JPH07121321A - Printer and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow an operator to confirm a selected content in the printing processing by selecting one of options to be processed during the processing based on printing data and reporting the processing contents. CONSTITUTION:A printer control unit 1001 inputs character codes sent from a host device 201 through a bi-directional interface 202 and information consisting of external character font of form information or the like and controls the character information so as to be printed in a page unit. When there are plural options to be processed such as the emulation processing corresponding to the printer languages of printing data, the type of font, and the type of the paper supply source of the recording paper during the processing based on the printing data accepted from the host device 201, if one of them is selected, a CPU 205 notifies the selected processing contents to the host device 201.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a control method therefor, and more particularly to a printing apparatus for printing an image based on print data output from a host apparatus on a predetermined recording medium and a control method therefor. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, some printing devices are compatible with various printer languages. Generally, a mode in which print data is processed in a printer language unique to the device itself is called a native mode, and a mode in which print data is processed based on print data in another printer language (a plurality of printer languages may be present) is called an emulation mode.

Many of these modes are switched by, for example, a switch (for example, a DIP switch or an operation panel) provided in the printing apparatus, but the contents of the print data are analyzed to determine which printer language the data belongs to. It is also proposed to switch based on the judgment result.

[0004]

In the former case, if the wrong mode is selected, the intended one cannot be obtained at all, and in the latter case, there is a similar problem that the correct judgment cannot be made. Will be there.

In any case, for example, while the printing apparatus is performing a printing process by a process that does not correspond to the print data to be originally processed, if the operator proceeds with the work without noticing it, nothing happens. Meaningful printing will be done and resources will be wasted.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and enables an operator to confirm the selection contents when any selection is made in the process of printing processing. A printing apparatus and a control method thereof are provided.

In order to solve this problem, the printing apparatus of the present invention has the following structure. That is, in a printing apparatus that receives print data from a higher-level device and records an image based on the print data on a predetermined recording medium, when there are a plurality of selection branches to be processed during processing based on the print data, A selection means for selecting one of them to perform processing,
And a notifying unit for notifying the processing content selected by the selecting unit.

Further, the control method of the printing apparatus of the present invention includes the following steps.

In a method of controlling a printing apparatus that receives print data from a higher-level device and records an image based on the print data on a predetermined recording medium, there are a plurality of options to be processed during processing based on the print data. In this case, the method includes the step of selecting one of them and performing the processing, and the step of notifying the processing content selected in the selecting step.

[0010]

In the configuration or process of the present invention, when some selection branches are generated during the printing process and one of them is selected, information indicating the selected content is notified.

[0011]

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

[Description of Apparatus Configuration] FIG. 1 is a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) applied to the present embodiment.
This is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the LBP. This LBP can register a character pattern and a fixing format (form data) from a data generation source (a host device such as a host computer) not shown. Further, the LBP of the present embodiment is capable of print processing (emulation function) based on a plurality of printer languages, and these can be switched by an instruction from the operation panel described later. A predetermined printer language is selected when the power is turned on.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, macro commands, and the like. A corresponding character pattern or form pattern is created in accordance with the above, and an image is formed on the recording paper which is a recording medium. 1012 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and an LCD display are arranged, and 1001 is an LBP1.
000 is a printer control unit for controlling the whole and analyzing character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The control unit 1001 mainly converts character information corresponding to character information into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1002. The laser driver 1002 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1003, and switches on / off the laser light 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to an input video signal. The laser beam 1004 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 1005 and scans the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image such as a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. The latent image is developed by the developing unit 1007 around the electrostatic drum 1006 and then transferred to the recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is a paper cassette 100 mounted on the LBP1000.
8, the paper feed roller 1009 and the transport roller 1
It is taken into the apparatus by 010 and 1011 and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006. Then, the developing device 1007
The toner image attached on the electrostatic drum 1006 is transferred to the conveyed recording paper. After that, the recording paper is conveyed toward the fixing device 1012, the toner is fixed, and finally discharged by the discharge roller 1013 to the outside.

The recording paper can be supplied from a manual insertion port 1014 in addition to the paper cassette 1008. When the sheet is manually fed, a sensor (not shown) provided in the feeding roller detects it, the movement of the feeding roller 1010 and the like is stopped, and the recording sheet from the manual feeding port 1014 is taken in.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an LBP control system (especially printer control unit 1001) of the present invention.

