JP2001080175A - Data processing device, image recording device, control method of data processing device, control method of image recording device, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To easily manage and operate the use form of an image recording apparatus such as a mailbox and to perform job transfer at high speed without increasing the load on a network. An external device (101) includes an image recording device (102).
To register the identification name of each paper discharge port on the paper discharge port name registration screen.
A plurality of discharge destinations and the number of discharges of the print job are designated on the mailbox discharge designation screen from the identification name acquired from the identification name acquired from the ID number 02, and the image recording apparatus 102 is designated by the print job received from the external device 101. Creates page information for the identification names of, and searches for a paper discharge port in which the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job are registered.
It is characterized in that, for each created page information, a paper discharge designation of each retrieved paper outlet and the number of paper discharge copies of each paper discharge destination specified in the print job is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports can be connected. The present invention relates to a recording device, a control method for a data processing device, a control method for an image recording device, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, computers have been interconnected by a LAN (local area network), and have been connected not only to printers but also to various peripheral devices such as multifunction image processing apparatuses having copy and fax functions. Is possible.

In the conventional image recording apparatus, even when the image recording apparatus is used in a network environment by connecting to a LAN, a discharge port of the image recording apparatus is a place for temporarily storing a discharge of a user who has performed printing. Most of the time, when distributing the actual printed document to the required place, the printed matter printed by the printer was sorted and copied by the required number of copies with a copier, and then copied to the box for each distribution. Things such as taking prints and distributing them were performed.

[0004] FIG. 32 is a diagram for explaining a usage form of a conventional printer. For example, a certain document is referred to as a “personnel section”,
This corresponds to the case of distributing to each department such as “HR Sec. 2”, “HR HR 3”, “General Affairs 1”, “General Affairs 2”, “General Affairs 3”, and “Administration Section”.

In FIG. 1, a printer is used only for partially outputting a manuscript created by a host computer. Copies of a required number of copies, that is, copies of a department of a distribution destination are output by the printer. The required number of copies were made on a copy machine based on the manuscript, and distributed to the distribution box by the user himself.

In a case where a single printer is shared by a plurality of users and the printed matter is sorted like a mailbox only by the printer without using a copier (conventional pseudo mailbox discharge), the host is also used. The printer driver in the computer stores the name of each paper outlet registered by the user on the printer driver UI (user interface) as information on the host computer, and stores the name of the paper outlet specified by the user. In some cases, the printed material is sorted as a pseudo mailbox discharge by designating a fixed paper discharge port instead of a printer name.

FIG. 33 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a process of converting a discharge destination of a conventional printer driver in response to a discharge destination designation by a user name.

In the figure, when a user designates a discharge destination "first personnel section" among the discharge destination names registered in the printer driver in advance, the printer driver sets the "first personnel section". Is converted to the fixed paper discharge port "bin 1" registered in the above, and the printer is notified that the paper discharge port to "bin 1" has been designated, so that the paper discharge port is pseudo-named. Specification was realized.

[0009]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

In the case where the same document is to be distributed to a necessary department, the required number of copies have been printed so far, and the user himself sorts and distributes it, or prints one copy as a manuscript and distributes it. Since it is necessary to copy the required number of copies before distributing, it takes a lot of time for the user to sort or distribute.

Also, in the above-described conventional pseudo-mailbox discharge, a method of registering a discharge port name of an image recording apparatus on a host computer and converting the name into a fixed designation for the discharge port with the name is used. Therefore, unless the same name is registered and used on all the host computers sharing the image recording apparatus, complete sorting cannot be performed in actual operation. It is troublesome to adjust the settings on all the host computers sharing the image recording device, and if this operation is neglected,
There is a problem that the paper is discharged to a paper discharge opening not intended by the user.

Hereinafter, the problem of the above-mentioned conventional pseudo-mailbox discharge will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 34 is a diagram for explaining a problem in the conventional pseudo mailbox discharge, and the setting on the host computer for performing the discharge by the conventional pseudo mailbox discharge has not been unified. Corresponding to the case.

In the example shown in the figure, the bin 1 is the manager, the bin 2 is the manager, the bin 3 is the chief, the bin 4 is the room A, the bin 5 is the room B, the bin 6 is the room C, and the bin 7 is the general clerk. In printing, by specifying a name at the time of printing, a fixed designation is given to a paper discharge port corresponding to the name, and pseudo-sorting is performed.

