JPH07156465A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To manage the network address number and name of the host computer so that the output accumulated in the output paper receiver can be separated by the output of the host computer. A means connected to a network 2 and usable from a plurality of host computers 1 side, a means for sequentially stacking sheets output by a plurality of host computers 1, and a host computer requested to print out Means for identifying the network address number of 1;
Means for managing a correspondence list of network address numbers and host names, means for transmitting a command to obtain a host name from a host having a network address number not registered in the correspondence list, and storing the host name identified by the correspondence list A printing device comprising: means and a means for printing the stored host name on the edge of the paper separately from the print data requested by the host.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device connected to a host computer via a network, and more particularly to a recording device having a recording medium receiver capable of storing a plurality of recording outputs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a recording apparatus of this type, for example, a printing apparatus, a large number of output results are stored by stacking outputs on a dedicated paper receiver. In such a printing device, when the printing device is connected to a network and shared by a plurality of computers, a plurality of outputs are accumulated in the output paper receiver one after another. Therefore, when a plurality of host computers output one after another, there is a drawback that they cannot be distinguished on the output paper receiver. As a countermeasure, there is a technique of outputting a partition sheet for each host computer, but this time, another drawback of wasteful consumption of resources has occurred.

On the other hand, as computers become smaller and more sophisticated, one large host computer does not manage all of them, but a large number of host computers are connected by a network so that they can communicate with each other. The method of handling work has become popular. Therefore, a large number of host computers have to manage each printing device.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and manages the network address number and name of the host computer and outputs the data collected in the recording medium receiver. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording device capable of dividing the output according to the output of each host computer.

[0005]

A printing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to a network and can be used by a plurality of host computers, a means for storing a recording medium output by the plurality of host computers, and a recording device. A means for identifying the network address number of the host computer that has been requested to output, a means for managing the correspondence list of network address numbers and host names, and a host name from a host whose network address number is not registered in the correspondence list. It is provided with means for transmitting a command, means for storing the host name identified by the correspondence list, and means for recording the stored host name on a recording medium separately from the recording data requested by the host. .

[0006]

According to the present invention, the network address number and name of the host computer can be managed, and the output accumulated in the recording medium receiver can be divided according to the output of each host computer.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As an embodiment of the present invention, a printing apparatus which receives data from a host computer through a network and prints it out will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the circuit arrangement of the printing apparatus of this embodiment. The printing apparatus 3 of this embodiment is connected to the host computer 1 via the network 2. The host computer 1 prints print data, print commands, and the like in the form of network packets, and prints them on the printer 3.
Send it to and let it do the printing process.

The printing apparatus 3 has a microprocessor system including ROM and RAM, and has a host computer 1
Interface 31 of the network 2 used for receiving data with the device, a control unit 32 for controlling the entire apparatus, an output request host information storage unit 33 for storing a host name and a state of whether or not to mark, a network of host computers A host information list 34 that is a correspondence list of address numbers and host names, a command analysis unit 35 that analyzes print data and print commands from the host computer 1, and a bitmap that actually prints print data such as characters and graphics. Pattern development unit 3 to develop
6. An output unit 37 for forming a permanently visible image on the paper by using the developed bitmap data by, for example, a laser beam printer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of the output request host information storage unit 33. In the output request host information storage unit 33, the host name storage unit 331 that stores the name of the host that issued the print output request, and the state that the mark is not printed yet because the mark has not been printed yet, is desired. Mark request flag 332 that indicates

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the host information list 34, which is a correspondence list of network address numbers of host computers and host names. The host information list 34 includes a network address number 341 of the host.
And a list of host names 342 corresponding to the hosts.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a packet sent from the host computer 1 to the printer 3 through the network 2. This packet is a packet destination address number p1 indicating the destination to which the packet is to be sent and a packet transmission indicating who the user is, considering that a plurality of printing devices and other devices are connected to the network 2. The original address number p2 and the data and other information p3 to be actually sent to the destination specified by the packet destination address number p1 are provided.

In FIG. 5, the information for printing the mark is extracted from the packet transmitted from the host computer 1 and received by the interface 31 through the network 2, converted into an actual host name, and output request host information storage section. 33 is a plot chart showing the operation of the printing device 3 when storing it in the storage device 33.

First, in step s51, it is judged from the packet destination address number p1 whether or not the packet is addressed to itself. If it is judged that the packet is not addressed to itself, this sequence is ended and the process proceeds to the next sequence. If it is a packet addressed to itself, it is judged in the next step s52 whether it is a print request start command, and if not, the process proceeds to the next sequence.

When it is the print request start command, in step s53, the network address number p2 of the host is taken out from the packet. Then, in step s54, the host information list 34 is searched for the host name corresponding to the extracted network address number. It is determined in step s55 whether the target network address number is registered in the host information list 34, and if it is registered, the process proceeds to step s58. If not registered, step S
56 from host computer 1 to network 2
The host name is acquired through step S57, and the host name acquired in step s57 is registered in the host information list 34 together with the network address number. And step s5
In step 8, the host name is stored in the host name storage unit 331, the mark request flag is set, and the process ends.

FIG. 6 shows a case where the mark pattern is actually printed by using the information in the output request host information storage section 33.
6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the printing device 3.

First, in step s61, it is judged whether or not it is the current mark printing position. If not, this sequence is ended and the process proceeds to the next sequence. If it is the current mark printing position, in step s62,
It is determined whether the mark request flag 332 is set, and if not set, the process proceeds to the next sequence.

If the mark request flag is set, in step s63 the information in the host name storage section 331 is developed into a bitmap of a format for actual printing, and in step s64 the developed pattern is printed as shown in FIG. To do. Then, in step s65, the mark request flag is cleared, and the mark is not printed thereafter unless a new print request start command is received from the host. Then, this sequence is ended and the process proceeds to the next sequence.

In the above embodiment, the mark printing timing is managed by the toggle operation in the mark request flag 332, but the number of output paper sheets is cleared to 0 by the print request start command and incremented by 1 every time one paper sheet is discharged. You may manage using a counter. At this time, the mark is printed only when the output sheet number counter is 0.

[0020]

As described above, according to the recording apparatus of the present invention, since the configuration is as described above, the output accumulated in the recording medium receiver can be divided according to the output of each host computer. It is possible to obtain the effect that the recording device itself can manage the host name used for.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an output request host information storage unit of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a host information list of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a packet flowing through the network of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process of storing output request host information and updating the host information list if necessary, in the printing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process of printing a mark by the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a mark printing mode of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host Computer 2 Network 3 Printing Device 31 Interface 32 Control Unit 33 Output Request Host Information Storage Unit 34 Host Information List 35 Commander Analysis Unit 36 Pattern Expansion Unit 37 Output Unit 38 Internal Bus

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means which is connected to a network and which can be used from a plurality of host computers, a means for storing a recording medium output by the plurality of host computers, and a network address of a host computer which has requested recording output. Means for identifying a number, means for managing a correspondence list of network address numbers and host names, means for transmitting a command to obtain the host name from a host having a network address number not registered in the correspondence list,
A recording apparatus comprising: a unit for storing the host name identified by the correspondence list; and a unit for recording the stored host name on a recording medium separately from the recording data requested by the host.