Means, a printing means for printing using the created bit pattern data, a printer environment information input means for inputting printer environment information from the outside, and a bit pattern data creation means and printing using the input printer environment information An environment recovery means for recovering the environment in which the data storage means is placed when printing is stopped, and a read from the print data storage means Print data switching time point determination means for determining when the selected print data is switched to the printer environment information input to the printer environment information input means, and bit pattern data at the time point determined by the print data switching time point determination means An environment restoration timing setting means for switching the environment in which the creating means is placed to restore the environment for the print data up to the environment based on the printer environment information input to the printer environment information input means, and an environment recovery timing setting means The printing system is provided with a plurality of printers provided with a printing restart means for restarting the printing of the print data, which has been stopped in step 1, from a predetermined stage.

That is, the invention according to claim 3 deals with the case where the print data supplied from the print data transmitting means such as the host computer is interrupted by the print data whose printing is stopped by another printer. In this case, the printer discriminates when the print data read from the print data storage means is switched to the printer environment information input to the printer environment information input means, and at this point, printing of the printer environment is stopped. Restores the printer to its original state. As a result, the printing environment such as the special characters and overlay used in the printer is completed. Therefore, for example, even if the host computer attempts to cause a printer, which is processing certain print data, to print the print data whose printing has been stopped by another printer due to an emergency, the switching is smoothly performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, (a) a transmission line, (b) print data transmitting means for transmitting print data to this transmission line, and (c) receiving print data for itself via the transmission line. Print data receiving means, print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data, and bit pattern data creation for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means Means, printing means for printing using the created bit pattern data, print data stored in the print data storage means when printing by the printing means is stopped halfway, and bits by the bit pattern data creating means Various data related to the creation of pattern data is returned to the sender of print data via the transmission path as printer environment information. It is provided with a plurality of printers and a printer environment information returning unit to the print system.

That is, in a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a print system in which print data sending means such as a host computer and a plurality of printers are connected via a transmission line, the printer receives from the print data sending means such as the host computer. While the print data is sequentially taken out from the print data storage means and the bit pattern data creation means creates the bit pattern data used by the printing means and performs printing, the print data stored in the storage means when the printing is stopped. , Various kinds of data such as programs required for printing, which are stored in the working memory, are returned to the print data transmitting means such as the host computer as the printer environment information, and the print data transmitting means stores the other data. It can be sent to a printer to achieve the above objectives.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, (a) a transmission path, (b) print data receiving means for receiving print data via this transmission path, and print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data. And a bit pattern data creating means for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storing means, and a printing means for performing printing using the created bit pattern data. A plurality of printers provided, and (c) various types of print data stored in the print data storage means when one of the printers interrupts printing and various types of bit pattern data created by the bit pattern data creating means. Printer environment information acquisition means for acquiring data and printer environment information, and print data storage means for sequentially storing print data The print data transfer means for transferring the print data stored in the print data storage means to the transmission path by designating one of the printers, and the print data read from the print data storage means are the printer environment information input means. The print data relating to the printer environment information inputted by the print data identifying means, and the print data identifying means, when the print data identifying means identifies the print data relating to the printer environment information, sends the printer environment information to the print data transmitting means. And a print data sending means including a printer environment information sending means for sending to the destination printer.

That is, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the print data is switched on the printer side in the third aspect of the invention, whereas this switching is performed on the print data sending means side such as a host computer. For this reason, when the print data read out from the print data storage means for processing is the print data related to the printer environment information input by the printer environment information input means, it is identified,
The printer environment information is sent to the printer side to prepare the environment for printing.

[0019]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 shows a functional configuration of a print system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This print system is composed of a host computer 21 as a print data transmitting means, and printers 23 ₁ , 23 ₂ ... Connected to the host computer 21 via a transmission line 22. The second printer 23 ₂ and a plurality of other printers 23 ₃ , ..., 23 _{N (} not shown) have basically the same configuration as the first printer 23 _1, and therefore their configuration is not shown. . In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where the first printer 23 ₁ is used for printing, but this malfunctions, the case where the second printer 23 _{2 is used} for printing will be described as an example.

