JPH11316663A - Information processor, output equipment, information outputting system and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transfer data after selecting data to be transformed on the side of output equipment and previously transformed data based on information concerning the processing capability of the output equipment which acquires data to be transferred from an information processor to the output equipment. SOLUTION: Before transferring data from a host computer 100 to output equipment, and based on the ability information acquired from a printer 1500, data to be transferred or data after transformation of data to be transferred are transferred from an input/output handler 107 to an input/output handler 201 of the printer 1500.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving information between an information processing apparatus and an output device, an output device, an information output system, and an information processing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a recording apparatus of this type analyzes output information manually input from a host computer and develops bitmap data as output data of a printer engine, for example, a laser beam printer. The photosensitive drum is scanned and exposed with the modulated laser beam to record an image.

[0005] Further, a recording apparatus capable of outputting data subjected to WYSIWYG processing based on page editing data by a host computer has been put to practical use.

In this case, the recording apparatus is of a type that develops bitmap data WYSIWYG processed by the host computer into a bitmap memory and outputs the data, and a rasterization function provided in the recording apparatus by receiving data to be rasterized from the host computer. There is a type in which output bitmap data is generated by processing, developed into a bitmap memory, and output.

[0005]

Since the conventional recording apparatus or recording system is configured as described above, the type in which the host computer develops bitmap data WYSIWYG processed into a bitmap memory and outputs the bitmap data, The time from when the host computer starts developing the bitmap of the output information to when the printing process is started by the printer engine is determined depending on the rasterization processing time of the host computer.

In a type in which data to be rasterized is received from a host computer, output bitmap data is generated by rasterization function processing provided in a recording apparatus, and the output bitmap data is developed and output to a bitmap memory. The time required to transfer the output information to the printer is short, but the processing time for the rasterization function of the printing apparatus itself is long, and the information received from the printer engine is out of synchronization and the received information cannot be accurately recorded. And so on.

Particularly, as a recording apparatus in the field of DTP in which pages are edited by making full use of figures, images, outline fonts, etc., there has been a strong demand for a reduction in output processing time in recent years. There is a need for an improved printer control system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the first to eighty-fourth inventions according to the present invention to provide an information report processing apparatus which has a data processing capability on an output device side. By controlling the transfer of the data to the output device while selectively changing the content of the data to be transferred to the output device by the information processing device, or the content of the data transferred from the information processing device by the output device. By controlling the generation of data to be finally output while selectively performing data conversion processing according to, the data conversion processing on the output device side for data transferred from the information processing apparatus is reduced,
An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus, an output device, an information output system, and an information processing method that can efficiently process data transferred from an information processing apparatus in a short time.

[0009]

A first invention according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) for transferring data to an output device (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4). Acquisition means for acquiring capability information of the output device (CPU 1 shown in FIG.
3. Execute the control program stored in the hard disk 11, the floppy disk 12, etc. to perform the acquisition processing.
The data to be output from the output device and stored in the information processing device should be converted to the data to be transferred to the output device based on the capability information obtained by the obtaining unit. Control means for controlling data conversion and transfer of the converted data to the output device (the CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4 executes a control program stored in the ROM 2, RAM 3, hard disk 11, floppy disk 12, etc. 1500 to control the transfer by selecting data to be transferred or data converted from the data (which can be output as it is).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the control means (by the data analysis unit 102 shown in FIG. 5) determines which of the data to be transferred is to be converted based on the capability information. To decide.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus, various windows can be opened to execute various data processing.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) acquires the data processing capability of the output device from the output device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) is performed at a timing at which communication between the information processing device and the output device is possible. It is done in.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) is performed prior to an output instruction.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) changes the processing load ratio according to the data processing capability of the output device.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the control by the control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4), when an output job occurs, a processing load ratio is determined according to the data processing capacity of the output device. Things.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) is variable for each job.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) is variable for each page.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability of the output device obtained by the obtaining means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) is stored as a temporary file in the information processing apparatus (FIG. 4). (On the RAM 3) shown in FIG.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the output device is a laser printer (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 1).
It is something that is.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the output device is an ink jet printer (IJRA shown in FIG. 2).
It is something that is.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the output device and the information processing device perform parallel processing by the control means (CPU 1 shown in FIG. 4) in accordance with distributed data processing. is there.

In a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver.

In a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the output device and the information processing device are connected via a network.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing.

In an eighteenth aspect according to the present invention, the data processing is a rasterizing processing.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the output device is a printer, and the obtaining means and the control means are constituted by a host computer.

In a twentieth aspect according to the present invention, the data is a character code.

[0029] In a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the control means performs the control based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

A twenty-second invention according to the present invention relates to an output device (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4) for outputting based on data input from an information processing apparatus (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4). Control means for controlling transfer of data to be transferred to the output device and transfer of converted data to the output device for data to be stored in the information processing device and output by the output device (shown in FIG. 4) Conversion processing means (CPU 1 of printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4) for performing a conversion process based on the unconverted data transferred from the information processing device based on the result of control by host computer 100)
4 executes a control program stored in a ROM 15, a RAM 16, and a memory resource (not shown) to perform a conversion process. Specifically, a rasterizer 20 shown in FIG.
2)) and output control means for controlling the output based on the data converted by the conversion processing means and the result of the control means and the transferred data to be transferred (shown in FIG. 4). Print control unit 205).

In a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is a host computer (100 shown in FIG. 4), and the conversion processing means and the output control means are a printer (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4). It is composed of

[0032] In a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability indicates a data processing time.

According to a twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the conversion processing means includes a rasterizer (rasterizer 20 shown in FIG. 5).
2).

According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the result of the control by the control means is information for instructing the conversion processing means in the output device to process a character code input from the information processing device. There is something.

According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention, the result of the control by the control means is information indicating that the conversion processing means in the output device processes bitmap data input from the information processing device. It is something that is.

[0036] In a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the output device notifies the information processing device of the data processing capability of the output device via a bidirectional interface.

According to a twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver.

[0038] In a thirtieth invention according to the present invention, the output device and the information processing device are connected via a network.

According to a thirty-first aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing.

In a thirty-second aspect of the present invention, the data processing is a rasterizing processing.

According to a thirty-third aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

A thirty-fourth aspect according to the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) for transferring data to an output device (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4).
And, based on data input from the information processing device,
An information output system capable of communicating with an output device that performs output, wherein the information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires capability information of the output device (the CPU 1 illustrated in FIG.
RAM 3, hard disk 11, floppy disk 1
2 to execute the control program stored in the information processing device and the like, and the data to be output by the output device, stored in the information processing device based on the capability information obtained by the obtaining means. Control means for controlling the transfer of the data to be transferred to the output device, the conversion of the data to be converted, and the transfer of the converted data to the output device (the CPU 1 shown in FIG.
Executing a control program stored in the hard disk 11, the floppy disk 12, or the like, and selecting data to be transferred to the printer 1500 or data obtained by converting the data (which can be output as it is) to perform transfer control). The output device is stored in the information processing device, for data to be output in the output device,
Based on the result of the control by the control unit that controls the transfer of the data to be transferred to the output device and the transfer of the converted data to the output device, the unconverted data transferred from the information processing device Conversion processing means (CP of the printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4)
U14 executes a control program stored in the ROM 15, the RAM 16, and a memory resource (not shown) to perform conversion processing. Specifically, the rasterizer 2 shown in FIG.
02)) and output control means for controlling an output based on the data converted by the conversion processing means and the result of the control means and the transferred data to be transferred (shown in FIG. 4). Print control unit 205).

According to a thirty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the control means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) determines which of the data to be transferred is to be converted based on the capability information. Things.

According to a thirty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus, various windows can be opened to execute various data processing.

