JPH11312071A - Document output controller and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate complicate operations by an operator when data inputted from an outside device is outputted by a document outputting part. SOLUTION: A time for starting the output of data inputted from an outside device is set, and in the case of continuously printing plural stored data for a time over a set time (S702: YES), plural data are converted to images and outputted to a printing part in an order based on a registered list, and continuous processing is operated until the registered data no longer remain (S708-S712). Thus, at the time of image-converting plural data inputted from the outside device, and successively outputting the data to the printing part, complicate operations by an operator are not required, and plural data can be continuously printed in a time desired by the operator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a document output control device and a document output control method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a document output control device and a document output control method for temporarily storing data input from an external device and continuously printing and outputting the stored plurality of data. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of apparatus, input document information is temporarily stored, and the stored document information is output by designating the order of storage or the document name by the intervention of an operator. I was going.

[0003]

For this reason, when temporarily storing and outputting document information from the host computer, every time the document information is output, an operation such as specifying the document name by an operator is performed. Had to be performed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide
An object of the present invention is to provide a document output control device and a document output control method that do not require a complicated operation by an operator when data input from an external device is output by a document output unit.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a document output control device according to the present invention temporarily stores data input from an external device, and stores a plurality of stored data. A document output control device that continuously prints and outputs the input data, a storage unit that stores the input data, a setting unit that sets a time to start outputting the input data, and an input output priority Registering means for registering an output priority order for each of a plurality of data stored in the storage means in a list based on the order information, and a plurality of stored data items which exceed the time set by the setting means. When printing continuously, the plurality of data are imaged and output to a printing unit in an order based on the registered list, and are continuously processed until there is no more registered data. In which a control means for.

A document output control method according to the present invention comprises:
A document output control method for temporarily storing data input from an external device and continuously printing and outputting the stored plurality of data, wherein the input data is stored; and Setting a time to start outputting data to be output, and registering an output priority for each of the stored plurality of data in a list based on input output priority information; and When a plurality of stored data are continuously printed out over time, the plurality of data are imaged and output to a printing unit in an order based on the registered list, and the registered data is registered. Continuous processing until there is no data remaining.

[0007]

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

A document output device according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, is a document output device that expands document information transmitted from a main device into pattern information and outputs the pattern information. A first storage unit 101 and a second storage unit 102 for storing an output priority when document information is output
Setting means 103 for setting the time from the end of transmission of document information from the main device to the start of output of document information
When the set time is exceeded, the second storage means 102
Output means 104 for outputting the document information transmitted from the highest priority stored in the document information.

FIG. 2 shows an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Here, reference numeral 201 denotes a data source in the form of a host computer or the like, which outputs information on character codes and graphic data. 202 is a data source 201 and a disk control circuit 203
This is the interface used to connect to

The disk control circuit 203 is a circuit for writing input data to the disk device 204. The disk device 204 stores document information.

Reference numeral 205 denotes a CPU (central processing unit) for performing arithmetic control
It is. A control program according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7 is stored in a ROM (read only memory) provided in the CPU 205. Reference numeral 206 denotes a random access memory (RAM) for storing operation data.

Reference numeral 207 denotes a bitmap memory in which document information is image-developed. Reference numeral 208 denotes a character generator that stores an image corresponding to a character code. Reference numeral 209 denotes a printer interface for connecting the printer engine to the bitmap memory 207. Reference numeral 210 denotes a printer that actually performs printing.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a command format for assigning file names and priorities to input document information. Here, 301 is an ESC code indicating that it is an instruction thereafter. 302 is a type of instruction, and this instruction indicates a name and a priority. Reference numeral 303 denotes a file name of the document information, 304 denotes a separator, 305 denotes a parameter portion in which priority is entered, and 306 denotes a delimiter indicating the end of the instruction.

FIG. 4 shows a file structure of the disk device 204 shown in FIG. Here, 401, 402 and 403 are areas existing in the header area, and the file names are SYSOUT1, SYSOUT2 and SYSOUT3, respectively.

From these file names, it is possible to detect where the data is stored. Reference numeral 404 denotes a portion where data of the file SYSOUT1 (401) is stored. 405 indicates the end of the data of the file SYSOUT1 (401). Reference numeral 406 denotes the output priority of the file SYSOUT1 (401), which indicates that the priority is the C class.

