JP3768580B2 - Intertask synchronous communication method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists of two tasks, an instruction issue task for sequentially issuing instructions to be processed and a process execution task for receiving instructions and performing sequential processing according to the contents of the instructions. Forward communication means for notifying instructions to the process execution task from the task via the FIFO buffer, and reverse communication means, that is, reverse notification for notifying completion of the execution of each instruction from the process execution task to the instruction issue task The present invention relates to an intertask synchronous communication method suitable for a multitask data processing system having a direction communication means.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a multitask data processing system, a FIFO buffer is provided in a forward communication means for notifying an instruction from an instruction issue task to a process execution task, and the instruction issue task is executed while the process execution task is executing a process for one instruction. Increases the processing efficiency of the entire system by adopting a configuration that can perform the next instruction issue processing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, there are cases where it is necessary to perform instruction issue control such as changing the contents of the issued instruction by changing the process of the issued instruction task in accordance with the contents of the execution result notified from the process execution task. In this case, the instruction issue task needs to wait for execution completion until the instruction process execution of the process execution task for all the instructions issued from the instruction issue task is completed. For this reason, there is a problem that the advantage of providing the FIFO buffer is not utilized and the processing efficiency is deteriorated.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an intertask synchronous communication method that improves the processing efficiency of communication between an instruction issue task and a process execution task.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an instruction issue task for sequentially issuing instructions to be processed, and a process execution for receiving the instructions and sequentially processing according to the contents of the instructions. The task execution task communicates with the process execution task from the instruction issue task via the FIFO buffer, and forward communication is performed from the process execution task to the instruction issue task. In the intertask synchronous communication method of the multitask data processing system that performs reverse communication for notifying the completion of processing execution of each command, the paper feed amount of the command transmitted from the command issuing task to the FIFO buffer is accumulated from the job start time. Stored in the first storage device, and the paper feed amount of the instruction fetched from the FIFO buffer by the process execution task is accumulated from the job start time. Stored in the second storage device, and the process execution task calculates the distance to the end of the recording medium and the paper feed amount accumulated and stored in the second storage device at the time of executing the processing for the recording medium advance command. The instruction issuance task is notified, and the instruction issuance task is added to the received execution result and notified from the difference between the paper feed amount notified and the paper feed amount accumulated and stored in the first storage device. Calculate the unexecuted processing amount accumulated in the buffer, calculate the estimated distance to the end based on the calculated unexecuted processing amount and the distance from the processing execution task to the end of the recording medium, A print recording operation command or a job end command is issued based on the calculated estimated distance to the end.
[0006]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the intertask synchronous communication method according to the first aspect, the instruction issue task and the process execution task operate on different devices, respectively, via a communication cable that interconnects the two devices. The instruction and the execution result are notified.
[0007]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the multitask data processing system is a print recording apparatus that performs recording.
[0008]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the command to be processed according to the first aspect is a recording medium feeding operation command in the print recording apparatus.
[0009]
The invention of claim 5 notifies the instruction issue task of claim 1 of the recording medium end detection status and the distance to the end of the recording medium when the recording medium feeding operation is completed, and the instruction issue task The distance to the end of the recording medium is managed based on the detected condition of the end of the recording medium and the distance to the end of the recording medium, and no command is issued for the print recording operation past the end of the recording medium. It is characterized by .
[0010]
The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that the instruction issuing task restarts the next instruction issuing process when it is determined whether or not the end of the recording medium is reached.
[0011]
The invention of claim 7 is characterized in that the command issue task clears the transmission processing amount of the first storage device at the start of the job.
[0012]
The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the processing execution task clears the reception processing amount of the second storage device at the start of the job.
