JPH08185284A - Image processor and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image processor and its control method which prevent the operation environment from easily be altered and obtain an image formation result as expected. CONSTITUTION: When a host computer makes a request to set an operation environment, all host computers which are connected are inquired of about whether the current operation environment may be altered in a step S10 prior to the setting process, and when it is decided in steps S11 and S12 that alteration permissions are obtained from more than a half of the host computers, the operation environment indicated by the issue source of the setting request is set in a step S13. When permissions are not obtained from more than a half of the host computers, the issue source of the setting request is informed that the alteration can not be made in a step S15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus of an image forming apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image processing apparatus such as a printer connected to a host computer via an interface cable or a network receives a request for setting an operating environment from the host computer at any time except when print processing is being executed. You can

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following problems. Even if a host computer connected to the network sets the operating environment for the printer and starts the image data output processing immediately after that, if it takes time to prepare the image data to be sent, the image will be sent immediately. Unable to send data. As described above, the image processing apparatus can accept the operating environment setting request from the host computer except when the printing process is being executed. Therefore, while the image data is not transmitted, the image processing apparatus accepts the operating environment setting request. It becomes a state. At this time, if there is a request for setting the operating environment from another host computer connected to the network, the host computer accepts the request and sets a new operating environment, and then the image data is sent from the destination computer. However, the print result may not be as expected.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof that prevent the operating environment from being easily changed and obtain an image formation result as expected. The purpose is to do.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

The present invention has the following structure as one means for achieving the above object.

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers,
Input means for inputting image processing information and operating environment setting information from the host computer, forming means for forming an image on an image forming apparatus based on the image processing information input by the input means, and input by the input means. And a setting unit configured to set the operating environment of the image forming apparatus based on the operating environment setting information received by the determining unit. .

An image processing apparatus control method according to the present invention is a method for controlling an image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers, in which image processing information and operating environment setting information are input from the host computer. An input step, a forming step of forming an image on the image forming apparatus based on the image processing information input in the input step, and a determination step of determining whether to accept the operating environment setting information input in the input step, And a setting step of setting the operating environment of the image forming apparatus based on the operating environment setting information received in the determining step.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is
It can be applied to an image processing apparatus of an image forming apparatus such as a printer of various types including a laser beam printer and an inkjet printer.

[0009]

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 5 is a CPU, and a program ROM 8
The entire device is controlled via the data bus 13 and the address bus 14 according to a control program stored in advance. 15 is a clock generation circuit, and its clock signal 30 is
Used as the clock for CPU5.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a host interface section, which is connected via a communication cable or network cable indicated by reference numeral 2.
It is for performing communication with a host computer (not shown). That is, image processing information and the like are input from the host computer via the host interface unit 1, and various operating environments of the printer can be set from the host computer.

Reference numeral 3 is a page memory, which is controlled by the CPU 5.
The image processing information input as code data via the host interface unit 1 is stored. The page memory 3 has a capacity capable of storing at least one page of code data, and the host interface unit 1
The character code, figure formation information, control information, etc. are stored in the order sent via the. Reference numeral 4 is a font memory in which pattern data of the character is stored in advance corresponding to the character code.

A dot pattern memory 6 is a memory for storing the expanded dot pattern data. In addition,
Dot pattern memory 6 corresponds to page memory 3,
At least one page of pattern data can be stored. Based on the character code data stored in the page memory 3, the CPU 5 analyzes a character code such as an interpreter stored in the program ROM 8 or the like, and forms a dot pattern by analyzing code data of graphic formation information and control information. To access font memory 4
The corresponding pattern data is read and the pattern is developed in the dot pattern memory 6.

A working RAM 7 is a working memory for temporarily reading and writing various data when the CPU 5 performs processing. A FIFO memory 9 is a memory for outputting the dot pattern data input from the dot pattern memory 6 to the image forming unit interface unit 10. The image forming unit interface unit 10 sends the image data (dot pattern data) input from the FIFO 9 to an image forming unit such as a printer engine (not shown) to form an image. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, when there is a request for setting the operating environment from the host computer, all the connected host computers are connected to the host computer before performing the setting process. On the other hand, it asks whether the current operating environment may be changed. For example, when a change permission is obtained from a majority of host computers, the operating environment specified by the issuer of the setting request is set.

