JPH1115619A - Printer and printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer that prevents incorrect printing due to the incorrect setting of a computer-side. SOLUTION: A data judgement circuit 8 judges and recognizes that the start part of printing data inputted for a computer 1 can be analyzed by a printer 2. A driver 10 is driven and a printing unit 11 prints printing data. When the selection of software converting printing data into printing data of a printer description language(PDL) is incorrect on the computer-side, the printing of printing data is inhibited. The incorrect printing of a meaningless character which cannot be analyzed in printing data can be prevented in the printer 2. When printing data is not inputted for a prescribed time in a state where printing data is stored in RAM 7, printing data stored in RAM 7 is cleared. In printing other printing data, normal printing by the addition of printing data which is left in RAM 7 is not prevented and the wasteful printing time and the waste of paper can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printer which stores print data input from a computer in a memory, executes printing based on the print data, and is connected to a plurality of computers via a network. The present invention relates to a printer system in which print data to be input is stored in a memory and includes a printer that executes printing based on the print data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer is connected to a computer, and printing is performed by the printer based on print data input from the computer to the printer. In this case, print data input from the computer is used. Is stored in the memory, and printing is performed based on the print data stored in the memory. In this case, a plurality of computers may be connected to the printer via a network, a printer system may be configured to share the printer with the plurality of computers, and printing may be performed by the printer based on print data input from each printer. Is being done.

[0003]

As described above, in a printer which is connected to a computer, print data inputted from the computer is stored in a memory, and a printer which performs printing based on the print data stored in the memory, the computer is provided with a computer. If a wrong set of software for converting print data to print data in the printer description language (PDL) of the printer is incorrect, the printer cannot interpret the print data from the computer and prints meaningless characters. Erroneous printing of paper is performed, so that printing time is wasted and paper is wasted.

When printing is performed by the printer in this manner, if the print data is left in the memory of the printer, another print data is supplied from the computer to the printer. When printing is performed, other print data remaining in the memory is added to the print data to be printed, which may prevent normal printing from being performed. Paper is wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of the current state of operation of the printer and the printer system as described above. A first object of the present invention is to provide a printer which prevents erroneous printing due to erroneous setting on a computer side. Is to do.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a printer which prevents erroneous printing due to print data remaining in the memory of the printer.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a printer system in which a printer is connected to a plurality of computers via a network and which performs an accurate printing operation while preventing erroneous printing. .

[0008]

In order to achieve the first object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, print data input from a computer is stored in a memory, and printing is performed based on the print data. A determination unit that determines whether a start portion of print data input from the computer to the printer can be interpreted by the printer; and that the determination unit determines that the start portion cannot be interpreted. Prohibiting means for prohibiting printing by the printer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer according to the first aspect, wherein print data is stored in the memory, and a predetermined time period is provided from the computer. If no print data is entered in the meantime,
A clearing means for clearing the print data stored in the memory is provided.

In order to achieve the third object, the invention according to claim 3 is connected to a plurality of computers via a network, print data input from the computers is stored in a memory, and the print data is stored in a memory. A printer system that includes a printer that executes printing based on the authentication data, wherein the computer is provided with authentication data registration means for registering authentication data at a start portion of the print data, and the printer detects the authentication data. Authentication data detecting means, and prohibiting means for prohibiting printing by the printer when the authentication data is not detected by the authentication data detecting means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer system according to the third aspect, wherein print data is stored in the memory, and the print data is transmitted from the computer for a predetermined time. A clearing means for clearing the print data stored in the memory when there is no input of print data during the period.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a print operation of the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a clear operation of the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a computer 1 for supplying print data to a printer 2 is connected. The printer 2 is connected to a control circuit 3 for controlling a printing operation and to the computer 1. An input circuit 5 to which the print data is input, a ROM 6 in which a control program for the print operation is stored, a RAM 7 in which various data are written and read out when the print operation is controlled, and a determination of the print data from the computer 1. A data determination circuit 8 to be performed and a driver 10 for driving a printing unit are connected, and the driver 10 is connected to a printing unit 11 for performing a printing operation.

The operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration is described below.
This will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. First, the printing operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S 1, software for converting the description language (PDL) of the printer 2 into print data is selectively set in the computer 1 as a printer driver, and the print data is input from the computer 1 to the input circuit 5 of the printer 2. Is done. In step S2, the control circuit 3
The print data input to the input circuit 5 is stored in the RAM 7 in accordance with the instruction of (1), and the process proceeds to step S3.
, The start portion of the print data is read out, and it is determined whether or not the data of the read start portion can be analyzed by the printer 2 and become print target data.

If it is determined in step S3 that the print data from the computer 1 can be data to be printed by the printer 2, the process proceeds to step S4, where the control circuit 3
The driver 10 is activated by the command of
The printing of the print data from the computer 1 is executed by the printing unit 11 driven by the printer 1. On the other hand, if the printer driver is erroneously selected and it is determined in step S3 that the print data input from the computer 1 cannot be the print target data of the printer 2, the operation of the driver 10 Is prohibited, and printing of print data from the computer 1 by the printing unit 11 is not executed.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The clear operation of the present embodiment will be described. Step S11
In the computer 1, the description language (PDL) of the printer 2
The software for converting the print data into the print data is selected and set as a printer driver, and the print data is input from the computer 1 to the input circuit 5 of the printer 2.

In step S2, the print data input to the input circuit 5 is stored in the RAM 7 in accordance with a command from the control circuit 3, and the start portion of the print data is read from the RAM 7 by the data determination circuit 8, and the read data is read. When it is determined that the output data of the start portion can be analyzed by the printer 2 and become print target data, the driver 10 is operated by a command of the control circuit 3, and the printing unit 11 driven by the driver 10 Printing of the print data from the computer 1 is executed.

Next, the process proceeds to step S13, and in accordance with a command from the control circuit 3, it is determined whether or not print data has been input for a predetermined period of time while the print data is stored in the RAM 7. Is determined. Step S13
If it is determined that there is no input of print data during the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S14, where the print data stored in the RAM 7 is cleared by a command from the control circuit 3.

Thus, according to the present embodiment,
The start part of the print data input from the computer 1 is determined by the data determination circuit 8 to be analyzed by the printer 2 and determined to be print target data. After the determination, the driver 10 is driven to drive the print unit. 1
1 executes printing of the print data. Therefore,
If the computer incorrectly selects software for converting the print data into print data in the printer description language (PDL) of the printer, the printing unit 11
Printing is prohibited, the printer 2 cannot interpret the print data from the computer, and erroneous printing in which meaningless characters are printed on the paper is not performed. Waste is prevented.

According to the present embodiment, the control circuit 3
Accordingly, if it is determined that there is no input of print data for a predetermined period of time while the print data is stored in the RAM 7, the print data stored in the RAM 7 is cleared. Next, when other print data is supplied from the computer to the printer and printing is performed, the other print data remaining in the RAM 7 is added to the print data to be printed, so that normal printing is performed. Execution is not hindered, so that printing time is wasted and paper is not wasted.

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing operation of the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of computers 1a to 1n are connected via a network N to a printer 2A having basically the same configuration as that of the first embodiment already described. Each of the computers 1a to 1n is provided with an authentication data registration circuit 12 for additionally registering authentication data set in advance to use the printer 2A with print data to be transmitted to the printer 2A. Further, the registration of the authentication data is performed by a software that converts print data in the description language (PDL) of the printer 2A into a printer that transmits the print data to the printer 2A in the computers 1a to 1n. When the driver is correctly selected and set, it can be registered. The configuration of the other parts of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment already described, and therefore will not be described repeatedly.

The operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration is described below.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Step S
21, the printer 2A in the computers 1a to 1n.
For the computer (for example, the computer 1a) to transmit the print data to, the software for converting the description language (PDL) of the printer 2A into the print data is selected and set as a printer driver, and the authentication data registration circuit 12 At the start of the print data, authentication data preset for use of the printer 2A is additionally registered. Then, the print data with the authentication data added to the start portion is input from the computer 1a to the input circuit 5 of the printer 2A.

In step S22, the print data input to the input circuit 5 is stored in the RAM 7 according to a command from the control circuit 3.
In step S23, the authentication data of the print data is read from the RAM 7 by the data determination circuit 8 according to a command from the control circuit 3, and the read authentication data is converted into the authentication data set in advance. A determination is made whether they match.

