JPH07182117A - Output method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an information processor to confirm the internal information on an output device by outputting this internal information to the information processor and displaying the internal information on the display of the information processor in the same form as that set when the internal information is outputted by the output device. CONSTITUTION:An information processor 2 consists of a printer 1500, a host computer part 3 which is connected to the printer 1500 via a bidirectional interface 100, a display part 4, etc. The printer 1500 includes a printer engine 11 which generates the output information based on the input information given from the processor 2 via the interface 100, and a printer control unit 1000. When the test print output instruction information is supplied, a command interpreter part 5 outputs the state of the printer 1500 stored in a printer state setting item register 6 to a test print generating part 7. The interface 100 functions to transfer data between the printer 1500 and the part 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing device such as a host computer via a bidirectional interface. The present invention relates to an output method for outputting information to an information processing device via a bidirectional interface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An output device such as a printer is connected to a host computer using a standard interface cable, and when the host computer inputs input information described in PDL or the like, the input information is interpreted. However, a hard copy can be obtained from the printer by generating and outputting output information such as a binary signal of bitmap data for output to the printer engine. In the printer, for example, it is possible to detect the states of the installed memory capacity and interface, and to set various items. The setting status of these states and various items and the built-in printer The font print sample was output on the printer as a list format test print.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in order to know each state of the printer and the setting status of various items, a test print is performed or an operation panel of the printer is operated to display it on the panel. Since the test print requires time to output the output, the paper is wasted, and the screen is small and difficult to see in the panel display, there are various problems.

Further, when the printer is connected to the network, the host computer and the printer are often separated from each other by a distance, and there is a problem that it takes time for the operator to go to the printer.

A method of enlarging the screen of the operation panel to make it easier to see is also conceivable, but this has a problem that it becomes very expensive.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is directed to an output device such as a printer that generates output information based on input information input from an information processing device such as a host computer and outputs the output information. The purpose is to output internal information (for example, each state of the output device, setting status of various items, and print samples of usable fonts) to the information processing device and display it on a display such as a CRT on the information processing device. And

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an output device of the present invention has the following structure. That is, a determination method for determining whether or not the information input from the outside is output instruction information, which is an output method in an output device that generates and outputs output information based on input information input from an information processing apparatus. The information processing device having the same output form as outputting the internal information in the output device to the information processing device and outputting the internal information in the output device according to the determination result in the determination step. And an output control step of displaying and outputting the internal information on the display.

[0008]

In such a configuration, it is determined whether the information input from the outside is output instruction information, and the internal information in the output device is output to the information processing device in accordance with the result of the determination to output the internal information. The internal information is displayed and output on the display unit of the information processing device in the same output form as that output by the output device.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the configuration of this embodiment, the configurations of a laser beam printer and an inkjet printer suitable for applying this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Needless to say, the printer to which the present embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer and the inkjet printer, and may be a printer of another printing method.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, a case of a laser beam printer (LBP).

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 character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created in accordance with the above, and an image is formed on a recording medium such as recording paper.
Reference numeral 1501 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED indicators are arranged, and 1000 is an LBP main body 15
00 is a printer control unit for controlling the whole and analyzing 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 circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1503, and switches on / off the laser light 1504 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1503 according to the input video signal. The laser light 1504 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotary 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 LBP15.
The paper is stored in a paper cassette 1508 mounted on paper No. 00, is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 1509, a conveyance roller 1510, and a conveyance roller 1511, and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1506. Further, the LBP main body 1500 is provided with at least one or more card slots (not shown), and in addition to the built-in font, an optional font card,
Control cards with different languages (emulation cards)
Are configured to be connected.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, the case of an ink jet recording device (IJRA).

In the figure, a spiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 that rotates via driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in association with forward and reverse rotations of a drive motor 5013.
The carriage HC that engages with is a pin (not shown)
And is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An inkjet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. A paper pressing plate 5002 presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction. 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 indicates a cap member 5022 that caps the entire surface of the recording head, and 5015 is a suction unit that sucks the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head through the opening 5023 in the cap. 5017 is a cleaning blade, which is a member 5
019 enables movement in the front-back direction. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate that supports the above 5017 and 5019. Fifty
Reference numeral 12 is 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 driving motor is movement-controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured such that when the carriage comes to the home position side area, desired processing can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005. It suffices if it is configured so as to perform the desired operation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the control configuration of the second output device shown in FIG.

