JP2000284929A - Printing device and system therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing device or system in which a printer side can select a printer to be used from among plural printers by only transmitting print data from the operator of a print host computer to a specific printer with a simple constitution at low costs. SOLUTION: A printing device 2 connected with a host computer 1 executes print processing according to a request for print and print data transmitted from the host computer 1. This printing device 2 is provided with a printer controller 21 for controlling the printing processing of the print data, a storage device 23 for temporarily storing the request for print and the print data, and an interface controlling part 24 for an extended device for cascade-connecting an extended second printing device 3. Then, the printer controller 21 judges whether the print processing of the print data should be executed by the printing device 2 or the print data should be transmitted to an extended printing device 3 so that the print processing of the print data can be executed based on attribute data in the print data, and executes the print processing of the print data according to the judged result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus or a printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to a host computer, and selects an appropriate printing apparatus from a print request sent from the host computer. The present invention relates to a printing device or a printing system capable of performing printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as personal computers).
With the spread of PCs) to companies and homes, documents or drawings created by PCs are printed (printed).
The opportunity to print using is increasing. In addition, as the processing speed of the PC has been increased and the functionality has been improved,
It has become possible to increase the number of colors and density of documents and figures created by a PC. As a result, the functions required of the printing apparatus have also been required to be multicolored and have high densities. By the way, when a standard PC is used as a host computer of a printing apparatus, generally only one printing apparatus can be connected to the PC. Therefore, for example, if a low-resolution printing device for one color of black is currently connected, and a new request for multicoloring and high-density is issued, the printing device being used is replaced with a PC. And a new printing device needs to be connected to the PC. In addition, in order to be able to select and use an old printing device in addition to the new printing device, a host computer having an interface for a plurality of printing devices is used instead of the standard PC. It has been known. When a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected by using a host computer having an interface for such a plurality of printing apparatuses, the printer driver (software) of each printer is stored in a storage unit of the host computer, and Connect the printing device to the host computer in parallel. Then, when executing the printing process, the operator of the host computer selects an appropriate printing device according to the printing purpose and the printing content, and transmits a print request and print data.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conventional printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to a host computer. In the printing system shown in FIG. 9, a first printer 8 and a second printer 9 are connected to a host computer 1 via a connection cable 4. A printer interface (I / F) control unit 11 that enables transmission and reception of signals between the printers 8 and 9 inside the host computer 1;
A first printer driver 12 which is software for executing printing by the first printer 8;
And a second printer driver 15 which is software for executing printing by the printer. First printer 8
Inside, a first printer controller 81 that receives a print request and print data from the host computer 1 and controls printing by the first printer 8, and performs printing on print paper based on the received print data. A first printer printing unit 82. A second printer controller 91 that receives a print request and print data from the host computer 1 and controls printing by the second printer 9 is provided inside the second printer 9, and prints on print paper based on the received print data. And a first printer printing unit 82 that prints on the printer. For example, the resolution of the first printer 8 is 400 dpi and the maximum paper size is A3,
It is assumed that the resolution of the second printer 9 is 600 dpi and the maximum paper size is A4. In this case, the operator of the host computer 1 selects the first printer 8 when the print size of the print data is A3, and selects the second printer 9 when the print data resolution requires 600 dpi. To send a print request and print data.

As described above, in the printing system shown in FIG. 9, the operator of the host computer 1 selects an appropriate printing device (printer) according to the contents of the print data, and sends a print request and print data. I do. Further, the printing system shown in FIG. 9 shows a case where the host computer 1 and each of the printers 8 and 9 are connected by the connection cable 4, but the host computer 1 and each of the printers 8 and 9 are connected using a local area network (LAN). 8 and 9 may be connected. When connecting the host computer 1 and each of the printers 8 and 9 using a local area network, each of the host computer 1, the first printer 8 and the second printer 9 must have a built-in network control unit. . However, the procedure for transmitting a print request and print data after the operator of the computer 1 selects a printer is the same as that of the printing system of FIG. Further, since a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to a host computer, apparatuses and methods for distributing the print contents of each page of print data to the plurality of printing apparatuses are also known. For example, JP-A-5-73232 discloses that
With multiple printers connected to the network,
A print control method for simultaneously printing a large amount of data divided in page units in parallel is disclosed. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-7444 discloses a printer server device using a plurality of printers connected to a network,
A printer server device that analyzes the data structure of print data and refers to resource information (functional information) of each printer, allocates print data to each printer in page units, and outputs the print server device. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-31570
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209555 discloses a print data control device that is connected to a print data editing device and is used by connecting a plurality of printers. While monitoring the status of each printer, a plurality of print data Are simultaneously disclosed in a print data control apparatus.

