JPH0378019A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for inquiring a printer state repeatedly with a host computer and to perform smooth printing operation by providing a control means which reports a busy state or printing ready state. CONSTITUTION:When a print engine 13 is in printing operation when a print start instruction is received from a host computer, the printer controller 12 of the printer 11 sends busy information to the host computer through a network 15 and stores the address of the host computer and resource information in a memory. Then the controller 12 informs the host computer which is stored in the memory that the printer becomes ready through the network 15 when the printing of information is finished.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a printer connected to a network.

[Conventional technology]

Today, everything from personal computers to supercomputers are connected to networks capable of high-speed data communication. In such networks, it has become common for printers to be used by multiple host computers.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of host computers 2, . 21,2. ．． 2
3..., when the host computer 2゜ to which the printer 1 is connected is connected to another host computer 2.
1, 2. ．． 2. . . , and issues printing commands and the like to the printer 1.

[The problem that the invention attempts to solve]

Host computer 2 connected to the printer 1 above
゜ is another host computer 24, 2. ．． Since the printing process of 2°... must also be performed, the load increases. Also, the host computer 2°.

If different operating systems are used between the printers 21.2□, 23, .

Therefore, it is conceivable to connect the printer 1 to the network 3 via an interface.

However, if this is done, if information is sent from multiple host computers at the same time, the information will be mixed and printed. To avoid this, the printer 1 should provide a buffer for each host computer. buffers information from each host computer individually,
These printers, which must print these sequentially, require a huge amount of memory, and the number of buffers the printer has determines the number of host computers that can use the printer.

Furthermore, in order to avoid the above-mentioned problem, it is conceivable that when the printer is printing information from one host computer, it is placed in a busy state so that it does not receive information from other host computers. However, in this case, the host computer that receives the busy status report from the printer does not know when the printer will be ready to print, and has to make inquiries to the printer many times.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and eliminates the need for one host computer to serve as a contact point for other host computers, and also eliminates the need to mix and print information when multiple host computers send information at the same time. To provide a printer that does not require a large capacity memory and does not require a host computer to repeatedly inquire whether printing is possible.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a printer connected to a network 4 as shown in FIG. 1 and printing information from a plurality of host computers,
If a print start command is received from another host computer while information is being printed from one of the plurality of host computers, report to the other host computer that it is in a busy state and cannot receive the command. At the same time, a control means 5 stores the other host computer, and when printing of information from the one host computer is finished, reports to the stored host computer that printing is now possible.
As shown in FIG. 2, the invention according to claim 2 is a printer according to claim 1, in which one of the plurality of host computers is used as a privileged host computer. It has a privileged host computer setting means 6 which can set the printer settings, and a setting changing means 7 which changes the information related to the printer settings according to an instruction from the host computer and makes this change effective only by the instruction from the privileged host computer. This is what I did.

[For production]

In the invention of claim 1, when the control means 5 receives a print start command from another host computer while printing information from one of the plurality of host computers, the control means 5 is in a busy state and cannot receive the command. In addition to reporting to the other host computer that there is no such information, the other host computer is stored, and when printing of information from the one host computer is finished, printing is enabled on the stored host computer. In the invention of claim 2, the privileged host computer setting means 6
This allows one host computer among a plurality of host computers to be set as a privileged host computer, and the setting changing means 7 changes information relating to printer settings in response to an instruction from the privileged host computer.

〔Example〕

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention.

The printer 11 of this embodiment includes a printer controller 12 that analyzes information from a host computer and converts it into internal information necessary for printing, a print engine 13 that prints the information created by this printer controller 12 as a visible image, and an operator. It has a display section 14.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a network to which this printer II is connected.

The printer 11 is connected to a network cable 15 via an interface (I/F), and the network cable 15 is connected to a plurality of host computers 161.1.
6. , 163... are connected.

Conventionally, as shown in Fig. 8, the host computer 21.2
If either of yo, 2□... causes printer 1 to print information, host computer 2
The printer 1 needs to consider only the communication between the host computer 2 and the other host computers 2 t 21 t 23 .
There is no need to be aware of its existence.

However, since no host computer is connected between the printer 11 and the network cable 15, there are multiple host computers 161, 16□, 16. It is necessary to communicate with ..., and management of the host computer is required.