In the figure, 1700 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, 1701 is an MPU, 1702 is a ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701 and host print information, and 1703 is a DRAM for storing various data (the above-mentioned recording signal and The recording data supplied to the head) is saved. A gate array 1704 controls the supply of output data to the recording head 1708, and includes an interface 1700, an MPU 1701, and a DRAM 17.
It also controls the transfer of data between 03. 1710 is a carrier motor for carrying the recording head 1708;
Reference numeral 09 denotes a conveyance motor for conveying recording paper, 1705 denotes a head driver for driving the recording head, 1706 denotes a motor driver for driving the conveyance motor 1709, 17
A motor driver 07 drives the carrier motor 1710.

When input information is input from the host computer 100, which will be described later, through the interface 1700 in the above-configured output device, the input information is output between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701 for printing. Is converted to. Then, the motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are driven, and the recording head is driven according to the output information sent to the head driver 1705 to execute printing.

The MPU 1701 is an interface 1
Communication processing with the host computer 100, which will be described later, is possible via 700, and each state of memory information and interface regarding the DRAM 1703, setting status of various items, print samples of fonts usable in the output device, and the like will be described later. The host computer 100 is configured to be notified.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the printer control system showing the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example. As long as the functions of the present invention are executed, the present invention can be applied to a single device, a system including a plurality of devices, or a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN. It goes without saying that the invention can be applied.

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.
An information processing device 2 including a host computer unit 3, a display unit 4 and the like connected via a printer 1500 and a bidirectional interface 100 as shown in FIG.
FIG. 1 is a system block configuration diagram of a printer engine 1500 that generates output information based on input information (composed of a character code, a control code, etc.) input from the information processing apparatus 2 through the bidirectional interface 100. 11, a printer control unit 1000 for outputting to the information processing apparatus 2 and a printer engine 11. The printer control unit 1000 is composed of a CPU (not shown), a RAM used as a work memory for storing various data, a ROM for storing a control program shown in a flowchart of FIG. Two
Is an information processing apparatus such as a host computer including the host computer unit 3 and the display unit 4. 5 is
A command from the host computer unit 3 having a pointing device such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown) or a test print (soft test print) to the display unit 4 or a test to the printer engine 11 from the operation unit 1501 of the output device 1500. The command interpreter unit 5 is a command interpreter unit that determines whether or not output instruction information for instructing printing (hard test print) is input. Causes each state and each setting item of the printer 1500 stored in the printer state setting item register 6 including a ROM to be output to the test print generating unit 7, and the test print font is stored in the font memory 9 in the font generating unit 8. Down to RAM (not shown) Is output to the test print generation unit 7 and over de. The above-mentioned 7 generates a bitmap image according to the format for test print based on each state of the printer input from the printer state setting item register 6, each setting item and the test print font input from the font generation unit 8. This is a test print generation unit (develops into a bitmap image). Reference numeral 10 denotes a host computer unit 3 via the command interpreter unit 5.
Output information (bit map data for test print) generated by the test print generation unit 7 on the basis of a command (soft test print instruction information) input from the printer 1500 or a soft test print instruction information input from the operation unit 1501 of the printer 1500. ) Bidirectional interface 10
The output control unit outputs the test print result to the host computer unit 3 via 0 and displays the test print result on the display unit 4 (performs the soft test print process). Further, the output control unit 10 converts the command (hard test print instruction information) input from the host computer unit 3 via the command interpreter unit 5 or the hard test print instruction information input from the operation unit 1501 of the printer 1500. Based on this, the output information (bitmap data for test print) generated by the test print generating unit 7 is output to the printer engine 11 (hard test print processing is performed). The printer engine 11 that receives the bitmap data for test print is the printer engine 11
After converting into a video signal according to the synchronizing signal of, a hard test print as a hard copy is output. The bidirectional interface 100 is a printer 150.
0 and the host computer unit 3 are interface cables configured by bi-directional Centronics or SCSI, and data is transferred between the printer 1500 and the host computer unit 3 according to each communication protocol.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure of the present invention. The control program of the CPU shown in this flow chart is a ROM (not shown) in the printer control unit 1000 or an external storage medium (for example, HDD, I).
C card).