Reference numeral 407 denotes a data area of the file SYSOUT2 (402), 408 denotes the end thereof, and 409 denotes that the priority of the file SYSOUT2 (402) is A. 410 is also the data area of file SYSOUT3 (403), 411 is the end, 412
Indicates that the priority is the B class. Reference numeral 413 indicates that this area is unused.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a command for designating a waiting time for printing out document information (time after transmission of document information from the host computer is stopped). Where 50
1 is the ESC code indicating that the following is an instruction. 50
2 is the type of instruction, and indicates that this instruction is an instruction for specifying a time value. 503 is a parameter part for setting a time value, and 504 is a delimiter indicating the end of the instruction.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation for registering the output priority will be described.

This program is started by inputting document information data from the data source 201. First,
The program is started by step S601. Steps
Data is input in S602. The file is opened in step S603.

Next, in step S604, the priority specified by the instruction shown in FIG. 3 is written at the head of the file, and the file name is also defined. Step S605
In, input data is written after the above-mentioned priorities.

Next, in step S606, it is checked whether there is input data. If there is input data, the flow advances to step S607 to input data again. If there is no input data, the open file is closed in step S608, and the process ends in step S609.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation at the time of outputting document information.

This program is started by starting a response with the host computer. Step S701
Is the start of the program. In step S702, it is checked whether the time value set by the command shown in FIG. 5 has not been reached. If the time value has not been reached, the process proceeds to step S703. If the time value has been reached, the process proceeds to step S708. move on.

In step S703, it is determined whether there is input data from the host. If there is no input data, the process proceeds to step S707. If there is data, the flow advances to step S704 to read the data. Next, in step S705, the read data is written to a file. The processing in steps S704 and S705 is as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

Next, the process proceeds to step S706, where the priorities of the already registered files are confirmed, and the files are sorted in descending order of priority. In step S707, the time value is counted up.

If it is determined in step S702 that the time value is exceeded (that is, if data transmission from the host has not been performed even after the specified time has elapsed), it is determined in step S708 whether a registered file exists. I do.

If it is determined in step S708 that there is no file, the process returns to step S702. If there is a file, the process proceeds to step S709. In step S709, a file with a higher priority is opened.

Next, in step S710, the data of the opened file is imaged and output to the printer. In step S711, the opened file is closed and deleted to reduce the number of registered files by one.

It is determined in step S712 whether a file remains, and if so, the process returns to step S709. If there is no file, the process advances to step S713 to end the process.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the output timing of the document information is measured by setting the time value. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of registered files (for example, up to 5 files) ) May be set, and the document information may be output when the value is reached.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, the time at which the output of data input from an external device is started is set, and a plurality of stored data exceeds the time set by the setting means. When printing out continuously, in the order based on the registered list, a plurality of data are imaged and output to the printing unit, and the continuous processing is performed until the registered data is exhausted. A document output that can print out multiple data continuously at the time desired by the operator, eliminating the need for complicated operations by the operator when imaging multiple data input from an external device and sequentially outputting the data to the printing unit. A control device and a document output control method can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a document output device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a document output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a format diagram illustrating an example of a control command according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a file in a disk device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a format diagram showing an example of a control command for specifying a time value in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an input operation when registering an output priority according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an output operation at the time of outputting document information according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 201 Data source 202 Interface section 203 Disk control circuit 204 Disk device 205 CPU (Central processing unit) 206 RAM (Random access memory) 207 Bitmap memory 208 Character generator 209 Printer interface 210 Printer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A document output control device for temporarily storing data input from an external device and continuously printing and outputting the stored plurality of data, wherein the input data is stored. Storage means, setting means for setting a time at which output of the input data is started, and output priority list for each of a plurality of data stored in the storage means based on the input output priority information A registering means for registering the data, and when the plurality of stored data are continuously printed out exceeding the time set by the setting means,
Control means for converting the plurality of data into an image in a sequence based on the registered list, outputting the image to a printing unit, and continuously processing the data until there is no more registered data. apparatus. 2. A document output control method for temporarily storing data input from an external device and continuously printing and outputting the stored plurality of data, wherein the input data is stored. Setting a time to start output of the input data; and registering an output priority of each of the stored plurality of data in a list based on the input output priority information. If the set time is exceeded and the plurality of stored data are continuously printed out, the plurality of data are imaged to the printing unit in an order based on the registered list. Outputting the data and performing continuous processing until there is no more registered data.