JPH08179898A - Network printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable printing with high reliability by facilitating the multiplexing of a network by connecting plural network interface parts to respectively different networks. CONSTITUTION: Plural network interface parts 4A, 4B... for controlling interfaces with respective networks 3A, 3B... are mounted on a network printer device 1, and the respective network interface parts 4A, 4B... are respectively directly connected to the networks 3A, 3B.... Thus, the multiplexed networks 3A, 3B... can be simultaneously connected without using any switcher. Then, printing data transmitted from host devices 2A, 2B... through the respective networks 3A, 3B... are respectively received by the network interface parts 4A, 4B... and printed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printer device which is directly connected to a network such as a LAN and prints print data transmitted through this network, and more particularly to proof printing in a newspaper system. The present invention relates to a network printer device suitable for use in a system that needs to print with high reliability, such as in the case of printing a form describing a manufacturing procedure in a production system such as FA (Factory Automation).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, spool type printers and print completion response type printers are used as printers. The spool-type printer device is capable of accumulating a plurality of print data. When a host computer or other higher-level device requests printing, the spool-type printer device accumulates the print data associated with the print request, even during printing. The print data is sequentially printed.

On the other hand, the print completion response type printer device accepts only one print request and prints the print data in response to the print request. Even if there is another print request from the host device during printing. Instead of accepting the print request, printing of the print data currently being printed is completed, and after the completion notification is given to the host device, another print request is accepted.

In the spool type printer device described above, print requests are accepted and printed one after another, but it is impossible for the host device side to know whether or not the print data actually printed according to the print requests has been printed. Therefore, even if a failure occurs in the printer device and the print data requested to be printed cannot be printed, the situation cannot be grasped by the host device and reliability is lacking.

In the above-mentioned newspaper system, production system, and the like, a failure of the printer device has a great influence on the work due to time constraints and the like, so that the printer device is required to have high reliability, and normally, the printing is performed more than the spool type printer device. Completion response printer devices are commonly used. Also,
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the speeding up and downsizing of printer devices, a print completion response type network printer device 51 that can be directly connected to a network 50 has been developed as shown in FIG. Such a network printer device 51
A network LSI (network interface unit) 51A for controlling an interface with the network 50 is provided in the computer, and a print request is made from the host computer 52 via the network 50, for example.

In the system as shown in FIG. 7, a network printer device 51 and a host computer 5 for making a print request to the network printer device 51.
Since the network 50 is interposed between the network printer 2 and the printer 2, if the network 50 should fail, the network printer device 51 cannot be used at all and printing cannot be performed.

Therefore, a system as shown in FIG. 8A in which the network and the host computer are duplicated has also been proposed. In the system shown in FIG. 8 (A),
One network printer device 51 is connected to two networks 50-1 and 50-2 via a switch 53, and host computers 52-1 and 5-2 are connected via the networks 50-1 and 50-2, respectively.
The print request is made from 2-2.

Here, since the network printer device 51 is provided with only one network LSI 51A as described above, the network printer device 5
1 to two networks 50-1 and 50-2 at the same time
Can not be connected to. Therefore, the network printer device 51 is selectively switched and connected to either one of the two networks 50-1 and 50-2 by the switch 53. This switch 53
The switching is usually performed mechanically, and the switching operation is performed manually by an operator or the like.

In the above duplex system, for example, FIG.
As shown in (B), in the state where the network printer device 51 and the network 50-1 are connected by the switch 53, the host computer 52-1 logically indicates to the network printer device 51 as indicated by the arrow. When a request for a specific connection (print request) is made, the request is immediately accepted via the network LSI 51A of the network printer device 51. Then, after making the logical connection, the print data transmitted from the host computer 52-1 via the network 50-1 is printed by the network printer device 51.

As described above, some failure occurs in the network 50-1 while the switch 53 connects the network printer device 51 and the network 50-1,
When it becomes impossible to print the print data from the network 50-1, a switching operation of the switching device 53 is performed manually by an operator or the like, and the network 50-2 and the network printer device are operated via the switching device 53. 51 and the print data transmitted via the network 50-2 is transferred to the network printer device 51.
Is printed by.

In the system shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the redundant networks 50-1 and 50- are provided.
2 to host computers 52-1 and 52-2, respectively.
However, the redundant networks 50-1 and 50-2 may be interposed between one host computer and the network printer device 51.

