JPH07295896A - Peripheral equipment and information processing system using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the abnormal operation of peripheral equipment, and to protect normal data by reporting the occurrence of a communication error to a host computer from the peripheral equipment. CONSTITUTION:When the communication error is detected in receive data by the communication error detecting means 114 of the peripheral equipment 110, after executing processing required for the suspension of usual processing by a usual processing suspending means 117, an error information message is outputted by an error message output means 118. Further, the state of a communication condition setting means 111 is outputted by a communication condition message output means 119. Besides, when the communication error is detected in the receive data by the communication error detecting means 114, the received data is converted into communication error occurrence report data by a data converting means 116, and it is transmitted to the host computer 100 by a data transmitting means 115. After that, after executing the processing required for resetting to the usual processing by a usual processing resetting means 124, the processing is reset to the usual processing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a peripheral device capable of bidirectional communication and connected to a host computer through an interface, and an information processing system using the peripheral device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional peripheral device, when a communication error occurs in received data, a process of reading and discarding only the data in which the communication error occurs is executed. Alternatively, the data in which a communication error has occurred is converted into specific data and stored in the reception memory, and the same processing as that of normal data is performed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the peripheral device executes internal processing by treating the data received by the communication task in which the communication error has occurred as abnormal data, but in the host computer, the communication error occurs in the peripheral device. However, there is a drawback that abnormal processing occurs because the processing is continued between the host computer and the peripheral device, even though the data is invalid, because it cannot detect that the error has occurred and continues to send data. It was In addition, even if the operator notices this state and stops the processing of the host computer, if a large amount of data remains in the reception data storage memory of the peripheral device, it is necessary to stop the operation of the peripheral device by turning off the power supply. However, there is also a drawback that the contents of the peripheral device operation specifications previously set by a command or the like are reset. Alternatively, even if the abnormal operation can be stopped without turning off the power, the received data after the occurrence of the communication error may happen to coincide with the control code of the peripheral device. In this case, since the setting contents of the peripheral device operation specifications are changed in the peripheral device internal processing, there is also a drawback that the peripheral device may not always be able to be used in the same state as before the occurrence of the communication error when the communication error is recovered.

The present invention has been made to solve such a drawback, and when a communication error occurs in a peripheral device, the host computer is notified of the occurrence of the communication error and the communication error data is processed as invalid data. The purpose is to protect normal data by allowing each device to return to the normal process after confirming the recovery of the communication error of the connection destination device.

[0005]

In the peripheral device of the present invention and the information processing system using the peripheral device, normal processing is stopped when the peripheral device detects a communication error, and an error information message and communication condition information ( It is characterized in that the operator is notified of the occurrence of a communication error and the communication conditions of the peripheral device by the output of the transfer rate, the bit length, the parity, etc.). Further, the peripheral device of the present invention is characterized in that at the same time, the peripheral device transmits specific data to the host computer. As a result, it can be confirmed that a communication error similar to that of the peripheral device has occurred in the host computer and a communication error has occurred in the peripheral device. By this transmission process of the specific data, even if the communication error does not occur in the host computer, it can be confirmed from the received data that the communication error has occurred in the peripheral device. As a result, the host computer can execute appropriate error processing immediately after the communication error occurs. Further, in the information processing system of the present invention, the peripheral device transmits the specific data when the communication error is detected in the received data after the occurrence of the communication error, and transmits the received data as it is when the received data is normal. On the other hand, the host computer executes the data transmission process and the data reception process after changing the communication conditions, and if the transmission data and the reception data match at this time, the communication error is recovered. Judge, send a return command to the peripheral device, and then return to normal processing,
The peripheral device is characterized by returning to the normal processing after outputting the operation setting information of the peripheral device upon receiving the return command.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The host computer 100 has communication condition setting means 101 for setting communication conditions such as data transfer rate, data length and parity, communication means 102 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the peripheral device 110, and a command for the peripheral device 110. Alternatively, a command / data transmitting means 103 for transmitting data, a data receiving means 104 for receiving data from the peripheral device 110, a communication error detecting means 105 for detecting a communication error of the received data, and a communication error detecting means. A communication error notifying unit 106 for notifying an operator of the occurrence of a communication error when a communication error is detected by 105 and a communication condition changing unit 107 for changing the setting contents of the communication condition setting unit 101.

