JPH07144444A - Communication controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make page output efficient in analyzing data obtained through communication with a host computer and outputting output data to an image output device. CONSTITUTION:A data analysis section 4 analyzes input data received from a host computer on the basis of specified page information analyzed by a page analysis section 5 by a different procedure, and an image output section 6 produces output data based on analyzed page data and outputs them an image output device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication control device for receiving an instruction by communicating with a host computer and controlling an apparatus for outputting an image in accordance with the instruction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a communication control device for receiving a command through communication with a host computer and controlling a device for outputting an image in accordance with the command, a so-called printer server device connected to a local network. There is.

Such a communication control device has a communication function, and an image output device for outputting according to communicated data does not have a function of forming and outputting only a designated page from a series of output data.

Further, when the output is interrupted due to an image output error occurrence or the like, when the image output is restarted after performing other processing, the output is performed again from the first page.

Further, in particular, in a communication control device which receives page description language data and controls an image forming output device for performing color printing, an image for forming and printing an image according to the communicated data is provided with a communication function. When controlling the output device, if there is no free space in the internal memory that can be read and written at high speed, printing is performed using only the data analyzed up to that point, or the image data is erased and the image part is printed blank.

Further, an apparatus has been devised which has a storage device such as a built-in hard disk and stores image data in the storage device, but in that case, the image data is always stored in the storage device.

[0007]

Since the conventional communication control device is configured as described above, even if it is desired to output only the page in the middle, it is necessary to output from the first page, and the processing time is long. In addition to this, unnecessary output was made.

Further, the output is interrupted due to an error or the like,
When the output is restarted after other processing is performed, there is a problem that the output is started from the first page again, the processing time is long, and unnecessary output is performed.

Further, particularly when printing a document including color image data having a large amount of data, a desired print cannot be obtained, or printing and reading to / from an external storage device take more time than necessary. There were problems such as being lost.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and outputs a connected image by controlling a page analysis process for analyzing and outputting data acquired through communication with a host computer. Page output can be performed efficiently when outputting output data to the device, and the analyzed image data is saved to the external memory according to the internal memory capacity, ensuring document images including large color images. An object is to provide a communication control device that can output.

[0011]

A first communication control device according to the present invention analyzes a communication means for communicating with a host computer via a communication medium and an input data received by the communication means from the host computer. And a data analysis unit for analyzing input data received from the host computer in a different procedure based on the specified page information analyzed by the page analysis unit, and the data analysis unit. And output means for generating output data based on the page data analyzed by and outputting the output data to the image output device.

A second communication control device according to the present invention is a storage means for storing output end page information notified when an error occurs in the image output device, and output end page information and data analysis stored in this storage means. The control means controls the restarted top page of the output data output from the output means by collating with the designated page information analyzed by the means.

A third communication control device according to the present invention comprises a communication means for communicating with a host computer via a communication medium, and an input data received by the communication means from the host computer to be analyzed and output to an image output device. For storing the output data, the second storage means for storing the image data in the output data, and the image data in the output data stored in the first storage means for the first storage means. Memory control means for reading and storing the data in the second storage means according to the free space of the storage means is provided.

[0014]

In the first invention, the data analysis means analyzes the input data received from the host computer in a different procedure based on the designated page information analyzed by the page analysis means, and based on the analyzed page data. Since the output means generates the output data and outputs it to the image output device, only the designated page can be output at high speed.

In the second invention, the output end page information stored in the storage means and the designated page information analyzed by the data analysis means are collated to restart the output data output from the output means by the control means. Since the page is controlled, even if the output is interrupted due to an error or the like and another process is executed, only the designated page can be output at high speed without duplication of pages.

In the third invention, the control means reads out the image data in the output data stored in the first storage means in accordance with the free space of the first storage means, and the second data is stored in the second storage means.
Since the image data is saved in the storage means, it is possible to perform processing without limiting the area for storing the output data even if the capacity of the image data increases.

[0017]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a communication control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a communication control device, 2 is a communication unit, 3 is an image generation unit, 4 is a data analysis unit, 5 is a page analysis unit, 6 is an image output unit, 7 is an image memory unit, and 8 is a control unit. Reference numeral 9 is an image output device, and 10 is a communication line. In this embodiment, the communication control device 1 receives print data and page designation information from another computer through the communication line 10, forms an image on a designated page, and prints by the connected image output device 9. . The print data is document information described in a page description language such as Postscript. The image generation unit 3 is provided with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like (not shown) for executing the entire processing, and the ROM stores the control procedure described later.

In the communication control device 1 configured as described above, the data analysis unit 4 analyzes the input data received from the host computer based on the specified page information analyzed by the page analysis unit 5 in a different procedure, Since the image output unit 6 generates the output data based on the analyzed page data and outputs it to the image output device 9, only the designated page can be output at high speed.

