JPH0637932U - Printer server - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Configuration] The CPU 2 of the printer server 1 loads the network protocol program and / or the filter program on the hard disk 11a of the host machine 11 on the network when the power is turned on or when there is a request from the host machine 11. From the RA forming part of the main memory
It is designed to be downloaded to M3a. With this printer server 1, the secondary storage device (hard disk 11a) of the host machine 11 already existing on the network can be used without connecting (implementing) the secondary storage device to the printer server 1. A printer sharing system in a network can be constructed at low cost.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a printer server that enables communication between an information processing device such as a workstation connected to a network and a printer.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In recent years, in order to effectively use resources such as information data and programs, a plurality of information processing devices such as workstations are connected to each other so that they can access each other to form a network, and the information processing devices on the network cooperate with each other. A distributed processing environment is built that can operate as a whole.

The distributed processing environment is generally configured according to communication protocols such as Ethernet (registered trademark, Xerox Co.) and TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol), which are excellent in reliability and high speed of data communication. The information processing devices on the network communicate with each other according to the above communication protocol.

In addition, for a network having a communication protocol such as Ethernet or TCP / IP, for example, a printer that performs communication of information data signals by a communication protocol of RS232C system or a communication protocol of Centronics (Centronics) system is used. When connecting a printer or the like that communicates information data signals, communication is provided with an interface compatible with communication protocols such as Ethernet and TCP / IP, and an interface compatible with communication protocols such as RS232C system and Centronics system. A printer server having a control function is used.

The printer server converts an information data signal input under each communication protocol in accordance with an operation mode of a transfer destination communication line, and information on a network having a communication protocol such as Ethernet or TCP / IP. Communication of information data signals is performed between the processing device and a printer of RS232C specification or a printer of Centronics specification. As a result, all information processing devices on the network can share the printer connected to the network via the printer server.

As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional printer server 55 basically includes a CPU 51, a memory 52 including a RAM 52a and a ROM 52b, a communication controller 53, a print output unit 54, and a secondary storage device. It is composed of a controller 56. The communication controller 53 is connected to the communication line 60 of the network, and information data signals are transmitted and received via the communication controller 53. Further, the print output unit 54 is connected to the printer 61, and the print data signal is output to the printer 61 via the print output unit 54.

In the printer server 55, a filter program for processing and outputting print data received from the network side, and a network protocol program for performing protocol conversion of the information data signal according to the operation mode of the transfer destination communication line are described above. By storing it in the ROM 52b, it is possible to start up quickly simply by turning on the power supply.

By the way, when the printer server 55 is adapted to a new protocol, that is, when the connection is changed to a network or a printer having different specifications from the currently connected network or printer, a network protocol program corresponding to the specification change is used. is necessary. Also, a new filter program is required when changing the print data processing method. However, considering the storage capacity of the memory 52, the number of programs that can be stored in the ROM 52b is limited, and it is difficult to store a large number of network protocol programs and filter programs in the ROM 52b.

Therefore, a predetermined network protocol program and a filter program are stored in the ROM 52b forming a part of the main memory so that the network protocol program and the filter program in the ROM 52b are executed in a normal state. To do. When a new network protocol program or filter program is needed, a new network protocol program or filter program is partially copied from the secondary storage device 62 such as a disk drive through the secondary storage device controller 56. The program is downloaded to the RAM 52a to be formed, and the network protocol program or the filter program in the ROM 52b is switched to the downloaded program. As a result, the printer server 55 can flexibly cope with changes in the specifications of the connected printer and the network, and a new filter program can be freely incorporated as the server's own program, so that the functions can be expanded.

[0010]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-described conventional configuration, the secondary storage device 62 and the secondary storage device controller 56 are required, and the secondary storage device 62 needs to be connected (mounted) to the printer server 55. There is a problem that the system used becomes expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to connect a secondary storage device to a printer server (implement), and to inexpensively construct a printer sharing system in a network. To provide a printer server.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above problems, the printer server according to the present invention has a storage unit such as a RAM in which an area for storing an operation program such as a network protocol program and a filter program is formed, and an operation stored in the storage unit. A printer server that includes a control unit that controls the operation of the printer server according to a program and enables communication between an information processing device such as a hawk station connected to the network and the printer. It is characterized by that.

