JP2005078252A - Print system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system that ensures high speed and that is easy to upgrade by performing an efficient load sharing process over a host, a server and a printer. <P>SOLUTION: The print system comprises a host with an intermediate code generation means, a server selection means, and a printer selection means, a server with a rendering means, a printer with a rendering means, a print end reporting means, and a means for performing a rendering process using an appropriate method depending on the status of processes by the server and the ability of the server compared with that of the printer. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a host apparatus, and more particularly to a printing system that processes print data based on designation from an application or the like and causes the printing apparatus to output the print data.

In a conventional printing system, when printing is performed based on a designation from an application or the like, print data that can be processed by an output destination printing apparatus is generated on the host apparatus and transmitted to the printing apparatus, so that desired printing can be performed. Processing is in progress. Also, in the process of print data generation, in order to maximize the total throughput of the printing system, it is very important to balance the processing on the host side, the efficiency of data on the communication line, and the processing on the printing device side. is there. Therefore, in recent printing systems, not only the method in which the host generates PDL code and transmits it to the printing apparatus, but also the intermediate that the printing apparatus can easily process on the host side depending on the complexity of the print data and the processing capacity on the host side. There is something that processes even the data format (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, in the printing apparatus, in order to develop the image of the intermediate data at a high speed, an ASIC is used to increase the speed of the system.
JP 2002-182870 A

  In the above conventional example, when the image is formed on the printing apparatus side, the intermediate data is processed by the ASIC. In this case, however, there is a problem that the performance of the hardware relatively decreases with the date. The capabilities of the host computer evolve from day to day, and the OS and applications running on the host computer become more sophisticated, while the ASIC hardware becomes obsolete. For this reason, in an environment in which the OS or application software is upgraded, there may be a case where a correct print result cannot be obtained due to inferior print expression capability on the printing apparatus side. Also, in an environment where a host computer is replaced or a high-speed server device is present, it may be possible that the print throughput increases if the processing performed on the printing device side is performed on the host computer side or server side.

  In order to solve the above problems, a printing system according to the present invention is a printing system including a printing apparatus, a host apparatus that receives a print instruction from an application, and a server apparatus that transmits print data to the printing apparatus. The host device sequentially receives print data from an application and converts the print code generated by the first conversion unit into a first print unit that converts the print data into a first print code that can be processed by the server device. A determination unit configured to determine whether to transmit to the server device or to the printing device; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the first print code generated by the first conversion unit to the server device. The second conversion means for receiving the print code generated by the first conversion means and converting it to the second print code; and the second conversion means Transmission means for transmitting the generated second print code to the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus receives the second print code from the server apparatus, analyzes it, and performs print processing. And a second print processing means for receiving the print code generated by the first conversion means, analyzing the print code, and performing a print process.

  The present invention having the above-described configuration can provide a system in which a server device is provided between a host device and a printing device, and the server device can replace processing for generating a print image from intermediate data performed by the printing device using an ASIC. . As a result, the printing load can be distributed between the printing device and the server device, the system can be optimized when the printing system is upgraded, and a flexible printing system can be reconstructed and a printing system capable of high-speed printing is provided. .

  As described above, if the present invention is organized and summarized, it can be integrated into the following configurations.

(1) A printing system comprising a printing device, a host device that receives a print instruction from an application, and a server device that transmits print data to the printing device,
The host device is
First conversion means for sequentially receiving print data from an application and converting the print data into a first print code that can be processed by the server device;
Transmission means for transmitting the first print code generated by the first conversion means to the server device;
The server device is
A second conversion means for receiving the print code generated by the first conversion means and converting it into a second print code;
Transmission means for transmitting the second print code generated by the second conversion means to the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus includes:
It has a first print processing means for receiving a second print code from the server device, analyzing it, and performing a print process.

