JPH0934657A - Information processor, printer, print system, and print control method for print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute an inexpensive printer control environment where a print control program on the printer side is freely updated by storing the print control program transferred from an information processor and updating the stored print control program to successively transferred print control programs. SOLUTION: When a CPU 104 selects one print control program based on the application program loaded into a RAM 107, a transfer means transfers the selected print control program to a printer 113, and a CPU 116 successively updates the print control program written in a RAM 118 to transferred print control programs each time when it is discriminated that the data type of transferred data is a print control program.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a printing apparatus, a printing system, and a print control method for the printing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an information processing system or a printing system composed of a data processing device and a printing device, information is exchanged between the data processing device and the printing device by using a printing protocol according to a printing control system. ing. The printing protocol on the printing device side is realized by the fixed control program operation such as ROM storage.
On the other hand, the application program on the data processing device side generates a control procedure according to the above-mentioned print protocol, and as a result, a printed output is obtained.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, since the printing protocol on the side of the printing apparatus is held as a fixed memory, when the function of the printing protocol is desired to be changed, the fixed memory unit is replaced, specifically, Had to replace the ROM, making maintenance of the printing apparatus difficult.

Further, in the case of a printing apparatus compatible with a plurality of printing protocols, it is necessary to fix and store each printing protocol. This has led to an increase in manufacturing cost regardless of the frequency of use of the printing protocol.

Further, as a problem on the side of the data processing device, the application program needs to generate a control procedure that conforms to the print protocol, and whenever the print protocol is changed or revised, a change is made to conform to the print protocol. There was a problem of needing.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the first to sixth inventions of the present invention is to update a print control program acquired from the information processing apparatus side. The print control program transferred from the information processing apparatus is stored by managing as much as possible, and the stored print control program is updated to the print control program sequentially transferred, so that the print control program on the printing apparatus side can be freely changed. The present invention provides an information processing apparatus, a printing apparatus, a printing system, and a print control method for the printing system capable of constructing an inexpensive printer control environment to be updated.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium stores a plurality of print control programs having different print control procedures. Program storage means, selection means for selecting one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, and transfer means for transferring the print control program selected by the selection means to the printing device. Is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, storage means for storing a print control program to be executed and the predetermined communication medium are provided. Determination means for determining whether the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the information processing device is a print control program; and when the data is the print control program, the storage means stores the print control program every time the print control program is transferred. Update means for sequentially updating the transferred print control program with the print control program written in the means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the storage means is a non-volatile storage medium.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the storage means comprises a volatile storage medium.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a printing system in which an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium, a program storage for storing a plurality of print control programs having different print control procedures. Means, selecting means for selecting one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, and transfer means for transferring the print control program selected by the selecting means to the printing apparatus. An information processing device; a storage unit that stores a print control program to be executed; a determination unit that determines whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program; When the data is the print control program, every time the print control program is transferred, Is a print control program written in the storage means having a printing device and a updating means for sequentially updating the transferred print control program.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is a print control method for a print system in which a printing apparatus having a storage unit for storing a print control program to be executed and an information processing apparatus can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium. A determining step of determining whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program, and the print control program written in the storage unit based on the determination result Is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the selecting means selects one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, the transferring means transfers the selected print control program to the printing device. By transferring the print information, the print control program most suitable for the application program is made resident in the printing apparatus, and the print information according to the application program can be processed in the most suitable procedure.

In the second aspect of the invention, the updating means is written in the storing means each time the judging means judges that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program. The print control program being transferred is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, and even if the print control program does not have a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs, It is possible to obtain a print control program and rewrite each of the obtained print control programs sequentially in the storage unit so that the print information can be processed in an optimum procedure.

In the third aspect of the invention, every time the determining means determines that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the updating means is a non-volatile storage medium. Each application of the information processing apparatus, even if it does not have a memory capacity for successively updating the print control program written in the configured storage means to the transferred print control program to make a plurality of print control programs resident It is possible to obtain each print control program loaded in accordance with the selection, rewrite the obtained print control programs sequentially in the storage unit so that the print information can be processed in an optimum procedure.

