JPH08272562A - Information processor and printing device connected by network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide operating environment for printing-controlling a printing device isolated from an information processor under corresponding network environment similar to the physically directly connected printing device in respect of the information processor or the printing device connected by a network. CONSTITUTION: In the information processor 1 or the printing device 2 connected by the network, a prescribed printing communication process is provided between the information processor 1 and the printing device 2, and printing control communication is executed by the communication process between the information processor 1 and the printing device 2, and the printing device 2 is acquired on the basis of the matching of a function level the information processor 1 instructs and the function level of the printing device 2, and printing operation is executed in conformity to the attribute of informed printing data. At that time, in the case where a communication channel is disconnected in course of printing, time is monitored, and when the channel is recovered within prescribed time, the printing from the same requesting origin is restarted, and in the case where the state of the printing device 2 is changed in course of the printing, the requesting origin is informed of the changed printing state, and when the state is recovered within the prescribed time, the printing from the same requesting origin is restarted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing device or a printing device connected by a network, and in particular,
For example, in a LAN environment, in order to perform print control of a printing device that is isolated from a physically connected print request source information processing device, an operating environment similar to that of a conventional physically directly connected printing device is used. The present invention relates to an information processing device or a printing device that can provide the reliability of printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a conventional relationship between an information processing device and a printing device. Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 8A, a printing device (sometimes referred to as a printer device) 2 and a print request source device (sometimes referred to as an information processing device) 1 are physically connected one-to-one. When connecting to
A dedicated connection cable was required and the length was limited.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8 (b), a printer device has been developed with the recent progress of network technology.
The requirement to connect 2 to a local area network (hereinafter referred to as LAN) 3 environment is the best way to solve the problem of installation.

[0004]

However, since the information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 which are the print request sources are connected via the LAN 3 and are not directly physically connected, the printer apparatus 2 There is a problem in that operability is difficult and the certainty of printing cannot be satisfied.

That is, there are a plurality of printing systems for transmitting print data to the printer device 2 connected in the LAN environment, but all of them are limited to the level of transferring file information and printing. Required for printing,
The certainty of printing (recovery function) was not satisfied.

The above-mentioned problems of operability and reliability will be specifically described.
It is difficult to recognize the stopped state of 2. Moreover, it is difficult to receive the occurrence of an abnormality in the printing apparatus 2 in real time. That is, when controlling the printing apparatus 2 via the LAN 3, the present situation is that while the print result is being confirmed, the next print is not being performed, but the print data is being sent and printing is being performed in a free-standing format. Is.

Therefore, in the printing apparatus 2, when a jam occurs, there is a problem that, for example, the page in which the jam occurs is omitted, or two important pages are printed. In particular, in the printing of core business systems, the certainty of the above printing (suppression of double-form multiple output, prevention of form omission) is the most important issue.

As described above, under the present circumstances, the LAN environment has been improved and all the information processing devices have been connected to the LAN 3. However, in terms of printing, there is nothing that exceeds the file transfer level, and printing is performed. At present, there is no printing system that can satisfy the certainty of printing (enhanced recovery function) required for the system.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention is similar to the case where there is a one-to-one physical connection between a printing request source information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus connected via a network in a LAN environment. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for realizing the above function by a print communication procedure for print control.

[0010]

1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are principle configuration diagrams of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a network system, and FIG. 2 shows a frame configuration of a print control command. FIG. 3 shows an example of a basic print control sequence, FIGS. 4 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a case where a communication line is disconnected. 5 shows an example of a print control sequence, FIG. 5 shows an example of a print control sequence when the state of the printing apparatus changes, FIG. 6 shows an example of a download sequence of a print control program, and FIG. The processing flow at the time of acquisition of a device is shown. The above problems can be solved by an information processing device and a printing device connected to a network configured as described below.

(1) A predetermined information processing device 1 of a plurality of information processing devices to which a predetermined printing device 2 is connected via a network 3, and at least the print request source from the information processing device 1. Transfer the print request command consisting of the identifier, the print request source address, the logical print destination that is the print request destination of the printing device, and the function level of the printing device, make a print request to the printing device 2, and determine whether printing is possible. If the logical destination of the printing apparatus 2 is in use and information indicating that the logical destination of the printing apparatus 2 is in use, if the logical destination is not in use, the print request sent by the print request command Means for receiving information indicating that the function level of the device 2 matches the function level of the printing device side and the printing device 2 has been acquired; and when the printing device 2 has been acquired,
Means for notifying the printing device 2 of the attributes of the print data to be transmitted.

