JPH09323464A - Printer and method for automatically emulating it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the accuracy of selecting a language by omitting a waste language selecting process in the automatic emulation of a terminal printer. SOLUTION: The language used in the previous print job is decided as a default language from a plurality of previously prepared printer languages 73, 75, 77, and the identification 93 of the default language is stored. When a new print job is input from a host computer 3, the default language of the languages 73, 75, 77 is first started, and received data is analyzed. If no error occurs in the analysis, the analysis is continued and printed. If an error occurs, another language is selected, and again analyzed. If errors occur in all the languages 73, 75, 77, its print job is not executed, but instead an error message is output. In case that an error always occurs when the data written by the other language is analyzed by the corresponding language from a plurality of the languages 73, 75, 77 but there exists the language that, when the data written by the corresponding language is analyzed by the other language, there is possibility of no error, the corresponding language may be always initially selected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvement of an auto emulation function of a terminal printer used in a computer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are several types of printer languages for terminal printers. Therefore, there is known an auto emulation function in which a plurality of printer languages are prepared in advance in the printer, the printer automatically determines the printer language of the data coming from the host computer, and selectively activates the corresponding printer language. There is.

By the way, there is a high-performance printer of recent years that prints a plurality of print jobs in units of the jobs. In such a printer that performs processing on a job-by-job basis, it may be necessary to determine in which language the job is to be processed. In such a case, the above-mentioned auto emulation function is used to start the print job. Each time
The language determination process is activated to determine the language, and the determined language is activated to analyze the received data.

Here, the "print job" is a group of a series of received data that the printer recognizes as a temporary print job. Normally, the printer prints a cut of received data or a cut of printing as a "print job". Recognize as a break.

[0005]

However, since such a conventional auto emulation always performs the language determination processing for each print job, it is wasteful especially when print jobs described in the same language arrive consecutively. It was performing poor language judgment processing and the performance was poor.

Further, when data that does not belong to any language arrives by mistake, no matter which language is selected, meaningless data is printed.

Further, there are languages that may be erroneously determined by the language determination processing. For example, in a page description language (hereinafter referred to as PDL) typified by "PostScript" (trademark) of Adobe Systems Incorporated, ASC is generally used.
Only the II code is used to describe the data. Since all other printer languages understand ASCII code, the data written in PDL is
Looks like the correct data written in each language. Therefore, a printer language other than PDL may be selected for PDL data.

Therefore, it is a general object of the present invention to improve the performance of the terminal printer's auto emulation function.

One more specific object is to make it possible to omit useless language selection processing when data described in the same language arrives continuously.

Another specific object is to prevent wasteful printing when data that does not belong to any language arrives by mistake.

Yet another specific objective is to be able to always select the correct language for data, even if one printer language may perceive data written in another language as apparently correct. To do so.

[0012]

A printer according to the first aspect of the present invention selects a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data and an activation language from the plurality of languages. When a previously selected startup language fails to analyze the received data in one print job, another language that has not been activated among multiple languages is selected as the startup language. A language starting means for reactivating the system and a default language determining means for determining one of a plurality of languages as a default language are provided. Then, the language activation means first selects a default language determined in advance at the start of one print job as the activation language. Further, the default language determining means determines, in one print job, the startup language in which the received data has been successfully analyzed as the default language for the next print job.

Further, "analysis fails" means that an error occurs in the analysis of the received data, and "successful analysis" means that no error occurs in the analysis of the received data (whether the analysis result is correct or not). It does not matter whether or not).

According to this printer, the language used in the previous print job is registered as the default language, and is selected first in the next print job. Therefore, when data of the same language arrives continuously, the language It is efficient and saves you the trouble of selecting.

The printer according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data, at least one language having a higher exclusivity than other languages, and a plurality of these languages. When a startup language selected in a single print job fails to parse received data in a single print job, a different startup language from the plurality of languages that has not been activated yet is selected. And a language starting means for re-selecting the language as the starting language to operate. Then, the language activation means first selects one language having high exclusivity as the activation language in one print job.

Here, the "highly exclusive" language means that the data written in another language may fail to be analyzed when the language analyzes the data, and the data written in the language is analyzed in another language. Is higher than that when it is parsed, or it may be successful when another language parses data written in that language. Higher that language.

According to this printer, the "highly exclusive" language is always selected first. Therefore, if the previously selected language does not match the language of the received data, there is a high possibility that the analysis will fail. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the correct language will eventually be selected.

In both of the above-mentioned two printers, it is desirable to stop the execution of the print job when the analysis of the received data fails in all the plural languages in one print job. This avoids the problem of meaningless and wasteful printing when erroneous data arrives.