[0013]
The invention of claim 9 is directed to an instruction issue task for issuing a print recording operation instruction, a recording medium feed instruction, and a job end instruction, a process execution task in which an instruction is notified from the instruction issue task via a FIFO buffer, A print mechanism for recording on a recording medium, and the process execution task acquires a command from a FIFO buffer, performs a print recording operation in the case of a print recording command, and records a recording medium in the case of a recording medium feed command Perform a feed operation, add the recording medium feed amount to the cumulative processing amount y, notify the distance z to the end of the recording medium and the cumulative processing amount y to the command issuing task, and if the job end command, end the job, the instruction issue task, when issuing a recording medium feed instruction, issues a recording medium feed instruction adds the amount sent to cumulative amount y ', when issuing the print recording instruction, the process execution data Based on the cumulative processing amount y and the cumulative processing amount y ′ notified from the disk, the unexecuted processing amount Δy in the FIFO buffer is calculated, and the calculated unexecuted processing amount Δy and the recording notified from the processing execution task A distance estimate value z ′ to the end is calculated based on the distance z to the medium end, and a print recording operation command or a job end command is issued based on the calculated distance estimate value z ′ to the end. It is characterized by that.
[0014]
The invention of claim 10 includes a command issue task for issuing a print recording operation command, a recording medium feed command, and a job end command, a process execution task in which a command is notified from the command issue task via a FIFO buffer, And a printing mechanism for recording on a recording medium, wherein the processing execution task obtains a command from a FIFO buffer, and in the case of a printing recording command, performs a printing recording operation and sends the recording medium to the recording medium. In the case of an instruction, a recording medium feed operation is performed, the recording medium feed amount is added to the cumulative processing amount y, the distance z to the end of the recording medium and the cumulative processing amount y are notified to the command issuing task, and in the case of a job end command When the command issuing task issues a recording medium feed command, the command issuing task issues a recording medium feed command, adds the feed amount to the accumulated processing amount y ′, and prints the print medium. When a recording command is issued, the unexecuted processing amount Δy in the FIFO buffer is calculated based on the accumulated processing amount y and the accumulated processing amount y ′ notified from the processing execution task, and the calculated unexecuted processing amount Δy And an estimated distance z ′ to the end based on the distance z to the end of the recording medium notified from the processing execution task, and a print recording operation command is issued based on the calculated estimated distance z ′ to the end. Issued or issued a job end command.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
Example 1
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a print recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium such as recording paper as an embodiment of a multitask data processing system to which the present invention is applied.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, the print recording apparatus includes the following components, that is, a print recording mechanism 2 that reciprocates in the A direction on the recording medium 1 and performs print recording in a strip shape, and the recording medium 1 in the B direction perpendicular to the A direction. A recording medium transport mechanism 3 to be moved is included. The print recording mechanism 2 and the recording medium transport mechanism 3 are individually controlled, and a recording image is formed on the recording medium 1 by operating both components in combination.
[0018]
A recording medium end detection mechanism 4 for detecting the end of the recording medium 1 is provided on the recording medium conveyance path at a position separated by a distance x from the print recording mechanism 2 in the recording medium conveyance direction. It is possible to detect the end of the recording medium at a point just before that.
[0019]
FIG. 2 shows a task configuration in this embodiment. A task is the minimum unit of work performed by a computer, and a work performed by one program or program instruction is a task. Since the task is executed by an information processing apparatus such as a computer having a CPU, the task is represented as hardware in this embodiment. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 denotes an instruction issue task for issuing instructions such as a print recording operation and a recording medium feeding operation in accordance with the contents recorded on the recording medium 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes a process execution task that receives an instruction from the instruction issue task 5 and executes processes such as a print recording operation and a recording medium feeding operation. The instruction issue task 5 and the process execution task 6 operate in parallel on a multitask operating system executed by the CPU in the storage device 1, and communicate with each other using an inter-task communication function provided by the multitask operating system. I do.
[0020]
An instruction is notified from the instruction issue task 5 to the process execution task 6 via the FIFO buffer 7, and an execution result for each instruction is notified from the process execution task 6 to the instruction issue task 5. On the internal work area of the instruction issue task 5, a transmission processing amount storage means (first storage device of the present invention) 8 is provided and can be freely read and written from the instruction issue task 5. A reception processing amount storage means (second storage device of the present invention) 9 is provided on the internal work area of the processing execution task 6 and can be freely read and written from the processing execution task 6.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, as the execution result for the recording medium feed operation command from the command issue task 5, the recording medium end detection status and the distance to the end of the recording medium when the recording medium feed operation is completed are notified. A case will be described in which the distance to the end of the recording medium is managed based on the received execution result, and the command issuance control is performed so that the instruction is not issued in the print recording operation past the end of the recording medium.
