JPH07101109A - Printer and controller method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printer and a method for controlling the printer in which a pause of input print data can be informed to a user. CONSTITUTION:Print data transmitted from a host computer 100 is held by an input data buffer 18b through an input interface 18a. Then, print data stored in the buffer 18b is sequentially read, and started to be analyzed. Whether or no the read data is print starting code is judged by a print code analyzer stored in a ROM 15. When it is the starting code, a beep sound is generated by a beep sound generator 1501a to inform print starting of the data to a user. The user knows that the printer processes the starting code from a series of the data according to the beep sound, and knows that the print is easily started (i.e., a punctuation of the data).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer and its control method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer is often connected to a host computer or the like on a one-to-one basis, but due to the recent spread of networks and the like, the number of printers connected to a plurality of host computers is increasing. There is. For this reason, it often happens that a plurality of print data are continuously transmitted from a plurality of host computers.

[0003]

In a conventional printer, when a series of print data is received, the print data is sequentially printed. Therefore, the user continuously sends the first print data. The only way to confirm the change to the next print data was to constantly monitor the output printed matter.

When a plurality of series of print data are continuously input, it is necessary for the user to confirm switching of each print data in order to take out a desired printed matter. Then, in order to confirm the switching of the print data in the conventional printer, as described above, it is always necessary to confirm the printer and its printed matter. For this reason, there is a problem in that the printed matter must be monitored for a long time in order to take out the printed matter output by the user.

As described above, in the conventional printer, the burden imposed on the user is heavy, and thus the usability is poor. In particular, in a printer to which multiple host computers are connected via a network or the like, there are many opportunities to send multiple print data,
Therefore, the above-mentioned inconvenience becomes remarkable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a printer and a printer control method which are easy to use.

That is, for each input print data,
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer and a printer control method capable of notifying a user of the break of the print data.

[0008]

The printer of the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration. That is, a printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, the detecting means detecting the delimiter data representing the delimiter of the print data included in the print data, and the delimiter data by the detecting means. And a notifying means for notifying that is detected.

Further, a printer control method of the present invention for achieving the above object is a printer control method for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, wherein the print data included in the print data is included. And a notifying step of notifying that the delimiter data indicating the delimiter is detected and the delimiter data is detected by the detecting step.

[0010]

With the above configuration, when the delimiter data representing the delimiter of the print data is detected from the input print data, the user is notified of the delimiter of the record of the print data. Here, the delimiter of print data is, for example, the start or end of printing. Further, a beep sound or the like is used to notify the user that the break has been detected.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Embodiment 1> Before explaining the construction of this embodiment, the construction of a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer to which this embodiment can be applied will be described with reference to FIGS. The printer to which this embodiment is applicable is not limited to these laser beam printers and inkjet printers, and printers of other printing methods may be applied.

[Description of Laser Beam Printer] First, the configuration of a laser beam printer to which this embodiment can be applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) according to the present embodiment. This LBP is for registering character patterns and affiliated forms (form data 9) from a data source (not shown). Can be done.

In the figure, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores print information (character code, etc.) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, macro commands, and the like. A corresponding bitmap image such as a character pattern or a form pattern is created according to the above, and an image is formed on a recording paper which is a recording medium. Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation and an LED display are arranged.
A printer control unit 00 controls the entire LBP 1500 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1000 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs it to the laser driver 1502.

The laser driver 1502 is a semiconductor laser 1.
A circuit for driving 503, which switches on / off a laser beam 1504 emitted from a semiconductor laser 1503 according to an input video signal. The laser beam 1504 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 1505 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1506. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1506. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1507 arranged around the electrostatic drum 1506 and then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 1508 mounted on the LBP 1500, and the sheet feeding roller 150
9 and the conveying rollers 1510 and 1511 take in the apparatus and supply the electrostatic drum 1506.

[Description of Inkjet Printer] FIG. 2
Is an inkjet recording apparatus (IJ
It is a general view of RA).

In the figure, a lead screw 5005
Rotates via the driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in association with the forward and reverse rotations of the drive motor 5013. The carriage HC has a spiral groove 5004 of the lead screw 5005.
Has a pin (not shown) that engages with, and is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b with the rotation of the lead screw 5005. An inkjet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. A paper pressing plate 5002 presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the moving direction of the carriage. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photocouplers, which function as home position detection means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 is a member that supports a cap member 5022 that caps the front surface of the recording head.
The suction recovery of the recording head is performed via. A cleaning blade 5017 can be moved in the front-rear direction by a member 5019. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate that supports the cleaning blade 5017 and the member 5019. Needless to say, the cleaning blade 5017 is not limited to this form and a known cleaning blade can be applied to this example. Reference numeral 5012 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery, which moves in accordance with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force from the drive motor is movement-controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that the desired processing can be performed at their corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the area on the home position side. The configuration is not limited to this, and may be configured to perform a desired operation at a known timing.