However, as shown in the figure, since the room manager made an incorrect setting and set the bin of the manager and the bin of the room opposite, bin 1 and bin 2 have the job of the manager and the room manager. The problem that the jobs are mixed is easily generated.

Further, even if sorting is performed according to designation from the host computer, when the printed matter is to be distributed to a plurality of users, the print data is distributed several times (number of times of distribution).
Has to be transmitted to the printer, so that the load on the network increases, and there is a problem that not only printing but also all transmission and reception via the network deteriorates the overall performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the first to nineteenth inventions according to the present invention is to provide a host computer in which an image recording apparatus is provided with various functions. When an instruction to register an identification name for each paper slot is issued and a print job is transmitted, the identification name acquired from the image recording apparatus is displayed for the print job, and for the print job,
A plurality of paper discharge destinations of the print job are selected and designated from the displayed identification name, and the number of paper discharge copies of the print job is designated for each of the selected and designated paper discharge destinations. Creates page information for multiple identification names specified in the print job received from
A search is made for a paper exit in which the same identification name as the plurality of identification names specified for the print job is registered, and for each created page information, a designation is given to each of the retrieved paper exits and the print job. The user can easily manage the usage of an image recording apparatus, such as a mailbox, for distributing printed matter to a plurality of users by specifying the number of sheets to be discharged at each discharge destination. Patent application title: DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF DATA PROCESSOR, CONTROL METHOD OF IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE Is to provide a medium.

[0018]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording apparatus capable of connecting an image recording apparatus having a plurality of discharge ports or an optional apparatus having a plurality of discharge ports.
In a data processing apparatus (host computer 101A shown in FIG. 1) capable of transmitting a print job to the image recording apparatus 02, a registration unit (FIG. 2) for instructing the image recording apparatus to register an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports. A discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. 29 and an acquisition unit (a printer driver unit shown in FIG. 4) for requesting and acquiring from the image recording apparatus an identification name of each discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus. 2102
When the print job is transmitted, the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit is displayed. When the print job is transmitted, the identification name of the print job is displayed based on the displayed identification name. Specifying means for selecting and specifying a plurality of paper discharge destinations and specifying the number of paper discharge copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified paper discharge destinations (FIGS. 3 and 3)
0, a mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the registration means instructs the image recording apparatus to register an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports and the number of persons belonging to the identification name (FIG. 2). The registration unit 503) is a group number registration area of a paper discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. 5, and the obtaining unit displays the identification name registered in each paper discharge port of the image recording apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name in the image. The number of sheets belonging to the identification name of each discharge port acquired by the acquisition unit is obtained by the designation unit. Checkbox 60 for distribution instructions for the number of people on the mailbox delivery designation screen
4, the number-of-distribution-copies input area 3001 of the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 30 or an arbitrary number of copies (the number-of-distribution-copies input area 60 of the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 3)
Third, the distribution copy number input area 3001) on the mailbox discharge specification screen shown in FIG. 30 is specified.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage means (a ROM (not shown)) for storing a plurality of character strings as identification names.
Or another storage medium), wherein the first registration unit uses the input character string or a character string selected from a plurality of character strings stored in the storage unit as the identification name of the paper discharge port, It is registered with the image recording device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus (host computer 10 shown in FIG. 1) capable of transmitting print data to an image recording apparatus 102 having a plurality of paper discharge ports.
In 1), an acquisition unit for acquiring an identification name registered in each paper discharge port of the image recording apparatus (the printer driver unit 2102 shown in FIG. 4 performs an acquisition process from the image recording apparatus 102), and When transmitting, the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit is displayed, and for the print job, a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job are selected and specified from the displayed identification name, and the selected and specified And a designation unit (a mailbox delivery designation screen shown in FIGS. 3 and 30) for designating the number of copies of the print job for each delivery destination.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the obtaining means obtains, from the image recording apparatus, an identification name registered in each paper outlet of the image recording apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. The designation means determines the number of paper discharge copies for each of the selected and designated paper discharge destinations by the number of persons belonging to the identification name of the paper discharge port acquired by the acquisition means (the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 3). The distribution instruction check box 604 for the number of persons, the distribution copy number input area 3001 of the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 30, or an arbitrary number (the distribution copy number input area 603 of the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 3). The user designates the distribution copy number input area 3001) of the mailbox delivery specification screen shown in FIG.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a notifying means (not shown of the host computer 101 for notifying the host computer 101) of information on a paper discharge port which has output a print job notified from the image recording apparatus at the end of processing of the print job. Display unit).

