KR20000007512A - Priority printing method of complex apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A priority printing method of a complex apparatus is provided to first print the user's priority printing file by the priority printing function while printing. CONSTITUTION: The printing method has:a priority printing requirement detection step detecting if there is the priority printing file while printing; a temporary stoppage step printing the priority printing file after stopping a present printing page when the priority printing requirement is detected; a priority printing step first printing the priority printing file when the temporary stoppage step is conducted; and a printing step printing the rest of the file when the priority printing is over.

Description

Priority Printing Method of Multifunction Device

The present invention relates to a priority printing method for a multifunction printer, and more particularly, to a priority printing method for a multifunction device that can preferentially print a priority print file desired by a user with a priority printing function during printing.

Recently, as office automation devices such as printers, scanners, and facsimiles have become widespread, high-performance products have been developed in an effort to expand the unique functions of each device. For this reason, a complex device (hereinafter referred to as an all-in-one device) incorporating each of the devices used independently of each other has been introduced, which can somewhat reduce the economic burden on the consumer.

This multifunction printer is a combination of a printer and a facsimile, and is equipped with a printing means, a scanning means, and information transmission means such as a modem, so that the functions as a printer and a facsimile as well as a scanner and a copy machine can be combined through a single device. It can be implemented as a device.

In general, a facsimile attached to a multifunction device is a multifunctional terminal made of a single terminal, such as a scanner, a printer, or a copier, as a well-known terminal. It refers to the Multi Functional Peripheral.

In addition, when a file is transferred to the memory of the multifunction device, the transferred file is processed as a file number, and the file number is stored in the printer queue as shown in FIG. The file corresponding to the file number is printed first.

However, since a file number is sequentially stored in a printer queue in memory and a file corresponding to the file number is printed according to the stored order, the file number stored in the printer queue ( That is, there is a problem in that a new file must be printed after waiting for all files to be printed or after deleting all file numbers of the printer queue.

Therefore, the present invention is to solve such a problem, the object of the present invention is

1 is an exemplary view showing a file number of each file stored in a printer queue of a general memory;

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a multifunction machine to which the present invention is applied,

3 is an operation flowchart for explaining a priority printing method of the multifunction apparatus according to the present invention;

4 is an exemplary view showing a file number of each file and a priority print file stored in a printer queue.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

100: multifunction device 110: central processing unit

120: memory 130: operation panel

150: printer

A feature of the present invention for achieving this object is to detect whether there is a priority print file to print preferentially during file printing; If there is a priority print request, the printing of the page currently being printed in the file is terminated and the printing proceeds to priority printing; Print the priority print file to be printed first with priority; First of all, when printing is finished, the remaining pages of the file are printed.

Preferably, storing the next page number of the page currently being printed in the file in the storage means to perform printing; If the priority print file to be preferentially printed for a predetermined time after the priority print request is not transmitted, printing the remaining pages not printed in the file without performing priority printing.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a multifunction apparatus to which the present invention is applied, Figure 3 is an operation flowchart for explaining a priority printing method of the multifunction apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a file of each file and the priority print file in the printer queue This is an example showing the number stored.

Referring to FIG. 2, first, in the multifunction apparatus 100, the central processing unit 110 controls the entire multifunction apparatus 100 in accordance with a program of a set mode, and in particular, the user prioritizes the operation panel 130 while printing a file. Detects whether a print function key (not shown) has been operated, and when a user makes a print request, the user ends the printing of the page currently being printed, then proceeds to print and sends the print file to be printed first. A control signal is output so that the file number of the file to be printed first is placed in the printer queue for the first time and printed in priority order. In addition, if the priority print file to be printed first is not counted by counting a predetermined time from the time when the user operates the priority print function key of the operation panel 130, the priority print file is not executed, and the remaining unprinted files are not printed. Controls the page to print.

The memory 120 may control data received through a public circuit network or print data transmitted from a computer 200, protocol data, image data transmitted from a scanner, and print data transmitted from the outside under the control of the central processing unit 110. Is stored temporarily, and in particular, the file number of the priority print file to be printed prior to the file of the file number existing in the printer queue of the memory 120 under the control of the central processing unit 110 is inserted in the first position of the printer queue. Let's do it.

OPE (Operating Panel) 130 has a key matrix including a plurality of numeric keys, function keys for setting the functions on the menu, and priority printing function keys (not shown) for the user to set the priority printing function. It is configured to provide the key data generated in accordance with the key operation to the central processing unit 110, and also inside the operation panel 130 under the control of the central processing unit 110 to inform the state and various information of the multifunction apparatus 100. It consists of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) for display.

