JPH0764739A - Printing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently execute a printing output by preventing a load concentration of a specific printer. CONSTITUTION:This printer controller is used in the case plural printers 8, 9, 11, etc., are shared and utilized by plural computers 1, 2, etc. This printing controller is provided with a printing request, etc., input means 3 for inputting a printing request and printing data from the computers 1, 2, a printing data storage means 5 for storing the printing data of the computers 1, 2 inputted by the printing request, etc., input means 3, a printer control means 7 for inputting a printing state from the printers 8, 9 and 10, and a printing state, etc., storage means 4 for storing the printing request of the computers 1, 2 inputted by the printing request, etc., input means 3 and the printing state of the printers 8, 9 and 10 inputted by the printer control means 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control device in a system in which a plurality of printing devices are shared by a plurality of computers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in response to a print request from a computer, a printer connected to the computer outputs the print request. If the printing device is in use, wait until it becomes available, or if it is urgent, stop the output and prioritize the urgent output request. When outputting to a printing device connected to another computer, transfer the print data to that computer using a storage medium such as a magnetic tape or a communication line so that the output from the printing device you want to output can be performed. To do. Further, when a failure occurs in the printing device, the output is changed to another printing device connected to the computer, or the output data is transferred to another computer and output as described above.

[0003]

Conventionally, even though a plurality of printing apparatuses and a plurality of computers are used, each printing apparatus is connected to each specific computer.
Therefore, when a large number of print requests from a particular computer occur, output processing concentrates on the printer connected to that computer, and the printers connected to other computers are said to be unused. There was a problem of being very inefficient.

Also, when a failure occurs in the printing apparatus,
The output processing of the connected computer is affected,
There is a problem in that the output of other printing devices cannot be changed easily, and the efficiency of print output deteriorates.

Further, when the special paper used in the printing apparatus is frequently changed, there is a problem that the paper is frequently exchanged and the work becomes complicated.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the concentration of load on a specific printing apparatus to improve the efficiency of print output.

[0007]

A print control apparatus according to the present invention is made to achieve the above object.
A print control device when a plurality of computers share a plurality of printing devices. A print request input unit for inputting a print request and print data from the plurality of computers; a print data storage unit for storing print data of the plurality of computers input by the print request input unit; Printing device control means for inputting the printing status from the printing device, printing requests of the plurality of computers input by the printing request input means, and printing statuses of the plurality of printing devices input by the printing device control means And a print status storage unit for storing the print status storage unit, and the printing device control unit has the least load among the plurality of printing devices based on the contents of the print status storage unit and the print data storage unit. It is characterized in that the printing device is made to preferentially perform the printing process.

[0008]

The print request and print data are input to the print request input means from a plurality of computers. The print data input by the print request input unit is stored in the print data storage unit. On the other hand, the printing status is input to the printing device control unit from a plurality of printing devices. Further, the print status storage means stores the print request input by the print request input means and the print status input by the printing device control means. Here, the printing device control means causes the printing device with the least load among the plurality of printing devices to preferentially perform the printing process based on the contents of the printing status storage device and the print data storage device. As a result, the print processing is controlled so that the load is not concentrated on any of the plurality of printing devices.

[0009]

1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a print control apparatus according to the present invention. The present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The print control apparatus according to the present invention is a print control apparatus when a plurality of computers 1, 2, etc. share and use a plurality of printing apparatuses 8, 9, 10, etc. Then, a print request input unit 3 for inputting print requests and print data from the computers 1 and 2, a print data storage unit 5 storing print data of the computers 1 and 2 input by the print request input unit 3, The printing device control means 7 for inputting the printing status from the printing devices 8, 9, 10 and the printing request for the computers 1 and 2 input by the printing request inputting means 3 and the printing device 8 input by the printing device control means 7. , 9 and 10 are included in the print status storage unit 4 for storing the print status.

The printing device control means 7 preferentially prints the printing device with the least load among the printing devices 8, 9 and 10 based on the contents of the printing status storage device 4 and the print data storage device 5. The printers 8, 9,
The print processing is controlled so that the load is not concentrated on any one of the ten.

Next, the operation of the print control apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

For example, when a print request occurs, the computer 1 notifies the print request input means 3 of the print request and transfers the print data together with the group priority. The print request input unit 3 registers the received print request in the print status storage unit 4 and outputs the print data to the print data storage unit 5. The printing device control means 7 refers to the printing request registered in the printing status storage device 4, examines the priority and the usage status of the printing devices 8, 9 and 10, and controls so as to output efficiently. To do. Further, the printing apparatus control unit 7 registers the printing status in the printing status storage unit 4, and prints a print request for which printing has been completed by issuing a completion notification via the print request input unit 3 as necessary. Is notified to the computer 1 that requested the request. The monitoring console 6 dynamically performs the print execution status.

