JPH07108739A - Device for monitoring exhaustion of printing paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the exhaustion of printing paper on the way of printing and to minimize the wastefulness of the paper when continuous printing paper is used in a calculator system equipped with a printer. CONSTITUTION:Prior to performing the printing of printing data 31, a printing paper use quantity calculating means 12 calculates the quantity of printing paper becoming necessary at the time of the printing of the printing data 31 and a judging means 15 judges whether the exhaustion of the printing paper is generated when the printing of the printing data 31 is performed on the basis of the quantity of the printing paper calculated by the printing paper use quantity calculating means 12 and the residual quantity of the printing paper of a printer 2 held to a residual printing paper quantity holding means 14. A printing control part 17 outputs the printing data 31 to the printer 2 only when the exhaustion of the printing paper is judged to be not generated by the judging means 15 and a paper deficiency information means 18 displays the information of paper deficiency on a CRT 6 when the exhaustion of the printing paper is judged to be generated by the judging means 15 to issue a command for an operator to supply and replace the printing paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system equipped with a printing device, and more particularly, it is possible to prevent printing paper from running out during printing when printing is performed using continuous printing paper. A method for monitoring printing paper out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a series of data such as a table over a plurality of pages is printed using continuous printing paper, when the printing paper runs out during printing and the printing paper is replaced, the printed data series is printed. Is very hard to see. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the printing paper from running out during printing.

By the way, as a conventional technique for preventing the printing paper from running out during printing, a non-volatile memory for holding the remaining amount of the printing paper of the printing device is provided, and the non-volatile memory is held when the printing is requested. The remaining amount of printing paper is below a predetermined threshold, and if it is below the threshold, a warning is issued to the operator and the printing paper is replenished or replaced. Is promoted (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-12
No. 0076).

[0004]

As described above, conventionally, when the remaining amount of printing paper becomes less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, a warning is issued to the operator. If the amount printed by a print request is a fixed value, set the above threshold value as the amount printed by a single print request. If the print paper is replenished or replaced according to the warning, the print paper runs out during printing. Can be prevented.

However, when the print amount is not determined by one print request, the above-mentioned conventional technique is used.
There is a problem that the printing paper may run out during printing. That is, if the amount printed by one printing request is larger than the threshold value, there is a problem that the printing paper runs out during printing.

This problem can be solved to some extent by increasing the threshold value, but if the threshold value is increased, printing paper is replenished,
There is a problem that the number of exchanges increases. Furthermore, when the printing paper is continuous printing paper, the printing paper is replaced even though a large amount of printing paper remains.
There is a problem that the waste of printing paper increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing paper runout monitoring system which does not cause printing paper runout during printing and which can minimize the waste of printing paper when continuous printing paper is used. To provide.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a computer system having a printing device, in which printing data is calculated by printing the amount of printing paper used when printing the printing data by the printing device. Paper usage amount calculating means, remaining printing paper amount holding means for holding the remaining printing paper amount of the printing device, printing paper amount calculated by the printing paper usage amount calculating means, and holding in the remaining printing paper amount holding means When the print data is printed by the printing device based on the remaining amount of printing paper, the judgment means for judging whether or not the printing paper runs out, and the printing based on the judgment result of the judgment means A print control unit that controls whether or not data is printed by the printing device, and a paper shortage notification unit that gives a paper shortage notification when the determination unit determines that a print paper shortage has occurred. Those were example.

[0009]

When the print data is printed, the print paper usage amount calculation means calculates the print paper amount used for printing the print data, and the determination means determines the print paper usage amount calculated by the print paper usage amount calculation means. When the above-mentioned print data is printed based on the remaining printing paper amount held in the remaining printing paper amount holding means, it is determined whether or not the printing paper runs out.

When it is determined by the determination means that the printing paper runs out, the print control section causes the printing device to print the print data, and when it is determined that the printing paper runs out, the paper shortage notification means Notify you of paper shortage.

[0011]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, which includes a computer 1, a printing device 2, an intermediate file 3 such as a SYSOUT file, an application program (AP) 4 for outputting print data and a print request. , A keyboard 5 and a CRT 6.

The computer 1 includes a print request queue 11, a print sheet usage amount calculation unit 12, a print sheet usage amount temporary holding unit 13, a remaining print sheet amount holding unit 14, and a determination unit 1.
5, the remaining printing paper amount updating means 16, and the printing control unit 17
And paper shortage notification means 18.

A print request output from the application program 4 is connected to the print request queue 11.

When the printing device 2 prints the print data 31 in the intermediate file 3 corresponding to the print request connected to the head of the print request queue 11, the print paper usage calculating means 12 prints the print data 31. It has a function of calculating the amount of printing paper (number of pages) required to do so.

The printing paper usage amount temporary holding means 13 has a function of temporarily holding the printing paper usage amount calculated by the printing paper usage amount calculating means 12.

The remaining printing paper amount holding means 14 holds the remaining printing paper amount (number of pages) of the printing device 2.

The determining means 15 determines the amount of printing paper temporarily held in the printing paper usage amount temporary holding means 13 and the remaining printing paper amount held in the remaining printing paper amount holding means 14. When the print data corresponding to the print request connected to the head of the print request queue 11 is printed,
It has a function of determining whether or not printing paper runs out.

The print control section 17 outputs the print data corresponding to the print request connected to the head of the print request queue 11 to the printing device 2 when the determination means 15 determines that the print sheet is not run out. And has a function of activating the remaining printing paper amount updating means 16 every time one page of print data is output.

The remaining printing paper amount updating means 16 has a function of updating (-1) the remaining printing paper amount held in the remaining printing paper amount holding means 14 when activated by the printing control unit 17.