When communicating on a network, multiple devices use one line, so communication data generally includes source and destination address information. Printer 11 below
and the host computers 16□, 1G, 163...Which communication will be explained.

In order to print with the printer 11, first, the host computers 16□, 16□, 16. ... (for example, the host computer 161) sends a print start command to the printer 11 via the network cable 15. When the printer controller 12 receives the print start command, it starts the print engine 13 as shown in FIG.
If the host computer 16i is not currently printing, print permission information indicating that printing is possible is sent via the network cable 15 to the host computer 16i that sent the print start command. The host computer 16i receives this print permission information, starts sending the data to be printed to the printer 11, and sends a print end command to the printer 11 when the data communication is completed. and printer controller 1
2 converts data sent from the host computer 16i via the network cable 15 into internal information necessary for printing, and the print engine 13 prints the information created by the printer controller 12 as a visible image.

Further, when the printer controller 12 receives a print start command from the host computer, the print engine 1
3 is in the process of printing, sends busy information to the host computer via the network cable 15 indicating that it is in a busy state and cannot receive instructions, and starts printing the host computer's address and resource information. Instructions are stored in nonvolatile memory in the order in which they are issued. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, when the print engine 13 finishes printing information from the host computer, if the address of the host computer is stored in the nonvolatile memory, the printer controller 12 stores the address first. Reports to the host computer (for example, the host computer 16j) that printing is possible via the network cable 15,
The storage of the address and resource information of the host computer 16j is erased from the nonvolatile memory after printing of the information from the host computer 16j is completed (or at an appropriate time such as when printing is started). host computer 1
When the printer 6j reports via the network cable 15 that printing is now possible from the printer 11, it sends a print start command to the printer 11 again via the network cable 15, and then sends the information to be printed via the network cable 15. and sends it to the printer 11. The printer controller 12 is connected to this host computer 16j.
The printer engine 13 prints the information from the printer.

At this time, the printer controller 12 ignores data from host computers other than the host computer 16j receiving the information, except for the print start command. Therefore, the printer 11 does not need to prepare as many buffers as conventional printers do, and the host computer does not have to repeatedly ask the printer whether or not it is possible to print, and can wait for information from the printer 11. If so, you can proceed with other processing during this time, reducing the load. Note that, if the address of the host computer is stored in the nonvolatile memory when the printer controller 12 receives the print end command from the host computer, rather than at the end of printing, the printer controller 12 prints the address to the first host computer in which the address is stored. It reports via the network cable 15 that it is now possible to print, and stores the address and resource information of the host computer after printing the information from the host computer (or at an appropriate time, such as when printing starts).
It may also be erased from non-volatile memory.

In addition, if the printer controller I2 does not receive a print start command from the host computer within a certain period of time after reporting to the host computer that printing is possible, the printer controller I2 stores the address in the non-volatile memory. You can now print to the following host computers:

This is reported via the network cable 15.

Therefore, Printer II can be used efficiently.

In addition, the print start command declares the paper feed tray, paper output tray, etc. as resources to be used for printing, and when the printer controller 12 stores the address of the host computer, it uses the resources from the host computer. It also remembers the information. When an error occurs during printing, such as when the paper feed tray becomes empty and is detected by the sensor, or when the paper output tray becomes full and is detected by the sensor, the printer controller I2 receives the information from the sensor. The occurrence of the error is detected by a signal, etc., and as shown in FIG. Printing is interrupted by interrupting communication with the host computer in the host computer, and the address is stored in non-volatile memory.The presence or absence of a host computer that has declared the use of a usable paper feed tray or paper ejection tray. is determined from the nonvolatile memory resource information. If there is no host computer that has declared the use of a usable paper feed tray or paper output tray, the printer controller 1z waits for error recovery, and also declares the use of a usable paper feed tray or paper output tray. Printer controller 1 if there is a host computer
2 notifies the host computer which issued the print start command first among them, via the network cable 15, that printing is now possible. When this host computer sends a print start command and information to be printed to the printer 11 via the network cable 15, the printer controller I2 causes the print engine 13 to print the information6.The printer controller 12 is still capable of printing. If the print start command is not sent within a certain period of time from the host computer that notified the user that the paper has become available, the next host computer among the host computers that declared the use of the available paper feed tray and paper output tray will be sent. Notification is made via the network cable 15 that printing is now possible. When this host computer sends a print start command and information to be printed to the printer 11 via the network cable 15, the printer controller 12 causes the print engine 13 to print the information, but this host computer also sends the print start command. If the paper is not sent within a certain period of time, the next host computer that has declared the use of the available paper feed tray and paper output tray will be notified via the network cable 15 that printing is now possible. Repeat the process of informing. When the printing of information from the host computer is completed, the printer controller 12 determines whether the error has been cleared based on the signal from the sensor, and if the error has not been cleared, the paper feed tray becomes usable.