[0012]

However, the above-mentioned conventional network printer device cannot simultaneously connect to two or more networks. Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when the network printer device 51 is connected to the two networks 50-1 and 50-2 via the switch 53, the network 50-1 , 50-2 when an abnormality occurs and the connection state of the network printer device 51 is switched, an operator or the like must manually operate the switch 53 to connect the network printer device 51 to a normal network. In addition, it takes time and labor, and since the switch 53 is required, the system configuration is complicated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, the switching device 5
3, the network printer device 51 and the network 50-1 are connected to each other, and the host computer 52-2, as shown by the arrow,
When a logical connection is requested (print request) to the network printer device 51 via -2, since the switch 53 is on the network 50-1 side, the request from the host computer 52-2 and the print data are sent. Does not reach the network printer device 51.

Therefore, since no response is returned from the network printer device 51 to the host computer 52-2, whether the network printer device 51 is connected to another network on the host computer 52-2 side. There is also a problem in that reliability cannot be reduced because it is impossible to judge whether the power is off.

The present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and enables connection to a multiplexed network without using a switch, and when a printing request is received by another network during printing. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a network printer device which enables busy response, facilitates network multiplexing, and can perform printing with high reliability.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a network printer device of the present invention, 2A, 2B, ... Are host devices, respectively.
3A, 3B, ... Are networks interposed between the higher-level devices 2A, 2B, ... And the network printer device 1, respectively.

The network printer 1 is equipped with a plurality of network interface units 4A, 4B, ... For controlling interfaces with the networks 3A, 3B ,. 4A, 4B, ... Are directly connected to the networks 3A, 3B ,.

At this time, the network control for managing the states of the networks 3A, 3B, ... Connected to the plurality of network interface units 4A, 4B, ... And controlling the operation of the plurality of network interface units 4A, 4B ,. The network printer unit 1 may be provided with this unit, and the network control unit may be configured to operate a network interface unit connected to a network in a normal state (claim 2).

Further, the network printer unit 1 is provided with a connection monitoring unit for monitoring the logical connection state of the respective network interface units 4A, 4B, ... With the host devices 2A, 2B ,. When receiving a logical connection request for one of 4B, ..., The network control unit refers to the monitoring result by the connection monitoring unit, determines whether there is a network interface unit in a logical connection state, and establishes a logical connection. If there is a network interface unit in the state, a busy response may be returned to the sender of the logical connection request (claim 3).

Further, one of the plurality of network interface units 4A, 4B, ... And the host device 2A, 2
If a print request is not sent from the host device even if the time measured by this timer exceeds a certain time, a connection monitoring is provided. The unit may instruct the network control unit to disconnect the logical connection with the higher-level device (claim 4).

[0021]

In the network printer device of the present invention described above with reference to FIG. 1, it is possible to connect to the multiplexed networks 3A, 3B, ... Simultaneously without using a conventional switching device. The print data transmitted from the higher-level devices 2A, 2B, ...
Network interface units 4A, 4B,
Is received and printed (claim 1).

At this time, the network control unit can operate only the network interface unit connected to the network in the normal state, and when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the plurality of networks 3A, 3B, ... Since it is connected to another network in a normal state, print data from any one of the networks 3A, 3B, ... Can always be printed (claim 2).

Further, if a logical connection request is received from another host device while the print data from one of the host devices 2A, 2B, ... Is being printed, the connection monitor is currently printing ( It is possible to recognize that the device is in a logical connection state), and the network control unit can make a busy response to another host device (claim 3). In this case, in the unlikely event that after the logical connection, if an abnormality or the like occurs in the connected host device or the network and the print request cannot be transmitted, in the network printer device 1, one of the network interface units 4A, 4B, ... The logical connection state is kept for one and the other logical connection request is locked in a state in which it cannot be accepted at all.

Therefore, if the print request is not sent even if the time measured by the timer after the logical connection exceeds a certain time, the connection monitoring unit instructs the network control unit to disconnect the logical connection. Thus, the logical connection with the higher-level device of the request source can be disconnected, and another logical connection request can be accepted (claim 4).

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a network printer device as an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes the network printer device of the present embodiment.
Is basically the above-mentioned print completion response type, that is, a type that does not accept the next print request until the printing of the print data for one print request is completed, and notifies that when the print is completed. belongs to.

The network printer device 10 of this embodiment includes CPUs 11 and 2 network LSIs.
12, 13, a timer 14, a memory 15, a printing section control circuit 16 and a printing section 17 are provided. Where C
The PU 11 controls the operation of the network printer device 10 in the procedure described later with reference to FIGS.

The two network LSIs (network interface units) 12 and 13 are provided in the CPU 11
Connected to the LAN (network) 22 and 32, and connected to each LA.
It is for controlling the interface between N22 and N32. Network printer device 1 of this embodiment
0 is different 2 via the network LSIs 12 and 13.
Connected to two LANs 22 and 32, and each LAN2
Host computer (upper device) 2 through 2, 32
1, 31.

