JPH11296325A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] A utility incorporated in a host computer can inquire of available printers connected to a network by broadcast, download a printer driver of a printer which has received a response, and use the printer driver. Automatically install the printer driver. When printing data in a host device, an application sends intermediate print data unique to the OS created via an OS to a printer driver. 118 converts the received intermediate print data into a printer control command (final print data) unique to the printer 115 and sends it to the print manager 119. 119 temporarily spools the print data, so that the print processing of 116 can be completed quickly. Installation utility 12
0 acquires information from the printer 115 and installs a printer driver.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printer system in which a printer and a host computer are connected via a network, or a network in which a printer, a host computer and a network server holding a printer driver are connected via a network. Related to a printer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a printer system including a printer and a host computer, conventionally, it is necessary for a user to install and upgrade a printer driver by using a floppy disk.

[0003]

In the conventional method, in a printer system including a printer and a host computer, a printer driver needs to be installed and upgraded by a user using a floppy disk or the like.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a printer system in which a printer and a host computer are connected via a network, the printer holds a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer in a storage device, A utility built into the host computer broadcasts an available printer connected to the network, and the utility downloads the printer driver from the printer and uses the printer driver for the printer which has received the response. It is characterized in that it is installed as follows.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer system in which a printer and a host computer are connected via a network, wherein the printer is connected to each OS of the host computer.
The printer driver corresponding to the printer driver and the version of the driver are stored in the storage device, and a utility incorporated in the host computer broadcasts and queries available printers connected to the network, and the utility returns a response. The printer driver obtains the version of the printer driver from the printer, determines whether the version of the printer driver currently installed in the host computer is newer, and determines that the version is not newer than the driver stored in the printer. If so, the utility
A printer driver is downloaded from a printer to a host computer, and the version of the printer driver is automatically upgraded.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer system in which a printer, a host computer, and a network server holding a printer driver are connected via a network.
URL where a printer driver corresponding to S exists (Unif
or information such as orm Resource Locator) in the storage device,
A utility built into the host computer broadcasts an inquiry about available printers connected to the network, and the utility returns information such as the URL where the printer driver is present from the printer for the printer that has returned the response. Acquired, the utility downloads the printer driver from the indicated network server and installs it so that it can be used by the host computer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer system in which a printer, a host computer, and a network server holding a printer driver are connected via a network.
URL where a printer driver corresponding to S exists (Unif
Orm Resource Locator) and its driver version are stored in the storage device, and the utility installed in the host computer broadcasts,
The utility queries the available printers connected to the network, and the utility obtains the version of the printer driver from the printer for the returned printer, and the utility obtains the version of the printer driver currently installed in the host computer. Is determined to be newer, and if the version is not newer, the utility downloads the printer driver from the indicated network server and automatically upgrades the version of the printer driver.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printer system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein a printer driver corresponding to each OS and a printer driver corresponding to each OS which are stored in the storage device of the printer exist. URL (Un
It has means for copying information such as iform Resource Locator) and its driver version from an external medium (such as an IC card) to a storage device of the printer, and can update such information held in the printer. It is a characteristic.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printer system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein a printer driver corresponding to each OS and a printer driver corresponding to each OS stored in the storage device of the printer exist. URL (Un
iform Resource Locator) and its driver version by accessing the network server via the network and downloading it in a timely manner.
It is characterized in that such information stored in the printer is updated.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer 115 connected to a host computer 112 and a controller 100 of the printer 115. As shown in FIG.
Is connected to the printer 115, and the host computer device 112 transmits a printer setting command and print data to the printer 115. The printer 115 includes a controller 100, an engine unit 108, a panel device 110,
It is composed of a disk device 114 and the like.