The printer control unit 1001 inputs blank information 211 such as a character code, external character font, form information, or macro registration information sent from the higher-level device 201, which is a source of image information, in page units. Controls to print character information with.

Reference numeral 202 denotes an input means (input / output interface) for inputting various information from the higher-level device 201 and notifying the higher-level device of information from the printing device. That is, the data flow is bidirectional. A reception buffer 203 temporarily stores various information input through the input unit 202. A notification buffer 204 temporarily stores notification information from the printing apparatus to the upper apparatus. Reference numeral 205 denotes a CPU that controls the entire apparatus and that functions as a processing unit that performs various processes described below. C
The ROM 205 is built in the PU 205.
The OM 206 also stores programs and the like shown in a flowchart described later and font data.

Reference numeral 207 denotes a page buffer which analyzes the information stored in the reception buffer 203 and stores the data (intermediate data) at the previous stage of generating a bit image. Reference numeral 208 denotes a frame buffer that stores pattern information expanded into a character pattern for at least one page for a print image. An output interface unit 209 generates a video signal corresponding to the pattern information from the frame buffer 208 and sends it to the printing unit 210. The printing unit 210 is as described with reference to FIG. 1, and actually prints an image on the printing paper based on the video signal sent from the printer control unit 1001.
Discharge.

[Explanation of Processing Contents] First, before explaining the processing contents in the printing apparatus of the embodiment, a processing procedure in a general printing apparatus will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S301, when print data reception processing (S301) is performed, the next step S302
Then, the analysis processing is performed assuming that the input data is the print language designated by the operator in advance. Then, the process proceeds to step S303, and the bitmap development processing of the print data is performed based on the analysis result.

After that, the process proceeds to step S304, and printout processing based on the developed bitmap image is performed. When it is determined in step S305 that there is data to be printed next, the processing from step S301 is repeated. At this time, if the operator does not give an instruction to change the printer language to be processed, the processing based on the same printer language is performed. In this way, when it is determined that there is no data to be processed, the above series of processing is ended.

Next, the processing contents of the printing apparatus of the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the main processing of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, which will be described first.

First, in step S401, print data reception processing is performed, and in the next step S402, analysis preprocessing is performed. In this process, an area for storing the result of automatic discrimination is secured. After that, the process proceeds to step S403, the print language switching process is performed, and the print language emulation unit that processes the input data group is activated (calls the emulation program). Then, the process proceeds to step S404 and the previous step S40.
Analysis processing is performed by the print language analysis routine determined in step 3 to generate intermediate data in the page buffer 207.

In step S405, the bitmap image is expanded in the frame buffer 208 based on the generated intermediate data. Then, in step S406, the bitmap image developed in the frame buffer 208 is output to the printing unit 210 as a video signal.

Thereafter, in step S407, it is determined whether or not there is unprocessed print data in the reception buffer 203. If it is determined that there is unprocessed print data, the process of step S401 is repeated.

Next, the pre-analysis process of step S402 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S501, it is determined whether or not the information notification flag of the automatic processing result (1301 in FIG. 13) is ON. The area including the information notification flag is secured at a predetermined address of a RAM (not shown) in the CPU 205, and ON / OFF is set by the operation panel.

If this flag is OFF (meaning that automatic notification is not performed), the process returns to the main routine without doing anything.

On the other hand, if this flag is ON, the flow advances to step S502 to determine whether the input data is the head of the job. If it is not the head, this process is terminated and the process returns to the main routine. If it is the head of the job, the process advances to step S503 to secure an automatic processing result storage area in the internal RAM. Then, the area secured in step S504 is initialized, and this analysis pre-processing ends.

Next, the discrimination of the print language and the emulation activation switching process in step S403 shown in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In steps S601 to S605, print data of a predefined data amount (stored in the reception buffer 203) is analyzed to determine which printer language the print data sent from the host computer is based on. The determination is made, and the analysis process (emulation) for the corresponding printer language is activated according to the result. If it is determined that the print language does not match any print language, the control program of the print language predetermined by the operator (using the operation panel) is activated (step S606).