In a seventh aspect according to the present invention, the identification name is information for indicating an owner who uses the paper discharge port including a user name, a group name, and a department name.

An eighth invention according to the present invention is directed to an image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from a data processing device (host computer 101 shown in FIG. 1) to a plurality of discharge ports. Registering means for registering the identification name of each of the paper discharge ports instructed by the data processing apparatus (the CPU 4 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17).
09 is registered in the EEPROM 410) and first notifying means (not shown in FIG. 7) for notifying the data processing apparatus of the identification name of each of the paper outlets registered by the registering means in response to a request from the data processing apparatus. 17 is notified by the CPU 409 in the video controller 103 via the host I / F unit 402) and page information for a plurality of identification names specified in the print job based on the notification of the first notification unit. Creating means (video controller 10 shown in FIG. 17) for creating (page table 1100 shown in FIG. 22)
3) and search means (CPU 409 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17) for searching for a paper discharge port in which the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job are registered. Is EEPROM4
10), and for each piece of page information created by the creation means, the number of paper ejection outlets specified by the search means and the number of paper ejection copies of each paper ejection destination designated by the print job. Control means for designating the paper discharge (the CPU 409 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17 has the identification name 1109 in the page table 1100 shown in FIG.
110 is instructed).

A ninth invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the registration means registers an identification name for each of the paper discharge outlets instructed to be registered by the data processing apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name (FIG. 17). C in the video controller 103 shown in FIG.
PU 409 registers in EEPROM 410),
The first notifying unit is configured to register, in response to a request from the data processing device, an identification name for each of the paper discharge outlets registered by the registration unit and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. This is to notify the data processing device.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage means for monitoring the status of each of the paper discharge ports and storing the monitored status of each of the paper discharge ports (the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17).
CPU 409 monitors the status of the
And when there is an abnormality in the state of each paper discharge port stored in the storage means, a second notification means (FIG. 7) for notifying the data processing apparatus of the state of the abnormal paper discharge port. 1
The CPU 409 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 7 notifies the EEPROM 410 via the host I / F unit 402) and, at the end of the processing of the print job, the discharge port for outputting the print job to the data processing apparatus. Third notification means for notifying information (the CPU 409 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17 notifies the EEPROM 410 via the host I / F unit 402).

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the storage means stores the stacking status, the identification name, the use status, and the like of each discharge port for each discharge port.

[0029] In a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of paper outlets are a plurality of paper outlets provided in the image recording apparatus main body and a plurality of paper outlets provided in an optional device connected to the image recording apparatus main body. Of the paper.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the identification name is information for indicating an owner who uses the paper discharge port including a user name, a group name, and a department name.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets or an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets. In the control method of (1), a first registration step (step S40 in FIG. 8) for instructing the image recording apparatus to register an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports.
3, S405), an acquisition step (not shown) for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus, and a step of transmitting the print job. Displaying the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit, selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name for the print job, and Designating step (not shown) for designating the number of paper discharge copies of the print job
And

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of discharge ports can be connected. In the control method of (1), an acquisition step (not shown) for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus, and transmitting the print job, Displaying the identification name obtained in the obtaining step, selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name for the print job, and And a designation step (not shown) for designating the number of paper discharge copies of the print job.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in a control method of an image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from a data processing apparatus to a plurality of paper output ports, a registration instruction is issued from the data processing apparatus. A registration step (not shown) for registering an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports to be performed, and the data processing in response to a request from the data processing device for the registered identification name for each of the paper discharge ports. A notifying step of notifying the apparatus (not shown), a creating step of creating page information for a plurality of identification names designated in the print job based on the notice (step not shown), and a designation of the print job A search step (step S702 in FIG. 26) for searching for a paper discharge port in which the same identification name as the plurality of identification names to be registered is registered. Those having a designation step to discharge the paper specified discharge copies of each paper discharge destination designated in the discharge outlet and the print job (not shown step).

