JPH1013601A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor with which the capacitance of reception buffer can be suppressed and processing can be preferentially carried out from a high-priority job in comparatively simple configuration. SOLUTION: When there is a job request from another interface means during job processing from one interface means 6, data are not temporarily written in the reception buffer but such a state is transmitted to the request side. When job processing from one interface means 6 is finished, the end of job processing is judged by time-out or a job processing ending command and the next job processing is determined by the predetermined priority.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a printing mechanism used in connection with a personal computer or a scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, printing apparatuses and image reading apparatuses have been required to have high speed and high functionality due to improvements in host computer performance and interface performance. In particular, the electrophotographic printing apparatus using a laser diode or an LED array as a light source has a high printing speed and high printing quality. An image processing device has appeared.

Hereinafter, this type of image processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The image processing device 1 is a host computer 2
Controller 4 that processes print data sent from the printer, copy data sent from the image input device 3, and the like.
And a printing mechanism section 5 for printing on paper. The controller unit 4 further includes interface means 6 for inputting data from the host computer 2 and the image input device 3, a reception buffer for temporarily storing data input from the interface means 6, and a microcomputer 8 for processing data in the reception buffer 7. doing. The microcomputer 8 has a function of a command analysis unit 8a for taking out data from the reception buffer 7 and analyzing a command, and a function of a rasterizing unit 8b for developing a bitmap into image data. An image memory 10 for storing rasterized data and a video output means 11 for outputting image data to the printing mechanism 5 are connected to a bus line. In the above configuration, the interface means 6 has a plurality of interfaces, a type having a plurality of reception buffers 7 corresponding to the respective interfaces, or a single reception buffer divided into a plurality of reception buffers in order to correspond to a plurality of users. Things to use are appearing.

[0004]

In such a conventional image processing apparatus, the capacity of a receiving buffer must be increased in order to efficiently process a job in response to a print output request from a plurality of users. However, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to reduce the price of the apparatus.

The invention of claim 1 of the present application has been made in view of such conventional problems, and has as its object to reduce the capacity of a reception buffer. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of processing a job with a relatively simple configuration with priority from a job having a high priority.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device, and a receiving buffer for storing the input data. When a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job in response to an input from any one of the plurality of interface units, transmission is performed without taking in the reception buffer. And a control unit configured to perform image processing of the data input to the reception buffer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device, a receiving buffer for storing input data, and the plurality of interface means When a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job in response to an input from any one of the interface units, the job request is not taken into the reception buffer and the job request is held together with the priority. Job busy transmission means for transmitting the job being executed to the transmission source, and determining the end of the job being executed based on the stop of the input of the data input from the interface means for a predetermined time, and according to the priority. And timer means for determining the next job, and performs image processing on the data input to the reception buffer. It is characterized in that it comprises a control means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device, a receiving buffer for storing input data, and the plurality of interface means. When a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job in response to an input from any one of the interface units, the job request is not taken into the reception buffer and the job request is held together with the priority. Job busy transmitting means for transmitting to the transmission source that the job is being executed, and determining the end of the running job based on an end command input from the outside, and determining the next job according to the priority. Control means for performing image processing of data input to the reception buffer, the control means including a job end determination means; It is an feature.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since data from the outside is sequentially received, the capacity of the receiving buffer can be reduced. According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, since the processing wait state is registered, the input of data can be notified by an external device having a processing request. In addition, in the invention of claim 3, in addition to this, since the job end command is detected, the input of the next job can be accepted immediately after the end of the job.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, the image processing apparatus 1A is obtained by adding a function of a job busy transmission unit 8c to a microcomputer 8A as a control unit. While data is being input from one interface unit 6 to the reception buffer 7, the job busy transmission unit 8 c is connected to another interface unit 6.
In order to prohibit data input from the server, the fact that the job is busy is transmitted to the data transfer source via the interface means 6. Also, in the present embodiment, unlike the conventional example, a plurality of reception buffers are not provided for each interface means, but one buffer having a capacity sufficient to hold image data from one interface means.