Next, in step S607, a print language information request flag is determined. Although this flag may be turned on / off from the operation panel, in the embodiment, it is turned on (when an information request command is received) when a predetermined command is sent from the host computer.
Alternatively, it is turned off (when an information request cancellation command is received).

Now, if this flag is OFF, that is, if the host computer has not requested the information request, this processing is terminated. If requested, the process proceeds to step S608, the print language name is written in the automatic processing result storage area secured in the pre-analysis process, and in the next step S609, the selected print language is notified to the host device.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the analysis processing contents of step S404 shown in FIG. The same process will be described below. Although ON / OFF of the selection result information request flag in the following description may be set from the operation panel, in the embodiment, it is set depending on whether there is a request / cancel command from the host device.

Step S701 shows an analysis process which is not related to the automatic process in this embodiment. Further, although the paper feed port and the font selection are shown as an example of the automatic processing in this flow, it is assumed that the other automatic processing installed in the printing apparatus is processed in the same manner.

In step S702, the paper feed port in which the paper matching the paper size indicated by the received data is set is selected. Next, the process proceeds to step S703, and a selection result information request flag (13 in FIG. 13) of the sheet feeding port.
03) is determined and if not requested, the process proceeds to S706. If requested, the process proceeds to step S704, the selected paper feed port name is written in the automatic processing result storage area secured in the pre-analysis process, and the selected paper feed port is notified to the host device in step S705.

In this way, some selection processing is performed, and the selection result is repeatedly notified or not notified to the host device according to the content of the selection result information request flag.

For example, when the process proceeds to step S706, the process is as follows.

First, in step S706, a font is selected from the character attributes such as character pitch, character size, and character style that the received data indicates. Next, in step 707, the font selection result information request flag (1304 in FIG. 13) is determined. If it is not requested, the process proceeds to the next analysis process. If requested, the process advances to step S708 to write the selected font name in the automatic processing result storage area secured in the pre-analysis process, and in step S709, the selected font name is notified to the host device.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, for example, when the operator of the higher-level device wants to know how the printing device is performing processing, a predetermined instruction is given (thus, printing is performed). By issuing various information notification request commands to the device), it becomes possible to confirm on the screen the operation contents (selected contents) of the printing devices sent one after another.

Various methods can be considered for displaying the status of the printing apparatus on the display screen of the host apparatus. For example, the latest status may be displayed in a fixed display area on the screen, or if there is a change in the sent information, scroll the message and display the past message contents. It would be possible to make comparisons possible. In any case, the host device may notify the operator of the status of the printing device.

<Description of Second Embodiment> The above-described embodiment (first embodiment)
In the second embodiment, an example is shown in which the result is notified to the higher-level device each time the automatic processing is performed, but in the second embodiment, when the print processing in the selected emulation mode ends, An example in which the automatically processed information is collectively notified to the higher-level device will be described.

The device configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the main processing of the second embodiment.

First, in step S801, print data reception processing is performed, and in the next step S802, analysis preprocessing is performed. In this process, an area for storing the result of automatic discrimination is secured. After that, the process proceeds to step S803, the print language switching process is performed, and the print language emulation unit that processes the input data group is activated (calls the emulation program). Then, the process proceeds to step S804 and the previous step S80.
Analysis processing is performed by the print language analysis routine determined in step 3 to generate intermediate data in the page buffer 207.

In step S805, the bitmap image is expanded in the frame buffer 208 based on the generated intermediate data. Then, in step S806, the bitmap image expanded in the frame buffer 208 is output to the printing unit 210 as a video signal.

Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S807,
It is determined whether or not the processing of the currently selected emulation (target printer language interpretation processing) is completed. When it is determined that the processing has been completed (when switching to another emulation, etc.), the process proceeds to step S808, and the contents selected up to now stored in the automatic processing area are transferred to the host device.

Then, in the next step S809,
The above process is repeated until it is determined that the series of processes has been completed.

Needless to say, the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 10 will not be described. Since the selected contents are transferred to the host device in step S808 of the main process, the process of transferring to the host device in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the first embodiment described above is eliminated.

