JP3209417B2 - Printing control device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided between a host machine and a recording device such as a printing device, graphic plotter, or printing device as a hard copy output device, and controls printing. about the print control equipment. 2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional recording apparatus, the status of a recording apparatus connected to a host machine is configured to be displayed on the recording apparatus itself or on a display unit provided in the host machine. I was In the method displayed on the host device, data indicating the state of the recording device is transferred to the host device, and the content is determined by the host device and visually displayed on the display unit. In the method displayed on the host machine, the host can grasp the entire state of the system including the recording apparatus, but the recording apparatus can grasp only the state of the recording apparatus. For example, in the case of a printing device, if there is an abnormality in the printed content, whether this is due to the printing device or the host machine is determined by
It is difficult only on the printing device side, and often it is possible to determine for the first time on the host device side. In particular, when the printing device is located at a position distant from the host machine, the operator of the printing device is required to go to the host machine to make a determination, thereby reducing the operability and operability of the printing device. I was The present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a possible printing control equipment for thereby improving the operability and operability. [0005] In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is connected to a host device and a recording device via a transmission line, and transmits code information transmitted from the host device. The print control device converts the information into dot information and sends the information to a recording device. When the print control device has an abnormality , the print control device sends information indicating that the abnormality has occurred to the host machine and the recording device. And send to both
Receives information indicating that an error has occurred in the host machine.
In this case, the information is transferred to a recording device . An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an apparatus related to the present invention,
A printing device 30 is connected as a recording device to a host device 10 as a processing system. The host device 10 is a computer system configured to output data to the printing device 30, and has a printing control unit 12 that controls the printing device 30. The print control unit 12 is connected to a print drive unit 32 of the printing device 30 via a transmission path 50, whereby print data and control information are sent to the printing device 30, and the status of the device 30 is indicated from the printing device 30. Signals and control information are sent to the host device 10. As described above, the printing device 30 is connected to the host device 10 by the transmission path 50,
It may be arranged at a position remote from the host machine 10. A printing unit 34 is connected to the printing drive unit 32. The printing unit 34 generates a laser beam modulated in accordance with, for example, video data, and performs a recording process of visualizing the laser beam on paper by an electrophotographic recording system. Has a mechanism to execute. In the electrophotographic recording method, the rotation of the photosensitive drum
Each step of the recording process such as charging, exposure, development, transfer and fixing is performed in one process. Recording is performed in units of one page of output data, and does not stop in the middle of each step in normal operation. In addition to the electrophotographic method, various methods such as a typewriter method, a wire dot method, an electrostatic method, a heat-sensitive method, an ink jet method, and a liquid crystal method can be applied. A display unit 36 is connected to the print drive unit 32. The display unit 36 is a display device that visually displays the status of the printing device 30 and the host device 10. The display method is, for example, a message indicating such a state or a silk-printed mark instructed by lighting of a light-emitting diode, and a method of displaying a message in katakana or alphabet on a dot matrix liquid crystal display device is advantageous. Applied. Further, a CRT may be provided so that such information can be visually displayed in characters or figures. In general, the status of a printing device and its control device, particularly an abnormal status, often differs depending on the system, and therefore, the status display for that purpose is advantageously displayed in characters. Information indicating the internal state of the host machine 10 is formed by the host machine 10 and sent by the print control unit 12 to the print drive unit 32 through the transmission path 50. Print driver 3
2 sends the information together with the information indicating the state of the printing device 30 to the display unit 36 to display them. The state information of the printing device 30 is mainly extracted by the printing driving unit 32 by the detecting element provided in the printing unit 34. This state information typically includes the presence or absence of paper, paper jam detection, the need for toner replenishment, and the like, and the contents may vary depending on the printing method. The information indicating the status of the host machine 10 is typically displayed on the processing unit,
Information indicating an abnormal state such as an error in the RAM or ROM is included. For the entire host device 10, information is being transferred, processing is being performed, and the like. These pieces of state information are extracted by components such as a central processing unit and a memory for the host device 10 itself, and are extracted by the control unit 12 itself for the print control unit 12. These contents are different depending on, for example, the code buffer system and the bit buffer system, and may also be different depending on the interface system. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the data output by printing to the printing unit 34 of the printing device 30 is stored in the control unit 12 of the host machine 10.