(2) The host device
First information generating means corresponding to specifying the server device;
A second information generating means corresponding to specifying the printing device;
Means for transmitting the second information generated by the second information generation means to the server device specified by the first information generation means;
The server device is
The printing system according to (1), wherein the printing apparatus receives the second information and specifies a printing apparatus based on the second information.

(3) The host device
A third information generating means corresponding to specifying the host device itself;
Means for transmitting the third information generated by the third information generating means to the server device specified by the first information generating means;
The server device is
Means for receiving the third information and transmitting the third information to the printing device specified by the second information generating means;
The printing apparatus includes:
The printing system according to (1) or (2), wherein the printing system receives the third information and transmits the printing information to a host device specified based on the third information.

(4) The host device
A determination unit that determines whether the print code generated by the first conversion unit is transmitted to the server device or the print device;
The printing apparatus includes:
The printing system according to any one of (1) to (3), further including a second print processing unit that receives, analyzes, and performs a print process on the print code generated by the first conversion unit.

(5) The discrimination means includes
The printing system according to (4), wherein the printing code generated by the first conversion unit is performed based on whether or not the printing apparatus can process the printing code.

(6) The discrimination means includes
The printing system according to (4), wherein the printing system is performed based on a comparison between processing capacity of the printing apparatus and processing time of the server apparatus.

(7) In any of (4) to (6), the determination unit selects the printing device when there is no response from the server device or the processing status of the server device is busy. Or the printing system described.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a system in which a server device is provided between a host device and a printing device, and the server device can substitute processing for generating a print image from intermediate data performed by the printing device using an ASIC. Is possible. Accordingly, it is possible to distribute the printing load between the printing apparatus and the server apparatus and to optimize the system at the time of upgrading the printing system, and it is possible to provide a printing system that can reconstruct a flexible printing system and perform high-speed printing.

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

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which a host apparatus, a server apparatus, and a printing apparatus are applied to a network connection will be described. This interface format is not an important component in the present invention, but can be easily applied to infrared communication, an interface defined by the USB or IEEE 1394 standard, or a combination of a video interface unique to the system and various network connection forms. It is.

  FIG. 1 is a drawing that best represents the features of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a client computer main body in a printing system of the present invention, which will be described later, and is connected to a server device and a printing device described later via a network. Reference numeral 2 denotes a user interface unit for the user to input various print settings such as paper size, double-sided designation, print resolution, print gradation, and the like, and to issue a print start instruction to the printing apparatus. Also, when determining whether to send print data directly to the printing device or via the server device, you can specify whether to judge at the processing speed or the processing function level, and print via the server device. The server device and the printing device are specified when performing the operation. Reference numeral 3 denotes a display unit for displaying an image, which displays a preview of print data. A server device information storage unit 4 stores the server device information designated by the user interface unit 2 and the drawing processing capability information of the server device. The drawing processing capability information of the server device is acquired by making an inquiry to the target server device. A printing device information storage unit 5 stores printing device information designated by the user interface unit 2, drawing processing capability information of the printing device, and an intermediate code level capable of drawing processing. The drawing processing capability information of the printing apparatus and the intermediate code level that can be drawn are obtained by inquiring the target printing apparatus. A print data control unit 6 receives a print command instruction designated by an application and generates print data to be transmitted to the printing apparatus. The print data control unit includes a code level storage unit 7 that determines and stores intermediate code data for printing during generation, an intermediate code data generation unit 8 that generates intermediate code data for printing, and image code data. There is an image code data generation unit 9 to generate. The code level storage unit 7 checks how advanced the drawing function is used when generating the intermediate code and stores the information. The intermediate code data generation unit 8 performs conversion processing into an intermediate code corresponding to the printing apparatus. This is expressed by the corresponding graphic print code for circles and rectangle figures, so the code generation time on the host can be done at high speed, but on the other hand, image processing is always required for printing on the printing device. Is a conversion process. Furthermore, the input to the intermediate code generation unit can also be already imaged, and it is converted into original intermediate code by adding processing such as enlargement, reduction, rotation, smoothing, color conversion, and compression. Processing is also performed. The image code data generation unit 9 is a part that further converts the data generated by the intermediate code data generation unit into image format data. Since the image code data coincides with the print image in the printing apparatus, the data amount is generally large, but the printing apparatus is a format that can be immediately printed. An intermediate data storage unit 10 temporarily stores the intermediate data generated by the intermediate code data generation unit 8. Reference numeral 11 denotes a print command control unit that controls the entire command that is transmitted to and received from the printing apparatus, including processing for acquiring the printing status of the printing apparatus or various types of printing apparatus information. A data transmission / reception unit 12 performs data transmission / reception to / from the server apparatus and the printing apparatus through a network connection.