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, a CPU (not shown)
Determines whether the instruction information is input from the operation unit 1501 of the printer 1500 or the host computer unit 3 via the bidirectional interface 100 (step S1), and the instruction information outputs a test print output command. It is determined whether or not the information is the instruction (step S
2). When it is determined that the input instruction information is not the test print output instruction, the processing routine is executed according to the input instruction information (command) (step S
4) and end. When it is determined in step S2 that the input instruction information is a test print output instruction, the CPU (not shown) further determines whether the test print output instruction is a soft test print instruction (step S3). , If it is a soft test print instruction,
Set the soft test print process (step S5),
If it is not a soft test print command, a hard test print process is set (step S6). When the soft test print processing is set, the command interpreter unit 5 sets and outputs the soft test print processing instruction information (for example, H signal) to the output control unit 10.
When the hard test print process is set, the command interpreter unit 5 sets and outputs the hard test print process instruction information (for example, L signal) to the output control unit 10. Then, the CPU (not shown) stores the printer status setting items (for example, 4 in FIG. 8) stored in the printer status setting item register 6 according to the setting of the test print processing.
(Information indicated by 1, 42, 43) is read into a RAM (not shown) (step S7), a font for test print is downloaded from the font memory 9 to a RAM (not shown) (step S8), and the downloaded font is used. The test print generation unit 7 develops the test print form into a bitmap together with the test print form (step S9), and the developed bitmap data is output to the output control unit 10 (step S10). Then, it is determined whether or not the soft test print process is set (step S1).
1) If soft test print processing is set, the generated bitmap data is output to the host computer unit 3 via the bidirectional interface 100 (step S12), and the test print result is displayed on the display unit 4. Then, the process ends. On the other hand, when the hard test print processing is set, the generated bitmap data is output to the printer engine 11 (step S13), the test print as a hard copy is output, and the processing is ended.

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the printer status setting item register 6 and the test print generating section 7 and its surroundings.

The printer status setting item register 6 is shown in FIG.
41, a setting item register 6a for storing each setting item such as layout, font, interface, etc.
8, a controller status item register 6b for storing the controller status such as the total RAM capacity and the type of built-in font, as shown at 42 in FIG. It is composed of three types of registers, an engine status item register 6c for storing the engine status. Here, the controller is hardware or software that performs PDL interpretation, data editing, interface control, etc. for the printer engine, which is mainly an electrophotographic part. When a power switch (not shown) of the printer is turned on, each registered printer setting item is read from the NVRAM 21 and stored in the setting item register 6a. Further, the controller state detection unit 23 detects each state of the controller and stores each state of the controller in the controller state item register 6b. Further, when the printer engine 11 enters the standby state, the engine state detection unit 24 detects each state of the printer engine 11 and stores each state of the printer engine 11 in the engine state item register 6c. The printer status setting item register 6 monitors each status of the controller and the printer engine 11 at regular intervals.
When each state changes, each register is updated. The operation panel 1501 can set each setting item of the printer, and when each setting item of the printer is changed by the operation panel 1501, the contents of the setting item register 6a are rewritten. Also, each setting item of the printer can be set from the host computer unit 3, and when a command for changing each setting item of the printer is received from the host computer unit 3, the command interpreter unit 5 sends the command. After the interpretation, the contents of the setting item register 6a are rewritten. When a soft test print output command is input from the host computer unit 3, the command interpreter 5 interprets the soft test print output command and outputs, for example, an "H" signal to the test print control unit 7a. When the test print control unit 7a inputs the "H" signal from the command interpreter unit 5, the printer state setting item register 6 is transferred from the printer state setting item register 6 to the printer state setting item register 6 stored in the data conversion unit 7b. Is output, and a font generation command for test print is output to the font generation unit 8. FIG. 7 shows the data conversion unit 7b
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing “page orientation” in a data conversion table built in the computer, in which a code representing a setting item stored in a setting item register 6a is code data, and text data corresponding to the code data is character. It is stored in each column data. The code data input from the setting item register 6a refers to this data conversion table, and outputs the corresponding character string data to the bitmap image developing unit 7c. The font generation unit 8 which has input the test print font generation command downloads the test print font from the font memory 9 and outputs it to the bitmap image development unit 7c. Printer status,
Each setting item and test print font are expanded by the bitmap image expansion unit 7c into a bitmap image according to the format for test print, and output to the output control unit 10.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an output result of the test print output on the printer engine 11 or the display 4.

