JPH11194908A - Method and system for information processing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To deal with a new function extension with little time and labor. SOLUTION: This method interprets a protocol transmitted from an information processing device at a protocol interpretation part 303 and generates a job at a job generation part 401 in accordance with that interpretation. A document generated by dividing this job into small document units at a job processing part 402 is processed at a document processing part 403. A page generated by dividing this document into small band units is divided into small band units at a band processing part 405, a band is generated and processed, a use demand of a device is mediated at a device allocation part 406 from the job generation part 401, the document processing part 403, the page processing part 404 and the band processing part 405, and this job is divided into small function unit at a composite job processing part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an information processing method and an information processing system for processing information by an information processing system including peripheral devices such as a printer, a facsimile (FAX), a copying machine, and a digital multifunction peripheral.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, digital multifunction peripherals have been developed in the form of additional functions of conventional machines, such as those in which a fax function is added to a copying machine and those in which a printer function is added to a fax machine. Therefore, there are few devices capable of performing the composite operation, and even if the composite operation can be performed, only the composite operation and the parallel operation can be performed on a job basis.

Further, in conventional digital multifunction peripherals and single-function peripherals, processing of a series of jobs is executed in order according to input / output devices provided with the devices and data formats.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional example, when a new job is created,
Even with a combination of existing jobs, it is inevitable to re-create a series of job processes, and there is a problem that a lot of labor and time are required to deal with them.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the above-described conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to respond to a new function expansion with a small amount of labor and time. An information processing method and system are provided.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method comprising: a peripheral device for executing various jobs transmitted from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a predetermined communication medium; In an information processing method for processing information by an information processing system including: a procedure interpretation step of interpreting a procedure transmitted from the information processing apparatus; and a job generation step of generating a job according to the procedure interpretation by the procedure interpretation step; A document generation step of dividing the job generated by the job generation step into small document units to generate a document; a document processing step of processing the document generated by the document generation step; and a document generation step of generating the document by the document generation step. Small document A page generating step of generating a page by dividing the page in a simple page unit, a page processing step of processing the page generated by the page generating step, and dividing the page generated by the page generating step into small band units. A band generation step of generating a band, a band processing step of processing the band generated by the band generation step, and use of the device from the document generation step, the document processing step, the page processing step, and the band processing step It comprises a device use request arbitration step of arbitrating requests, a job division step of dividing the job into smaller functional units, and a job processing step of processing the job.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a second aspect is provided.
The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a facsimile (F).
AX), a copying machine, a digital multifunction peripheral, or the like.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect is provided.
An information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the procedure is a protocol.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fourth aspect.
The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the document generating step processes a job.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising:
The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the page generation step processes a document.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising:
An information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the band is strip-shaped data.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer system comprising:
The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the band generation step processes a page.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer system comprising:
The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the device use request arbitration step allocates a device.

[0014] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a ninth aspect.
The information processing system described above interprets a procedure transmitted from the information processing apparatus in an information processing system including a peripheral device that executes various jobs transmitted from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a predetermined communication medium. Procedural interpretation means, job generation means for generating a job in accordance with the interpretation of the procedure by the procedural interpretation means, document generation means for generating a document by dividing the job generated by the job generation means into small document units, Document processing means for processing a document generated by the document generation means, page generation means for generating a page by dividing the document generated by the document generation means into small page units, and generation by the page generation means Page processing hands that process pages Band generating means for generating a band by dividing the page generated by the page generating means into small band units, band processing means for processing the band generated by the band generating means, and the document generating means The document processing unit, the page processing unit, and the band processing unit include a device use request arbitration unit that arbitrates a device use request, and a job division unit that divides the job into smaller function units. I do.

[0015] Further, in order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
0 is an information processing system according to claim 9, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a facsimile (FAX), a copier, a digital multifunction peripheral, or the like.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
An information processing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, in the information processing system according to claim 9, the procedure is a protocol.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
The information processing system according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the information processing system according to claim 9, the document generation unit processes a job.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
An information processing system according to a third aspect is the information processing system according to the ninth aspect, wherein the page generation means processes a document.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
An information processing system according to a fourth aspect is the information processing system according to the ninth aspect, wherein the band is strip-shaped data.

[0020] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect is provided.
An information processing system according to a fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the information processing system according to the ninth aspect, the band generation unit processes a page.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer system comprising:
The information processing system according to claim 6, wherein the device use request arbitration means is:
It is characterized by allocating devices.

[0022]

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

(First Embodiment) First, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Is a host computer that generates various jobs and sends the jobs to peripheral devices. A digital multifunction peripheral 104 executes various jobs such as a print job, a scan job, a fax job, and a copy job. The first and second host computers 101 and 102 and the digital multifunction peripheral 104 are connected to a LAN (local area network) 105, respectively.
04 can be used. The third host computer 103 is connected to the digital multifunction peripheral 104 via an interface 106 such as a parallel (or serial) instead of a LAN, and can use the digital multifunction peripheral 104.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the information processing system shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 01 denotes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which controls the entire system and performs arithmetic processing. Reference numeral 202 denotes a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a storage area for a system startup program, a program for controlling the printer engine, character data, character code information, and the like. Reference numeral 203 denotes a RAM (random access memory), which is a storage area having no use restriction, in which font data additionally registered by download is stored, and programs and data are loaded and executed for various processes.

