JPH09141981A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To analyze the problem related to interface without requiring any special measuring instrument. SOLUTION: After normal processing (Step 1), a decision is made whether a sampling time has elapsed (Step 2). If the sampling time has elapsed, a decision is made whether an arbitrary trigger signal has 'H' level and trigger conditions are satisfied (Step 3). If the trigger conditions are not satisfied, a signal to be monitored among parallel signals of a host I/F 111 is copied to a monitor memory (Step 4). If the trigger conditions are satisfied, history of each signal is read out from the monitor memory and a test print page is prepared and printed (Step 5, 6, 7). A user is notified that a test print is performed (Step 8).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a printer capable of communicating with a host device,
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used for a facsimile machine, a copying machine, a composite copy, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a host device (host computer), there is known one that confirms a state change of parallel signals transferred in parallel in order to confirm activation of a printer connected to itself by a parallel cable. Has been. Also, as a host device, in order to check the model of the printer connected to itself, a predetermined command is transferred to the printer, and the printer responds to this with a parallel response (hereinafter referred to as an ID response). It is known to find out what to send back. Conventionally, in a printer connected to such a host device, when a problem related to a host interface (host IF) occurs, a change of each signal is measured by a logic analyzer, and an abnormal change or a change is detected from the measurement result. I needed to find out if I was not responding.

[0003]

However, when using the logic analyzer, there are the following problems.
That is, since the logic analyzer is a high-precision measuring device, its usage is complicated, and only a highly skilled person can use it. In addition, the measuring device itself is expensive and the device itself is large and heavy, so that it is not easy to carry. For this reason, the logic analyzer cannot be brought to the user where the problem occurs, and the problem is that the environment similar to the user environment is reproduced in the development section before the problem analysis is started. Therefore, the problem analysis related to the host interface often takes a long time.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to provide an image forming apparatus capable of analyzing a problem regarding an interface without using a special measuring device. Is to provide. A second object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of surely notifying a user of the status printing when the status printing is performed. Further, a third object of the present invention is to make the transferred data and the change of the status signal visible at a glance without using a special measuring device,
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that facilitates analysis of a problem related to a host interface.

[0005]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a parallel port for communicating with a host device and capable of printing print data transferred from the host device in hexadecimal. Storage means for storing a signal indicating the operating state of the device, detection means for detecting a state change of an arbitrarily set signal, and the storage means when the state of the arbitrarily set signal is detected by the detection means The first object is achieved by comprising a printing unit that prints a signal indicating the stored operation state.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the invention of the first aspect, when the printing means performs printing, the user is notified of that fact, thereby achieving the second object. To do. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when a command requesting a response from the image forming apparatus is sent from the host apparatus to the image forming apparatus, the host apparatus transmits the command. The transfer data and the status signal stored in the storage means are printed together to achieve the third object.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer includes a controller 100, and an engine 108, a panel device 110, and a host device 112 are connected to the controller 100.

The controller 100 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 101 which controls the entire controller by various programs, a mode instruction from the panel device 110, and a command from the host device 112. CP
U101 is an IC that uses a bus line such as a data bus.
Card 102, NVRAM 103, program ROM read only memory) 104, font ROM 10
5, RAM (random access memory) 106, engine I / F (interface) 107, panel I / F
The F109 and the host I / F 111 are connected.

The IC card 102 uses font data,
A storage device that supplies a program from the outside. NVR
The AM 103 is a non-volatile storage device that stores the content of the mode instruction supplied from the panel device 110.
A selection switch is held in this NVRAM 103. The program ROM 104 is the controller 100
Read-only file containing the control program of
Memory. CPU101 is this program ROM
The following control is performed according to various programs stored in 104. Font ROM 105
Is a memory in which font pattern data and the like are stored.

The RAM 106 is a random access memory used as a work memory of the CPU 101, an input buffer for input data, a page buffer for print data, a memory for download fonts, a monitor memory described later, and the like. The RAM 106 has functions of a counter for the fed paper and a counter for the ejected paper. The engine I / F 107 is an interface for communicating commands and status with the engine 108 and print data. The engine 108 actually prints, and the engine I of the controller 100 is used.
/ F107 is connected. Panel I / F 109 is
It is an interface for communicating commands and statuses with the panel device 110. The host I / F 111 is
An interface (port) for communicating with the host device 112, which is normally a Centronics I / F or RS23.
2C is used.

The panel device 110 is a device that informs the user of the current printer status and gives a mode instruction, and is connected to the panel I / F 109 of the controller 100. The panel device 110 includes a buzzer, a speaker, and an LED as means for giving notification as described below. The host device 112 is a host device of the printer and is connected to the host I / F 111 of the controller 100.

Next, the operation of the embodiment thus configured will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Now, in the monitor mode (state monitoring mode) according to the present embodiment, it is arbitrarily set that the CAN signal is at the “H” level as a trigger that is a start condition for printing the state signal as described later. It is assumed that Examples of this setting method include a setting command and setting from the panel device 110. First, the CPU 101
After a normal process such as a start-up process and a print process (step 1), an inquiry is made to a timer or the like to determine whether or not the sampling time has elapsed (step 2). As a result of the determination, if the sampling time has not elapsed (step 2; N), the process returns to the normal process. On the other hand, if the sampling time has elapsed (step 2; Y), it is determined whether or not the trigger CAN signal is at the "H" level and the trigger condition is satisfied (step 3).