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets or an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets. Next, a first registration step of instructing the image recording apparatus to register the identification name of each of the paper discharge ports (steps S403 and S405 in FIG. 8).
An acquisition step (not shown) for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus, and an acquiring step for transmitting the print job. Displaying the identification names obtained in the step, selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification names with respect to the print job, and selecting the print job for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations. A program for executing a designation step (not shown) for designating the number of sheets to be discharged is stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets or an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets. An acquisition step (not shown) for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus; and acquiring the print job when transmitting the print job. Displays the acquired identification name, selects and designates a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name for the print job, and prints the print job for each of the selected and designated discharge destinations. A program for executing a designation step (not shown) for designating the number of sheets to be discharged is stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from a data processing device to a plurality of paper output ports, the registration instruction is issued from the data processing device. A registration step (not shown) for registering an identification name for each paper ejection port, and the registration of the registered identification name for each paper ejection port to the data processing apparatus in response to a request from the data processing apparatus. A notifying step (not shown) for notifying, a creating step (not shown) for creating page information for a plurality of identification names designated in the print job based on the notice, and a creating step (not shown) designated in the print job A search step of searching for a paper discharge port in which the same identification name as a plurality of identification names is registered (step S702 in FIG. 26).
And a designation step (not shown) in which, for each of the created page information, a discharge designation is made for each of the retrieved discharge ports and each discharge destination specified in the print job. Is stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0037]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a method of sorting an image recording system to which a data processing apparatus and an image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention can be applied. This corresponds to a case where a paper bin is used as a mailbox to sort and discharge print jobs of a plurality of users.

By designating the names of a plurality of paper discharge ports registered in advance in a printer shared by a plurality of users with a printer driver UI in the host computer, the printers are sorted and printed. The paper discharge method using each paper discharge bin as a mailbox is hereinafter referred to as mailbox discharge.

The actual operation will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 102 denotes an image recording device (printer) which is an external device (host computer 101 (10)
1A, 101B, 101C, 101D)) and a predetermined communication medium, for example, a local interface defined by IEEE1284 or the like, or a network interface such as Ethernet, and is based on image information transmitted from each host computer. The image is recorded on a recording medium, and the paper is output to bins 1 to 7 of the paper discharge option device 108.
B, C, and D share and use. Note that the discharge bins are bins 1 to 7 from the top.

If A among the four users is an administrator who manages printer settings, etc., the administrator A uses a printer connected to this network to discharge a mailbox (in a mailbox discharge mode). , It is necessary to register a name for each paper discharge bin.

When the administrator registers a name for each paper discharge bin of the printer, the registration is performed by, for example, a UI (user interface) shown in FIG. 2 by an application for setting the printer.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a discharge port name registration screen for the printer 102 shown in FIG.
Is an administrator who manages printer settings, etc., is displayed on a display unit on the host computer 101A in FIG. 1 by an application on the host computer 101A in response to an instruction from a keyboard (not shown) of the host computer 101A.

In the figure, reference numeral 501 denotes a fixed discharge port display area, which is set in advance by the host computer 101A in an EEPROM 410 in the printer 102 shown in FIG. , "Bin 7" are acquired from the printer 102, and the acquired fixed exits ("bin 1", "bin 2"
"Bin 3"..., "Bin 7") are displayed.

Reference numeral 502 denotes a discharge port name registration area, and each of the fixed discharge ports (“bin 1”, “bin 2”, “bin 3”,...) Of the printer 102 displayed in the fixed discharge port display area 501.
“Bin 7”), “Personnel Section 1”, “Personnel Section 2”,
Outlet names (user name, group name) that are easily recognizable by the user as destinations of mailboxes such as “HR Section 3”, “General Affairs Section 1”, “General Affairs Section 2”, “General Affairs Section 3”, and “Administration Section” , Identification information for indicating the owner who uses the paper discharge port, such as a department name, is input by a keyboard (not shown) of the host computer, or a plurality of paper discharge ports stored in advance in a ROM (not shown) or other storage medium. You can select and register from the name.

As shown in FIG. 2, when registering a paper discharge port of a printer with a department name, one bin is shared by a plurality of users belonging to the department registered in the bin. Since the mail box is used as a mailbox, it is possible to register a group number for each paper outlet name so that the same document can be distributed in the number of copies corresponding to the user.