[0022]
FIG. 3 shows a processing procedure of the processing execution task 6. The processing execution task 6 clears the cumulative processing amount y stored in the reception processing amount storage means 9 at the start of the print recording job (step S1). Thereafter, the process execution task 6 takes out the instruction from the instruction issue task 5 from the FIFO buffer 7 (step S2), and performs the process according to the contents.
[0023]
If the command fetched from the FIFO buffer 7 is a print recording operation command (step S3), the process execution task 6 controls the print recording mechanism 2 according to the parameter added and notified to the command, and performs one scan. Minute recording operation is performed (step S4). If the command fetched from the FIFO buffer 7 is a recording medium feed command (step S5), the recording medium transport mechanism 3 is controlled in accordance with the recording medium feed amount notified in addition to the command to feed the recording medium. An operation is performed (step S6). At the same time, the executed recording medium feed amount is added to the accumulated processing amount y stored in the reception processing amount storage means 9 (step S7).
[0024]
If the end of the recording medium has already been detected after completion of the recording medium feeding operation (step S8), the recording medium is fed from the distance x from the print recording mechanism 2 to the recording medium end detection mechanism 4 from the time when the recording medium end is detected. The distance z to the end of the recording medium is calculated by subtracting the amount (step S9). On the other hand, in step S8, if the end of the recording medium has not yet been detected when the recording medium feeding operation is completed, it is certain that the distance to the end of the recording medium is at least x, so the distance z to the end of the recording medium is determined. Is temporarily set equal to x (step S10).
[0025]
The distance z to the end of the recording medium calculated in step S9 or step S10, the accumulated processing amount y stored in the reception processing amount storage means 9, and the recording medium end detection status are collected together as an execution result. The command issue task 5 is notified as an execution result for the recording medium feed command (step S11). If the instruction fetched from the FIFO buffer 7 is a job end instruction (step S12), the process execution task 6 ends the print recording job (step S13).
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the instruction issue task 5. The command issuing task 5 clears the accumulated processing amount y ′ stored in the transmission processing amount storage means 8 at the start of the print recording job (step S14). Thereafter, the command issue task 5 generates print record data (step S15), and issues commands to the FIFO buffer 7 sequentially according to the contents.
[0027]
When the instruction to be transmitted to the FIFO buffer 7 is a recording medium sending instruction (step S16), the instruction issuing task 5 transmits the instruction to the FIFO buffer 7 (step S17) and stores it in the transmission processing amount storage means 8. The recording medium feed amount, that is, the recording medium feed amount transmitted in addition to the command is added to the accumulated accumulated processing amount y '(step S18). When the command to be transmitted to the FIFO buffer 7 is a print recording operation command (step S19), the command issue task 5 refers to the content of the execution result received from the process execution task 6 lastly, Using the cumulative processing amount y added and notified, and the cumulative processing amount y ′ stored in the transmission processing amount storage means 8, the storage medium feed amount Δy = accumulated in the FIFO buffer 7 and not yet processed. y'-y is calculated (step S20).
[0028]
Using the Δy obtained in step S20 and the distance z to the end of the recording medium notified as the execution result, the distance to the end of the recording medium at the time when the processing execution for all the commands in the FIFO buffer 7 is completed is estimated. The value z ′ = z−Δy is calculated (step S21). If z ′ ≧ 0 (step S22), the recording is completed when the processing execution for all the instructions in the FIFO buffer 7 is completed regardless of the recording medium end detection status notified as the execution result. Since it is certain that the end of the medium has not been reached, the command issue task 5 immediately issues a print recording operation command (step S23).