In the fourth invention, the updating means is a volatile storage medium every time the determining means determines that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program. Even if the print control program written in the configured storage means is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program so that a plurality of print control programs does not have a memory capacity to be resident, the information is stored in an inexpensive memory medium. To obtain each print control program loaded according to each application selection of the processing apparatus, rewrite each obtained print control program so that it can be sequentially updated in the storage unit, and process print information in an optimum procedure. It is possible.

In the fifth invention, when the selecting means selects one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, the transferring means transfers the selected print control program to the printing device. Every time the transfer control unit determines that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the update unit stores the print control program written in the storage unit. The transferred print control programs are sequentially updated to obtain each print control program loaded according to each application selection of the information processing apparatus even if the print control program does not have a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs. , The acquired print control programs are sequentially rewritten in the storage means so that the print information can be updated. It makes it possible to handle in a proper procedure.

In the sixth invention, it is judged whether the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program, and the data is written in the storage means based on the judgment result. The print control program being transferred is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, each print control program loaded in association with each application selection of the information processing apparatus is acquired, and each acquired print control program is stored in a storage unit. It is possible to automate the process of rewriting sequentially so that it can be updated.

[0019]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of a printing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the printing system according to the present embodiment is configured so that the data processing device 101 and the printing device 113 can communicate with each other through bidirectional parallel interfaces 110 and 119, a parallel interface cable (cable) 112 and the like.

In the data processing device 101, reference numeral 102 is a keyboard device, and an input keyboard code or the like is processed by a keyboard controller (KBC) 109.

A display device 103 displays information expanded by a display controller 106 in a VRAM (not shown).

A CPU 104 is a control program stored in the ROM 105, an application program stored in the disk device 108, a data processing program,
Each part is controlled comprehensively by an input / output control program. Reference numeral 111 denotes an in-apparatus bus, which includes a control bus for controlling each unit, an address bus, a data bus, and the like.

The data processing device 101 may be provided with an expansion bus slot for enabling the internal bus 111 to process information from various control boards.

In the printing device (printer) 113, 1
Reference numeral 14 is an engine controller, and 115 is a print engine.

In the engine controller 114, 1
Reference numeral 16 denotes a CPU, which comprehensively controls communication processing with the data processing device 101, output processing of print information to the print engine 115, and the like based on a communication control program, an engine control program, and the like stored in the ROM 107. 1
A RAM 18 functions as a work memory for the CPU 116. Reference numeral 121 denotes an in-apparatus bus, which includes a control bus for controlling each unit, an address bus, a data bus, and the like.

As shown in this figure, in the printing system shown in this embodiment, the inside of the data processing device 101 is a CPU 1
04, ROM 105, display controller 10
6, RAM 107, disk device 108, keyboard controller 109, bidirectional parallel interface 11
0, each of which is connected by an in-device bus 111.

Regarding the outside of the device, the display device 113, via the display controller 106,
The keyboard device 102 is connected via the keyboard controller 109, and the bidirectional parallel interface 110 and the printing device 103 are connected via the cable 112. Further, the inside of the printing apparatus 113 can be divided into an engine controller 114 and a print engine 115.

The engine controller 114 further comprises a CPU 116, a ROM 117, a RAM 118, a bidirectional parallel interface 119, and a print engine interface 120, each of which has an internal device bus 121.
Connected by

The data processing device 101 and the printing device 11
The operation from the time when the power supply of 3 is turned on will be described. Descriptions of units, power supply units, and the like not directly related to the present invention will be omitted.

FIG. 2 shows the disk device 108 shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a memory content of the memory controller and a memory address map inside the engine controller 114, and the same components as those in FIG.

In FIG. 2, 201 is an application program, 202 is a print protocol file (consisting of files PF1 to PF3, etc.), 203 is the entire memory map configuration, 204 is the ROM 117 map configuration, and 205 is the RAM 118. The map configuration of the above is shown, and 206 is a byte memory.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an escape sequence character string generated on the RAM 107 shown in FIG.

In the figure, a character string CS1 is an escape sequence header, a character string CS2 is a token code for instructing loading of a printing protocol, a character string CS3 is a memory address expression described later, and a character string CS5 is a length value indicating the number of accompanying data. , Character string CS4, character string CS6, and character string CS8 are separator characters.

As shown in this figure, the character strings CS1 to CS10 are further constituent elements to form a large character string.