Reference numeral 503 denotes a group number registration area in which the number of users belonging to the group registered in the discharge port name registration area 502 can be registered by inputting the number of users by using a keyboard (not shown) of the host computer.

As described above, by registering the number of groups, at the time of printing, the registered bin is
It is possible to distribute by the number of people in the group with the name of the distribution destination.

Reference numeral 504 denotes an OK key. By designating this key with a pointing device (not shown) of the host computer 101A, the registration of the discharge port name registration screen is made valid, and the discharge port name registration screen is terminated. Reference numeral 505 denotes a cancel key.
By giving an instruction with a pointing device (not shown) 1A, the registration of the discharge port name registration screen is invalidated, and the discharge port name registration screen is terminated.

The name registered in the discharge port name for mailbox discharge, that is, the name registered in the discharge port name registration area 502, includes a user name, Identification information, such as a group name, for indicating an owner using the paper discharge port is effective.

Further, a password may be provided when registering the discharge port name so that only the administrator can perform the operation.

Further, the discharge port name registration may be performed by displaying the discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. 2 on the operation unit of the image recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mailbox discharge designation screen for instructing the printer 102 shown in FIG. 1 to print a mailbox discharge designation.
The host computer 101 (101A to 101A in FIG. 1)
D) is displayed on the display unit on the host computer 101 in FIG. 1 at the time of printing by the printer driver above.

In the figure, reference numeral 602 denotes a distribution destination display area, in which all distribution destinations are displayed with the discharge port names registered on the discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. Reference numeral 601 denotes a distribution instruction check box. By designating this check box with a pointing device (not shown) of the host computer 101, it is possible to instruct each distribution destination displayed in the distribution destination display area 602 whether or not there is distribution. it can. Reference numeral 603 denotes a number-of-distributions input area. By inputting a number into this input area with a keyboard (not shown) of the host computer 101, the number of distributions input to the distribution destination designated by the distribution instruction check box 601 can be distributed. it can. Reference numeral 604 denotes a distribution instruction check box for the number of persons. When this check box is designated by a pointing device (not shown) of the host computer 101, the group number of each distribution destination to the distribution destination indicated by the distribution instruction check box 601 (FIG. Can be distributed for the number of groups registered in the group number registration area 503 shown in FIG.

It should be noted that the distribution instruction check box 6 for the number of persons
When 04 is checked, the instruction in the distribution copy number input area 603 is invalidated.

The names of the paper discharge ports displayed in the distribution destination display area 602 and the number of groups corresponding to each paper discharge port name are determined by E in the image recording apparatus 102 shown in FIG.
"Personnel Section 1" pre-registered in EPROM410
The output port names, such as “HR Section 2”, “HR Section 3”, “General Affairs Section 1”, “General Affairs Section 2”, “General Affairs Section 3”, and “Administration Section”, and the number of groups in each group corresponding to each name, are used as It is assumed that the user 101 obtains a request from the image recording apparatus 102.

Reference numeral 605 denotes an OK key. By designating this key with a pointing device (not shown) of the host computer 101A, the specification of the mailbox discharge designation screen is made valid, and the mailbox discharge designation screen is terminated. Reference numeral 606 denotes a cancel key. By designating this key with a pointing device (not shown) of the host computer 101A, the specification of the mailbox discharge designation screen is invalidated, and the mailbox discharge designation screen is terminated.

Hereinafter, a method of designating mailbox discharge at the time of printing will be described. For example, in FIG.
The case where the user B distributes a document in the “HR department” will be described.

The specification of mailbox delivery is, for example, as shown in FIG.
This is performed on the UI (mailbox discharge designation screen) of the printer driver indicated by.

In the mailbox discharge designation screen shown in FIG. 3, all the distribution destinations are displayed in the distribution destination display area 602 with the names registered in advance in the discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. Whether to distribute the document to be printed to the distribution destination is designated by checking the respective distribution instruction check boxes 601.

The number of copies to be distributed to the checked distribution destinations is designated in a distribution copy number input area 603. As a result, in the example shown in FIG.
One copy can be distributed to each of the three personnel sections.

In the case of distributing by the number of persons of the group specified on the paper discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. 2 for each distribution destination, the distribution instruction check box 604 is checked for the number of persons to be designated. It is possible.

