JPH1191210A - Printer system and recording medium having its control program recorded therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer system of a simple structure wherein printing of a confidential document can be executed under a state of keeping confidence at a point of time when an operator can be present by a command from a personal computer. SOLUTION: A printer 5 is connected to a plurality of personal computers 1a to 1n with a communication channel network 2. A printing data transmitted by a confidential specification from the personal computer is stored in a confidential state in a confidential data memory 16 by a command of a CPU 10. A personal computer of a transmission origine is informed of end of storage. An operator of the transmission origine personal computer, at a point of time capable of attending at printing operation, transmits a confidential printing command, goes to an installed position of the printer, and the printed data under a confidence keeping state is enabled to be printed. When the printing data without specification of confidence is printing in transmission of the confidential printing command, printing action is interrupted, printing of the printing data concerning to the confidential printing command is executed preferentially, and efficient execution wherein a waiting time for printing of the confidence specified printing data is shortened is enabled to be executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printer system and a recording medium on which a control program for the printer system is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer is connected to a local area network (LAN).
There is used a printer system which is connected to a plurality of personal computers via a PC and performs a printing operation in a state where the printer is shared by print instructions from these computers. In this type of printer system, since the printers are used jointly, the printed recording paper may be seen by others, and some measures must be taken when printing confidential documents.

In order to solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
Japanese Patent No. 11416 discloses a method in which printed recording paper for each document unit is stapled by a stapler, and a peripheral portion of a thermoplastic opaque film disposed above and below the stapled portion is welded, so that the recording paper for each document unit is sealed with an opaque film bag. There is disclosed a recording paper post-processing apparatus for discharging in a state of being enclosed in a recording paper.

[0004]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-21141
The recording paper post-processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6 requires a complicated film feeding and heat bonding means having a complicated structure in addition to the stacker and the staple, which causes an increase in the size of the apparatus and a problem in terms of manufacturing cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the current situation of printing confidential documents in a printer system as described above. A first object of the present invention is to provide a printer with a plurality of personal computers via a communication network. Provided is a connected printer system which has a simple configuration and can execute printing of a confidential document in a confidential state at a time when an operator can meet a command by a command from a personal computer. It is in.

A second object of the present invention is to use a printer system in which a plurality of personal computers are connected to a printer via a communication network, and to secure printing of a confidential document at a time when an operator can meet. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium on which a program to be executed in a holding state is recorded.

[0007]

In order to achieve the first object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of personal computers are connected to a printer via a communication network.
A confidential data storage unit for storing print data transmitted from the personal computer and designated for confidential processing, the printer system performing a printing operation by the printer based on print data transmitted from the personal computer; Adjustment control means for adjusting and controlling the printing operation of the print data stored in the confidential data storage means.

[0008] Similarly, in order to achieve the first object,
The invention of claim 2 is different from the invention of claim 1 in that
A storage completion notifying means is provided for notifying the corresponding personal computer of the end of the storage of the print data designated for the confidential processing in the confidential data storage means.

Similarly, in order to achieve the first object,
The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1,
The confidential data storage means is configured to be directly accessible from the personal computer.

[0010] Similarly, in order to achieve the first object,
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the adjustment control means receives a print request for print data designated as confidential processing from the personal computer, The printing operation of the print data without the confidential processing designation currently being executed is interrupted, and the corresponding print data is read from the confidential data storage means and printed preferentially.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of personal computers are connected to a printer via a communication line network, and a plurality of personal computers are connected to the printer based on print data transmitted from the personal computers. hand,
A recording medium recording a control program of a printer system in which a printing operation by the printer is performed,
The control program interrupts a print operation currently being executed by a print request signal from the personal computer, and converts print data corresponding to the print request signal into confidential data for storing print data for which confidential processing is designated. It is characterized by reading out from the storage means and printing preferentially.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on one embodiment of a printer system with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a main part of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first half of a printing operation of the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the latter half of the printing operation according to the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, a printer 5 for executing printing is connected to a print server 3 for controlling a printing operation, and the print server 3 is a communication network 2 mainly including a LAN (local information communication network). As shown in FIG. 2, the print server 3 includes a ROM 11 as a recording medium in which a control program for operation is stored in a CPU 10 for controlling the entire operation. A control circuit 8 for executing an operation is connected, and the control circuit 8 stores and reads out various data during a printing operation.
(Dynamic RAM) 12, Memory 13, and SR
An AM (static RAM) 14 is connected, and a confidential data memory 16 is connected via an interface circuit 15. The confidential data memory 16 can be directly accessed from the personal computers 1a to 1n.