The host computer 21 stores a CPU (central processing unit) 31 for controlling it, a RAM (random access memory) 32 as a working memory, a program for starting the apparatus and fixed data. ROM
A (read only memory) 33 and an input / output circuit (not shown) are connected via a bus 34 such as a data bus, and a storage medium such as a magnetic disk or a device for communication control is connected to the input / output circuit. Has been done. Various programs for controlling the host computer 21 are stored in the magnetic disk. By executing this program, the host computer 21 itself realizes a configuration in which various functional units are connected.

These functional units include a print data processing unit 37 connected to the spool data storage unit 36, a data input / output unit 38 connected to the transmission path 22, and first printer environment information as a non-volatile memory. A printer environment control unit 42 to which the storage unit 39 and the second printer environment information storage unit 41 are connected is included.

Of these, the print data processing unit 37 is (1)
The print data is acquired from the spool data storage unit 36 and sent to the predetermined printer 23 via the data input / output unit 38. (2) Further, the printer 23
When the printing is completed, the printing completion notification is received from this and the corresponding print data is deleted from the spool data storage unit 36. (3) Further, the print data processing unit 37 causes the corresponding first printer 23 ₁
When a failure occurs, the notification is received and the process of sending the print data to it is terminated.

On the other hand, the data input / output unit 38 receives (1) print data from the print data processing unit 37 and transfers the print data to the printer 23 for printing. (2) When a print completion notification is received from the printer 23, the print data processing unit 37 is notified of this. (3) If there is an instruction from the printer environment control unit 42 to transfer the acquired printer environment information to the second printer 23 ₂ , this is transferred to the transfer destination. This is the first problem that caused printing
This is because the printer environment information acquired from the printer 23 ₁ is used for printing by another second printer 23 ₂ . (4) When the data input / output unit 38 receives a failure notification from the first printer 23 ₁ , the data input / output unit 38 stops the transmission of the print data to the _first printer 23 ₁ and executes the print data processing. Notify the section 37. (5) Further, the data input / output unit 38 transfers the printer environment information to the printer environment control unit 42 when the first printer 23 ₁ gives an instruction to upload / load the printer environment information. . This is because the printer environment information of the first printer 23 ₁ when the failure occurs is acquired for reuse.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of spool data stored in the spool data storage section. A plurality of print data 43 ₁ , 43 ₂ , ... Are sequentially stored in the spool data storage unit 36 composed of a magnetic disk or the like. These print data 43 ₁ ,
43 ₂ , ... Are sequentially read and transferred to the printer 23, while they are sequentially erased by the print completion notification. The transfer processing to the printer 23 is performed by the print data 43 ₁ ,
43 ₂ , ... are repeated until they are all erased by the print completion notification.

The printer environment control unit 42 controls the print data 4
When the first printer 23 ₁ that was sending 3 has failed, the first printer 23 ₁ receives the printer environment information saved by the first printer 23 ₁ , and the first printer environment information storage unit 39
It is designed to be input from. The second printer environment information storage unit 41 stores printer environment information such as fonts and overlays to be sent to the printer 23. The printer environment information will be described in detail later when the content of the printer 23 is described.

Next, the construction of the first printer 23 ₁ will be described as an example. The first printer 23 ₁ has a CPU 51 for controlling the first printer 23 ₁ and a RAM 52 as a working memory.
, A ROM 53 storing a program for starting the device and fixed data, and an input / output circuit (not shown) are connected via a bus 54 such as a data bus. The input / output circuit includes a storage medium such as a magnetic disk. And a device for communication control are connected. Various programs for controlling the first printer 23 ₁ are stored on the magnetic disk. By executing this program, the first printer 23 ₁ itself realizes a configuration in which various functional units are connected.

These functional units include a print resource management unit 56 that stores print resources, a font memory 57 that stores a font set, an overlay memory 58 that stores overlays, a data input / output unit 59, and a print page. A data generation unit 61, a page data memory 62, an image generation unit 63, and a printer storage information control unit 64 are included. The printing unit 66 including, for example, a laser printer is also connected to the input / output circuit described above. Also,
A first printer environment information storage unit 67 and a second printer environment information storage unit 68 are connected to the printer storage information control unit 64 as nonvolatile memories.

