JPH03220623A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the frequency in transfer of print format information from a high-order device to a printer by providing a printer with a printer side storage means where print data, print format information, and identification information corresponding to the information transferred by the control means of the high-order device are stored. CONSTITUTION:The high-order device 1 stores the print format information in a high-order side storage means 11 and generates the identification information from the print format information and transfers the information to a printer 2 together with print data. The printer 2 decides whether print format information corresponding to transferred identification information is stored in a printer side storage means 21 or not, and the data is printed based on corresponding print format information and the print data when it is stored, but transfer of print format information is required to the high-order device 1 and the information is stored in the printer side storage means 21 correspondingly to the identification information and the data is printed based on the print format information and the print data when it is not stored. Thus, the frequency in transfer of the print format information from the high-order device 1 to the printer 2 is reduced.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a printer system.

(Prior Art) Normally, a print format in a printer device can be specified at will by a user in a host computer, which is a host device.

Printing in the printer device is performed by receiving information on the print format and data to be actually printed from the host computer.

By the way, it is well known that the time required to transfer print format information and print data from a host computer to a printer device increases depending on the total amount of data. In general, the length of print data affects the overall data transfer time in most cases, and the length of print format information does not change, so unless the print format is changed frequently, the entire data It does not cause extreme fluctuations in transfer time.

However, especially when printing short print data with frequently changing formats, the time required to transfer the print format information increases to a non-negligible proportion of the total data transfer time, reducing print processing efficiency. There was a problem with that.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and can significantly reduce the frequency of transfer of print format information from the host device to the printer, thereby reducing the burden on the host device side. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a printer system that can reduce load and improve print processing efficiency.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the printer device of the present invention performs printing based on a host device and print format information and print data transferred from the host device. In a printer system equipped with a printer, the higher-level device includes a higher-level storage means for storing print format information, and generates identification information from the print format information and transfers this to the printer together with the print data. control means for transferring the print format information stored in the upper storage means to the printer; It is determined whether or not the print format information corresponding to the means and the identification information transferred from the host device is stored in the printer side storage means, and if it is stored, the identification information stored in the printer side storage means is Printing is performed based on the corresponding print format information and print data, and if the print format information is not stored, a request is made to the host device to transfer the print format information, and the transferred print format information is associated with identification information and stored in the storage means on the printer side. The print control means stores the print format information and the print data, and prints based on the print format information and print data.

(Function) In the printer system of the present invention, the host device first stores print format information in the host storage means, generates identification information from the print format information, and transfers this information to the printer together with the print data.

On the other hand, the printer determines whether or not the print format information corresponding to the identification information transferred from the host device is stored in the printer side storage means, and if it is stored, the printer Printing is performed based on the print format information and print data corresponding to the information, and if it is not stored, requests the host device to transfer the print format information,
The transferred print format information is stored in the printer side storage means in association with the identification information, and printing is performed based on this print format information and print data.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to significantly reduce the frequency of transfer of print format information from a host device to a printer, thereby reducing the load on the host device side and improving print processing efficiency.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a printer stem according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a host computer which is a host device, and 2 is a printer device connected to this host computer via a data transmission line 3.

In the host computer described above, numeral 11 is a memory which is an upper storage means in which print data and print format information are stored, and 12 is a control means which controls data input/output to the memory 1, data transfer to the printer device 2, etc. It is a CPU. Note that this CPU 12 is
It has a function of generating an identification information code (hereinafter referred to as ID) from the print format information stored in the memory 1. Reference numeral 13 denotes a CPU control unit which generates print format information by speaking to the operating program and issues various operation commands to the CPU 12.

In the printer device 2, a memory 21 is a storage means on the printer side in which the print data and print format information transferred from the host computer 1 are stored, and in this memory 21, the print format information is stored in association with the ID. ing. Reference numeral 22 represents a print execution unit that performs actual printing processing, and reference numeral 23 represents a print control unit that performs print control in the printer device 2 .

Next, the operation of the printer system configured as described above will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when the CPU control unit 13 receives a print request including print format information from a user application program,
[CPU] issues execution instructions for processing according to the request contents;
(Step A). Then, the CPU 12
After storing the print format information in the memory 11 (step B), the print data is not read from the print data storage area on the memory 11, and an ID is generated from the print format information (step C), and these are transmitted as data. The data is transferred to the printer device 2 via the path 3 (step D).

As a result, the print control unit 23 of the printer device 2 stores the transferred print data in the print data storage area on the memory 21 (step E), and also stores the transferred print data in the print data storage area on the memory 21 (step E).
The print format information corresponding to is stored in the memory 2 of the printer device 2.
1 is stored (step F).

Here, when the print control unit 23 determines that the print format information corresponding to the transferred ID is stored in the memory 21, it reads out the corresponding print format information from the memory 21 along with the print data (step G ), these are sent to the print execution unit 22 (step H), and the printing process is executed (step l).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the print format information corresponding to the transferred ID is not stored, the print control unit 23 returns a notification requesting transfer of the print format information to the host computer 1 (step J).

Thereafter, upon receiving the print format information transferred from the host computer 1 (step K), the print control section 23 sends this print format information together with the print data to the print execution section 22 (step H'), and prints the print format information. The process is executed (step I').

Then, the print format information and ID are stored in the memory 21 in corresponding numbers (step L).

In addition, in such an operation, the print format information stored in the memory 21 is assigned a priority, and the priority of each print format information is increased one by one each time it is used for printing processing. . When the memory 21 runs out of free space, information is deleted in order of priority. Also,
Regardless of the level of priority, the
minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, -60 minutes, 120 minutes, 180
(minutes, etc.) Print format information that was not used for actual printing is
Lower the priority by ] points. In this case, the time is set using a dip switch or the like. Furthermore, when deleting format information, if a plurality of pieces of print format information have the lowest priority at the same time, the print format information written earlier is deleted.

Thus, according to the printer system of this embodiment, the ID transferred from the host computer 1 in response to a print request.
The print format information corresponding to is stored in the memory 21 of the printer device 2.
If the printer device 2 stores the print format information in its own memory 21, the printer device 2 can perform print processing using the print format information stored in its own memory 21 without requesting transfer of the print format information from the host computer 1. The frequency of transfer of print format information from the host computer 1 to the printer device 2 can be significantly reduced, thereby reducing the load on the host computer 1 side and improving print processing efficiency.

Additionally, the print format information stored in the memory 21 is prioritized, and infrequently used information is automatically deleted from the memory 2, ensuring highly versatile print format information in the printer device 2 at all times. can do.

0 [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the printer system of the present invention, the frequency of transfer of print format information from the host device to the printer can be significantly reduced, thereby reducing the load on the host device side and Print processing efficiency can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the printer system of FIG. 1. 1... host computer, 2... printer device,
3...Data transmission path, 11...Memory (host side)
, 12...CPU, 13...CPU control unit, 21.
...Memory (printer side), 22...Print execution section, 2
3...Print control unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printer system including a host device and a printer that performs printing based on print format information and print data transferred from the host device, the host device includes a host storage unit that stores the print format information; control means for generating identification information from print format information and transmitting it together with print data to the printer, and transmitting the print format information stored in the upper storage means to the printer as necessary; The printer includes printer-side storage means for storing print data, print format information, and identification information corresponding to the print data transferred by the control means;
It is determined whether print format information corresponding to the identification information transferred from the host device is stored in the printer side storage means, and if it is stored, the identification information stored in the printer side storage means. If the print format information and print data corresponding to 1. A printer system comprising a print control means for storing print format information and print data in a printer-side storage means and for performing printing based on the print format information and print data.