Next, a control configuration for executing the recording control of the above-mentioned apparatus will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

In the figure showing the control circuit, 1700 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, and 1701 is an MP.
U and 1702 are program ROMs for storing control programs executed by the MPU 1701, and 1703 is a dynamic RAM (DRAM) for storing various data (the above-mentioned recording signals and print data supplied to the head). A gate array 1704 controls print data supply to the recording head 1708, and also controls data transfer between the interface 1700, the MPU 1701, and the DRAM 1703. 1710 is the recording head 17 described above.
08 is a carrier motor for carrying, and 1709 is a carrying motor for carrying the recording paper. Reference numeral 1705 denotes a head driver for driving the recording head, and 1706 and 1707 are motor drivers for driving the carry motor 1709 and the carrier motor 1710, respectively.

In each of the recording devices thus configured, when a recording signal is input from the host computer via the interface 1700, the gate array 170
4 and the MPU 1701 convert the recording signal into print data for printing. Then, the motor driver 170
6, 1707 are driven, and the head driver 1
The recording head is driven according to the print data sent to 705, and printing is executed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer control system in the first embodiment. A laser beam printer will be described here as an example.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 100 denotes a host computer, which is provided with a CPU 1 for executing document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables and the like are mixed based on a document processing program stored in a ROM 2, and is connected to a system bus 4. Control each device to be comprehensively controlled.

A RAM 3 is a main memory of the CPU 1,
Functions as a work area. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls key input from the keyboard 9. A CRT controller (CRTC) 6 controls the display of a CRT display (CRT) 10. A disk controller (DKC) 7 includes a hard disk (HD) 11 for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, etc., and a floppy disk (FD) 1.
2 access control. Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer controller (PRTC), which is connected to the printer 1500 via a predetermined interface 13 and is connected to the printer 1500.
And communication control processing with.

The CPU 1 executes the rasterizing process of the outline font on the RAM 3 according to the display information set on the RAM 3, for example, and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You get) on the CRT 10.
May be possible. Further, the CPU 1 may be configured to open various windows registered based on a command designated by a mouse cursor or the like on the CRT 10 and execute various data processing. Further, the document processing program or the like may be stored in the hard disk 11 or the floppy disk 12, and may be configured to be loaded into the RAM 3 via the DKC 7 and executed at the time of execution.

Next, the control configuration of the printer 1500 will be described.

In the printer 1500, 14 is a printer CPU, which generally controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 17 based on a control program stored in the ROM 15, and through the printing unit interface 19. The image signal VDO as the print data is output to the printing unit (printer engine) 20 connected to the printer. Reference numeral 16 denotes a RAM, which is used for the work area of the CPU 14, storage of recording information, and the like. The RAM 16 may be configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The print unit interface 19 is a unit that converts print data into a form that matches the mechanism of the print unit 20 and outputs the print data. For example, the print unit interface 19 performs processing such as converting parallel data into serial data.

The ROM 15 may store a plurality of dot font data groups of different sizes as printer fonts. Further, in the ROM 15, a bitmap expansion process (for example, a process of expanding an outline font, vector graphics data into a rasterization area of the RAM 16 in a bitmap) assigned by the host computer 100 is executed in parallel with the rasterization process on the host computer 100. A rasterization program for processing is stored.

As a result, the rasterization sharing processing ratio is dynamically switched according to the analysis result of the rasterization information in the output information output from the host computer 100 to the printer 1500. Depending on the analysis result of the rasterization information, either the printer 1500 or the host computer 100 may perform the rasterization process.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, a printer that notifies the user of the start of printing by detecting a print start code, which is the first data of the print data, is considered to start printing processing of new print data, and generates a beep sound. explain.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangement of the printer according to the first embodiment. In the figure, an input unit 18 includes an input interface 18a and an input data buffer 18
b. The print data input from the host computer 100 is sequentially stored in the input data buffer 18b via the input interface 18a. In the ROM 15, in addition to the printer control program for controlling the entire printer shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 9,
A print code analysis unit that detects a print start code and the like is stored in a program format. The RAM 16 has a print data buffer 16a, which stores image data obtained by expanding the print data. Print data buffer 16a
The image data stored in is transferred to the printing unit 20 via the printing unit I / F and is recorded on a recording medium by the laser beam method. The operation panel 1501 has a beep sound generation device 1501a and generates a beep sound when the print start code is detected by the print code analysis unit described above.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the structure of print data transmitted from the host computer 100. Figure 6
As shown in FIG. 3, the print data 300 includes a print data identifier 301 for identifying the print data, a printer initialization code 302 for instructing printer initialization, a print start code 303 for indicating the start of print data, and the actual print content. And a print end code 3305 indicating the end of the print data.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the first embodiment.

First, the print data 300 transmitted from the host computer 100 is input to the input data buffer 18 via the input interface 18a in the printer.
It is held in b (step S11). Next, the print data stored in the input data buffer 18b is sequentially read to start the analysis of the print data (step S12). The print code analysis unit stored in the ROM 15 outputs the read print data to the print start code 3
It is determined whether it is 03 (step S13).

If it is not the print start code 303 in step S13, the analysis of the print data is continued. When the print start code 303 is detected, the process proceeds from step S13 to step S14, and the beep sound generator 1
A beep sound is generated by 501a to notify the user of the start of printing the print data.