Here, the data input / output unit 59 (1) print data 43 sent from the host computer 21.
Is received and the text data therein is transferred to the print page data generation unit 61. If the first printer 23 ₁ cancels printing halfway due to a failure, the record offset value information indicating the position where the print data 43 is canceled is sent together with the print data 43. Has become.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of print data. The print data 43 is composed of an overlay object 71 for developing the overlay as bit pattern data, a font 72 and text data 73. Here, the overlay object 71 and the font 72 have a role as a resource (print resource) used for printing with respect to the text data 73 including print contents such as a character code.

The data input / output unit 59 (2), when a print resource is designated in the print data 43 having such a configuration,
These overlay objects 71 and fonts 72
Is transferred to the print resource management unit 56. The data input / output unit 59 also receives (3) a print completion notification from the printing unit 66, transfers the print completion notification to the host computer 21, and (4) receives printer environment information from the host computer 21 and sends it. Printer storage information control unit 6
Transfer to 4. In a predetermined case such as when the printing unit 66 is out of order, (5) printer environment information is received from the printer storage information control unit 64 and transferred to the host computer 21.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of printer environment information. The printer environment information includes the print data identifier 81 for identifying the print data 43 and the printer 23.
RAM information 82 as information expanded in the RAM 52 and the font memory information 8 as contents of the font memory 57 storing the fonts used.
3, the overlay memory information 84 as the contents of the overlay memory 58 storing the used overlay object, and the page data as the contents of the page data memory 62 storing the expanded page data. -Memory information 85, print page-data generation unit control information 86 of the print page-data generation unit 61 for generating print page data, and printer 23
At restart C as CPU information when printing is restarted with
It is composed of PU information 87. Here, the print page / data generation unit control information 86 includes each information of the print completed page / internal record offset value 86 ₁ and the print page / internal record offset value 86 ₂ .

The print page data generation unit 61 uses the (1) data
The text data received from the data input / output unit 59
Transfer to page data memory 62
It has become so. The first printer 23₁Because of
Second printer 23 due to obstacles ₂Send text data to
If it is received, the print data 43 from the beginning
Record the record offset value information and restart printing
The text data received from the page
Data to the data memory 62.

The print page data generation unit 61 also receives (2) a print end notification from the print unit 66 and initializes the print page in the corresponding page data memory. Further, record offset value information from the beginning of the print data 43 is recorded in association with the print page for which printing has been completed.

The print resource management unit 56 includes a data input / output unit 5
The print resources transferred from the printer 9 are transferred to the font memory 57 or the overlay memory 58 according to the contents.
It is designed to be deployed.

The image generator 63 (1) prints the page data transferred from the print page data generator 61.
The print data 43 on the memory 62 is stored in the font memory 5
The font stored in 7 is used to develop a raster image as a bit pattern for each raster, and this raster image is transferred to the printing unit 66. Also,
(2) Print data 43 on page data memory 62
If there is an instruction to print the overlay on,
The corresponding overlay on the overlay memory 58
The object is developed into a raster image, and this is also transferred to the printing unit 66.

The printing unit 66 (1) receives the raster image and prints it out on a printing paper (not shown). Further, (2) when printout is completed page by page, the print page data generation unit 61 is notified of them. Further, (3) when the printout is completed up to the final page, the data input / output unit 59 is notified of the identifier of the print data 43. Further, (4) when a failure occurs in the printing unit 66, the printer storage information control unit 64 is notified of this.

When the printer storage information control unit 64 receives the failure notification from the printing unit 66 shown in FIG. 4, the printer environment information such as the print data identifier 81 and the RAM information 82 is sent to the host computer 21. To send. Further, the printer environment information is stored in the first printer environment information storage unit 67 which is composed of a non-volatile memory such as a magnetic tape. Further, when the printer environment information is received from the data input / output unit 59, the printer environment information is stored in the second printer environment information storage unit 68 including a non-volatile memory such as a magnetic disk.

Recovery in the case where a failure occurs in the first printer 23 ₁ in the printing system as described above will be described below for each mode.

Recovery data by the host computer
Forced selection

When a failure occurs in the first printer 23 ₁ , the printer environment information at that time is stored in the first printer environment information storage section 67 as already described. This printer environment information is set by removing the first printer environment information storage unit 67 from the first printer 23 ₁ and carrying it to the location of the host computer 21 and setting it as the first printer environment information storage unit 39. It can be stored in the second printer environment information storage unit 41. Also, without using such an offline method,
When the first printer 23 ₁ is operating normally except for the printing unit 66, the printer environment information at the time of the failure can be transferred to the host computer 21 online.