(2) In the printing device 2 to which a plurality of information processing devices 1 are connected via the network 3, at least the print request source identifier and the print request source address transferred from the predetermined information processing device 1 , And a print request command including a logical print destination that is a print request destination of the printing device and a function level of the printing device, and confirms the print request source address, the print request source identifier, and the logical print destination, and If the print destination is in use, information indicating that it is in use is returned, and if it is not in use, a match of the print request source identifier is detected, and the function level of the printing apparatus and the function level in the print request command are detected. When it finds that
A unit that returns printing device acquisition information indicating that the printing device has been acquired to the information processing device, and an attribute of the print data transferred from the information processing device after the printing device has been acquired by the information processing device. Means for controlling printing,
Is configured to have.

(3) In the information processing apparatus 1 according to item (1), the print request command includes a monitoring time when the communication line between the information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 is disconnected. Means for setting, and means for receiving a print continuation response for continuing printing of the same print request from the corresponding printing device when the disconnected state of the communication line recovers within the set time. Configure to have.

(4) The printing device 2 according to the item (2), which is set in the received print request command when the communication line set with the information processing device 1 is disconnected. When it is detected that the communication line is recovered within the set time by referring to the disconnection monitoring time, the acquisition of the printing apparatus by the same print request command is permitted, and the new print request command is issued. It is configured to have a unit for rejecting the acquisition of the printing device and permitting the acquisition of the printing device by the new print request command after the elapse of the set time.

(5) The information processing device 1 according to the item (1), which receives a device status change notification indicating that the status of the printing device 2 has changed during communication of print control data, When the device status change notification is received, the printing device
2 means for transmitting a status monitoring command with a set time for confirming the return of the status, means for receiving a status recovery notification indicating that the status of the printing apparatus has recovered within the set time, and the status And means for transmitting a print restart command when the recovery notification is received.

(6) The printing apparatus 2 according to the item (2), wherein when the status of the printing apparatus 2 changes while receiving the print control data, means for notifying the status change and the status change. When the state monitoring command is received from the information processing device 1 in response to the notification of, and the state is recovered within the time specified by the state monitoring command, the state recovery within the set time is notified. And a means for receiving a print restart command from the information processing device in response to the status recovery and restarting predetermined printing, and the status is not recovered within the time specified by the status monitoring command. And a means for notifying that the state has not recovered within the set time.

(7) The information processing apparatus 1 according to item (1), which stores a printing control program PP of a plurality of printing apparatuses 2 and each printing apparatus 2 from each printing apparatus 2. A means for receiving a download request for the print control program PP including identification information for identification, and a means for storing the print control program PP based on the received download request, the print control program corresponding to the identification information. Means for selecting a PP and transmitting it to the corresponding printing device 2.

(8) The printing device according to the item (2), which is a printing control program downloaded from the information processing device 1.
A means for receiving the PP and executing the print control, a means for requesting the information processing apparatus 1 to download the print control program PP triggered by a predetermined start condition, and information for responding to the download request. And a means for receiving the print control program PP from the processing device 1.

[0019]

That is, the print control means in the information processing apparatus 1 or the printing apparatus 2 connected via the network of the present invention is, as shown in FIG.
By providing the print communication control units 10 and 20 in the printer 2 and realizing the print control function similar to the case where they are physically connected in a one-to-one correspondence, by a predetermined print control communication procedure. It was done.

Specifically, a command and its response are defined as follows as a print communication control procedure of the network,
Print control communication is performed between the print requesting information processing apparatus 1 and the print apparatus 2, and print control frames (commands, responses) are mutually transmitted and received in the frame format shown in FIG. It realizes basic print control.