According to a thirty-seventh aspect of the present invention, the obtaining means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) obtains the data processing capability of the output device from the output device.

According to a thirty-eighth aspect of the present invention, in the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4), communication between the information processing device and the output device is enabled. It is performed at an appropriate timing.

According to a thirty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is performed prior to an output instruction.

According to a fortieth aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is to change a processing load ratio according to the data processing capability of the output device. is there.

According to a forty-first aspect of the present invention, in the control by the control means (the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4), when an output job occurs, the processing load ratio is adjusted according to the data processing capability of the output device. To decide.

According to a forty-second aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is variable for each job.

According to a forty-third aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means (the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is variable for each page.

According to a forty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability of the output device obtained by the obtaining means (the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is stored in the information processing apparatus in advance. .

In a forty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the output device is a laser printer (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 1).
It is something that is.

According to a forty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the output device is an ink jet printer (IJRA shown in FIG. 2).
It is something that is.

According to a forty-seventh aspect of the present invention, in accordance with the distributed data processing, the output device and the information processing apparatus perform parallel processing by the control means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4). Things.

According to a forty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver.

According to a forty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the output device and the information processing device are connected via a network.

In a fiftieth invention according to the present invention, the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing.

In a fifty-first aspect of the present invention, the data processing is a rasterizing processing.

In a fifty-second invention according to the present invention, the output device is a printer (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4),
The acquisition means and the control means are constituted by a host computer (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4).

In a fifty-third aspect of the present invention, the data is a character code.

According to a fifty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is a host computer (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4), and the conversion processing means and the output control means are a printer (printer shown in FIG. 4). 1500) stored in a storage medium by a computer-readable program.

According to a fifty-fifth aspect of the present invention, as a result of the control by the control means (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4), a character code input from the information processing apparatus is converted into a character code input from the information processing apparatus by the conversion processing means in the output device. (For example, the rasterizer 202 shown in FIG. 5).

According to a fifty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the result of the control by the control means (the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) is that bitmap data input from the information processing apparatus is converted into the conversion processing in the output device. This is information instructing processing by means.

According to a fifty-seventh aspect of the present invention, the output device notifies the information processing device of a data processing capability of the output device via a bidirectional interface.

In a fifty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the control means performs the control based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

In a fifty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

A sixtieth invention according to the present invention relates to an information processing method in an information processing apparatus (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4) for transferring data to an output device (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4). An acquisition step (not shown) for acquiring the capability information of the device; and outputting the data to be output by the output device stored in the information processing device based on the capability information acquired in the acquisition step. And a control step (steps (1) to (6) shown in FIG. 6) for controlling transfer of data to be transferred to the device, conversion of data to be converted, and transfer of the converted data to the output device. Things.

[0069] In a sixty-first aspect of the present invention, the control step determines which of the data to be transferred is to be converted, based on the capability information.

According to a sixty-second aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus, various windows can be opened to execute various data processing.

According to a sixty-third aspect of the present invention, in the obtaining step, the data processing capability of the output device is obtained from the output device.

According to a sixty-fourth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device in the acquisition step is performed at a timing at which communication between the information processing device and the output device is possible.

According to a sixty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device in the acquiring step is performed prior to an output instruction.

According to a sixty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the control in the control step is to change a processing load ratio according to a data processing capability of the output device.

According to a sixty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the control in the control step, a load ratio of processing is determined according to a data processing capability of the output device when an output job occurs.

According to a sixty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the control in the control step (steps (1) to (6) shown in FIG. 6) is variable for each job.

According to a sixty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the control in the control step (steps (1) to (6) shown in FIG. 6) is variable for each page.

In a seventy-seventh aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability of the output device obtained in the obtaining step is stored in the information processing device in advance.

According to a seventy-first aspect of the present invention, the output device is a laser printer (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 1).
It is something that is.

According to a seventy-second aspect of the present invention, the output device is an ink jet printer (IJRA shown in FIG. 2).
It is something that is.

According to a seventy-third aspect of the present invention, according to the control step (steps (1) to (6) shown in FIG. 6), the output device and the information processing apparatus are connected in accordance with distributed data processing. , And perform parallel processing.

According to a seventy-fourth aspect of the present invention, the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver.

[0083] In a seventy-fifth aspect of the present invention, the output device and the information processing apparatus are connected via a network.

In a seventy-sixth aspect according to the present invention, the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing.

In a seventy-seventh aspect of the present invention, the data processing is a rasterizing process.

[0086] In a seventy-eighth aspect of the present invention, the data is a character code.

[0087] In a seventy-ninth aspect of the present invention, the control step is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

An eighteenth invention according to the present invention relates to an information processing method in an output device (printer 1500 shown in FIG. 4) for outputting based on data inputted from an information processing device (host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4). Control means for controlling transfer of data to be transferred to the output device and transfer of converted data to the output device for data stored in the information processing device and output by the output device. Based on the result of the control,
A conversion processing step of performing a conversion process based on the unconverted data transferred from the information processing apparatus (FIG. 6)
(11)) and an output control step of controlling an output based on the data converted in the conversion processing step and the transferred data to be transferred based on the result of the control means ( Step (1) shown in FIG.
4)).

[0089] In an eighty-first aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability indicates a data processing time.

In an eighty-second aspect of the present invention, the conversion process (step (11) shown in FIG. 6) is a rasterization process.

According to an eighty-third aspect of the present invention, as a result of the control by the control means, a character code input from the information processing device is converted into a character code input from the information processing apparatus in the conversion processing step (FIG. 6).
(11)).

According to an eighty-fourth aspect of the present invention, as a result of the control by the control means, the bitmap data input from the information processing apparatus is converted into the conversion processing step (step (12) shown in FIG. 6) in the output device. )) Is information instructing processing.

[0093] In an eighty-fifth aspect of the present invention, the output device notifies the information processing device of the data processing capability of the output device via a bidirectional interface.

In an eighty-sixth aspect of the present invention, the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver.

[0095] In an eighty-seventh aspect of the present invention, the output device and the information processing device are connected via a network.

[0096] In an eighty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing.

[0097] In an eighty-ninth aspect of the present invention, the data processing is a rasterizing processing.

[0098] In a ninetieth aspect of the present invention, the control by the control means is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device.

[0099]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment to which the present invention can be applied.
1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an output device (recording device) of FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body (printer), which is print information (data) supplied from an externally connected host computer (information processing apparatus).
And the like are input and stored, and a corresponding bitmap image or the like is created according to the information to form an image on recording paper as a recording medium. Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation, an LED display, and the like are arranged. Reference numeral 1000 denotes a printer control unit that controls the entire LBP body 1500 and analyzes print information and the like supplied from a host computer.

The printer control unit 1000 converts the video signal into a bit pattern video signal corresponding to the print information and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1502. The laser driver 1502 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1503.
The laser beam 1504 emitted from the 503 is turned on / off. The laser beam 1504 is oscillated in the horizontal direction by the rotary polygon mirror 1505 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1506.

Thus, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1506. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1507 provided around the electrostatic drum 1506, and then transferred to a recording sheet.
A cut sheet is used for the recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is a paper cassette 150 mounted on the LBP body 1500.
8 and feed roller 1509 and transport roller 1
By 510 and the transport roller 1511, it is taken into the device and supplied to the electrostatic drum 1506.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the configuration of a second output device (recording apparatus) to which the present invention can be applied, and shows, for example, the case of an ink jet recording apparatus (IJRA).

In the figure, a spiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 that rotates via driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with forward and reverse rotation of a driving motor 5013
The carriage HC that engages with a pin (not shown)
And is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper pressing plate, which presses the paper P against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction.

Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photocouplers, which function as home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this area and switching the rotation direction of the drive motor 5013. 501
6 is a cap member 50 for capping the entire surface of the recording head.
Reference numeral 5015, a member for supporting the nozzle 22, sucks the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head through the cap opening 5023. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade which can be moved in the front-rear direction by a member 5019. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate that supports the cleaning blade 5017 and the member 5019. Reference numeral 5012 denotes a lever for starting suction for recovery of suction. The lever 5012 moves with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force from the drive motor 5013 is movement-controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching. You.

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired processing can be performed at the corresponding position by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the home position side area. It is sufficient if the device is configured to perform a desired operation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the second recording apparatus shown in FIG.

In the figure, 1700 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, 1701 is an MPU, 1702 is a program ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701, and 1703 is a DRAM. Recording data). A gate array (G.1704) controls supply of print data to the print head 1708.
A. ), The interface 1700, the MPU 1701,
Data transfer between the DRAMs 1703 is also controlled. 171
0 is a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 1708, 1709 is a transport motor for transporting the recording paper,
1705, a head driver for driving the recording head 1708; 1706, a motor driver for driving the transport motor 1709; 1707, the carrier motor 171;
0 is a motor driver.

In each of the recording apparatuses configured as described above, when a recording signal is input from the host computer 100 described later via the interface 1700, the recording signal is transmitted between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701 to the recording data for printing. Is converted to Then, the motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are driven, and the recording head 1708 is driven according to the recording data sent to the head driver 1705 to execute printing.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system to which an information processing apparatus and an output device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. Here, a laser beam printer (see FIG. 1) will be described as an example.

If the functions of the present invention are executed, a system including a plurality of devices (for example, the output device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the information processing device shown in FIG. It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to an information output system or the like that includes an apparatus) and a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN.

In the figure, a host computer 100 includes a CPU 1 for executing document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets, etc.) are mixed based on a document processing program stored in a ROM 2. Each device connected to the system bus 4 is generally controlled. Further, the ROM 2 stores a control program of the CPU 1 shown in the flowcharts of FIGS.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory and a work area of the CPU 1. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls a key input from a keyboard (KB) 9. Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC).
The display of the RT display (CRT) 10 is controlled. 7
Is a disk controller (DKC) for controlling access to a hard disk (HD) 11 and a floppy disk (FD) 12 for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, and the like.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a printer controller (PRTC)
And the printer 150 via the predetermined interface 13.
0 to execute communication control processing with the printer 1500. The CPU 1 executes, for example, a process of developing (rasterizing) the outline font in the display information RAM set on the RAM 3, and executes WY processing on the CRT 10.
SIWYG may be enabled. Further, the CPU 1
Various registered windows may be opened based on a command specified by a mouse cursor or the like on the RT 10 to execute various data processing. Reference numeral 18 denotes an input unit.

Further, the document processing program may be stored on the hard disk 11 or the floppy disk 12, and may be configured to be loaded on the RAM 3 via the DKC 7 and executed at the time of execution.

In the printer 1500, reference numeral 14 denotes a printer CPU (CPU), which comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 17 based on a control program stored in the ROM 15; Image signal VDO as print data to a printing unit (printer engine) 20 connected via
Is output. A RAM 16 is used for a work area of the CPU 14, storage of recording information, and the like. Also, RAM
16 is an option R connected to an unillustrated expansion port
The configuration may be such that the memory capacity can be expanded by the AM.

The printing unit interface 19 converts the print data into a form conforming to the mechanism of the printing unit 20.
This is a part for outputting, for example, performing processing such as converting parallel data to serial data.

Further, the ROM 15 may store a plurality of dot font data groups having different sizes and outline font data as printer fonts. Further, the host computer 10 is stored in the ROM 15.
Assigned from 0, for example, outline font,
A rasterization program for processing the vector graphics data in the bitmap development process in the rasterization area of the RAM 16 in parallel with the rasterization process on the host computer 100 is stored.

As a result, the rasterization sharing processing ratio is dynamically switched in accordance with the analysis result of the rasterization information in the output information output from the host computer 100 to the printer 1500. Printer 1500 or host computer 1
In some cases, one of the 00s may perform the rasterizing process.

Further, at least one or more card slots (not shown) may be provided so that an optional font card and a control card (emulation card) having a different language system can be connected in addition to the built-in fonts. Further, an NVRAM for storing printer mode setting information from an operation unit (not shown) may be provided.

In the thus configured printer control system, the host computer 100
00, resource determination data is acquired from the first rasterizer (functional processing of the CPU 1) and the second rasterizer when the print job is generated, the determination means (CPU1) analyzes the print job based on the resource data of the printer 1500. (The functional processing of the CPU 14), and dynamically determines the parallel processing share ratio.
The first rasterizer or the first rasterizer processes the rasterized information in the print job in parallel, thereby making it possible to process the print job efficiently while equalizing the data processing load on the printer and the host computer. .

The determining means analyzes the font size in the print job based on the resource data of the printer and dynamically determines the parallel processing sharing ratio between the first rasterizer and the second rasterizer. The function of rasterizing processing corresponding to the font type can be shared between the host computer and the printer.

Further, the determining means analyzes the amount of outline interpolation information in the print job based on the resource data of the printer, and dynamically determines the parallel processing share ratio between the first rasterizer and the second rasterizer. Accordingly, it is possible to share the functions of the rasterizing process corresponding to the number of interpolations in the outline information between the host computer and the printer.

In this embodiment, the resource data is
Resources such as presence / absence of a drawing function for each drawing unit such as a straight line and a circular arc of the printer by referring to a definition file on the host computer 100 and referring to a definition file on the host computer 100, drawing processing time, presence / absence of a rasterizing function of an outline font, and rasterizing time. It includes processing capability information and the like, and a part or all of the information is analyzed, and the determining means dynamically determines the parallel processing sharing ratio between the first rasterizer and the second rasterizer. At this time, the determining means dynamically switches the parallel processing sharing ratio for each page of the output editing information (characters, graphics, tables, images).

As an example of the analysis of the resource data by the host computer 100, for example, the printer 150
The time data required for rasterizing an outline font having a predetermined size of 0 is stored in advance as table data. If the size of the outline font of the recorded data matches the stored size, the table data is stored. Is to determine the rasterization processing load on the host computer 100 and the printer 1500 by correcting the outline font table data of the recording data and integrating the rasterization processing time of each character.

Further, when calculating the rasterization processing time, if the number of interpolation points for interpolating each point (for example, interpolation using a Bezier curve) is taken into consideration, it is possible to calculate a more accurate processing time.

Further, when calculating the rasterization processing time, if the printer 1500 has a plurality of languages that can be processed or if the recording processing can be performed at a plurality of resolutions, a plurality of tables for calculating the rasterization processing time are provided. Needless to say, it is possible to accurately calculate the rasterization processing time in consideration of the above-described language difference and resolution difference.

Thus, for example, if the printer 1500 has a font rasterizer (in the present embodiment, the function is performed by the CPU 14), the host computer 10
0, it is possible to perform rasterization of fonts in a distributed manner in accordance with the performance of the printer 1500. A certain font is transferred to the printer 1500 in a bitmap format while being subjected to rasterization processing of the host computer 100, and the remaining fonts are outlined. Printer 15 in format
00 and rasterized by the CPU 14.

On the other hand, when the printer 1500 is provided with outline format data, for example, in the ROM 15, the host computer 100 transfers only the character codes and character attributes to the printer 1500, and transfers the data from the host computer 100. Is completed promptly to reduce the time until the host computer is released.

Further, when the printer 1500 executes the banding process of the print data within the predetermined memory capacity, when the printer 1500 performs the rasterizing process, there is a possibility that the band may be overrun. Part or all of the processing can be entrusted to the host computer 100, and a print error of the printer 1500 due to a change in the load on the recording information processing can be avoided.