FIG. 5 shows the flow of processing on the host computer side when the print data is forcibly restored. When the printer environment information is stored in the second printer environment information storage unit 41 as described above (step S101; Y), the host computer 21 sends the data to the second printer 23 ₂ via the data input / output unit 38. Transfer printer environment information.

FIG. 6 shows a flow of processing on the side of the second printer when the print data is forcibly restored by the host computer. Host computer 2
When the printer environment information is transferred from 1 (step S201; Y), the printer storage information control unit 64 of the second printer 23 ₂ expands it in the corresponding storage area of the RAM 52, the font memory 57, or the like. , CPU 51 is set to the environment upon restart (step S202).

Thereafter, the host computer 21 notifies the print data processing unit 37 of the print data identifier 81 and the print page / record offset value 86 ₂ in the printer environment information (FIG. 4) from the printer environment control unit 42 (step S103). Based on this, the print data processing unit 37 reads the print data 43 that matches the print data identifier 81 from the spool data storage unit 36 (step S1).
04), the process is skipped up to the print page indicated by the offset value 86 ₂ in the print page / record, and the data of the next page is transferred to the second printer 23 ₂ via the data input / output unit 38 (step S105). ).

The second printer 23 ₂ has print data 43
Is sent (step S203; Y), the same print processing as the normal print processing is executed (step S20).
4). Of course, the page where printing is started is the page next to the page where printing was completed immediately before the failure in the first printer 23 ₁ .

Recovery data by host computer
Selection of

Next, a case will be described in which the host computer is sending the other print data 43 at the time when the first printer 23 ₁ fails and the printer environment information is returned to the host computer 21. in this case,
The host computer 21 needs to perform a process of switching from the normal print data 43 sending process to the recovery data sending process.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing on the host computer side when the recovery data is selected. When the printer environment information is stored in the second printer environment information storage unit 41 as described above (step S301; Y), the printer environment control unit 42 of the host computer 21 prints the print data included in the printer environment information. The identifier 81 and the offset value 86 ₂ in the print page / record are notified to the print data processing unit 37 (step S302).

In this state, the host computer 21 continues to read the print data 43 from the spool data storage section 36 and transfer the print data 43 to the printer 23 to which the print data 43 is sent. Then, every time the print data 43 is read from the spool data storage unit 36, it is monitored whether or not the print data 43 matches the print data identifier 81 of the print data 43 whose printing has been stopped (step S303).

If the identifier of the print data 43 read from the spool data storage unit 36 at some point matches the print data identifier 81 of the printer environment information (Y), the host computer 21 inputs / outputs the printer environment information (FIG. 4). The data is transferred to the second printer 23 ₂ via the unit 38 (step S304).

Thereafter, the host computer 21 notifies the print data processing unit 37 of the print data identifier 81 and the print page / record offset value 86 ₂ in the printer environment information (FIG. 4) from the printer environment control unit 42 (step S305). Based on this, the print data processing unit 37 reads the print data 43 that matches the print data identifier 81 from the spool data storage unit 36 (step S3).
06), the process is skipped up to the print page indicated by the offset value 86 ₂ in the print page / record, and the data of the next page is transferred to the second printer 23 ₂ via the data input / output unit 38 (step S307). ).

The process of the second printer 23 ₂ is the same as the process shown in FIG. That is, the second printer 23 ₂
When the printer environment information is sent, the environment is set, and when the print data 43 is sent, the same print processing as the normal print processing is executed. Also in this case, the page where printing is started is from the page next to the page where printing was completed immediately before the failure in the first printer 23 ₁ .

Selection of recovery by printer

FIG. 8 shows how the second printer processes when recovery is selected on the printer side. In this case, the second printer is executing another printing, and when the host computer sends the recovery print data 43, the process is switched.

[0055] For this, enter the printer environment information of the first printer 23 ₂ at the time of failure in the ₂ second printer 23 (step S401). There are two ways to do this. In the first method, the printer environment information saved in the _first printer 23 ₁ is input from the first printer environment information storage unit 67 of the second printer 23 ₂ , and the second printer environment information is stored in the second printer 23 ₂ via the printer storage information control unit 64. Printer environment information storage unit 6
8 (step S402).