The configuration of the controller 100 is as follows. In the controller 100, a CPU 101 controls the entire controller 100 in accordance with a program in the program ROM 104, a mode instruction from the panel device 110, and a command from the host device 112. 1
An IC card 02 supplies font data and programs from the outside. Reference numeral 103 denotes a nonvolatile storage device that stores the content of a mode instruction from the panel device 110 and the like, and is an NVRAM. A program ROM 104 stores a control program for the controller. 1
A font ROM 05 stores font pattern data and the like. Reference numeral 106 denotes a RAM used as a work memory of the CPU 101, an input buffer for input data, a page buffer for print data, a memory for download fonts, and the like. 107 is an engine 108
And an engine interface for communicating commands, status, and print data. Reference numeral 108 denotes an engine that actually performs printing. A panel interface 109 performs command and status communication with the panel device 110. A panel device 110 informs the user of the current status of the printer and gives a mode instruction.
Reference numeral 111 denotes a host interface for communicating with the host device 112, which is generally a Centro I / F or RS232C.
It is. A host device 112 is a host device of the printer. Reference numeral 113 denotes a disk interface for communicating with the disk device 114. A disk device 114 stores various data such as font data, programs, and print data, such as a floppy disk or a hard disk device.

In the controller 100, the photo-storage device 11
When receiving data (character code, control code, control command) from the host interface 111 through the host interface 111, the data is temporarily stored in the input buffer. Next, the data held in the input buffer is extracted, and the data 1 is stored in the page buffer.
Stores page layout information such as the head address of the font pattern for each character, the width of the font pattern, the height of the font pattern, and the printing position. Then, when the page buffer is completed for one page, the data in the page buffer is developed in the frame buffer as a bitmap. When the development is completed, a feed tray selection command, a discharge tray selection command, and a print command are sent to the engine 108 through the engine interface 107, and the bitmap data developed in the frame buffer is output as video data. On the other hand, the engine 108 executes paper feeding from the designated paper feeding tray in accordance with the paper feeding tray selection command, the paper ejection tray selection command, and the printing command sent from the controller 100, performs printing in accordance with the video data, and sends the paper to the designated paper ejection tray. Output.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the host computer 112. The application 116 prints data when an OS (Operating System) 1 is used.
The intermediate print data unique to the OS created via the server 17 is sent to the printer driver 118. Printer driver 1
18 transmits the received intermediate print data to the printer 1
The print command is converted into a printer control command (final print data) unique to the printer manager 15 and sent to the print manager 119.
Here, after temporarily spooling the print data, the print manager 119 transmits the print data to the printer 115. Here, the print manager 11
No. 9 has an advantage that the print processing of the application 116 can be completed quickly by temporarily spooling the print data, and the release of the application is accelerated. The installation utility 120 acquires information such as a printer driver or a URL where the printer driver exists from the printer 115, and installs or upgrades the printer driver.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a printer, a host computer, and a network server connected to a network. In the case of claim 3 or 4, the network server 2
02, the host computer 112 downloads the printer driver. In this case, the printer 115 is not directly connected to the network, but is connected to the host computer 112.
May be connected. In the case of claim 4, the printer 1
15 downloads a printer driver from the network server 202.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. First, when the installation utility 120 is started (S1), the installation utility 120 broadcasts the network to which the host computer 112 is connected. The printer which can be used above is inquired (S2). The range that can be inquired depends on the network environment and the settings of the host computer, but within this range, the printer can be used normally.

The installation utility 120 counts the number (N) of printers that have responded as a result of a broadcast inquiry. If there is no response within a certain period of time (S3-NO), the process of the installation utility 120 ends. If there is a response (S3-YES), the number of printers (N) is substituted into a variable x (S4), and the x-th printer (for example, 1 in FIG. 3)
A dialog box for asking whether to install the driver of 15a) is displayed (S5). If the user selects to install (S6-YES), the installation utility 120 downloads the corresponding printer driver 118 of the OS 117 from the x-th printer and installs it on the host computer 112 (S7).

