JPH10157249A - Image outputting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image outputting apparatus for efficiently processing print commands from a plurality of data transmitters. SOLUTION: When a printer controller 10 decides that a series of data indicating print outputting start of print data group are received from respective host systems and stored in a memory 12, the print outputting is started according to stored content in the memory 12 for the corresponding data group by a print engine 20 in response to it. Accordingly, the group from the host systems the series of the data are received completely by the printer 1 and sequentially started to print output according to an order stored in the memory 12 for the group from the respective systems. Therefore, the priority regarding the print outputting of the print data of the respective systems can be arbitrarily and easily altered in response to the timing of the end of the transmission to the printer 1, and hence the print output waiting time is not set to more than necessity for the respective systems.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image output device such as a printer, and more particularly, to an image output device connected to a plurality of data transmission devices and outputting an image based on data transmitted from the data transmission devices. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, at least one image output device, for example, a printer is connected to a network, and a plurality of users (terminals) issue a print command to the printer via the network. In such a case, a method for efficiently processing the plurality of print instructions has been desired.

[0003] As a conventional method, for example, when a plurality of users try to print to one printer at the same time, the printer side issues a print command only to the user who has started receiving data first. , Other users could only know that the printer was currently in use. Further, a method has been employed in which print commands are processed in the order in which the print servers connected to the network issue the print commands. With these methods,
For example, when a print command for 100 pages is first received, a print command for only one page issued immediately thereafter is first processed for print commands for 100 pages, that is, 100 print commands.
If the data output for 100 pages and the image output for 100 pages are not completed, the printout cannot be performed, and the user who issued the print command later waits longer than necessary for the image output compared to the content of the command. There is a problem that the setting is inferior in convenience.

Further, in the conventional method, when a job exceeding the number of bins provided is processed continuously by a plurality of users, a sheet corresponding to the remaining job with respect to the number of bins is processed by another job. Are discharged to the bin from which the sheets corresponding to are discharged, so that the sheets discharged to the bin need to be re-separated for each job, and there is a problem that the operation is complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an image output apparatus such as a printer which is connected to a plurality of data transmission apparatuses for use in printing from the plurality of data transmission apparatuses. An object of the present invention is to provide an image output device capable of efficiently processing a command.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image output apparatus connected to a plurality of data transmission apparatuses and outputting an image based on data transmitted from the data transmission apparatus. Receiving means for receiving data sequentially transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmission devices, and starting a process for outputting an image of the series of data in the order in which reception of the series of data to be output is completed. And control means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image output device receives data sequentially transmitted by each of the plurality of data transmission devices, and simultaneously receives a series of data to be output as an image. A process for outputting an image to the series of data is started.

Thus, regardless of the order in which data is received, images are output in order from a set of data to be output, so that print commands sent from each of the plurality of data transmission devices can be efficiently transmitted. Can be processed, furthermore, even if a problem occurs in one of the plurality of data transmission devices that transmitted data earlier, even if data transmission is interrupted, Image output based on a series of data output from another data transmission device is performed.
It is possible to prevent another data transmission device from being affected by an error of one data transmission device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the present invention further includes storage means for storing data received by the receiving means for each of the plurality of data transmitting devices. The control means, when data indicating the end of the series of data to be output as the image is stored in the storage means, a series of data to be output as an image for the data transmitting apparatus which transmitted the data indicating the end. Is determined to have been received.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first aspect, the control means stores the data indicating the end of a series of data to be image-outputted in the storage means. Then, it is determined that a series of data to be output as an image for the data transmission device has been received.

Thus, the control means recognizes more reliably that the series of data to be image-outputted from the data transmitting apparatus which has transmitted the data has been completed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second aspect, the series of data to be output as an image is one page of data. And

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the first or second aspect of the present invention, when the reception of one page of data is completed, the data of one page is sequentially obtained. Is output as an image.

Thus, the start of image output for data covering a large number of pages is quickened, and the image output of the first page for each data transmission device can be obtained quickly.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image output apparatus connected to a plurality of data transmission apparatuses and outputting an image based on data transmitted from the data transmission apparatus.
A sorter having a plurality of bins for sorting the image-outputted sheets for each job, receiving means for receiving data sequentially transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmitting devices, and receiving by the receiving means Storage means for storing data, and JO stored in the storage means
When the number of B is equal to or greater than the number of bins of the sorter, the control means controls the receiving means so as not to receive new data.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the sheets on which images are output are sorted for each job, and the number of jobs stored in the storage means is equal to or greater than the number of bins of the sorter. At this time, acceptance of reception of new data is prohibited.

Thus, output sheets of a plurality of jobs are not mixedly discharged into one bin.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a network connecting the printer. In FIG. 1, hosts (1) to (5), which are computers, and a printer 1 are connected to a network, and between the hosts or between each host and the printer according to a predetermined communication protocol on the network. 1 can exchange data with each other. A print command from each host is sent to the printer 1 via the network. Although one printer is connected to the network in FIG. 1, a plurality of printers may be connected, or a storage device or another input / output device may be connected.

