JPH10301728A - Information processor, information processing method and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To light the load applied to a network. SOLUTION: A host computer obtains a printer status (S21), displays an application screen on a CRT(S22), and sets a monitoring interval T as a T1 (S23). Then, after the monitoring interval T(=T1) passes, the printer status is obtained from the printer again (S24 and S25). When this time printer status is different from the previous printer status, the application screen is updated (S26 and S27), and the monitoring time T corresponding to the printer status is set (S28). After network load information is obtained (S29), the status monitoring time T corrected according to the network load is set (S30).

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, an information processing method, and an information processing system, and more particularly, to controlling an output device such as a printer connected to a predetermined communication network via a bidirectional interface. The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing method, and an information processing system including the information processing device and the output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An information processing device such as a host computer and an output device such as a printer are connected via a predetermined communication network (network), and the status of the output device is displayed on a display screen of the information processing device. 2. Description of the Related Art In an information processing system, conventionally, an information processing apparatus monitors the status of an output device at regular time intervals.

[0003]

However, in this type of information processing system, the shorter the monitoring interval for monitoring the output device, the faster the information processing device responds to a change in the status of the output device. On the other hand, there is a problem that the load on the network increases.

Further, in the conventional information processing system, the information processing apparatus monitors the output apparatus at regular time intervals irrespective of the status of the output apparatus, so that it takes time until the output apparatus shifts to the next status. However, communication is performed between the information processing apparatus and the output apparatus even when the communication is required, and as a result, unnecessary communication is performed, and the load on the network increases.

Further, in the conventional information processing system, even if the load on the network changes, the status of the output device is monitored at fixed time intervals. There was a problem that the speed was reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing system capable of reducing a load on a network.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, among the information processing apparatuses according to the present invention, the invention according to claim 1 is connected to an output device via a predetermined communication network, and is connected to the output device. In the information processing device to be controlled, a status acquisition unit that acquires a status of the output device, a monitoring interval setting unit that sets a monitoring interval for acquiring a status of the output device,
And a changing unit for changing a monitoring interval set by the monitoring interval setting unit in accordance with the content acquired by the state acquiring unit.

[0008] In the information processing method according to the present invention, claim 5
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in an information processing method of connecting an output device and an information processing device via a predetermined communication network and controlling the output device by the information processing device, the information processing device sends a status acquisition request to the output device. After transmitting, the output device returns the state of the output device to the information processing device, and then the information processing device changes the monitoring interval of the output device according to the returned state of the output device. It is characterized by.

[0009] In the information processing system according to the present invention, the invention according to claim 9 is an information processing system wherein the output device and the information processing device are connected via a predetermined communication network, and the information processing device controls the output device. In the processing system, the output device is a status acquisition request receiving unit that receives a status acquisition request of the output device from the information processing device, and when the status acquisition request of the output device is received, the status information of the output device. State information transmitting means for transmitting to the information processing apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus obtains a state of the output device, and a monitor for setting a monitoring interval for obtaining the state of the output apparatus Interval setting means, and changing means for changing the monitoring interval set by the monitoring interval setting means in accordance with the content acquired by the state obtaining means. That.

[0010] Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer as an embodiment of an output device according to the present invention. The laser beam printer 1 has a switch unit and an LED provided on the upper surface of a device main body 2. An operation panel 3 having a display unit and the like, a printing main unit 4 for performing a predetermined printing operation, and a printing control device 5 for analyzing input character data and control data and controlling the printing operation of the printing main unit 4 It is composed of

The printing main body unit 4 stores predetermined recording paper (cut paper) and supplies the recording paper via a paper feed cassette 7 having a paper feed roller 6 and an appropriate number of transport rollers 8. An electrostatic drum 9 to be irradiated, an optical system 10 for irradiating the electrostatic drum 9 with a laser beam, a developing device 11 containing toner of a predetermined color and disposed around the electrostatic drum 9, Fixing device 1 for fixing a toner image developed by developing device 11
2 and a paper discharge roller 1 for transferring document data and the like printed on the recording paper.
And a paper discharge unit 14 that discharges the image data to the outside of the apparatus via the printer 3.