In this embodiment, each host computer 2
1 and 31 make a logical connection request to the network printer device 10 via the LANs 22 and 32, respectively, and after the logical connection is made, make a print request to the network printer device 10 and perform printing in accordance with the print request. The data is printed by the network printer device 10.

The timer 14 is controlled by a timer control unit, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, to perform a time counting operation, and the memory 15 stores a program (software), print data and the like. Print control circuit 16
Is for controlling the printing operation by the printing unit 17 that actually prints on recording paper or the like. Next, the functional configuration (software configuration) of the network printer device 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 41 denotes an OS (controlling the entire software in the network printer device 10). Operating System), 42
Is a network control unit that controls the two network LSIs 12 and 13, 43 is a timer control unit that controls the time counting operation of the timer 14, and 44 is the host computers 21 and 31.
Is a connection monitoring unit that monitors the logical connection state with the.

Here, the network control unit 42 controls the LANs 2 held by the network LSIs 12 and 13.
By monitoring the status of 2 and 32 (collision frequent occurrence, noise occurrence, etc.)
LANs 22 and 32 connected to SIs 12 and 13, respectively
Manages the status of two network LSIs
It controls the operations of 12 and 13, and has a function of operating the network LSIs 12 and 13 connected to the LANs 22 and 32 in the normal state, as will be described later with reference to FIG.

When the network control unit 42 receives a logical connection request for one of the network LSIs 12 or 13, the network control unit 42 refers to the monitoring result of the connection monitoring unit 44, and the other network LSI 13 or 12 is in the logical connection state. Whether or not the other network L
If the SI 13 or 12 is in the logical connection state, a busy response (the network printer device 1 is sent to the host computer 31 or 21 that is the source of the logical connection request.
It also has the function of returning 0) indicating that 0 is in use. The operation of this busy response will be described later with reference to FIG.

Further, the timer control section 43 resets the timer 14 when one of the network LSIs 12 and 13 is in the logical connection state with the host computers 21 and 31, and from the time when the logical connection state is reached. The timer 14 has a function of measuring the time. Then, the connection monitoring unit 44, even if the time measured by the timer 14 exceeds a certain time, the host computer 21 or 31.
When a print request is not sent from the network control unit 42, it has a function of instructing the network control unit 42 to disconnect the logical connection with the host computer 21 or 31 which is in the logical connection state at that time. Upon receipt of this instruction, the network control unit 42 causes the host computer 21
Alternatively, a logical connection with 31 is made. The operation of disconnecting the logical connection due to the time-up described above will be described later with reference to FIG.

Further, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 45 is a print data editing section for decomposing print data from the host computers 21, 31 into printable dots by printing by the network printer device, and 46 is edited by the print data editing section 45. The print control unit controls the actual print operation by the print unit 17 based on the data. The operation of the network printer device 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the basic operation of the network controller 42 will be described with reference to the flowchart (steps S1 to S9) shown in FIG. The network printer device 10 of the present embodiment is simultaneously connected to the duplicated two LANs 12 and 13 without using a conventional switching device, and is always held by the network control unit 42 in each network LSI 12 and 13. Each LAN22,
By monitoring the status of 32 (such as frequent collisions and noise generation), the two network LSIs 12 and 13 are monitored.
It is determined whether or not the LANs 22 and 32 respectively connected to are normal (steps S1 and S5).

The network controller 42 has two LANs.
If it is determined that both 22 and 32 are normal (YES in steps S1 and S5), the standby process (step S9) is performed, and then step S1 is performed again.
Judgment is made in S5. In this case, LAN22, 32
Are normal, and the network LSIs 12 and 13
When receiving a logical connection request from the host computers 21 and 31 via the LANs 22 and 32, respectively, each of the above will accept the request.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the LANs 22 and 32 are not normal in steps S1 and S5 due to frequent collisions and noise generation (NO determination in steps S1 and S5), the network control unit 42 , Network L connected to abnormal LANs 22 and 32
SI 12 and 13 are stopped (reset) (step S2,
S6), after waiting for a predetermined time (steps S3, S
7) After restarting the network LSIs 12 and 13 (steps S4 and S8), the process returns to the check loop of steps S1 and S5.

According to the above processing procedure, the two LANs 2
Even if an abnormality such as a failure occurs in one of the numbers 2 and 32, the control of the other LAN is continued, and the network printer device 10 can be continuously used even when the network abnormality occurs. Next, according to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 5, the network control unit 42 and the connection monitoring unit 44.
The busy response processing procedure by will be described.