Correspondence between this embodiment and each means of the first to fifth inventions and their functions will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A first aspect of the present invention is an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus 113 via a predetermined communication medium (a bidirectional parallel interface 110 in this embodiment), in which a plurality of print control programs having different print control procedures are stored. Program storing means (disk device 108) for storing, selecting means for selecting one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory (RAM 107) (by the selection processing function of the CPU 104), and the selecting means. Transfer unit (CPU 1) for transferring the print control program selected by
(Depending on the transfer processing function of 04) and the selecting means selects one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory,
The CPU 104 transfers the selected print control program to the printing device 113, causes the print control program most suitable for the application program to reside in the printing device, and processes the print information according to the application program in the most suitable procedure. It is possible.

A second aspect of the present invention is a print control program to be executed in a printing apparatus capable of communicating with a data processing apparatus (data processing apparatus 101) via a predetermined communication medium (bidirectional parallel interface 119 in this embodiment). And a determination unit (the CPU 116 is stored in the ROM 117 that the CPU 116 stores in the ROM 117) and a determination unit that determines whether the data type transferred from the data processing apparatus 101 via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program. If the data is the print control program, the print control program written in the storage means is transferred to the print control program every time the print control program is transferred. Updating means for sequentially updating the control program (the CPU 116 is the ROM 1
17), and the CPU 116 determines that the data type transferred from the data processing apparatus 101 via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program.
The print control program written in 18 is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, and the RAM 118 has a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs.
Even if not provided, acquires each print control program (control information including command data) loaded in association with each application selection of the data processing apparatus 101, and stores the acquired print control program in the storage unit. The print information can be processed in an optimum procedure by rewriting so that it can be updated sequentially.

According to a third aspect of the invention, every time the determining means determines that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the updating means is a nonvolatile storage medium, for example. Flash EPROM, EE
Even if the print control program written in the storage means composed of PROM or the like is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, and the memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs is not provided, the information processing apparatus It is possible to obtain each print control program loaded according to each application selection, rewrite each obtained print control program in the storage means in such a manner that the print control program can be sequentially updated, and process print information in an optimum procedure. To do.

The non-volatile storage medium may be a memory card in which a detachable battery or the like is built in the printing apparatus, or in the case of a printing apparatus to which a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk or the like can be externally connected, a hard disk. Equipment, MO
It may be a device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the updating means causes the updating means to change to a volatile storage medium, for example, each time the determining means determines that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program. An inexpensive memory which does not have a memory capacity for sequentially updating the transferred print control program with the print control program written in the storage means configured by the RAM 118 or the like and resident a plurality of print control programs Acquiring each print control program loaded in association with each application of the information processing device on the medium, rewriting each acquired print control program so that it can be sequentially updated in the storage means, and processing the print information in an optimum procedure It is possible to do.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is a printing control procedure in a printing system in which an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium (in this embodiment, bidirectional parallel interfaces 110 and 119 and a cable 112). Program storage means (disk device 108) for storing a plurality of print control programs different in the main memory (RAM 10).
Selection means (by the selection processing function of the CPU 104) for selecting one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in 7), and transferring the print control program selected by the selection means to the printing device. An information processing apparatus including a transfer unit (by a transfer processing function of the CPU 104), a storage unit (RAM 118 in this embodiment) that stores a print control program to be executed, and the data processing apparatus 101 via the predetermined communication medium. Determination means for determining whether the data type transferred from the print control program is a print control program (CPU 116
Is determined based on the program stored in the ROM 117), and when the data is the print control program, the print control program written in the storage means is written every time the print control program is transferred. A printing device including an updating unit (the CPU 116 updates based on a program stored in the ROM 117) that sequentially updates the transferred print control program,
When the CPU 104 selects one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the RAM 107, the transfer unit transfers the selected print control program to the printing device 113, and the CPU 11
Every time 6 determines that the data type transferred from the data processing apparatus 101 via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the CPU 116 changes the print control program written in the RAM 118 to the transferred print control program. Even if it does not have a memory capacity for sequentially updating and resident a plurality of print control programs, each print control program loaded in association with each application selection of the data processing apparatus 101 is acquired, and each acquired print control is acquired. The program can be sequentially rewritten in the RAM 118 so that the print information can be processed in an optimum procedure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example of a first print request processing procedure in the printing system according to the present invention, which corresponds to the data processing on the side of the data processing apparatus 101 shown in FIG. Note that (1) to (10) indicate each step.

First, the data processor 10 which is powered on.
1 performs self-diagnosis and initialization processing of hardware and the like according to a known operation principle of the CPU 104, the ROM 105, and the RAM 107 (1). If this process is normal, a system program, a so-called OS (operating system), is stored in the disk device 108 or the like and stored in the RAM 1
It is loaded in 07 and the program control is transferred to the OS (2).

The OS transferred to the RAM 107 monitors a user operation related to data processing (for example, an operation of pointing an icon with the keyboard device 102 or a pointing device (not shown)), and requests a data processing from the user. Wait (3).

When the user gives an instruction for a certain assumed application program process, the OS loads the application program 201 stored in the disk device 108 into the RAM 107 according to the instruction (4).

It is assumed that the loaded application program 201 requires the operation of the printing apparatus 113 as an essential condition. Therefore, it waits until the printing apparatus 113 transits to the operable state, the so-called "READY" state (5).

Next, from the several print protocol files 202 stored in the disk device 108, ones that match the application program 201 are selected and R is selected.
It is loaded into the AM 107 (6).

Next, the character string group as shown in FIG.
It is generated as data on 07. The generated character string is called a so-called "escape sequence" known in the art, and the character strings CS7 to CS10 shown in FIG.
The character sequences up to correspond to the data of the print protocol file 202.

The character string thus generated is output (transferred) to the printing apparatus 113 via the bidirectional parallel interface 110 (7). Although details will be described later, this process causes the printing apparatus 113 to transition to an apparatus having a print protocol expected by the print protocol file 202.

Next, control is transferred to the application program 201 loaded on the RAM 107 (8). Next, the stop operation (AP stop) for the application program 201 is monitored (9), and if there is a stop request, the process is terminated. If there is no stop request, print output is performed according to the operation request of the application program 201. The process is repeated until the print request is exhausted (10), and the expected print result is obtained in the printing apparatus 113.

The data processing operation on the printing device side of the printing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of the data processing procedure on the printing device side of the printing system according to the present invention. In addition, (1) to (12) indicate each step.

When the power is turned on, the printing device 113
Self-diagnosis and initialization processing of hardware and the like are executed according to known operation principles of U116, ROM117, and RAM118 (1). If there is no abnormality in this process, the printing device 11
3 becomes an operable state, a so-called "READY" state, and notifies the upper data processing device 101 of that (2).

The transmission method is based on a known method such as signal line transmission of the parallel interface cable 112 or message exchange. Also, the ROM 11
It is assumed that 7 stores a simple escape sequence decoding command interpreter.

Next, when control is passed to the command interpreter, a command waiting state is entered (3), and when the command character string shown in FIG. 3 is input via the bidirectional parallel interface 119, the map structure 205 of the RAM 118 is entered. After being temporarily stored in the secured work area (not shown), the command sequence is analyzed (4).

Specifically, the character string corresponding to the character string CS1 shown in FIG. 3 is determined, and since it is "ESC [", it is determined to be the start of the escape sequence.

Next, it is determined whether or not the character string corresponding to the character string CS2 is "" SYS_L "" (5), and if it is determined to be "SYS_L",
If the command is understood to be a command to load the print protocol, and the process proceeds to step (6) and thereafter, and if it is determined to be a command other than that, the process proceeds to step (12) and is analyzed and executed as "another command". , Return to step (3).

Now, the overall structure 203 of the memory map inside the engine controller 114 will be described with reference to FIG.

The entire structure 203 of the memory map has an address space from address "0" to address "FFFF" (hexadecimal notation). Among them, from "0" address to "2FFF"
The ROM 117 is mapped up to the address, and the RAM 118 is mapped from the address "3000" to the address "FFFF".

As an example of explanation here, it is assumed that the print protocol is stored from the address "3000" of the RAM 118.

Therefore, when the command is interpreted as a command to be loaded by the print protocol in step (5), the memory store address value "3000" to the RAM 118 is obtained from the character string judgment of the character string CS3 (6). Further, from the character string judgment of the character string CS5, the number of data following the transfer to the character string CS7 is obtained as the length value 256 (7).

