JPH10200680A - Terminal equipment, server, printer and network print system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal equipment, a server, a printer and a network print system in which a status of the printer is quickly confirmed, without deteriorating the transfer capability of the network. SOLUTION: A printer 3 has a processing speed calculation means 306 that calculates a print processing speed and a transmission means 307 that sends status data and print processing speed data of the printer 3. A server 2 has a residual data amount transmission means 204 that transmits residual amount data of print data. A terminal equipment 1 is provided with a residual amount storage means 106 that stores the residual amount data of the print data, a processing speed storage means 107 that stores the print processing speed data of the printer 3, a print time calculation means 109 that calculates a wait time until the end of print from the residual amount data of the print data and the print processing speed data, and a transmission interval control means 110 that changes the transmission time interval of a status request, in response to the wait time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a terminal device such as a personal computer connected to a local area network, a printing device such as a printer, a server, and a network printing system to which these devices are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a network printing system in which a terminal device such as a personal computer and a printer (printing device) are connected by a local area network (hereinafter abbreviated as LAN) has become widespread.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional network printing system. The terminal device 1, the server 2, and the printer 3 are connected via a LAN.

The terminal device 1 comprises a data sending means 101 for sending print data, a request sending means 102 for sending a status request of the printer, a display means 103 for displaying status data of the printer 3 received from the printer 3, and a data sending means 101. And a network I / F (interface) 104 for connecting the request sending means 102 and the display means 103 to a LAN.

[0005] The server 2 is a device for holding print data transmitted from various terminal devices including the terminal device 1 in a print queue, and includes a print queue 201 for holding print data;
A queue control unit 202 for storing and reading out print data from the print queue 201;
2 is connected to a LAN.

[0006] Further, the printer 3 determines the content of the received data, a printing means 302 for printing the received print data, a status storage means 303 for holding the status data of the printer, and sends the status data of the printer. And a network I / F 305 for connecting the status sending means 304 to a LAN.

The operation of the network printing system configured as described above will be described below. First, the operation of printing out the print data output from the terminal device 1 to the printer 3 will be described. Data transmission means 10 of terminal device 1
1 sends print data to the server 2 via the network I / F 104. In the server 2, the queue control means 20
2 receives the print data via the network I / F 203 and stores the received print data in the print queue 201. Subsequently, the queue control unit 202 stores the print data in the print queue 201 via the network I / F 203.
To the printer 3 via the. In the printer 3, the determination means 301 determines the content of the data received via the network I / F 305, and if the received data is print data, sends the data to the print means 302 and
2. Printing is performed according to 2.

Next, the status display operation of the printer 3 in the terminal device 1 will be described. First, the terminal device 1
, The request sending means 102 is connected to the network I / F 1
A status request is transmitted to the printer 3 via the printer 04 at a constant period. In the printer 3, the determination unit 301 determines the content of the data received via the network I / F 305, and in the case of a status request, activates the status transmission unit 304 to store the status of the printer 3 stored in the status storage unit 303. Network I / F
305 to the terminal device 1.

In the terminal device 1, a network I / F 10
The status data of the printer 3 received via the printer 4 is displayed on the display unit 103.

FIG. 5 is a time chart of the print data transfer and status data transfer operations of the conventional network printing system. As shown in FIG. 5, the status request data transmitted from the terminal device 1 to the printer 3 is set so as to be normally transmitted every 2 to 5 seconds (every 3 seconds in the illustrated case). Further, while the status data is being exchanged between the terminal device 1 and the printer 3, the transfer of the print data between the terminal device 1 and the server 2 and the printing between the server 2 and the printer 3 are performed. The data transfer operation is being performed.

[0011]

However, when a large amount of print data is transmitted or when a file is transferred via a LAN during printing, the print data, file data, and status data passing through the LAN are not transmitted. Often conflict. In particular, when a plurality of terminal devices connected to the LAN each have a function of displaying the status of the terminal, an amount of status data corresponding to the number of terminal devices is transferred on the LAN. ,
There has been a problem that competition with other print data or the like frequently occurs, and the transfer capability of the network is reduced.

In this case, if the transmission interval of the status request transmitted from each terminal device is lengthened, the frequency of contention on the LAN is reduced. However, at the same time, the frequency of updating the status data displayed on the terminal device is also reduced, so that the timing of knowing the printing end time of the printing device is delayed, and the work of confirming the printing end becomes inaccurate. There is a problem that the grasp of the status of the is delayed.