After sequentially printing information from each host computer that has declared the use of the paper output tray, wait for the error to recover.If the error has been cleared when printing of information from one of the host computers has finished. As shown in FIG. 6, the printer controller 12 issues a request for resending the information to be printed to the host computer that interrupted the printing, and causes the print engine 13 to print the information sent from the host computer via the network cable 15. . Therefore, when printing of information from a host computer is interrupted due to the occurrence of an error, information from another host computer is printed, improving the efficiency of the printer 11.

Further, in general, many printers allow various settings (for example, power-on status settings) to be performed on the printer alone, and some printers allow settings to be changed by commands from a host computer. In such printers, if all host computers connected to the network are allowed to change settings, the settings will be changed one after another, causing confusion. Therefore, in this example, multiple host computers 1 connected to the network cable 15
61.16. ．． 16. . . is set as a privileged host computer. For example, the address of the host computer is input through the operation display unit 14, and the privileged host computer is set. The printer controller 12 stores the host computer that has the privilege set by the operation display unit 14, validates only the setting change command sent from this host computer via the network cable 15, and changes the settings according to this setting change command. This avoids confusion when changing configuration information. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the printer controller 12 receives a priority print start command from the privileged host computer via the network cable 15 while printing information from a host computer other than the privileged host computer. In this case, it notifies the host computer that is printing that the printing has been interrupted, interrupts communication with this host computer to interrupt printing, and notifies the privileged host computer via the network cable 15 that permission to print is permitted. This causes the print engine 13 to print information sent via the network cable 15 from a privileged host computer. When the printing of the information from the privileged host computer is completed, the printer controller 12 issues a retransmission request for the information to be printed to the host computer whose printing was interrupted, as shown in FIG. The print engine 13 prints the information sent via the print engine 13.

If the host computer is managed by the printer 11 in this way, even if the printer 11 is directly connected to the network 15, the rehost computer will not have to adjust the status of the printer one after another because the printer has a large memory capacity. You will be able to print on.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, there is provided a printer that is connected to a network and prints information from a plurality of host computers, the printer printing information from one of the plurality of host computers. If a print start command is received from another host computer during printing, it reports to the other host computer that it is in a busy state and cannot receive the command, and also stores the information about the other host computer. Since it has a control means that reports to the stored host computer that printing is now possible when printing of information from the host computer is finished, there is no need to have a large capacity memory.

In addition, one host computer does not act as a contact point for other host computers, and when information is sent from multiple host computers at the same time, the information is not mixed and printed, and the host computer is kept in the printer state many times. There is no need to arrange it.

According to the invention of claim 2, in the printer of claim 1, there is provided a privileged host computer setting means for setting one of the plurality of host computers as a privileged host computer; Confusion when changing the setting information can be avoided since the apparatus includes a setting changing means that changes the related information in response to an instruction from the host computer and makes this change valid only for the instruction from the privileged host computer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing each invention of claims 1 and 2, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an example of a network using the same embodiment. The block diagram shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the printer controller in the same embodiment, and FIGS.
The figure is a block diagram showing a network using conventional links. 4... Network, 5... Control means, 6... Privileged host computer setting means, 7... Setting changing means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A printer that is connected to a network and prints information from a plurality of host computers, wherein while information from one of the plurality of host computers is being printed, information from another host computer is printed. When receiving a print start command from a computer, it reports to the other host computer that it is in a busy state and cannot receive the command, stores the other host computer, and prints information from the one host computer. 1. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising control means for reporting to the host computer in which printing is now possible when printing is completed. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising privileged host computer setting means for setting one of the plurality of host computers as a privileged host computer, and a privileged host computer setting means for setting one host computer among the plurality of host computers as a privileged host computer, and a command from the host computer for transmitting information related to printer settings. 2. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising: a setting changing means for changing settings by a host computer having said privilege, and making this change valid only for commands from said privileged host computer.