Definition of command: printing device acquisition request (Assign) command and its response In the frame of the printing device acquisition request (Assign) command, for example, request identifier, logical destination, acquisition request release time, print communication function level Including etc. -Printer release command and its response response-Print start (Open) command and its response response The frame of the print start (Open) command includes print attribute switching information. -Print end (Close) command and its response response-Print data send (Write) command and its response response-Printing device status monitoring (Poll) command and its response response The printing device status monitoring (Poll) command includes device monitoring Including time. -Print restart (Retry) command and its response response-Printer initialization (Init) command and its response response-Print operation completion wait (Term) command and its response response Therefore, first, the above-mentioned printer acquisition request (Assign)
When acquiring a predetermined printing device with a command, the print request source address, the print request source identifier, and the logical print destination are not only confirmed, but also the print control communication of the present invention confirms that the print communication function levels match. To do. The matching confirmation of the print communication function level is confirmation whether the printing device requested by the information processing device 1 is, for example, a page printer device or a serial printer device. For this confirmation, it is necessary to specify the paper size for the page printer device, and the character size is fixed for the serial printer device.
Since the printing control is performed in units of lines, there is a difference in control from the printing device in units of pages, such as different retry means.

In the basic operation, the print start (Open) command is used to print the print data attribute, for example, a character code, a control code (character size, print pitch, etc.) according to Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) characters and the like. Since the graphic code and the like are different, the certainty of printing is assured by confirming whether or not the attribute of the print data designated by the print start (Open) command can be supported.

Further, in the print control between the information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 connected via the network according to the present invention, even if the network line is disconnected during the print control, the printing apparatus acquisition request ( If it is detected on the printer 2 side that recovery within the time instructed by the information processing device 1 is detected by the Assign) command, another information processing device
The printing device acquisition request (Assign) command from 1 is rejected, that is, the so-called exclusive control is performed so that the printing devices physically connected directly in a one-to-one correspondence are controlled. I am trying to show you.

Further, during printing control, the state of the printing apparatus 2 may change, for example, a failure such as a jam may occur.
In the print control of the present invention, the print data transmission (Writ
e) Based on the command, when the printing device 2 is printing, when the state of the printing device 2 changes, the printing operation is interrupted and the device state of the printing device 2 is notified. I have to. Therefore, the information processing device 1 issues a printing device status monitoring (Poll) command for monitoring the status change of the printing device 2, and the printing device 2
The information processing apparatus 1 notifies the information processing apparatus 1 that the status has been recovered within the set time when the failure status is recovered within the monitoring time instructed by the printing apparatus status monitoring (Poll) command. Immediately, a print restart (Retry) command can be issued, and the connection state between the information processing device 1 and the printing device 2 is as if physically 1: 1
Achieve a state that is directly connected to.

Further, in the present invention, in each printing device 2,
For example, when the power is turned on, the information processing device
1 requests the printer 1 to download the print control program PP executed by its own printer 2, and
From the corresponding print control program PP based on the information that identifies the printing apparatus 2 that has requested the download.
By configuring to download selectively, the print control program is downloaded based on the download request from the printing device 2 that is turned on and can execute printing, and realizes effective download. To do.

Thus, in the present invention, LA
Under N environment, the same function as in the case where the information processing apparatus 1 as a print request source and the printing apparatus 2 are physically connected in a one-to-one correspondence can be realized through the network.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The above-mentioned FIGS. 1 to 3 are principle configuration diagrams of the present invention,
4 to 7 are views showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned command means having the print control frame format shown in FIG. 2 and the print control communication means according to the print control sequence shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are provided. It is a necessary means for carrying out the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same object throughout the drawings.

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIGS.
With reference to FIG. 7, a print communication control procedure between the information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 of the print request source connected to the LAN 3 according to the present invention will be described, for example.

In the network system related to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the print request source information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 respectively include print communication control units 10 and 20. The various commands described above are generated in the frame format shown in FIG. 2 and are issued based on the print control sequence shown in FIGS.
Even under the AN environment, the same print control function as in the case of being directly connected in a one-to-one correspondence is realized.

First, the basic sequence of print control according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment,
Although the LAN environment is taken as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the same operation and effect can be realized even in a general network environment.

From the information processing apparatus 1 which is the print request source, the above-mentioned printing apparatus acquisition request (Assign) command is issued to request printing, and to inquire whether printing is possible. The printing device acquisition request (Assign) command has a print request source address, a print request identifier, a logical destination, an acquisition request release time, a print communication function level, etc. in the frame format shown in FIG. ing.

