JPH1091371A - Printer device control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify a print operation as well as the management of emulation programs by preparing a constitution where a printer server has plural emulation programs and offers the necessary one of these programs to a printer device for execution of a relevant print job. SOLUTION: A printer server B01 has an emulation program storage part B17 which stores an emulation program part of an application program of every client server that is connected to a network B03. The server B01 selects a necessary emulation program out of the part B17 to download it and then sends this program to a printer device B02. The device B02 shifts the received emulation program to its built-in control part 25 and analyzes the print data to perform its print job.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printer apparatus connected to a print server that performs a print job in a network, and executes a print job requested by a client server via the network.
The present invention relates to a control method for switching an emulation program which is a command system to be applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method of sharing a printer device in a network by configuring a network with a plurality of computers, connecting the printer device to a specific computer and defining the computer as a printer server, has already been proposed. Are known.

[0003] Also, since the individual computers, which are client servers constituting the above-mentioned network, usually perform different tasks, the application software applied to these computers is also different. Some command systems are different, and it is necessary to prepare an emulation program corresponding to the command system for the printer device.

The execution of a printing operation of a printer device performed by the conventional technique will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration according to the related art.
FIG. 6 shows a flow according to the conventional technique.

[0005] The client server B08 transmits a print job instruction to the printer server B06 via the network B09.

[0006] The printer server B06 sends a print job instruction signal that has reached the network control unit B61 to the print job management unit B62 in step S61, and recognizes that the print job instruction has been received.

The driver B63 for emulation is
In step S62, print data is created based on an instruction from the client server B08.

Next, in step S63, the emulation-compatible driver B63 analyzes the created print data, divides the data amount into units set in advance, and divides the first part into the interface unit B6 in step S64.
5 to the printer B07. Further, the continuous data is stored in the print data storage buffer B66.

The control unit B75 of the printer B07 receives the print data via the interface unit B71 in step S71, and proceeds to step S72 to check a necessary emulation program.

If it is determined in step S73 that the emulation program required for the designated printing job matches the emulation program prepared in the control unit B75 of the printer, step S74 is reached.
To execute the designated print job.

If it is determined in step S73 that the emulation program required for the designated printing job does not match the emulation program prepared in the control unit B75 of the printer, the flow advances to step S75. An indication that the emulation-compatible programs do not match is displayed, and the operator operates the operation unit B78.
Emulation-compatible program storage B with more intervention
After selecting the corresponding emulation-compatible program from 77, the flow advances to step S74 to execute the designated print job.

[0012]

As described above, the conventional method of controlling a printer apparatus has the following problems.

1) Since the emulation program is prepared in the printer device, if the type of application software used by the client server increases, the type of emulation program prepared in the printer device increases accordingly, and the memory for storage is increased. Increase.

2) When the application used by the client server is different, it is necessary to switch the emulation program prepared via the operation unit of the printer every time.

[0015]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means.

1) The printer server has a plurality of emulation programs in a built-in memory area, and supplies an emulation program necessary for executing a printing job to the printer device.

By this means, an operation is obtained in which the printer server manages the emulation program required for the printing job.

2) The printer server confirms the emulation program to be used before executing the printing job, selects necessary emulation programs, and supplies the selected emulation programs to the printer device.

By this means, the printer server manages the emulation program necessary for each printing job, and the printer device has an effect that it has only the emulation program necessary for the printing job.

3) The printer server supplies an emulation program selected from a plurality of emulation programs held and managed by the printer server when the power of the printer device is turned on. Specify the required emulation program from the emulation programs provided in advance.

By this means, an effect is obtained that the printer server selects an emulation program necessary for each printing job.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention takes the following forms.

1) The printer server has a plurality of emulation programs, and when executing a print job, supplies the emulation program necessary for the execution of the print job from the printer server to the printer device.

By taking this form, an effect is obtained that the emulation program required for performing the printing job is always managed by the printer server collectively.

2) Prior to execution of a print job performed in response to a request from a client server performed via a network, an emulation program necessary for performing the print job is provided from the printer server to the printer device.

By adopting this mode, an effect is obtained that the printer always has only the emulation program necessary for the printing job actually executed.