Is converted into a dot signal, and is transferred to the print driver 32 through the transmission path 50 in the form of video data. This data transfer is performed in synchronization with the image clock supplied from the print driving unit 32 of the printing device 30. When the display unit 36 has a CRT,
The data indicating the status of the host device 10 displayed thereon is also converted into the same video data format by the print control unit 12, and
The print data is transferred from the print control unit 12 to the print drive unit 32. This is sent to the display unit 36 in synchronization with the image clock supplied from the print drive unit 32 of the printing device 30, and is visually displayed on the CRT. For example, when the host device 10 is a CAD system or a CAM system that requires processing of not only characters but also graphs and graphics, the data displayed on the display device included in the host device 10 is The data is sent to a plotter for recording, that is, a printing device 30 in this example. When the display device is a CRT, the pixel density is generally low, so that it is not suitable for printing by the printing device 30 as it is. Display data with such a coarse pixel density is
The print control unit 12 converts the data into fine pixel density data.
The data is transferred to the printing device 30. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the printing device 30 is connected to the host device 14 via the transmission path 50, the printing control device 56, and the transmission path 52. The host device 14 may be the same as the host device 10 in FIG. 1, but does not have the print control unit 12, and the latter function is included in the independent print control device 56. Other configurations are shown in FIG.
The same functional elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in the following figures. The printing control device 56 may be arranged near the host machine 14 or may be arranged near the printing device 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the signal transmission interface in the transmission path 52 between the host machine 14 and the printing control device 56 satisfies interface standards such as RS-232C, RS-422, and Centronics. The data printed and output to the unit 34 is (display unit 36 is a CRT
Is transmitted in character codes). These character codes are converted by the control device 56 into video data for print output (display output in some cases). The control device 56 has a frame memory or a bitmap memory, and converts a character code into video data. The video data is transferred to the print driving unit 32 through the transmission path 50 in synchronization with the image clock supplied from the print driving unit 32 of the printing device 30, and the printing unit 34
Is printed out (in some cases, displayed on the display unit 36).
The transfer may be bit-parallel or bit-serial, but in the case of bit-serial, a clock having a frequency several times the number of parallel bits is required as compared with the case of bit-parallel. The video data printed out by the printing unit 34 is transferred from the printing control unit 56 to the printing unit 34 at a speed corresponding to the printing process in the printing unit 34. At this time, the print control device 56 converts the character code into dot data. However, an abnormal condition such as an inability to follow the data speed sent from the host machine 14 or an overflow of the memory for such data conversion occurs. Then, a signal indicating this is sent to both the host device 14 and the print drive unit 32. The signal indicating the abnormal state of the control device 56 sent to the host machine 14 is visually displayed on the display device of the host machine 14. The abnormal state signal sent to the print drive unit 32 is visually displayed on the display unit 36. Therefore, the print control device 56 transfers data indicating the status of the host device 14 and the control device 56 to the print drive unit 32. These data are displayed on the display unit 3 together with the state of the printing device 30.
6 is displayed. An abnormal state of the host machine 14 itself is extracted by components included in the host machine 14 such as a central processing unit and a memory, and is transferred to the print driving unit 32 via the print control unit 56. This is visually displayed on the display unit 36 together with the status information of the print control unit 56 and the print unit 34. In the case of a system in which the host machine 14 processes graphics, the print control device 56 may be configured to perform the above-described pixel density conversion operation. In this case, the control device 56 has a density conversion unit, and converts and accumulates one page of video data using a frame memory or a bitmap memory. This video data is transferred to the print drive unit 32 in synchronization with the image clock supplied from the print drive unit 32 of the printing device 30. As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, not only the status of the recording device but also the status of the host device is displayed on the recording device, so that the operator of the recording device does not have to go to the installation position of the host device. The status of the host machine can be grasped. Therefore, appropriate measures can be taken promptly even for an abnormal state of the apparatus, and the operability and operability of the apparatus are improved. This is particularly effective when the recording device is located at a location remote from the host machine. Also, since the status of the recording control device is also displayed on the recording device,
Similar effects can be obtained for the recording control device. According to the present invention, printing control is carried out in which the host computer and the recording device are connected via the transmission line, the code information sent from the host device is converted into dot information and sent to the recording device. An apparatus , wherein the print control device includes the print control device.
When an abnormality occurs in the location, and sends the information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in both the host machine and the recording device, or
Information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the host device.
Upon receiving the broadcast, so forwards the information to the recording apparatus, Misao
At the recording device, the author has a print control device and a host.
It is possible to easily confirm the occurrence of an abnormality in the aircraft itself .

[Brief description of the drawings] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording apparatus related to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols] 14 Host machine 30 Printer 32 print driver 36 Display 56 Printing control device 50, 52 transmission line

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Are connected via a host machine and recording apparatus and the transmission path, a print control apparatus for delivering the recording device converts the code information sent from the host machine to the dot information, indicia
Shaped controller, when an abnormality occurs in the indicia-shaped controller, information indicating that an abnormality has occurred is sent to both the host device and the recording device, also different in the host machine
When information indicating that a fault has occurred is received, the information is recorded.
A printing control device for transferring data to a recording device . [0001]