KR20050075231A - Host capable selecting coyp function and a method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A host apparatus capable of selecting a copy function is disclosed. The host device drives a multifunction device including a scanner for projecting light onto an original to generate image data, a copying machine for outputting image data on paper, and a printing machine for printing received print data on paper through a copying machine, A scanner driver for generating image data by driving a printer, a storage unit for storing image data, a printer driver for driving a printer, and a copier, and selectively driving a scanner and a printer to generate and store image data for printing. And a copier driver for controlling copying to be performed. As a result, the radiation efficiency can be increased.

Description

Selectable host device and its method {host capable selecting coyp function and a method

The present invention relates to a host apparatus and a method for selecting a copy function, and more particularly, to a host apparatus for driving a multifunction apparatus, which performs copying by a PC copy function and a copy machine itself, which perform copying using a scan and print function. Copier provides its own copy function, which can be complementary to each other when errors occur, and by selecting a copy function according to the copy capacity and quality, the copy function can be selected to improve the copy efficiency It is about.

A multifunction machine is an office automation (OA) machine that uses a digital technology and uses a single device for multiple purposes. The multifunction machine may be a digital copier with functions such as a fax machine, a scanner, and a printer in addition to a copy machine. The basic function of the all-in-one is to read the original from the scanner, digitize the signal, process the image, and copy it. This function is similar to a fax or a printing press. When the interface circuit with the telephone line is combined with the image processing part, it becomes a fax. The document read by the scanner may be converted into a telephone line format, and the converted signal may be converted and printed. In the case of using as a printer, it is good to image-process the signal received from the host device and print it. All-in-one machines share expensive instrument systems (scanners, printers, etc.) inside the machine, allowing efficient use of internal space and reducing costs compared to single-function machines.

On the other hand, looking at the conventional copying method, the conventional copying is performed by the multifunction apparatus itself through the operation panel provided outside the multifunction apparatus. However, such a conventional method does not have enough memory space provided in the built-in memory when using a collation function of sorting and copying pages when copying a document at high resolution or copying a large number of documents. Has a problem.

In order to solve such a problem in the related art, a PC copy function for performing a copy operation by using a host device of a printer and a scanner. The copying operation performs PC copying based on the fact that the copying operation is composed of a scanning operation through the host apparatus and a printing operation through the host apparatus. That is, after driving the scanner, the image data was read from the original, stored in the host device internal memory, and the stored image data was processed again as print data and output through the printer. At this time, even if the image data has a high resolution or a very large capacity, since the image data is stored in a host device having a sufficient memory space for storing the image data, a high quality copy function irrespective of the memory of the multifunction apparatus itself. There is an advantage to doing this.

1 is a flowchart provided to explain a PC copy operation for performing a copy under the control of a conventional host device. Referring to the drawings, first, the user selects PC copy through an application program installed in the host device (S10). In operation S20, various settings necessary for copying, for example, setting a resolution, setting the number of copies, and selecting a multifunction device to copy are performed.

When the copy setting is completed, the scan command is transmitted to the multifunction apparatus (S30), and correspondingly, the scanner reads image data from the source (S40) and stores it in a predetermined memory of the host apparatus (S50).

When the reading of the image data from the original is completed, the print command is transmitted to the copier again (S60). Accordingly, the printer driver installed in the host device converts the read image data into print data (S70). Then, the converted print data is spooled to the spooler (S80), transferred to the multifunction apparatus according to the spooled order, and printing is performed (S80), thereby completing PC copying.

 Through such PC copying, it is possible to process print data of high quality and high capacity even in a conventional low-spec multifunction device.

However, in the conventional method, when an error occurs while performing a scan operation or during a print operation, it is inconvenient to redo the copy operation from the beginning, and when an error occurs when communicating with the host device. There is an inconvenience that a PC copy cannot be performed and the user has to perform copying directly through an operation panel attached to the MFP.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a PC copy function for performing a copy by combining a scan function and a print function that is performed independently, and a self copy function for performing a copy by the multifunction apparatus itself, thereby preparing for a copy error. The present invention provides a host device and a method for selecting a copy function for increasing usability and providing a function for easily performing high resolution and high capacity data processing in a low-cost multifunction multifunction device.