The control circuit 8 is connected to a printer engine 7 for driving a printer.
Is connected to a printer 5, and a control circuit 8
Is connected to a communication network 2 via an interface circuit 6, and the personal computers 1a to 1a are connected to the communication network 2.
1n is connected.

Further, in the present embodiment, the CPU 10
Upon receiving the print data for which the confidential processing is designated, the control circuit 8 causes the control circuit 8 to store the print data in the confidential data memory 16; There is provided storage end notifying means for notifying the corresponding personal computer of the storage end. Similarly, in the present embodiment, the CPU
10 receives a print request for print data for which confidential processing is specified, the control circuit 8 interrupts the print operation for print data for which confidential processing is not currently specified and prints the print data associated with the print request. Is provided.

The operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration is described below.
A description will be given based on the flowcharts of FIGS. In the operation of the present embodiment described below, the CPU 1
0, the control program stored in the ROM 11 is read, and a command for a corresponding control operation is issued from the CPU 10 to the control circuit 8, and the control circuit 8 operates in response to the command. Operation is performed.

First, the personal computers 1a to 1n
When the print information is received by the interface circuit 6 from any of the above through the communication network 2, the CPU 10 determines in step S1 that the print information has been received through the control circuit 8, and proceeds to step S2. Then, the received print information is analyzed to determine whether or not confidentiality has been designated by the confidentiality designation command.

If it is determined in step S2 that confidentiality has been designated, the flow advances to step S3, where the control circuit 8 operates according to a command from the CPU 10, and the print information received via the interface circuit 15 is Confidential data memory 1
The print data is stored in accordance with the designated address of the transmission source personal computer.
At this time, the CPU 10 monitors the storage of the print data corresponding to the designated address of the personal computer in the confidential data memory 16 via the control circuit 8 in step S4. If it is determined that the storage has been completed, the process proceeds to step S5, where CP
The control circuit 8 is operated by the command of U10, and the notification signal of the storage end is sent to the interface circuit 6 and the communication network 2
Is transmitted to the personal computer of the transmission source of the print information.

Then, the process proceeds to step S6 to enter a standby state for receiving a confidential print command for the print data stored in the confidential data memory 16 designated as confidential, and the confidential print command is transmitted via the communication network 2 to the interface circuit 6. , The process proceeds to step S7, where the CPU 10
Command causes the control circuit 8 to operate and the current printer 5
In step S10, it is detected whether or not the print data without the security designation is printed, and if it is determined that the print data without the security designation is being printed, the process proceeds to step S10, and the CPU proceeds to step S10.
In response to the command from U10, the control circuit 8 operates to stop the driving of the printer engine 7, and the printing operation of the print data without the security specification being executed is interrupted.

Next, steps S10 to S8
Otherwise, if it is determined in step S7 that print data not currently designated as confidential is not printed, the process directly proceeds from step S7 to step S8,
The control circuit 8 operates according to a command from the CPU 10, reads out print data corresponding to the source of the received confidential print command from the confidential data memory 16, drives the printer engine 7, and prints the print data. Is executed by the printer 5.

Then, the process proceeds to step S11 where the CPU
10, it is determined via the control circuit 8 whether or not the printing of the print data corresponding to the confidential print command by the printer 5 has been completed. If it is determined that the printing of the print data has been completed, The command transmission source is notified of the end of printing, and the process proceeds to step S12, where the CPU 10 determines whether another confidential print command has been received. If it is determined in step S12 that there is another confidential print command, the process returns to step S8 and the same processing is repeated. If it is determined that there is no other confidential print command, the process proceeds to step S13 and the CPU 10 The control circuit 8 is operated by the command of
The printing of the print data without the security designation, which has been suspended by the printer 5, is resumed.