<Explanation of Third Embodiment> In the second embodiment, the automatic processing information is notified to the host device. However, as shown in the flow below, the contents of the automatic processing result are printed. It is also possible to output to. In that case, in order to prevent waste of the print medium, it is possible to select whether to output to the print medium.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the main processing in the third embodiment. In the case of this embodiment, in step S1108, an automatic process information print instruction (13 in FIG. 13) is issued.
02) is determined. If there is no print instruction, step S1
Proceed to 110. If there is an instruction, the content of the automatic processing information storage area is output to the print medium (S1109), and the process proceeds to S1110.

Instead of outputting to the recording paper, it may be displayed on an LCD display or the like provided on the operation panel.

<Explanation of Fourth Embodiment> In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments, an error that can be canceled occurs in the analysis process, the expansion process, and the output process in the main process of each embodiment, and the error is automatically canceled. Even in the case of automatic processing, it is possible to leave the automatic processing information as shown in the following flow.

FIG. 12 shows an interrupt routine when a cancelable error occurs.

The error is automatically canceled (step S120).
1) The canceled error information (error type, etc.) is stored in the automatic processing information storage area (step S1202). Then, the released error information is notified to the host device (step S1203), and the process returns to the main process.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to notify the operator of the result determined by the automatic processing of the printing apparatus through the host apparatus or the printing medium, and the operator transfers the transferred data group. It is possible to confirm what kind of automatic processing is being performed for. Therefore, even if the printing apparatus makes an erroneous judgment, the operator can confirm the cause, and can perform a normal printing operation on the printing apparatus. That eliminates waste of print media and waste of time due to misjudgment of the printing apparatus.

Although the laser beam printer has been described as an example in the embodiment, it is apparent from the above description that the invention is not limited to this. For example, it can be applied to various devices such as an LED printer and a printer in which a recording head scans and prints.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention, when any selection is made in the process of printing, the operator can confirm the selection.

[0061]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural cross-sectional view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of a general printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating main processing of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

5 is a flowchart showing the contents of pre-analysis processing in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the content of print language discrimination switching processing in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the contents of analysis processing in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing main processing of the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

9 is a flowchart showing the contents of print language discrimination switching processing in FIG.

10 is a flowchart showing the contents of analysis processing in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the contents of main processing in the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the contents of interrupt processing in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flag indicating presence / absence of a request for automatic processing information in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference numeral 201 Input device 203 Input buffer 203 Reception buffer 204 Notification I / F buffer 205 CPU 206 ROM in which a control program is written 207 Page buffer 208 Frame buffer 209 Output interface section 210 Printing section

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. In a printing apparatus which receives print data from a higher-level device and records an image based on the print data on a predetermined recording medium, during processing based on the print data, there are a plurality of options to be processed. In addition, the printing apparatus is provided with a selecting unit that selects one of the processes and performs a process, and an informing unit that notifies the process content selected by the selecting unit. 2. The host device is connected to the host device through a bidirectional interface, and the notification unit outputs information indicating the processing content selected by the selection unit to the host device via the interface. The printing device according to claim 1. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit notifies each time the selection unit selects one selection target. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit notifies each time a process based on a series of print data ends. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit records information representing the processing content selected by the selection unit on the recording medium. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection target includes emulation processing corresponding to a printer language of print data. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection target includes a selected font type and a recording paper feed source type. 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection target includes an error type and a cancellation result thereof. 9. A method for controlling a printing apparatus, which receives print data from a higher-level device and records an image based on the print data on a predetermined recording medium, wherein a selection target to be processed during processing based on the print data is A method of controlling a printing apparatus, comprising: a step of selecting one of the plurality of processing steps when there are a plurality of processing steps; and a step of notifying the processing content selected in the selection step. 10. The host device is connected to the host device via a bidirectional interface, and the informing step outputs information indicating the processing content selected in the selecting step to the host device via the interface. Claim 9
A method for controlling a printing device according to the item. 11. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notifying step notifies each time the selection step selects one selection target. 12. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notifying step notifies each time a process based on a series of print data is completed. 13. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notifying step records information indicating the processing content selected in the selecting step on the recording medium. 14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the selection target includes emulation processing corresponding to a printer language of print data. 15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the selection target includes a selected font type and a recording paper feed source type. 16. The method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the selection target includes an error type and a cancellation result thereof.