The paper shortage notifying means 18 displays a paper shortage notification on the CRT 6 when the judging means 15 judges that the printing paper is out, and prompts the operator to replenish the printing paper.
It has a function to promote exchange.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

When performing printing, the application program 4 stores the print data 31 in the intermediate file 3 and connects the print request to the print request queue 11.

When a print request is connected to the print request queue 11, the print sheet usage calculating means 12 prints necessary to print the print data (eg, print data 31) corresponding to the first print request. The paper amount is calculated, and the calculated print paper amount is set in the print paper usage amount temporary holding means 13.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing example of the printing paper usage amount calculating means 12, and the processing of the printing paper usage amount calculating means 12 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The printing paper usage amount calculating means 12 first sets both the count value CL of the number of lines and the count value CP of the number of pages to "0" (step S1).

Next, the printing paper usage amount calculating means 12
1 from the print data 31 stored in the intermediate file 3
The number of lines L0 of the page is read (step S2).

Thereafter, the printing paper usage amount calculating means 12 is
Read the print data 31 for one character (step S3),
It is determined whether it is a character code, a line feed code, or a page break code (steps S5 to S7). In the present embodiment, the print data 31 is composed of a character code indicating a character, a symbol, etc., a line feed code indicating a line break, and a page break code indicating a page break. It is supposed to be provided for each.

When it is determined that it is a character code
In the case of (YES in step S5), the process returns to step S3 to read the next print data for one character.

When it is determined that the line feed code is used
(YES in step S6) increments the count value CL by 1.
(Step S10), and further, the count value CL is set to Step S
It is judged whether or not the number of lines L0 of one page read in 2 is reached (step S11).

When it is determined that the count value CL indicating the number of lines has reached the line number L0 of one page, the count value CP indicating the number of pages is incremented by 1 (step S8), and the count value indicating the number of lines is further increased. After setting CL to "0" (step S9),
It returns to the process of step S3.

When it is determined that the code is a page break code
In (YES in step S7), after performing the processes in steps S8 and S9, the process returns to the process in step S3.

When the above-described processing is performed for all the codes of the print data 31 (step S4 is YE
S), the print paper usage amount calculation means 12 determines whether or not the count value CL indicating the number of lines is "0" (step S1).
2).

When it is determined that the count value CL is "0" (YES in step S12), the count value CP indicating the number of pages is printed as the print sheet amount required to print the print data 31. When the paper amount used is temporarily set in the holding means 13 (step S13), and it is determined that it is not "0" (NO in step S12), the count value CP
The value obtained by adding “1” to is set in the printing paper usage amount temporary holding means 13 as the printing paper amount required to print the printing data 31 (step S14).

The remaining printing paper amount holding means 14 includes a printing paper usage amount temporary holding means 13 and a printing paper usage amount calculating means 12.
When the print paper amount calculated by is stored, by comparing the print paper amount with the remaining print paper amount held in the remaining print paper amount holding means 14, when the print data 31 is printed, the print paper runs out. Determine whether or not.

Then, if it is determined that the printing paper runs out, the print control unit 17 is activated, and if it is determined that the printing paper runs out, the paper shortage notifying means 18 is activated.

When activated by the determination means 15, the print control unit 17 outputs the print data 31 stored in the intermediate file 3 to the printing device 2, and remains every time one page of print data is output. The print sheet amount updating means 16 is activated.

The remaining printing paper amount updating means 16 is operated by the printing control unit 17 every time the remaining printing paper amount holding means 1 is operated.
Decrement the contents of 4. The remaining printing paper amount holding means 14
The initial value of is set by the operator, and at that time, the operator sets the number of pages of the printing paper set in the printing device 2 in the remaining printing paper amount holding means 14.

The paper shortage notifying means 18, when activated by the judging means 15, displays a paper shortage notification on the CRT 6 to instruct the operator to replenish or replace the print paper.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing paper amount required for printing the printing data is calculated by the printing paper usage amount calculating means, and the calculated printing paper amount and remaining printing paper amount are retained. When the above-mentioned print data is printed based on the remaining printing paper amount of the printing device held in the means, it is judged by the judgment means whether or not the printing paper runs out, and printing is performed based on the judgment result. Since the control unit controls whether or not to print the print data, and the paper shortage notification means notifies the paper shortage, it is possible to prevent the print paper from running out during printing. Further, when the continuous printing paper is used, there is an effect that the waste of the printing paper can be further minimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a printing paper usage amount calculating means 12.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Computer 2 ... Printing device 3 ... Intermediate file 4 ... Application program (AP) 5 ... Keyboard 6 ... CRT 11 ... Print request queue 12 ... Printing paper usage amount calculating means 13 ... Printing paper usage amount temporary holding means 14 ... Remaining printing Paper amount holding means 15 ... Judging means 16 ... Remaining print paper amount updating means 17 ... Print control unit 18 ... Paper shortage notification means 31 ... Print data

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a computer system having a printing device, a printing paper usage amount calculating means for calculating a printing paper amount used when printing print data by the printing device, and a remaining printing paper amount of the printing device. Remaining printing paper amount holding means for holding, the printing data based on the printing paper amount calculated by the printing paper usage amount calculating means and the remaining printing paper amount held in the remaining printing paper amount holding means Judgment means for deciding whether or not printing paper runs out when printed by the printing device, and printing for controlling whether or not the print data is printed by the printing device based on the judgment result of the judgment means. A printing paper shortage monitoring method comprising: a control unit; and a paper shortage notification unit that gives a paper shortage notification when the judgment unit judges that a printing paper shortage has occurred. 2. The printing paper usage amount calculating means calculates the printing paper amount used when the printing data is printed by the printing device based on a character code, a line feed code, and a page break code in the printing data. The printing paper runout monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein