JPH0944323A - Output device and output method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recognize visually a name attached on a prescribed output device by a user in environment in which plural output devices are used by performing such control that the name registered by a registration means is displayed first and a character string is displayed instead of the name when a request to display another character string is generated. SOLUTION: When a host computer receives an instruction to register the name designated when print is performed on a laser beam printer 1500 and its name, a printer CPU 12 registers a received name on a RAM 19 and the external memory 14 for data of a reloadable ROM 13. When a name registering instruction is transmitted from the host computer 3000, the name stored in external memory 11 is transmitted with the instruction. The printer CPU 12 displays a registered name on the LED display 1501-1 of a control panel 1501, and sets a flag dn secured in the RAM 19 representing the fact that the name is displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device such as a printer connected to a computer network or a host via a bidirectional interface, and an output method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an environment where multiple output devices are available,
To identify the output device, an appropriate name is given to the output device, and the name is specified to make a print request or the like to the output device.

Conventionally, since it was possible for a user to display an arbitrary character on the display provided in the output device, the name of the output device could be displayed on the display, but the character is displayed on the status display. It was not possible to continue to display with priority over other status displays such as error display and error display. In addition, it is troublesome because the user has to give an instruction to display the designated character each time the power of the printer is turned on.

[0004]

Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when the user makes a print request by designating the name of the output device and the output result is taken to the output device, the name of the output device is output. In some cases, the output device itself cannot be obtained, which causes a problem that the specified output device cannot be specified.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and when an output device is used in an environment where a plurality of output devices can be used, the user always gives the output device a name. The purpose is to make it visible.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the output device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, when a display means for displaying a character string, a registration means for registering a name, a name registered by the registration means are first displayed, and a request for displaying another character string occurs,
Display control means for controlling to display the character string instead of the name.

In order to achieve the above object, the output method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a display step of displaying a character string, a registration step of registering a name, and a name registered by the registration means are displayed first, and if a request to display another character string is made, the name is replaced with the name. And a display control step of controlling to display the character string.

In order to achieve the above object, the computer controller of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a computer control device for controlling a computer by reading a predetermined program from a memory medium, wherein the memory medium includes a display step module for displaying a character string, a registration step module for registering a name, and the registration step. A module of a display control process for displaying the name registered by the means first and, when a request to display another character string is generated, controlling to display the character string instead of the name.

With the above arrangement, the registered name is displayed first, and if there is a request to display another character string, that character string is displayed as necessary.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the configuration of the present embodiment, the configurations of a laser beam printer and an inkjet printer suitable for applying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Needless to say, the printer to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer and the inkjet printer, and may be a printer of another printing method.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, a case of a laser beam printer (LBP).

In the figure, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores print information (character code or the like) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, or a macro command. A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created in accordance with the information, and an image is formed on a recording medium such as recording paper. Fifteen
01 is a switch for operation and L that can display characters
Operation panel with ED display etc., 1000 is L
A printer control unit that controls the entire BP body 1500 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1000 mainly converts character information into a video signal having a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1502. The laser driver 1502 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1503, and switches on / off a laser beam 1504 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1503 according to an input video signal. The laser beam 1504 is a rotating polygonal pole 1505.
Then, the electrostatic drum 1506 is swung in the left-right direction to perform scanning exposure on the electrostatic drum 1506. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1506. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1507 provided around the electrostatic drum 1506, and then transferred to a recording sheet. A cut sheet is used as the recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 1508 mounted on the LBP 1500, and has a paper feed roller 1509 and a conveyance roller 1510.
The sheet is taken into the apparatus by the transfer rollers 1511 and supplied to the electrostatic drum 1506. Further, the LBP main body 1500 is provided with at least one or more card slots (not shown) so that a control card (emulation card) having a different option font card language system can be connected in addition to the built-in font.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied, for example, the case of an inkjet recording device (IJRA).

In the figure, a spiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 that rotates via driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in association with forward and reverse rotations of a drive motor 5013.
The carriage HC that engages with a pin (not shown)
And is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An inkjet cartridge IJC image is mounted on the carriage HC. A paper pressing plate 5002 presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photocouplers, which function as home position detection means for confirming the presence of the lever 5005 of the carriage in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member for instructing a cap member 5022 for capping the entire surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes suction means for suctioning the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head via the opening 5023 in the cap. 5017 is a cleaning blade, which is a member 5
019 makes it possible to move in the front-back direction. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate which designates the above 5017 and 5019. 50
Reference numeral 21 is a lever for starting suction for suction recovery, which moves with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force from the drive motor is controlled to move by a known transmission means such as clutch switching. . The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured such that when the carriage comes to the home position area, desired operations can be performed at their corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005. It may be configured to perform.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining the control configuration of the second output device shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 100 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, 1701 is an MPU, 1702 is a ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701 and host print information, and 1703 is a DRAM for storing various data (the above-mentioned recording signal and The recording data supplied to the head) is saved. A gate array 1704 controls the supply of output data to the recording head 1708. The interface 1700, the MPU 1701, and the DRAM 1
It also controls the transfer of data between 703. Reference numeral 1710 denotes a carrier motor for carrying the recording head 1708, 1
Reference numeral 709 is a conveyance motor for conveying recording paper, 1705 is a head driver for driving the recording head, 1706 is a motor driver for driving the conveyance motor 1709, 1
A motor driver 707 drives the carrier motor 1710. When input information is input from the host computer 100, which will be described later, through the interface 1700 in the recording apparatus thus configured,
Input information is converted into output information for printing between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701. Then, the motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are driven, and the recording head is driven according to the output information sent to the head driver 1705 to execute printing. In addition, MPU17
01 is capable of performing communication processing with the host computer 100 described later via the interface 1700, and is configured to be able to notify the host computer 100 described later of memory information and resource data regarding the DRAM 1703 and host computer print information in the ROM 1702. Has been done. <Control Configuration> FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer control system showing the embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example.