A host apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a scanner for generating image data by projecting light onto an original, a copier for outputting the image data on paper, and printing the received print data on paper through the copier. A scanner driving unit for driving a multifunction device having a printer to generate the image data by driving the scanner; A storage unit for storing the image data; And a copier driving unit for driving the copier, and selectively driving the scanner and the printer to control copying by generating, storing, and printing the image data.

In this case, preferably, a communication monitor for monitoring the print data, scan data, and copy data transmission status events received from the multifunction apparatus to determine whether an error of the copy performed selectively occurs; If it is determined from the communication monitor that the copier is driven, and an error occurs during the operation of the scanner and the printer, the driver may perform another operation that is not driven during copying by driving the copier and copying by driving the printer and the scanner. The copy again.

Preferably, the copier driving unit determines whether to perform the copying through the scanner and the printing press control based on at least one of the resolution and the copy capacity of the copy setting state.

And preferably, an input unit having a key for determining whether to perform the copying operation through the scanner and the printer control.

On the other hand, the copy function selection method of the host apparatus for driving the multifunction apparatus according to the present invention includes a scanner for generating image data by projecting light onto an original, a copying machine for outputting the image data on paper, and receiving the print data from the copying machine. A multifunction printer having a printing machine for printing on paper through the apparatus, and in response to a user's copying command, self-copying to perform copying by driving the copying machine, and driving the scanner and the printing machine to generate the image data. Selectively performing any one of PC copying after storing and printing; Monitoring print data, scan data, and copy data transmission status events received from the multifunction apparatus, and determining whether an error of the copy performed selectively occurs; And if it is determined that an error has occurred, performing copying by another method not performed during the self copying and the PC copying.

In this case, preferably, the step of selectively performing any one of the self copy and the PC copy may be based on any one or more of the resolution and the copy capacity of the copy setting state. It is preferable to choose one.

On the other hand, a multifunction system capable of selecting a copy function according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a scanner for generating image data by projecting light onto an original, a copier for outputting the image data on paper, and receiving the print data from the copier. A multifunction machine having a printing machine for printing on paper through the printer; And a PC copy for printing after driving the copier to perform copying, and for driving the scanner and the printer to generate and store the image data in response to a user's copy command. It includes; host device for controlling the multifunction device to be driven by.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

2 is a block diagram of an all-in-one system to which a copy function selectable host device according to the present invention is applied. Referring to FIG. 2, the multifunction peripheral system is largely composed of a host device 100 and a multifunction peripheral 200.

First, referring to the host device 100, the host device 100 is a personal computer (PC), which includes an input unit 103, a display unit 107, a ROM 113, a RAM 117, a storage unit 120, and a CPU ( 125, an application program unit 130, a printer driver 140, a scanner driver 150, a spooler 170, a spooler 170, a communication monitor 180, and an I / O interface 190.

The input unit 103 applies a key input signal according to a user's key operation to the CPU 125. As the input unit 103, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, or the like may be applied. The input unit 103 according to the present invention includes a key for selecting any one of PC copy and self copy to be described later.

The display unit 107 is a general monitor and displays an operating state of the host device 100 under the control of the CPU 125.

The ROM 115 is a nonvolatile memory device, and stores various control programs necessary to implement the functions of the host device 100, and the RAM 117 is a volatile memory device, and according to program execution of the host device 100. Temporarily store various data.

The storage unit 120 is a general hard disc drive (HDD), and stores various programs driven by an operating system, and stores image data generated by a scanner driver to be described later.

The printer driver 140 converts a document created by a document editing program into print data recognizable by the multifunction apparatus 200, and transmits a predetermined print command to the multifunction machine so that the converted print data is printed on paper.

The scanner driver 150 transmits a predetermined scan command for controlling the multifunction device to read image data from an original located on the top glass of the scanner in the multifunction device 200, and receives image data read in response to the scan command to provide the image data. Write to one storage unit 120.

The copier driving unit 160 transmits a predetermined copy command to the multifunction apparatus 200 so as to control the copy of the document located on the upper glass of the multifunction scanner 200. In addition, by sending a scan command to the multifunction apparatus 200, the image data is read and stored from an original placed on the upper glass of the scanner 250, and the print command is sent to the multifunction apparatus 200 so that printing is performed on the stored image data. Copy the original by sending. In this case, each of the scan command and the print command may be generated by controlling the scanner driver 150 and the printer driver 140.