As described above, the method of designating the number of distributions includes a method of designating a numerical value for distributing the same number of copies to the distribution destination designated by the distribution, and a method of specifying the discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG. According to a setting value of the number of groups set at the time of registration of the name, there is a method of designating distribution to the number of persons of the group for each distribution destination.

Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail.

First, the processing on the host computer 101 of the image recording system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of a data processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the image recording system shown in FIG. 1, host computers 101A to 101D (hereinafter simply referred to as host computers) are used. 1
01) implements a mechanism for transmitting a print job to the image recording apparatus 102, acquiring information of the image recording apparatus, and setting an environment.

As shown in the figure, the image recording system comprises a host computer 101 for generating a job to be printed, an image recording apparatus 102 for actually printing on paper, a predetermined interface 2110, and an interface 2211 shown in FIG. It is composed of

An interface 2110 and an interface 2211 shown in FIG. 9 described later are local interfaces defined by IEEE 1284 or the like, and Ethernet
A network interface such as “et” may be used. In the present embodiment, a case of a local interface will be described as an example.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 2101 denotes an application unit which generates desired print data while the user operates the graphic user interface. A printer driver unit 2102 converts image data created by the application unit 2101 into page description language (PDL) data that can be printed by the image recording apparatus 102.

A transmission buffer 2103 temporarily stores PDL data converted by the printer driver 2102. A job packet generation unit 2107 generates a predetermined job packet from PDL data stored in the transmission buffer 2103 and job attribute information of the application unit 2101. Reference numeral 2105 denotes a utility unit which checks the status of the image recording apparatus 102, checks the print state of the transmitted print job, cancels the print job, performs an interrupt operation, and the like using a graphic user interface, and transmits these requests to the image recording apparatus. 102 converts the management packet into an interpretable management packet.

Reference numeral 2106 denotes a logical channel control unit which allocates job packets and management packets to different channels, respectively, and multiplexes the transport layer in the OSI 7 layer. Reference numeral 2104 denotes an I / F driver, which converts logical data into an electric signal and exchanges data with an interface.

As described above, the host computer 101
Is composed of an application unit 2101, a printer driver unit 2102, a transmission buffer 2103, a job packet generation unit 2107, a utility unit 2105, a logical channel control unit 2106, an I / F driver unit 2104, and the like.

Each unit in the host computer 101 may be constituted by a dedicated hardware, or may be a CPU or an R which stores a program to be executed by the CPU.
It may be constituted by an OM or another storage medium, a RAM, an EEPROM, a hard disk, or the like.

The data communication performed from the logical channel control unit 2106 of the host computer 101 to the logical channel control unit 2202 (shown in FIG. 9 described later) of the image recording apparatus 102 is performed, for example, by TC in the case of a network.
P / IP, IEEE1284 / IEEE for local
It is assumed that multiplexing at the transport layer level is performed according to a protocol specified by E1284.4, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A job packet logically transmitted from the job packet generation unit 2107 is received by a job preprocessor unit 2203 (shown in FIG. 9 described later) of the image recording apparatus 102, and this path is called a job channel, and is a utility unit. A management packet transmitted / received from / to 2105 is transmitted / received by an information management unit 2210 (shown in FIG. 9 described later) of the image recording apparatus 102, and this path is called a management channel.

Although both channels specify that bidirectional communication is possible, the present embodiment does not impede the present embodiment even with only one direction from the host computer to the image recording apparatus.

The job channel and the management channel are OSI7
Multiplexed at the transport layer level in the hierarchy, one flow processing does not affect the other.

Next, the structure of a job packet and a management packet of an image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a job packet and a management packet of the data processing apparatus according to the present invention.

A job packet and a management packet of an image recording system to which a data processing device and an image recording device can be applied are protocols of an application layer, and have a packet structure including a header portion and a parameter portion.

One print job is composed of a plurality of job packets, and a group of a series of job packets constituting the print job is called a job script.

In the figure, the vertical axis indicates bytes, and the horizontal axis indicates bits of each byte.

The 0th to 1st bytes of the packet are an area indicating the operation code 701, and are an ID having a length of 2 bytes indicating the function of the packet. This operation code 701 can take the following values in a job packet. "0x" in the code indicates hexadecimal notation.