[0005]

However, in the printing system shown in FIG. 9, whether the operator of the host computer 1 has grasped the function information of each of the printers 8 and 9 or not.
The function information of each of the printers 8 and 9 is stored in advance in a storage device (not shown), and the printer to be used is selected and printed while referring to the function information and the resolution / dimension data included in the print data. It was necessary to transmit data and the like. In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos.
In the technical content described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 0-31570, although print data is allocated to each page using a plurality of printers, print data is transferred to a plurality of printers using specifications (functions) common to the plurality of printers. However, the print data is not transmitted by selecting an optimum printer from the functions of a plurality of printers. The printer server described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-64744 analyzes the data structure of print data and allocates and outputs print data to each printer by referring to function information of each printer. Basically, the printer server device needs to be connected to a network. Therefore, a host computer and a control board serving as an interface with the network are required inside each printer. Further, the printer server itself is expensive. Therefore, for example, using a printer server device described in JP-A-7-64744 for a small-scale printing system having a configuration in which only two printers are connected to a host computer requires networking. Cost / performance is worse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems. An operator of a print host computer only transmits print data to a specific printer, and the printer uses the print data from a plurality of printers. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus or a printing system capable of selecting a printer with a simple configuration and at low cost.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which is connected to a host computer and performs printing processing based on a print request and print data transmitted from the host computer. A print controller for controlling a printing process based on the print data, a storage device for temporarily storing the print request and the print data, and an additional device for cascading the additional print device. An interface control unit for controlling the interface for the additional device including an interface, the printer controller, based on attribute data in the print data,
Determining whether to execute the print processing of the print data by itself or to transmit the print data to an additional printing apparatus to execute the print processing, and execute the print processing of the print data according to the determination result. I do. The invention of claim 2 is
A host computer that outputs a print request and print data, a first printing device that executes print processing based on the print request and print data sent from the host computer, and a first printing device that is connected to the first printing device And a local area network connecting the host computer, the storage device, and the first printing device, and a second printing device that executes a printing process based on a print request and print data transmitted from the printing device. The first printing device includes a network control unit for connecting to a local area network, a first printer controller for controlling a printing process of the print data, and an extension device for cascading the second printing device. An interface including an interface for controlling the interface for the additional unit And a storage unit for temporarily storing a print request and print data sent from a host computer on the local area network, wherein the first printer controller is stored in the storage device. The print data of the print data is selectively executed based on the attribute data in the print data, or whether the print data is transmitted to a second printing apparatus and executed. . According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the second aspect, the storage device is provided inside the first printing device instead of being connected to the local area network, and is used as a storage device of the host computer. It is made possible.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a connection configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a more detailed configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a chart showing functions of the first printer and the second printer. FIG. 4 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram showing a function takeover operation in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram when the first printer selects and executes the printing process. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram when the printing process is selected and executed by the second printer. In FIG. 1, portions having the same functions as those of the conventional device shown in FIG. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 1, a first printer 2 which is a printing apparatus of the present embodiment is connected to a host computer 1 by a connection cable 4. The first printer 2 is also connected to a second printer 3 which is an additional printer by a connection cable 5. Next, FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of each device.
This will be described with reference to FIG. The host computer 1 includes a first printer interface (I / F) control unit 11 for controlling the interface including an interface that enables transmission and reception of signals between the host computer 1 and the first printer 2; A first printer driver storage unit 12 which stores a first printer driver which is software for executing a printing process by the first printer. And data and the like are exchanged.

