JPH11249831A - Interface device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically set operation conditions when transmitting data for image formation from a computer to an image forming device. SOLUTION: The power source of a printer 12 is detected by a CPU 133 of a print server 13, the transmission of the machine type name of the printer 12 is requested from the start of the printer 12 to the first reception of print data from a personal computer(PC) 11, and that machine type name is acquired from the printer 12. When the machine type name is acquired from the printer 12 to the CPU 133, the acquired machine type name is collated with a machine type information list PR and based on the collated result, the CPU 133 variably sets the output timing and pulse width of a Strobe signal to be outputted to the printer 12 for low speed or high speed so as to set a communication speed mode in the case of transmitting the print data from the PC 11, to a low speed mode or high speed mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer which transmits image forming data and an image forming apparatus such as a printer which prints an image based on the image forming data, and connects the two. The present invention also relates to an interface device for transmitting image forming data to an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a computer is connected to a printer as an image forming apparatus on a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), the computer and the printer are connected by an interface device called a print server. The configuration is as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer), 2 denotes a printer as an image forming apparatus, and 3 denotes a print server as an interface device, which is provided between the personal computer 1 and the printer 2. Then, the two are connected to enable communication between the personal computer 1 and the printer 2. The printer 2 and the print server 3 are connected to each other by connection lines 6 each having a connector 5 having 36 predetermined pins arranged at both ends.

Here, although not shown in FIG. 5, the printer 2 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a bus, an input interface circuit (hereinafter, the interface circuit is referred to as an I / F), and an output. It has an I / F and a printing unit.

As shown in FIG. 5, a print server 3 has an external I / F 31 for transmitting / receiving information to / from the personal computer 1 and an internal I / F 31 for transmitting / receiving information to / from the printer 2. An F32, a CPU 33, a ROM 34 storing a control program necessary for transmitting and receiving information, a RAM 35 for temporarily storing data, and a bus 36 are provided.
For example, the external I / F 31 includes hardware conforming to Ethernet (Ethernet), and has an LPR (Line Pr.
Print data and various commands are received from the personal computer 1 by a communication protocol such as inter Remote) and transmitted to the printer 2 via the internal I / F 32. As the internal I / F 32, a parallel interface conforming to the Centronics standard may be used.

In the Centronics standard, which is a parallel interface, the minimum signal lines required for data transfer are eight data lines Data0 to Data7 and Strobe from the personal computer 1 as shown in FIG.
And a Busy signal and an Ack signal from the printer 2 side. The Strobe signal is a synchronization signal that informs the receiving side that the data transmitting side has transmitted data.
a0 to 7 are data signals in which eight bits are transmitted in parallel in one operation, the Ack signal is a synchronization signal for notifying the reception side that the data has been received to the transmission side, and the Busy signal is the reception side receiving the next data. It is a signal that informs the transmitting side that it is not possible.

[0007] The data transfer between the print server 3 and the printer 2 is performed by the Busy or A from the printer 2 side.
This is performed by a handshake of the ck signal and the Strobe signal from the print server 3 side. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, first, the print server 3 confirms that the Busy signal of the printer 2 is at the low level or confirms that the Ack signal has been transmitted from the printer 2, and transmits the data. A Strobe signal is sent to the printer 2 to determine (validate) the data. Further, the printer 2 checks the Strobe signal from the print server 3 and
After receiving the data, the printer 2 outputs the Ack signal and sets the Busy signal to the low level. In this manner, the print server 3 transfers the print data and the like from the personal computer 1 to the printer 2.

[0008]

However, in the case of the Centronics standard, the print server 3 informs the printer 2 connected to the print server 3 whether the response to the signal is high or low. Since the print data cannot be obtained from the personal computer 1, the setting as to whether to increase or decrease the communication speed when transmitting the print data from the personal computer 1 to the printer 2 must be manually performed by the user in the conventional print server 3. And it was very complicated.

An object of the present invention is to enable automatic setting of operating conditions when transmitting image forming data from a computer to an image forming apparatus.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interface apparatus for transmitting an image forming data and printing an image based on the image forming data. In an interface device provided between the image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus for connecting the two, and transmitting the image forming data to the image forming apparatus, a list storing a model information list of model information of various image forming apparatuses. Storing means for requesting the image forming apparatus to transmit model information of the image forming apparatus before first receiving the image forming data after the image forming apparatus is activated, and A model information obtaining unit for obtaining model information; a matching unit for checking whether the obtained model information is included in the model information list; Based on the collation result of the engagement means is characterized by comprising a setting unit that sets the operation condition for transmitting the data for the image formed on the image forming apparatus.