  Reference numeral 13 denotes a server device, and reference numeral 14 denotes a user interface unit for a user in the server device to make various inputs and settings. Reference numeral 15 denotes a display unit for performing various displays on the server device. Reference numeral 16 denotes a printing apparatus information storage unit that stores information relating to an output destination printing apparatus designated by the host apparatus 1. Reference numeral 17 denotes a host device information storage unit that stores host device information instructed to be printed. A print data control unit 18 receives a print instruction transmitted from the host device 1 or receives a print instruction from an application of the server device 13 and generates print data to be transmitted to the printing device. The print data control unit includes an intermediate code data generation unit 19 that generates intermediate code data for printing and an image code data generation unit 20 that generates image code data. The intermediate code data generation unit 19 performs conversion processing into an intermediate code corresponding to the printing apparatus. The image code data generation unit 20 is a part that further converts the data generated by the intermediate code data generation unit 19 into image format data. An intermediate data storage unit 21 temporarily stores the intermediate data generated by the intermediate code data generation unit 19. A print command control unit 22 controls the entire command transmitted / received to / from the printing apparatus, including processing for acquiring the printing status of the printing apparatus or various printing apparatus information. A data transmission / reception unit 23 performs data transmission / reception to / from the host device and the printing device through a network connection.

  Reference numeral 24 denotes a printing apparatus, which performs a printing process or a print status response in response to an instruction from the connected host apparatus 1 or server apparatus 13. The printing device 24 further identifies a data transmission / reception unit 25 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the host device 1 or server device 13 connected to the network, and the host device 1 that has instructed printing processing to return the printing status. The host device information storage unit 26 for storing information and the data received by the data transmission / reception unit 25 are analyzed, and various information of the printing apparatus is converted into a command format and transmitted to the host device 1 or the server device 13 via the data transmission / reception unit 25. There is a printing device control unit 27 for generating data for this purpose. An intermediate data processing unit 28 sequentially analyzes the print data in the intermediate data format transmitted from the host apparatus 1 or the server apparatus 13 and performs the final print image generation. An image code data processing unit 29 analyzes the print data in the image code data format transmitted from the host device 1 or the server device 13 and performs the final print image generation. A print data storage unit 30 stores the final print image data generated by the intermediate data processing unit 28 or the image code data processing unit 29. An output unit 31 prints out the print data stored in the print data storage unit in accordance with a designated process.

  2, 3 and 4 are flowcharts of this embodiment described above. The operation of this embodiment will be described according to this flowchart.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing operation of the host apparatus 1. First, when printing processing is started in the host apparatus, the host apparatus 1 is initialized in step S201, and the printing apparatus 24 performs printing processing. Prepare for. Next, in step S202, the server device information storage unit 4 sets the server device designation information when printing via the server device 13 and the processing capability of the designated server device 13 input in the user interface unit 2. In step S <b> 203, the printing device information of the printing destination input in the user interface unit 2 and the drawing processing capability of the designated printing device 24 are set in the printing device information storage unit 5. In step S204, the intermediate data stored in the intermediate data storage unit 10 and the code level storage unit 7 are cleared. In step S205, the user interface unit 2 determines whether there is an input from the user. If it is input, an intermediate code corresponding to the printing apparatus is generated by the intermediate code data generation unit 8 based on the print data from the application in step S206. At this time, the drawing function level required by the generated intermediate code is stored in the code level storage unit 7. This storage level stores the highest level. Next, in step S207, the intermediate code generated in step S206 is additionally stored in the intermediate data that is already generated and stored in the intermediate data storage unit 10, and the process returns to step S205.