The optical system 10 includes a semiconductor laser 15 for emitting laser light of a predetermined wavelength,
5, a laser driver 17 for driving the
And a reflecting mirror 1 that reflects the laser light that enters through the rotating polygon mirror 18 and supplies the laser light onto the electrostatic drum 9.
9 is provided.

In the laser beam printer 1 configured as described above, a video signal from the printing control device 5 is input to the laser driver 17, and the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 15 is turned on and off according to the video signal. Switch off. The laser light is swung right and left by the rotating polygon mirror 18 to scan on the electrostatic drum 9, and an electrostatic latent image such as a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 9. The image is developed through the developing device 11. Then, the toner image adhered on the electrostatic drum 9 is transferred to the recording paper fed from the paper feed cassette 7, and then the toner image is fixed on the recording paper by the fixing device 12, and the recording paper is discharged. Roller 1
The paper 3 is discharged to the paper discharge unit 14.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information processing system according to the present invention. The information processing system comprises a laser beam printer 1 to which a printer external storage device 20 is connectable and a host as an information processing device. A predetermined communication network 21 for controlling a bidirectional interface operation such as a LAN (local area network) with a computer 22
Connected via (network). The external storage device 20 stores font data, an emulation program for interpreting a printer control language of a different language, form data, and the like.

The host computer 22 is, specifically,
Keyboard 2 on which arbitrary predetermined information is input by the operator
And a display unit (CRT) 2 for displaying the predetermined information and the like.
4, an external storage device 25 such as a flexible disk or a hard disk in which a boot program, various application programs, font data, user files, edit files, and the like are stored, and an information control device 26.

The information control device 26 includes a keyboard 2
A keyboard controller (KBC) 27 for controlling key input information from the user 3 and input information instructed by a pointing device (not shown), and a CR for controlling the CRT 24.
T controller (CRTC) 28 and external storage device 25
Disk controller (DK) that controls access to
C) 29, a printer controller (PRTC) 30 for executing communication control processing with the laser beam printer 1,
A RAM 31 that stores input information and has a function as a work area, a ROM 32 in which predetermined information is stored in advance, and a CPU 34 that is connected to each of the above components via a system bus 33 and controls these components. Consists of

The ROM 32 stores a font R for storing font data and the like used for information processing.
An OM 35, a program ROM 36 in which a predetermined information processing program is stored, and a data ROM 37 in which various data used for performing the information processing are stored. The above information processing program is executed using the RAM 31 as a work area for information processing in which spreadsheets and the like are included. That is, the CPU 34 executes a process of developing (rasterizing) the outline font in the display information area provided in the RAM 31 to enable the WYSIWYG (WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get) on the CRT 24, and is displayed on the CRT 24. The printed information is printed out as it is. Further, the CPU 34 opens various registered windows based on command information instructed by a pointing device or the like, and executes various data processing.

On the other hand, the print control device 5
An input unit 38 connected to the host computer 22 for exchanging data with the host computer 22, and a print main unit interface 39 for controlling an interface operation with the print main unit 4.
A disk controller (DKC) 40 for controlling access to the printer external storage device 20, a printer RAM 41 having an output information expansion area and an environment information storage area in which print information and the like are stored, an NVRAM, and the like; It comprises a printer ROM 42 in which information is stored in advance, and a printer CPU 44 which is connected to each of the above components via a system bus 43 and controls these components.

The printer ROM 42 includes a font ROM 45 in which font data and the like used when generating output information to the printing main unit 4 are stored, and a program ROM 46 in which a predetermined document processing program is stored.
And a data ROM 47 for storing various information used by the host computer 22 as necessary.
An image signal as output information is output to the printing main body unit 4 connected via the. The CPU 34 is capable of communicating with the host computer 22 via the input unit 38, and is capable of notifying the host computer 22 of print information and the like of the laser beam printer 1. The printer RAM 41 can be expanded through an expansion port (not shown) to expand the memory capacity, and a plurality of printer external storage devices 20 can be connected. That is, a plurality of printer external storage devices 20 storing an optional font card and a plurality of emulation programs in addition to the built-in fonts can be connected. Further, the printer external storage device 20 may have an NVRAM and may be configured to store the printer setting information from the operation panel 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a printer processing procedure executed by the laser beam printer 1. This program is stored in the program ROM 46 in advance and executed by the printer CPU 44.