According to this configuration, the model information is obtained from the image forming apparatus by the model information obtaining means, and the obtained model information is compared with the model information list in the list storage means by the matching means. An operation condition for transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus is set based on the collation result. Therefore, it is possible to automatically set operation conditions when transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus.

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a second aspect is provided.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the model information is information corresponding to the response of a signal of the image forming apparatus.

In this case, if there is model information obtained from the image forming apparatus in the model information list, the information contents such as high-speed and low-speed of the response of the signal, which is the model information, are recognized, and the computer is determined based on the recognized result. An operation condition for transmitting image forming data from the image forming apparatus to the image forming apparatus is set. Therefore, the transmission operation condition of the image forming data can be automatically set to a high speed, a low speed, or the like.

[0014] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a third aspect of the present invention is provided.
According to the interface device, the model information obtaining means conforms to the IEEE 1284 standard and requests the image forming apparatus to transmit the model information of the image forming apparatus.

According to the IEEE 1284 standard, for example, the type of a printer as an image forming apparatus can be obtained from the printer. Therefore, the model information obtaining means requests the transmission of the model information of the image forming apparatus in conformity with the IEEE 1284 standard, so that the model information can be easily obtained from the image forming apparatus.

[0016] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a fourth aspect of the present invention is provided.
The interface device according to the above, wherein the setting unit sets a communication mode for transmitting the image forming data to the image forming device to at least one of a low-speed mode and a high-speed mode based on a comparison result by the comparison unit. In order to determine and validate the image forming data, the output timing and pulse width of a pulse signal output to the image forming apparatus are variably set.

With this configuration, the output timing and pulse width of the pulse signal for data determination output to the image forming apparatus are variably set based on the result of the comparison by the comparison unit. Therefore, it is possible to automatically set the communication speed mode when transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIGS. 2 and 3 are operation explanatory diagrams, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart for operation explanation.

As shown in FIG. 1, a print server 13 as an interface device is provided between a personal computer 11 for outputting print data as image forming data and a printer 12 as an image forming apparatus.
3, the personal computer 11 and the printer 12 are connected to each other so that bidirectional communication can be performed between the personal computer 11 and the printer 12. This print server 13 is an IEEE1
284 (IEEE: American Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
5, the connection between the printer 12 and the print server 13 is established.

The IEEE 1284 standard defines a bidirectional data communication between a personal computer and a printer and a high-speed data transfer mode. The bidirectional data communication controls the types of printer control commands and the names of installed fonts. The PC can acquire the printer type, paper type, and the like, and it is also possible to determine the printer type (model name, etc.) and automatically install a driver. The Centronics standard has been extended.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 12 includes an input I / F 121 for transmitting and receiving information to and from the print server 13, a CPU 122, and a control program necessary for processing according to various commands. RO stored
M123, a RAM 124 for temporarily storing data, and an output I / O for receiving and outputting print data from the personal computer 11.
F125, a printing unit 126 that forms an image based on print data output from the output I / F 125 on printing paper,
A bus 127 is provided.

Here, the CPU 122 operates as an input I / F 121.
When a request for obtaining model information from the CPU of the print server 13 described later is received via the printer, a response including the model name of the printer 12 is returned to the print server 13 as model information in response to the request.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the print server 13 has an external I / F 131 for transmitting / receiving information to / from the personal computer 11 and an internal I / F 131 for transmitting / receiving information to / from the printer 12. An F132, a CPU 133, a ROM 134 storing a control program necessary for communication, a RAM 135 for temporarily storing data, and a bus 136 are provided. In this case, the ROM 134 is a list storage unit that includes an identifiable model name and information of high-speed (HIGH) or low-speed (LOW) signal responsiveness assigned in advance to each type of printer as shown in FIG. The information list PL is stored.

Here, the external I / F 131 is formed of known hardware so as to be able to communicate with a personal computer on a communication network. The external I / F 131 performs processing corresponding to a predetermined communication protocol (for example, LPR) from the personal computer. Print data, etc. are received. Furthermore, internal I / F1
Reference numeral 32 denotes a parallel interface capable of bidirectional communication conforming to the IEEE 1284 standard as described above.