Hereinafter, the characteristic configuration of the present embodiment will be described.

The first feature is that the output device (printer 150
0) which outputs data to the host computer 100, wherein the acquisition means (CPU 1 is a ROM)
2, the control program stored in the RAM 3, the hard disk 11, the floppy disk 12, etc., and the acquisition process is performed) to acquire the data processing capability of the output device, and according to the acquired data processing capability of the output device, Distribution control means (CPU 1 executes a control program stored in ROM 2, RAM 3, hard disk 11, floppy disk 12, etc. to perform distributed processing), causes the data processing means to share the data, and performs data processing on the printer 1500 side. And the host computer 100 can perform distributed processing.

In the second feature, the output device is a printer 1500, the acquisition means and the distribution control means are constituted by a host computer, and the acquisition means of the host computer 100 has a data processing capability. When the data is obtained from the printer 1500, the distribution control means stores the data in the data processing means (ROM2, RAM2) according to the obtained data processing capability of the printer 1500.
3, stored in the hard disk 11, the floppy disk 12, etc.), and the data processing can be distributed between the printer 1500 side and the host computer 100 side.

According to the third feature, when the CPU 1 acquires the data processing time of the printer 1500 as the data processing capability, the CPU 1 causes the data processing means to process the data according to the acquired data processing time of 1500. Data processing on the output device side is performed by the printer 1500.
And the host computer 100 can perform distributed processing.

In the fourth feature, when the CPU 1 acquires the data processing capability of the printer 1500, the CPU 1 processes the data by rasterizing according to the acquired data processing capability of 1500, and performs the rasterizing process on the printer 1500 side. And the host computer 100 can perform distributed processing.

According to a fifth feature, when the CPU 1 acquires the data processing capability of the printer 1500, the CPU 1 causes the data processing means to share the character code in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the output device. Performs character code processing on the printer 1500 side and the host computer 1
It is possible to perform distributed processing with the 00 side.

In the sixth feature, when the data processing means is present in the printer 1500, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the data processing means in the host computer 100 is in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500. The data processing unit in the printer 1500 performs distributed processing of the data, thereby shortening the data processing time by the data processing unit.

In the seventh feature, when the CPU 1 acquires the data processing capability of the printer 1500 through communication via the bidirectional interface, the acquired printer 150
CPU 1 causes the data processing means to process the data according to the data processing capacity of
00 and the host computer 100 can perform distributed processing.

[0139] In the eighth aspect, the CPU 1 has a burden of distributing the data by the data processing means in the host computer 100 and the data processing means of the printer 1500 in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500. By changing the ratio, it is possible to process the output efficiently while equalizing the data processing load between the host computer 100 and the printer 1500.

According to the ninth feature, various windows can be opened on the CRT 10 to execute various data processing, and various data processing can be instructed by a simple operation.

According to the tenth feature, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the printer 1500 by the CPU 1 is performed at a timing at which communication between the host computer 100 and the printer 1500 is possible, and the communication load for acquiring the data processing capability is reduced. It is possible to do.

In the eleventh feature, the acquisition of the data processing capability of the printer 1500 by the CPU 1 is performed before the output instruction, so that the communication load for acquiring the data processing capability can be reduced.

According to the twelfth feature, the CPU 1 can acquire the data processing capability of the printer 1500 stored in the RAM 3 in the host computer 100, and can reliably acquire the data processing capability of the printer 1500.

In the thirteenth feature, the distributed control by the CPU 1 determines the load ratio corresponding to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 in accordance with the data processing capacity of the printer 1500, and optimizes the data processing load. Load ratio can be determined.

In the fourteenth feature, the distributed control by the CPU 1 determines the sharing ratio according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 when an output job occurs, and determines the optimum load ratio for equalizing the data processing load. Enables timely decisions.

In the fifteenth feature, the distributed control by the CPU 1 is variable for each job, and it is possible to determine a load ratio for equalizing the data processing load for each job.

In the sixteenth feature, the distributed control by the CPU 1 is variable for each page, and it is possible to determine a load ratio for equalizing the data processing load for each page.

According to the seventeenth feature, the data processing capability of the printer 1500 acquired by the CPU 1 is stored as a temporary file in the host computer 1500 to reduce the communication load for acquiring the data processing capability. Hereafter, it is possible to refer to anytime without communication.

In the eighteenth feature, the printer 150
0 indicates a laser beam printer, and it is possible to determine a data processing load corresponding to the data processing capability of the laser beam printer.

In the nineteenth feature, the printer 150
0 indicates an ink-jet printer, which makes it possible to determine a data processing load corresponding to the data processing capacity of the ink-jet printer.

According to a twentieth feature, the CPU 1500 controls the printer 1500 according to the distributed data processing.
And the host computer 100 perform parallel processing so that the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 can efficiently perform the same data processing.

A twenty-first feature is an output device (printer 1500) for processing data input from an information processing device (host computer 100), wherein a notification means (CPU 14 is a control program stored in ROM 15, RAM 16, etc.) And notifies the host computer 100 of the data processing capability including the presence or absence of a data processing unit of the output device (printer 1500) in response to an inquiry from the information processing apparatus (host computer 100). Based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100 according to the notified data processing capability, the CPU 1 distributes the data by the data processing means, and the data processing of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side. Host computer 1 according to ability 0 makes it possible to efficiently process the data processing to meet the capacity was determined.

In the twenty-second feature, the information processing apparatus is a host computer 100, and the output device is a printer 1500.
500 notification functions (CPU 14 is ROM 15, RAM 1
6 notifies the host computer 100 of the data processing capability of performing data processing in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, and then notifies the host computer 100 of the data processing capability. The CPU 14 causes the data processing means to perform data processing on the data based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100 accordingly.
It is possible to effectively process data corresponding to the capacity determined by the host computer according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 notified to the 00 side.

The information processing apparatus is a host computer 100, and the output control means and the conversion processing means are constituted by a printer 1500.
Printer 1500 for data to be output at
Computer 10 that controls the transfer of data to be transferred to printer 1 and the transfer of converted data to printer 1500.
0 based on the result of the control by the host computer 1
00, the CPU 14 of the printer 1500 receives the converted data based on the unconverted data and the result of the host computer 100, based on the transferred data to be transferred. The output process is controlled based on the data content.

In the twenty-third feature, the CPU 14 sets a data processing time for processing data in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100 to the host computer 1.
00, the CPU 14 causes the data processing means to perform data processing on the data based on the data processing time determined by the host computer 100 in accordance with the notified data processing time of the data processing means. It is possible to efficiently process data corresponding to the capability determined by the host computer 1000 according to the notified data processing time of the printer 1500.

In the twenty-fourth feature, when the CPU 14 notifies the host computer 100 of the data processing capability in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the host computer 100 determines the data processing capability in accordance with the notified data processing capability. CPU based on data processing information
14 allows the rasterizer to process the data, and enables efficient data processing of data that matches the capacity determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side.

In a twenty-fifth feature, the CPU 14 changes the data processing capability of the printer 1500 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100.
CPU 14 causes character processing to be performed by the data processing means on the character code based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100 according to the notified data processing capability, and the printer notified to the host computer 100 side. It is possible to efficiently perform data processing of a character code corresponding to the capacity determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capacity of 1500.

In the twenty-sixth feature, when the CPU 14 notifies the host computer 100 of the data processing capability in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the host computer 100 determines the data processing capability in accordance with the notified data processing capability. CPU based on data processing information
14 makes the bitmap data processed by the data processing means, and efficiently processes bitmap data corresponding to the capacity determined by the information processing apparatus according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side. Is possible.

