JPH11203093A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speed up printing through the use of cache data when a request of the same print data is given by caching print data in a printer side. SOLUTION: Print data is obtained from a network control part (S101), and it is recognized whether print data is cached in another printer on a network or is cached on the hard disk of its own machine (S102). Whether print data is cached or not is recognized (S103), and when it is cached, data is rasterized from cached PDL data (S104). When it is not cached, print data is received from a PC and data is rasterized from PDL data (S105). Printing is executed (S106) and print data is cached on the hard disk of its own machine (S107). Thus, printing through the network is speeded up.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a network printer system used for a multi-application multifunction peripheral having a printer function, and a printer device equipped with a hard disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional printer system is known as a so-called server / client system in which a plurality of printers and a plurality of computers are connected on a network via a network cable. In order for a printer as a client device to obtain necessary print data, data communication with a personal computer as a server device was required.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional example, since the printer itself could not cache (save) the print data, there is a problem that the drawing processing of the personal computer increases and the printing processing takes time. .

Further, since there is no means for notifying another printer connected to the network that the print data has been updated, the printing process is performed with old data despite the update. There's a problem.

[0005] In addition, since it is not possible to keep a history of documents or source codes of programs created by the user, there is a problem that the hard disk space cannot be effectively used.

A first object of the present invention is to cache print data on a hard disk in a printer device so that when the same print data is requested, printing can be performed using the cache data. A printer system is provided.

[0007] A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for printing stored data when the stored print data is updated by the print data storing means.
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer system that prevents old data from being printed.

A third object of the present invention is to save the history of the source codes of documents and programs created by the user on the hard disk of the printer so that the hard disk of the printer can be effectively used and the resources of the hard disk of the PC can be effectively used. It is intended to provide a printer system capable of promoting utilization.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a printer system according to the present invention is provided in a network printer system in which a plurality of printer devices and a plurality of personal computers are connected. Print data storage means for storing print data instructed by a user via a network in a large-capacity storage of a hard disk, and printing for inquiring a plurality of other printers connected on the same network whether or not there is print data Data presence inquiry means,
A print data transfer unit that transfers print data between a plurality of printers when print data is present on the hard disk in the printer device by the print data presence inquiry unit.

The printer in the printer system according to the present invention can store print data on a hard disk in the printer by the print data storage means, so that printing can be performed without storing the print data in a personal computer as a host device. It is characterized by having means.

Further, when the print data stored by the print data storage unit is updated, the printer system of the present invention informs a plurality of printers connected on the network that the print data has been updated and stored. It has a notifying means for notifying another printer.

Further, the printer system according to the present invention is characterized in that it has a print data history storage unit for automatically storing the history of print data in a large storage capacity storage of a hard disk in the printer device.

Further, the printer system according to the present invention has a print data upload unit for transmitting print data when old print data stored by the print data history storage unit becomes necessary on the personal computer side. And

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a printer system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIGS. 1-5, an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

A printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the network configuration diagram of FIG. The printer system of the present invention includes a PC (personal computer) 1, a network printer 2, a network printer 3, and a network printer 4 connected by a network 5.

It is assumed that a user creates a document on the PC 1 and outputs it to a network printer 2 (hereinafter, printer 2). In this case, the PC 1 converts the document into PDL (Page Description Language) data recognizable by the printer 2 by the printer driver and sends the document to the printer 2 via the network 5. Printer 2 receives P from network 5
The printing process is performed while the PDL data of C1 is stored in the hard disk 10 mounted in the printer 2.

A printer connected to a network according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The printers connected on the network include a network control unit 6, a PDL analysis control unit 7,
Print control unit 8, cache control unit 9, hard disk 1
0, a frame memory 11, and a plotter 12.

The network control unit 6 controls the network 5
By controlling the protocol on the network by the I / F part connected to, and controlling the input / output of the print data, the other control unit is made unaware of the network 5. The PDL analysis control unit 7 controls an operation of rasterizing the PDL data received by the network control unit 6 and writing the rasterized data to the frame memory 11 via the print control unit 8. The frame memory 11 has the same function as the video memory function of the PC 1, and the data to be printed is binarized (in the case of monochrome) or multi-valued (in the case of color) and arranged. The print control unit 8 develops the PDL data passed from the PDL analysis control unit 7 in the frame memory 11 and causes the plotter 12 to actually print the data, control the paper conveyance, and perform a jam (print paper jam condition). ) To control the so-called printer engine function. The cache control unit 9 converts the PDL data received by the network control unit 6
Cache control unit 9 at the same time
To control the operation of storing the PDL data on the hard disk.

Next, the processing flow when normal printing is performed without considering the cache control unit 9 will be described. The network control unit 6 interfaces with the PC 1, establishes a connection with a predetermined protocol, and receives print data. The print data is rasterized by the PDL analysis control unit 7, and is transmitted via the print control unit 8 to the frame memory 11.
And printed by the print controller 8 using the plotter 12.

