JPH1083260A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-use printer system which can print an application document without starting an application when a application document which is already created is printed. SOLUTION: A host computer 1 is equipped with a function which transmits a conversion program for converting a document file into data format that a printer device 2 can handle to the printer device 2 together with the document file saved in format characteristics of application when the document created by using the application is printed, and the printer device 2 is equipped with a function for printing the document file sent from the host computer 1 after converting it by using the conversion program. Consequently, the load on the host computer 1 is greatly reduced and a process for printing can be handled with the same concept with file transfer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer system including a host device for creating a document using application software and a printer device for printing an application document created by the host device. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a printer device has a control code system specific to the device (or maker), and normal printing cannot be performed unless data conforms to the control code system. For this reason, conventionally, when a host computer uses a printer to print a document created using application software such as a word processor (hereinafter simply referred to as an application), the created document data is transferred to an application or an OS (operation). The system is converted to the control code system of the printer using software called a printer driver of the system, and then transmitted to the printer.
Recently, in this type of technical field, focus has been focused on appropriately selecting a printer driver suitable for a model of a printer device. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-4233 and 7-168682 disclose a technique. Discloses a technology that enables automatic selection of a printer driver using a bidirectional interface.

[0003]

However, according to the above-described conventional printing method, application documents stored in a memory such as a hard disk or a floppy disk (for example, saved in an application-specific format such as an MS word document or an Ichitaro document). Document) without changing the document content, printing could not be executed unless the application was started each time. That is, unless the application is started, operations such as reading of a document file to be printed and selection of a printer driver cannot be performed. In order to print a document that does not need to be changed in this way, the operation of starting the application is an extremely troublesome operation for the user. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, applications have become more and more complex, and the startup time of applications has tended to increase with each version upgrade. Therefore, it is expected that the trouble associated with starting the application at the time of printing will further increase. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use printer system capable of solving the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional technology and executing printing without starting an application when printing an application document.

[0004]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host apparatus for creating a document using application software, and a document transmitted from the host apparatus. A printer system that processes and prints data.
When the host device prints a document created using application software, the printer device can handle the document file together with a document file stored in a format specific to the application software. The printer device has a function of transmitting a conversion program for converting to a data format to the printer device, and the printer device uses the conversion program sent from the host device together with the document file sent from the host device. And a function of printing after conversion. According to the printer system according to the first aspect of the present invention, even when an application document that has already been created is to be printed, the application from the host device to the printer device can be easily performed without starting up the application used to create the document. Since printing can be performed by a simple file transfer operation, the trouble associated with starting up an application at the time of printing can be completely eliminated, and usability can be significantly improved. In addition, the load on the host device is greatly reduced, and the process of printing can be handled with the same concept as file transfer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the first aspect, the host device includes:
When transmitting a document file to the printer device, the printer device has a function of checking whether or not the printer device holds the conversion program, and having a function of not transmitting the conversion program if the printer device already holds the conversion program. It is characterized by being. According to the printer system of the second aspect of the present invention, when the printer device already holds the conversion program, the conversion program is not transmitted, so that it is not necessary to load the conversion program, Since the amount of data transfer from the host device to the printer device can be reduced, the throughput can be improved as compared with the first aspect.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to the first or second aspect, the host device has a function of designating a page on which a document is to be printed,
It is a special report that the printer device has a function of printing only a page specified by the host device. In the printer according to the third aspect of the present invention,
If a page to be printed is designated by the host device, only the designated page is printed by the printer device, so that only necessary pages can be printed without unnecessary printing.

[0007] The invention according to claim 4 is based on claim 1,
2. The printer system according to any one of 2, 3,
It is a special report that the host device has a function of designating the number of copies of a document, and the printer device has a function of printing the number of copies designated by the host device. According to the printer system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, if the number of copies to be printed is specified by the host device, the specified number of documents are printed by the printer device, so that a plurality of documents are required. In some cases, processing can be performed with a single print request.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram conceptually showing an embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a host computer as a host device, 2 is a printer device, and 3 is a storage device. Here, the host computer 1 and the printer device 2 are connected by the printer cable 4, but the connection between them is not limited to this, and they may be connected by a communication network such as a LAN. The storage device 3 is externally connected to the host computer 2 via the data cable 5, but may be built in the host computer 2. Generally, a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk is used as the storage device 3. The host computer 1 has a plurality of applications in its internal storage device (such as a hard disk), creates a document using each application, records the data as a document file in the storage device 3, It can be read as needed. Then, when printing the document file read from the storage device 3, a conversion program for converting the document file into a data format that can be handled by the printer device 2 is read from the storage device 3 together with the document file. It has a function of transmitting to the printer device 2. In this example, it is assumed that two applications (application 1 and application 2) are possessed.

The printer 2 has a normal printing function, that is, a function of printing document data transmitted after being converted into the control code system of the printer 2 in advance using a printer driver on the host computer 1 side. It has a function of converting a document file of an application document sent from the host computer 1 using a conversion program sent together with the document file and printing the converted document. The storage device 3 stores application 1 documents, application 2 documents, application 1 conversion programs, application 2 conversion programs, and the like. The application 1 document and the application 2 document are respectively stored in the host computer 1
A document file created by a different application running on the above, and its data format depends on the application. The application 1 conversion program and the application 2 conversion program are programs that operate on the printer device 2. The printer device 2 can handle document files of the application 1 and the application 2, that is, the printer device 2 can interpret the document files. This is a program for converting to a control code system. These programs are stored in a file format like the document file.