The first printer 2 controls the whole of the first printer 2 and stores function information of the first printer 2, a first printer controller 22 for executing printing processing, A storage device 23 for temporarily storing a print request and print data from the host computer 1 and a second printer for controlling the interface including an interface for enabling transmission and reception of signals between the first printer 2 and the second printer The first printer 2 includes an interface (I / F) control unit 24 and a second printer driver storage unit 25 storing a second printer driver which is software for executing a printing process by the second printer. Between the above parts in
Signals, data, and the like are exchanged via the internal bus 28. The second printer 3 has a second printer controller 31 that controls the entire second printer 3 and stores function information of the second printer 3, and a second printer printing unit 32 that executes a printing process. Signals, data, and the like are exchanged between the respective units in the second printer 3 via the internal bus 33. Here, for example, it is assumed that the functions of the first printer 2 and the second printer 3 in the present embodiment have the resolution and the maximum paper size as shown in the table of FIG. That is, the resolution of the first printer 2 is 40
0 dpi, the maximum paper size is A3, and the resolution of the second printer 3 is 600 dpi, and the maximum paper size is A3.
Assume that it is 4. Then, as a function of combining (merging) the first printer 2 and the second printer 3, the resolution is 600 dpi and the maximum paper size is A3. However, even if the maximum (highest) function of each printer is specified, since only one of the printers actually performs the printing process, for example, the resolution is 600 dpi and the paper size is A3. The printing under the condition is a printing process that exceeds the functions individually provided by the first printer 2 and the second printer 3, and therefore cannot be executed.

Next, the operation of taking over functions from the first printer 2 by the host computer 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the power is turned on or the reset process is performed in the host computer 1, first, the first printer I / F control unit is instructed by the first printer driver stored in the first printer driver storage unit 12 in the host computer 1. The first printer function takeover request is transmitted to the first printer 2 via the first printer function request 11. First printer 2
When the first printer controller 21 receives the first printer function take-up request, the first printer controller 21 generates a second printer function take-up request in accordance with an instruction of the second printer driver stored in the second printer driver storage section 25, and the second printer I / F
A second printer function takeover request is sent to the second printer 3 via the control unit 24. The second printer function takeover request is sent to the first printer 2 by the second printer 3
Is performed only when is connected, and is not transmitted when the second printer 3 is not connected. After that, in the first printer controller 21 of the first printer 2,
The function information (400 dpi, maximum A3 size, etc.) of the own device stored in the first printer controller 21 is read and prepared. On the other hand, in the second printer 3 receiving the second printer function takeover request, the second printer controller 32
Function information (600 dpi, maximum A
4 is read and prepared, and when the preparation of the function information of the second printer controller 32 is completed, the function information of the second printer controller 32 is transmitted to the first printer.

The function information of the second printer controller 32 is stored in the second printer I / F controller 24 in the first printer 2.
And transmitted to the first printer controller 21 via the internal bus 28. First printer controller 21
Then, the function information of the second printer 3 is received (taken).
And the function information of the first printer 2 and the function information of the second printer 3 are merged, and the merge processing result (600d
pi, maximum A3 size, etc.) to the host computer 1. The merge processing result of the function information of the first printer 2 and the second printer 3 according to the present embodiment has a resolution of 60 as shown in the first / second printer column of FIG.
0 dpi, and the maximum paper size is A3. The first printer driver 12 in the host computer 1 that has received (acquired) the merge processing result (first / second printer function) of the function information from the first printer 2 based on the merge processing result, The transmission of print data is determined. In the case of the present embodiment, the first printer I / F control unit 11 in the host computer 1 is connected only to the first printer 2 and is not connected to the second printer 3. Therefore, although the function information of the second printer 3 cannot be directly recognized from the host computer 1, the first printer 2 of the present embodiment is connected to the host computer 1, and
Further, the first printer 2 of the present embodiment has the second printer 3
Is connected, the host computer 1 can indirectly recognize the function information of the second printer 3 together with the function information of the first printer 2. In addition, since the first printer 2 determines whether the print processing of the received print data is executed by the first printer 2 itself or transmitted to the second printer 3 for execution, the host computer 1
On the side, without selecting a printer, for example, A3
Print data of 400 dpi in size or 60 in A4 size
It is only necessary to send print data of 0 dpi to the first printer 2 together with the print request.