In the second method, the first printer 23 ₁ is used when the host computer 21 is online or offline.
The data input / output unit 59 receives the printer environment information obtained from the printer storage information control unit 64 and stores the printer environment information in the second printer environment information storage unit 68 (step S40).
2) Method.

When the printer environment information is stored in the second printer environment information storage unit 68, the printer storage information control unit 64 outputs the print data identifier 81 and the print page / record offset value 86 ₂ to the data input / output unit 59. (Step S403). In this state, the data input / output unit 59 continues to receive the print data 43 from the host computer 21, and based on that, continues the print processing of the print data 43 not related to the recovery of the first printer 23 ₁ . . At the same time, it is monitored whether or not the identifier of the print data 43 sent from the host computer 21 matches the print data identifier 81 of the print data 43 whose printing has been stopped by the first printer 23 _1. (Step S404).

When the identifier of the print data 43 sent from the host computer 21 coincides with the print data identifier 81 of the printer environment information at some point (Y), the data input / output unit 59 has the print page data generation unit 61 until now. Even when the print data 43 is sent to the printer and the print processing is being performed, the transfer processing is stopped (step S405). Then, the second printer environment information storage unit 68 is instructed to expand the printer environment information (step S407).
As a result, the printer storage information control unit 64 expands the printer environment information in the corresponding storage area such as the RAM 52 and the font memory 57, and sets the CPU 51 to the environment at the time of restart.

In this state, the data input / output section 59 displays the print page.
Offset value in page record 86 ₂Printed page indicated by
Print page data from the print data 43 of the next page of
The transfer is started to the generating unit 61 (step S408). this
Allows the first printer 23 ₁During printing due to malfunction
A page that has not been printed for the stopped print
The printing process is executed from here.

[0060]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the printing is stopped, the printer stores the print data stored in the storage means and the work memory. Various data such as programs required for printing are saved as non-volatile memory such as magnetic disk or magnetic tape as printer environment information, and the printer environment information can be reused.
Therefore, after this, the printer is turned off to correct the failure, the printer environment information before the failure is reproduced by the printer itself, and the printout of the print data already received is printed by the print data sending means such as the host computer. It has the advantage that it can be carried out without help.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the printer obtains the printer environment information through a transmission path from a print data transmission means such as a host computer or the like via a storage means such as a magnetic disk or a magnetic tape. I have decided to do it. Therefore, the printer environment can be set to the same state as that at the time of the failure even if it is not the printer that has caused the failure, and the details of the overlay are different when printing is performed. It is possible to avoid the occurrence of inconvenience.

Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, the print data that needs to be reprinted due to a failure can be interrupted between the series of print data processed by the print data transmitting means such as the host computer. Even if the printing of a document that is urgently needed is interrupted, there is an advantage that the processing can be performed quickly. Moreover, even in this case, the printer environment is switched, so that the printing environment such as the special characters and overlay used when the failure occurs can be prepared, and the printing inconvenience does not occur. .

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the printer sequentially takes out the print data received from the print data transmitting means such as the host computer from the print data storing means, and the bit pattern data creating means uses the bit pattern data used by the printing means. While creating and printing, print data stored in the storage unit when printing is stopped and various data such as programs required for printing stored in the working memory etc. The printer environment information is returned to the print data transmitting means such as the host computer so that the print data transmitting means can transmit it to another printer. Therefore, if the printer power is not turned off, the printer environment information can be quickly returned to the print data sending means without having to save the printer environment information to the non-volatile memory one by one, and the system configuration can be simplified and a quick recovery process can be realized. be able to.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 5, since the printer side is provided with the function of switching the printer environment based on the switching of the print data, it is possible to perform the printing process of other print data with respect to the printer. In addition, it is possible to interrupt the print processing that the faulty printer was executing and to execute the print processing that was being performed by the faulty printer as soon as the current print processing is completed. There is an advantage that it can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a print system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of spool data stored in a spool data storage unit.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of print data.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of printer environment information.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing on the host computer side when print data is forcibly recovered.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing on the second printer side when the print data is forcibly recovered by the host computer.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing on the host computer side when recovery data is selected.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a state of processing of a second printer when recovery is selected on the printer side.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional print system.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 ... host computer, 22 ... transmission line, 23 21 _to
3 _N ... First to Nth printers, 31, 51 ... CPU, 3
2, 52 ... RAM, 37 ... Print data processing unit, 38, 4
3 ... Print data, 59 ... Data input / output section, 39, 67 ...
First printer environment information storage unit, 41, 68 ... Second printer environment information storage unit, 56 ... Printing resource management unit, 57 ...
Font memory, 58 ... Overlay memory, 61 ... Print page data generation unit, 62 ... Page data memory, 6
3 ... Image generation unit, 64 ... Printer storage information control unit,
66 ... Printing unit, 81 ... Print data identifier, 82 ... RAM
Internal information, 83 ... Font memory information, 84 ... Overlay memory information, 85 ... Page data memory information, 86 ... Print page data generation control information, 87 ...
CPU information at restart