Next, the processing when the cache control unit 9 operates will be described. The print data received from the network control unit 6 is transferred to the PDL analysis control unit 7 and also to the cache control unit 9 at the same time. Then, the cache control unit 9 stores the print data on the hard disk 10. At this time, the data managed as the cache data includes the network address and machine name of the client PC requesting the printing, the document name, the size, the job ID number (attached by a spooler or the like) set on the PC side, the file name, and the time stamp. , Printing conditions (paper size, direction, paper type, number of colors, etc.). These are accumulated and managed in one print job unit.

<Embodiment 1> A printer system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The information of the print data is obtained from the network control unit 6 (Step 101). Check whether print data is cached in a plurality of printers connected on the network and whether it is cached in its own hard disk (step 1).
02). It is checked whether the print data has been cached in the printer on the network or the hard disk of the own device (step 103). If the print data has been cached, rasterization is performed from the cached PDL data (step 104). If not cached, the print data is received from the PC and rasterized from the PDL data (step 105). After the rasterization, the printing process is performed next (step 10).
6). When the printing process is completed, the print data is cached in the hard disk of the own device (step 107).

The flow of the printing operation in the first embodiment is a case where the print data is not cached on the network, and the cache data for the print request input from the network control unit 6 is actually transferred to another printer. Inquires each printer connected to the network whether or not the printer has the cache data. As a result, if none of the printers has the cache data, the above operation is performed. If you have cached data, that PC1
Instead, the cache data is received from the printer itself and the PC 1 is released.

For example, if the print data has already been cached on the hard disk 10 of the printer 3 in FIG. 1, the printer 2 performs a network protocol with the printer 3, receives the print data, and performs a printing process.

<Embodiment 2> A printer system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The print data information is acquired from the network control unit 6 (step 201). It is checked whether the print data is cached in the printer on the network and whether it is cached in the hard disk of the own device (step 202). It is checked whether the print data has been cached in the printer on the network or its own hard disk (step 203). If the print data has been cached, rasterization is performed from the cached PDL data (step 204). If not, print data is received from the PC and rasterized from PDL data (step 205). After the rasterization, the printing process is performed (step 206). When the print process is completed, the printer caches the print data on its own hard disk and notifies other printers connected to the network that it has cached the latest data. Discards the data (step 207).

In the second embodiment, the cache management data size and the time stamp of the file are checked, and if updated, the printer that finds it updates the print data and caches the print data. Request that the data be destroyed.

Embodiment 3 A printer system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The information of the print data is obtained from the network control unit (step 301). It is checked whether the print data is cached in the printer on the network and whether it is cached in its own hard disk (step 302). It is checked whether the print data is cached in a plurality of printers on the network or the hard disk of the own device (step 303). If the print data is cached, rasterization is performed from the cached PDL data (step 303). 304). If not,
The print data is received from the PC and rasterized from the PDL data (step 305). After the rasterization is performed, a printing process is performed next (step 306). After the printing process, if the printer is the first printer to print the print data, cache the data on its hard disk, otherwise transfer it to the printer that has the print data, and the transferred printer will The history of the file is left (step 307).

In the third embodiment, in order to store the history of the document, unlike the method of the first or second embodiment, a printer having the data of the document on the network is arbitrarily determined. The way to decide is simply the printer that first printed the document. Each printer additionally holds the information of the network address of the printer storing the file in the cache management data described in the second embodiment, and when printing is completed, transfers the data to the cached printer. The transferred printer records the difference.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the printer system of the present invention, the printer device equipped with a hard disk connected to a network caches print data, thereby reducing the drawing process of the PC and caching. High-speed printing is possible by using data.

Further, when the print data is cached on the hard disk in the printer, the printer system of the present invention notifies the other printers connected on the network of the cache data so that the print data is updated. It is possible to prevent old data from being printed without noticing that the data is being printed.

Further, the printer system of the present invention comprises a PC
Saves print data and print data history on the hard disk of the printer device with the same level of mass storage (large storage capacity) to enable effective use. Also, since the print data history can be viewed by the user, There is no need to keep a history of print data in the own PC.

Further, the printer system of the present invention makes it possible to upload the print data cached on the hard disk in the printer device when old print data is required on the PC side as the host device. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer connected to a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 PC (Personal computer) 2, 3, 4 Network printer 5 Network 6 Network control unit 7 PDL analysis control unit 8 Print control unit 9 Cache control unit 10 Hard disk 11 Frame memory 12 Plotter

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a network printer system in which a plurality of printer devices and a plurality of personal computers are connected, a print commanded by a user via a network to a large storage capacity storage of a hard disk in the printer device. A print data storage unit for storing data; a print data existence inquiry unit for inquiring a plurality of other printers connected on the same network about the presence or absence of the print data; A print data transfer unit for transferring print data between the plurality of printers when print data is present on the hard disk. 2. The printer device can store the print data in a hard disk in the printer device by the print data storage unit, so that printing can be performed without storing the print data in a personal computer as a host device. The printer system according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit. 3. When the print data stored by the print data storage unit is updated, the plurality of other printers connected on a network indicate that the print data has been updated and stored. 2. A printer system according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the printer system. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a print data history storage unit that automatically saves the history of the print data in a large storage capacity storage of a hard disk in the printer device. The printer system according to 1. 5. A print data upload unit for transmitting print data when the old print data stored by the print data history storage unit becomes necessary on the personal computer side. Printer system.