JPH09198205A - Output device, information processing system, and data output method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform a printing processing in the under a network environment even if data to be printed is in process of the reception or in the process of a printing processing. SOLUTION: After the lapse of a fixed time from the starting of a printing data processing (step S203), the printing processing of this printing data is interrupted, regardless of the process of the reception of the printing data or the process of the printing processing. Further, when the printing processing of the printing data is interrupted, the effect that the printing data is canceled is notified to the host computer transmitting the printing data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device such as a printer connected to a host computer via an interface, an information processing system including the output device, and a data output method of the output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an output device in this type of field, for example, a printer, communicates with a host computer via a host interface section and prints print data from the host computer. At this time, the CPU in the printer analyzes the code data of the character code, the figure formation information, and the control information stored in the program ROM, and executes the font based on the character code data stored in the page memory according to the processing program. The memory is accessed, the corresponding pattern data is read, and the pattern is expanded in the dot pattern memory.

This dot pattern data is stored in the FIFO.
(First In First Out) is input to a memory, is further read from the FIFO memory, is sent to the image forming unit, and is printed.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when a plurality of users share an output device on a network, for example, a specific user occupies the output device with data that takes too long to process. When there is a problem, there is a problem that other users who are trying to do the work in a relatively short time have to wait for a long time.
Also, in the print data from the host computer,
Unexpectedly, the user who sent the data may have abnormal data that takes a long time for the printing process. In such a case, another user cannot use the output device for a long time because the process is not completed. There was also.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention provides an output device capable of efficiently performing print processing in use in a network environment even when data to be printed is being received or being printed. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system including an output device and a data output method of the output device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the output device according to the first aspect of the invention is connected to a host computer via a host interface and prints print data from the host computer. In the output device for outputting, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, a print interrupting means is provided for interrupting the print processing of the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing. It is a thing.

The output device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the output device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein when the print processing of the print data is interrupted by the print interrupting means, the host computer which has transmitted the print data, A cancel notification unit is provided to notify that the print data has been cancelled.

An output device according to a third aspect of the present invention has a print processing unit for printing print data sent from a host computer via a host interface, and an operation panel for performing operations and displays relating to the print processing. Then
In an output device that outputs the print-processed data,
When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, the interruption display control means for displaying information on the interruption of the print processing of the print data on the operation panel regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing. After the display control by the interruption display control means, interruption execution means for interrupting the print processing of the print data in response to an operation for interrupting the print processing on the operation panel is provided.

An output device according to a fourth aspect of the invention is connected to a host computer via a host interface,
In an output device that prints and outputs print data from the host computer, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, the host computer can receive the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed. Interruption information notifying means for notifying information regarding the interruption of the print processing of the print data, and interruption executing means for interrupting the printing processing of the print data according to an instruction from the host computer which has received the information regarding the interruption of the print processing It is equipped with.

An information processing system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention includes a host computer that generates print data, and an output device that is connected to the host computer via a host interface and prints and outputs the print data. In the information processing system, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, a print interrupting means is provided for interrupting the print processing of the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing. Is.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing system of the fifth aspect, the output device transmits the print data when the print interrupting means interrupts the print processing of the print data. The host computer is provided with a cancel notification means for notifying that the print data has been canceled.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system, comprising: a print processing unit for printing print data sent via a host interface; and an operation panel for operating and displaying the print processing. In an information processing system including an output device that outputs the print data and a host computer that generates the print data, the output device receives the print data when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing. Regardless of during or during the print processing, an interrupt display control means for displaying information on the interrupt of the print processing of the print data on the operation panel, and after the display control by the interrupt display control means,
An interruption executing unit that interrupts the printing process of the print data in response to an operation of interrupting the printing process on the operation panel is provided.

An information processing system according to an eighth aspect of the present invention includes a host computer that generates print data, and an output device that is connected to the host computer via a host interface and that prints and outputs the print data. In the information processing system, the output device, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing,
Interruption information notifying means for notifying the host computer of information regarding interruption of the print processing of the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing, and the print data according to the interruption instruction from the host computer. And an interruption execution means for interrupting the printing process, and the host computer includes an interruption instruction sending means for sending the interruption instruction to the output device when receiving information about the interruption of the printing process. is there.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is a data output method which receives print data from a host computer via a host interface, prints the print data, and outputs the print data. When a certain time has passed from the start of printing, the print processing of the print data is interrupted regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect of the present invention, when the print processing of the print data is interrupted, the print data is sent to a host computer that has transmitted the print data. This is to notify that the cancellation has been made.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention is a data output method which receives print data sent from a host computer via a host interface, prints the print data, and outputs the print data. When a certain time has elapsed from the start of the processing, the information regarding the interruption of the print processing of the print data is displayed on the operation panel regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing, and the print processing on the operation panel is performed. The printing process of the print data is interrupted in response to the interruption operation.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a data output method which receives print data sent from a host computer via a host interface, prints the print data, and outputs the print data. When a certain time has elapsed from the start of the processing, the host computer is notified of the information regarding the interruption of the printing processing of the printing data regardless of whether the printing data is being received or the printing processing is being performed. The print processing of the print data is interrupted in response to an instruction from the host computer which receives the information.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The output device according to the present embodiment includes, for example, a laser beam printer, an inkjet printer, and a printer based on another printing method, and constitutes an information processing system of the present invention together with a host computer connected thereto.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a host interface unit for communicating between the output device of this embodiment and the host computer 20. A communication signal from the output device to the host computer 20 is output to the host computer 20 via the host interface unit 1, and a communication signal from the host computer 20 to the output device is input to the output device via the host interface unit 1.