Next, the printing operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. When the host computer 1 issues a request for printing 400 dpi print data of A3 size, for example, the operation shown in FIG. 5 is performed. First, the first printer I / F control unit 11 receives an instruction from a first printer driver in the host computer 1.
To print information (print data is A3 size, 400 dpi
Is transmitted to the first printer 2. Upon receiving the print request and the print information, the first printer controller 21 in the first printer 2 determines whether the printing based on the print request should be processed by the first printer 2 or the second printer 3. Do. The determination as to whether the print request should be processed by the first printer 2 or the second printer 3 depends on whether the print information includes a function unique to each printer.
Judgment is made based on the unique function, and when only functions common to each printer are used, judgment is made based on which printer is more efficient to print. In the current print information, since the print data is 400 dpi in A3 size, the first printer controller 21 determines that printing can be performed only by the first printer 2 that can support A3 size. The first printer controller 21 based on the determination result
Sends a print data transmission request to the host computer 1. The print information is temporarily stored in the storage device 23. The host computer 1 that has received the print data transmission request transmits the print data to the first printer 2. The first printer 2 that has received the print data temporarily stores it in the storage device 23 together with the print information. When the reception of all the print data is completed, the first printer controller 21 sends a command to the host computer 1 indicating that it is ready to receive the next print data. Next, the first printer controller 21
The print data is read from the storage device 23 and sent to the first printer printing unit 22 to execute the printing process. When the printing process in the first printer printing unit 22 is completed, the first printer controller 21 sends a printing completion notification to the host computer 1. First printer I / F control unit 11 in host computer 1 that has received the print completion notification
Completes the printing process requested by the host computer 1 for printing.

In this embodiment, when the first printer controller 21 sends a command to the host computer 1 indicating that it is ready to receive the next print data, the second printer 3 can be received. After receiving all the print data for executing the printing process by the first printer 2, the first printer 2 is in the printing state.
The second printer 3 is in a standby state. Therefore, for example, when print data of 600 dpi in A4 size is transmitted from the host computer 1 in this state, the print data is temporarily stored in the storage device 23 together with the print information, and the second
Sending temporarily stored print information and print data to the second printer 3 via the second printer I / F control unit 24 in accordance with an instruction from the printer driver, and causing the second printer 3 to execute print processing of the print data. Can be. That is,
The parallel processing of the first printer 2 and the second printer 3 becomes possible. The printing process by the second printer 3 will be described below. In the host computer 1, for example,
When a print request for print data of A4 size and 600 dpi is made, the operation shown in FIG. 6 is performed. First, the first printer driver storage unit 12 in the host computer 1
Print information (print data is A) from the first printer I / F control unit 11 according to an instruction of the first printer driver stored in
The print request is sent to the first printer 2.

The first printer controller 21 in the first printer 2 that has received the print request and the print information determines whether the print request should be printed by the first printer 2 or the second printer 3. . The determination of whether the print request should be printed by the first printer 2 or the second printer 3 can be made by using the specific function if the print information includes a function specific to each printer. When only the functions common to each printer are used, the determination is made based on which printer is more efficient to print. In the current print information, since the print data is 600 dpi in A4 size, the first printer controller 21 determines that printing can be performed only by the second printer 3 that can support 600 dpi. The print information is temporarily stored in the storage device 23. The first printer controller 21 generates and sends a print request to the second printer 3 according to an instruction of the second printer driver based on the determination result. The second printer controller 31 in the second printer 3 that has received the print request requests transmission of print data to the first printer 2. The first printer controller 21 that has received the print data transmission request via the second printer I / F control unit 24 requests transmission of the print data to the host computer. The host computer 1 that has received the print data transmission request transmits the print data to the first printer 2. In the first printer 2 that has received the print data, the first printer 2 stores the print information and the storage device 23.
To be stored temporarily. When the reception of all the print data is completed, the first printer controller 21 sends a command to the host computer 1 indicating that it is ready to receive the next print data. Next, the first
The printer controller 21 stores the print data in the storage device 2
3 and sends the read print data to the second printer 3 via the second printer I / F control unit 24.
The second printer controller 31 in the second printer 3 that has received the print data executes print processing of the print data by the second printer printing unit 32. Second printer printing unit 3
When the printing process in 2 is completed, the first printer controller 21 sends a printing completion notification to the first printer 2. The first printer controller 21 that has received the print completion notification via the second printer I / F control unit 24
A print completion notification is sent to the host computer 1. The first printer I / F control unit 11 in the host computer 1 that has received the print completion notification completes the print processing requested by the host computer 1 for printing.