Reference numeral 41 represents each setting item such as layout, font, interface, and the like, 42 represents the total RAM capacity,
Shows the controller status such as the type of built-in font.
Reference numeral 3 represents an engine state such as the remaining amount of toner and the type of paper feed cassette, and 44 represents a font sample.

When the output result of the test print as shown in FIG. 8 is printed out by the printer engine 11 or displayed on the display 4, it is stored in the font memory 9 of the printer unit 1 or an external storage medium. It is desirable that the test print font and the test print font stored in the memory in the host computer unit 3 or the external storage medium are the same, but if the same font does not exist, it is most similar. It is also possible to substitute a type of font or the like.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 9 is a system block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. Blocks having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. .

In the second embodiment, the printer unit develops a bitmap image in the first embodiment, whereas the host computer unit 3 develops a bitmap image.

From the host computer section 3 or the operation section 1
The test print output command from the printer 501 is input to the command interpreter unit 5 of the printer control unit 1000, and when it is determined that the command is a soft test print output command, the test print generation unit 7 causes the printer status setting item register 6 described above. Reads each printer status and each setting item stored in. Each state and each setting item of the printer are converted into code data according to the format for the test print by the test print generation unit 7, and output from the output control unit 10 to the host computer unit 3 via the bidirectional interface 100. . Although not shown in the flowchart, the above-described processing is executed by the CPU (not shown) based on the control program stored in the ROM (not shown) as described in the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure of the host computer unit 3 in FIG. 9, and the control program of the CPU (not shown) shown in this flow chart is a ROM (not shown) in the host computer unit 3.
Alternatively, it is stored in an external storage medium (for example, FD, HDD, etc.).

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. First, a CPU (not shown)
The printer 1 via the bidirectional interface 100
If it is the test print code data, it is determined whether the data is input from 500 (step S101). When the data is input, it is determined whether the data is the test print code data described above (step S102). Advances to step S103, and if not, the processing routine is executed according to the input data (step S104), and the processing ends. Step S102
When it is determined that the code data is the test print code data, the data is sent to the bitmap image developing unit 52, and the font generation unit 53 outputs a test print font generation command. In accordance with the test print font generation command from the font generation unit 53, the test print font is downloaded from the font memory 54 to a RAM (not shown) or the like (step S103). Then, each state of the printer, each setting item, and the downloaded test print font are displayed in the bitmap image developing unit 52.
The image is developed into a bitmap image according to the format for test print at, and the host computer section 3 again.
(Step S105), the host computer unit 3 outputs the input test print bitmap data to the display 4 (step S106), and displays the test print result as shown in FIG. To finish. The hard test print is the same as that in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

When the output result of the test print as shown in FIG. 8 is printed out by the printer engine 11 or displayed on the display 4, it is stored in the font memory 9 of the printer unit 1 or an external storage medium. It is desirable that the test print font and the test print font stored in the memory in the host computer unit 3 or the external storage medium are the same, but if the same font does not exist, it is most similar. It is also possible to substitute a type of font or the like.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 11 is a system block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. Blocks having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. . The third embodiment has the function of compressing and expanding the test print bitmap memory in the configuration of the first embodiment.