The processing according to the gist of the present invention can be realized by dedicated hardware in the printer or by execution of software by the computer in the printer. In the latter case, the computer program may be provided to the computer through a medium that carries the program fixedly, such as a semiconductor memory or a disk storage device, or through a medium that carries the program fluidly, such as a communication network. It may be provided to the computer.

[0020]

FIG. 1 shows the overall construction of a terminal printer according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The printer 1 connected to the host computer 3 has a CPU 3, a program ROM 5 and a RAM 7.
And a print engine 9.

The program ROM 5 stores programs for all processes to be executed by the CPU 3 before receiving data from the host computer 3 and converting it into a bitmap image and passing it to the print engine 9. Among those processes, those directly related to the present invention include the illustrated language task control 71 and multiple printer languages 73,7.
5, 77. Printer language is host computer 3
The data received from the server (hereinafter referred to as the received data) is analyzed. Here, "IPDS" 73, "ESC / P"
75 and "PCL-5" 77 are illustrated.
"IPDS" is a printer language (both are trademarks) of IBM, "ESC / P" is a printer language of Seiko Epson, and "PCL-5" is a printer language of Hewlett-Packard. The language task control 71 uses these printer languages 73, 7
It functions to select one from 5, 77 and provide it to the CPU 5.

The RAM 9 is used as a storage area for the reception buffer 91, the default language identification 93, the intermediate code buffer 95, the page buffer 97 and the like. The reception buffer 91 1 temporarily stores the reception data. The default language identification 93 holds one identification designated as the "default language" among the plurality of printer languages 73, 75, 77 described above. The intermediate code buffer 95 temporarily stores image data (hereinafter referred to as intermediate code) in an intermediate format (a format before the bit map image is generated) generated as a result of analyzing the received data by any printer language. This is the area that is accumulated. The page buffer 97 is an area in which a final bitmap image (hereinafter referred to as a page image) in page units converted from the intermediate code is temporarily stored.

The print engine 11 includes a print head, a paper transport mechanism, and the like, and reads a page image from the page buffer 97 and prints it on paper.

FIG. 2 shows the process flow of this printer.

When the received data constituting one print job is first received by the receiving buffer 91 (S1), first, the language task control 71 reads out the default language identification 93, and one language designated by this identification 93 is read. (Language 73
1 to 77) is determined as the "starting language" (S2).
The default language identification 93 is automatically determined according to the language used before, as will be described later. However, when the printer is initialized, the factory default settings or user's operation from the printer operation panel is performed. It is decided prior to the start of the first print job according to the settings.

Next, the language task control 71 detects the activation language from the languages 73 to 77 in the ROM 7 (S
3) The activation language is activated (S4).

Next, the operating language (hereinafter referred to as operating language) retrieves the reception data from the reception buffer 91 (S5) and analyzes the reception data (S6). At each step in this analysis, the operating language checks whether an error has occurred (S7). If no error occurs, an intermediate code is created according to the analysis result and written in the intermediate code buffer 95 (S8). When the analysis proceeds normally without any error, the above analysis and creation of intermediate code are continued until there is no received data (S
9). When there is no received data, the operation of the operating language ends, and the language task control 71 sets the operating language identification in the RAM 9 as the default language identification 93 (S1).
0). Following this (or in parallel with the above operation), a printing operation based on the created intermediate code is performed (S1).
1).

On the other hand, if an error occurs during the analysis ("Yes" in S7), the operating language returns all the data used in the analysis to the receiving buffer and ends the operation (S1).
2). Then, the language task control 71 checks whether or not there is a language in the languages 73 to 77 that has not been activated yet in the print job of this time (S13), and if there is, selects the language in accordance with the predetermined selection order. The next one language is determined as the "starting language" and the process returns to step S3.

If there is no language that has not been activated in step S13, that is, if all three languages 73 to 77 have already been activated in this job, the received data does not match any language. It is determined that the job has been analyzed, an analysis error message is printed (S14), and the current job ends.

As described above, in this embodiment, from among a plurality of printer languages 73 to 77 prepared in advance,
Remember the language used in the previous job as the "default language", and at the beginning of the next job, first use the "default language" to start analysis, and if no error occurs, continue processing the job To do. Therefore, when data of the same language arrives consecutively (there are many cases in practice), each job can be processed efficiently by omitting an extra language selection process. If an error occurs in the "default language", another language is selected. If no error occurs in that error, the analysis is continued in that language and that language is remembered as the "default language" for the subsequent next job. Therefore, it is possible to deal with the case where the language is different depending on the job. Furthermore, if an error occurs in all languages, the error message is output without processing the job.
Therefore, when incorrect data is received, a meaningless print result is not output.