Reference numeral 2 is an inter-host communication line, which is used as a communication medium between the output device of this embodiment and the host computer. Reference numeral 3 denotes a page memory, and the image processing information input as code data to the output device through the host interface unit 1 is stored in the page memory 3 under the control of the CPU 5. The page memory 3 has a capacity to store at least one page of code data, and stores character codes, graphic formation information, and control information in the order sent from the host interface unit 1. A font memory 4 stores the character pattern data corresponding to the character code.

The CPU 5 analyzes the character code stored in the program ROM 8, the code data of the figure forming information and the control information, and stores it in the page memory 3 according to a processing program such as an interprinter for forming a dot pattern. The font memory 4 is accessed based on the stored character code data, the corresponding pattern data is read, and the pattern is expanded in the dot pattern memory 6. A control program (including a program based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 described later) is also stored in the program ROM 8, and the CPU 5 controls the entire apparatus according to the control program. The clock signal CK output from the clock generation circuit 5A is used as a clock signal for the CPU 5.

The dot pattern memory 6 has a program R
It is possible to store dot pattern data that has been subjected to pattern development by a processing program for forming a dot pattern stored in the OM 8 and accommodate at least page pattern data for the code data of the page memory 3. Reference numeral 7 denotes a random access memory for work for reading and writing various kinds of temporary data.
Is used for executing the processing when the processing is performed according to the program stored in the program RAM 8.

A FIFO memory 9 inputs dot pattern data and outputs it to the image forming unit interface 10. The image forming unit interface 10 is a FIF.
Image data (dot pattern data) from O memory 9
Is sent to the image forming unit 30 for printing.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an operation panel such as a keyboard for inputting various operating environment settings of the output device such as setting of the online / offline state of the host interface section 1 by an operator. The signal input from the operation panel 12 is input to the data bus 14 and the address bus 15 via the operation panel interface unit 11. Here, various operating environment settings of the output device can be set not only from the operation panel 12 installed on the output device, but also from the host computer 20 via the host interface unit 1.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a non-volatile readable / writable memory that stores various operating environment setting values of the output device which can also be set from the host computer 20 via the operation panel 12 or the host interface section 1.

Next, the operation of this embodiment (data output method)
Will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step S201, after receiving the code data input from the host computer 20 to the output device through the host interface unit 1, the print process starts and the print process time starts to be measured. After a predetermined time (T1) has elapsed from the start of this measurement, step S201
Then, the process proceeds to step S202. This time (T1) may be a value (for example, 10 seconds) set in advance in the program that executes this flowchart, or a value set in the environment setting non-volatile memory 13.

In step S202, it is determined whether the print processing of print data is completed. If the determination is affirmative (YES) (when it is determined that the printing process has ended), the process returns to the data waiting state, and if the determination is negative (NO) (when it is determined that the printing process has not ended), the process proceeds to step S203.

In step S203, step S201
It is determined whether or not the time elapsed from the start of time measurement in (1) to the present time exceeds the set time (T3). Affirmative
If it is (when the set time is exceeded), step S2
At 04, the processing of the data being printed is interrupted, the data is discarded, and the host interface unit 1 notifies the host computer 20 which is the source of the data that the printing of the data has been interrupted. Go back to the next data wait state. This time (T3) may be a value (for example, 60 seconds) set in advance in the program that executes this flowchart, but it is more preferable that the time is set in the environment setting non-volatile memory 13.

When it is judged negative (NO) in step S203 (when the set time is not exceeded), step S2
Go to 05 to continue the printing process,
2) After the lapse of time, a loop for returning to step S202 is formed. About this time (T2), a value preset in the program that executes this flowchart (example: 10 seconds)
Alternatively, the value set in the environment setting non-volatile memory 13 may be used.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of print data processing, the print processing of the print data is interrupted regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing. Therefore, even when a plurality of users share the output device on the network, the users do not have to wait for a long time when using the output device, and efficient printing processing can be performed.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, there are the following modifications.