From the host computer section 3 or the operation section 1
When a test print output command is input from the 501 to the command interpreter 5 of the printer control unit 1000 and is interpreted as a soft test print output command,
For example, an H signal is output to each of the test print generation unit 7 and the output control unit 10 to set the soft test print process. When the test print generation unit 7 receives the H signal from the command interpreter 5, it reads each printer state and each setting item stored in the printer state setting item register 6, and issues a font generation command for test print to the font generation unit 8. Output. The font generation unit 8 having received the test print font generation command downloads the test print font from the font memory 9 and outputs it to the test print generation unit 7. Each state of the printer, each setting item, and the test print font are developed by the test print generation unit 7 into a bitmap image according to the format for the test print, and the output control unit 1
It is output to 0. Up to this point, the procedure is the same as in Example 1, but
The following are different.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure inside the printer control unit 1000 in FIG. 11, and C (not shown) shown in the flow chart of FIG.
The control program of the PU is stored in a ROM (not shown) or an external storage medium (for example, FD, HDD, IC card, etc.).

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. The CPU (not shown) determines whether or not the test print bitmap data is input by the output control unit 10 (step S201), and outputs the input test print bitmap data to the compression unit 61 (step S202). . In the compression unit 61,
For example, the test print bitmap data is compressed by a well-known compression method such as run length encoding (step S203), and the bidirectional Centronics or S
The data is output to the decompression unit 62 of the host computer 2 via the bidirectional interface 100 such as CSI (step S204), and the process ends.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure inside the host computer section 3 in FIG. 11. The control program of the CPU (not shown) shown in this flow chart is a ROM or an external storage medium (for example, not shown). , FD, HDD, etc.).

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The CPU (not shown) determines whether data is input from the printer 1500 via the bidirectional interface 100 (step S301), and determines whether the input data is test print data (step S3).
02) If it is test print data, go to step S303. If it is not test print data, a processing routine according to the data is executed (step S30).
4), the process ends. If it is determined in step S302 that the data is test print data, the decompression unit 62 decompresses the compressed and input test print bitmap data to the original data before compression (step S303). The test print bitmap data is output to the display 4 (step S305), the test print result is displayed on the display 4, and the process ends.

In this embodiment, the case where the decompression unit 62 is configured by software has been described, but the decompression unit 62 is not limited to this and can be implemented by hardware on the host computer 3.

When the output result of the test print as shown in FIG. 8 is printed out by the printer engine 11 or displayed on the display 4, it is stored in the font memory 9 of the printer unit 1 or an external storage medium. It is desirable that the test print font and the test print font stored in the memory in the host computer unit 3 or the external storage medium are the same, but if the same font does not exist, it is most similar. It is also possible to substitute a type of font or the like.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 14 is a system block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Blocks having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. .

The present embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the contents of the printer status setting item register 6 are monitored.
A structure for holding data for soft print test is provided.

Host computer unit 3 or operation unit 150
When the test print output command from 1 is input to the command interpreter 5 in the printer control unit 1000, it is determined whether or not the command is a soft test print output command, and the test print generation unit 7 and the output control unit 10 respectively receive, for example, The H signal is output to set the soft test print process. When the test print generator 7 receives the "H" signal from the command interpreter 5, it inputs the printer status and each setting item stored in the printer status setting item register 6 as described above, and the font generating unit 8
The test print font generation command is output to. The font generation unit 8 having received the test print font generation command downloads the test print font from the font memory 9 and outputs it to the test print generation unit 7.
Each state of the printer, each setting item, and the test print font are developed by the test print generation unit 7 into a bitmap image according to the format for the test print, and output to the output control unit 10. Upon receiving the H signal from the command interpreter 5, the output control unit 10 receiving the test print bitmap data outputs the input test print bitmap data to the host computer unit 3 of the host computer 2. The host computer 3 outputs the input test print bitmap data to the display 4, and the display 4
Display the test print result on the top. The process up to this point is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the following is different.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure of the host computer section 3 in FIG.
The control program of the CPU (not shown) shown in this flowchart is a ROM or an external storage medium (for example, F
D, HDD, etc.).

Based on the flow chart shown in FIG.
This embodiment will be described in detail.