Next, since the value "nn ₁ " is obtained from the character string judgment in the character string CS7, the value "nn ₁ " is RA
The above-mentioned memory store address value "3000" is stored in M118.
Store at address (8). Next, "1" is added to the memory store address (9).

Next, "1" is subtracted from the length value (10), and it is determined whether the length value is "0" value (11). If it is determined that the length value is not "0" value, the step is executed. Jump to (8).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step (11) that the value is "0", the process jumps to step (3).

In this embodiment, the RAM is controlled by the above control.
The print protocol corresponding to the print protocol file 202 is stored from the address “3000” of 118. After this, if there is a control transition from the ROM 117 according to the contents of the RAM 118 starting from address 3000, it functions as a new print protocol.

Correspondence between the present embodiment and each step of the sixth invention and its action will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is a print control method for a printing system, wherein a printing apparatus having a storage unit for storing a print control program to be executed and an information processing apparatus can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium. Determination step (step (5) in FIG. 5) for determining whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the communication medium (step (7) in FIG. 4) is a print control program, and the determination result. Update step of sequentially updating the print control program written in the storage means to the transferred print control program based on the above (steps (6) to (11) in FIG. 5).
To obtain each print control program loaded with each application selection of the information processing device,
It is possible to automate the process of sequentially rewriting the acquired print control programs in the storage unit so that they can be updated sequentially.

In the above embodiment, the data processing device 1
01 and the printing apparatus 113 have been described as an example of a printing system capable of communicating via a predetermined interface. However, the present invention provides a printing system in which the data processing apparatus 101 and the printing apparatus 113 can communicate via a predetermined network. It goes without saying that it is also applicable.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of a printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. .

In FIG. 6, 601 is a LAN interface, 602 is a LAN connection cable, 603 is a LAN backbone, 604 is a LAN interface, and 605 is a flash EPROM.

As shown in this figure, in this embodiment, the LAN interface 60 is provided inside the data processing device 101.
1 and is connected to the in-device bus 111. LAN
The interface 601 is further a LAN connection cable 602.
Is connected to the LAN backbone 603.

A LAN interface 604 is provided inside the printing device 113 and is connected to the in-device bus 121. Furthermore, instead of the ROM 117 shown in FIG. 1, a flash EPROM 605 is similarly connected to the in-device bus 121. Data processing device 101 and printing device 113
LANs (Local Area Networks) are connected to each other, and information can be exchanged according to a known technique.

The data processing device 101 and the printing device 1
The operation of the device 13 immediately after the power is turned on conforms to the operation flow shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, so the difference will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a second print request processing procedure in the printing system according to the present invention, which corresponds to the data processing on the side of the data processing apparatus 101 shown in FIG. Note that (1) to (5) indicate each step.

The data processing apparatus 101 loads the application program into the RAM 107 according to the user's operation after the OS is booted (1). Next, the printing protocol expected by the application program is set to the printing apparatus 1.
An inquiry is made via the LAN as to whether or not 13 is equipped (2). Regarding the operation of the one printing apparatus 113, if the print protocol has already been stored in the flash EPROM 605 in the past, the type of the print protocol is stored. In addition, the presence / absence information of the expected print protocol in response to the print protocol type inquiry in step (2) is returned through the LAN.

Therefore, in step (3), it is determined whether or not the printing apparatus 113 has the expected printing protocol from the returned information about the presence or absence of the printing protocol, and it is determined that the printing protocol does not have the expected printing protocol. Performs print protocol change update processing (4).

The change / update processing in this embodiment is realized by data conversion of the escape sequence via LAN communication as in the first embodiment. Further, although detailed description is omitted, it is assumed that the content of the print protocol file 202 is eventually stored in the flash EPROM 605.
The writing means to the flash EPROM 605 is also a well-known technique and will not be described in detail.

Then, according to the execution of the application program (5), printing on the printer 113 is performed.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, by reading a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into the system or apparatus, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention. .

Furthermore, by downloading and reading the program represented by the software for achieving the present invention from the database on the network by the communication program, the system or apparatus can
It is possible to enjoy the effects of the present invention.

[0082]

As described above, the first embodiment according to the present invention is described.
According to the invention, when the selecting means selects one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, the transfer means transfers the selected print control program to the printing device.
By a simple operation of instructing the selection of an application program by the user, the optimum print control program for the application program can be made resident in the printing apparatus, and the print information according to the application program can be processed in the optimum procedure.