The CPU 133 of the print server 13 conforming to the IEEE1284 standard detects that the power of the printer 12 has been turned on by detecting a change in the signal level of a predetermined signal line of the connection line 15, for example.
The printer 12 sends a model information acquisition request to the printer 12 in order to request the transmission of the model name of the printer 12 as model information before the print data is received from the personal computer 11 for the first time after the startup of the printer 2. A process of obtaining the model name is performed as a response to the model information obtaining request, and this process corresponds to a model information obtaining unit.

At this time, the signal responsiveness of the printer is generally divided into at least two types, a low speed at which any printer conforming to the conventional Centronics standard can communicate, and a higher speed than that. Until the transmission of the model information acquisition request to the printer 12 in the high-speed mode, it is not known whether or not the printer 12 can respond. Therefore, the transmission of the model information acquisition request from the CPU 133 to the printer 12 can be performed by any printer. Made in low speed mode.

When the CPU 133 obtains the model name as the model information from the printer 12, the CPU 133 checks whether the obtained model name is included in the model information list PL of the ROM 134, and this checking process corresponds to a checking means. Based on the collation result at this time, communication speed, which is an operation condition when transmitting print data from the personal computer 11 to the printer 12, is set, and such a setting process corresponds to a setting unit.

The details of the setting process at this time will be described below.
Prior to output to the external I / F 1,
When print data is received from the personal computer 11 via the bus 31, the print data is output to the printer 12 via the bus 136 and the internal I / F 132. As described above, the model name obtained from the printer 12 and the model information list in the ROM 134. PL
Almost simultaneously with the output of the print data to the printer 12 based on the result of the collation, the output timing of the Strobe signal, which is a pulse signal for determining and validating the print data, and the pulse width are varied to change the print data. Printer 1
The communication speed mode for transmission to the second communication mode is set to either the low speed mode or the high speed mode.

At this time, the CPU 133 sends the printer 12
As shown in FIG. 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the output signal of the Strobe signal to the printer and the variable setting of the pulse width are set such that the Strobe signal becomes low level from the transmission of the print data transmitted to the printer 12 using the Data signal of the connection line 15. The low-speed mode is set to a time Ta until the strobe signal falls, a time Tb (pulse width) during which the Strobe signal keeps a low level, and a time Tc from when the Strobe signal rises to a high level until the transmission of the print data ends. In this case, the time is set to, for example, 500 ns, and when the high-speed mode is set, the time is set to, for example, 300 ns.

The settings of the times Ta, Tb, and Tc are not limited to the above-described values of 500 ns and 300 ns, but may be other values. When the low-speed mode (or high-speed mode) is set, each of the times Ta, Tb, and Tc may be set to different values. Further, even when the signal response of the printer 12 has a mode of an intermediate communication speed between a high speed and a low speed, the above-described time T
It is possible to easily cope with the variable setting of a, Tb, and Tc.

Next, the CPU 133 of the print server 13
Will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the power of the printer 12 is turned on, this is detected by the CPU 133, and as shown in FIG. The request for obtaining the model information is transmitted to the printer 12, the model name of the printer 12 is obtained as the model information (step S1), and the obtained model name of the printer 12 is compared with the model information list PL of the ROM 134 (step S1). S2).

Then, it is determined whether or not the signal responsiveness of the printer 12 is low based on the information on the high-speed and low-speed signal responsiveness for the model name of the printer 12 in the model information list PL (step S3). The judgment result is YE
If it is S, the output timing and pulse width of the Strobe signal to the printer 12 are set to be long and variably set in order to set the communication speed for transmitting the print data to the printer 12 to the low speed mode (step S4). If the determination result in S3 is NO, the output timing and pulse width of the Strobe signal to the printer 12 are variably set short so as to set the communication speed at the time of transmitting the print data to the printer 12 to the high-speed mode (step S3). S5) Then, the operation ends after the process of step S4 is performed.

As described above, the model name of the printer 12 is obtained as the model information of the printer 12 by the CPU 133 of the print server 13 from the start of the printer 12 to the first reception of the print data from the personal computer 11. The obtained model name is compared with the model information list PL stored in the ROM 134. At this time, if the acquired model name of the printer 12 is included in the model information list PL, the CPU 133 recognizes the signal responsiveness information indicating whether the speed is high or low in the model information list PL.