In the twenty-seventh feature, the CPU 14 changes the data processing capability of the printer 1500 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100.
Is notified to the host computer 100 via the CPU, based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100 in accordance with the notified data processing capability.
14 allows the data to be processed by the data processing means so that the host computer 100 can efficiently process data corresponding to the capability determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capability of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side.

In the twenty-eighth feature, the printer 150
0, acquiring the data processing capability of the data processing means, distributing the data according to the acquired data processing capability, and performing data processing, and performing the distributed processing on the output device side and the information processing device side. Is possible.

According to a twenty-ninth feature, when the data processing capability of the printer 1500 is notified to the printer driver in response to an inquiry from the printer driver in the host computer 100, the printer driver responds to the informed data processing capability. The CPU 14 distributes the data by the data processing means based on the determined data processing information, and efficiently executes data processing corresponding to the capability determined by the printer driver according to the data processing capability of the output device notified to the printer driver. Enables good processing.

According to a thirtieth feature, the printer 150
0 and the host computer 100 can communicate with each other via a network, exchange data processing capability with the host computer 100 on the network, and share data processing via the network.

In the thirty-first feature, the printer 150
0 notifies the optimum time data for calculating the data processing load,
It is possible to properly calculate the data processing burden between 0 and the information processing device.

According to the thirty-second feature, the printer 150
0 notifies the optimal time data for calculating the rasterization processing load, and enables the information processing apparatus to properly calculate the rasterization processing load between the output device and the information processing apparatus.

Hereinafter, the flow of a print job process of the printer control system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a data processing path between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a running application which performs, for example, DTP processing. A data analysis unit 102 analyzes a print job in page units and classifies the print job into figures, outline fonts, and the like (see FIG. 7 described later).
Then, the rasterizing process sharing is determined, and the font 103,
Each processing data is instructed to a font rasterizer (functioning as a first rasterizer) 104, a graphics rasterizer (functioning as a first rasterizer) 105, and a page data synthesizing unit 106. The page data combining unit 106 combines output data from the data analyzing unit 102, the graphics rasterizer 105, the font 103, and the font rasterizer 104.

Reference numerals 107 and 201 denote input / output handlers for controlling human output between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. Reference numeral 202 denotes a rasterizer that performs a bitmap development process based on the rasterized data. Reference numeral 203 denotes a font rasterizer that executes font rasterizing processing by referring to the received outline font data or by referring to a memory 204 that stores outline font data according to the received character code. 205
Denotes a print control unit which prints the bitmap data output from the rasterizer 202 (second rasterizer).
(See FIG. 4). A to N indicate data processing paths.

As shown in this figure, the data analysis unit 1
02, when the rasterizer 202 and the font rasterizer 203 of the printer 1500 are present as a result of the analysis of the print job, for example, the rasterization of the font can be performed in a distributed manner according to the performance of the host computer 100 and the printer 1500. The fonts are transferred to the printer 1500 in a bitmap format in accordance with the rasterizing process of the host computer 100 (path C → path H → path J → path K), and the remaining fonts are transferred to the printer 1500 in an outline format (path). D →
(Path G → Path J → Path K), rasterization is performed by the rasterizer 202 and the font rasterizer 203.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the font rasterizing parallel processing procedure between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 shown in FIG. In addition,
(1) to (6) show steps of the host computer 100, and (11) to (14) show steps of the printer 1500. Also, the printer 15
When the rasterizing process is left to 00, the steps after step (3) and after step (11) are simultaneous progress steps, and the font rasterizing process is performed in parallel.

First, a routine for analyzing and classifying font data in a print job is executed in accordance with a flowchart shown in FIG. 7 (1), which will be described later, and processing sharing is determined according to the processing capacity (2). If rasterization to the printer 1500 has been determined, the printer 1500
, The outline data of the font or the character code of the outline font is transmitted (3). Thus, the process of step (11) is started at the same time.

Next, a rasterizing process (scaling) is performed on the font data assigned to the host computer 100 (4), and the developed bitmap font is sent to the printer 1500 (5). Thereby, the process of step (12) is started at the same time.

Next, the page data is transferred to the printer 1500.
(6), and the process ends.

On the other hand, upon receiving the assigned font data from the host computer 100 in step (3), the printer 1500 scales (rasterizes) the received font and registers it in the RAM 16 (11).

On the other hand, when the bitmap data is received from the host computer 100 in step (5), the received bitmap data is registered in the RAM 16 (1).
2).

On the other hand, when the page data is received from the host computer 100 in step (6), the received page data is stored in the RAM 16 (13), and the rasterizer 202 executes page rasterization by referring to the data in the RAM 16, The page-rasterized printer data is transferred to the print control unit 205 (14), and the process ends.

As described above, the host computer 100 acquires the resource data of the printer 1500, analyzes the print job based on the resource data, and determines the ratio of the rasterization processing load of the printer and the host computer to the rasterization information of the print job. The host computer and / or the printer concurrently rasterize the rasterization information extracted from the print job according to the determined rasterization processing load ratio, thereby equalizing the rasterization information processing load between the printer and the host computer. can do. The resource data processing program analyzed by the host computer 100 is stored on the hard disk 11 of the host computer 100 by the floppy disk 12, and if the printer driver can execute the above processing procedure, the resource data processing program need not be stored in the ROM 2 in advance. Good.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed procedure of the font rasterization analysis / classification processing routine shown in FIG. Note that (1) to (11) indicate each step.

First, when a print job is generated from the application, the data analysis unit 102 searches the font data of the print job (1) and determines whether or not the data still exists (2). Is determined, if YES, it is determined whether the retrieved data matches the bitmap font of the printer 1500 (3), and if YES, the font is copied to the printer 1500.
(8), and step (1)
Return to

On the other hand, if the determination in step (3) is NO, it is determined whether the searched data matches the outline font in printer 1500 (4), and YES
If so, the font is classified as an outline code of the printer 1500 (9), and the process returns to step (1).

On the other hand, if the determination in step (4) is NO, it is determined whether or not the searched data can be scaled by the rasterizer of the printer 1500 (5). If the determination is YES, the font is classified into outline data of the printer 1500. (10) Return to step (1).

On the other hand, if the determination in step (5) is NO, it is determined whether or not the searched data is an outline font (6).
(11) and returns to step (1). If NO, the searched data is classified into bitmap data (7) and the procedure returns to step (1). .

According to the flowchart of FIG. 7, the font data in the print job is classified into five types as described below.

Since the font data classified into the bitmap code in step (8) has the bitmap font data in the printer 1500, the character code, the attribute, and the like are sent from the data analysis unit 102 to the printer 1500. Processed by the rasterizer 202 (path B →
Route J → Route K).

Since the font data classified into the outline code in step (9) has the outline font data in the printer 1500, the character code, the attribute, and the like are sent from the data analysis unit 102 to the printer 1500, and the printer 1500 Font rasterizer 20 above
3 is converted into bitmap font data and processed by the rasterizer 202 (path B → path J → path K).
→ path M → path N) or host computer 1
After being converted into bitmap font data by the font rasterizer 104 on 00, the converted bitmap font data is sent to the printer 1500 and processed by the rasterizer 202 (path C → path H → path J).
→ Path K) or one of the two processing modes is selected.

The font data classified into the outline data in step (10) has the font rasterizer 203 in the printer 1500 but does not have the outline font data.
The character code, attributes, etc. are passed to font 103 from 2
The corresponding outline font data is stored in the printer 150
0, is converted to bitmap font data by the font rasterizer 203 on the printer 1500, and is processed by the rasterizer 202 (path D → path G →
Path K → path M) or the host computer 10
After being converted into bitmap font data by the font rasterizer 104 on 0, the converted bitmap font data is sent to the printer 1500 and processed by the rasterizer 202 (path C → path H → path J →
Path K) or one of the two processing modes is selected.

