JPH11216915A - Printer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer apparatus which can store print data even when a memory device has a small capacity and output by means of a pass word. SOLUTION: A printer apparatus A has a CPU 101, a memory device 102, an input device 103, a screen display part 104, a network device 105 and a printer engine 106, is connected to an external host computer 107 via a network and prints out upon receipt of PDL data from the host computer 107. The CPU 101 controls so that page description language data sent from the host computer 107 is developed to image data and stored in the memory device 102 when the memory device in the printer apparatus has a sufficient capacity, while the page description language data is stored as it is when the memory device 102 has a small capacity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a printer connected to a host computer via a network, setting a password when printing out in accordance with an instruction from the host computer, and entering a password from the printer. The present invention relates to a printer device that prints out only when they match.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a network environment has been developed.
A plurality of host computers are connected to one printer, and printing by various users is performed by the one printer. In such a situation, when printing a document such as a confidential document that the user does not want others to see, printing has been performed by setting a password or the like as disclosed in JP-A-8-39898.

That is, in the printer described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-39898, a password transmitted along with print data is identified, and if a password exists, it is not printed out as it is. The print data is temporarily stored together with the password in a storage unit inside the printer, and when the user inputs the password, the print data corresponding to the stored password is read and printed.

[0004]

In the above prior art, when a password exists, print data is temporarily stored in storage means inside the printer. However, when the capacity of the storage means is small, printer data is stored. In this case, the print data cannot be read out and printed even if the passwords match.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer device which stores printer data even when the storage device has a small capacity and enables printer output using a password.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, a storage device for storing image data, an input device such as a key input or a touch panel for inputting a password, and a host computer are provided. A network device, a printer engine, a screen display unit, and control means for controlling the entire system. The password is set when printing is performed according to an instruction from the host computer, and a password is input from the printer device. If the storage device in the printer device that prints out when there is a match has sufficient capacity, the control means expands the page description language data sent from the host computer into image data and stores the image data in the storage device. If the capacity of the storage device is small,
It is characterized in that control for storing the page description language data as it is is performed.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a second aspect.
According to the invention described in claim 1, in the invention according to claim 1, when the capacity of the storage device is insufficient, the control means notifies the host computer of the fact, inputs a password, and stores the page description language data of the host computer. When the page description language data is transferred from the host computer in response to the retransmission request, the page description language data is directly expanded into image data,
It is characterized by performing printout control.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, if the storage device in the printer device has a sufficient capacity, the page description language data sent from the host computer is expanded into image data and stored in the storage device. If the capacity of the storage device is small, the page description language data is stored as it is, so even if the storage means has insufficient capacity to store the image data, printer output using a password is performed. When image data is stored, output is performed immediately after the password is input.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the capacity of the storage device is insufficient, the host computer is notified of the fact, and the host computer responds to the input of the password and the retransmission request of the page description language data of the host computer. When page description language data is transferred from a computer,
Since the image data is directly developed into image data and printed out, when the capacity of the storage means is insufficient and the page description language data cannot be stored, the user can confirm the fact on the host computer. Also, when a password is input in the printer device, page description language data is sent from the host computer and is expanded into image data in the printer device.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer device showing an embodiment of the present invention. The printer apparatus A according to the present invention includes a CPU for expanding PDL data (page description language data) into image data and executing a program.
101, a storage device 102 such as a memory or a hard disk for storing programs and storing PDL data and image data, an input device 103 such as a key input device or a touch panel, and a screen display unit 104 such as an LCD
And a network device 105 for connecting a host computer and a printer, and a printer engine 106 for outputting image data.

The printer A and a plurality of external host computers 107 are connected via a network. The host computer 107 sends PDL data to the printer A.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention. First, when receiving a printout instruction from the host computer 107 (S2, S5), it is checked whether a password has been set (S2).
1). If the password has not been set (S
1 and N), which is the same as a normal printout operation.