In this embodiment, since the confidential data memory 16 can be directly accessed from the personal computers 1a to 1n, the personal computers 1a to 1n specify the confidential data and transmit it to the confidential data memory 16. The personal computer 1a to 1n edits the print data as needed.

If it is determined in step S2 that the received print information does not include the confidentiality designation command, the process proceeds to step S9, where the received print data is stored in the DRAM 12, the memory 13, SRAM1
4 and then read out at the time of printing, and the printer 5 performs a normal printing operation.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the print data transmitted from the personal computers 1a to 1n in a confidential state is stored in the confidential data memory 16 in a confidential state. Since the notification is sent to the computers 1a to 1n, the operator of the transmission source personal computer sends a confidential print command to go to the installation location of the printer 5 when the printer 5 is ready for the print operation, and prints the confidential designated print data. , And print data can be printed in a confidential state. Further, if the print data without the confidential designation is being printed due to the transmission of the confidential print command, the print of the print data is interrupted, and the print data related to the confidential print command is preferentially printed. It is possible to efficiently execute the printing of the print data obtained by reducing the waiting time.

[0025]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of personal computers are connected to the printer via a communication network, and the printer performs a printing operation based on print data transmitted from these personal computers. However, when the confidential processing of the print data is designated from the personal computer, the print data transmitted from the personal computer and designated for the confidential processing is stored in the confidential data storage means, and the confidential data storage is performed by the adjustment control means. Since the printing operation of the print data stored in the means is adjusted and controlled, the confidential print data can be stored in the confidential data storage means in a confidential state until the confidential print data is printed under confidentiality.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect of the present invention, the end of storage of the print data designated to be confidential processing in the confidential data storage means by the storage end notification means. Is notified to the corresponding personal computer, so that the personal computer can accurately grasp the point at which the confidential data can be printed, and efficiently print the confidential data.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect of the invention, the confidential data storage means can be directly accessed from a personal computer, so that the confidential data can be edited and printed efficiently. Can be performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printer system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the adjustment control means specifies a confidential process currently being executed in response to a print request signal from a personal computer. The print operation of print data without printout is interrupted, and the print data corresponding to the print request signal is read out from the confidential data storage means and printed preferentially. And can be executed efficiently.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of personal computers are connected to the printer via a communication network, and the printer performs a printing operation based on print data transmitted from the personal computers. Although the control program of the system is recorded on the recording medium,
A print request signal from the personal computer interrupts the print operation of the print data which is not currently specified and whose confidential processing is not specified, and the print data corresponding to the print request signal is
Since the confidential processing is read out from the confidential data storage unit that stores the specified print data and is preferentially printed, the print of the confidential processing specified print data can be efficiently executed with a reduced waiting time. Becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a main part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first half of a printing operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a latter half of a printing operation according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a to 1n Personal computer 2 Communication network 5 Printer 8 Control circuit 10 CPU 11 ROM 16 Secret data memory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer system in which a plurality of personal computers are connected to a printer via a communication network, and a printing operation is performed by the printer based on print data transmitted from the personal computers. Confidential data storage means for storing print data transmitted from the computer and designated as confidential processing, and adjustment control means for adjusting and controlling the printing operation of the print data stored in the confidential data storage means. Printer system. 2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the storage end notifying unit notifies the corresponding personal computer of the end of the storage of the print data designated for the confidential processing in the confidential data storage unit. A printer system, which is provided. 3. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the confidential data storage means is configured to be directly accessible from the personal computer. 4. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment control means is configured to execute the adjustment control means in response to receiving a print request for print data designated as confidential processing from the personal computer. A printer system for interrupting a print operation of print data for which no confidential processing is designated, reading corresponding print data from the confidential data storage means, and printing the data preferentially. 5. A plurality of personal computers are connected to a printer via a communication network, and a control program for a printer system in which a printing operation is performed by the printer is recorded based on print data transmitted from the personal computers. The control program, according to a print request signal from the personal computer, interrupts the print operation that is currently being executed, and print data corresponding to the print request signal,
A recording medium on which a control program of a printer system is recorded, wherein the control program is read out from a confidential data storage unit for storing print data designated for confidential processing and is preferentially printed.