First, when the network printer device 10 is not connected to any of the host computers 21 and 31, and both LANs 22 and 32 are in a normal state, for example, the host computer 21 is logically connected to the network LSI 12. Is requested (see arrow A1), the request is accepted by the network control unit 42, is logically connected to the host computer 21, and the connection monitoring unit 44 holds that the connection was made. (See arrow A2).

After the logical connection is made, the host computer 21 makes a print request via the LAN 22, and the print data associated with the print request is sent to the network controller 4.
2 and the connection monitoring section 44 to the printing system (including the print data editing section 45, the print control section 46, the print section control circuit 16 and the print section 17) (see arrows A3 and A4), and the printing is executed. To be done.

It is assumed that the host computer 31 requests a logical connection from the host computer 31 to the network LSI 13 while printing the print data from the host computer 21 in the logical connection state with the host computer 21. (See arrow A5). At this time, the network control unit 42 refers to the logical connection state of the other network LSI 12 held in the connection monitoring unit 44 (see arrow A6).

In this case, since the network LSI 12 is in the logical connection state with the host computer 21 as described above, the connection monitoring section 44 returns a response indicating that it is in the busy state to the network control section 42, The network control unit 42 returns a message indicating that the network printer device 10 is in use (busy response) to the host computer 31 through the network LSI 13 (see arrow A7).

As a result, in the host computer 31 that requested the logical connection, the network printer device 10
Is recognized by another host computer, the status of the network printer device 10 can be managed,
You can immediately determine what to do in the future, such as waiting. On the other hand, when the printing of the print data from the host computer 21 is normally completed, the fact that the printing is normally completed is reported from the printing system via the connection monitoring unit 44 and the network control unit 42 to the network LSI 12 and the network 2.
2 to the host computer 21 (see arrow A8).

The host computer 21 that has received this normal completion notification sends a disconnection request to the network printer device 10.
When the disconnection request is received by the network LSI 12, the network controller 42 and the connection monitor 44
(See arrow A9), the information about the logical connection state with the host computer 21 held in the connection monitoring unit 44 is erased, and the network control unit 42 disconnects the host computer (arrow A1).
0).

Next, according to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.
A procedure for disconnecting a logical connection due to the time-up of the timer 14 will be described. In the same manner as the procedure shown in FIG. 5, the network printer device 10 sets the host computer 2
When the host computer 21 requests a logical connection to the network LSI 12 (see arrow B1) in a state in which the host computer 21 is not connected to any of the terminals 1 and 31, the request is accepted by the network control unit 42, and the host computer 21 Is logically connected to and the connection monitor 44 holds that the connection has been made (see arrow B2). At this point, the timer controller 43 resets the timer 14 and starts the time counting operation.

Before the time measured by the timer 14 exceeds a fixed time (for example, about 5 to 10 seconds), a print request is made from the logically connected host computer 21 via the LAN 22, and the print request is made. Print data associated with the network control unit 42 and the connection monitoring unit 44.
When it is sent to the printing system via the
3, B4), the timer 14 is reset (stopped).

When the printing of the printing data from the host computer 21 is normally completed, the fact that the printing is normally completed is notified from the printing system via the connection monitoring unit 44 and the network control unit 42 through the network LSI 12 and the network 22. The host computer 21 is notified (see arrow B5). After this, the host computer 2
The disconnection of the logical connection with 1 is performed in the same manner as the procedure described with reference to FIG.

On the other hand, for example, the host computer 2
1 requests the network LSI 12 to make a logical connection (see arrow B5), and the request is sent to the network control unit 42.
Is received and is logically connected to the host computer 21, and after the connection is held in the connection monitoring unit 44 (see arrow B7), the host computer 21 itself and the host computer 21 are connected. The case where the application program is down or some abnormality occurs in the LAN 22 and communication with the host computer 21 cannot be performed will be described below.

In such a case, unless the incommunicable state is eliminated, the host computer 21 can be used forever.
The print request is not sent from the host computer 21, the logical connection state with the host computer 21 is continuously maintained, and the normal logical connection request from the other host computer 31 is not accepted at all. . Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the logical connection with the host computer 21 is made, the timer control unit 43 resets the timer 13 to start the time counting operation, and the connection monitoring unit 4
4 is monitoring the timekeeping.

Then, as described above, communication with the host computer 21 is disabled after the logical connection, and the timer 14
If a print request is not sent from the host computer 21 or 31 even if the time measured by the time exceeds a certain time (for example, about 5 to 10 seconds), the connection monitoring unit 44 disconnects the logical connection with the host computer 21. The network control unit 42 is instructed (see arrow B8).