FIG. 2 is an example of a memory map of the working RAM 7. In the response result setting area 50, the responses from all the connected host computers to the inquiry about whether the current operating environment may be changed are individually sent. This is the area to store. CPU5, in each response result setting area 50,
If the change is allowed, store '1', otherwise store '0'.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of the operating environment setting process of this embodiment. Based on a control program stored in the program ROM 8 when an operating environment setting request is made from a certain connected host computer. CP
This is what U5 does. In the following description, the host computer requesting the setting of the operating environment may be referred to as a setting requesting host.

First, in step S10, an inquiry is made as to whether or not the current operating environment may be changed to all of the connected host computers, and the response results from the respective host computers are displayed in the response result setting area. Store in 50. Next, in step S11, the number n of changes permitted and the number m of changes not permitted are counted based on the information stored in the response result setting area 50, and the number of changes permitted in step S12.
Determine whether n has reached the majority (n> m), and if not, proceed to step 15 and notify the setting requesting host that the operating environment cannot be set. finish.

When the number n of permitted changes reaches a majority, the operating environment instructed by the setting requesting host is set in step S13, and the setting requesting host is notified that the setting of the operating environment is completed in step S14. , The process ends.

It should be noted that the number of change permits required when changing the operating environment is not limited to a majority, and the operating environment is changed when an appropriate change permit rate in consideration of the operating environment of this embodiment is obtained. The operating environment may be changed, for example, without permission from all host computers. Furthermore, it is possible to arbitrarily change the threshold value of the change permission rate by using a switch or software.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When a host computer connected to a network requests an operating environment setting, the request is not immediately accepted and a new operating environment is not set, but a change permission is obtained from a majority of connected host computers. Since the operating environment is changed only in such a case, it is possible to reduce the probability that the expected result cannot be obtained when the image is formed based on the sent image processing information.

Furthermore, the operation of the present embodiment is provided with a prohibition period in which a request for setting an operating environment is not accepted from another host computer for a predetermined period after receiving the last image processing information sent from the host computer. Then, within the period, if the image processing information is not sent again from the same host computer that sent the image processing information immediately before, the prohibited state can be released.
By doing so, even if the host computer that once set the operating environment and started outputting the image processing information took time to output the image processing information and could not continuously output the image processing information. Since the operating environment is not changed and the host computer does not need to request the setting of the operating environment again, the processing efficiency can be improved.

[0022]

Second Embodiment An image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. It should be noted that in the second embodiment, substantially the same configurations as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, when a setting request for the operating environment is received from the setting request host, the action for prohibiting the change of the operating environment from the host computer is released. Until the instruction is issued, the host computer cannot accept the operating environment setting request from other host computers, and exclusively prohibits the modification of the operating environment. Therefore, when in the exclusive state,
In this embodiment, first, the operating environment is set based on the instruction from the setting request host that has received the setting request, and the operating environment is not set based on the instruction from another host computer. In the case where the host computer is not in the exclusive state, this embodiment accepts operating environment setting requests from all host computers.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the memory map of the working RAM 7. When the exclusive state setting area 51 is "1", the setting of the operating environment is exclusively prohibited, and when it is "0", the operation environment is operating. It is in a state of accepting environment setting requests. Also,
The host identification information setting area 52 is for identifying information (for example, IP address) of the host computer that has just received the operating environment setting request.
Address). Therefore, even if there is a request for setting the operating environment or an instruction to release the exclusive state from other than the host computer set in the host identification information setting area 52, these are not accepted. When the present embodiment is activated by turning on the power or resetting, "0" is set as the initial value in the exclusive state setting area 51.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the operating environment setting process of this embodiment. When there is a request for setting the operating environment from a connected host computer, or there is an instruction to release the exclusive state. In this case, the CPU 5 executes it based on the control program stored in the program ROM 8. In the following description, the host computer requesting to set the operating environment or release the exclusive state may be referred to as a setting requesting host.

First, in step S20, the exclusive state setting area 5
The setting content of 1 is judged, and if the setting content is '1' (exclusive state), the process proceeds to step S21, and if it is '0' (non-exclusive state), the process jumps to step S23. If it is in the exclusive state, the host identification information setting area 52 is set in step S21.
The identification information set in step S22 is read, and the identification information read in step S22 is compared with the identification information of the setting request host,
If they match, the setting is permitted and the process proceeds to step S23. If they do not match, the setting is not permitted and the process proceeds to step S27 to notify the setting requesting host that the setting cannot be changed, and then the process ends.