When an urgent print request is issued by the computer 2, the print request input means 3 receives the print request and outputs the print request and print data to the print status storage means 4 and the print data storage means, respectively. 5, and the printer control means 7 is notified. Upon receiving the notification, the printing device control means 7 receives the printing device 8,
As soon as 9 and 10 become empty, an urgent print request is executed. Further, when an emergency output is performed after a normal print request is registered in the print status storage unit 4 and the print data storage unit 5, or when an arbitrary print request being processed is interrupted and an emergency output is performed, the operation is performed. Staff monitor console 6
By inputting a command, the output is changed and the emergency output is processed.

Further, for example, when the printing device 8 becomes unusable due to a failure or the like, the printing device control means 7 sends the print request being output to the printing device 8 to the other printing devices 9 and 10.
The printing status storage means 4 is changed so as to perform printing to and the monitoring console 6 is notified. When the monitoring console 6 receives the notification, the monitoring console 6 displays the situation on the screen together with the alarm, and calls the operator's attention. After that, when the cause is removed and the printing device 8 becomes usable, the operator operates the monitoring console 6
To that effect, the monitoring console 6 notifies the printing device control means 7. Upon receiving the notification, the printing device control unit 7 restarts the output to the printing device 8.

When printing on a plurality of dedicated book tables (special paper), the printing apparatus 8 is loaded with the book table A, the printing apparatus 9 is loaded with the book table B, and the printing apparatus 10 is loaded with the book table C. Then, the printer control means 7 determines the print request to be processed next from the group registered in the print status etc. storage means 4, and outputs the print request to the printers 8, 9 and 10 in which the necessary book table is loaded. Do.

When changing or deleting the priority and group for a specific print request, an instruction is input from the monitoring console 6. According to the instruction, the monitoring console 6 changes the registration of the printing status storage unit 4 and the registration of the print data storage unit 5. The printing device control means 7
The printing process is performed according to the changed registration. The monitoring console 6 dynamically displays the execution status and outputs the execution history.

The print control apparatus according to this embodiment has the following effects. Print processing is not concentrated on a specific printing device,
The printing process can be performed efficiently. The print priority and the print group can be freely set in the print request, and these pieces of information can be changed by inputting to the monitoring console, and flexible output processing according to the situation can be performed. Even if the printing apparatus becomes unusable due to a failure or the like, the printing status can be automatically changed, and the printing process can be continued.
The system can be realized regardless of the number of computers and printing devices. In addition, even if a computer and a printing device are additionally installed, a large system change is not required, and the additional installation can be easily performed.

[0019]

According to the printing control device of the present invention, the printing device control means selects the printing device with the least load among the plurality of printing devices based on the contents of the printing status storage means and the print data storage means. Since the print processing is prioritized, the print processing does not concentrate on a specific printing device,
The printing process can be performed efficiently.

Further, the printing device control means can automatically change the printing process to another printing device even if the printing device becomes unusable due to a failure or the like, and the printing process can be continued. You can

Further, the printing device control means can cause the printing device loaded with the special paper that meets the printing request from the computer to print the print data, and the labor of the paper replacement work can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, computer 3 input means for printing request etc. 4 storage means for printing status 5 storage means for print data 6 monitoring console 7 printing device control means 8, 9, 10 printing device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A print control device when a plurality of computers share a plurality of printing devices, the print request input means for inputting print requests and print data from the plurality of computers, and the print request and the like. Print data storage means for storing the print data of the plurality of computers input by the input means, printing device control means for inputting the print status from the plurality of printing devices, and the print request input means for inputting the print status. A print status storage unit for storing print requests of a plurality of computers and print statuses of the plurality of printing devices input by the print device control unit, wherein the print device control unit includes the print status storage unit And, based on the contents of the print data storage means, preferentially cause the printing device with the least load among the plurality of printing devices to perform the printing process. Print control apparatus according to claim. 2. The printing device control means, when any one of the plurality of printing devices has a failure, has a function of changing the printing process of the printing device in which the failure has occurred to another normal printing device. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The printing device control means has a function of causing the printing device loaded with special paper that meets a printing request from the computer to print the print data from the computer. Item 2. The print control device according to item 1.