The operation of the image processing apparatus of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The microcomputer 8A first determines in step S1 whether there is a data input from the interface means 6, and if there is an input, determines in step S2 whether there is a job being processed. In this case, the process proceeds to step S4. If there is no job being processed in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3, where the interface (I / F) is selected to process the job, and the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, it is determined whether or not the data input is an input from the interface being processed. If the data input is from the interface currently being processed, the process proceeds to step S6, and the received data is input to the reception buffer 7. Then, the process returns to step S1 to repeat the same processing. If the input is not an input from the processing interface in step S4, it is notified to the transmission source via the interface means 6 that there is already a processing job from the other interface means 6 and a temporary data input is awaited in step S5. Then, the process returns to step S1. Here, in steps S4 and S5, when there is an input from an interface other than the interface being processed, the microcomputer 8A notifies the input side via the interface that there is already a job being processed. 8c is achieved.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image processing apparatus performed in parallel with the operation of FIG. The command analysis means 8a extracts data from the reception buffer 7 in step 7 and analyzes the command. Then, based on the command, the output image data is created in the image memory 10 by the rasterizing means 8b in step S8. In step S9, it is determined whether the creation of the image of the entire page has been completed. If not completed, the process returns to step S7 to repeat the same processing. If it is determined in step S9 that the creation of the image data has been completed, the video data is output to the printing mechanism unit 5 via the video data output means 11 in step S10.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an image processing device 1B according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the timer means 8d has a free-run timer function, and when the data reception via the external interface means 6 is stopped for a certain period of time, it is determined that the job has ended, and the next job is selected. Used. When an input is received from an interface other than the interface being processed, the job busy transmission means 8e notifies that there is a job being processed via the interface, and registers the job wait including the priority. . The memory of the microcomputer 8B is provided with a flag area for holding a processing wait state for each interface and a priority holding area indicating the priority of the job.

The operation of the image processing apparatus according to the second embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The microcomputer 8B performs step S1
At 1, it is determined whether or not there is a data input from the interface means 6, and if there is an input, the timer is cleared at step S12. In step S13, it is determined whether there is a job being processed. If there is a job being processed, the process proceeds to step S14. If there is no job being processed in step S13, the interface is selected in step S15. Then, the in-process job flag in the memory corresponding to the interface is turned on (step S16), and the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, it is determined whether or not the data input is an input from the interface being processed. If the data input is an input from the interface currently being processed, the process proceeds to step S17.
The reception data is input to the reception buffer 7, and the process proceeds to step S11.
Return to and repeat the same processing. If the input is not from the processing interface in step S14, the process proceeds to step S14.
At 18, a notification is sent via the interface means 6 to the transmission source that there is already a job being input from another interface means and that waiting for temporary data input is necessary. Then, in step S19, after registering the job waiting in the job waiting queue including the priority information of the job, the process returns to step S11. Here, in steps S14, S18, and S19, the microcomputer 8B notifies the transmission source that there is a job being processed, and achieves the function of the job busy transmission unit 8e that holds the request together with the priority.

On the other hand, if there is no data input in step S11, the flow advances to step S20 to determine whether or not the timer has timed out. If the time is not over, the process proceeds as it is and returns to S11. If the time is over, it is determined in step S21 that the job being processed has been completed, and the job flag being processed is turned off. Then, in a step S22, it is determined whether or not there is a waiting job in the job waiting queue. If there is a waiting job, step S
At 21, the source of the highest priority job is notified via the interface means 6 that the job being processed has ended, and the process returns to step S 11. Here, the microcomputer 8B performs steps S11, S12, S20 to S23.
In this case, when there is a job waiting to be processed when the input data is stopped and the time is up, the function of the timer means for determining the end of the job and determining the next job is achieved.

In this way, the end of the job being processed is automatically detected after a lapse of a predetermined time, so that the data from the source of the next higher priority job can be accepted. it can.

Embodiment 3 Hereinafter, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those in the conventional example and the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an image processing device 1C according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the microcomputer 8C has a job end command detecting means 8f in addition to the command analyzing means 8a, the rasterizing means 8b, and the job busy transmitting means 8e. When a job end command is input from the outside through the interface unit 6, the job end command detecting unit 8f determines that the job has ended.