When the data transmission or copy mode is set to perform a fax function or a copy function, the scanner 140 scans an inserted document under the control of the central processing unit 110, converts the document into imaged data, and then executes a central processing unit ( And send back to 110).

The printer 150 prints the data received from the public line network or transmitted from the scanner 140, the data transmitted from the outside, and the data transmitted from the computer under the control of the central processing unit 110 to print on the printing paper.

The sensor unit 160 detects a state of each part according to the operation of the multifunction device and provides the sensor to the central processing unit 110.

The modem 170 is controlled by the central processing unit 110, modulates and outputs a digital signal input from the central processing unit 110 into an analog signal, and is input through a LIU (Line Interface Unit) 180 from a public line network. The analog signal is demodulated into a digital signal and transmitted to the CPU 110.

Under the control of the central processing unit 110, the LIU 180 forms a communication path between the public line network and the modem 170 to interface the signals from the public line network with the signals of the modem 170, and to provide basic functions as a telephone. Necessary speech circuits, dialing circuits and ring signal detection circuits are constructed.

The PC interface unit 190 transmits the data received through the public circuit network or the data transmitted from the scanner 140 to the computer 200 or the data transmitted from the computer 200 under the control of the central processing unit 110. The multifunction apparatus 100 transmits the multifunction apparatus 100 so that the computer 200 and the multifunction apparatus 100 communicate with each other using the IEEE 1284 protocol for bidirectional communication.

Hereinafter, the operation of the priority printing method of the multifunction apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

First, the central processing unit 110 detects whether the user has operated the priority printing function key of the operation panel 130 at the time of printing a file (S100). Thus, when a user requests a priority print request by operating the priority print function key of the operation panel 130 (S300), after printing the currently printed page of the file, the number of the remaining pages is detected and stored in the memory 120. In operation S410, it is detected whether a priority print file to be printed is first transmitted (S420).

Thus, when the priority print file to be printed first is transmitted within a predetermined time, the central processing unit 110 controls the memory 120 to display the priority print file to be first printed in the printer queue of the memory 120 as shown in FIG. The file number is inserted at the first position to control the printer 150 to print first (S430).

Thereafter, the central processing unit 110 first detects whether or not printing is finished (S510), and when printing is finished first, detects the number of the remaining unprinted pages of the file that has been paused (S520), The printer 150 is controlled to print the remaining pages again (S530).

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the user requests priority printing using the priority print request key while printing three pages of A file, the three pages of the A file are finished and the four pages are stored in the memory 120. Let's do it. Then, the central processing unit 110 first inserts the file number of the print file between pages 3 and 4 of the A files in the printer queue, and prints the print file (pages 1 to 4) first, and when the printing ends first. Start printing from page 4 of the A file.

In operation 200 (S200), if the priority printing function key of the operation panel 130 is not operated (that is, the user does not request printing first), the central processing unit 110 controls the printer to print the file using a general mechanism. After controlling (S210), the process returns to step 100 (S100) to perform the process after step 100 (S100).

In addition, if the priority print file to be preferentially printed within a predetermined time is not transmitted in step 420 (S420), the CPU 110 stops the print job first and detects the position of the remaining pages (S421), and then in step 210 (step S420). Returning to step S210, the process after step 210 (S210) is performed to print the remaining pages which have been paused.

Therefore, if the user wants to print first while performing a print job, the first print file to be printed first is printed after the printing of the current page is finished, and the first print file to be printed is paused when the printing of the first print file to be printed is finished. You can print the remaining pages.

As described above, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined by the claims below and equivalents thereof.

As described above, in the present invention, when a user requests a priority printing by using the priority printing function key of the all-in-one while performing a print job, the printer prints the print data to be printed first after printing the page currently being printed. By doing so, there is an effect of providing convenience to the user.

Claims (2)

A priority print request detection step of detecting whether there is a priority print file to preferentially print while printing the file; In the priority print request detection step, if there is a priority print request, suspending the printing of the page currently being printed in the file and transferring to priority printing; A priority printing step of printing the priority print file to be printed first with priority when the pause step is performed; And And a printing step of detecting that the priority printing step is finished and printing the remaining pages of the file when the priority printing is finished. The printing method according to claim 1, wherein said first printing step comprises the steps of: storing in said storage means the next page number of a page currently being printed in said file; And And if the priority print file to be preferentially printed for a predetermined time after the priority print request is not transmitted, printing the remaining pages not printed in the file without performing priority printing. Way.