It is judged whether or not a soft test print output command is input (step S401). If it is a soft test print output command, the process proceeds to step S402.
If it is not the soft test print output command, the processing routine according to the command is executed (step S403), and the process is terminated. The host computer unit 3 judges whether the output from the printer status setting item monitoring unit 71 is an L signal,
In the case of the L signal, the process proceeds to step S404, and in the case of the H signal, the printer 15 according to the series of test print generation processing routines described in the first embodiment (step S405).
Enter test print data from 00 (step S
406), the test print data is displayed on the display 4 via the host computer unit 3 (step S406). Further, the test print data is stored in the test print memory 72 (step S40).
7), the process ends. Printer status setting item monitoring unit 7
1 monitors the contents of the printer status setting item register 6 in the printer control unit 1000 at regular intervals. When the contents of the printer status setting item register 6 are updated, an H signal is output to the host computer unit 3. , L signal is output when not updated. When the power of the host computer section 3 is turned on, the output from the printer status setting item monitoring section 71 becomes an L signal. Step S
In 402, the output from the printer status setting monitoring unit 71 is L
In the case of a signal, the host computer unit 3 reads the test print data from the test print memory 72 (step S404), outputs the test print data to the display 4 via the host computer unit 3 (step S408), The process ends.

When the output result of the test print as shown in FIG. 8 is printed out by the printer engine 11 or displayed on the display 4, it is stored in the font memory 9 of the printer unit 1 or an external storage medium. It is desirable that the test print font and the test print font stored in the memory in the host computer unit 3 or the external storage medium are the same, but if the same font does not exist, it is most similar. It is also possible to substitute a type of font or the like.

The test print memory 72 may be the main memory of the host computer section 3 or a hard disk connected to the host computer 3.

Further, although the case where the printer state setting item monitoring unit 71 is configured by software has been described, the printer state setting item monitoring unit 71 may be realized by hardware on the host computer 3 or by the printer 1500 side. It is also possible to make it.

The first to fourth embodiments are not limited to this, and in the configuration of the second embodiment, the configuration for monitoring the contents of the printer status setting item register 6 of the fourth embodiment and the soft print test data are held. It is also possible to provide the composition which makes it possible, and to combine various embodiments. Furthermore, it is possible to have both the compression / expansion unit of the third embodiment and the configuration of the fourth embodiment.

Although the configuration of each of the above-described embodiments has been described with software, it may be configured with hardware or prepared, or configured with hardware and software.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An output form in which it is determined whether the information input from the outside is output instruction information, and the internal information in the output device is output to the information processing device and the internal information is output by the output device according to the result of the determination. In the same form as described above, by displaying and outputting the internal information on the display unit of the information processing device, there is an excellent effect that the internal information of the output device can be recognized on the information processing device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of a second output device shown in FIG.

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

5 is a flowchart for specifically explaining the operation of the printer control unit shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing a specific configuration of the printer control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a data conversion table built in a data conversion unit 7b.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a test print result output from the printer engine 11 or the display 4.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a flowchart for specifically explaining the operation of the host computer unit 3 shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for specifically explaining the operation of the printer control unit shown in FIG.

13 is a flowchart for specifically explaining the operation of the host computer unit 3 shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a flowchart for specifically explaining the operation of the host computer unit 3 shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 information processing device 3 host computer unit 4 display 5 command interpreter unit 6 printer status setting item register 7 test print generation unit 8 font generation unit 9 font memory 10 output control unit 11 printer engine 100 bidirectional interface 1000 printer control unit 1500 printer 1501 Operation part

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An output method in an output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing device, wherein it is determined whether the information input from the outside is output instruction information. In the same form as the output form of outputting the internal information in the output device to the information processing device according to the determination process and the determination result in the determination process, and outputting the internal information in the output device, An output control step of displaying and outputting the internal information on a display device of an information processing apparatus. 2. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output instruction information indicates a test print of the internal information. 3. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information indicates a status and a setting status of the output device. 4. The internal information is printed out by the output device when the output instruction information indicates to output the internal information by the output device. The output method described in 1. 5. The output result of the internal information printed and output by the output output device and the output result of the internal information displayed and output by the display of the information processing device are the same. The output method described. 6. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information output to the information processing device is compressed and output by the output device. 7. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the internal information input to the information processing apparatus is decompressed by the information processing apparatus and displayed and output. 8. The internal information input to the information processing apparatus is stored in a storage unit in the information processing apparatus, and if the internal information is changed, the changed internal information is stored in the information processing apparatus. 2. The output method according to claim 1, wherein the output is stored in the storage means.