JPH04257914A - Document processor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a document processing apparatus that develops print data input from, for example, another document processing device into print image data.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, document processing devices that receive data from document processing devices and develop print images have been equipped with printers that can handle a wide variety of font image data and output at high density in order to perform high-quality printing. In preparation, the printer develops print image data suitable for the printer of the own device, and prints out the data from the printer of the own device. Further, this device was configured to accept print image development requests from a plurality of document processing devices via a communication line or LAN.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example described above, the device for developing the printed image is expensive;
If the printer is physically far away from the device requesting printing, it is extremely difficult to perform trial printing or the like.

[0004] For this reason, there are disadvantages in that the print request source has to make a print request without seeing the final print image in detail, and has to travel far to retrieve the print output result. Ta.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and by requesting the creation of print image data even from a document processing device installed at a remote location, it is possible to actually print on the media before actual printing. The purpose is to facilitate confirmation of printed images.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the document processing device of the present invention has the following configuration.

[0007] A document processing device that receives print data through a communication system and creates print image data based on the print data, and includes an output means that outputs the created print image data to a device connected to the communication system. have

[0008]

[Operation] With the above configuration, the document processing device of the present invention has the following features:
The developed print image data can be sent to other document processing devices via the communication means.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of a document processing apparatus connected to a communication network will be described below as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a document processing device according to the present invention, in which 101 is the document processing device of this embodiment, 102 to 1
06 is a document processing device that can operate independently. Document processing devices 102-106 need not be document processing devices of the present invention. A network bus 107 allows devices to access each other, and connects the document processing devices 101 to 106 to each other via transceivers 108 to 113, so that the document processing devices 102 to 106 can use the document processing device 101.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the document processing device 101.

207 is a CP that controls this document processing device.
3 and 4, which will be described later, accepts print data from other document processing devices,
It creates print image data according to the data format, outputs it to a printer, and controls sending the developed print image data to other document processing devices. CPU207
is connected to a network interface 206 by a system bus 205 and can exchange information with other document processing devices via a transceiver 108 and a network bus 107. A ROM 208 stores various control programs for the CPU, a document processing program involving data transfer shown in FIG. 3, a data transfer processing program shown in FIG. 4, and font data used when developing a print image. 209 is system bus 20
RAM (Random Access M
emory). 202 is a hard disk storage unit connected by a disk interface 204, which is used when storing a large amount of font data necessary for developing print images, or when storing RAM.
It is used to save various data that cannot fit into 209.

The processing results are transmitted to the network interface 206, transceiver 108, and network bus 107.
The data is sent to other document processing devices via the printer interface 203 or output to the print unit 201 connected via the print unit interface 203 .

Next, the print image data development process of the document processing apparatus 101 configured as described above will be explained.

When the integrated document file created by the document processing device 102 is to be developed into print output or print image data by the document processing device 101, the document processing device 102 converts the integrated document file, which is print data, into the document processing device 10.
1 converts the print data into a data format that can be processed and transfers the print data.

The document processing device 101 performs print image data development and print processing according to the algorithm shown in FIG.

First, in S10 and S11, the printer is in a state of accepting print requests from other document processing devices, and is waiting to receive a print request. If there is a print request in S11, the document processing device and the requesting document processing device are connected in S12,
Print data that is subsequently sent is temporarily stored in the RAM 209 or hard disk storage unit 202.

[0018] When the print data is successfully received, it is determined in S13 whether or not a transfer destination for the developed print image data is specified in the received print data. If specified, print image development is performed in S14, but
S14 will be described in detail using the flowchart of FIG.

In FIG. 4, in S40, a test is made to see if resolution is specified. If the specified resolution is specified, the specified resolution is set in the resolution memory 210 in the RAM 209 in S42 and S41, and if not, the resolution of the printing section of the own device is set. Next, in S43, a test is made to see if a rasterization method for rasterizing the print data into print image data is specified. If specified, use the specified method, otherwise use the own device's method, S45.
Each step S44 sets the expansion method memory 211 in the RAM 209. After determining the resolution and development method, S
Print image data is created in step 46, and step S14 ends.

[0020] In S15, the print image data transfer destination is L.
If it is determined that it is an AN or another document processing device via a communication line, it is checked in S16 whether or not it is in communication with the device to which the print image data is to be sent. If it is not connected, the connection is made in S17, and the above print image development data is sent to the connected device in S1.
Send at 8.

On the other hand, if the transfer destination of the print image data is not on the LAN or line in S15, it is determined in S19 whether the transfer destination is on the own machine. If it is on the own machine, the above print image development data is sent to the own machine's printing unit via the printing unit I/F and printing is performed in S21. If the transfer destination is not on the own machine, this fact is reported to the print data sender and the process ends.

[0022] Furthermore, if the received print data does not include a forwarding destination for the created print image data, the process proceeds to step S13.
If it is determined in S20, the print image data is developed according to the development method and resolution for the own printing device,
In S21, printing is performed by sending this print image data to the printing unit via the printing unit I/F.

[0023] When the printing is completed or the transfer of the print image is completed, in S22, a report is made to the device that sent the data as to whether or not the process was successful, and the connection with other devices is terminated. .

According to the procedure described above, the document processing device of this embodiment creates a print image in response to a request from the document processing device that has created and sent print data, and prints the image by connecting it through a LAN or communication line. You can send it to the device you are using. This allows print image data to be viewed from a remote document processing device without actually printing.

[0025]

[Other Embodiments] The present document processing apparatus may be implemented so that the developed print image data is always sent via a communication line or LAN.

A case will be described in which the document processing apparatus performs print image data development processing according to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in S30 and S31, a print image data creation request from another document processing device is accepted. If there is a request to create print image data from another device in S31, a connection is made with the device that issued the request in S32, and the print data is stored in the RAM 209 or hard disk storage unit 2.
Temporarily store it in 02.

When the print data is successfully received, the resolution and development method of the development data specified in the received print data are stored in the resolution memory 210 and development method memory 2 in S33.
11 respectively. If there is no specification, the print section of the own device is used. The print image data is developed according to the development method and resolution set in S34.

In step S35, it is checked whether the device is connected to the device to which the expanded print image data is to be transferred;
If it is not in a connected state, a connection is made in S36.

The above print image data is transferred to the connected device in S37.

[0031] When the print image data transfer is completed,
In S38, a report is made to the sender device of the print data as to whether the processing was successful or not, and the connection with other devices is cut off and the process ends.

[0032]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the document processing device according to the present invention can request the creation of print image data even from a document processing device installed at a remote location, so that the document processing device can actually print image data on the media before actual printing. Since the printed image can be easily checked, it has the advantage that it can be shared by a large number of separated document processing devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system in which document processing apparatuses according to an embodiment are connected via a network.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a document processing device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of print processing in the document processing device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of print image data creation in the flowchart of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of print processing in a document processing device according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Main document processing device 102-1
06 Document processing device 107 Network bus 108~
113 Transceiver unit 201
Printing section 202 Hard disk (HD) storage section 203 Printing section interface (printing section I/F) 204 Disk interface (disk I/F) 205 System bus 206
Network interface 207
CPU

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A document processing device that receives print data through a communication system and creates print image data based on the print data, the output device outputting the created print image data to a device connected to the communication system. A document processing device comprising: means. 2. The document processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising print image data creation means for creating print image data at a resolution specified by the apparatus from which the print data is input.