“0x0201”: job start operation “0x0202”: job attribute setting operation “0x0204”: PLD data transmission operation “0x0205”: job end operation
In the area 2, when the job packet transmitting side requests a response, this is a number used to determine which response request from the receiving side corresponds to which response from the transmitting side.

For example, block numbers = 1, 2,
If the error packet with the block number = 2 is returned when the job packet 3 is transmitted in succession, the transmitting side can specify that an error has occurred in the second transmitted job packet.

The fourth and fifth bytes of the packet are an area indicating the parameter length 703, and the parameter length is an area indicating the byte length of the data part and can indicate 0 to 64K bytes.

The sixth and seventh bytes of the packet are areas indicating various flags of the job packet, and indicate the following values.

First, the sixth bit of the sixth byte is an area for indicating a notification flag 704. When this value is "1", this is not a response to the request packet from the host computer, but the image recording apparatus is responsible for some notification items. Is notified to the host computer.

Next, the seventh bit of the sixth byte is an area indicating an error flag 705. When this value is "1", it indicates that some error has occurred in the image recording apparatus. This flag is added to a reply packet sent from the image recording device to the host computer.

The 0th bit of the seventh byte is an area indicating a reply transmission 706. When this value is "1", it indicates that the reply is to a request packet from the host computer.

Further, the first bit of the seventh byte is an area indicating a continuation flag 707. When this value is "1", since all data has not been entered in the data portion, the remaining data is not included in the next job packet. Is sent. The next job packet has the same operation as the previous packet.
Codes and block numbers must be set.

The second bit of the seventh byte is an area indicating a reply request 708, and sets "1" when a reply packet is required from the host computer to the image recording apparatus. When "0" is set in the reply request 708, no reply is returned if the request packet is normally processed, but if an error occurs in the image recording device 102, the image recording device 102 The value set in the reply request 708 of the received packet (“0” or
Regardless of “1”), the image recording apparatus 102 always returns a response packet in which the error flag 705 is set to “1”.

The 8th to 9th bytes of the packet are an area indicating the user ID 709, and the 10th to 11th bytes are an area indicating the password 710. This is the area used for It does not affect this embodiment.

[0095] The additional data corresponding to the operation code 701 is stored in the area indicating the data section 711 after the 12th byte of the packet.

In the case of (job start operation), a job execution mode is described as additional data. The execution modes that can be specified are listed below.

"0x01": Normal execution of a job. The job is added to the end of the queue of the image recording apparatus as a normal job, and print processing is performed when scheduling has come.

"0x04": Job interrupt execution. The job is treated as an interrupt job, and processing of all jobs is stopped, and printing of the job is executed with priority.

In the case of (job attribute setting operation), a job attribute ID and a job attribute value to be set are set. The job attribute ID indicates an attribute relating to a job or an environment corresponding to the environment.
ID corresponding to the attribute of the job specified in 5 (DPA)
Are allocated in advance. The following are representative job attributes.

Job attribute ID “0x0101”: job name “0x0103”: job owner name “0x016a”: job size “0x017a”: paper discharge mode designation “0x018a”: number of print copies In this way, it is possible to specify the finishing related to paper ejection, and assign job attributes such as monochrome and color and IDs corresponding thereto.

In the case of (PDL data transmission operation), PDL data enters the additional data portion. The data of one job packet can be stored up to the maximum size of 64 KB that can be stored in the parameter length, and the data beyond that can be divided into a plurality of PDL data transmission operations and transmitted. In this case, the continuation flag is set to 1.

In the case of (job end operation), no additional data exists.

The control processing operation of the job packet generator 2107 in the host computer 101 shown in FIG. 4 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a first example of an image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.
9 is a flowchart showing the control processing procedure of the job packet generation unit 2107, and particularly corresponds to the job packet generation processing procedure of the job packet generation unit 2107. In addition, S301 to S316 indicate each step.

The job packet generation unit 2107 is started up by the printer driver unit 2102 when the print designation is selected by the application unit 2101, and the printer driver unit 2102 transmits the print data to the transmission buffer unit 2102.
The process is started after the generation is completed in 103.

First, in step S301, it is determined whether the job has been designated for interruption. The interrupt specification is specified by a property provided by the user interface of the printer driver unit 2102.

If it is determined in step S301 that an interrupt has been designated, in step S303, the operation mode is set to "0x04" for job interrupt execution.
If it is determined that there is no interrupt designation, step S3
02, the operation mode is set to “0x0
1 ".