In the printing apparatus 2 which has received the printing apparatus acquisition request (Assign) command, the printing apparatus acquisition request (A
(ssign) command, confirm the print request source address, print request identifier, logical destination, and print communication function level (for example, the above-mentioned page printer or serial printer identification information), and confirm the logical When the destination is in use, notify that it is in use with a response command,
If the logical destination is not in use, the printing apparatus 2 communicates the print control information between the information processing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 2 by matching the print request source identifier of the information processing apparatus 1. In order to check whether or not it is possible to start, if the function level of the printing device instructed by the information processing device 1 and the function level of the self-printing device 2 are matched and the match of the function level is detected, the Communication of print control information is established between the information processing device 1 and the printing device 2, that is, the printing device 2
An acquisition notification indicating the acquisition is returned to the information processing apparatus 1 that is the print request source.

The flow chart of the acquisition process of the printer 2 is shown in the flow chart of FIG. Explaining the flow chart, it is confirmed whether or not the print request source address, that is, the address of the information processing apparatus 1 of the print request source is registered in the printing apparatus 2 side by referring to a registration table (not shown). . {Refer to processing step 100 in FIG. 7} Normally, in the LAN network, as shown in FIG. 8, the printing device 2 connected to the plurality of information processing devices 1 installs the network system. Sometimes set. That is, the information processing device 1 and the printing device 2 are associated with each other as if they were physically connected directly. Therefore, in the print control communication procedure of the present invention, the print control is performed by continuously maintaining the connection with the once connected printing device 2 as much as possible, based on the predetermined correspondence relationship. To do so.

Therefore, in the registration table of the printer 2,
Information processing device for which the print request source address is not registered
If the value is 1, the connection with the information processing device 1 is prevented. That is, the device acquisition of the printing device has failed. {Fig. 7
Processing step 104}, if the print request source address of the information processing apparatus 1 is registered in the printing apparatus 2, the printing apparatus of the printing destination.
2 confirms the acquisition state of the logical destination, and if it is in the unacquired state, the request source identifier, that is, the identifier of the information processing apparatus 1 that is the print request source is referred to by referring to the registration table (not shown). Confirm that the new print destination is registered.
(Ie, printing device) 2 has been acquired. {Fig. 7
Processing step 101, 105, 106} of the information processing apparatus 1 in the processing step 105, when it is recognized that the request source identifier of the information processing apparatus 1 is not registered in the request source identifier registration table. If it is not possible to execute, the information processing device 1 is replied that acquisition has failed. {Processing step 1 in FIG. 7
05,107} In addition, in the logical destination acquisition processing shown in the above processing step 101, when it is detected that the logical destination is in the already acquired state, the identifier of the requesting information processing apparatus 1 is confirmed. If they do not match, it is determined that the acquisition request is from a new information processing apparatus 1 different from the information processing apparatus 1 that is currently under print connection control, and an acquisition failure response is returned. By controlling in this way, the connection relationship between the already acquired printing apparatus 2 and the information processing apparatus 1 having a one-to-one connection is maintained.
Therefore, confirm the identifier of the requesting information processing device 1,
When a match is detected, the continuous acquisition is recognized and a continuous acquisition response is made. {Processing steps 102, 103, 107 in FIG. 7
Reference} As described above, when the information processing device 1 receives the acquisition response from the printing device 2, it issues a print start (0pen) command, and attributes of the print data to be transmitted (for example,
JIS data, etc.)

Printing device 2 which has received the attribute of the print data
At, when it is detected that the attribute of the print data can be supported, a reply a indicating that the print data can be supported is sent.
When the information requesting device 1 of the print request source receives the response a indicating that the support is possible, the print data sending (Write) command is transmitted, and when the printing device 2 receives the print data, the reception status of the print data, For example, if the information processing apparatus 1 recognizes that normal reception, abnormal reception, or the like has been returned, and that there is no continuous print request from the print application program (print application) shown in FIG. A print end (Close) command is sent, and if there is no subsequent print request, a print device release (Release) command is issued to instruct release of the print device 2, and a series of print control communication is ended.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, during print control communication,
A print control sequence when a line disconnection occurs will be described. The sequence until the information processing apparatus 1 issues the print data transmission (Write) command and the printing apparatus 2 receives the actual print data is the same as that described with reference to FIG. One of the characteristic operations of the present invention will be described, centering on the operation when the line is disconnected during reception of.

As described above, since the acquisition request release time is specified in the printing device acquisition request (Assign) command issued by the information processing device 1, the line disconnection occurred during the reception of the print data. Then, in the printing device 2,
The specified acquisition request release time is monitored, and if the line is restored within the acquisition time, other information is added in order to continue the print control with the information processing device 1 acquired before the line disconnection. Request to acquire a new printing device from Processor 1 (Assign)
By rejecting the acquisition request by the command, the exclusive control for the other information processing device 1 is guaranteed.