Reference numeral 204 denotes an external storage device such as a hard disk, which spools a print job (print job) received by the printing device (printer), stores programs and various information files, and uses it as a work area. Is done. Reference numeral 205 denotes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display, which is a setting state of the printing apparatus, a current processing state inside the printing apparatus,
Displays error status, etc. An operation unit 206 is used to change or reset the settings of the printing apparatus.
207 is an engine interface (engine I / F)
Then, commands and the like for actually controlling the engine are exchanged. Reference numeral 208 denotes a network interface (network I / F) through which devices are connected to a network. Reference numeral 209 denotes an external interface (external I / F) which is connected to a host computer via an interface such as parallel (or serial). Reference numeral 210 denotes a system bus, which serves as a data path between the above-described components.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal software structure of the host computer and the digital multifunction peripheral 104. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes the host computer (10 in FIG. 1).
1 to 103). Reference numeral 302 denotes controller software, in which a protocol interpreter 303 is included.
It is divided into a job control unit 304 and a device unit 305.

The protocol interpreting unit 303 interprets a command (protocol) transmitted from the host computer 301 via the LAN 105 in FIG. 1 or the external I / F 209 in FIG. This is the part that requests execution. Also, the job control unit 304
Is a part for actually processing the job requested by the protocol interpreting unit 303. Further, the device unit 305 is used when the job control unit 304 executes a job.

FIG. 4 shows the controller software 302.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of the method. In the figure, reference numeral 303 denotes a protocol interpreting unit, 304 denotes a job control unit, and 305 denotes a device unit. Job control unit 304
Has a job generation unit 401, a job processing unit 402, a document processing unit 403, a page processing unit 404, a band processing unit 405, and a device allocation unit 406. The device section 305 has a first device 407, a second device 408, and a third device 409.

Then, the host computer 101 shown in FIG.
A series of operation requests sent from the network I / F 208 are transmitted in the form of commands (protocols).
And via the external I / F 209. The transmitted command is interpreted by the protocol interpreting unit 303 and then sent to the job control unit 401. At this point, the command is converted into a form that the job control unit 304 can understand.

The job generator 401 generates a job 410. Various jobs such as a copy job, a print job, a scan job, and a fax job can be considered as the job 410. For example, in the case of a print job, the information includes setting information such as the name of the document to be printed, the number of copies, designation of an output tray as an output destination, and print data itself (PDL data). The job 410 is sent to the job processing unit 402,
Processing is performed. Here, settings relating to the entire job 410 (such as printing and stapling a plurality of documents collectively)
And processing is performed.

Further, the job processing unit 402
Except for the settings and processing for the entire document 10, the document is divided into input documents 411, which are smaller units of work. The input document 411 is converted into an output document 414 by the document processing unit 403. That is, for example, considering a scan job in which a bundle of documents is read by a scanner and converted into a plurality of image data, the input document 411 describes settings and operation procedures related to the bundle of documents. An output document 414 describes settings and operation procedures relating to data. The document processing unit 4 has a role of converting a bundle of paper into a plurality of image data.
03.

The document processing unit 403 performs only processing in units of documents, and generates an input page 412 which is a smaller unit of work. This is the same as the case where the job processing unit 402 concentrates on processing on a job basis and generates a document for more detailed work. The setting and operation of the document unit include, specifically, rearrangement of pages, designation of double-sided printing, addition of a cover, OH
It is related to the page order such as P insertion.

The input page 412 is stored in the page processing unit 4.
04 to an output page 415. For example, in the case of the above-described scan job, the input page 412 describes settings and procedures such as reading resolution and reading direction (landscape / portrait), and the output page 415 stores image data. Location (RAM2
03 and the address and data name of the external storage device 204).

Up to this point, it has been described that the job unit is gradually reduced so that it can be handled in page units. In an expensive system, if a page memory for one page can be provided, the job may be finally detailed in page units. However, in reality, when the cost of the memory is a problem or the print engine is at a low speed such as an ink jet printer, the memory for several lines (band memory)
A system that has only one can be considered. In such a case, the page is divided into bands, which are smaller units. That is the role of the input band 413, the band processing unit 405, and the output band 416. These operations are similar to those of the page.

Job processing unit 402, document processing unit 403, page processing unit 404, and band processing unit 405
Use a device when proceeding. Naturally, if a plurality of processing units proceed with work at the same time, device contention occurs. Therefore, the device allocating unit 406 mediates this. First to third devices 407 to 408
Is a device assigned to the processing unit by the device assignment unit 406, and may be, for example, a page memory, a band memory, a document feeder, a marking engine, a scanner, or the like.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition,
The basic configuration of the information processing system according to the present embodiment is the same as that of FIGS. 1 to 3 of the above-described first embodiment, and the description will be made by using these drawings as necessary.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the software structure of peripheral devices in the information processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 303 denotes a protocol interpreting unit, 304 denotes a job control unit, and 305 denotes a device unit.