[0013] The present invention provides a network printing system capable of promptly grasping the status of a printing device in a terminal device without deteriorating the transfer capability of the network, and a terminal device, server and printer used in the network printing system. The purpose is to provide.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A terminal device according to the present invention is a terminal device for transmitting print data to a printing device connected via a network, comprising: a data transmitting means for transmitting print data; Request sending means for sending request data for requesting sending of status data indicating an operation state, remaining data of print data and print speed data,
An end time calculation time for calculating a time until the printing of the printing apparatus is completed based on the remaining amount data of the print data of the printing apparatus received via the network and the print processing speed data, and the printing calculated by the end time calculating means. Transmission interval control means for controlling the transmission operation of the request transmission means so that the transmission interval of the request data is longer when the time until the end is longer than the predetermined time than when the time is shorter than the predetermined time. Things.

In the terminal device according to the present invention, the end time calculating means calculates the time until the printing of the printing device is completed based on the remaining amount data of the print data and the printing speed data,
If the time until the end of printing is sufficiently long, the sending operation of the request sending means is controlled so that the interval for sending the request data becomes long. For this reason, the frequency of contention between print data and request data transferred on the network is reduced, and a decrease in the transfer capability of the network is prevented. On the other hand, as the time until the end of printing approaches, the transmission operation of the request transmission unit is controlled so that the transmission interval of the request data becomes shorter. As a result, the end timing of the printing operation can be accurately grasped.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A terminal device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a terminal device for transmitting print data to a printing device connected via a network, comprising: a data transmitting means for transmitting print data; Request sending means for sending request data for requesting sending of status data indicating the operation state of the print data, remaining data of print data, and print processing speed data, and remaining data of print data of the printing apparatus received via the network. An end time calculating means for calculating a time until the printing of the printing apparatus based on the print processing speed data; and a predetermined time if the time until the printing end calculated by the end time calculating means is longer than a predetermined time. Sending interval control means for controlling the sending operation of the request sending means so that the sending interval of the request data is longer than when the time is shorter than It is.

With this arrangement, if there is sufficient time until the printing by the printing apparatus is completed, the request data transmission interval is lengthened to reduce the frequency of contention between request data and other transfer data on the network. Prevents network transfer performance from deteriorating. In addition, when the print end time approaches, the transmission interval of the request data can be shortened, and the timing of the print end can be accurately grasped.

A server according to a second aspect of the present invention is a server connected to the terminal device and the printing device according to the first aspect of the present invention via a network, and stores print data transmitted from the terminal device. In addition, the printer includes print data control means for sequentially outputting print data to the printing apparatus, and remaining amount sending means for sending remaining amount data of print data held by the print data control means to the terminal device. Accordingly, the terminal device connected via the network adjusts the transmission interval of the request data based on the remaining amount data of the print data output from the server, thereby controlling the operation of the printing device connected via the network. The status and the timing of printing end can be accurately grasped.
A reduction in the data transfer capability of the network can be suppressed.

A printing device according to a third aspect of the present invention is a printing device connected to the terminal device of the first aspect of the present invention and the server of the second aspect of the present invention via a network. Printing means for performing print processing based on the print data, and sending means for sending print processing speed data and status data of the printing means in response to a request for sending state data of the printing apparatus and print processing speed data via a network. Things. Thus, print processing speed data and status data can be sent to the terminal device in response to a request from the terminal device connected via the network.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printing system, comprising: the terminal device according to the first aspect of the present invention;
A server according to the present invention and a printing apparatus according to the third invention are connected via a network. In this way, if there is sufficient time until the printing end time of the printing device, the transmission interval of the request data sent from the terminal device is lengthened to prevent a decrease in the transfer capability of the network, and the printing end time of the printing device is also reduced. As the time approaches, the timing of the end of printing can be accurately grasped by shortening the transmission interval of the request data from the terminal device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal device for transmitting print data to a printing device connected via a network, wherein the data transmitting means for transmitting the print data and the operation state of the printing device are determined. Request sending means for sending to the printing apparatus request data for requesting transmission of the status data and print processing speed data shown, the amount of print data sent from the data sending means, and the print processing speed data received via the network End time calculating means for calculating the time until the printing of the printing apparatus based on the end time,
When the time until the printing end calculated by the end time calculating means is longer than the predetermined time, the request transmission is performed such that the transmission interval of the request data to be transmitted to the printing apparatus is longer than when the time is shorter than the predetermined time. And a sending interval control means for controlling the sending operation of the means.