The three languages exemplified above, namely,
"IPDS", "ESC / P" and "PCL-5" are
When parsing data in different languages with different languages, each has commands that it doesn't understand.
Almost certainly an error occurs. Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the correct language can be selected regardless of which language data arrives.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of a terminal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The elements having substantially the same functions as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted.

In the ROM 7 of the printer 13, as the printer language, the same "ESC / P" 75 as in the previous embodiment is used.
In addition to "PCL-5" 77 and "PCL-5" 77, "PDL (Page Description Language)" 79 introduced in the explanation of the prior art (the currently used "PDL" is "PostS" of Adobe Systems Incorporated).
Only "script") is installed. As described above, since the data described in “PDL (page description language)” 79 (that is, specifically, “PostScript”) is composed only of ASCII code, it may cause an error when analyzed in another printer language. Does not appear (but correct print results cannot be obtained of course). Therefore, in this printer 13, the language task processing 81
Language selection processing is performed in consideration of the special circumstances of "DL".

FIG. 4 shows a processing flow of the printer 13.

When the received data making up one print job is first received by the receiving buffer 91 (S21), first, the language task control 81 determines "PDL" 79 as "starting language" (S22). Next, language task control 81
Detects the start language "PDL" 79 from the ROM 7 (S23) and activates it (S24).

Next, the operated "PDL" 79 takes out the received data from the receiving buffer 91 (S25),
This received data is analyzed (S26). As a result, if no error occurs, the "PDL" 79 creates an intermediate code according to the analysis result and writes it in the intermediate code buffer 95 (S28). Therefore, when the received data is described in “PDL”, the “PDL” 79 normally continues the analysis and the intermediate code generation until the received data is exhausted (S).
9). When there is no received data, the "PDL" 79 ends the operation, and subsequently (or in parallel with the operation of the "PDL"), the printing operation based on the created intermediate code is performed (S11).

On the other hand, when the received data is written in a language other than "PDL", there is a command that is not an ASCII code, such as an escape command, in that data. An error occurs (“Yes” in S27). Then, "PD
"L" 79 returns all the data used at the time of analysis to the reception buffer and ends the operation (S31). Subsequently, the language task control 91 determines the next one language in the predetermined order out of the languages 75 and 77 other than the "PDL" 79 as the "starting language", returns to step S23, and operates the starting language. Then, the same processing is repeated.

After that, if the analysis is successful in the activation language, the processing is continued in that language (S23 to S30), and if the analysis fails, another non-activated language is selected as the "activation language". (S31, S32, S34), step S
Return to 23. If the analysis fails in all three languages 75 to 79, the job is terminated and an error message is printed (S33).

As described above, the printer 13 always analyzes first with "PDL" 79, and when an error occurs, another language such as "ESC / P" 75 or "PCL-5" 77 is used. By analyzing, the above-mentioned "PDL" 7
Accurate language selection is possible even under the 9 special circumstances. To describe this principle more generally, an error occurs when the data is written in another language (for example, “PDL” 79) among a plurality of prepared printer languages. Select a language with a relatively high probability (that is, “highly exclusive”) first (for example, “ESC / P” 75
Or a language such as "PCL-5" 77 that is relatively unlikely to cause an error when the language analyzes data written in another language (for example, "PDL") (that is, "low exclusivity"). By selecting later, the language can be selected with high accuracy.

FIG. 5 shows the structure of a terminal printer according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Incidentally, the above-mentioned second embodiment
Elements having substantially the same functions as those of the above embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

The printer 15 has a large-capacity storage medium 105, which is different from the embodiment 2 described above. This allows, for example, multiple hosts (not shown)
A plurality of print jobs that come in through the network via the network can be temporarily stored in the reception buffer 91 and then stored in the mass storage medium 105. As a result, a large number of print jobs can be stored, and print data (received data) to be printed can be fetched from the large-capacity storage medium 105 as needed and sent to the print processing. Is. Generally, in such a case, the reception buffer 91 may have a capacity of about several hundred bytes. Although the reception buffer 91 and the large-capacity storage medium 105 are described as being physically separated here, a large number of print jobs can be stored by simply increasing the capacity of the reception buffer 91. It has the same effect. Therefore, the reception buffer 91 preferably has a capacity on the order of gigabytes.

FIG. 6 shows a processing flow of the printer 15.