That is, PDL data is transferred from the host computer 107 to the printer A via a network or the like.
Sent to Then, the PDL data is stored in the storage device 102. Thereafter, the PDL data is expanded into image data by the CPU 101, and the printer engine 10
6 is output. Then, printing is performed by the printer engine 106 (S4).

On the other hand, when receiving a printout instruction (S2, S5), if a password has been set (Y in S1), the PDL data sent from the host computer 107 is stored in the storage device 102. (S6,
(Y in S7) Then, the PDL data is expanded into image data by the CPU 101 (S8), and the storage device 1 is again stored.
02 (Y in S9 and S10).

After the image data is stored, if the user inputs a password from the input device 103 of the printer A (Y in S11), the stored image data is output from the printer engine 106 (S4).

If image data cannot be stored, a PDL having a smaller data amount than the image data is used.
The data is stored in the storage device 102 as it is. Thereafter, when the user inputs a password (Y in S12), the CPU 101 develops the image data into image data (S13) and outputs the image data from the printer engine 106 (S4).

If it is impossible even to accumulate the PDL data (N in S7), the fact is notified to the host computer 107 and a standby state is set. Thereafter, when the user inputs a password from the printer A (S14).
(Y), the printer A again sends a PDL data retransmission request from the host computer 107 (S15). Based on this request, the host computer 107 sends out the PDL data. Thereafter, the PDL data is developed into image data by the CPU 101 (S16), and the image data is output from the printer engine 106, similarly to the normal printout operation. (S4).

The printer A of this embodiment has a CPU
101, storage device 102, input device 103, screen display unit 104, network device 105, printer engine 1
06, which is connected to an external host computer 107 via a network, receives PDL data from the host computer 107, and prints out the data. If the capacity of the storage device in the printer device is sufficient, the CPU 101 develops the page description language data transmitted from the host computer 107 into image data, stores the image data in the storage device 102, and stores the image data in the storage device 102. If the capacity of 102 is small, control is performed to store the page description language data as it is. Also, the CPU 101
Notifies the host computer 107 when the capacity of the storage device 102 is insufficient, and responds to the input of the password and the retransmission request of the page description language data by the host computer 107.
When the page description language data is transferred from, control is performed to develop the data into image data and print out the image data. Therefore, the intended purpose can be achieved.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, if the capacity of the storage device in the printer device is sufficient, the page description language data sent from the host computer is expanded into image data and stored in the storage device. If the capacity of the storage device is small, it is stored as it is as page description language data, so even if image data cannot be stored due to insufficient storage capacity, printer output with a password is possible Becomes When the image data is stored, the image data can be output immediately after the input of the password, and the waiting time of the user can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the capacity of the storage device is insufficient, the fact is notified to the host computer, and in response to the input of the password and the retransmission request of the page description language data of the host computer. When the page description language data is transferred from the host computer, the image data is directly developed into image data and printed out. Therefore, when the capacity of the storage means is not sufficient to store the page description language data, Allows the user to confirm that. Also, when a password is entered in the printer device, the page description language data is sent from the host computer and is expanded into image data in the printer device. Therefore, even if the storage device has insufficient capacity, printer output using the password can be performed. This makes it possible to provide a highly reliable printer device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 CPU 102 Storage device 103 Input device 104 Screen display unit 105 Network device 106 Printer engine 107 Host computer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage device for storing image data, an input device such as a key input or a touch panel for inputting a password, a network device connectable to a host computer, a printer engine, a screen display unit, and overall control. A password setting when printing out according to an instruction from the host computer, and printing out when the password matches with the password input from the printing apparatus. If there is enough, the control means expands the page description language data sent from the host computer into image data and stores the image data in a storage device. A printer device that performs control to store data as it is. 2. The control means according to claim 1, wherein the control means notifies the host computer when the capacity of the storage device is insufficient, inputs a password, and requests the host computer to retransmit the page description language data. A printer device that, when page description language data is transferred from a host computer in accordance with the above, controls the image data to be developed as it is and printed out.