3) Prior to execution of a print job performed in response to a request from a client server performed via a network, an emulation program stored in the printer is checked. If the emulation program does not match the print job, a necessary emulation program is checked. Replace with

By adopting this form, an effect is obtained that the printer always has only the emulation program necessary for the printing job actually executed.

4) When the power of the printer is turned on, the printer server selects one of a plurality of emulation programs held by the printer server, which is predicted to be used, supplies the selected emulation program to the printer, and further performs a client operation via a network. Prior to execution of a print job requested by the server, a program matching the print job is selected from the emulation programs provided to the printer and executed.

By adopting this mode, the printer device always has an effect that it has a minimum emulation program necessary for the printing job actually executed.

[0031]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

A typical embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The printer server B01 has an emulation program storage section B17. The emulation program storage section B17 stores an emulation program portion of an application program of each client server B03 connected to the network B04.

The printer server B01 selects and downloads a necessary emulation program from the emulation program storage section B17 when necessary, and transmits it to the printer device B02.

In the printer device B02, the control is transferred to the control section B25 containing the emulation program received from the printer server B01, the print data is analyzed, and the printing operation is performed.

A representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that FIG.
5 is a flowchart in a typical embodiment of the invention described in claim 2.

In step S01, the printer server B01 connects to the client server B0 via the network B04.
When the print data transmitted from step 3 is received, step S
In step 02, the print data is sent to the emulation-compatible driver by the built-in print job management unit B12.

In step S03, a necessary emulation program is analyzed from the print data, and
04 to emulation program storage B17
Select and download the corresponding emulation program part.

In step S05, the emulation program downloaded from the emulation program storage B17 and the print data are transmitted to the printer B02 via the interface B15.

In step S06, the control unit B25 of the printer B02 receives the emulation program and the print data via the interface unit B21, develops the print data using the emulation program, and proceeds to step S07. Then, the control unit B25 executes a printing job.

A representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that FIG.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart according to a representative embodiment of the present invention.

In step S11, the printer server B01 connects to the client server B0 via the network B04.
When the print data transmitted from step 3 is received, step S
12 and the built-in print job management unit B12 converts the print data into an emulation-compatible driver B1.
Send to 3.

In step S13, a necessary emulation program is analyzed from the print data,
Proceeding to 14, the printer requests information about the emulation program currently held by the printer.

In step S21, the printer B02 checks the holding status of the emulation program in the control unit B25, and confirms whether or not the emulation program is held and, if so, the type of the corresponding emulation program, etc., and proceeds to step S22. And sends it to the printer server B01 as emulation information data.

Normally, the control unit B of the printer B02
The emulation program held in 25 is an emulation program used for executing the immediately preceding print job and remaining without being deleted after the end of the print job.

In step S15, the printer server B01 having received the emulation information data from the printer B02 sends the emulation information data to the emulation management driver B14.

In step S16, the printer B0
The emulation information data received from the client server B03 is compared with the emulation program portion of the print data transmitted from the client server B03.

If it is determined that they are different programs, the process proceeds to step S17, where a necessary emulation program is selected and downloaded from the emulation program storage section B17, and the process proceeds to step S18.

If it is determined that the two programs are the same, it is determined that the emulation program held in the printer B02 can be used as it is, and the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S18, the printer server B01
Transmits print data to the printing apparatus B02. If the emulation program downloaded from the emulation program storage B17 is prepared, the print data and the emulation program are transmitted via the interface B15.

In step S18, the control unit B25 of the printer device B02 receives the print data or the emulation program and the print data via the interface unit B21, and develops the print data using the emulation program. Proceeding to S26, the control unit B25 executes a printing job.

A representative embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart in a typical embodiment of the invention described in claim 4.

When the power of the printer B02 is turned on in step S41, the flow advances to step S42 to send the turn-on signal to the printer server B via the interface unit B15.
Send to 01.

In step S31, the printer server B01 that has received the power-on signal of the printer device B02 and confirmed that the printer device B02 has been activated is
Proceeding to step S32, at least one emulation program selected in advance from among the emulation programs stored in the emulation program storage section B17 is downloaded.

In step S33, the printer server B01
Transmits the one or more emulation programs downloaded from the emulation program storage B17 to the printer B02 via the interface B15.

In step S33, the printer server B01
Upon receiving the one or more emulation programs via the interface unit B21, the printer device B02 proceeds to step S44 and stores the emulation programs in the command analysis program storage memory B2.
3 is stored.