In step (11), the font data classified as host scaling is
0 does not have a font rasterizer, so the font rasterizer 104 on the host computer 100 converts the bitmap data into bitmap data, and then sends the converted bitmap data to the printer 1500 to be processed by the rasterizer 202 (path). C → Route H → Route J →
Path K).

Since the font data classified into the bitmap data in step (7) does not have the bitmap font data in the printer 1500, the bitmap font data in the host computer 100 is sent to the printer 1500 and the rasterizer Processed by 202.

When the font rasterizing process of the outline font is divided among the font data classified into the above five types, the font data classified by the host scaling (step (11)) is font rasterized by the host computer 100. The font data that has been processed and classified into the outline code (step (9)) and the outline data (step (10)) are stored in the host computer 100 and the printer 1.
The host computer 100 or the printer 150 according to the 500 font rasterization processing resources (capabilities).
0 means that the font is rasterized.

Hereinafter, the characteristic structure of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

According to a thirty-third feature, the data processing capability of the data processing means of the electronic device (printer 1500) is acquired (step (2) in FIG. 6), and the data processing capability is determined in accordance with the acquired data processing capability. Can be distributed and subjected to data processing (steps (3) to (6) in FIG. 6), and the data processing can be distributed between the electronic device (printer 1500) and the information processing apparatus (host computer 100). I do.

In the thirty-fourth feature, the data is processed by the data processing means in accordance with the acquired data processing time of the printer 1500, and the data processing in the printer 1500 is distributed between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. Processing.

[0193] According to a thirty-fifth feature, the data is rasterized by data processing means in accordance with the acquired data processing time of the printer 1500, and the rasterizing process is distributed between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. Is possible.

According to a thirty-sixth feature, the data is subjected to character code processing by data processing means in accordance with the acquired data processing time of the printer 1500, and the character code processing in the electronic device is performed in the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. And can perform distributed processing.

The thirty-seventh feature is that the printer 150
0, the data processing means in the host computer 100 and the data processing means in the printer 1500 perform distributed processing of the data in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500. As a result, it is possible to reduce the data processing time by both data processing means.

In the thirty-eighth feature, the printer 150
When the data processing capability of the printer 1500 is acquired by communication via the bidirectional interface, the data is processed by the data processing means in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500. It is possible to perform distributed processing with the side.

According to a thirty-ninth feature, the data processing means in the host computer 100 and the printer 1500 are changed in accordance with the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500.
By changing the ratio of the load for distributing the data by the data processing means, it is possible to process the output efficiently while equalizing the data processing load between the host computer 100 and the printer 1500.

In the fortieth feature, the data processing capability of the printer 1500 stored in the host computer 100 can be acquired, and the data processing capability of the printer 1500 can be reliably acquired.

In the forty-first feature, various windows can be opened to execute various data processing, and various data processing can be instructed by a simple operation.

In the forty-second feature, the printer 150
0 data processing capability is acquired by the host computer 10.
0 and the printer 1500 can be communicated with each other at a possible timing, thereby making it possible to reduce the communication load for acquiring the data processing capability.

In the forty-third feature, the acquisition of data processing capability of the host computer 100 is performed prior to an output instruction, thereby making it possible to reduce the communication load for acquiring data processing capability.

[0202] In a forty-fourth feature, the data processing distribution is characterized in that a load ratio is determined according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500, and an optimum load ratio for equalizing the data processing load is determined. Make it possible.

In the forty-fifth aspect, the distribution of the data processing is performed by determining an allocation ratio according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 when an output job occurs, and by setting an optimum load ratio for equalizing the data processing load. Can be determined in a timely manner.

In the forty-sixth feature, the distribution of the data processing is variable for each job, and a load ratio for equalizing the data processing load for each job can be determined.

[0205] In a forty-seventh feature, the distribution of the data processing is variable for each page, and a load ratio for equalizing the data processing load for each page can be determined.

According to the forty-eighth feature, the acquired data processing capability of the printer 1500 is stored as a temporary file in the host computer 100 to reduce the communication load for acquiring the data processing capability. ,
It is possible to refer at any time without communication.

[0207] In the forty-ninth feature, the printer 150
0 indicates a laser beam printer, and it is possible to determine a data processing load corresponding to the data processing capability of the laser beam printer.

[0208] In the fiftieth feature, the printer 150
0 indicates an ink-jet printer, which makes it possible to determine a data processing load corresponding to the data processing capacity of the ink-jet printer.

In the fifty-first feature, the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 perform parallel processing according to the distributed data processing, and the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 efficiently process the same data processing. Is possible.

[0210] In a fifty-second feature, in response to an inquiry from the information processing device (host computer 100), the data processing capability of the electronic device is notified to the information processing device (step (2) in FIG. 6). The distributed processing of the data is performed based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100 according to the notified data processing capability (FIG. 6).
Steps (11) to (14)) to efficiently process data corresponding to the capability determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing time of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side. I do.

According to a fifty-third feature, when a data processing time for data processing is notified to the host computer 100 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the host computer is notified in accordance with the notified data processing time of the data processing means. Based on the data processing time determined by the computer 100, the data is processed by the data processing means of the printer 1500, and the host computer 1
The host computer 100 can efficiently process data corresponding to the capacity determined according to the data processing time of the printer 1500 notified to the 00 side.

[0212] In a fifty-fourth feature, when the data processing capability is notified to the host computer 100 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the data processing capability determined by the host computer 100 in accordance with the notified data processing capability. The information is processed by the rasterizer based on the information, and data matching the capability determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capability of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 can be efficiently processed.

In the fifty-fifth feature, when the data processing capability of the printer 1500 is notified to the host computer 100 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the data is determined by the host computer 100 in accordance with the notified data processing capability. The character code is subjected to data processing by the data processing means based on the data processing information, and the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side.
It is possible to efficiently process character codes that match the capabilities determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capabilities of the host computer.

[0214] In the fifty-sixth feature, when the data processing capability is notified to the host computer 100 in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the data processing capability determined by the host computer 100 in accordance with the notified data processing capability. The bitmap data is processed by the data processing means based on the information, and the bitmap data corresponding to the capacity determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capacity of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 is efficiently processed. It is possible to do.

In the fifty-seventh feature, when the data processing capability of the printer 1500 is notified to the host computer 100 via a bidirectional interface in response to an inquiry from the host computer 100, the printer 1500 responds according to the notified data processing capability. The data is processed by the data processing means based on the data processing information determined by the host computer 100, and data matching the capability determined by the host computer 100 according to the data processing capability of the printer 1500 notified to the host computer 100 side Can be efficiently processed.

[0216] In the fifty-eighth feature, when the data processing capability of the printer 1500 is notified to the printer driver in response to an inquiry from the printer driver in the host computer 100, the printer driver determines the data processing capability in accordance with the notified data processing capability. Based on the determined data processing information, the data is distributedly processed by the data processing unit of the printer 1500, and data processing corresponding to the capability determined by the printer driver according to the data processing capability of the printer 1500 notified to the printer driver. Can be efficiently processed.

The fifty-ninth feature is that the printer 150
0 and the host computer 100 can communicate with each other via a network, exchange data processing capability with the host computer 100 on the network, and share data processing via the network.

According to the sixtieth feature, the host computer 100 notifies the optimum time data for calculating the data processing load, and the host computer 100 properly calculates the data processing load between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. It is possible to do.