In step S1, the host computer 22
To determine whether data has been input to the input unit 38,
If the answer is negative (No), the process waits for data to be input. If the answer is affirmative (Yes), a predetermined input process is performed (step S2), and the data is analyzed. (Step S3). Then, in a step S4, it is determined whether or not the result of the data analysis is a discharge command. When the command is a paper ejection command, the contents of the printer RAM 41 in which print data such as document data is stored are converted into video signals (step S5), and printing is performed by the print main unit 4.
The print data is printed on the recording paper, and the recording paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit 14 (Step S7), and thereafter, the process returns to Step S1.

On the other hand, if the result of the data analysis is not a paper ejection command in step S4, it is determined whether or not the input data is a status acquisition command (step S8). If the answer is affirmative (Yes), the status table is searched and a predetermined status code is input to the host computer 22.
(Step S9), and returns to step S1.

The status table is stored in the program ROM 46 in advance. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, "1" corresponds to the printer status such as "printable", "paper out error", "jam error", and "sleep state". "
Status codes such as "2", "3", and "4" are stored, and a status code corresponding to the printer status of the laser beam printer 1 is transmitted to the host computer 22. Will get the printer status.

If it is determined from the result of the data analysis that the input data is not a status acquisition command, a drawing process is performed according to the input data command (step S10), and the process returns to step S1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a host processing procedure executed by the host computer 22. This program is stored in the program ROM 36 in advance,
34.

That is, when an application program (hereinafter, referred to as “application”) is started,
The host computer 22 sends a printer status acquisition command to the laser beam printer 1 to acquire the printer status (step S21). That is, when the host computer 22 transmits a printer status acquisition command to the laser beam printer 1 via the network 21, the laser beam printer 1 executes the above-described processing of step S 8 → step S 9 and performs the processing via the network 21. The printer status is transmitted to the host computer 22, and the host computer 22
Acquires the printer status of the laser beam printer 1.

Next, proceeding to step S22, the host computer 22 displays an application screen on the CRT 24.

The application screen is a screen showing a simulation of the operation panel 3 of the laser beam printer 1, and more specifically, a character string display section 48 for displaying the status of the laser beam printer 1 as shown in FIG. When,
A printer display unit 49 for displaying the laser beam printer 1 indicating the status. In the present embodiment, the host computer 22 shows a case where “1” is transmitted as a status code from the laser beam printer 1 and thus “printable” is acquired as the printer status. At 48, “Insatsu Dekimass” is displayed, and its state is drawn and displayed on the printer display unit 49.

Next, in step S23, an initial value T1 (for example, 10 seconds) of a status monitoring interval T (polling interval) for monitoring status is set, and the following step S23 is executed.
At 24, it is determined whether the initial value (time) T1 (= T) has elapsed. When the initial value (time) T1 has elapsed, the host computer 22 sends a printer status acquisition command to the laser beam printer 1, receives the status code from the laser beam printer 1 in the same manner as described above, and -Acquire the status (step S25).

Next, in step S26, step S21
It is determined whether or not the printer status obtained at step S25 is the same as the printer status obtained at step S25.
If they are the same, the process proceeds to step S29. If the printer status is different between the present and previous times, the process proceeds to step S27.
Go to and update the application screen. That is,
CRT 2 according to the printer status transmitted from laser beam printer 1 via network 21
Change the application screen displayed in Step 4.

Next, in step S28, the status monitoring interval table is retrieved from the laser beam printer 1 to obtain the status monitoring interval T.

The status monitoring interval table is stored in the program ROM 32 in advance.
As shown in, status monitoring intervals such as "10 seconds", "20 seconds", "30 seconds", and "40 seconds" corresponding to the printer status such as printable, out of paper error, jam error, and sleep state. T is set respectively, and the host computer 22 acquires the status monitoring interval T corresponding to the printer status of the laser beam printer 1.

Next, in step S29, network load information is obtained. In step S30, a correction table is searched to obtain a correction amount according to the network load, and a status monitoring interval T according to the correction amount is set. It returns to step S24.