In step S15, the print start code 303
The print data 304 that has been continuously input is expanded to obtain image data. The obtained image data is stored in the print data buffer 16a. Then, in step S16, the printing unit 20 records the image data.

From this beep sound, the user can know that the printer has processed the print start code 303 from the series of print data 300, and can easily know the start of printing (that is, the separation of print data).

In a situation where a plurality of host computers are connected to the printer via a network, the following configuration may be adopted.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another structure of the print data transmitted from the host computer 100. Figure 8
In the above, the network ID 310 is information that identifies the host computer that is the transmission source of the print data. The printer 1500 can determine from which host computer the print data 300 ′ has been transmitted from this network ID 310. Then, when determining the print start code, the tone of the beep sound is changed for each host computer. With this configuration, the user can know the start of printing the print data output by the user by the tone of the beep sound.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to notify the user of the print start of the data by generating a beep sound upon detection of the print start code. Therefore, there is an effect that the user is relieved from constantly monitoring the printer even when a large amount of printing is performed.

Furthermore, when a plurality of host computers are connected and print data is input from a plurality of users, different beep sounds are generated at the start of output of each print data. The output result can be retrieved.

<Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the start code indicating the start of the print data was detected and a beep sound was emitted, but in the second embodiment, the end code included in the print data is detected. A printer that emits a beep will be described. The control configuration, the functional configuration, and the print data data configuration of the printer according to the second embodiment are the same as those in the above-described first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure of the second embodiment. The print data input in step S21 is sequentially stored in the input data buffer 18b.
In the following step S22, the CPU 14 starts the analysis of the print data stored in the input data buffer 18b. The print data 304 is sequentially read and developed into image data (step S23), and this image data is stored in the print data buffer 16a. In the analysis of the print data, it is determined whether the print end code 305 is detected (step S24). Here, if the end code is not detected, the process proceeds to step S25,
The printing unit 20 prints the image data stored in the print data buffer 16a. On the other hand, step S24
If the end code is detected in step S2, step S2
6, the beep sound generator 1501b generates a beep sound. After that, the process proceeds to step S27, the image data stored in the print data buffer 16a is processed, and the present process ends.

The beep sound allows the user to know that the printer has processed the end code of the series of print data, and thus can easily recognize the end of the print data processing.

When a plurality of host computers are connected to the printer by a network or the like, the print data has the data structure shown in FIG.
Similarly, it is possible to change the beep sound for each host computer. With this configuration, it is possible to distinguish and inform which host computer the print data has been processed.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to notify the end of printing by the beep sound, so that the user always monitors the end of printing when a large amount of printing is performed. There is no need to do it.

Further, even when a plurality of print data are input, the completion of printing of each print data is notified, so that the output results can be prevented from being mixed.

In the above embodiment, the beep sound is used to notify the delimiter of the print data, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the fact that the print start code or print end code of the print data has been detected may be displayed on the display of the connected host computer.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to a case where it is achieved by supplying a program that causes a system or an apparatus to execute the processing defined by the present invention.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With respect to each input print data, it is possible to notify the user of the division of each print data, so that the user is freed from monitoring the printed matter and the usability is improved.

[0051]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an inkjet recording apparatus (IJRA) to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration for executing recording control of the inkjet recording apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the printer according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of print data transmitted from a host computer.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating another configuration of print data transmitted from the host computer 1.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 CPU 15 ROM 16 RAM 16a Print data buffer 18 Input unit 18a Input interface 18b Input data buffer 19 Printing unit I / F 20 Printing unit 100 Host computer 1500 Laser beam printer 1501 Operation panel 1501a Beep generator

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, the detecting means detecting delimiter data representing a delimiter of print data included in the print data, and the detecting means. When the delimiter data is detected, a notifying unit for notifying that fact is provided, the printer. 2. A printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, the detection means detecting start data indicating the start of print data included in the print data, and the detection means. When the start data is detected,
A printer comprising: a notification unit that notifies the start of the print data. 3. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the notification unit notifies the start of the print data by a beep sound when the start data is detected by the detection unit. 4. A printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, said detection means detecting end data indicating the end of the print data included in the print data being processed; A printer comprising: a notification unit that notifies the end of the print data when the detection unit detects the end data. 5. The printer according to claim 4, wherein the notifying unit notifies the end of the print data by a beep when the end data is detected by the detecting unit. 6. A method of controlling a printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, comprising: a detecting step of detecting delimiter data representing a delimiter of print data included in the print data; When the delimiter data is detected in the detection step, a notification step of notifying the fact is provided, and the printer control method. 7. A printer control method for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, comprising: a detecting step of detecting start data indicating the start of print data included in the print data; When the start data is detected by the detection step,
A printer control method comprising: a notification step of notifying the start of the print data. 8. The printer control method according to claim 7, wherein the notifying step notifies the start of the print data by a beep sound when the start data is detected by the detecting step. 9. A method of controlling a printer for recording and outputting based on print data input from an external device, the detecting step of detecting end data indicating the end of the print data included in the print data being processed. And a notification step of notifying the end of the print data when the end data is detected by the detection step. 10. The informing step informs the end of the print data by a beep sound when the end data is detected in the detecting step.
The printer control method described in.