Next, an operation example of the printer system according to the embodiment will be described. Here, the operation when printing the application 1 document will be described as an example, but the same applies to the case where the application 2 document is printed. First, in an operation example corresponding to claim 1, when a user inputs a print request for an application 1 document by operating an input device (keyboard, mouse, etc.) of the host computer 1, the host computer 1 executes the application 1 conversion program and the application 1 One document is read from the storage device 3 and transmitted to the printer device 2. The printer device 2 receives both files and saves them in the internal memory. Next, the printer device 2 executes the application 1 conversion program as shown in FIG.
The application 1 document file is converted into a file of a control code system that can be interpreted by the printer device 2 (S
1). Thereafter, the printer device 2 performs the same processing as the normal printing processing on the converted file to execute printing (S2). In the printer system operating as described above, the process of printing can be processed by the same concept as file transfer. Even when printing an application document that has already been created and stored in the storage device 3, Printing can be performed extremely comfortably without launching the application used to create the document.

Next, in an operation example corresponding to claim 2,
When the user operates the input device of the host computer 1 to input a request for printing an application 1 document, the host computer 1 inquires the printer 2 whether the application 1 conversion program is stored in the internal memory. As a result, the printer device 2
If does not have the application 1 conversion program, the same operation as in claim 1 is performed, but if the application 1 conversion program is already held, only the application 1 document file is read out from the storage device 3 and transmitted to the printer device 2. The printer device 2 saves the application 1 document in the internal memory. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer device 2 executes the application 1 conversion program, and converts the application 1 document file into a file of a control code system that can be interpreted by the printer device 2 (S1). Thereafter, the printer device 2 performs the same processing as the normal printing processing on the converted file to execute printing (S2). According to the printer system that operates as described above, if the printer device 1 already has a conversion program necessary for converting an application document file, the conversion program is not transmitted. Since it is not necessary to load the data from the host computer 1 and the amount of data transferred from the host computer 1 to the printer device 2 can be reduced, the throughput can be further improved and printing can be performed comfortably. The operation corresponding to the second aspect is based on the premise that the communication means between the host computer 1 and the printer device 2 can be bidirectional.

In the operation example according to the third aspect, when the host computer 1 issues a print request for the application 1 document, the user operates the input device to specify a portion to be printed in the document in page units. I do. Then, when the host computer 1 sends the application 1 document to the printer device 2, the host computer 1 adds the information and sends it. The printer device 2 receives the information and executes printing of only the specified page. According to the printer system that operates as described above, it is possible to print only necessary pages by executing the printing operation of the application document by specifying the number of pages. Further, in the operation example corresponding to claim 4, when the host computer 1 issues a print request for the application 1 document, the user operates the input device to specify the number of copies to be printed. Then, when the host computer 1 sends the application 1 document to the printer device 2, the host computer 1 adds the information and sends it. The printer device 2 receives the information and executes printing for the designated number of copies. According to the printer system that operates as described above, the required number of copies can be printed by a single operation by executing the printing operation of the application document by designating the number of copies.

[0013]

As described above, according to the printer system according to the first aspect of the present invention, even when an already created application document is printed, the application used to create the document is started. Printing can be performed by a simple file transfer operation from the host device to the printer device, completely eliminating the trouble associated with starting up the application at the time of printing.
The usability can be significantly improved. According to the printer system of the second aspect of the present invention, if the printer device already holds the conversion program, the printer does not transmit the conversion program, so that the conversion program does not need to be loaded. Since the amount of data transferred from the host device to the printer device can be reduced, the throughput can be improved as compared with the first aspect. Further, in the printer according to the third aspect of the present invention, if a page to be printed is designated by the host device, only the designated page is printed by the printer, so that the necessary printing can be performed without wasteful printing. Only pages can be printed. According to the printer system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, if the number of copies to be printed is specified by the host device, the specified number of documents are printed by the printer device.
Even when a plurality of documents are required, it can be processed with a single print request.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram conceptually showing an embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing a processing flow in the printer system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 host computer (host device), 2 printer device, 3 storage device.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer system comprising a host device for creating a document using application software and a printer device for processing and printing document data sent from the host device, wherein the host device is When printing a document created using application software, a document file stored in a format specific to the application software and a document file for converting the document file into a data format that can be handled by the printer device. The printer device has a function of transmitting a conversion program to the printer device, and the printer device converts a document file sent from the host device,
A printer system having a function of converting the data into the data format using the conversion program and printing the data. 2. When transmitting a document file to the printer device, the host device checks whether or not the printer device holds the conversion program. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, further comprising a function of preventing transmission. 3. A special report that the host device has a function of designating a page to be printed, and the printer device has a function of printing only a document of a page designated by the host device. The printer system according to claim 1. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the host device has a function of designating the number of copies to be printed, and the printer device has a function of printing documents by the number of copies designated by the host device. The printer system according to any one of 2, 3 and 4.