  On the other hand, if it is an output instruction in the determination in step S205, it is determined in step S208 whether to output to the printing device 24 or to output via the server device 13. The determination here differs depending on whether the determination is made based on the processing speed or the processing function level input by the user interface unit 2. When the determination by the processing speed is designated, the drawing processing capability of the server device 13 stored in the server device information storage unit 4 and the drawing processing capability of the printing device 24 stored in the printing device information storage unit 5 are determined. If the drawing processing capability of the printing device 24 is higher, the printing device output is selected. Otherwise, the server device output is selected. When determination at the processing function level is specified, intermediate code level information that can be drawn and stored in the printing apparatus information storage unit 5 and generated intermediate code data stored in the code level storage unit 7 If the drawing processing level of the printing device 24 is higher, the printing device output is selected, and if not, the server device output is selected. If it is determined in step S208 that the output is a printing device, the intermediate code data is extracted from the intermediate code data generation unit 8 in step S209, and in step S210, the print command control unit 11 matches the print command system of the printing device 24 with an escape sequence. In addition, a command for controlling the printing device 24 is added, and the data transmission / reception unit 12 transmits the generated print data to the printing device 24 in step S211, and the process returns to step S204. If it is determined in step S208 that the output is a server device, in step S212, server device information for data transmission is extracted from the server device information storage unit 4, and the processing status of the server device 13 is confirmed in step S213. If there is a response from the server device and the processing status is not busy, the process proceeds to step S214; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S209. In step S214, the printing apparatus information to be finally output is extracted from the printing apparatus information storage unit 5. In step S215, the intermediate code data is extracted from the intermediate code data generation unit 8, and data is generated in a form that matches the processing of the server apparatus 13. In addition, data for specifying the printing apparatus is added, and in step S216, the data transmitting / receiving unit 12 transmits the generated server data to the server apparatus 13, and the process returns to step S204.

  The above is the operation of the printing process in the host device in this embodiment.

  Next, the server apparatus processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing operation of the server device 13. First, when the printing process in the server device is started, the server device 13 is initialized in step S301, and the printing device 24 performs the printing process. Prepare for. In step S302, the data transmission / reception unit 23 determines whether there is an input from the host device 1, and if it is a print data output instruction, it receives output destination printing device information from the input data in step S303, and a printing device information storage unit. 16 is stored in the host device information storage unit 17 as the return destination host information in step S304, and the intermediate code data is received in step S305 and stored in the intermediate data storage unit 21. In step S306, the image code data generation unit 20 converts the image data into image format data. In step S307, it is determined whether there is intermediate data. If there is any, the process returns to step S305. Thus, the print command control unit 22 adds to the print command system of the printing apparatus. Command, such as an escape sequence, is added, and a command for controlling the printing apparatus and return host information stored in the host device information storage unit 17 are added, and generated by the data transmitting / receiving unit 23 in step S309. The print data is transmitted to the printing apparatus stored in the printing apparatus information storage unit 16, and the process returns to step S302.

  If it is determined in step S302 that other processing is designated, processing in accordance with each processing is performed in step S310, and the process returns to step S302. In step S310, if the request is for an inquiry about the processing status of the server device 13, processing for returning information indicating a busy state or a ready state is also performed according to the load status of the server device 13.

  The above is the operation of the printing process in the server apparatus in this embodiment.