On the other hand, the peripheral device 110 has a communication condition setting means 111 for setting communication conditions such as data transfer rate, data length and parity, and a communication means 11 for executing data transmission / reception.
Communication with the host computer 100 is performed by the configuration of 2. A command / data receiving means 113 receives a command or data from the host computer 100, and a communication error detecting means 114 detects a communication error in the received data. Communication error detecting means 11
When no communication error is detected in the received data in 4, the data processing by the data processing means 120 and the various command processing such as operation setting and mode setting by the command processing means 121 are executed. When the communication error detection unit 114 detects a communication error in the received data, the normal process canceling unit 117 executes a process required to cancel the normal process, and then the error message output unit 118 outputs an error information message. . Further, the communication condition message output means 119 outputs the state of the communication condition setting means 111. When the communication error detection means 114 detects a communication error in the received data, the data conversion means 116 converts the received data into communication error occurrence notification data and the data transmission means 115 causes the host computer 100.
Send to. If no communication error is detected in the received data by the communication error detecting means 114,
The received data is transmitted as it is to the host computer 100 by the data transmitting means 115. The process of transmitting the communication error occurrence notification data and the received data is continued until the return command is received. After that, when the return command from the host computer 100 is received, the return command processing means 122 executes the return processing and the operation setting message output means 123 executes the output processing of the operation setting information message such as the operation state and the mode. afterwards,
After the processing necessary for returning to the normal processing is executed by the normal processing returning processing 124, the processing is returned to the normal processing.

From FIG. 2 onward, an information processing system in which a printer and a host computer are connected will be described as an example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components that operate when data communication is normal.

Communication means 20 of host computer 200
Reference numeral 2 transmits the command prepared by the command transmitting means 203 to the printer 300 according to the communication condition set by the communication condition setting means 201 such as a DIP switch or a memory switch. Communication means 3 of the printer 300
Reference numeral 02 denotes a command / command from the host computer 200 according to the communication condition of the communication condition setting means 301.
The data is received by the data receiving means 303. After it is confirmed by the communication error detection means 304 that no communication error occurs in the received command, the command analysis means 305 executes command analysis, and the command processing means 306 executes command processing such as flag setting and memory operation. The command analysis means 305 and the command processing means 306
Is an example in which the command processing means 121 of FIG. 1 is substituted for the operation of the printer. In addition, the host computer 20
0 indicates the data prepared by the data transmission means 204 by the same means as in the command transmission processing.
Send to. The printer 300 receives the data by the same means as the command receiving process, and after confirming that the received data has no communication error, the data expanding means 307.
The received data is expanded into a memory by the data printing means 3
Printing is executed according to 08. The data expansion means 307
The data printing means 308 is an example in which the data processing means 120 of FIG. 1 is substituted for the operation of the printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing components operating when a communication error occurs. Here, an example will be described in which the communication error occurrence notification data to the host computer is <00H>.

The printer 300 confirms the error occurrence state of the data received from the host computer 200 by the command / data receiving means 303 and the communication error detecting means 304. The communication error detecting means 304 is means for detecting a parity error, a framing error, etc. of the received data, and usually the software of the printer 300 is set by a method such as setting a communication error flag when the CPU receives abnormal data. To notify. By checking the state of the communication error flag of the CPU, the software of the printer 300 can know whether a communication error has occurred in the received data. At this time, when it is determined that a communication error has occurred in the received data, after the saving processing of various data such as the printer setting flag and unprinted data necessary for executing the normal processing by the normal processing stopping unit 310, <00H> Data transmission means 31
3, the communication error occurrence notification data <00H> is transmitted to the host computer 200. Next, the error message printing unit 311 executes a printing process of an error information message that allows the operator to confirm the occurrence of a communication error, the type of error, and the like. Further, the communication condition message printing means 312 converts the state of the communication condition setting means 301 such as transfer rate, data length, parity, etc. into an information message which can be confirmed by the operator and prints it.

The host computer 200 receives the data from the printer 300 by the data receiving means 210. Next, the communication error detection means 211 executes the communication error detection processing of the received data. If the cause of the communication error is a mismatch in the communication conditions between the two devices, it is highly possible that the communication error detection means 211 has a communication error similar to the printer 300 in the received data. Even if no communication error has occurred in the received data, if it is confirmed that the received data is the communication error occurrence notification data <00H>, the host 300 can confirm that the communication error has occurred in the printer 300. The computer 200 can detect it.