Next, x is decremented by 1 (S8), and when x is 0 or less (S9-YES), the processing of the installation utility 120 is terminated because all the processes have been completed for the printers that have responded. I do. If x is not less than 0 (S
9-NO), a dialog box asking whether to install the next x-th printer driver is displayed (S5), and the process is repeated until x becomes 0 or less.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are flow charts for explaining the processing according to the second aspect of the present invention. First, when the installation utility 120 is started (S11),
In the same manner as in the description of the first aspect of the present invention, a printer that can be used for broadcasting is queried (S12).
The number (N) of the printers that have responded is counted, and if there is no response (S16-NO), the process of the install utility 120 ends.

If there is a response (S13-YES), the number of printers (N) is substituted into a variable x (S14), and the driver of the x-th printer (for example, 115a in FIG. 3)
It is confirmed whether the host computer 112 has already been installed (S15). If the driver has been installed (S16-YES), the version of the driver held from the x-th printer is inquired (S17). If the version is newer than the version of the driver installed in the host computer 112 (S18-). YES), a dialog box for inquiring whether to install or upgrade the driver of the x-th printer is displayed. If the version of the driver held by the printer is older or the same (S18-NO), no processing is performed, and the processing proceeds to the next printer. If the driver of the x-th printer has not been installed, a dialog box for inquiring whether to install or upgrade the driver is displayed (S19).

If the user selects to install or upgrade (S20-YES), the installation utility 120 downloads the corresponding printer driver 118 of the OS 117 from the x-th printer and installs or upgrades this host computer 112. (S21).

Next, x is decremented by 1 (S22). If x is 0 or less (S23-YES), the processing of the installation utility 120 is terminated because all the processes have been completed for the printers that have responded. I do. If x is not 0 or less (S23-NO), the process is repeated for the next x-th printer driver.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the processing according to the third aspect of the present invention. The processing is substantially the same as the processing according to the first aspect of the invention (the flowchart of FIG. 4).
The difference from the processing of claim 1 is that a dialog box asking whether to install the driver of the x-th printer is displayed, and when the user selects “install”, the installation utility 120
Downloads the corresponding printer driver 118 of the OS 117 from the x-th printer and installs it in the host computer 112 (S7 in FIG. 4). On the other hand, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the install utility 120 transmits the corresponding OS 117 from the x-th printer.
Information such as the URL of the printer driver of the
The printer driver is downloaded from the location where the printer driver exists on the network server 202, and is installed in the host computer 112 (S31).

FIGS. 8 and 9 are flowcharts for explaining the processing according to the fourth aspect of the present invention. The processing is substantially the same as the processing according to the second aspect of the present invention (the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6). The difference from the processing of claim 2 is that a dialog box asking whether to install the driver of the x-th printer is displayed, and when the user selects “install”, the installation utility 120 according to the invention of claim 2 executes x The printer driver 118 of the corresponding OS 117 is downloaded from the second printer and installed in the host computer 112 (S21 in FIG. 6). On the other hand, in the invention of claim 4,
The installation utility 120 acquires information such as the URL of the printer driver of the corresponding OS 117 from the x-th printer, downloads the printer driver from the location where the printer driver exists on the network server 202 indicated by the URL, and the like, It is installed in this host computer 112 (S41 in FIG. 9).

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, information such as a printer driver, a printer driver version, and a URL where the printer driver exists is stored in the storage device 114 of the printer.
02 is added with an update function.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the printer is accessed from the printer in a timely manner (for example, every three days), and if the driver has been updated, the printer driver version, the URL where the printer driver exists, etc. And a function of downloading the information and updating the information stored in the storage device 114 of the printer.

[0026]

The function and effect corresponding to claim 1: claim 1
According to the invention, the printer holds a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer in a storage device, a utility incorporated in the host computer inquires an available printer connected to the network by broadcast, and the utility There is an advantage that the printer driver that has received the response can be downloaded from the printer and a printer driver that can be used on the network can be automatically installed.

Operation and Effect Corresponding to Claim 2: In contrast to the operation and effect of the invention of claim 1, by maintaining the version information of the driver in the storage device on the printer side, the utility is not only installed but also upgraded. There is an advantage of having.