The printer 1 includes a microcomputer (not shown) for performing data transmission / reception processing via a network and processing of transmitted / received data.
Further, it includes a print controller 10 controlled by the microcomputer and a print engine 20 for performing image output processing of data processed.

The printer controller 10 has a network management unit 11 for performing data transmission / reception processing with a network, and temporarily stores a series of received data including data to be output as an image (hereinafter, referred to as print data). And an interpreter 13 for developing print data stored in the memory 12 so that the print data can be printed out.

As a method of storing the received print data in the memory 12, there is a method of storing the print data while expanding the intermediate language for printing, or a method of storing the received print data as it is. Shown is a method of storing the received print data in the memory 12 as it is. Unlike the method shown in the figure, when the method of expanding to the intermediate language for printing and then storing it in the memory 12 is adopted, the required storage for the memory 12 is compared with the method of storing the received print data as it is. Requires less capacity.

The print engine 20 outputs the data developed by the interpreter 13 as an image. The detailed configuration and operation of the print engine 20 are well known and will not be described here.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of storing received data in the memory 12 by the network management unit 11 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, on the network of FIG. 1, data is divided and transmitted in packet units, so that it is possible to prevent a communication path from being monopolized by data communication of one host. Therefore, a plurality of hosts can simultaneously
When a print command is issued, print data of each host is divided into packets and transmitted sequentially. For this reason, not only the print data of one host is continuously transmitted, but the print data in packet units of each host is transmitted alternately and received by the printer 1 as shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a print data reception processing routine by the network management unit 11 of FIG. The print data receiving process performed by the network management unit 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and FIG.

First, the network management unit 11 of the printer 1
Receives print data in packet units from each host via the network (YE in S1 and S2).
S), it is determined whether the received print data is the first received data for each host (S3). If it is the first received data (YES in S3), an area corresponding to the host is secured in the memory 12 (S4), and the received data is stored in this area (S5, S6). If it is not the first received data (NO in S3), it is stored in the area on the memory 12 corresponding to the host (S5, S6).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a job check processing routine relating to print job start determination for print data received by the printer 1 of FIG. The JOB CHECK routine of FIG. 4 is called periodically when the printing process is not performed in the OS (operating system) of the printer 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the JOB CHECK routine is called, the data stored in memory 12 is first scanned for each area (see FIG. 2) (S10), and a series of printing is performed for each area. It is confirmed whether or not the reception completion data indicating the end of the data is stored, and if the reception completion data is not stored in any of the areas (NO in S11), the process ends. If the reception completion data is stored (YES in S11),
The print data stored in the corresponding area is expanded by the interpreter 13 so that the data can be output, and a print job to be sent to the print engine 20 is started (S12).

As described above, in the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, when print commands are simultaneously transmitted from the connected hosts, the printer receives all the print commands for the time being and then prepares the print data. The print job for the print command of the host is started in order from the start, in other words, in the order in which the reception of the series of print data to be output is completed. Thus, even when a print command is issued later, the image is basically output first with a small amount of print data constituting a series of print data, so that the print command from each host is efficiently processed. can do.

Note that the above-described JOB CHECK of FIG.
In the routine, the print job is started in response to the reception completion data, but as shown in FIG. 5, instead of the reception completion data, the page completion data indicating the end of the print data in page units is used. The print job may be started in response to the reception. That is, similarly to FIG. 4, the received data stored in each area of the memory 12 is scanned (S20), and it is determined whether or not page completion data indicating the end of the print data in page units is stored in the scanned area. If there is page completion data (S21: YES), a print job for print data corresponding to the page in the corresponding area may be started (S22).

As described above, the page completion data is printed by JOB.
By using the start determination criterion, the first print of the print data over a large number of pages is accelerated, and the host that has issued the print command for the print data can quickly obtain the image output of the first page of the desired print data. .
The next print job to be started is the previous print J
Since the interrupt is started at the page break of the OB, each host or each job can obtain an image output in page units regardless of the print data amount.

The printer 1 described above constitutes an image output device connected to a plurality of data transmission devices constituted by the hosts (1) to (5) and outputting an image based on the data transmitted from the data transmission device. Have been.
Further, the printer 1 receives the data sequentially transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmission devices as shown in the print data reception processing routine of FIG.
As shown in the B CHECK routine, the processing for outputting an image to the series of data is started in the order in which the series of data to be output is completed.

The series of data in this case is, for example,
The data may be a series of data from the data from which the reception has been started to the reception completion data, or one page of data as shown in the JOB CHECK routine of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data reception processing routine according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the data reception processing routine, when the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a sorter having a plurality of bins for sorting and outputting images output sheets for each job, the output sheets are output between the jobs. In order to avoid mixing, print data is received and output up to the number of JOBs that can be sorted, and when a bin of the sorter is empty, a new print job is accepted as much as the empty.

