JP3408058B2 - Network print system and printer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network print system in which at least one computer and a printer are connected in a network, and more particularly to a network print system having a printer server function for centrally managing print jobs. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-143755.
As shown in the publication,
A data processing device for processing and storing data to be printed,
There is a network printing system in which a plurality of different printers are connected. In this network print system, when printing data stored and processed in the data processing device, the operator first sets printer selection conditions. The selection conditions include print quality and print cost. After the condition setting, when the operator gives an instruction to print the data, the data processing device sends inquiry data for inquiring printer specification information regarding each item of the selection condition to a plurality of printers connected to the network system. Next, each printer responds to the inquiry data and transmits the specification information of each printer to the data processing device. The data processing device selects one optimum printer based on the specification information sent from each printer, the content of the data to be printed, the attribute, and the selection condition set by the operator. Then, the data to be printed is transmitted to the selected printer to perform printing.

[0003]

However, in the conventional network print system, the data processing apparatus collects the specification information of the printers connected to the network system every time the operator instructs the printing of the image data. The printer that executes printing is selected by checking the contents of image data to be printed, the attributes, and the printing conditions set by the operator. Therefore, there is a problem in that the number of processes that must be executed in the data processing apparatus before printing is increased.

Further, when the image data is transferred to the operating printer, there is a problem that the start of desired printing is delayed.

Further, when a printer having a small input data buffer capacity is selected, the data processing device is occupied for a long time to transfer the image data from the data processing device to the printer, and the processing capacity of the data processing device is increased. There was a problem that it decreased.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and since the printer server provided in the network print system stores the image data from the computer, the computer should print the image to be printed. An object of the present invention is to provide a network print system and a printer which are released from print processing at the time when data transfer to a printer server is completed and which can suppress deterioration in processing capacity.

Further, since information about print jobs waiting to be printed is stored in the printer server, a network print system and a network print system capable of performing a quick print process by searching for the above information by an operable printer. The purpose is to provide a printer .

[0008]

To achieve this object, in a network print system according to a first aspect of the present invention, at least one computer that creates desired image data to be printed, and the computer create the desired image data to be printed. A printer server that temporarily stores the image data and the printing conditions of the image data as job data and at least one printer that prints the image data on a recording medium are connected. The job search means provided in the printer searches the job data stored in the printer server and prints the job data waiting for printing.
If the data is registered, the job data
The printing conditions can be read and the job data can be executed.
Whether or not the job data waiting to be printed is
If the job is not registered, other job data will be registered.
Wait until it is recorded. In addition, the job input means, the job
The job server requests the printer server to transfer the job data determined to be executable, and reads the job data. The job posting means provided in the printer server makes it possible to read the print conditions of the job data from all the printers connected to the network print system, and the job transfer means responds to the job data transfer request from the printer. Transfer the job data.

In the network print system according to the present invention, the memory means provided in the printer server stores the job data transferred from the computer until the printing of the job data is normally executed. .

Further, in the network print system according to a third aspect of the present invention, the printer selection means provided in the printer server is arranged so that one of the printers which is most suitable for the printing condition can respond to the job data transfer requests from a plurality of printers. Select a printer.

Further, in the network printing system according to a fourth aspect, the printer monitor means provided in the printer server monitors the operating state of the printer to which the job data has been transferred.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the network printing system, the printer status communication means provided in the printer server prints the image data in response to a request from the computer that created the image data. The operating status of is notified to the computer.