In the present embodiment, when the first printer controller 21 sends a command to the host computer 1 indicating that it is ready to receive the next print data, the first printer controller 21 2 can be received. After receiving all the print data for executing the printing process by the second printer 3, the second printer 3 is in the printing state.
The first printer 2 is in a standby state. Therefore, for example, in this state, when print data of 400 dpi of A3 size is transmitted from the host computer 1, the print data is temporarily stored in the storage device 23 together with the print information, and the first
The printing process of the print data can be executed by the first printer printing unit 22 in the printer 2. That is, parallel processing of the first printer 2 and the second printer 3 can be performed. As described above, regardless of whether the print processing of the print data received by the first printer controller 21 in the first printer 2 is executed by the printer itself or the second printer 3, In addition, parallel printing by the second printer 3 becomes possible. Therefore, the operator of the host computer 1 simply transmits a print data to a specific printer, and the first printer 2 can select a printer to be used from the first printer 2 and the second printer 3 with a simple configuration. It can be provided at low cost. In addition, since the printing apparatus of the present embodiment can perform parallel printing together with a printer to be added using a conventionally used printer, the conventionally used printer is not wasted, and high-performance can be easily achieved. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus capable of high-speed printing.

Next, second and third embodiments of the present invention in the case where a printing system is constituted by a host computer and a plurality of printers connected to a local area network will be described below. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the configuration of the printing system of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 and the configuration of the printing apparatus and the like of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is that the host computer 1 and the first printer 2 are The connection cable 4 of FIG. 2 to be connected is a local area network 7 in FIG.
Second, regarding the first difference (connection by the local area network), the network control unit 13 in the host computer 1 of FIG. 7 which does not exist in FIG.
There is a network control unit 26 in the printer 2, and the network control units 13 and 26 connect to the local area network 7.
Third, the storage device 23 is connected to the first printer controller 21 via the internal bus 28 in FIG. 2, whereas the storage device 6 is directly connected to the local area network 7 in FIG. It is. That is, transmission and reception of requests and print data between the host computer 1 and the first printer 2 are performed via the local area network 7, and the storage location for temporarily storing print information and print data is stored in the storage device 6 on the local area network. It has not changed except moved. Therefore, for the operation of the printing system of the present embodiment, the operation sequential diagrams shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 can be applied as they are, and also in the description of FIGS. The storage location to be used is the storage device 6 and the request and the transmission and reception of the print data and the like between the host computer 1 and the first printer 2 can be applied as it is simply by reading through the local area network 7, and the duplicate description is omitted. In the present embodiment, the storage device 6 connected to the local area network can be used as a storage unit for print information and print data. Accordingly, in the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment, the storage device 23 is built in the first printer 2 and thus it is difficult to increase the storage capacity. In the present embodiment, the storage device 23 is easily changed to the storage device 6 having a large storage capacity. It becomes possible. Further, the existing storage device is replaced with the storage device 6.
It is also easy to use as a storage device or to add a new storage device to the storage device 6, so that the storage device can be changed or added at low cost.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the configuration of the printing system of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8 and the configuration of the printing system of the second embodiment shown in FIG.
In FIG. 8, the storage device 6 is connected to the local area network 7, but in FIG. 8, the storage device 27 is connected to the first printer controller 21 in the first printer via the internal bus 28. That is, there is no change except that the storage location for temporarily storing print information and print data has been moved from the storage device 6 on the local area network to the inside of the first printer 2. Therefore, the operation sequential diagram shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 can be applied as it is to the operation of the printing system of the present embodiment, and the printing system shown in FIGS.
Can be applied as it is simply by replacing the storage location for temporarily storing print information and print data with the storage device 27 in the first printer 2 from the storage device 6, and duplicate description is omitted. In the present embodiment, since the first printer 2 has the network control unit 26 and the network control unit 26 and the storage device 27 are connected by the internal bus 28 via the first printer controller 21, the local area network The first printer 2 as a storage device of the host computer 1 connected thereto
Can be used. However, in order to use the storage device 27 as a storage device of the host computer 1, it is necessary to perform an operation of allocating a certain area in the storage device 27 for the host computer 1 in advance. Therefore, in the printing system of the third embodiment, the storage device 27 built in the first printer 2 can be efficiently used as the storage device of the host computer 1. In the first to third embodiments, the printer connected to the host computer 1 is the first printer 2 and the printer connected to the first printer 2 and added is the second printer 3.
Although the form in which two printers are cascaded to the host computer 1 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, by cascading printers having the same configuration as the first printer 2, three or more printers can be connected to the host computer 1 to configure a printing system.