Thus, it is possible to accurately grasp the operation state of the printing apparatus connected via the network and the timing of the end of printing without lowering the data transfer capability of the network.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network printing system comprising: a terminal device according to the fifth aspect;
And a printing apparatus according to the present invention is connected via a network. As a result, the transfer frequency of request data and status data transmitted between the terminal device and the printing device is reduced, and the frequency of competition with other data transferred on the network is reduced. Is prevented, and the operation state of the printing apparatus and the timing of printing end can be accurately grasped.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network printing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this network printing system, a terminal device 1, a server 2, and a printer 3 are connected via a LAN. The terminal device 1 requests data transmission means 101 for transmitting print data, request data for requesting status data of the printer 3, remaining data of print data held by the server 2, and print processing speed data of the printer 3. Sending means 1 for sending request data for
02 and a display unit 103 for displaying the status of the printer 3.

Further, the terminal device 1 includes a determination unit 105 for determining whether the data received via the LAN is status data, print data remaining amount data, or print processing speed data; The remaining amount storage unit 106 for storing data, the processing speed storage unit 107 for storing the print processing speed data of the printer 3, and a unit time reduction based on the print processing speed of the printer 3 stored in the processing speed storage unit 107. A subtraction unit 108 that updates the remaining amount data in the remaining amount storage unit 106 by calculating the print data amount and subtracting the amount from the data stored in the remaining amount storage unit 106. The printing operation of the print data in the printer 3 is completed based on the remaining amount data and the print processing speed data stored in the processing speed storage unit 107. Printing time calculating means 109 and printing time calculating means request sending means based on the time of printing to the end obtained by 109 to calculate an end time of 10
2 is provided with a transmission interval control unit 110 for appropriately adjusting the transmission interval of the request data transmitted from the second transmission unit. Further, each of the above units is connected to a LAN via a network I / F 104.

Here, in particular, the remaining amount storage means 106,
The processing speed storage means 107, the subtraction means 108, and the printing time calculation means 109 constitute an end time calculation means of the present invention.

Next, the server 2 includes a print queue 201 for holding the print data, a queue control unit 202 for storing and reading out the print data from the print queue 201, and a remaining amount of the print data stored in the print queue 201. A remaining amount sending unit 204 for sending data is provided. The queue control unit 202 and the remaining amount sending unit 204 are connected to a LAN via a network I / F 203.

Here, in particular, the print queue 201 and the queue control means 202 constitute the print data control means of the present invention.

Further, the printer 3 includes a determining unit 301 for determining whether the received data is print data or status request data, and a printing unit 30 for printing the received print data.
2. When the status storage unit 303 that stores the status of the printer 3, the processing speed calculation unit 306 that calculates the print processing speed of the printing unit 302, and the determination unit 301 determine that the received data is status request data, There is provided a sending means 307 for taking out and sending out the printing processing speed data from the speed calculating means 306 and the status data from the status storing means 303, respectively. These are LAN via network I / F
It is connected to the.

Here, in particular, the determination means 301, the status storage means 303, the processing speed calculation means 306, and the transmission means 307 constitute the transmission means of the present invention.

The operation of the network printing system configured as described above will be described. First, transmission of print data from the terminal device 1 to the printer 3 and a printing operation will be described. In the terminal device 1, the data transmission means 1
01 sends print data to the server 2 via the network I / F 104. In the server 2, the queue control means 2
02 stores print data received via the network I / F 203 in the print queue 201. Subsequently, the queue control unit 202 sends the print data into the print queue 201 to the printer 3 via the network I / F 203. In the printer 3, the determination unit 301 determines the content of the data received via the network I / F 305, and if the received data is print data, sends the data to the print unit 302 to perform a printing operation.

The remaining amount sending means 204 is provided in the print queue 2
01 to the network I / F
The data is transmitted to the terminal device 1 via the terminal 203. Further, the queue control unit 202 sends the print data to the printer 3 via the network I / F 203. In the terminal device 1, the determination unit 105 determines the content of the received data, and stores the remaining data of the print data in the remaining storage unit 106.