Further, the printer according to the sixth aspect is communicatively connected to a printer server that temporarily stores desired image data to be printed and print conditions of the image data as job data, and stores the image data. Targeting those to be printed on the recording medium, in particular, searching the job data stored in the printer server and waiting for printing.
If the job data in the default status is registered,
Read the print conditions of the job data and read the job data
Waits for printing while determining whether
If the status job data is not registered,
A job search unit that waits until job data is registered, and requests the printer server to transfer the job data that is determined to be executable by the job search unit ;
It is characterized by comprising a job input means for reading the job data.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the network print system of the present embodiment. Computers 10 and 1
2, the printers 14 and 16 and the printer server 18 are connected via a communication line 20 to form a network. The computers 10 and 12 are configured as shown in FIG. 2, and the CPU 22, the memory 24, the input device 26, the display device 28, and the communication device 30 include the internal bus 3.
Connected to 2. Here, the CPU 22 controls the entire computer 10, and the memory 24 stores an operation program of the CPU 22 and calculation data. The input device 26 is composed of a keyboard and a mouse, and the display device 28 is composed of a CRT display and a liquid crystal display. Further, the communication device 30 is configured such that the computer 10 can perform data communication with another computer via the communication line 20 or can transfer data to a printer connected to the communication line 20 and print out. There is. Since the computer 12 has the same configuration as the computer 10, its explanation is omitted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the printers 14 and 16 are composed of a printer engine 34, a printer controller 36 and a communication port 38. Here, the printer engine 34 is provided in the printer and conveys a recording sheet of a size designated by the user,
Characters and images are printed on the recording paper by using a known printing means such as an inkjet method. Further, the printer controller 36 uses the communication port 3
It is configured to comprehensively process the data to be printed out, which is input from the No. 8, and to convert the character or image into a data format that enables printing in the print engine 34. Since the printer 16 has the same configuration as the printer 14, its description is omitted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the printer server 18 comprises a CPU 40, a memory 42, a mass storage device 44 and a communication device 46. here,
The CPU 22 controls the entire printer server 18, and the memory 42 stores the operation program of the CPU 40 and operation data. Further, the communication device 46 is the printer server 1.
8 is configured to be able to perform data communication with the computers 10 and 12 and the printers 14 and 16 via the communication line 20. Further, the mass storage device 44 is connected to the communication line 2
Image data to be printed out and print condition data input from the communication device 46 via 0 are stored. Here, the mass storage device 44 constitutes the memory means of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the network print system configured as described above will be described.

First, the operation of the print processing program of the computers 10 and 12 connected to the network will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, a document or image data to be printed is created by using a predetermined program in the computers 10 and 12 (S10, where S is a step, and so on). Next, the paper size,
Various conditions at the time of printing such as paper type and printing accuracy are set (S11). The printing conditions can be set before or during the creation of the document or image data. The completed document and image data are transferred to the print server 18 connected to the network print system as job data together with the printing conditions (S1).
2).

If the computers 10 and 12 are set to monitor the instructed printing operation state (YES in S13), the computers 10 and 12 are connected to the network print system to obtain the job data from the print server 18. Then, the operating status of the printer that is executing printing can be confirmed on the display device or the like connected to the computers 10 and 12 (S14). After that, the print processing program ends. On the other hand, if it is not set to monitor the operating status of the printer that is performing printing (NO in S13), the printing process is performed without monitoring the operating status of the printer that is printing the job data. The program ends.

As described above, in the computers 10 and 12 of the present embodiment, since the print processing program is terminated after the job data is transferred, it is possible to immediately perform work for other processing and improve the processing capacity. it can.

Next, the operation of the print processing program of the print server 18 connected to the network will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, it waits until the job data is transferred from the computer 10 or 12 (NO in S20), and when the job data is accepted (YES in S20), printing that is various conditions at the time of printing such as paper size, paper type, and printing accuracy. Job data including conditions and image data is read (S21).

Next, the printing conditions are set in the shared memory area 44.
It is stored in a (S22). The shared memory area 44a is a memory area that is readable / writable by the CPU 40 in the printer server 18 and readable / writable by the computer 10 or 12 connected to the network print system via the communication device 46. Then, the printer waits until there is a job data input request for executing the printing of the job data from among the plurality of printers connected to the network print system (NO in S23), and the printer issues an input request. If so (YES in S23), if the input request is issued from a plurality of printers (YES in S24), the printer most suitable for the print condition of the job data is selected from the plurality of printers (S25), A print start command is transmitted to the printer (S26). The selection of the optimum printer is determined by comparing the printing speed of each printer.