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A transmission path, print data sending means for sending print data to the transmission path, print data receiving means for receiving print data for itself via the transmission path, and sequentially storing the received print data. Print data storage means, bit pattern data creating means for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means, and printing using the created bit pattern data. A printing unit for performing printing, print data stored in the print data storage unit when printing by the printing unit is stopped halfway, and various data related to the creation of bit pattern data by the bit pattern data creating unit. A plurality of printers provided with a printer environment information saving means for saving the environment information in a nonvolatile memory. Printing system characterized by comprising a motor. 2. A transmission path, print data sending means for sending print data to the transmission path, print data receiving means for receiving print data for itself via the transmission path, and sequentially storing the received print data. Print data storage means, bit pattern data creating means for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means, and printing using the created bit pattern data. The printing means to perform, the printer environment information input means for inputting the printer environment information from the outside, and the printing of the environment in which the bit pattern data creating means and the print data storing means are placed by using the input printer environment information are stopped. Environment recovery means for recovering to the point where it was restored, and printing of the print data that was stopped under the restored environment Printing system characterized by comprising a plurality of printers and a resuming print resuming means from floor. 3. A transmission path, print data sending means for sending print data to the transmission path, print data receiving means for receiving print data for itself via the transmission path, and sequentially storing the received print data. Print data storage means, bit pattern data creating means for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means, and printing using the created bit pattern data. The printing means to perform, the printer environment information input means for inputting the printer environment information from the outside, and the printing of the environment in which the bit pattern data creating means and the print data storing means are placed by using the input printer environment information are stopped. Environment recovery means for recovering to the time point when the print data is read, and the print data read from the print data storage means A print data switching time point determination means for determining the printer environment information input to the printer environment information input means when the printer environment information is switched, and an arrangement of the bit pattern data creation means at the time point determined by the print data switching time point determination means. Environment recovery timing setting means for switching the created environment from the environment for the print data to the environment based on the printer environment information input to the printer environment information input means; And a plurality of printers having a print restarting means for restarting printing of the print data from a predetermined stage. 4. A transmission path, print data sending means for sending print data to the transmission path, print data receiving means for receiving print data for itself via the transmission path, and sequentially storing the received print data. Print data storage means, bit pattern data creating means for creating bit pattern data for printing based on the print data stored in the print data storage means, and printing using the created bit pattern data. A printing unit for performing printing, print data stored in the print data storage unit when printing by the printing unit is stopped halfway, and various data related to the creation of bit pattern data by the bit pattern data creating unit. Printer environment information returning means for returning to the sender of print data via the transmission path as environment information Printing system characterized by comprising a plurality of printers with. 5. A transmission path, print data receiving means for receiving print data via this transmission path, print data storage means for sequentially storing the received print data, and printing stored in this print data storage means. A plurality of printers including a bit pattern data creating unit that creates bit pattern data for printing based on the data, and a printing unit that performs printing using the created bit pattern data, and one of the printers. Obtaining printer environment information: obtaining the print data stored in the print data storage means when printing is stopped halfway and various data related to the creation of the bit pattern data by the bit pattern data creating means Means, print data storage means for sequentially storing print data, and the print data storage means. Print data transfer means for transferring one of the printers to the transmission path by specifying one of the printers, and print data read from the print data storage means are input by the printer environment information input means. When the print data relating to the printer environment information identifies the print data identifying means, and when the print data identifying means identifies the print data relating to the printer environment information, the printer environment information is transmitted to the print data transmitting means. A print system comprising: a print data transmission unit including a printer environment information transmission unit for transmitting to the preceding printer.