If it is determined in step S23 that the authentication data additionally registered with the print data matches the preset authentication data, the process proceeds to step S24, where the driver 10 is operated by a command from the control circuit 3. The print data from the computer 1 is printed by the printing unit 11 driven by the driver 10.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication data additionally registered in the print data transmitted from the computer 1a does not match the preset authentication data, the control circuit 3
The operation of the driver 10 is prohibited by the instruction, and the printing of the print data from the computer 1 by the printing unit 11 is not executed. Other operations of the present embodiment include:
Since it is the same as that of the first embodiment already described, a duplicate description will not be made.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects obtained in the first embodiment already described,
For example, if the print data from the computer 1a is
If the data determination circuit 8 determines that the authentication data additionally registered in the print data matches the preset authentication data, the driver 10 sends a command to the The print unit 11 is activated and the print unit 11 driven by the driver 10 prints the print data from the computer 1. However, if the data determination circuit 8 determines that the authentication data does not match, the print from the computer 1a is performed. The data is not printed, and the printing operation by the computer registered in advance for using the printer 2A can be smoothly performed.

[0029]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, print data input from a computer to a printer is stored in a memory of the printer, a start portion of the print data is read from the memory, and the printer is determined by the determination means. It is determined whether or not the print data can be interpreted. If it is determined that the print data can be interpreted, printing is performed based on the print data read from the memory. The printing by the printer is prohibited by the prohibiting means. If the computer incorrectly selects the software for converting the print data into the print data of the printer description language (PDL), the printing of the print data is prohibited. In addition, erroneous printing of paper on which meaningless characters are printed is not performed, thereby preventing wasteful printing time and waste of paper. Possible to become.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects obtained by the first aspect of the present invention, the printer
If there is no input of print data from the computer for a predetermined time in a state where the print data is stored in the memory, the print data stored in the memory is cleared by the clearing means. However, when the printing is supplied from the computer to the printer, the other printing data remaining in the memory is not added to the printing data to be printed, and the normal printing is not hindered. It is possible to prevent the printing time from being wasted and the paper from being wasted.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer which is connected to a plurality of computers via a network, stores print data input from the computers in a memory, and executes printing based on the print data. In a printer system, in a computer that transmits print data to the printer, the registration data registers the authentication data at a start portion of the print data, and the print data transmitted from the computer to the printer uses the authentication data detection device provided in the printer. When the authentication data is detected and the matching of the authentication data with the pre-registered authentication data is detected, the print data is printed by the printer, and the authentication data detected from the print data is registered in advance. If it does not match the authentication data, printing by the printer is prohibited by the prohibition means Since the, it is possible to perform the printing operation by a computer which is registered for use in advance printer 2A smoothly.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the third aspect of the present invention, in a state where the print data is stored in the memory, there is no input of the print data from the computer for a predetermined time. Then, the print data stored in the memory is cleared by the clearing means, so that when another print data is supplied from the computer to the printer and printing is performed next, the other print data remaining in the memory is printed. Data is not added to the print data to be printed, normal printing is not hindered, printing time is wasted, and paper is not wasted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a printing operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a clear operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a-1n Computer 2, 2A Printer 3 Control circuit 5 Input circuit 7 RAM 8 Data judgment circuit 10 Driver 11 Printing unit 12 Authentication data registration circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer which stores print data input from a computer in a memory and executes printing based on the print data, wherein a start portion of the print data input from the computer to the printer is the printer. And a prohibition unit for prohibiting printing by the printer when the determination unit determines that the interpretation is not possible. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the print data is stored in the memory, and if the print data is not input from the computer for a predetermined time, the print data stored in the memory is stored. A printer comprising a clearing means for clearing data. 3. A printer system which is connected to a plurality of computers via a network, stores print data input from the computers in a memory, and includes a printer which executes printing based on the print data. The computer is provided with authentication data registration means for registering authentication data at a start portion of the print data. The printer is provided with an authentication data detection means for detecting the authentication data, and the authentication data detection means A printer system, comprising: a prohibition unit that prohibits printing by the printer if not detected. 4. The printer system according to claim 3, wherein the print data is stored in the memory, and if no print data is input from the computer for a predetermined time, the print data is stored in the memory. And a clearing means for clearing the print data.