According to the second aspect of the invention, every time the judging means judges that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the updating means writes in the storage means. Since the existing print control programs are sequentially updated to the transferred print control programs, the print control programs are loaded in accordance with each application selection of the information processing apparatus even if the print control program does not have a memory capacity for resident therein. It is possible to obtain each print control program, rewrite the obtained print control programs sequentially in the storage unit so that the print information can be updated, and process the print information in an optimum procedure.

According to the third invention, every time the judging means judges that the data type transferred from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the updating means makes the non-volatile storage medium. Since the print control program written in the storage means constituted by the above is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, each of the information processing devices can be provided without having a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs. It is possible to obtain each print control program loaded in accordance with the application selection, rewrite each obtained print control program in the storage unit so as to be sequentially updatable, and process the print information in an optimum procedure.

According to the fourth invention, every time the judging means judges that the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program, the updating means makes the volatile storage medium. Since the print control program written in the storage means composed of is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, an inexpensive memory medium can be used even if it does not have a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs. Acquire each print control program loaded with each application selection of the information processing device,
The acquired print control programs can be sequentially rewritten in the storage unit so that the print information can be updated and the print information can be processed in an optimum procedure.

According to the fifth invention, when the selecting means selects any one of the print control programs based on the application program loaded in the main memory, the transferring means transfers the selected print control program to the printing device. Print control program written in the storage means each time the determination means determines that the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is the print control program. Is sequentially updated to the transferred print control program, even if a memory capacity for resident a plurality of print control programs is not provided,
Acquiring each print control program loaded according to each application selection of the information processing apparatus, rewriting each acquired print control program so that it can be sequentially updated in a storage unit, and processing print information in an optimum procedure You can

According to the sixth aspect, it is determined whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program, and the data is written in the storage means based on the determination result. Since the print control programs stored in the information processing apparatus are sequentially updated to the transferred print control programs, each print control program loaded in association with each application selection of the information processing apparatus is acquired, and the acquired print control programs are stored. It is possible to automate the processing of sequentially rewriting the means so that the means can be updated.

Therefore, the print control program transferred from the information processing apparatus is stored, the stored print control program is updated to the print control program sequentially transferred, and the print control program on the printing apparatus side is freely updated. It is possible to construct an inexpensive printer control environment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of stored contents of a disk device shown in FIG. 1 and a memory address map inside an engine controller.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an escape sequence character string generated on the RAM shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a first print request processing procedure in the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a data processing procedure on the printing device side of the printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system showing a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a second print request processing procedure in the printing system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 data processing device 104 CPU 105 ROM 107 RAM 113 printer 116 CPU 117 ROM 118 RAM

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, comprising: a program storage unit for storing a plurality of print control programs having different print control procedures; and an application program loaded in a main memory. An information processing apparatus comprising: a selection unit that selects any one of the print control programs based on the selection unit; and a transfer unit that transfers the print control program selected by the selection unit to the printing apparatus. 2. A printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a storage unit for storing a print control program to be executed, and a transfer from the information processing apparatus via the predetermined communication medium. Determining means for determining whether the data type is a print control program, and print control written in the storage means each time the print control program is transferred when the data is the print control program. A printing apparatus comprising: an updating unit that sequentially updates a program to the transferred print control program. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit comprises a non-volatile storage medium. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit is a volatile storage medium. 5. In a printing system in which an information processing device and a printing device can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium, a program storage means for storing a plurality of print control programs having different print control procedures and a main memory are loaded. An information processing apparatus including a selection unit that selects one of the print control programs based on the application program, and a transfer unit that transfers the print control program selected by the selection unit to the printing apparatus; A storage unit that stores a print control program, a determination unit that determines whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the predetermined communication medium is a print control program, and the data is the print control program. In this case, each time the print control program is transferred, it is written in the storage means. And a printing device that sequentially updates the transferred print control program to the transferred print control program. 6. A print control method for a printing system, wherein a printing apparatus having a storage unit for storing a print control program to be executed and an information processing apparatus can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium. A determination step of determining whether the data type transferred from the information processing device via the information processing apparatus is a print control program, and the print control program transferred to the print control program written in the storage means based on the determination result. And an update step of sequentially updating the print control method of the print system.