If the job data input request is issued from only one printer (NO in S24), a print start command is transmitted to that printer (S26).
Then, the job data composed of the printing condition and the image data is transferred to the printer which has transmitted the print start command (S27). Next, the operation of monitoring the operating status of the printer that is printing the job data is started (S28). Further, if the computer 10 or 12 as the transfer source of the job data is set to monitor the print status of the job data and requests the printer server for the information (YES in S29), the monitored printer The operating status of the computer 1
Transferred to 0 or 12 as status information (S3
0).

Then, it is judged whether or not the printing of the job data is completed (S31), and if the printing is not completed (NO in S31), the process returns to S28 and the operation of monitoring the operating status of the printer is repeated. The loop processing from S28 to S31 is performed in the CPU 40 or the CPU.
The timer circuit connected to 40 may be executed at regular intervals. This loop processing ends,
When the printing of the job data is completed (Y in S31)
ES), the job data stored in the printer server is erased (S32), and the print processing program of the print server 18 ends. Here, the operation of S22 constitutes the job posting means of the present invention, the operation of S25 constitutes the printer selecting means of the present invention, and the operation of S27 constitutes the job transfer means of the present invention. Further, the operation of S28 constitutes the printer monitor means of the present invention, and the operation of S30 constitutes the printer status communication means of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the print processing program of the printers 14 and 16 connected to the network will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the printer waits until it is ready to print (N in S40).
O), if ready (YES at S40),
The shared memory area 44a in the printer server is accessed to check whether or not a job waiting for printing is registered (S41).

If a job waiting to be printed is registered (YES in S41), the printing condition of the job stored in the shared memory area 44a in the printer server is read (S42). Then, it is determined whether or not the job can be executed (S43), and if it cannot be executed (NO in S43), the process returns to S41 and waits until another job is registered.

On the other hand, if the job is executable (S43)
YES), the print server is requested to execute printing of the job (S44). If the print request is accepted on the printer server side (YES in S45),
The job data for the printing is input (S46). If the print request is not accepted on the printer server side (NO in S45), the process returns to S41 and waits until another job is stored. Then, the print processing of the input job data is performed (S47). Here, S41 to S4
The operation of 3 constitutes the job search means of the present invention, and the operations of S44 to S46 constitute the job input means of the present invention.

During the operation of the printing process of S47, a monitor program for monitoring the operating status of the printer is executed as an interrupt process. The operation of this program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This program is executed as a timer interrupt process driven at predetermined time intervals. First, the operating status of the printer is sensed (S50). In this behavior,
In addition to checking the progress of the printing process of the printer, the signal values of various sensors provided in the printer are checked to detect the conveyance status of the paper and the remaining amount or the remaining amount of ink. Then, the situation is transferred to the print server 18 (S51), and this processing ends.

As described above, the printer 14 of the present embodiment
In Nos. 16 and 16, only the printer capable of printing accesses the printer server 18, so that the desired printing can be performed immediately without transferring the job data to the non-printable printer in operation of the printer server 18. There is.

[0031]

As is apparent from the above description,
In the network print system according to claim 1, at least one computer that creates desired image data to be printed, and image data created by the computer and print conditions of the image data are temporarily stored as job data. And a printer server for printing the image data on a recording medium. The job search means provided in the printer searches the job data stored in the printer server and prints the job data waiting to be printed.
If is registered, the print conditions for the job data
Whether the job data can be executed by reading the record
Whether the job data waiting to be printed is
If not registered, other job data is registered.
Wait until In addition, the job input means, job search
The printer server is requested to transfer the job data determined to be executable by the search means , and the job data is read. The job posting means provided in the printer server makes it possible to read the print conditions of the job data from all the printers connected to the network print system, and the job transfer means responds to the transfer request of the job data from the printer. Transfer the job data.