Hereinafter, as described above, a copying method of performing a copy by sending a copy command to the multifunction apparatus 200 is referred to as self copying. The storage unit 120 of the host apparatus 100 after generating the image data by sending a scan command It is called PC copy to send a print command for the image data which is stored in the memory and then save it again.

The copier driver 160 first selects one of its own copy and PC copy in response to a user's copy command, and preferably uses a resolution and a copy capacity according to the copy setting as a criterion for determining this. If the set resolution and copy capacity are equal to or greater than the predetermined reference resolution and copy capacity, it is preferable to perform PC copying because the resources of the multifunction apparatus may be insufficient in processing a large amount of data.

In addition, it is possible to determine whether the copier driver 160 preferentially performs PC copying or self copying by receiving a key input from the user through the input unit 103.

In addition, in response to a user's copy command, the copier driver 160 may generate an error according to a method not performed, for example, a PC copy, if an error occurs while preferentially performing either PC copy or self copy. If it occurs, it is recommended to make a copy with its own copy, and if the error occurs as a result of the self copying, then perform a PC copy again.

The spooler 170 is a program provided by the operating system and manages spooling of print data output from the printer driver 140. The print data temporarily stored in the spooler 170 is transmitted to the multifunction apparatus through the I / O interface 190 in accordance with the processing speed of the multifunction apparatus 200.

The I / O interface 190 provides an interface for smooth data communication with the multifunction peripheral 200.

The communication monitor 180 monitors the I / O interface 190. That is, by monitoring the print data, scan data, and copy data transmission state events received from the multifunction apparatus 200, it is determined whether an error occurs in the multifunction apparatus 200, and the results are respectively printed by the printer driver, scanner driver, and copier driver. Provided at 160. In this case, the error occurrence information generated when the scanner 250 and the printer 270 are driven in accordance with PC copy is provided to the copier driver 160.

The multifunction apparatus 200 includes an operation panel 210, a sensor 220, a memory 230, a device interface 240, a scanner 250, a copier 260, a printer 270, and a fax unit 280. , And a multifunction controller 280.

The operation panel unit 210 includes a plurality of operation keys for selecting and setting a function supported by the multifunction apparatus 200, and applies a key input signal corresponding to the key operation to the multifunction controller control unit 280 ( And a display panel (not shown) that displays an operating state of the multifunction apparatus 200 under the control of the multifunction apparatus control unit 280.

The sensor 220 detects a state of each part according to the operation of the multifunction apparatus 200 and provides it to the multifunction control unit 280.

The memory 230 is composed of a ROM and a RAM.

The ROM is a nonvolatile memory device and stores various control programs necessary to implement a function supported by the multifunction apparatus 200. The RAM is a volatile memory device that temporarily stores data according to a program execution result of the multifunction controller 280 and various data generated during processing of the received print data.

The device interface 240 provides an interface for smooth data communication with the host device.

The scanner 250 projects light onto an original to generate image data, and the copier 260 performs copying by printing image data generated from the scanner 250 on paper. The printer 270 performs printing by outputting print data received from the host apparatus 100 to a sheet using the copying machine 260.

The error detector 290 monitors the operation of the device interface 240, the scanner 250, the copier 260, and the printer 270 to receive print data transmitted from the host device 100, or to print. It is detected whether an error has occurred in the multifunction apparatus 200 during the process of printing a data. When an error occurs in the multifunction apparatus 200, the error detection unit 290 detects the type of the generated error and provides an error code corresponding to the detected error to the multifunction control unit 280.

The all-in-one control unit 280 controls each component so that the all-in-one 200 performs scanning, copying, and printing, and in response to the error code detected by the error detecting unit 290, error information is sent to the host device 100. To provide.

3 is a flowchart provided to explain the operation of the multifunction apparatus system to which the copy function selectable host apparatus according to the present invention is applied. 2 and 3, first, a user selects a PC copy through an application program installed in a host device (S300). In operation S310, various settings necessary for copying, for example, setting a resolution, setting the number of copies, and selecting a multifunction device to copy are performed (S310).

When the copy setting is completed, a copy method to be performed first of PC copying and self copying is determined (S320). In this case, the copy method to be performed first may be automatically determined based on the set resolution and the copy capacity, and on the other hand, it may also be determined manually by a user's key input.

Thereafter, it is checked whether the copy method to be performed first is determined to be PC copy (S330), and if it is determined to be PC copy, transmit a scan command to the multifunction apparatus (S400), and correspondingly, the scanner reads image data from the source. After that (S410), it is stored in a predetermined memory of the host device (S420).