Upon receipt of this instruction, the network control unit 42
Retries the connection to the host computer 21 several times through the network LSI 12, and if the connection with the host computer 21 is still not recovered, disconnects from the host computer 21 (arrow B
9). As a result, it is possible to prevent that only the logical connection state with the host computer 21 is maintained without the print data being transmitted, and it is possible to prevent the network printer device 10 from being disabled by another host computer 31.

Thus, according to one embodiment of the present invention,
Even if the two network LSIs 12 and 13 are mounted and one LAN 22 or 32 fails, the network printer device 10 is not disabled. In addition, a plurality (two in this embodiment) of host computers 21, 31
In response to a connection request from the network printer device 10
It is also possible to prevent the network printer device 10 from being exclusively occupied by one host computer 21 or 31 by returning the operation status of the above.

Therefore, in a newspaper system, a production system or the like which requires high reliability, the network duplication can be easily realized, the system design of the host computers 21 and 31 can be facilitated, and the network printer device 10 can be easily realized. It greatly contributes to high reliability. In the above-described embodiment, an example in which two network LSIs (network interface units) are provided and a LAN (network) is duplicated has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the network LS is used.
The present invention is also applied to a system having three or more I's and a network multiplexing number of three or more, and the same operational effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the duplicated L
Each of the ANs 22 and 32 has a host computer 21,
Although the case where 31 is connected has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even if only a LAN between one host computer and the network printer device 10 of this embodiment is multiplexed. Of course, also in this case, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment.

[0054]

As described in detail above, according to the network printer device of the present invention, since it is possible to connect to a multiplexed network at the same time without using a conventional switch, it is possible to multiplex the network with a simple configuration. Can be easily realized (Claim 1). At this time, it is possible to operate only the network interface unit connected to the network in a normal state at all times, and even if one network fails, the network printer device does not become unusable and has extremely high reliability. There is also an effect that printing can be performed (Claim 2).

Further, when a logical connection request is received from another higher-level device during printing, a busy response is returned to the other higher-level device, and the print request source can grasp the state of the network printer device and wait. Since the action to be taken in the future can be immediately determined, there is an effect that the reliability of the network printer device in each host device can be improved (claim 3).

Further, when the print request is not sent within a certain time after the logical connection, the connection with the higher-level device which is the source of the logical connection can be cut off.
It is possible to prevent the network printer device from being kept occupied by one upper-level device (network), which largely contributes to the high reliability of the network printer device (claim 4).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a network printer device as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration (software configuration) of the network printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a network control unit in the network printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the network printer device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the network printer device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a system including a general network printer device.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are block diagrams showing a configuration example of a system having a general network printer and having a dual network.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Network Printer Device 2A, 2B, ... Upper Device 3A, 3B, ... Network 4A, 4B, ... Network Interface Unit 10 Network Printer Device 11 CPU 12, 13 Network LSI (Network Interface Unit) 14 Timer 15 Memory 16 Printing Unit Control Circuit 17 printing unit 21,31 host computer (upper device) 22,32 LAN (network) 41 OS 42 network control unit 43 timer control unit 44 connection monitoring unit 45 print data editing unit 46 print control unit

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshihisa Takahashi 1st in Fujifacom Control Co., Ltd. in Hino City, Tokyo (72) Inventor Katsunori Takeda 1st in Fujifacom Control Co., Ltd. in Hino City, Hino, Tokyo ( 72) Inventor, Sai Fujikawa, Fujimachi, Hino city, Tokyo

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A network printer device, which is directly connected to a network and prints print data transmitted through the network, is provided with a plurality of network interface units for controlling an interface with the network, The plurality of network interface units are respectively connected to different networks,
Network printer device. 2. A network control unit for managing the states of networks respectively connected to the plurality of network interface units and controlling the operation of the plurality of network interface units is provided. 2. The network printer device according to claim 1, wherein a network interface unit connected to the network in the active state is operated. 3. A connection monitoring unit for monitoring a logical connection state of the plurality of network interface units with a host device, and receiving a logical connection request to one of the plurality of network interface units, The network control unit refers to the result of monitoring by the connection monitoring unit to determine whether there is a network interface unit in a logical connection state, and if there is a network interface unit in a logical connection state, the logical connection 3. A busy response is returned to the sender of the request.
The described network printer device. 4. A timer for counting the time from the time when one of the plurality of network interface units and the host device is in a logical connection state is provided, and the time measured by the timer exceeds a certain time. 4. The connection monitoring unit also instructs the network control unit to disconnect the logical connection with the host device when no print request is sent from the host device.
The described network printer device.