The operation of the image processing apparatus according to the third embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S31, it is determined whether or not there is a data input from the interface unit 6, and if there is an input, it is determined in step S32 whether or not the command is a job end command. If it is not a job end command in step S32, the process proceeds to step S33. In step S33, it is determined whether there is a job being processed based on the processing job flag. If there is a job being processed, the process proceeds to step S34. If there is no job being processed in step S33, it is determined that a job from this interface is being processed in step S35, and a processing job flag is set (step S36). In step S34, it is determined whether the data input is an input from the processing interface,
If the input is from the interface currently being processed, the flow advances to step S37 to input the received data to the reception buffer 7, and the flow returns to step S31 to repeat the same processing. If there is no input from the processing interface in step S34, it is notified via the interface means 6 that there is already another processing job in step S38.
Then, in step S39, after registering the job waiting including the priority of the job in the job waiting queue, the process returns to step S31. Here, in steps S34, S38, and S39, the microcomputer 8C notifies the transmission source that there is a job that is already being processed, and achieves the function of the job busy transmission unit 8e that holds the request together with the priority.

On the other hand, if the command is a job end command in step S32, it is determined in step S40 that the job being processed has ended, and the processing job flag is turned off. In step S41, is there a job waiting in the job queue? Determine whether If there is a waiting job, step S4
In step 2, the completion of the job being processed is notified to the job waiting transmission source of the highest priority job via the interface unit 6, and the process returns to step S31. Step S
If there is no waiting job at 42, the process returns to step S31.
If there is no data input in step S31, step S3
Repeat 1. Here, in steps S32 and S40, the microcomputer 8C detects a job end command, and if the command is the command, the microcomputer 8C achieves the function of a job end command detecting unit that determines the end of the job.

In this way, when a job end command is detected from the outside, it can be determined that the job has ended, so that data from the next job having a high priority can be immediately received.

[0021]

As described above in detail, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even if there is a print request from another interface unit during execution of a job, the print request is not taken into the reception buffer. The capacity of the buffer can be reduced to a small capacity. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job, the fact that the job is being executed is transmitted to the transmission source.
Keep the request with its priority. If the end of the job is determined based on the expiration of the timer, the print request is accepted from the job with the highest priority and image processing is performed, so that the job with the highest priority can be sequentially processed with priority. Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the end is determined by the job end command included in the input signal, the effect that the switching of the job can be performed in a short time can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the image processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the image processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an image processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an image processing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an image processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an image processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional image processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1A, 1B, 1C Image processing device 2 Host computer 3 Image input device 4 Controller unit 5 Printing mechanism unit 6 Interface means 7 Receiving buffer 8, 8A, 8B, 8C Microcomputer 8a Command analyzing means 8b Rasterizing means 8c, 8e Job Busy transmission means 8d timer means 8f job end command detection means 10 image memory 11 video data output means

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device; a receiving buffer for storing input data; and an interface of one of the plurality of interface means A job busy for notifying the reception buffer and notifying the transmission source that the job is being executed when a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of the job in response to an input from the unit. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a transmission unit; and a control unit that performs image processing on data input to the reception buffer. 2. A plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device, a receiving buffer for storing input data, and one of the plurality of interface means When a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job in response to an input from the unit, the job request is not taken into the reception buffer, the job request is held together with the priority, and the job is executed to the transmission source. A job busy transmitting unit for transmitting the fact that the job is in progress, and the end of the running job is determined based on the stop of the input of the data input from the interface unit for a predetermined time, and the next job is determined according to the priority. Including timer means,
An image processing apparatus comprising: a control unit configured to perform image processing on data input to the reception buffer. 3. A plurality of interface means for inputting a print request from an external device and outputting a signal to the external device, a receiving buffer for storing input data, and one of the plurality of interface means When a print request is received from another interface unit during execution of a job in response to an input from the unit, the job request is not taken into the reception buffer, the job request is held together with the priority, and the job is executed to the transmission source. Job busy transmission means for transmitting the fact that the job is in progress, and job end determination means for determining the end of the running job based on an end command input from the outside and determining the next job according to the priority, Control means for performing image processing on the data input to the reception buffer. .