At this time, the communication monitor 180 monitors whether an error has occurred in the process of performing S400 to S420 (S430), and if an error occurs, the copier driver 160 controls to perform self-copying.

If it is determined in step S430 that no error has occurred, the print command is transmitted to the copier again (S440). Accordingly, the printer driver installed in the host device converts the read image data into print data (S450). After the converted print data is spooled to the spooler 170 (S460), the print data is sequentially transmitted to the multifunction apparatus.

At this time, the communication monitor monitors whether an error occurs while performing steps S440 to S460 (S470), and when an error occurs, the copier driver 160 controls to copy itself.

If it is determined in step S470 that no error has occurred, the PC copy is completed by printing the stored image data after being generated by the scan (S480).

On the other hand, in step S330, if it is determined that the copy is not PC, that is determined to be its own copy, the copier driver 160 transmits a copy command to the multifunction apparatus (S500). In response to receiving the copy command, the multifunction apparatus 200 drives the copier 260 to perform a self copy function (S510). That is, the scanner 250 is driven to read image data from an original provided at the scanning position, and output the image data to the paper through the printer 260. The communication monitor 180 checks whether an error has occurred during this process (S520), and if the error occurs, the copier driver 160 performs a step after S400. If it is determined in step S520 that no error has occurred, copying is completed (S530).

By the method as described above, the radiation efficiency can be increased.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the usability of a user by providing a copy function of a multifunction apparatus through a PC copy function and a device, and preparing for copy error.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a flowchart provided to explain a conventional PC copy method;

2 is a block diagram of an all-in-one system to which a copy function selectable host device is applied according to the present invention; and

3 is a flowchart provided to explain the operation of the multifunction apparatus system to which the copy function selectable host apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: host device 140: printer driver

150: scanner driver 160: copier driver

180: communication monitor 200: multifunction device

250: scanner 260: copier

270: printing machine 290: error detection unit

Claims (7)

It operates a multifunction device having a scanner for projecting light onto an original to generate image data, a copying machine for outputting the image data on paper, and a printing machine for printing the received print data on paper through the copying machine, and selectable copy functions. In the host device, A scanner driver for driving the scanner to generate the image data; A storage unit for storing the image data; A printer driver for driving the printer; And And a copying drive unit for driving the copying machine and selectively driving the scanner and the printing press to control copying by generating, storing, and printing the image data. . The method of claim 1, And a communication monitor configured to monitor print data, scan data, and copy data transmission status events received from the multifunction apparatus, and determine whether an error of the copy performed selectively occurs. If it is determined that an error has occurred during the copier driving and the scanner and the printer driving, the copier driving unit is not driven during copying by driving the copier and copying by driving the printer and the scanner. A copying function selectable host device, wherein copying is performed again by another method. The method of claim 1, wherein the copier drive unit, And a copy function selectable host device for determining whether to perform the copying through the control of the scanner and the printer, based on at least one of a resolution and a copying capacity of the copy setting state. The method of claim 1, And an input unit including a key for determining whether to perform the copying operation by controlling the scanner and the printer. A copy function of a host apparatus for driving a multifunction apparatus including a scanner for projecting light onto an original to generate image data, a copying machine for outputting the image data on paper, and a printing machine for printing the received print data on paper through the copying machine. In the selection method, a) in response to a user's copying command, one of self-copy which drives the copying machine to perform copying, and PC-copy which drives the scanner and the printing press to generate and store the image data for printing Performing with; b) monitoring print data, scan data, and copy data transmission status events received from the multifunction apparatus, and determining whether an error of the copy performed selectively occurs; And c) if it is determined that an error has occurred, performing copying by another method not performed during the self copying and the copying of the PC; and selecting a copy function of the host device. The method of claim 5, wherein step a) comprises: And selecting one of the self copy and the PC copy based on at least one of a resolution and a copy capacity among the copy setting states. A multifunction machine having a scanner for projecting light onto an original to generate image data, a copier for outputting the image data on paper, and a printing machine for printing the received print data on paper through the copier; And In response to a user's copy command, any one of self-copy which drives the copying machine to perform copying, and which runs the scanner and the printing press to generate and store the image data and then prints selectively And a host device for controlling the multifunction device to be driven.