[0029]
On the other hand, if z ′ <0 in step S22 and the recording medium end detection status notified as the execution result indicates that end detection has been completed (step S24), processing is executed for all the instructions in the FIFO buffer 7. When it is completed, it is certain that the end of the recording medium has been passed. Therefore, the command issuing task 5 does not issue a print recording operation command, but issues a job end command (step S25), and immediately prints and records. The job is terminated (step S26).
[0030]
If z ′ <0 in step S22 and the recording medium end detection status notified as the execution result in step S24 indicates that the end has not been detected, execution of processing for all instructions in the FIFO buffer 7 is completed. Since it is indefinite whether it has reached the end of the recording medium at that time, the instruction issue task 5 suspends the instruction issue process and waits for the next execution result to be notified from the process execution task (step S27).
[0031]
Even in this case, if the process execution task 6 sequentially processes the instructions in the FIFO buffer 7, it is often determined whether or not the end of the recording medium is reached before the FIFO buffer 7 becomes empty. In such a case, the instruction issue task 5 does not suspend the instruction issue processing until the completion of processing execution for all the instructions in the FIFO buffer 7, but at the time when it is determined whether or not the end of the recording medium is reached, the next Instruction issue processing can be resumed.
[0032]
As described above, by using the present invention, the instruction issue task 5 can move to the next instruction issue process without waiting for the completion of all instructions, and the efficient use of the advantage of the FIFO buffer 7 is achieved. Processing is possible.
[0033]
(Example 2)
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of a print recording system as a second embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment includes a host device 10 and a recording device 11, and the host device 10 and the recording device 11 are connected via a communication cable 12. In this embodiment, the instruction issue task 5 operates on the higher-level device 10 side, and the process execution task 6 operates on the recording device 11 side. On the recording device 1 side, a reception buffer 13 is provided to store commands received from the host device 10 via the communication cable 12, and functions as a FIFO buffer. The processing procedures performed by the instruction issue task 5 and the process execution task 6 may be exactly the same as those described in the first embodiment.
[0034]
As described above, even when the instruction issue task 5 and the process execution task 6 operate on different devices, by applying the present invention, the instruction issue task 5 executes the process of all instructions stored in the reception buffer 13. The next instruction issuance process can be performed without waiting for completion, and an efficient process utilizing the advantages of the reception buffer 13 is possible.
[0035]
(Other examples)
In the first and second embodiments, the information notified as the execution result is the distance to the bottom end of the recordable area, and the cumulative processing amount to be added and notified is the recording medium feed amount from the job start point. For example, the present invention can be applied to other parameters such as the remaining number of recording media and the remaining amount of recording ink. Of course, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to apparatuses other than the printing and recording apparatus.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above , according to the first, ninth, and tenth aspects of the present invention, when it is determined whether or not the end of the storage medium is reached instead of suspending the processing until the completion of the processing for all the instructions in the FIFO buffer. Thus, the next instruction issuing process can be resumed, and an efficient process can be performed.
[0037]
In the invention of claim 2, the communication efficiency between the two devices in the system can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration of a print recording apparatus as a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a task configuration of the multitask data processing system in the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a process execution task in the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an instruction issue task in the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a print recording system as a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording medium 2 Print recording mechanism 3 Recording medium conveyance mechanism 4 Recording medium end detection mechanism 5 Command issue task 6 Processing execution task 7 FIFO buffer

Claims (10)

There are two tasks, an instruction issue task for sequentially issuing instructions to be processed, and a process execution task for receiving the instructions and sequentially processing according to the contents of the instructions. Multi-task data for performing forward communication for notifying instructions to the processing execution task via the reverse and performing backward communication for notifying completion of processing execution of each instruction from the processing execution task to the instruction issuing task In a synchronous communication method between tasks of a processing system,
The instruction issue task accumulates the paper feed amount of the instruction sent to the FIFO buffer from the job start time and stores it in the first storage device;
The processing execution task accumulates the paper feed amount of the instruction fetched from the FIFO buffer from the job start time and stores it in the second storage device;
The process execution task notifies the command issue task of a paper feed amount accumulated in the second storage device and a distance to the end of the print medium when executing a process for the print medium feed command.