If the setting is permitted or the exclusive state is not set, it is determined in step S23 whether the operating environment is set or the exclusive state is released. If the operating environment is set, the setting requesting host is set in step S24. If the specified operating environment is set and the exclusive state is released, the exclusive state is released in step S25 (exclusive state setting area 51 is set to '0'), and setting to the setting request host is completed in step S26. After notifying that this has been done, the processing ends.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
After the host computer connected to the network requests the setting of the operating environment, until the host computer finishes outputting the image processing information and cancels the exclusive state, the operating environment of other connected host computers Even if a setting request is made, it is not accepted and a new operating environment is not set, so that it is possible to prevent a problem that an expected image forming result is not obtained.

[0029]

Third Embodiment An image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In addition, in the third embodiment, substantially the same configurations as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 20 denotes a prohibition instruction signal input section for inputting the prohibition instruction signal 40 set by the prohibition instruction switch 21, and according to an instruction from the CPU 5, changes the state of the prohibition instruction signal 40 to the data bus 13. Output. CPU5 is a prohibition instruction signal
When 40 is set to the high state H, it does not accept the operating environment setting requests from all connected host computers, and when it is set to the low state L, it connects to any connected host. Accepts operating environment setting requests from computers. The prohibition instruction switch 21 is a switch, such as a toggle switch, which maintains that state once it is set, and the prohibition instruction signal 21 causes the prohibition instruction signal 40 to be in the H state or the L state. Either of these is maintained.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of the operating environment setting process of this embodiment. Based on a control program stored in the program ROM 8 when an operating environment setting request is made from a certain connected host computer. CP
This is what U5 does. In the following description, the host computer requesting the setting of the operating environment may be referred to as a setting requesting host.

First, in step S30, the state of the prohibition instruction signal 40 is determined, and if the signal is in the H state, the process proceeds to step S33 to notify the setting requesting host that the operating environment cannot be set. , The process ends. Also, the same signal
If it is in the L state, the process proceeds to step S31 to set the operating environment instructed by the setting requesting host, and after notifying the setting requesting host that the setting of the operating environment is completed in step S32,
The process ends.

As described above, during the period in which the setting of the prohibition instruction switch 21 prohibits the setting of the operating environment from all the host computers, the operating environment set immediately before the prohibition state is set or the power is turned on. The present embodiment operates based on the initial operating environment after (or reset).

As described above, according to this embodiment,
Even if the host computer connected to the network makes a request for setting the operating environment, if the image processing device prohibits changing the operating environment, it will not be accepted to set a new operating environment. Since it does not exist, it is possible to prevent the problem that the expected image forming result is not obtained.

The present invention may be applied to either a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device.

Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof that can prevent an operating environment from being easily changed and obtain an image forming result as expected. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a memory map example of the working RAM shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operating environment setting process of the present embodiment,

FIG. 4 is a memory map example of a working RAM according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operating environment setting process of the second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an image processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operating environment setting process of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host interface section 3 Page memory 4 Font memory 5 CPU 6 Dot pattern memory 7 Working RAM 9 FIFO memory 10 Image forming section Interface section

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers, comprising: input means for inputting image processing information and operating environment setting information from the host computer; and image processing information input by the input means. Forming means for forming an image on the image forming apparatus based on the determining means, determining means for determining whether to accept the operating environment setting information input by the input means, and based on the operating environment setting information received by the determining means An image processing apparatus, comprising: a setting unit that sets an operating environment of the image forming apparatus. 2. The issuer of the operating environment setting information is notified to the issuer of the operating environment setting information when the determining means does not accept the operating environment setting information, and when the determining means does not accept the operating environment setting information. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies that after setting is completed. 3. The operation environment setting information according to claim 1, wherein the determination means receives the operation environment setting information when a change permission of the operation environment is obtained from a predetermined number of the plurality of host computers. Image processing device. 4. When the operating environment setting information is input, the determining means accepts operating environment setting information from other than the issuing source until the issuing source inputs an instruction to cancel the exclusive state. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image processing apparatus is in an exclusive state. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit has a switch unit that prohibits or permits reception of the operating environment setting information. 6. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus connected to a plurality of host computers, comprising: an input step of inputting image processing information and operating environment setting information from the host computer; and an image processing input in the input step. A forming step of forming an image on the image forming apparatus based on the information, a determining step of determining whether to accept the operating environment setting information input in the input step, and based on the operating environment setting information received in the determining step And a setting step for setting an operating environment of the image forming apparatus. 7. The issuer of the operating environment setting information is informed if the operating environment setting information is not accepted in the determination step, and if it is accepted, the operating environment of the setting step is accepted. 7. The control method for an image processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a notification step of notifying that after setting is completed.