The correction table is stored in the program ROM 3 in advance.
8, specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, “20% or less”, “20”
“+0 sec”, “+5 sec”, “+10” indicating the correction amount for “−40%”, “40-60%”, “60% or more”
Second "and" +15 seconds ", whereby the host computer 22 obtains the correction amount for the network load, adds the correction amount to the status monitoring interval T obtained in step S28, and obtains a new status. The monitoring interval is obtained.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the monitoring interval T can be automatically changed to a desired value in accordance with the status of the laser beam printer 1 and the load state of the network 21, and the load on the network 21 can be changed. Can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, a laser beam printer has been described as an output device, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be similarly applied to an ink jet printer and other types of printers.

[0039]

As described in detail above, according to the information processing apparatus, the information processing method, and the information processing system according to the present invention, the monitoring interval is automatically set according to the state of the output device and the load state of the predetermined communication network. Can be changed to a desired value, and the load on the predetermined communication network can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an internal structural view of a laser beam printer as an embodiment of an output device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information processing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a printer processing routine executed by the laser beam printer.

FIG. 4 is a status table diagram.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a host processing routine executed by the host computer.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an application screen displayed on a CRT of a host computer.

FIG. 7 is a status monitoring interval table diagram.

FIG. 8 is a correction table.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 laser beam printer (output device) 21 predetermined communication network 22 host computer (information processing device) 34 CPU (status acquisition unit, monitoring interval setting unit, change unit, load information acquisition unit, monitoring interval correction unit) 44 CPU for printer ( Status acquisition request receiving means, status information transmitting means)

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus connected to an output device via a predetermined communication network to control the output device, wherein: an information acquisition device for acquiring a status of the output device; and an information acquisition device for acquiring a status of the output device. Information processing apparatus, comprising: a monitoring interval setting unit for setting a monitoring interval of the information processing unit; and a changing unit for changing the monitoring interval set by the monitoring interval setting unit in accordance with the content acquired by the status acquisition unit. apparatus. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the status of the output device obtained by the status obtaining device is different from the previous status and the present status, the changing device changes the monitoring interval according to the status of the output device. The information processing device according to claim 1. 3. A load information obtaining means for obtaining load information of the predetermined communication network, and a monitoring interval correction for correcting a monitoring interval obtained by the change means based on the load information obtained by the load information obtaining means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: means. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state of the output device includes at least a printable state, a paper-out error state, a jam state, and a sleep state. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 5. An information processing method for connecting an output device and an information processing device via a predetermined communication network and controlling the output device by the information processing device, wherein the information processing device requests the output device for a status acquisition request. After transmitting the information, the output device returns the status of the output device to the information processing device, and then the information processing device changes the monitoring interval of the output device according to the returned status of the output device. Characteristic information processing method. 6. The information processing device transmits a status acquisition request to the output device at a predetermined monitoring interval, and then the output device sequentially returns the status of the output device to the information processing device. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the monitoring interval is changed to a monitoring interval according to the status of the output device when the status of the output device is different from the previous status. 7. The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein load information of the predetermined communication network is obtained, and the monitoring interval is corrected based on the load information. 8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the state of the output device includes at least a printable state, a paper-out error state, a jam state, and a sleep state. The information processing method described. 9. An information processing system in which an output device and an information processing device are connected via a predetermined communication network and the output device is controlled by the information processing device, wherein the output device outputs the output from the information processing device. A status acquisition request receiving unit that receives a status acquisition request of the device, and a status information transmitting unit that transmits status information of the output device to the information processing device when the status acquisition request of the output device is received, An information processing device, a status acquisition unit that acquires the status of the output device, a monitoring interval setting unit that sets a monitoring interval for acquiring the status of the output device, A changing unit for changing the monitoring interval set by the monitoring interval setting unit. 10. When the status of the output device obtained by the status obtaining device is different from the previous status and the present status, the changing device changes the monitoring interval according to the status of the output device. The information processing system according to claim 9. 11. A load information acquisition unit for acquiring load information of the predetermined communication network, a monitoring interval obtained by the change unit based on the load information obtained by the load information acquisition unit. 9. A monitoring interval correcting means for correcting the difference between the two.
0 information processing system. 12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the state of the output device includes at least a printable state, a paper-out error state, a jam state, and a sleep state. The information processing system according to the above. 13. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein the output device is a printing device. 14. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein the information processing apparatus is a host computer.