That is, the printer server requests the operation program from the information processing apparatus connected to the network, and sends the operation program recorded on the recording medium from the secondary storage device of the information processing apparatus through the network. A download means for downloading to the storage means is provided.

[0014]

[Action]

 According to the above configuration, the operation program executed by the control means is supplied to the printer server in a state of being recorded on the recording medium, and the operation program recorded on the recording medium is downloaded. Means for downloading from a secondary storage device of the information processing device connected to the network to the storage device through the network. Therefore, if this printer server is used, the secondary storage device of the information processing device already existing on the network can be used without connecting (implementing) the secondary storage device to the printer server. A shared system can be constructed at low cost.

[0015]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer server 1 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 2 as a control unit, a memory 3 including a RAM 3a and a ROM 3b as a storage unit, a communication controller 4, and a print output unit. It is equipped with 5. The communication controller 4 is connected to a communication line 10 of a network that complies with communication protocols such as Ethernet and TCP / IP, and transmission / reception of information data signals using the communication line 10 is performed via this communication controller 4. Done. Further, the print output unit 5 is connected to the printer 12 that communicates information data signals according to the communication protocol of RS232C system or Centronics system, and the print data received from the network is the print output unit 5 described above. It is designed to be output to the printer 12 via the printer 5.

A host machine 11 (information processing device) such as a workstation is connected to the communication line 10 of the network. The host machine 11 may be a personal computer connected to the network via a communication server or the like.

In the ROM 3b forming a part of the main memory of the printer server 1, an initialization processing program and information data signal for performing initialization processing of a network etc. when the printer server 1 is powered on. Network protocol program (operation program) that performs protocol conversion according to the operation mode of the destination communication line, a filter program (operation program) for processing the print data received from the network side, and processing by executing the filter program. A printer output program for outputting the print data to the printer 12 is stored.

Further, in the printer server 1 of this embodiment, when the power is turned on or when there is a program change request from the host machine 11 on the network, a filter program and / or a network protocol program are set in accordance with preset parameters. Is downloaded from the hard disk 11a of a predetermined host machine 11 on the network to the RAM3a forming part of the main memory, and the downloaded program is switched to the program stored in the ROM3b (that is, in the ROM3b). A network control program for executing the downloaded program in place of the network protocol program and the filter program stored in is stored in the ROM 3b.

The various programs stored in the RAM 3a and the ROM 3b are executed by the CPU 2. The download means described in the utility model registration claim is constituted by the CPU 2 which executes the network control program stored in the ROM 3b. The program module structure in the printer server 1 is shown in FIG.

An electrically erasable and writable EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) area is provided in the area of the ROM 3b, and parameters necessary for executing the network control program are stored in the EEPROM. It is supposed to be done.

In the above configuration, when the predetermined network protocol program and the filter program stored in the ROM 3b of the printer server 1 are used, the power of the printer server 1 is turned on so that the CPU 2 stores the data in the ROM 3b. The initialization processing program is executed, and the printer server 1 starts up in an operable state. As described above, since the predetermined network protocol program and the filter program are stored in the ROM 3b of the printer server 1 in advance, when these programs in the ROM 3b are used, it is only necessary to turn on the power to the printer server 1. It is possible to easily and quickly bring the printer server 1 into an operable state.

After the start-up is completed, the CPU 2 of the printer server 1 that has received the print request from the host machine 11 on the network executes the network protocol program and sends the print data signal received by the communication controller 4 to the printer 12. The protocol is converted according to the specification, the filter program is executed to process the print data, and the printer output program is executed to output the print data from the print output unit 5 to the printer 12. As a result, the printer 12 can be operated from the host machine 11 on the network through the printer server 1.

Next, when the connection of the printer server 1 is changed to a network or a printer which does not correspond to the predetermined network protocol program stored in the ROM 3b, or when the predetermined stored in the ROM 3b is changed. Described below is the case of changing the print data processing method by using a filter program other than the filter program of.

In this case, the host machine 11 on the network makes a download setting for the printer server 1. That is, parameters such as the host machine on the network for downloading, the program file for downloading (network protocol program and / or filter program), and the protocol of the connected network are transmitted from the host machine 11 via the network. Is sent to the printer server 1. As a result, various parameters sent from the host machine 11 are stored in the EEPROM of the printer server 1, and once set, the parameters are retained even after the power of the printer server 1 is turned off. To be done.