The output end page information stored in the spool memory unit 22 is collated with the designated page information analyzed by the data analysis unit 14 to restart the output data output from the image output unit 16 by the overall control unit 21. Since the first page is controlled, even if the output is interrupted due to an error or the like and another process is executed, only the designated page can be output at high speed without duplication of pages.

The function of each part will be described.

The communication unit 2 communicates with another computer through the communication line 10 and receives print data and page designation information. The image generation unit 3 receives print data and page designation information from the communication unit 2, analyzes the information, and forms an image. The data analysis unit 4 analyzes the print data, obtains the type, position, shape, color, etc. of the image forming element and sends it to the image output unit 6.

However, if the page does not need to be printed, only the position of the image forming element is obtained. Here, the image forming element is an element that forms and draws an image, such as a character, a straight line, a circle, a rectangle, or an image. The page analysis unit 5 analyzes the page designation information and registers the first page and the last page to be printed. The image output unit 6 forms an image of the image forming element and draws it in the image memory unit.

The image output unit 6 draws the image forming elements for one page in the image memory unit 7, and then sends the information in the image memory to the control unit 8. The image memory unit 7 has an image memory capable of drawing one page. The control unit 8 sends the information in the image memory unit 7 to the image output device 9 and prints it. The image output unit 6 prints.

Next, the operation from reception of data by the communication unit 2 to printing by the image output device 9 will be described.

When the communication section 2 receives the print data and the page designation information from another computer, it sends the print data to the data analysis section 4 and the page designation information to the page analysis section 5.

The page analysis section 5 analyzes the page designation information, obtains and registers the print start page and the last page. The data analysis unit 4 analyzes print data while referring to the start page and the last page registered in the page analysis unit 5, and creates image forming element information.

However, when the page being processed is a page to be printed, the type, position, shape, and
The color and the like are obtained and sent to the image output unit 6, and in the case of a page not to be printed, only the position of the image forming element is obtained. By obtaining the position of the image forming element, the page number currently processed can be managed even when the page is automatically changed. Upon receiving the type, position, shape, color and the like of the image forming element, the image output unit 6 forms an image and draws it in the image memory. When the drawing of the image forming elements for one page is completed, the image output section 6 sends the information of the image memory section 7 to the control section 8, and the control section 8 sends it to the image output device 9 for printing.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a communication processing procedure in the communication control device 1 according to the present invention, and particularly corresponds to the processing when the page analysis unit 5 receives the page designation information. Note that step (1) and step (2) indicate each step.

In step (1), the print start page is obtained and registered. In step (2), the print end page is obtained and registered.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of a print data analysis processing procedure by the data analysis unit 4 shown in FIG. Note that (1) to (4) indicate each step. In particular, it corresponds to a processing procedure for creating one image forming element.

In step (1), the position of the image forming element is obtained, and in step (2), it is determined whether or not the page to which the image forming element belongs is a page to be printed. ) Is the type of imaging element,
The shape, color, etc. are obtained, and the image forming element is sent to the image output unit 6 in step (4). If the page is not printed, the process ends.

As a result, not only the image output unit 6 does not perform drawing for a page that is not to be printed, but the data analysis unit 4 also analyzes only the position, so only the required page is printed at high speed. be able to.

Furthermore, since the data analysis unit 4 does not use the memory for sending the image forming element to the image output unit 6, the memory can be used efficiently.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining another configuration of the communication control device 1 shown in FIG. In the figure, 1
1 is a communication control device, 12 is a communication unit, 13 is an image generation unit,
14 is a data analysis unit, 15 is a page analysis unit, 16 is an image output unit, 17 is an image memory unit, 18 is a control unit,
Reference numeral 19 is an image output device, and 20 is a communication line. In this embodiment, the communication control device 11 receives print data and page designation information from another computer through the communication line 20, forms an image on the designated page, and prints by the connected image output device 19. . The print data is document information described in a page description language such as Postscript. Reference numeral 21 is an overall control unit that controls the overall operation, 22 is a spool memory unit that stores the received data and pages for which printing has been completed, 23 is another control unit, and 24 is another image output device. The overall control unit 21 has a CP (not shown) for executing the overall processing.
U, ROM, RAM, etc. are provided, and the control procedure described later is stored in the ROM.

In this embodiment, a plurality of image output devices are connected, and in addition to print data and page designation information, the image output device designation information is received from another computer and printed on the designated image output device. .