Operation and Effect Corresponding to Claim 3: In contrast to the operation and effect of the invention of claim 1, it is not necessary for the printer to hold the printer driver of each OS of the host computer in the storage device. It is only necessary to hold the data indicating the location of the printer, so that there is an advantage that the capacity required for the storage device of the printer can be reduced.

Operation and Effect Corresponding to Claim 4 In contrast to the operation and effect of the invention of claim 2, it is not necessary for the printer to hold the printer driver of each OS of the host computer in the storage device. It is only necessary to hold the data indicating the location of the printer, so that there is an advantage that the capacity required for the storage device of the printer can be reduced.

Operation and Effect Corresponding to Claim 5: In contrast to the operation and effect of the inventions of claims 1 to 4, there is an advantage that information such as a printer driver held by the printer can be updated.

Operation and Effect Corresponding to Claim 6: In contrast to the operation and effect of the inventions of Claims 1 to 4, the update of the information such as the printer driver held on the printer side can be performed automatically without the user having to work. There is an advantage that can be done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printer configuration of a printer connected to a host computer and a controller of the printer.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram in the host computer device.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a printer, a host computer, and a network server connected to a network.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a part of a flowchart for explaining processing according to the second aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is the remaining part of the flowchart for explaining the process according to the second aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining processing according to the third aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a part of a flowchart for explaining processing according to the invention of claim 4;

FIG. 9 is the remaining part of the flowchart for explaining the processing according to the invention of claim 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

100: controller, 101: CPU, 102: IC
Card, 103: NVRAM, 104: Program RO
M, 105: Font ROM, 106: RAM, 107
... Engine interface, 108 ... Engine, 10
9 Panel interface, 110 Panel device, 1
11: host interface, 112: host device,
113: disk interface; 114: disk device; 115: printer.

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a printer system in which a printer and a host computer are connected via a network, the printer holds a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer in a storage device, and a utility incorporated in the host computer broadcasts a driver. A printer system for inquiring about available printers connected to the network, downloading the printer driver from the printer, and installing the printer driver for use in the host computer for the printer that has returned a response. . 2. In a printer system in which a printer and a host computer are connected via a network, the printer holds a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer and a version of the driver in a storage device, and is installed in the host computer. Utility broadcasts and queries available printers connected to the network, the utility obtains the version of its printer driver from the printer for the returned printer, and the utility sends the current version to the host computer. The utility determines whether the version of the installed printer driver is newer, and if the version is not newer than the driver stored in the printer, the utility sends the printer driver to the host computer. A printer system that downloads a printer from a printer and automatically upgrades the version of the printer driver. 3. A printer system in which a printer, a host computer, and a network server holding a printer driver are connected via a network.
URL (Uniform Resource Loc) where the printer has a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer
ator) in a storage device, and a utility incorporated in the host computer broadcasts an available printer connected to the network and inquires about available printers. Printer information from a network server indicated by the utility, and installs the printer driver so that it can be used by a host computer. 4. A printer system in which a printer, a host computer, and a network server holding a printer driver are connected via a network.
URL (Uniform Resource Loc) where the printer has a printer driver corresponding to each OS of the host computer
ator) and its driver version are stored in the storage device, and a utility incorporated in the host computer broadcasts and queries available printers connected to the network, and the utility responds. For a printer, obtain the version of the printer driver from the printer, the utility determines whether the version of the printer driver currently installed in the host computer is newer, and if the version is not newer, the utility checks the indicated version. A printer system which downloads a printer driver from a network server and automatically upgrades the version of the printer driver. 5. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein a printer driver corresponding to each OS stored in a storage device of the printer, and a URL (Uniform Resource Link) in which a printer driver corresponding to each OS exists.
ocator) and a driver version thereof from an external medium (such as an IC card) to a storage device of the printer, so that the information held in the printer can be updated. Printer system. 6. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein a printer driver corresponding to each OS held in a storage device of the printer, and a URL (Uniform Resource Link) in which a printer driver corresponding to each OS exists.
ocator) or the like, and the driver version via a network, accessing a network server and downloading in a timely manner to update the information held in the printer. .