In the processing of FIG. 6, sorters of 10 bins and 20 bins are targeted. First, in the same manner as in FIG. 3 described above, print data is received while determining whether or not it is a new job (S101, S102, and S103). If it is determined that the print data relating to the new job is received (YES in S103), it is determined whether or not a sorter is provided in the printer 1, and if not, the sorter is not provided (S1).
04 (NO), the received print data is stored in the memory 12 as in FIG. 3 (S110, S111 and S112).

On the other hand, if a sorter is provided (S10
If the number of bins is 10, the number of accumulated jobs in the memory 12 is determined (S106). As a result of the determination, if the accumulated job number is 10 or more, there is no empty bin and the newly received NEW job is received.
Cannot be assigned a bin for
A BUSY transmission to that effect is sent to the source host,
The reception and storage processing relating to the NEW JOB is not performed (S107). On the other hand, if the number of accumulated jobs is 9 or less, bins can be assigned to the newly received NEW job.
A new area is secured above and data is stored.

If the number of bins is 20 in S105,
The number of JOBs stored in the memory 12 is determined (S10
8). If the result of determination is 19 or less, the NE received this time
Since bins can be assigned to W JOB, S11
The processing of 0 to S112 is performed in the same manner as described above,
If the number is equal to or more than 20, a bin cannot be assigned to the currently received NEW JOB, so that a BUSY transmission to that effect is performed to the host of the NEW JOB transmission source, and
No reception and storage processing for W JOB is performed (S109).

In the data receiving process of FIG.
Although a bin and a 20-bin sorter are described, the number of bins in the sorter is not limited to this. In addition, if the printer is equipped with a conventional shift tray, that is, a printer having a sorting device of a type in which the tray moves to the left and right for each job and sorts the job, the number of jobs that can be managed by the printer is received in parallel. I just need.

According to the data receiving process shown in FIG. 6, when a sorter having a plurality of bins is mounted on the printer, the reception of JOBs exceeding the number of bins is prohibited. Is prevented from being mixedly discharged.

As described above, in the printer 1, when print commands from a plurality of hosts are issued at the same time, the printer 1 receives the print data for all of them and starts printing from the one where the print data is ready. . In this way, even if the print command for 100 pages is sent to the printer 1 a little earlier, if the print command for one page is received, data reception is started, and printing can be started from the side where all data are first prepared. Therefore, in this case, if the data of one page is prepared first, it is printed out first even though a print command is issued later.

In addition to the above-described case, in the conventional method, if there is any problem in the host transmitting the print data and the data indicating the end of the print data is not received, the printer forever ends the print data. And print requests from other hosts have been delayed. However, if the above-described printer 1 is used, even if data indicating the end of print data from a certain host is not received, if print data from another host is received, the print data is not received. When the printing is completed, the printing of the print data can be started, so that the printing failure of one host is not affected by another host.

It is to be noted that the print data that has been stored in the memory 12 of the printer 1 due to a situation such as the end of the print data is not received or the like has been irregularly printed on the host side after a certain period of time. When no other print data is received, or when print data is being received but print data that can be printed immediately is not stored, printout is performed with print data up to the received range. You may. If the host informs the host that the print is irregular and the host issues an instruction to cancel the print, the corresponding print data is stored in the memory 1 of the printer 1 according to the instruction.
For example, a process such as erasing from step 2 may be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a network connecting the printer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of storing received data in a memory 12 by a network management unit 11 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a print data reception processing routine performed by a network management unit 11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a job relating to print job start determination for print data received by the printer 1 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart of a CHECK processing routine.

FIG. 5 is a job relating to print job start determination for print data received by the printer 1 of FIG. 1;
It is a figure showing other examples of the flow chart of the CHECK processing routine.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data reception processing routine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 10 Printer controller 11 Network management unit 12 Memory 13 Interpreter 20 Print engine In each figure, the same numerals show the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image output device connected to a plurality of data transmission devices and outputting an image based on data transmitted from the data transmission device, wherein data sequentially transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmission devices is transmitted. An image output apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving; and control means for starting a process for outputting an image of the series of data in the order in which the series of data to be output is completed. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store the data received by the reception unit for each of the plurality of data transmission devices, wherein the control unit notifies the storage unit of the end of the series of data to be output as an image. The image output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the data indicating the end is stored, it is determined that a series of data to be image-outputted from the data transmitting apparatus that has transmitted the data indicating the end has been received. 3. A series of data to be output as an image is 1
3. The image output device according to claim 1, wherein the image output device is data for a page. 4. An image output device connected to a plurality of data transmission devices and outputting an image based on data transmitted from the data transmission device, wherein the sheet on which the image output has been performed is sorted for each job. A sorter having a plurality of bins; receiving means for receiving data sequentially transmitted from each of the plurality of data transmitting apparatuses; storage means for storing data received by the receiving means; storage in the storage means When the number of jobs is equal to or greater than the number of bins in the sorter, the control means controls the receiving means so as not to receive new data.