As a result of this judgment, if the trigger condition is not satisfied (step 3; N), "BUSY", "PE", "SEL" among the parallel signals of the host I / F 111.
The signals that you want to monitor, such as "ECT" and "CAN", are stored in RAM
After copying (storing) to the monitor memory in which a storage area is secured in 106 (step 4), it returns to the normal processing (step 1). Here, "BUSY" indicates that the printer cannot receive, "PE" indicates that the printer is paper empty, and "SELECT" indicates whether the printer is online or offline. On the other hand, if the trigger condition is satisfied (step 3; Y), the history of each signal is read from the monitor memory (step 5), a test print page is created (step 6), and the engine 108 is used. A print command is issued to the printer to print (step 7). Then, the result of the test printing as shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. Then, the user is notified that this test printing has been performed (step 8). As a means for giving this notification, a buzzer or a speaker arranged on the panel device 110 is sounded, or L arranged on the panel device is set.
Display ED. Alternatively, the host device 112 may be notified directly. Then, after these processes are completed, the process returns to the normal process.

In the embodiment described above, the status signal of the printer to be monitored among the parallel signals of the host I / F 111 is stored in the RAM every time the sampling time elapses.
It is stored in the monitor memory in 106, and when the trigger condition is satisfied, the stored status signal is printed out. Therefore, since the printing result as shown in FIG. 3 is obtained, for example, the 14-pin “CAN signal”, the 11-pin “BUSY signal”, and the 12-pin “PE signal” are both “ It can be seen that the L level has changed to the H level. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the buzzer or the speaker arranged on the panel device 110 is made to ring to notify the user that the test printing has been performed. Therefore, the user can be surely notified to the user who is away from the printer.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, when a command requesting a response from the printer is sent from the host device 112 to the printer, the transfer data is printed in hexadecimal and at the same time the parallel port status signal is printed. This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 and FIG. It is assumed that the printer is currently in the hexadecimal dump mode and the command to enter the ID response mode from the host device 112 has been transferred. Here, the hexadecimal dump is the print data sent from the host device when the data sent from the host device 112 is printed and the expected print result is not obtained.
Printing in hexadecimal format.

As shown in FIG. 4, the printer obtains 1 byte of data transferred from the host device 112 and performs a process for returning a response (step 11). Then, R
The current state of each signal is read from the monitor memory in the AM 106 (step 12). Here, in order to read the latest signal state, the above sampling time needs to be much shorter than the time required for the printer to return a 1-byte response. After reading the current state of each signal from the monitor memory, it is judged whether or not the data for one printing sheet is prepared (step 13), and if the data for one sheet is not prepared (step 13; N). ), Returns to the beginning and moves to the processing for the next 1 byte.

On the other hand, if the data for one sheet is available (step 13; Y), the engine 108 is executed for the page.
A print request is issued to (step 14), the next one page is created, and the process returns to the first one byte. FIG. 5 shows an example of a test print of a hexadecimal dump with a history of status signals obtained by such processing. In the embodiment described above, when the host device 112 sends to the printer a command requesting a response from the printer, the transfer data is printed in hexadecimal and the status signal of the parallel port is also added. I tried to print it, so
Since the relationship between the transfer data and the status signal can be seen at a glance without using a special measuring device for the change of the parallel signal, the problem analysis regarding the host interface becomes easy.

[0018]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the storage means stores the state signal indicating the operating state of the image forming apparatus, and when the state change of the arbitrarily set signal is detected, the stored operation. Since the status signal indicating the status is printed, it is possible to know the change of the status signal without using a special measuring device, which facilitates the analysis of the problem regarding the host interface.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the status signal is printed, the fact is notified to the user. Therefore, even if the user is away from the image forming apparatus, the fact is clarified. Can be recognized by. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the host apparatus sends a command requesting a response from the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus, the transfer data from the host apparatus and the state of storing the data in the storage unit. Since it is printed together with the signal,
Changes in transfer data and status signals can be seen at a glance without the use of special measuring equipment, which facilitates analysis of problems with the host interface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of a controller in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of test printing of a history of status signals.

4 is a flowchart showing another operation of the controller in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a test print example of a hexadecimal dump with a history of status signals.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Controller 101 CPU 102 IC Card 103 NVRAM 104 Program ROM 105 Font ROM 106 RAM 107 Engine I / F 108 Engine 109 Panel I / F 110 Panel Device 111 Host I / F 112 Host Device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a parallel port for communicating with a host apparatus and capable of printing print data transferred from the host apparatus in hexadecimal notation, and storage means for storing a signal indicating an operation state of the image forming apparatus. Detecting means for detecting a change in the state of the signal set arbitrarily, and printing means for printing a signal indicating the operation state stored in the storage means when the state of the signal set by the detecting means is detected, An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. When the printing means performs printing,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user is notified of that fact. 3. The transfer data from the host device and the status signal stored in the storage means when a command requesting a response from the image forming device is sent from the host device to the image forming device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is also printed.