When the host computer 200 detects the occurrence of a communication error, it stops the data transmission to the printer 300, and the communication error notifying means 212 causes the communication error and the communication condition setting means 201 such as the transfer speed, the data length and the parity. The process of prompting the operator to change the communication condition is executed by using a method of converting the state of (1) into an information message that can be confirmed by the operator and displaying the information message.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing components operating during communication error processing and error recovery processing. here,
Communication error occurrence notification data to the host computer <
An example will be described where 00H>.

When the operator confirms that a communication error has occurred, the operator compares the information message of the printer 300 printed by the communication condition message printing means 312 with the information message of the host computer 200 displayed by the communication error notification means 212. The communication condition changing unit 220 changes the communication condition by changing the state of the DIP switch or the memory switch relating to the communication condition of the host computer 200 so that the communication conditions of both sides match. The host computer 200 sets the communication condition changed by the communication condition changing unit 220 by the communication condition setting unit 201. Next, the data prepared by the data transmitting means 204 for confirming the recovery of the communication error is transmitted to the printer 300 according to the communication condition set by the communication condition setting means 201.

The printer 300 confirms whether or not a communication error has occurred in the received data, and if a communication error has occurred in the received data, the communication error occurrence notification data <00H> is sent to the host by the <00H> data transmission means 313. It is transmitted to the computer 200. On the other hand, if no communication error has occurred in the received data, it is confirmed by the return command confirmation means 321 whether or not it is a return command,
If the received data is not a return command, the received data transmitting means 320 transmits the received data as it is to the host computer 200.

The host computer 200 is the printer 3
The presence or absence of a communication error in the received data from 00 is repeated, and the communication condition change processing and setting processing and the communication error recovery confirmation data transmission processing and reception processing are repeated until the communication error disappears. The host computer 200 confirms that the communication error has been recovered by confirming the complete match between the transmitted data and the received data. After confirming the recovery of the communication error, a return command with a request is issued if the operation setting information of the printer 300 is required, and a return command without a request is issued if the operation setting information is not required.
21. The return command preparing means 221
The return command prepared by
Is transmitted to the printer 300.

The printer 300 has a return command confirmation means 3
When it is confirmed by 21 that the received command is the return command, the process returns to the normal process. In the restoration process, first, the setting information message printing unit 322 prints the contents of various flags and the memory status. The setting information transmission confirming unit 323 confirms the presence / absence of the operation setting information request of the return command. When the operation setting information request is made, the setting information transmitting unit 324 provides the host computer 200 with information such as various flag contents and memory states. Send to. After that, in the normal processing restoration processing 325, the restoration processing of the data saved by the normal processing canceling unit 310 is executed, and the printer 300 returns to the normal processing.

The host computer 200 receives the operation setting information from the printer 300 by the setting information receiving means 222 and returns to the normal processing.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a specific printer process by software. Here, the communication error occurrence notification data to the host computer is set to <00
H> and the return command as shown in Fig. 7 <ESC
An example of A n> will be described.

The printer executes a data receiving process from the host computer (step 500) and a communication error detecting process of the received data (step 501). If the received data is normal data in the communication error detection process (step 501), the process is terminated. On the other hand, if a communication error has occurred in the received data in the communication error detection process (step 501), after performing a process of saving data (step 502) necessary for normal processing such as flags and pointers, a communication error process is executed. Group 510
To start.

In the communication error processing group 510, the communication error occurrence notification data <00H> is transmitted (step 511) in order to notify the host computer that the communication error data was first received. Next, an error message print process (step 512) and a communication condition information message print process (step 513) are executed. The communication condition information printed in the communication condition information message printing process (step 513) indicates information on communication data specifications such as communication speed, bit length and parity.

Next, a data receiving process from the host computer (step 514) and a communication error detecting process of the received data (step 515) are executed. If a communication error has occurred in the received data in the communication error detection process (step 515), a communication error occurrence notification data <00H> transmission process (step 516) is executed, and the data reception process (step 514). Return to. On the other hand, if the received data is normal data in the communication error detection process (step 515), the return command detection process (step 517) is executed. At this time, if it is determined that the received data is not a return command,
The process of transmitting the received data to the host computer (step 518) is executed, and the process returns to the data receiving process (step 514). On the other hand, when it is determined that the received data is a return command in the return command detection process (step 517), the process moves to the return process group 520.