In the figure, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer, which executes document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets, etc.) are mixed based on a document processing program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 3. To do C
The CPU 1 has a PU 1 and controls each device connected to the system bus 4 as a whole. Further, the program ROM of the ROM 3 stores a control program or the like executed by the CPU 1 as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7, and the font ROM of the ROM 3 stores font data used in the above document processing. Stored in ROM3
The data ROM stores various data used when performing the above document processing and the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like of the CPU 1. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls a key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown). A CRT controller (CRTC) 6 controls the display of a CRT display (CRT) 10. An external memory controller (MC) 7 controls access to an external memory 11 such as a hard disk (HD) or a floppy disk (FD) that stores a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files and the like. . 8 is a printer controller (PRTC)
Then, it is connected to the printer 1500 via a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21 and executes a communication control process with the printer 1500. Note that CP
The U1 opens various windows registered based on a command designated by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing.

In the printer 1500, a printer CPU 12 is connected to the system bus 15 by executing a control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in the external memory 14. Access to the device is comprehensively controlled, and an image signal as output information is output to the printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected via the printing unit interface 16. The program R in the ROM 13
The OM stores a control program of the CPU 12 as shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The font ROM of the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the above output information, and in the case of a printer in which the data ROM of the ROM 13 does not have an external memory 14 such as a hard disk, it is used on the host computer. It stores the information to be displayed.

The CPU 12 is capable of performing communication processing with the host computer via the input unit 18, and is configured to be able to notify the host computer 3000 of information and the like in the printer. Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, a work area, etc. of the CPU 12, and is configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). Note that R
AM19 is an output information expansion area, environment data storage area,
Used for NVRAM etc. Access to the external memory 14 such as the hard disk (HD) or IC card described above is controlled by the external memory controller (MC) 20. The external memory 14 is optionally connected,
It stores font data, emulation programs, form data, and the like. Further, the operation unit 1501 is provided with a switch for operating the above-mentioned operation panel, an LED display, and the like. In addition, the above-mentioned external memory is 1
It is not limited to one, but at least one may be provided, and in addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages may be connected.

Printer 1500 and host computer 3
000 is connected via the bidirectional interface 21, which means that it is bidirectionally connected when sending and receiving data and commands / responses.
That is, the network 1100 as shown in FIG.
Via multiple host computers 3000, 3001
However, even when connected to the printers 1500 and 1600, the host computer and printer are bidirectionally connected as shown in FIG. 4 when performing printing. This also applies to the case where a plurality of host computers and printers are connected via a switch 1200 that switches the connection automatically or manually, as shown in FIG. 11B.

In the printer control system configured as described above, the procedure of output processing will be described with reference to the configurations of FIGS. 4 and 11 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 to 10. <Name Registration Process> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the name registration operation of the printer control system.

The LBP 1500 is the host computer 3
000 or an instruction from the operation panel 1501, the printer CPU 12 receives the command for registering the name specified when the host computer prints with the LBP 1500 and the name (S5-1).
The received name is registered in the RAM 19, the data ROM of the rewritable ROM 13, or the external memory 14 (S5-
2), end the process.

When the name registration command is transmitted from the host computer 3000, the host computer 300
The name stored in the external memory 11 of 0 (or the name input from the input device such as the keyboard 9 of the host computer 3000) may be transmitted together. Further, when registering a name by operating the operation panel 1501, a name is input from the operation panel 1501.

Instead of the name, the identifier of the print queue that temporarily stores the print jobs may be used instead of the name of the printer. In that case, the identifier of the print queue used by the host computer each time printing is sent to the printer. <Display of Name> FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the name display operation of the printer control system in which the name is registered by the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG.

When the printer CPU 12 performs the name registration by the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 (S
8-1), the registered name is displayed on the LED display 1501-1 of the operation panel 1501 (S8-2), and the secured flag dn is set in the RAM 19 indicating that the name is being displayed. (S8-3), the process ends. <Display of Characters> FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer control system when a character display request is made during the name display.

When an error or the like occurs in LBP1500, LE
When a request to display a character such as an error display is generated on the D display device 1501-1 (S10-1), the CPU 12 does not display a new character if the name display is performed (S10-2), When the display of the name is continued and the operation switch 1501-2 of the operation panel 1501 is pressed (S10-
3), the display of the name is stopped and the status is displayed (S10-).
4). Incidentally. The operation switch 1501-2 may be a flip-flop and may be controlled so that a character and a name are alternately displayed each time the switch is operated.