The data received by the communication unit 12 is once stored in the spool memory unit 22 by the overall control unit 21, and then the overall control unit 21 transfers the data to the image generation unit 13.
Send to and print. Furthermore, during printing on the image output device 19 via the control unit 18, the image output device 19
If an error occurs, the image generating unit 13 notifies the general control unit 21 of the occurrence of the error and the page for which printing has finished, and the general control unit 21 stores the page for which printing has finished in the spool memory unit 22. When the spool memory unit 22 has print data to be printed on the image output device 24 in which no error has occurred, the overall control unit 21 sends the print data and page designation information to the image generation unit 13 for printing. Print the interrupted prints in the overall control unit 2
When 1 is restarted, the print data, the page designation information, and the information of the printed page are sent to the image generation unit 13, and the image generation unit 13 uses the page analysis unit 15 as the page designation information for the printed page information. Analyze, register new start and end pages, and print.

In this embodiment, when an error occurs in the image output device and printing is interrupted, the page for which printing has been completed is stored in the spool memory section 22 and when printing is resumed, the page for which printing has been completed is also specified. By the information being analyzed by the image generation unit 13, pages can be printed at high speed without duplication.

In the above embodiment, the page analysis unit registers the first page and the last page of the print,
You may register the page number to print.

Although only the image output device is connected in the above embodiment, an image input device (scanner) or an image input / output device (scanner / printer) may be connected. Further, although a printer is assumed as the image output device in the above embodiment, a communication device for communicating images such as a facsimile via a modem may be used.

According to the above-described embodiment, the image generation unit 13 is provided with the page analysis unit 15 for analyzing the page designation information, and the input data analysis method (analysis procedure) for the page designated for output and the page not designated for output is analyzed. ) Is changed according to the procedure as shown in the flowchart, only the designated page can be output at high speed, and only the required page can be obtained in a short time.

Further, when the page whose output is ended when the output is interrupted due to an error or the like is stored and the interrupted output is restarted after performing other processing, information of the page whose output is ended is also included. By inputting as specified information and outputting only unoutput pages at high speed, in a short time,
You can output without waste. [Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a communication control apparatus showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 31 is a communication control device, 32 is a communication unit, 33 is an image generation unit, 34 is an internal memory for storing an intermediate code obtained by analyzing a page description language, and 35 is image data to be output to a printer. Image memory, 36
Is a built-in hard disk device, 37 is a printer controller, 38 is a color printer, and 39 is a communication line. The image generation unit 33 is provided with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and the like (not shown) for executing the entire process, and the RO
It is assumed that the control procedure described later is stored in M.

In this embodiment, the communication control device 31 receives the document data in the page description language from another computer through the communication line 39, and the image generation unit 33 analyzes the page description language data and stores the image data in the image memory. Formed,
Output to the color printer 38.

In the communication control device configured as described above, the image data in the output data stored in the internal memory 34 is read by the image generation unit 33 according to the free space of the internal memory 34 and is read to the hard disk (HD) 36. Since the image data is saved and stored, it is possible to perform processing without limiting the area of the internal memory 34 that stores the output data even if the capacity of the image data increases.

Each part will be described below.

The communication unit 32 receives page description language data from another computer through the communication line 39 and sends it to the image generation unit 33. The image generation unit 33 analyzes the page description language data and creates at least one page of intermediate data in the internal memory 34, and then forms image data in the image memory 35 based on the intermediate data. The internal memory 34 is a memory unit that stores at least one page of intermediate data, and also stores image data and bit-mapped character data. However, in reality, there is only about 2 megabytes of data capacity, and more data cannot be stored.
The image memory 35 is a memory that stores image data to be output to the color printer 38, and can be printed by the image generator 33 forming the image data in the image memory 35. The image memory 35 has a data capacity of about 2 megabytes, which is a data capacity of 1/24 of one page because the full-color data of 400 dpi A4 is 48 megabytes.

The built-in hard disk 36 is a storage device having a data capacity of about 200 megabytes and has a larger data capacity than the internal memory 34, but it takes time to read and write. The printer controller 37 is the color printer 3
Communicate with 8 to print. The color printer 38 prints in full color.

The operation when the page description language data including the color image data is received will be described below.

The communication section 32 sends the data to the image generation section 33. The image generator 33 creates an intermediate code in the internal memory 34 while analyzing the page description language data. The intermediate code is data described by a drawing element such as a character, a straight line, or a circle in a page description language so that image data can be easily created. If the empty area of the internal memory 34 runs out while the intermediate code is being created, it is determined whether the image data is included in the already created intermediate code, and if the image data is included, the image data is included. Is stored in the internal hard disk 36, and the image data in the internal memory 34 is erased to create a free area.

In general, image data has a very large data amount as compared with character information and graphic information, and if there is no image data, the empty area of the internal memory rarely runs out. When the creation of the intermediate code for one page is completed, the image generation unit 33 first creates the image data of the top part of one page in the image memory 35 based on the intermediate code, and controls the printer controller 37. To print.