Therefore, the time that the computer is occupied by the printing process is reduced, and the processing capability of the computer can be improved. Further, since the operable printer executes the print job, it is possible to perform a quick print process.

Further, in the network printing system according to the second aspect, the memory means provided in the printer server stores the job data transferred from the computer until the printing of the job data is normally executed. Therefore, the print data does not remain in the computer, and the processing capability of the computer can be improved.

Further, in the network printing system according to a third aspect of the present invention, the printer selecting means provided in the printer server has one printer that is optimum for the printing conditions in response to job data transfer requests from a plurality of printers. Since the printer is selected, it is possible to obtain the print output that matches the set print conditions.

In the network print system according to the present invention, the printer monitor means provided in the printer server monitors the operating state of the printer to which the job data has been transferred, so that the progress of printing can be accurately performed. Not only can it be notified, but also the occurrence of any abnormality can be notified promptly.

Further, the network print system according to claim 5, wherein the printer status communication means provided in said printer server, a request from the computer that created the image data, and printing is performed for the image data printer Since the operating status of the above is notified to the computer, the progress status of printing can be accurately notified and the occurrence of some abnormality can be quickly notified. Furthermore, according to the printer of claim 6,
Less time is spent on the computer for printing
Can improve the processing power of the computer
It A workable printer also executes the print job.
Therefore, a quick printing process can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network print system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a computer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a printer server according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a print processing operation of the computer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a print processing operation of the printer server according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 computers 12 computers 14 Printer 16 Printer 18 Printer server 20 communication lines

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Masafumi Suzuki 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City Brother Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Tsuneo Yasui 15-1 Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City Brother Industries Ltd. (72) ) Inventor Makino Noriku, 15-1 Naedai-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City, Brother Industries, Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-5-313839 (JP, A) JP-A-7-311665 (JP, A) JP-A 7-325680 (JP, A) JP-A-5-173729 (JP, A) JP-A-7-200207 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/12 B41J 29/38

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A at least one computer that creates desired image data to be printed, a printer server that temporarily stores image data created by the computer and print conditions of the image data as job data. In a network print system connected to at least one printer for printing the image data on a recording medium, the printer searches for job data stored in the printer server, and prints the job data in a print waiting state.
If is registered, the print conditions for the job data
Whether the job data can be executed by reading the record
Whether the job data waiting to be printed is
If not registered, other job data is registered.
And a request to transfer the job data determined to be executable by the job search means to the printer server,
The printer server includes job input means for reading the job data, and the printer server is capable of reading the print conditions of the job data by all printers connected to the network print system, and transferring the job data from the printer. A network print system comprising a job transfer means for transferring the job data in response to a request. 2. The printer server according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit for storing the job data transferred from the computer until the printing of the job data is normally executed. Network printing system. 3. The printer server comprises printer selection means for selecting one printer most suitable for the printing conditions in response to job data transfer requests from a plurality of printers. 1. The network print system according to 1. 4. The printer server comprises printer monitor means for monitoring the operating state of the printer to which the job data has been transferred.
The network printing system described in. 5. The printer server comprises printer status communication means for notifying the computer of the operating status of the printer that is printing the image data in response to a request from the computer that created the image data. The network printing system according to claim 4, which is characterized in that. 6. A printer which is communicatively connected to a printer server for temporarily storing desired image data to be printed and print conditions of the image data as job data, and which prints the image data on a recording medium, The job data stored in the printer server above is searched and the job data waiting to be printed is registered.
In this case, read the print conditions of the job data and
When it is judged whether the job data of
In both cases, the job data waiting to be printed is not registered.
In this case, the job search unit that waits until another job data is registered and the job data that is determined to be executable by the job search unit are transferred to the printer server. Request and
A printer comprising a job input means for reading the job data.