With the operations described above, the preparation of the print job receiving system of the printer server B01 is completed, and the print server B01 waits for a print job instruction.

Next, at step S34, the printer server B
When the print data 01 is received from the client server B03 via the network B04, the process advances to step S35 to send the print data to the emulation-compatible driver B13 by the built-in print job management unit B12.

In step S36, a necessary emulation program is analyzed from the print data, and the process proceeds to step S36.
Proceeding to 37, the emulation program applied to the printing job is transmitted to the printer B02 as emulation information.

In step S45, the printer server B04
The printer device B02, which has received the emulation information via the interface unit B21, proceeds to step S46, extracts an emulation program matching the emulation information from the command analysis program storage memory B23, and prepares the control unit B25.

When the preparation of the emulation program is completed, the process proceeds to step S47, where the printer device B02
Notifies the printer server B01 of the completion of printing preparation.

In step S38, the printer server B01
Confirms that the printer device B02 is ready for the emulation program.

In step S39, the printer server B01
Transmits print data to the printing apparatus B02.

In step S48, the control unit B25 of the printer B02 receives the print data via the interface unit B21, develops the print data using the previously prepared emulation program, and proceeds to step S49. The control unit B25 executes a printing job.

[0065]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be expected.

1) The printer server has a plurality of emulation programs. When executing a print job, the printer server supplies the printer server with an emulation program necessary for the execution of the print job.

By adopting this means, the emulation programs necessary for the execution of the printing operation are always managed collectively by the printer server, so that the management of the emulation programs can be simplified and the printing operation can be simplified. Get the effect.

2) Prior to execution of a print job performed at the request of the client server performed via the network, an emulation program necessary for performing the print job is provided from the printer server to the printer device.

By adopting this means, the printer always has only the emulation program necessary for the printing job to be actually executed, so that no extra hardware for storing the emulation program in the printer is required. Get.

3) Prior to execution of a print job performed in response to a request from the client server performed via the network, an emulation program held in the printer is checked. If the emulation program does not match the print job, a necessary emulation program is checked. Replace with

By adopting this means, the printer always has only the emulation program necessary for the printing job to be actually executed, so that no extra hardware for storing the emulation program in the printer is required. Get.

4) When the power of the printer is turned on, the printer server selects one of a plurality of emulation programs owned by the printer, which is predicted to be used, and supplies the selected emulation program to the printer. Prior to execution of a print job requested by the server, a program matching the print job is selected from the emulation programs provided to the printer and executed.

By taking this measure, the printer always has the minimum number of emulation programs necessary for the printing job to be actually executed, so that the management of the emulation programs can be simplified and the printing operation can be simplified. At the same time, there is no need for extra hardware for storing the emulation program in the printer device, so that there is an effect that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart (part 1) according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart (part 2) according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart (part 3) according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 B01: Printer server B02: Printer device B03: Client server B04: Network B14: Emulation management driver B17: Emulation program storage unit B25: Control unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling a printer connected to a printer server that is responsible for a print job in a network, wherein the printer server (B01) has at least one emulation program and executes the print job when executing the print job. A printer server (B01) that supplies an emulation program necessary for performing the above-mentioned operations to the printer device (B02). 2. The method for controlling a printer (B02) according to claim 1, wherein prior to execution of a print job requested by a client server (B03) connected to said network (B04) via said network (B04). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein an emulation program required for performing the printing operation is provided from the printer server (B01) to the printer (B02). 3. In the method of controlling the printer device (B02), prior to execution of a print job performed by a request of a client server (B03) connected to the network (B04) via the network (B04). The printer server (B01) checks the emulation program of the printer device (B02). If the emulation program does not match the emulation program required for the printing job, the printer server (B01) transmits the emulation program to the printer device (B02). 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an emulation program necessary for performing the printing job. 4. In the method of controlling the printer (B02), the printer server (B01) executes at least one emulation program stored in the printer server (B01) when the power of the printer (B02) is turned on. The client server (B0) provided to the printer (B02) and connected to the network (B04) via the network (B04).
Prior to the printing operation performed according to the request of 3),
An emulation program necessary for performing the print job is transmitted from the printer server (B01) to the printer device (B0).
2) to notify the printer device (B0
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (2) selects a necessary emulation program to make it executable.