(1) Instead of interrupting the processing of the data being printed in step S204, discarding the data and notifying the fact, a message indicating that the data processing is to be interrupted is displayed on the operation panel 12 of the output device. However, even if the printing process is interrupted by operating the operation panel 12, it does not go against the gist of the present invention.

(2) Instead of interrupting the processing of the data being printed in step S204 and discarding the data,
Even if the host computer which is the source of the data is notified through the host interface unit 1 whether or not the data may be interrupted, and the printing process is stopped through the host interface unit 1 by a command from the host computer, It is not against the purpose.

(3) Even if the setting time (T3) for determining the upper limit of the printing process is changed for each port that receives data according to the data transfer capability (if the port with a high transfer rate is small, The lower one is larger), which is not against the gist of the present invention.

[0037]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Even in a network environment in which a plurality of users share an output device on the network, the user does not have to wait for a long time when using the output device, and efficient print processing can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation (data output method) of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 host interface section 2 communication line between hosts 3 page memory 4 font memory 5 CPU 5A clock generation circuit 6 dot pattern memory 7 random access memory 8 program ROM 9 FIFO memory 10 image forming section interface 11 interface section of operation panel 12 keyboard etc. Operation panel 13 Non-volatile readable / writable memory 14 Data bus 15 Address bus 20 Host computer 30 Image forming unit

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An output device, which is connected to a host computer via a host interface and prints and outputs print data from the host computer, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, An output device comprising a print interrupting means for interrupting the print processing of the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed. 2. A cancel notification means for notifying the host computer, which has transmitted the print data, that the print data has been canceled when the print interrupting means interrupts the print processing of the print data. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the output device is provided. 3. A print processing unit that prints print data sent from a host computer via a host interface, and an operation panel that performs an operation and a display related to the print processing, and stores the print-processed data. In the output device for outputting, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, information regarding the interruption of the print processing of the print data is displayed on the operation panel regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing. Interrupting display control means, and an interrupting executing means for interrupting the print processing of the print data in response to an operation of interrupting the print processing on the operation panel after the display control by the interrupt display control means. And output device. 4. An output device, which is connected to a host computer via a host interface and prints and outputs print data from the host computer, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing. Interruption information notifying means for notifying the host computer of information regarding the interruption of the printing process of the print data regardless of whether the printing data is being received or during the printing process, and from the host computer which has received the information regarding the interruption of the printing process. And an interruption executing means for interrupting the print processing of the print data in response to the instruction. 5. An information processing system comprising: a host computer that generates print data; and an output device that is connected to the host computer via a host interface and that prints and outputs the print data. A print interruption means for interrupting the print processing of the print data regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing. Information processing system. 6. The output device notifies the host computer, which has transmitted the print data, that the print data has been canceled when the print interrupting means interrupts the print processing of the print data. 6. The information processing system according to claim 5, further comprising a cancel notification unit for performing the cancel notification. 7. An output device having a print processing unit for performing print processing of print data sent via a host interface and an operation panel for performing operation and display relating to the print processing, and outputting the print processed data. In an information processing system including a host computer that generates the print data, the output device, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, regardless of whether the print data is being received or during the print processing, An interruption display control means for displaying information on the interruption of the printing process of the print data on the operation panel, and, after the display control by the interruption display control means, receiving an operation for interrupting the printing process on the operation panel, An information processing system, comprising: an interruption executing means for interrupting a printing process. 8. An information processing system comprising: a host computer that generates print data; and an output device that is connected to the host computer via a host interface to print the print data and output the print data. When a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed, interruption information notification for notifying the host computer of information regarding interruption of the print processing of the print data Means and interruption execution means for interrupting the print processing of the print data in response to an interruption instruction from the host computer, the host computer, when receiving information regarding the interruption of the print processing, to the output device It is characterized in that it is provided with an interruption instruction sending means for sending an interruption instruction. An information processing system to be. 9. A data output method for receiving print data from a host computer via a host interface, printing the print data, and outputting the print data, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, A data output method characterized in that the print processing of the print data is interrupted regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed. 10. When the print processing of the print data is interrupted, the fact that the print data has been canceled is notified to a host computer which has transmitted the print data. Item 9. The data output method according to Item 9. 11. Receive print data sent from a host computer via a host interface,
In a data output method for printing and outputting the print data, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, the print processing of the print data is performed regardless of whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed. A data output method of an output device, which displays information about interruption on an operation panel, and interrupts the printing process of the print data in response to an operation of interrupting the printing process on the operation panel. 12. Receive print data sent from a host computer through a host interface,
In a data output method for performing print processing of the print data and outputting the print data, when a certain time has elapsed from the start of the print data processing, the host computer is notified whether the print data is being received or the print processing is being performed. A data output method characterized in that information on interruption of printing processing of the printing data is notified, and the printing processing of the printing data is interrupted by an instruction from a host computer which has received the information on interruption of printing processing.