  Next, the printing apparatus process in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing operation of the printing apparatus 24. First, when the printing process in the printing apparatus is started, the printing apparatus 24 is initialized in step S401 to prepare for the printing process. Do. In step S402, the data transmission / reception unit 25 determines whether there is an input from the host device 1, and if it is the input of print data, first in step S403, the return destination host information is received and stored in the host device information storage unit 26, In step S404, the intermediate code data received by the intermediate data processing unit 28 is analyzed and converted to image format data for printing in step S405. And stored in the print data storage unit 30. Next, in step S406, it is determined whether or not a discharge code is included in the intermediate data. If not included, the process returns to step S403, and if included, it is stored in the print data storage unit 30 in step S407. The print data is printed by the output unit 31, the return destination host information is acquired from the host device information storage unit 26 in step S408, and the print end notification is sent to the return destination host device via the data transmission / reception unit 25 in step S409. Return to step S402. If it is determined in step S403 that the print data is in the image code format, the image code data received by the image code data processing unit 29 is stored in the print data storage unit 30 in step S410, and the process proceeds to step S407.

  If it is determined in step S402 that other processing is specified, processing in accordance with each processing is performed in step S411, and the process returns to step S402. In step S411, if it is an inquiry request for drawing processing capability information of the printing device 24 or intermediate code level information that can be drawn, processing of returning these pieces of information of the printing device itself is also performed.

  The above is the operation of the printing process in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the control procedure of the Example of this invention. The flowchart which shows the control procedure of the Example of this invention. The flowchart which shows the control procedure of the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host apparatus 2 User interface part 3 Display part 4 Server apparatus information storage part 5 Printing apparatus information storage part 6 Print data control part 7 Code level storage part 8 Intermediate code data generation part 9 Image code data generation part 10 Intermediate data storage part 11 Print command control unit 12 Data transmission / reception unit 13 Server device 14 User interface unit 15 Display unit 16 Printing device information storage unit 17 Host device information storage unit 18 Print data control unit 19 Intermediate code data generation unit 20 Image code data generation unit 21 Intermediate data Storage unit 22 Print command control unit 23 Data transmission / reception unit 24 Printing device 25 Data transmission / reception unit 26 Host device information storage unit 27 Printing device control unit 28 Intermediate data processing unit 29 Image code data processing unit 30 Print data storage unit 31 Output unit

Claims (7)

A printing system comprising a printing device, a host device that receives a print instruction from an application, and a server device that transmits print data to the printing device,
The host device is
First conversion means for sequentially receiving print data from an application and converting the print data into a first print code that can be processed by the server device;
Transmission means for transmitting the first print code generated by the first conversion means to the server device;
The server device is
A second conversion means for receiving the print code generated by the first conversion means and converting it into a second print code;
Transmission means for transmitting the second print code generated by the second conversion means to the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus includes:
It has a first print processing means for receiving a second print code from the server device, analyzing it, and performing a print process. The host device is
First information generating means corresponding to specifying the server device;
A second information generating means corresponding to specifying the printing device;
Means for transmitting the second information generated by the second information generation means to the server device specified by the first information generation means;
The server device is
The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the second information is received and a printing apparatus is specified based on the second information. The host device is
A third information generating means corresponding to specifying the host device itself;
Means for transmitting the third information generated by the third information generating means to the server device specified by the first information generating means;
The server device is
Means for receiving the third information and transmitting the third information to the printing device specified by the second information generating means;
The printing apparatus includes:
3. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the printing system receives the third information and transmits the printing information to a host device specified based on the third information. The host device is
A determination unit that determines whether the print code generated by the first conversion unit is transmitted to the server device or the print device;
The printing apparatus includes:
4. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a second print processing unit that receives the print code generated by the first conversion unit, analyzes the print code, and performs a print process. The discrimination means includes
The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the printing code generated by the first conversion unit is performed based on whether or not the printing apparatus can process the printing code. The discrimination means includes
The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the printing is performed based on a comparison between processing capacity of the printing apparatus and processing time of the server apparatus. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit selects the printing device when there is no response from the server device or when the processing status of the server device is busy.

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