In the sixty-first feature, the host computer 100 notifies time data optimal for calculating the rasterization processing load, and the host computer 100 properly calculates the rasterization processing load between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100. It is possible to do.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a rasterizing process sharing ratio between the printer 1500 and the host computer 100 shown in FIG. 4. For example, the rasterizer 202 which can process the rasterized data by the printer 1500, the font based on the outline font data, This shows the state of the font rasterizing process when the font rasterizer 203 capable of performing rasterization is provided.

In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a font rasterizing process in a print job, for example, which includes host scaling 31 for scaling by the host computer 100, outline data 32 (including figures and fonts) that can be rasterized by the printer 1500, and outline codes 33. .

For example, in the state of FIG. 8, the outline data 32 is divided into outline data 32-H processed by the host computer 100 and outline data 32-P processed by the printer 1500, and the outline code 33 is stored in the font rasterizer of the printer 1500. 203 directly performs the processing.

First, the host rasterizing process 30 in the print job is assigned to the host scaling 31 and the remaining outline data 32 and outline code 33 are converted to the host scaling 31 according to the host processing capability and the printer processing capability. Is divided into a host scaling process portion and a printer scaling process portion.

Although the outline data 32 is divided in FIG. 8, when the outline data 32 is small and the outline code 33 is large, the outline code 33 may be divided.

The host computer 1 is connected to the printer 1500.
If the font rasterizer 203 capable of processing the outline font data on 00 is not provided,
The font information is classified into a host scaling 31 and an outline code 33. The printer 1500 has no outline font data, and the host computer 10
When the font rasterizer 203 capable of processing the outline font data on 0 is provided, the font information is classified into the host scaling 31 and the outline data 32. In both cases, the font information is classified according to the host processing capability and the printer processing capability. , Host scaling 31
Are divided into a host scaling process portion and a printer scaling process portion.

As described above, the host computer 100 obtains the resource data of the printer 1500 and dynamically variably sets the rasterization processing share ratio for each printer job, so that the data processing load on the host computer 100 and the printer 1500 can be evenly distributed. Thus, the time from the input of the print command to the start of paper feeding from the printer 1500 can be shortened.

In the above embodiment, the font rasterizing process of the outline font is performed by the host computer 1.
00 and the printer 1500 have been described,
Rasterization processing other than fonts, such as rasterization of vector graphics and enlargement / reduction of bit images, may be similarly shared.

Although the above embodiment does not particularly mention the timing of acquiring resource data (for example, table data), the host computer 100
A method of storing the resource data as a temporary file on the hard disk 11 at a timing at which communication with the resource data 00 is possible, or a method of downloading the resource data from the printer 1500 and storing it as a temporary file when a print command is issued may be used. , The host computer 10 in advance
0 may be stored in the HDll.

According to the above embodiment, the host computer obtains the resource data of the printer, analyzes the print job based on the resource data, and determines the ratio of the rasterization processing load of the printer and the host computer to the rasterization information of the print job. Since the rasterization information extracted from the print job according to the determined rasterization processing load ratio is configured to be rasterized by the host computer and / or the printer in parallel, the rasterization information processing between the printer and the host computer is performed. The burden can be equalized.

Further, since the rasterizing information including the font data and the vector graphics data is shared and processed in parallel, the print job can be efficiently processed while equalizing the data processing load between the printer and the host computer. Can be.

Further, in the printer control system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the host computer acquires the resource data of the printer, analyzes the print job based on the resource data of the printer when the print job occurs, and performs the first processing. Dynamically determines the parallel processing sharing ratio between the rasterizer and the second rasterizer, and the second rasterizer or the first rasterizer parallelizes the rasterization information in the print job according to the determined parallel processing sharing ratio. As a result, the print job can be efficiently processed while equalizing the data processing load between the printer and the host computer.

Further, since the rasterizing information including font data and vector graphics data is shared and processed in parallel, a print job can be efficiently processed while equalizing the data processing load between the printer and the host computer. It is possible to easily construct a system capable of performing the above.

The determining means analyzes the font size in the print job based on the resource data of the printer, and dynamically determines the parallel processing sharing ratio between the first rasterizer and the second rasterizer. Therefore, the rasterizing process corresponding to the font type can be shared between the host computer and the printer.

Further, the determination means analyzes the amount of outline interpolation information in the print job based on the resource data of the printer, and dynamically determines the parallel processing sharing ratio between the first rasterizer and the second rasterizer. Therefore, the rasterizing process corresponding to the number of interpolations in the outline information can be shared between the host computer and the printer.

The present invention may be applied individually to a single device (information processing device or output device), or may be combined into a single system as a system, that is, an information processing device and an output device may be combined. You may apply to the information output system which can communicate. Further, in this case, the control program stored in the storage medium may be installed in each device and constructed, or each control program may be configured as a single unit stored in advance.

[0236]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, before the information processing apparatus transfers data to the output device, the information is transferred based on the capability information obtained from the output device. The data to be transferred or the data obtained by converting the data to be transferred is transferred to the output device. Therefore, the data to be transferred to the output device, the data itself with the output processing on the output device side according to the capability of the output device or the output device as it is And the converted data that can be output from the device can be freely transferred and selectively transferred to the output device.

Further, according to the output device of the present invention, the conversion data converted based on the data to be converted and the other data from the data determined and transferred under the control of the information processing device. If the data needs to be converted, the data output process is controlled so that the data is converted and then output, so that the data received from the information processing device is converted into data that can be output by the output device. , And the data received from the information processing apparatus can be output efficiently and in a short time.

Further, according to the information output system according to the present invention, the data to be output to the output device can be directly output from the output device in accordance with the capability of the output device from the data to be transferred to the output device. The conversion data can be freely distributed and selectively transferred to the output device, and the processing load for converting the data received from the information processing device into data that can be output by the output device can be reduced. The data received from the processing device can be output efficiently and in a short time.

According to the information processing method of the present invention, the data to be output to the output device can be directly output from the output device or the data itself with the output processing depending on the capability of the output device from the data to be transferred to the output device. The converted data can be freely distributed and selectively transferred to the output device.

Further, the processing load for converting data received from the information processing device into data that can be output by the output device is reduced, and data received from the information processing device can be output efficiently and in a short time.

Therefore, the data conversion processing on the output device side for the data transferred from the information processing device is reduced, and the data transferred from the information processing device can be processed efficiently and in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a first output device (recording device) to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a second output device (recording device) to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of a second output device illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system to which an information processing apparatus and an output device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a data processing path between the printer shown in FIG. 1 and a host computer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a font rasterizing parallel processing procedure between a printer and a host computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a detailed procedure of a font rasterization analysis / classification processing routine illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a rasterizing process sharing ratio between the printer shown in FIG. 1 and a host computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 ROM 3 RAM 14 CPU 15 ROM 16 RAM 100 Host computer (information processing device) 1500 Printer (output device)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshifumi Okamoto 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Toshiya Mitsuhashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inside (72) Inventor Satoshi Nagata 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Maki 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takanori Nishijima 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc.