The copy job is divided into two jobs (scan job and print job) in the job control unit 304 and processed. A series of operation requests sent from the host computers 101 to 103 in FIG.
/ F208 and the external I / F209.

The sent command is interpreted by the protocol interpreting unit 303 and then sent to the job control unit 304. At this point, the command is converted into a form that the job control unit 304 can understand. Job generation unit 401
Generates the job 410 of FIG. In the present embodiment,
A copy job will be generated.

The copy job is sent to the composite job processing unit 501 shown in FIG. 5, and a scan job 514 and a print job 521 are generated. The scan job 514 and the print job 521 are sent to the scan job processing unit 502 and the print job processing unit 506, respectively, at the same time as the generation. Naturally, the scanning operation starts and the printer 512 starts.
Unless the data to be output to (1) is completed (or ready), the printing operation cannot be started. Therefore, the processing units related to scanning (502, 503, 504, 505) and the processing units related to printing (506, 507, 508, 509) are connected via an intermediate document 518, an intermediate page 519, and an intermediate band 520 indicating intermediate data. Processing will proceed while synchronizing. In the copy job, the scanner 510 and the page memory 51 are used as devices to be used.
1. Printer 512.

[0041]

As described above, according to the information processing method and system of the present invention, a change in a single job does not affect a composite job, and it is easy to create a new composite job. This has the effect of being able to respond to a new function expansion with a small amount of labor and time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a peripheral device in the information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a software structure of a peripheral device in the information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of a software structure of a peripheral device in the information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of a software structure of a peripheral device in the information processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Host Computer 102 Host Computer 103 Host Computer 104 Digital Composite Device 105 LAN (Local Area Network) 106 Interface 201 CPU (Central Processing Unit) 202 ROM (Read Only Memory) 203 RAM (Random Access Memory) 204 External Storage Device 205 Display Unit 206 Operation unit 207 Engine interface (Engine I / F) 208 Network interface (Network I / F) 209 External interface (External I / F) 210 System bus 301 Host computer 302 Controller software 303 Protocol interpreting unit 304 Job control unit 305 Device Unit 401 job generation unit 402 job processing unit 403 document processing Unit 404 page processing unit 405 band processing unit 406 device allocation unit 407 first device 408 second device 409 third device 410 job 411 input document 412 input page 413 input band 414 output document 415 output page 416 output band 501 composite job processing unit 502 Scan processing unit 503 Scan document processing unit 504 Scan page processing unit 505 Scan band processing unit 506 Print job processing unit 507 Print document processing unit 508 Print page processing unit 509 Print band processing unit 510 Scanner 511 Page memory 512 Printer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Hirouchi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Yoshiji Kanemoto 3- 30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masaki Kashiwagi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc.

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. An information processing method for processing information by an information processing system including a peripheral device that executes various jobs transmitted from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a predetermined communication medium, the information processing apparatus transmitting the information from the information processing apparatuses. Interpreting the generated procedure, generating a job according to the interpretation of the procedure by the interpreting step, and generating a document by dividing the job generated by the job generating step into small document units. A document generation step, a document processing step of processing the document generated by the document generation step, a page generation step of generating a page by dividing the document generated by the document generation step into small page units, A page processing step of processing the page generated by the page generation step; a band generation step of generating a band by dividing the page generated by the page generation step into small band units; and a band generation step of generating the band by the band generation step. A band processing step of processing a band; a device use request arbitration step of arbitrating a device use request from the document generation step, the document processing step, the page processing step, and the band processing step; An information processing method comprising: a job dividing step of dividing the job into units; and a job processing step of processing the job. 2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is a printer, a facsimile (FAX), a copier, a digital multifunction peripheral, or the like. 3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the procedure is a protocol. 4. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said document generating step processes a job. 5. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said page generating step processes a document. 6. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the band is strip-shaped data. 7. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said band generating step processes a page. 8. The device use request arbitration step,
2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein a device is assigned. 9. An information processing system including a peripheral device that executes various jobs transmitted from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a predetermined communication medium, and interprets a procedure transmitted from the information processing apparatus. Means, job generating means for generating a job in accordance with the interpretation of the procedure by the procedure interpreting means, document generating means for generating a document by dividing the job generated by the job generating means into small document units, and generating the document Document processing means for processing the document generated by the means, page generation means for generating a page by dividing the document generated by the document generation means into small page units, and generating a page generated by the page generation means. Page processing means for processing, Band generating means for generating a band by dividing the page generated by the page generating means into small band units, band processing means for processing the band generated by the band generating means, the document generating means and the document processing Means for arbitrating a device use request from the means, the page processing means and the band processing means, and a job dividing means for dividing the job into smaller functional units. system. 10. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral device is a printer, a facsimile (FAX), a copying machine, a digital multifunction peripheral, or the like. 11. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said procedure is a protocol. 12. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said document generation means processes a job. 13. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said page generation means processes a document. 14. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein the band is strip-shaped data. 15. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said band generating means processes a page. 16. The information processing system according to claim 9, wherein said device use request arbitration means allocates a device.