When the download setting is made as described above, when the printer server 1 is turned on, the CPU 2 executes the initialization processing program in the ROM 3b, and the initialization processing of the network or the like is performed. After that, the CPU 2 executes the network control program.

The CPU 2 which executes the above network control program acquires the setting parameters stored in the EEPROM and sends the set program file to the host machine 11 on the network which downloads the setting parameters, and stores the set program file in the secondary storage of the host machine 11. It is instructed to read from the hard disk 11a as a storage device.

A network protocol program and / or a filter program supplied by a floppy disk (recording medium) are installed in the hard disk 11 a of the host machine 11, and the host machine 11 which receives a command from the printer server 1 Reads the designated program file from the hard disk 11a and sends the program file read out through the network to the printer server 1. Then, the CPU 2 stores the program file from the host machine 11 in the RAM 3a forming a part of the main memory. When the download is successful, the CPU 2 initializes this program by executing the defined initialization part of the program stored in the RAM 3a area of the main memory. As a result, the downloaded program in the RAM 3a is switched to the predetermined program stored in the ROM 3b, and the printer server 1 starts up in an operable state.

The secondary storage device of the host machine 11 is not limited to the hard disk 11a, but may be, for example, a floppy disk capable of reading a floppy disk file in which a network protocol program and / or a filter program is recorded. It may be a device. The recording medium in which the network protocol program and / or the filter program is recorded is not limited to the floppy disk, and may be a magnetic tape or an optical disk.

If the host machine 11 on the network makes a download setting to the printer server 1 and then a program change request is issued from the host machine 11 to the printer server 1, the printer server 1 The CPU 2 executes the network control program in the same manner as when the power is turned on, downloads the network protocol program and / or the filter program from the hard disk 11a of the host machine 11 to the RAM 3a, and downloads the program in the RAM 3a to the ROM 3b. Switch to the specified program stored in.

As a result, when a print request is received from the host machine 11 on the network thereafter, the CPU 2 of the printer server 1 executes the network protocol program and / or the filter program stored in the RAM 3a area by downloading. Become.

As described above, the printer server 1 according to the present embodiment uses the network protocol program and / or the filter according to the setting parameters stored in the EEPROM when the power is turned on or when there is a program change request from the host machine 11. The program is downloaded from the hard disk 11a of a predetermined host machine 11 on the network to the RAM 3a forming a part of the main memory.

As described above, by supplying the network protocol program and / or the filter program in the form of being recorded on the recording medium, it is possible to flexibly cope with the change of the specifications of the connected printer or the network and to provide the new filter program. It can be freely installed as a server's own program and its functions can be expanded.

Further, when the printer server 1 is used, the secondary storage device (hard disk 11 a) of the host machine 11 already existing on the network can be installed without connecting (implementing) the secondary storage device to the printer server 1. Since it can be used, a printer sharing system in a network can be constructed at low cost.

[0035]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, the printer server of the present invention requests the operation program from the information processing apparatus connected to the network, and sends the operation program recorded on the recording medium from the secondary storage device of the information processing apparatus through the network. The configuration is provided with download means for downloading to the storage means of the printer server.

Therefore, by using this printer server, the secondary storage device of the information processing device already existing on the network can be used without connecting (implementing) the secondary storage device to the printer server. It is possible to construct a printer sharing system in a network at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a configuration of a main part of a printer server connected to a network.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a program module configuration in the printer server.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional example and is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part of a printer server connected to a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printer Server 2 CPU (Control Unit, Download Unit) 3 Memory 3a RAM (Storage Unit) 3b ROM 4 Communication Controller 5 Print Output Unit 10 Network Communication Line 11 Host Machine (Information Processing Device) 11a Hard Disk (Secondary Storage Device) 12 Printer

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An information processing apparatus connected to a network, comprising: storage means in which an area for storing an operation program is formed; and control means for controlling the operation of a printer server in accordance with the operation program stored in the storage means. In a printer server that enables communication between a printer and a printer, the operation program is requested from an information processing apparatus connected to a network, and the operation program recorded in a recording medium is stored in a secondary storage of the information processing apparatus. A printer server comprising download means for downloading from an apparatus to the storage means via a network.