The command issue task is an unregistered task that is stored in the FIFO buffer based on the difference between the paper feed amount added and notified to the received execution result and the paper feed amount accumulated and stored in the first storage device. Calculate the amount of execution processing,
Based on the calculated unexecuted processing amount and the distance to the end of the recording medium notified from the process execution task, the estimated distance to the end is calculated, and the print recording operation is performed based on the calculated estimated distance to the end. An inter-task synchronous communication method characterized by issuing an instruction or issuing a job end instruction.   2. The intertask synchronous communication method according to claim 1, wherein the command issue task and the process execution task operate on different devices, respectively, and the command and the execution result via a communication cable interconnecting the two devices. The task synchronous communication method characterized by notifying.   The intertask synchronous communication method according to claim 1, wherein the multitask data processing system is a print recording apparatus that performs recording.   4. The intertask synchronous communication method according to claim 3, wherein the command to be processed according to claim 1 is a recording medium feed operation command in the print recording apparatus.   2. The command issue task according to claim 1 is notified of a recording medium end detection situation and a distance to the recording medium end when the recording medium feeding operation is completed, and the command issue task notifies the notified recording medium end detection situation. 5. The distance to the end of the previous recording medium is managed on the basis of the distance to the end of the recording medium, and a command for a print recording operation after the end of the recording medium is not issued. The inter-task synchronous communication method described in 1.   6. The inter-task synchronous communication method according to claim 5, wherein the command issuing task restarts the next command issuing process when it is determined whether or not the end of the recording medium is reached.   2. The intertask synchronous communication method according to claim 1, wherein the command issuing task clears a transmission processing amount of the first storage device at a job start time.   2. The intertask synchronous communication method according to claim 1, wherein the processing execution task clears a reception processing amount of the second storage device at a job start time. 3. A command issuing task for issuing a print recording operation command, a recording medium feed command, and a job end command;
A process execution task in which an instruction is notified from the instruction issue task through a FIFO buffer; and a printing mechanism for recording on a transported recording medium;
The process execution task acquires a command from the FIFO buffer, performs a print recording operation in the case of a print recording command, performs a recording medium feed operation in the case of a recording medium feed command, and sets the recording medium feed amount to the accumulated processing amount y. In addition, the command issuing task is notified of the distance z to the end of the recording medium and the accumulated processing amount y, and in the case of a job end command, the job is ended,
The command issuing task is notified from the process execution task when issuing a recording medium feed command, issuing a recording medium feed command, adding the feed amount to the accumulated processing amount y ′, and issuing a print recording command. Based on the accumulated processing amount y and the accumulated processing amount y ′, the unexecuted processing amount Δy in the FIFO buffer is calculated, and the calculated unexecuted processing amount Δy and the end of the recording medium notified from the processing execution task are calculated. A distance estimated value z ′ to the end is calculated based on the distance z, and a print recording operation command or a job end command is issued based on the calculated distance estimated value z ′ to the end Printer. A command issuance task that issues a print recording operation command, a recording medium feed command, and a job end command, a process execution task in which a command is notified from the command issuance task via a FIFO buffer, and a record is recorded on the transported recording medium A control method in a printer having a printing mechanism to perform,
The process execution task acquires a command from the FIFO buffer, performs a print recording operation in the case of a print recording command, performs a recording medium feed operation in the case of a recording medium feed command, and sets the recording medium feed amount to the accumulated processing amount y. In addition, the command issuing task is notified of the distance z to the end of the recording medium and the accumulated processing amount y, and in the case of a job end command, the job is ended,
The command issuing task is notified from the process execution task when issuing a recording medium feed command, issuing a recording medium feed command, adding the feed amount to the accumulated processing amount y ′, and issuing a print recording command. Based on the accumulated processing amount y and the accumulated processing amount y ′, the unexecuted processing amount Δy in the FIFO buffer is calculated, and the calculated unexecuted processing amount Δy and the end of the recording medium notified from the processing execution task are calculated. A distance estimated value z ′ to the end is calculated based on the distance z, and a print recording operation command or a job end command is issued based on the calculated distance estimated value z ′ to the end Control method to do.

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