In the restoration processing group 520, the operation setting information printing processing (step 521) is first executed. The operation setting information to be printed in the operation setting information printing process (step 521) is information on the operation of the printer set by a command from the host computer such as print character attributes, character types, and memory setting contents. Next, a process of determining whether or not there is a request to send the operation setting information is executed (step 522). As shown in FIG. 7, there is a method of determining the presence or absence of this transmission request by dividing the return command into a command section 700 and an argument section 701 and judging it by the numerical value of the argument section 701. Specifically, it is a method of determining that there is no transmission request when n = 0 and determining that there is a transmission request when n = 1. When it is determined that there is a request in the transmission request presence / absence determination processing (step 522), the operation setting information transmission processing to the host computer (step 523) is executed. At the end of the operation setting information transmission process (step 523) or when it is determined that there is no request in the transmission request presence / absence determination process (step 522), the data saving process (step 502)
The process of restoring the data saved in step (524) is executed to return to the normal process.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the concrete processing of the host computer by software. Here, the communication error occurrence notification data from the printer is set to <0.
0H> and the return command is <ESC as shown in FIG.
An example will be described in which A n>, the communication error recovery determination counter is a, and continuous 10-byte data is normal as a condition for communication error recovery.

The host computer executes the data transmission process to the printer (step 600). Next, a process for checking the presence / absence of data received from the printer (step 601) is executed. Confirmation process for the presence or absence of the received data (step 6)
If there is no received data in 01), the process ends. On the other hand, confirmation processing of the presence or absence of the received data (step 601)
If there is received data, the data receiving process (step 602) and the communication error detecting process of the received data (step 603) are executed. If a communication error has occurred in the received data in the communication error detection processing (step 603), the communication error processing group 610 is started. On the other hand, the communication error detection process (step 60)
If the received data is normal data in 3), the communication error occurrence notification data <00H> is detected (step 604). If the received data is not the communication error occurrence notification data <00H>, the process is ended. On the other hand, when the received data is the communication error occurrence notification data <00H>, the communication error processing group 6
Start 10.

In the communication error processing group 610, communication condition confirmation and change processing (step 611) is first executed,
The communication conditions of the printer printed in the communication condition message printing process (step 512) are matched. Next, initialization processing of the communication error recovery determination counter (step 61
Perform 2). This counter counts the number of normal data, and confirms that the communication error has been recovered by executing communication error recovery confirmation for a plurality of data.

Next, a communication error recovery confirmation data transmission process to the printer (step 613), a data reception process from the printer (step 614) and a communication error detection process of the received data (step 615) are executed. If a communication error has occurred in the received data in the communication error detection process (step 615), the process returns to the communication condition confirmation and change process (step 611). On the other hand, if the received data is normal data in the communication error detection processing (step 615), the communication error occurrence notification data <00H> detection processing (step 616) of the received data is executed. If the received data is the communication error occurrence notification data <00H>, the process returns to the communication condition confirmation and change process (step 611).
On the other hand, the received data is communication error occurrence notification data <0.
If it is not 0H>, the counter update processing (step 617) is executed. The above series of communication error processing is continued until the counter ends in the counter end detection processing (step 618). On the other hand, when the counter end is detected in the counter end detection process (step 618), it is determined that the communication error is recovered, and the process proceeds to the recovery process group 620.

In the restoration processing group 620, a restoration command is first determined by the processing for judging the presence / absence of a printer operation setting information request (step 621). When the operation setting information is not required by the determination process (step 621), the process is terminated after executing the unrequested return command transmission process (step 622) in which the argument part 701 of the return command is n = 0. Return to processing. On the other hand, if the operation setting information is required by the determination process (step 621), the return command transmission process with a request (step 623) in which the argument portion 701 of the return command is set to n = 1 and the operation setting from the printer After the information receiving process (step 624) is executed, the process is terminated and the process returns to the normal process.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a printer has been described as an example of the peripheral device, but in the case of an output device such as a display, the same control can be performed by replacing the printing process in the printer with the screen display process. .

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the peripheral device notifies the host computer of the occurrence of the communication error when the communication error occurs, and the host computer detects this state and stops the data transmission. By executing the communication error handling process, there is no data that becomes invalid in the communication process, it is possible to prevent the abnormal operation of the peripheral device and protect the memory contents of the peripheral device and the normal data received before the communication error occurs. effective. Also,
By outputting the occurrence of a communication error and the communication condition to the operator, the operator can grasp the state of the peripheral device without a manual or specifications. Further, when the peripheral device is an output device such as a printer, there is an effect that the continuous erroneous printing operation due to the abnormal data is eliminated and the paper can be saved.