Next, the image data of the lower portion is created in the image memory 35, and the printer controller 37 is controlled to print. In this way, when image data creation and printing are repeated and printing of one page is completed, the intermediate code in the internal memory and the image data stored in the internal hard disk 36 are erased. The image generator 33 continues to analyze the page description language data.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a control procedure for the image generation unit 33 shown in FIG. 5 to generate the intermediate code in the internal memory 34. Note that (1) to (16) indicate each step.

In step (1), it is determined whether there is a free area in the internal memory. If there is free space, go to step (6)
Creates intermediate code in internal memory and continues to analyze page description language data. If there is no free space, it is judged in step (2) whether there is image data in the intermediate code already stored. If there is, the image data is stored in the internal hard disk in step (3).
In step (4), the fact that the image data has been moved to the internal hard disk is registered as an intermediate code, the image data is erased in step (5), and the intermediate code is created in the empty portion in step (6). If there is no image data, interrupt the analysis of page description language data,
Print.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a control procedure for the image generating section 33 shown in FIG. 5 to generate image data from the intermediate code. Note that (1) to (15) indicate each step.

First, in step (1), it is determined whether the information is image information. If it is not image information, step (3)
To create normal image data. In the case of image information, it is determined in step (2) whether the image data is in the internal memory. In the case of internal memory, the image data is created according to the image data in the internal memory in step (4). In 5), the image data is read from the built-in hard disk and the image data is created. In this embodiment, the image data is stored in the built-in hard disk when there is no free space in the internal memory. Therefore, even a document including a color image having a large amount of data can be printed at high speed without unnecessary time.

According to the above embodiment, the image data is stored in the storage device (hard disk (HD) 36) only when there is no free space in the internal memory 34. Therefore, the image data is stored in the internal memory 34 unnecessarily. Instead, you can print documents containing color images at high speed.

Although the internal hard disk is provided as a storage device in the above embodiment, it may be an external storage device. In this embodiment, a user can connect various external storage devices by changing the interface of the external storage device to SCSI, for example.

Although the embodiment is provided with the external storage device, the storage device is a user option, and when the storage device is present, the image data can be moved to the storage device, and when the storage device is not present, You may make it perform the same process as a conventional one.

Further, although the storage device is used for storing the image data in the above embodiment, the communication unit may have a spool function by using the storage device. Since the spool function is provided in this embodiment, the communication time is shortened.

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 be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0062]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention
According to the invention, the data analysis means analyzes the input data received from the host computer in a different procedure based on the designated page information analyzed by the page analysis means, and the output means based on the analyzed page data outputs the data. Since the data is generated and output to the image output device, only the designated page can be output at high speed.

According to the second invention, the output end page information stored in the storage means is collated with the designated page information analyzed by the data analysis means, and the control means restarts the output data output from the output means. Since the top page is controlled, even if the output is interrupted due to an error or the like and another process is executed, only the designated page can be output at high speed without duplication of pages.

According to the third invention, the control means reads out the image data in the output data stored in the first storage means in accordance with the free space of the first storage means and stores it in the second storage means. Since the image data is saved and stored, it is possible to perform processing without limiting the area for storing the output data even if the capacity of the image data increases.

Therefore, when the data acquired by the communication with the host computer is analyzed and the output data is output to the connected image output device, the page output can be efficiently performed, and the document image including the large-capacity color image data is obtained. The effect that the data can be reliably output is achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication control device showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a communication processing procedure in the communication control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a print data analysis processing procedure by a data analysis unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating another configuration of the communication control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication control device showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in which the image generating unit shown in FIG. 5 creates an intermediate code in an internal memory.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in which the image generation unit shown in FIG. 5 creates image data from an intermediate code.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Communication Control Device 2 Communication Unit 3 Image Generation Unit 4 Data Analysis Unit 5 Page Analysis Unit 6 Image Output Unit 7 Image Memory Unit 8 Control Unit 9 Image Output Device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication unit for communicating with a host computer via a communication medium, a page analysis unit for analyzing the input data received by the communication unit from the host computer, and obtaining specified page information, and the page. Data analysis means for analyzing the input data received from the host computer in a different procedure based on the designated page information analyzed by the analysis means, and output data based on the page data analyzed by the data analysis means to output an image. A communication control device, comprising: an output unit for outputting to the device. 2. Storage means for storing output end page information notified when an error occurs in the image output device, output end page information stored in the storage means, and designated page information analyzed by the data analysis means. The control means for controlling the restarting head page of the output data collated and output from the output means is provided.
The communication control device described. 3. A first memory for storing communication means for communicating with a host computer via a communication medium, and output data for analyzing the input data received by the communication means from the host computer and outputting it to an image output device. Means, second storage means for storing image data in the output data, and image data in the output data stored in the first storage means for reading in accordance with the free space of the first storage means. A communication control device comprising: a memory control unit that saves and stores the second storage unit.