[0017]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the operator of the host computer 1 only transmits print data to a specific printer, and the first printer is selected from the first printer and the second printer. A printing device that can select a printer to be used can be provided with a simple configuration and at low cost. In addition, since it is possible to perform parallel printing together with an additional printer by using a conventionally used printer, a printing device that can easily perform high-performance and high-speed printing without wasting the conventionally used printer. Can be provided. According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment, the storage device is built in the first printer, so that it is difficult to increase the storage capacity. Becomes possible. Furthermore, since it is easy to use an existing storage device or to add a new storage device, it is possible to change or add a storage device at low cost. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the storage device built in the first printer can be efficiently used as the storage device of the host computer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a connection configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a more detailed configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a table showing functions of a first printer and a second printer of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating a function takeover operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram when a printing process is selected and executed by the first printer of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram when a printing process is selected and executed by the second printer of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a conventional printing system in which a plurality of printing apparatuses are connected to a host computer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host computer, 2 and 8 ... 1st printer, 3 and 9 ... 2nd printer, 4 and 5 ... Connection cable, 6 and 27 ... Storage device, 7 ... Local Area network, 11 first printer I / F control unit, 12 first printer driver storage unit, 13, 2
6 Network controller, 14, 28, 33 ...
Internal bus, 21, 81: First printer controller, 22, 82: First printer printing unit, 23:
Storage device, 24... Second printer I / F control unit, 1
5, 25... Second printer driver storage unit, 31, 9
1 ... second printer controller, 32, 92 ...
Second printer printing unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printing device connected to a host computer and executing a printing process based on a print request and print data transmitted from the host computer, comprising: a printer controller for controlling a printing process based on the print data; A storage device for temporarily storing the print request and the print data, and an interface control unit including an interface for an additional device for cascading the additional printing device and controlling the interface for the additional device, the printer comprising: The controller determines, based on the attribute data in the print data, whether to execute the print processing of the print data by itself or to transmit the print data to an additional printing apparatus to execute the print processing. A printing apparatus for executing printing processing of the print data according to the following. 2. A host computer that outputs a print request and print data, a first printing device that executes a printing process based on the print request and print data sent from the host computer, and a first printing device that is connected to the first printing device. First
A printing system, comprising: a second printing device that executes a printing process based on a print request and print data sent from a printing device; and a local area network connecting the host computer, the storage device, and the first printing device. Wherein the first printing device comprises: a network control unit for connecting to a local area network; a first printer controller for controlling a printing process of the print data;
And an interface control unit for controlling the interface for the additional device including an interface for the additional device for cascade connection of the printing devices, and a print request and printing sent from a host computer on the local area network. A storage device for temporarily storing data, wherein the first printer controller executes a print process of the print data on its own device based on attribute data in the print data stored in the storage device. Alternatively, a printing system that selects and executes whether to transmit to a second printing apparatus to execute a printing process. 3. The storage device of the host computer, wherein the storage device is provided inside the first printing device instead of being connected to the local area network. A printing system according to claim 1.