Next, the status display operation of the printer 3 in the terminal device 1 will be described. In the terminal device 1, the request sending means 102 includes a network I / F 104
And sends a status request to the printer 3 via. In the printer 3, the determination unit 301 has a network I / F
When it is determined that the data received via 305 is a status request, the sending unit 307 is activated. on the other hand,
The processing speed calculation unit 306 outputs the print unit 30 for each unit time.
The processing speed is calculated by counting the processed print data in step 2. The status storage unit 303 stores the printer 3
Is stored. Therefore,
The sending unit 307 transmits the status data held by the status storage unit 303 and the processing speed data calculated by the processing time calculation unit 306 to the network I / F 305.
To the terminal device 1 via the terminal.

In the terminal device 1, the determination means 105 determines the content of the data received via the network I / F 104, and if the received data is status data, sends it to the display means 103 to display the status of the printer 3. .
If the determined content is the processing speed data, the data is stored in the processing speed storage unit 107.

Here, the operation of setting the transmission interval of the status request transmitted from the request transmission means 102 will be described. The transmission interval of the status request from the request transmission unit 102 is controlled by the transmission interval control unit 110 as follows. That is, the remaining amount storage unit 106 stores the remaining amount of print data of the printer 3. The subtraction unit 108 performs a subtraction process for each unit time based on the processing speed of the print data stored in the processing speed storage unit 107 to update the remaining amount of the print data at that time. Then, the printing time calculation unit 109 estimates the remaining time of the printing process based on the remaining amount of the print data stored in the remaining amount storage unit 106 and the print processing speed stored in the processing speed storage unit 107. If the predicted value of the remaining time of the printing time is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the transmission interval control means 110 sets the transmission interval of the status request to be long. Set so that the sending interval is short. For example, if the predicted value is 1 minute or more, the transmission time interval of the status request is set to 30 seconds, and if it is 1 minute or less, the transmission time interval of the status request is set to 3 seconds as in the related art.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of the transfer operation of the print data and the transfer operation of the status data. As shown in FIG. 2, during most of the transfer period of the print data from the server 2 to the printer 3, the transmission time interval of the status request from the terminal device 1 to the printer 3 is set to be long (30 seconds). . This reduces contention between print data and status requests on the LAN,
Can be prevented from being reduced. One minute before the predicted printing end time, the transmission time interval of the status request is set short (3 seconds). As a result, the printing end time can be accurately detected without delay.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a network printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The network printing system according to the second embodiment is configured such that the terminal device 11 and the printer 3 directly transfer print data without going through a server. The terminal device 11 includes a data transmission unit 101, a request transmission unit 102, a display unit 103, and a network I / F 10 similarly to the terminal device 1 according to the first embodiment.
4 is provided. Further, as a configuration for setting the transmission time interval of the status request, the determination unit 105, the processing speed storage unit 107, the subtraction unit 108, the printing time calculation unit 1
09, sending interval control means 110 and remaining amount storage means 11
1 is provided. Here, particularly, the configuration of the remaining amount storage unit 111 is different from that of the remaining amount storage unit 106 in the first embodiment.

The remaining amount storage unit 111 first holds the amount of print data sent from the data sending unit 101 to the printer 3. Then, as the printing operation of the printer 3 proceeds, the amount of printed data is subtracted by the subtraction unit 108 based on the print processing speed stored in the processing speed storage unit 107, and the remaining amount of print data is held. Note that the configuration other than the remaining amount storage unit 111 is the same as the configuration of each unit of the terminal device 1 in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof will not be repeated.

The operation of the network printing system configured as described above will be described below.

First, the operation of transferring print data from the terminal device 11 to the printer 3 will be described. In the terminal device 1, the data sending unit 101 sends print data to the printer 3 via the network I / F 104. The remaining amount storage unit 111 holds the data amount of the print data transmitted from the data transmission unit 101.

In the printer 3, the judging means 301 judges the content of the data received via the network I / F 305, and if the received data is print data, the printing means 3
02 to perform a printing operation. Further, in parallel with the printing operation, the processing speed calculation means 106 calculates the amount of print data to be printed per unit time to obtain print processing speed data. The obtained print processing speed data is transmitted by the sending unit 3.
07, and transmitted to the terminal device 11 via the network I / F 305.