As a result of the comparison, if the signal response of the printer 12 is low, the output timing and pulse width of the Strobe signal from the CPU 133 to the printer 12 are variably set for low speed, and the signal response of the printer 12 is high. If so, the Trojan from the CPU 133 to the printer 12
The output timing and pulse width of the be signal are variably set for high speed, and thus the communication speed for transmitting print data from the personal computer 11 to the printer 12 is automatically set.

Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the CPU 13 of the print server 13 determines whether the model name obtained from the printer 12 matches the model information list PL.
According to 3, it becomes possible to automatically set the communication speed, which is an operation condition when transmitting print data from the personal computer 11, and the trouble of manually setting the communication speed as in the related art is eliminated.

In the above embodiment, the internal I / F 13 of the print server 13 which is an interface device is used.
2 is based on the IEEE 1284 standard, but the interface device is not necessarily an IEEE device.
It is not necessary to comply with E1284, and at least a signal response such as a model name to the image forming apparatus after the image forming apparatus such as a printer is started and before the image forming data is first received from the computer. Any function may be used as long as it has a function of requesting transmission of model information corresponding to the characteristics, and the image forming apparatus also has a function of responding to the request.

The external I / F 131 is not necessarily limited to one that enables communication with a personal computer on a network, and may be one-to-one connected to the personal computer according to the SCSI standard or the like. In this case, the print server 13 functions as a kind of I / F converter.

Further, the external I / F 131 is not limited to one I / F, but may be composed of a plurality of I / Fs. For example, each I / F unit is IEEE 1284
May be connected to different personal computers.

In the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the model information list PL including the model name of the printer and information on its signal response is provided. May be created and stored in the ROM 134 or the like.

In this case, if there is a corresponding model name in the model information list, communication is performed with the printer in the low-speed mode, and if there is no corresponding model name in the model information list, communication is performed with the printer in the high-speed mode. St
The output timing and pulse width of the probe signal may be variably set.

Further, the list storage means is not limited to the case where the above-described model information list PL including the model name of the printer and information on its signal response is stored. What is necessary is just to store some kind of model information corresponding to the signal responsiveness.

In the above embodiment, the case where the image forming apparatus is the printer 13 has been described. However, it goes without saying that an image forming apparatus other than a printer controlled and managed by a computer may be used.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0045]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, based on the result of collation between the model information of the image forming apparatus obtained by the model information obtaining means and the model information list of the list storage means. Automatically setting operation conditions when transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus in order to set operating conditions when transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus; This makes it possible to eliminate the complexity of manual setting as in the related art.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the model information is information corresponding to the responsiveness of the signal of the image forming apparatus, the obtained model information is compared with the model information list to obtain the signal of the signal. It is possible to easily recognize information contents such as low speed and high speed in response, and automatically set image transmission data transmission conditions from a computer to low speed and high speed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, I
According to the EEE1284 standard, for example, the type of a printer, which is an image forming apparatus, can be obtained. Therefore, model information can be easily obtained from the image forming apparatus by a model information obtaining unit.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the output timing and pulse width of the pulse signal for data confirmation output to the image forming apparatus are variably set based on the collation result of the collation means. It is possible to automatically set the communication speed, which is an operation condition when transmitting image forming data from the computer to the image forming apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Personal Computer 12 Printer (Image Forming Apparatus) 13 Print Server (Interface Apparatus) 133 CPU PL Model Information List

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a computer for transmitting image forming data; and an image forming apparatus for printing an image based on the image forming data. In an interface device for transmitting to the image forming apparatus, a list storage unit storing a model information list of model information of various image forming apparatuses, and before receiving the image forming data for the first time after the image forming apparatus is activated. A model information obtaining unit that requests the image forming apparatus to transmit model information of the image forming apparatus and obtains model information from the image forming apparatus; and the obtained model information is included in the model information list. Collating means for collating whether or not, and an operation condition when transmitting the image forming data to the image forming apparatus based on a collation result by the collating means. Interface device being characterized in that a setting means for setting. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the model information is information corresponding to a response of a signal of the image forming apparatus.
An interface device according to claim 1. 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said model information obtaining means is IEEE128.
3. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the interface device requests the image forming device to transmit model information of the image forming device in conformity with the standard of No. 4. 4. The setting unit sets a communication mode for transmitting the image forming data to the image forming apparatus to at least one of a low-speed mode and a high-speed mode based on a comparison result by the comparison unit. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for variably setting an output timing and a pulse width of a pulse signal output to the image forming apparatus in order to determine and validate the image forming data. The interface device according to any one of the above.