This processing flow differs from the processing flow of the second embodiment (FIG. 4) in that the activation language operated by the language task control 71 takes out the print data from the mass storage medium 105. Further, in S26 of analyzing the print data, the print data to be used is read from the large-capacity storage medium 105, but at that time, only the print data is read, and the print data is stored in the large-capacity storage medium 105.
It won't be erased anymore. This is because many print jobs can be stored in the mass storage medium 105. Therefore, when the language analysis fails, all the print data is received in the reception buffer (or the mass storage medium 10).
There is no processing to return to 5). Since this makes it possible to increase the processing speed, it is advantageous for the present invention to prepare a large-capacity storage medium or increase the capacity of the reception buffer. It is also advantageous to apply the present invention to a printer that prints on a job-by-job basis. It should be noted that it is possible to automatically delete the print data stored in the storage medium when printing is completed.

The above-described embodiments and printer languages used therein are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention can be implemented in various other modes with various changes, improvements, and modifications.

Needless to say, even when a plurality of PDLs are provided, the present invention can be applied if the mutual exclusivity is different.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 13 Terminal printer 3 Host computer 5 CPU 7 Program ROM 9 RAM 11 Printing engine 71, 81 Language tax control 73, 75, 77, 79 Printer language 93 Default language identification

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data, and a startup language selected from the plurality of languages to be operated, wherein a single print job is performed first. Language activation means for re-selecting and operating another language, which has not been activated yet, of the plurality of languages as an activation language when the selected activation language fails to analyze the received data; A default language determining means for determining one of the default languages as a default language, wherein the language starting means first selects a default language which is predetermined at the start of one print job as a starting language. The default language determining means sets a start language in which a received data is successfully analyzed in one print job as a default language for the next print job. Determining Te, printer, characterized in that. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising job canceling means for stopping the execution of the print job when one of the plurality of languages fails to analyze the received data in one print job. A printer characterized by. 3. A plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data, at least one language having a higher exclusivity than other languages, and a startup language selected from the plurality of languages to be operated. In one print job, when the previously selected startup language fails to analyze the received data, another language which has not been operated yet among the plurality of languages is selected again as the startup language. Language activation means to operate by
The printer, wherein the language activation means first selects one of the highly exclusive languages as a startup language in one print job. 4. The printer according to claim 3, further comprising job canceling means for stopping the execution of the print job when one of the plurality of languages fails to analyze the received data in one print job. A printer characterized by. 5. An auto emulation method for selecting and operating an appropriate language for each print job from among a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data, in one print job, A process of selecting one of the plurality of languages as a first startup language and operating it; and in a single print job, when the previously selected startup language fails to analyze received data, the plurality of languages A step of reselecting another language that has not been operated yet as a starting language to operate and a step of determining one of the plurality of languages as a default language, The process of selecting the first startup language selects a default language that is predetermined at the start of one print job as the first startup language, The process of determining the language in one of the print jobs, determining a successful start language analysis of the received data as the default language for the next print job,
A printer auto emulation method characterized by the above. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of stopping the execution of the print job when all of the plurality of languages in one print job have failed to analyze the received data. Characteristic printer auto emulation method. 7. An operation is performed by selecting an appropriate language for each print job from a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data and at least one language having higher exclusivity than other languages. In the automatic emulation method, a process of selecting one of the plurality of languages as the first activation language from the plurality of languages in one print job and operating it, and selecting one in the print job first When the startup language fails to parse the received data, another language of the plurality of languages which has not been activated is selected again as a subsequent activation language and activated. And printer auto emulation method. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of terminating execution of the print job when all of the plurality of languages fail to analyze received data in one print job. Characteristic printer auto emulation method. 9. A computer program for an auto emulation method for selecting and operating an appropriate language for each print job from a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data in a computer. In the program medium to be supplied, a process of selecting and operating one language from the plurality of languages as a first startup language in one print job, and receiving the previously selected startup language in one print job. When the analysis of the data fails, a process of reselecting another language which has not been operated yet from among the plurality of languages as a subsequent activation language and operating it, and one of the plurality of languages Determining the default language, the step of selecting the first startup language is predetermined at the start of one print job. The default language is selected as the first startup language, and the step of determining the default language determines the startup language in which the received data is successfully analyzed in one print job as the default language for the next print job. To do
A program medium that carries a program for causing a computer to perform the auto emulation method characterized in that it is readable and understandable by the computer. 10. An operation is performed by selecting an appropriate language for each print job from a plurality of printer languages prepared in advance for analyzing received data and at least one language having higher exclusivity than other languages. In a program medium for supplying a computer with a computer program for an auto emulation method, the process of selecting and operating one of the highly exclusive languages as a first activation language from among the plurality of languages in one print job In one print job, when the previously selected startup language fails to parse the received data, another language in the plurality of languages that has not been activated is reselected as the subsequent startup language. A computer auto-emulation method that is characterized by the following steps: Program medium from which a computer carrying in reading and understandable form a program for causing I.