In the time monitoring, when the line is recovered after the acquisition time elapses, as shown in FIG. 4, the printing is performed by a printing device acquisition request (Assign) command from another information processing device 1. Allow acquisition of device 2.

FIG. 5 shows a print control sequence when the state of the printing device 2 such as a jam occurs on the printing device 2 side during the printing control communication. 3 shows a characteristic print control sequence of the above.

Also in the present print control sequence, the sequence from the information processing apparatus 1 issuing the print data sending (Write) command to the printing apparatus 2 receiving the actual print data is as described in FIG. So omit it,
A description will be given centering on the operation in the case where a state change (for example, the occurrence of the above jam) occurs in the printing device 2 during the reception of the print data.

According to the print control sequence of the present invention, when a state change occurs in the printing apparatus 2 during the reception of print data, the printing operation is interrupted and the printing from the information processing apparatus 1 of the print request source is performed. As a response response to the data transmission (Write) command, the state change is notified by the device state notification.

When the information processing device 1 receives the device status notification, the information processing device 1 confirms that the printing device 2 has recovered its status.
The printer status monitor (Poll) command which sets the response time from the printer 1 is transmitted.

In the printing apparatus 2, the printing apparatus status monitoring (Pol
l) When the command is received, it is monitored whether the device status is recovered within the set time, and if the status is recovered within the set time, the status is recovered within the set time. A notification indicating that is sent as a response response.

The information processing apparatus 1 which has received the state recovery notification within the set time transmits a print restart (Retry) command to restart the interrupted print operation,
Instruct to restart the printing operation.

When the printing apparatus 2 receives the printing restart (Retry) command, the printing operation which has been suspended is restarted, and the printing data is sent from the information processing apparatus 1 (W
rite) Wait for command reception. In the restart state at this time, predetermined print data is retransmitted, transmission of the next print data, or the like is performed in accordance with the contents of the device state notification from the printing device 2.

In the device status monitoring process of the printing device 2 based on the printing device status monitoring (Poll) command from the information processing device 1 described above, the device is monitored within the time designated by the printing device status monitoring (Poll) command. If the state has not been recovered, the notification a indicating that the state has not been recovered within the set time is transmitted as a response response, which is repeated until the state is recovered.

In this way, line disconnection, printing device
On the second side, even if the state changes, the print control communication according to the present invention takes the print control sequence with the maximum goal of maintaining the current connection state.

In FIG. 6, the information processing apparatus 1 selectively selects the printing control program PP for performing the above printing control in the printing apparatus 2 based on, for example, a download request from the printing apparatus 2 which is powered on. 3 shows a sequence for downloading the print control program executed by the printing apparatus 2 that has made the download request.

First, when the power of the predetermined printing apparatus 2 is turned on, a download request to which the identification information for identifying the printing apparatus 2 is added is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 1.

In the information processing apparatus 1 which has received the download request, the identification information in the download request information is analyzed and the print control program corresponding to the identification information is analyzed.
The PP is selected from a predetermined print control program storage means and downloaded to the corresponding printing device 2.

When the print control program PP is divided into a plurality of parts, the above processing is repeated a plurality of times. In this way, in response to the download request from the printing device 2, when there is no print control program PP to be transmitted to the storage means of the information processing device 1 side any longer, the information processing device 1 downloads Send an end notification.

Upon receipt of the download end notification from the information processing apparatus 1, the printing apparatus 2 recognizes that the print control function has been established, and the above-mentioned print control request from the information processing apparatus 1, specifically, Waits for the transmission of various commands.

As described above, in the print control in the network system according to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus or the printing apparatus connected by the network,
A predetermined print control communication procedure is provided between the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus, and print control communication is performed between the information processing apparatus and the printing apparatus according to the print control communication procedure described above. The printing device is acquired by matching the instructed function level with the function level of the printing device, and the printing operation is executed according to the attribute of the notified print data. At this time, if the communication line is disconnected during printing, time monitoring is performed, and if recovery is made within a predetermined time, printing from the same request source is restarted and When the state of the printing apparatus changes, the changed print state is notified to the request source, and when the state recovers within a predetermined time, printing from the same print request source is restarted as much as possible. It is characterized in that the connection between the current information processing device and the printing device is maintained.

