JPH09216424A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively use memories of host devices without using a printer server unit. SOLUTION: This printer 10 is provided with an interface controller 20 to control communication with a host devices 14, 16 and 18 connected to a network 12, a timer 22 to measure the reception time of printing data from the host devices 14, 16 and 18, a data storage 24 to store the reception time of printing data and IDs of the host devices 14, 16 and 18 that transfer the printing data, a printing section 28 to print the printing data, and a main controller 30 to control the interface controller 20, etc. When one of the host devices outputs a printing data transmission demand while the main controller 30 is receiving the printing data from the other host device, the main controller 30 permits the transmission of the printing data and stores the reception time and the printing data into the printing data storage 24 to prints the printing data in order of the reception time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device connected to a network to which a plurality of higher-level devices are connected without passing through a higher-level device for a print server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer device connected via a printer server host device on a network to which a plurality of host devices are connected is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 3-1506.
28 and Sho 62-73831. In these printer devices, there is a problem that not only the purchase cost of the printer server device is required, but also the installation location of the printer server device is required.

[0003]

On the other hand, in a printer device which can be connected to a network without going through a printer server device, a changeover switch or the like for connecting to a specific higher-level device is used. Data cannot be received. Therefore, since the printer device is occupied by the host device that performs a large amount of printing,
There is a problem that the print data of another higher-level device stays in the higher-level device, which hinders effective use of the memory of the higher-level device.

[0004]

A printer device according to the present invention is provided on a network to which a plurality of higher-level devices are connected.
An interface control unit that is connected without passing through a host device for a printer server and can simultaneously receive print data from a plurality of host devices, a data storage unit that stores the print data, A timer unit for measuring the reception time, a printing unit for printing the print data,
A main control unit that controls operations of the interface control unit, the timer unit, and the printing unit. And
When a print data transmission request is output from another higher-level device while receiving the print data, the main control unit permits the transmission of the print data and stores the reception time and the print data in the print data storage. It is stored in a copy and is printed from the print data having a short reception time.

[0005] It is assumed that a print data transmission request is output from another host device while print data is being received from a host device. Then, the main control unit permits transmission of print data from another higher-level device. On the other hand, the print data and the reception time of the print data are stored in the print data storage unit. The stored print data is printed from the one with the shortest reception time.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a printer device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing storage contents in a data storage unit.
Hereinafter, description will be made based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

The printer device 10 includes an interface control unit 20 for controlling communication with higher-level devices 14, 16, 18 connected to the network 12, and a higher-level device 14,
A timer unit 22 for measuring the reception time of print data from the printers 16 and 18, and a data storage unit 24 for storing the print data, the IDs of the higher-level devices 14, 16 and 18 to which the print data is transferred, and the reception time of the print data A page buffer 26 for storing print data, a printing unit 28 for printing the print data stored in the page buffer 26, an interface control unit 20, a timer unit 22, and a data storage unit 24.
And a main control unit 30 that controls the printing unit 28.

Here, as the data storage unit 24, a storage medium such as a RAM with a high transfer speed or an inexpensive hard disk is used. As shown in FIG. 2, the data storage unit 24 stores print data, an ID of the host
The time when the print data is received is stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

1) A case where a print data transmission request is output from the host device 18 while the printer device 10 is waiting for print data will be described.

The main control unit 30 includes the interface control unit 2
0, the transfer of the print data from the host device 18 is permitted, and the received print data is stored in the page buffer 26. After completing the reception of the print data from the host device 18, the main control unit 30 prints the print data of the page buffer 26 by the printing unit 28 and deletes the print data of the page buffer 26. When the transfer of the print data from the host device 18 is completed, the printer device 10 enters a print data standby state.

2) A case where a print data transmission request is output from the host device 14 while the printer device 10 is receiving print data from the host device 18 will be described.

When receiving a print data transmission request from the host device 14, the main control unit 30 permits the host device 14 to transfer the print data even while the print data is being received from the host device 18. The main control unit 30 identifies the ID of the host device in the print data received by the interface control unit 20, and if the print data is the print data of the host device 18, stores the print data in the page buffer 26. On the other hand, if the ID is the host device 14, the reception time is acquired by the timer unit 22, and the print data, the ID of the host device 14, and the reception time are stored in the data storage unit 24. When all the print data from the host device 18 is received and printing is completed,
The main control unit 30 develops the print data from the host device 14 stored in the data storage unit 24 into the page buffer 26. When the development for one page is completed, the main control unit 30 executes printing by the printing unit 28.

3) The printer device 10 is a host device 14, 1
A case in which a print data transmission request is output from the host device 16 while the print data of No. 8 is being received will be described.

Upon receiving a print data transmission request from the host device 14, the main control unit 30 permits the host device 14 to transfer print data even while print data is being received from the host device 18. The main control unit 30 includes the interface control unit 2
0 identifies the ID of the host device in the print data received,
If the print data is the print data of the host device 18, the print data is stored in the page buffer 26. On the other hand, if the ID is the host device 14, the reception time is acquired by the timer unit 22, and the print data, the ID of the host device 14 and the reception time are stored in the data storage unit 24. Also, if the ID is higher-level device 16
If it is, the reception time is acquired by the timer unit 22 and the print data, the ID of the host device 16 and the reception time are stored in the data storage unit 2.
4 is stored.

When all the print data from the host device 18 is received and printing is completed, the main control unit 30 searches the reception time stored in the data storage unit 24, and the reception time of the print data is the earliest. The print data of the host device 14 is
The data is expanded in the page buffer 26. When the development of one page is completed, the main control unit 30 executes printing by the printing unit 28. When all the print data from the host device 14 is received and printing is completed, the main control unit 30 expands the print data from the host device 16 stored in the data storage unit 24 into the page buffer 26. When the development for one page is completed, the main control unit 30 executes printing by the printing unit 28.

[0017]

Since the present invention is constructed and functions as described above, the purchase cost of the printer server device and the installation location of the printer server device can be eliminated, and the print data can be received from a plurality of host devices at the same time. It is possible to solve the problem that the print data stays in the host device and prevents the effective use of the memory of the host device. Therefore, it is possible to provide an unprecedented printer that can effectively utilize the memory of the host device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printer device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing storage contents in a data storage unit of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer device 12 Network 14 Upper device 16 Upper device 18 Upper device 20 Interface control unit 22 Timer unit 24 Data storage unit 28 Printing unit 30 Main control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printer device connected to a network to which a plurality of higher-level devices are connected without passing through a higher-level device for a printer server, wherein print data from the plurality of higher-level devices can be received simultaneously. An interface control unit, a data storage unit that stores the print data, a timer unit that measures a reception time of the print data, a printing unit that prints the print data, the interface control unit, the timer unit, and the print unit. A main control unit that controls the operation of the print unit, and the main control unit permits the transmission of the print data when a print data transmission request is output from another higher-level device while receiving the print data. In addition, the reception time and the print data are stored in the print data storage unit, and the print data having the earlier reception time is printed. The other apparatus. 2. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit identifies a network ID of the host device and uses this network ID when storing the print data. 3. The printer device according to claim 2, wherein the main control unit stores the print data and the reception time in the data storage unit in association with the network ID of the host device.