Next, the status display operation of the printer 3 in the terminal device 11 will be described. Terminal device 11
Transmits a status request at an appropriate time interval according to the timing of the printing operation in the printer 3, as in the terminal device 1 in the first embodiment. The setting of the transmission time interval of the status request is performed as follows. Determination means 105
Receives print processing speed data from the printer 3 via the network I / F 104, and
And sends it to the printing time calculation means 109. The subtraction unit 108 calculates a reduction amount of the print data per unit time based on the print processing speed data stored in the processing speed storage unit 107, and subtracts it from the data amount of the print data stored in the remaining amount storage unit 111. By doing so, the remaining amount of the print data held in the remaining amount storage unit 111 is updated every unit time. Also, the printing time calculation means 109
Predicts the remaining printing time based on the remaining amount of print data held in the remaining amount storage unit 111 and the print processing speed data held in the processing speed storage unit 107.

When the remaining printing time estimated by the printing time calculation means 109 is longer than a predetermined time, the transmission interval control means 110 increases the transmission time interval of the status request and sets the predetermined time. If it is shorter, the operation of the request sending means 102 is controlled so as to send the status request at a short sending time interval.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the number of times of transmission of status requests and status data is reduced by lengthening the transmission interval of status requests, and contention with print data and file data on a network is reduced. By doing so, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the transfer capability of the network.

When the printing operation of the printing apparatus is nearing completion, a status request is issued at short time intervals, so that the status of the printing apparatus at the time of printing completion or occurrence of an error can be quickly confirmed. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a time chart of transfer operation of print data and status data.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a network printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional network printing system.

FIG. 5 is a time chart of a print data transfer and a status data transfer operation of a conventional network printing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11 terminal device 2 server 3 printer 101 data sending means 102 request sending means 103 display means 105 discriminating means 106, 111 remaining amount storage means 107 processing speed storage means 108 subtraction means 109 printing time calculation means 110 sending interval control means 201 printing Queue 202 Queue control unit 204 Remaining amount sending unit 302 Printing unit 303 Status storage unit 306 Processing speed calculation unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification symbol FI G06F 15/00 310 G06F 15/00 310E H04N 1/32 H04N 1/32 Z

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device for transmitting print data to a printing device connected via a network, comprising: a data sending unit for sending the print data; status data indicating an operation state of the printing device; Request sending means for sending request data for requesting sending of remaining amount data and print processing speed data, and based on the remaining amount data and print processing speed data of the print data of the printing apparatus received via the network, An end time calculating unit that calculates a time until the end of printing of the printing apparatus; and a case where the time until the end of printing calculated by the end time calculating unit is longer than a predetermined time, compared to a case where the time until the end of printing is shorter than the predetermined time. Transmission interval control means for controlling the transmission operation of the request transmission means so that the transmission interval of the request data becomes long. Terminal device. 2. A server connected to the terminal device and the printing device according to claim 1 via a network, wherein the server holds the print data sent from the terminal device and stores the print data in the printing device. A server comprising: a print data control unit that sequentially outputs print data; and a remaining amount sending unit that sends remaining amount data of the print data held by the print data control unit to the terminal device. 3. A printing device connected to the terminal device according to claim 1 and the server according to claim 2 via a network, wherein the printing device performs printing processing based on the received print data. Sending means for sending print speed data of the printing means and status data of the printing apparatus in response to a sending request for status data of the printing apparatus and print processing speed data via the network. Printing device. 4. A network printing system, wherein the terminal device according to claim 1, the server according to claim 2, and the printing device according to claim 3 are connected via a network. 5. A terminal device for transmitting print data to a printing device connected via a network, comprising: data sending means for sending the print data; status data indicating an operation state of the printing device; and a printing processing speed. Request sending means for sending request data for requesting data sending to the printing apparatus, based on a data amount of the print data sent from the data sending means, and print processing speed data received via the network. End time calculating means for calculating a time until the end of printing by the printing apparatus, and if the time to the end of printing calculated by the end time calculating means is longer than a predetermined time, shorter than the predetermined time The sending operation of the request sending means is controlled so that the sending interval of the request data sent to the printing apparatus is longer than in the case. Terminal device is characterized in that a spacing control unit out. 6. A network printing system, wherein the terminal device according to claim 5 and the printing device according to claim 3 are connected via a network.