[0055]

As described above in detail, according to the print control means of the present invention, even if a printing device is connected in a LAN environment, it is as if the physical device 1 is physically connected.
It is possible to realize the same printing as in the case of being directly connected in a one-to-one correspondence, and it is possible to obtain the effect that the reliability of printing can be guaranteed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention (No. 1)

FIG. 2 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention (No. 2)

FIG. 3 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention (No. 3)

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (No. 1).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (part 2).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (part 3).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention (Part 4).

FIG. 8 illustrates a conventional relationship between an information processing device and a printing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Information processing device, print request source device 2 Printing device (printer device) 3 Network, LAN 10,20 Printing communication control unit 100-107 Processing step Printing device acquisition request (Assign) command Printing start (Open) command a Print data attribute Support response response print data transmission (Write) command Device acquisition availability response response Acquisition rejection response response during line disconnection Device status notification Printer status monitoring (Poll) command Status recovery notification within the set time Resume printing (Retry) Command PP print control program

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A predetermined information processing device of a plurality of information processing devices to which a predetermined printing device is connected via a network, wherein at least a print request source identifier and a print request source from the information processing device. A means for transferring a print request command including an address, a logical print destination as a print request destination of the printing apparatus, and a function level of the printing apparatus, making a print request to the printing apparatus, and inquiring whether or not printing is possible. If the logical destination of the printing device is in use, information indicating that it is in use is displayed. If the logical destination of the printing device is not in use, the function level of the printing device transmitted by the print request command is the printing device. Means for receiving information indicating that the printing device has been acquired in agreement with the function level of the side, and notifying the printing device of the attributes of the print data to be transmitted when the printing device has been acquired That the information processing apparatus characterized by comprising a means. 2. In a printing apparatus to which a plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected via a network, at least a print request source identifier and a print request source address transferred from a predetermined information processing apparatus A logical print destination that is a print request destination and a print request command that includes the function level of the printing apparatus are received, and the print request source address, the print request source identifier, and the logical print destination are confirmed, and the logical print destination is in use. If so, it returns information indicating that it is in use, detects that the print request source identifier is not in use, and the function level of the printing device and the function level in the print request command match. Means for returning the information indicating that the printing device has been acquired to the information processing device when the presence of the printing device is detected, and the device for transferring the information after the printing device is acquired by the information processing device. And a unit that controls printing according to the attribute of the sent print data. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
Means for setting a monitoring time when the communication line between the information processing device and the printing device is disconnected in the print request command, and when the disconnected state of the communication line is recovered within the set time An information processing apparatus, comprising: a means for receiving a response for continuing printing of the same print request from a corresponding printing apparatus. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the communication line set with the information processing apparatus is disconnected, disconnection monitoring set in the received print request command. When it is detected that the communication line has recovered within the set time by referring to the time, acquisition of the printing device by the same print request command is permitted, and acquisition of the printing device by a new print request frame is permitted. And a means for permitting the acquisition of the printing device by the new print request frame after the set time has elapsed. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
A means for receiving a response command indicating that the status of the printing apparatus has changed during communication of the print control data, and a time for confirming the return of the status of the printing apparatus when the status change notification command is received. A means for transmitting the set status monitoring command, a means for receiving status recovery notification information indicating that the status of the printing apparatus has recovered within the set time, and a print restart command when the status recovery notification information is received. And a means for transmitting the. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the status of the printing apparatus changes while receiving print control data, means for notifying the status change, and responding to the notification of the status change. And receiving a status monitoring command from the information processing device and detecting that the status has been recovered within the time designated by the status monitoring command, a means for notifying the status recovery within the set time, A unit that receives a print restart command from the information processing device in response to the status recovery and restarts a predetermined printing, and sets the setting when the status is not recovered within the time specified by the status monitoring command. And a means for notifying that the condition has not been recovered in time. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
A means for storing a print control program for a plurality of printing devices; a means for receiving a download request for the print control program including identification information for identifying each printing device from each printing device; and the received download request. And a means for selecting a print control program corresponding to the identification information from a means for storing the print control program based on the above, and transmitting the selected print control program to the corresponding printing device. 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing control program downloaded from the information processing apparatus is received, and the printing control is executed, and the information processing is triggered by a predetermined start condition. A printing apparatus comprising: a device that requests a download of the print control program; and a device that receives the print control program from the information processing device in response to the download request.