By displaying the name (identifier) of the printing apparatus as described above, it is possible to easily identify which printer is instructed to print. Also, if there is a problem with the printer, CR of the host computer
In the case of a system in which the printer name and the trouble content corresponding to the printer name are displayed at T10, it is possible to easily associate the displayed name with the actual printer.

Further, the object of the present invention achieved by the function of the above apparatus or the function of the method can also be achieved by a storage medium storing a program in the above-mentioned apparatus for carrying out the present invention. That is, the storage medium is mounted on the device, and the program itself read from the storage medium achieves the novel function of the present invention. The structural features of the program according to the present invention for this purpose are as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 12, the name registration module corresponds to the procedure of FIG. 5, the name display module corresponds to the procedure of FIG. 8, and the character display module corresponds to the procedure of FIG. [Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing another procedure of the name registration operation of the printer control system. Instead of FIG. 5 in the first embodiment, the procedure of FIG. 6 can be used. <Name Registration Processing> When the power of the LBP 1500 is turned on or when a name registration command is received from the host computer, the printer CPU 12 requests the host computer 3000 to transmit the name (S6-1), and when the name is received (S6-1).
6-2), the printer CPU 12 sets the received name to RA
M19, ROM for data of ROM 13 or external memory 1
4 (S6-3), and the process ends. <Name Request Processing> FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer CPU1 when a name transmission request is issued from the LBP 1500.

Through the bidirectional interface 21,
When there is a name transmission request from the LBP 1500 (S7-
1), the host computer CPU1 has an external memory 11
Find the corresponding information from the (S7-2), LBP15
The name is transmitted to 00 (S7-3).

By thus transmitting the name in response to the request from the printer, since the printer is powered on when transmitting the name, the name can be surely registered in the printer. . [Third Embodiment] <Display of Name> FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another procedure of the name display operation of the printer control system whose name is registered by the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 or FIG. is there.

In this embodiment, as the printing environment of the printer, one of an environment in which a plurality of printers are designated and used from a host computer, such as a network connection, or an environment in which the host computer and the printer are locally connected is shown. Variables are stored in the RAM 18, and commands from the host computer, like other printing environments,
Alternatively, the setting can be changed by an instruction from the operation panel 1501. When the name registration is performed by the operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 or 6 (S9-1), the printer CPU 12 checks the network connection / local connection of the printing environment data stored in the RAM 19 (S9-2). If the network connection is set, the registered name is changed to the operation panel 1501.
(S9-3), the flag fd indicating that the name is being displayed is set, and the process ends.

In this way, the name can be displayed and switched to the character display by the procedure of FIG.

By the above procedure, the name of the printer is displayed only when necessary according to the usage environment of the printer.

Further, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices such as a host computer, an interface and a printer, or to an apparatus composed of a single device such as a copying machine. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, the system or device enjoys the effects of the present invention by reading the program into the system or device from a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention. It becomes possible.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the present output device is used in an environment where a plurality of output devices can be used, the user can always visually recognize the name given to the output device. There is.

[0037]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of a second output device illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a name registration operation of the printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the name registration operation of the printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer when there is a name transmission request from the printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a name display operation of the printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the name display operation of the printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of the printer control system when a character display request is made during name display according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a printer control system of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a memory map showing a module configuration of a control program of the printer control system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 System bus 12 CPU 13 ROM 19 RAM 3000 Host computer 1500 Printer

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An output device for printing out print data, comprising: a display unit for displaying a character string; a registration unit for registering a name; a name registered by the registration unit for the first time; When a request to display a character string is generated, display control means for controlling to display the character string instead of the name,
An output device comprising: 2. The output device according to claim 1, further comprising connection means for connecting to a host computer, wherein the registration means registers the name from the host computer connected by the connection means. 3. The connection means is a network formed by connecting a plurality of output devices.
Or the output device according to 2. 4. The control means determines whether the connection means is a network or a single host computer device, and displays the name by the display control means when the connection means is a network. Item 3. The output device according to item 1 or 2. 5. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the registration unit uses an identifier of an output queue used by a host device to which the output device is connected as a name. . 6. An output method for displaying and outputting from a printing device having display means, comprising a displaying step of displaying a character string, a registering step of registering a name, and a name registered by the registering means being displayed first. Then, when there is a request to display another character string, a display control step of controlling to display the character string instead of the name is provided. 7. The output method according to claim 6, wherein in the registration step, a name is registered from a host computer to be connected. 8. The control process determines whether the device is connected to a network or a single host computer device, and if the device is a network, displays the name by the display control process. The output method according to Item 6 or 7. 9. A computer control device for controlling a computer by reading a predetermined program from a memory medium, wherein the memory medium comprises a display step module for displaying a character string and a registration step module for registering a name. A display control process module that first displays the name registered by the registration means and, when a request to display another character string is made, controls to display the character string instead of the name. A computer control device characterized by the above.