Claims (90)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for transferring data to an output device, comprising: an acquisition unit for acquiring capability information of the output device; and the information processing device based on the capability information acquired by the acquisition unit. Control for controlling the transfer of data to be transferred to the output device, the conversion of data to be converted, and the transfer of the converted data to the output device stored in the output device And an information processing apparatus. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines which data of the data to be transferred is to be converted, based on the capability information. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus can open various windows and execute various data processing. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the data processing capability of the output device from the output device. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition unit is performed at a timing at which communication between the information processing device and the output device is possible. Information processing device. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition unit is performed prior to an output instruction. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control by the control unit is to change a processing load ratio according to a data processing capability of the output device. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control by the control unit determines a processing load ratio according to a data processing capability of the output device when an output job occurs. . 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control by the control unit is variable for each job. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control by said control means is variable for each page. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing capability of the output device acquired by the acquisition unit is stored in the information processing apparatus in advance. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output device is a laser printer. 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output device is an ink jet printer. 14. The output device and the information processing device according to the distributed data processing by the control unit,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein parallel processing is performed. 15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver. 16. The output device and the information processing device,
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is connected via a network. 17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing. 18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing is a rasterization processing. 19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output device is a printer, and said acquisition means and said control means are constituted by a host computer. 20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data is a character code. 21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the processing based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing apparatus. 22. An output device for performing output based on data input from an information processing device, wherein data to be stored in the information processing device and to be output by the output device should be transferred to the output device. A conversion process is performed based on the unconverted data transferred from the information processing device based on a result of control by a control unit that controls data transfer and transfer of the converted data to the output device. Conversion processing means, and output control means for controlling output based on the data converted by the conversion processing means and the result of the control means and the transferred data to be transferred. An output device characterized by the following. 23. The output device according to claim 22, wherein said information processing device is a host computer, and said conversion processing means and said output control means are constituted by a printer. 24. The output device according to claim 22, wherein the data processing capability indicates a data processing time. 25. An output device according to claim 22, wherein said conversion processing means is a rasterizer. 26. The control method according to claim 26, wherein the control result is information instructing that a character code input from said information processing apparatus is processed by said conversion processing means in said output device. 24. The output device according to 22 or 23. 27. The result of the control by the control means is information instructing that the bitmap data input from the information processing apparatus is processed by the conversion processing means in the output device. Item 24. The output device according to Item 22 or 23. 28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the output device notifies the information processing device of a data processing capability of the output device via a bidirectional interface.
The described output device. 29. The output device according to claim 22, wherein the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver. 30. The output device and the information processing device,
23. The device according to claim 22, which is connected to a network.
Or the output device according to 23. 31. The output device according to claim 22, wherein the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing. 32. The output device according to claim 30, wherein the data processing is a rasterization processing. 33. The output device according to claim 22, wherein the control by the control unit is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device. 34. An information output system capable of communicating with an information processing device that transfers data to an output device and an output device that performs output based on data input from the information processing device. Acquiring means for acquiring the capability information of the output device, based on the acquired capability information by the acquiring unit, stored in the information processing device, for the data to be output in the output device, Control means for controlling transfer of data to be transferred to the output device, conversion of data to be converted, and transfer of the converted data to the output device, wherein the output device is stored in the information processing device. And
For the data to be output by the output device, from the information processing device, based on the result of control by the control unit that controls the transfer of the data to be transferred to the output device and the transfer of the converted data to the output device. Conversion processing means for performing a conversion process based on the transferred data which has not been converted; and the transferred data to be transferred based on the data converted by the conversion processing means and the result of the control means. And an output control means for controlling an output based on the information output system. 35. The information output system according to claim 32, wherein said control means determines which data of said data to be transferred is to be converted, based on said capability information. 36. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the information processing apparatus can open various windows and execute various data processing. 37. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the data processing capability of the output device from the output device. 38. The method according to claim 34, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition unit is performed at a timing at which communication between the information processing device and the output device is possible. Information output system. 39. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device by the acquisition unit is performed prior to an output instruction. 40. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the control by the control means changes a processing load ratio according to a data processing capability of the output device. 41. The control by the control means according to a data processing capability of the output device when an output job occurs.
35. The processing load ratio is determined.
Or the information output system of 35. 42. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the control by said control means is variable for each job. 43. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein control by said control means is variable for each page. 44. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the data processing capability of the output device obtained by the obtaining unit is stored in the information processing device in advance. 45. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the output device is a laser printer. 46. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the output device is an ink jet printer. 47. The output device and the information processing device according to the distributed data processing by the control unit,
The information output system according to claim 34 or 35, wherein parallel processing is performed. 48. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver. 49. The output device and the information processing device,
35. The device is connected via a network.
Or the information output system of 35. 50. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein said data processing capability includes time data required for data processing. 51. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the data processing is a rasterization processing. 52. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein said output device is a printer, and said acquisition means and said control means are constituted by a host computer. 53. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the data is a character code. 54. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein said information processing device is a host computer, and said conversion processing means and said output control means are constituted by a printer. 55. The result of the control by the control means is information indicating that a character code input from the information processing apparatus is processed by the conversion processing means in the output device. 34. The information output system according to 34 or 35. 56. The control result of the control means is information instructing that bitmap data input from the information processing device is processed by the conversion processing means in the output device. Item 34. The information output system according to Item 34 or 35. 57. The output device notifies the information processing device of a data processing capability of the output device via a bidirectional interface.
Information output system described. 58. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the control unit performs the control based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device. 59. The information output system according to claim 34, wherein the control by the control unit is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device. 60. An information processing method in an information processing apparatus for transferring data to an output device, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring capability information of the output device; and
For data to be output from the output device stored in the information processing device, transfer of data to be transferred to the output device, conversion of data to be converted, and transfer of the converted data to the output device And a control step of controlling the information processing. 61. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the control step determines which data of the data to be transferred is to be converted based on the capability information. 62. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the information processing apparatus can open various windows and execute various data processing. 63. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the obtaining step obtains the data processing capability of the output device from the output device. 64. The method according to claim 60, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device in the acquisition step is performed at a timing at which communication between the information processing device and the output device is possible. Information processing method. 65. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the acquisition of the data processing capability of the output device in the acquiring step is performed prior to an output instruction. 66. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the control in the control step is to change a processing load ratio according to a data processing capability of the output device. 67. The control in the control step, wherein an output job is generated according to the data processing capability of the output device.
62. The processing load ratio is determined.
Or the information processing method according to 61; 68. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the control in the control step is variable for each job. 69. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the control in the control step is variable for each page. 70. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the data processing capability of the output device obtained in the obtaining step is stored in the information processing device in advance. 71. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the output device is a laser printer. 72. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the output device is an ink jet printer. 73. The output device and the information processing device according to the distributed data processing by the control step,
62. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein parallel processing is performed. 74. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the processing in the information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver. 75. The output device and the information processing device,
62. The apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the apparatus is connected to a network.
Or the information processing method according to 61; 76. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the data processing capability includes time data required for data processing. 77. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the data processing is a rasterization processing. 78. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the data is a character code. 79. The information processing method according to claim 60, wherein the control step is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing device. 80. An information processing method in an output device that performs output based on data input from an information processing device, the data being stored in the information processing device and being output by the output device. Based on the result of the control by the control unit that controls the transfer of the data to be transferred and the transfer of the converted data to the output device, based on the unconverted data transferred from the information processing device, A conversion processing step of performing a conversion processing; an output control step of controlling an output based on the data converted by the conversion processing step and a result of the control unit, based on the transferred data to be transferred; An information processing method, comprising: 81. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein said data processing capability indicates a data processing time. 82. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein said conversion processing step is a rasterization processing. 83. The result of the control by the control means is information indicating that a character code input from the information processing apparatus is processed in the conversion processing step in the output device. 79. The information processing method according to 79. 84. The result of the control by the control means is information indicating that bitmap data input from the information processing device is to be processed in the conversion processing step in the output device. Item 79. The information processing method according to Item 79. 85. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein said output device notifies said information processing device of a data processing capability of said output device via a bidirectional interface. 86. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein the processing in said information processing apparatus is performed by a printer driver. 87. The output device and the information processing device,
80. The device according to claim 79, wherein the device is connected to a network.
The information processing method described. 88. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein said data processing capability includes time data required for data processing. 89. An information processing method according to claim 87, wherein said data processing is a rasterization processing. 90. The information processing method according to claim 79, wherein the control by the control unit is performed based on capability information of the output device stored in the information processing apparatus.