Further, according to the present invention, the host computer can confirm the recovery of the communication error between the two devices by comparing the data transmitted to the peripheral device with the data received from the peripheral device, and normally process the peripheral device by the return command. By returning to the above, it is possible to protect the data of the peripheral device under the control of the host computer, and it is possible to recover from the communication error. Furthermore, by outputting the operation setting information of the peripheral device to the operator when the communication error is recovered and transmitting it to the host computer, the state of the peripheral device when the communication error is recovered can be grasped.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing components that operate when data communication is normal in an information processing system of a host computer and a printer as an example of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing components that operate when a data communication error occurs in an information processing system of a host computer and a printer, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing components that operate during communication error processing and error recovery processing in an information processing system of a host computer and a printer that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing of a printer which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of a host computer used in an embodiment of the information processing system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a return command of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 100 host computer 101 communication condition setting means for host computer 102 communication means for host computer 103 command / data transmitting means for host computer 104 data receiving means for host computer 105 communication error detecting means for host computer 106 communication error notifying means for host computer 107 Host computer communication condition changing unit 110 Peripheral device 111 Peripheral device communication condition setting unit 112 Peripheral device communication unit 113 Peripheral device command / data receiving unit 114 Peripheral device communication error detecting unit 115 Peripheral device data transmitting unit 116 Peripheral device Data conversion means for communication error occurrence notification data of device 117 Normal processing stopping means of peripheral device 118 Error message output means of peripheral device 119 Communication of peripheral device Condition message output unit 120 Peripheral device data processing unit 121 Peripheral device command processing unit 122 Peripheral device return command processing unit 123 Peripheral device operation setting message output unit 124 Peripheral device normal processing recovery unit 200 Host computer 201 Host computer 201 Communication condition setting means 202 Host computer communication means 203 Host computer command transmitting means 204 Host computer data transmitting means 210 Host computer data receiving means 211 Host computer communication error detecting means 212 Host computer communication error notifying means 220 Host computer Communication condition changing means 221 Host computer return command preparing means 222 Host computer setting information receiving means 300 301 printer communication condition setting means 302 printer communication means 303 printer command / data receiving means 304 printer communication error detecting means 305 printer command analyzing means 306 printer command processing means 307 printer data expanding means 308 printer data Printing means 310 Printer normal processing stopping means 311 Printer error message printing means 312 Printer communication condition message printing means 313 Printer <00H> data transmission means 320 Printer received data transmission means 321 Printer return command confirmation means 322 Printer Setting information message printing means 323 Setting information transmission confirmation means for printer 324 Setting information transmission means for printer 701 Command section of example of return command 702 Return command Examples of argument section

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A means for setting conditions relating to communication with a host computer, a means for receiving data from the host computer, a means for detecting a communication error in the data, a means for outputting a message, and a means for outputting to the host computer. A peripheral device having a means for transmitting data, wherein when a communication error is detected, the peripheral device has means for notifying the host computer by transmitting predetermined data. 2. The peripheral device according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting the data received after the occurrence of the communication error to the host computer when the communication error is not detected in the data received after the occurrence of the communication error. And peripheral devices. 3. The peripheral device according to claim 1, further comprising means for stopping normal processing when a communication error occurs and outputting a communication error occurrence message. 4. The peripheral device according to claim 3, wherein the message indicating that the communication error has occurred includes setting information regarding communication conditions of the peripheral device. 5. The peripheral device according to claim 2, further comprising means for outputting current operation setting information of the peripheral device and returning to normal processing when a return command is received after a communication error occurs. Peripheral device characterized by. 6. In an information processing system in which a host computer and a peripheral device are connected by at least one or more data receiving lines and at least one or more data transmitting lines, if the peripheral device detects a communication error, the peripheral device detects the communication error. 6. The information processing system using a peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein the host computer is notified by transmitting predetermined data that a communication error has occurred. 7. The information processing system according to claim 6,
When the data received after the communication error occurs is normal data, the host computer is notified that the communication error does not occur in the peripheral device by directly transmitting the data to the host computer. An information processing system using the peripheral device according to any one of claims 2 to 5. 8. The information processing system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the host computer compares the transmission data to the peripheral device with the reception data from the peripheral device after detecting the occurrence of the communication error. 6. An information processing system using the peripheral device according to claim 2, further comprising a means for detecting that the above state has been resolved. 9. The information processing system according to claim 6, wherein after confirming that the communication state has been restored to normal while the communication error process is being executed, the peripheral device is normally sent by sending a return command to the peripheral device. The information processing system using the peripheral device according to claim 2, wherein the processing is returned to the processing.