Next, in step S 304, a job packet in which the job start operation code “0x0201” is specified in the area for storing the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5 is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106.

At this time, the operation mode is set in the additional data area of the job packet, and a normal job or an interrupt job is specified. Thereafter, until the job end operation is issued, all operations are used only for setting information of the job.

Next, in step S305, a job name is set. Job attribute setting operation code “0x0202” in the area where the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5 is stored, job attribute ID “0x0101” indicating the job name in the data section 711, and a job packet specifying the name to be the job attribute value Is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106.

Next, in step S306, the owner of the job is set. The job attribute setting operation code “0x0202” is stored in the area where the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5 is stored, and the job attribute ID “0x0103” indicating the job owner and the owner name serving as the job attribute value are stored in the data section 711. The designated job packet is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106.

Next, in step S307, the size of the job is set. The job attribute setting operation code “0x0202” is specified in the area where the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5 is stored, the job attribute ID “0x016a” indicating the job size is specified in the data section 711, and the data size of the job as the job attribute value is specified. The job packet is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106.

Next, in step S308, the paper discharge mode is set. The job attribute setting operation code “0x0202” is stored in the area where the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5 is stored, the job attribute ID “0x017a” indicating the paper discharge mode is stored in the data section 711, and the fixed discharge and job A job packet storing a code indicating a discharge specification such as a separation specification, a mailbox discharge, a sort specification, and a stack specification is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106.

Next, in step S309, the variable s
The size of the PDL data to be transmitted is substituted for size.

Next, in step S310, the variable s
The size of size is checked, and it is determined whether the variable size is greater than 64K. The size of the parameter that can be specified in the job packet is limited to a maximum of 64 Kbytes because the size of the parameter length of the packet header is expressed by 16 bits. Will be.

If it is determined in step S310 that the size of the data is larger than 64K, in step S314, the continuation flag 707 of the packet header shown in FIG.
In P15, 64K bytes of PDL data is extracted from the transmission buffer 403, a PDL data transmission operation “0x0204” is stored in the area for storing the operation code 701 shown in FIG. 5, and the extracted PDL data is stored in the data section 711. The designated job packet is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106, and step S3 is executed.
In step 16, the 64K transmitted in step S315 is converted to s
Then, the process returns to step S310.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S310 that the data size is not larger than 64K (64K or less), the transmission of all data is completed by one subsequent PDL data transmission operation. In this case, in step S311, the continuation flag 707 of the packet header shown in FIG. 5 is set to “0” to set that the PDL data transmission is the last, and in step S312, all the PDL data is transmitted from the transmission buffer 2103. The data is fetched and the PDL data transmission operation “0x02” is stored in the area for storing the operation code 701 in FIG.
04 ”, the job packet specifying the extracted PDL data in the data section 711 is assigned to the logical channel control section 2.
Issue to 106.

However, if mailbox delivery is set in step S308, the PD stored in the data
The L data has a data structure in which codes specifying the number of distribution destinations and the number of distributions for the designated distribution destinations are sequentially stored, and then image data such as PDL data is stored.

Thereafter, in step S313, FIG.
The job packet in which the job end operation code “0x0205” is specified in the area for storing the operation code 711 is issued to the logical channel control unit 2106, and the process is ended.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 8, a host computer for controlling the discharge port name registration screen shown in FIG.
For example, processing related to mailbox delivery performed by the printer setting application on the host computer 101A will be described in detail with reference to a flowchart.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a second control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. In particular, FIG. This corresponds to registration processing (processing for registering a paper discharge port name (distribution destination name) used when a mailbox discharge is specified on the host computer) on the port name registration screen. Note that S401 to S405 indicate each step.

First, in step S401, it is determined whether or not registration of a paper discharge port name has been designated. If it is determined that registration of a paper discharge port name has not been specified (the cancel key 505 has been designated). Ends the processing as it is,
If it is determined that the registration of the discharge port name has been designated, that is, if the user registers the identification name (instructed by the OK key 504), in step S402, the discharge port name and the number of persons belonging to the group are determined. It is determined whether or not editing has been designated, that is, whether or not the paper discharge port name registration area 502 or the group number registration area 503 has been edited. If it is determined that editing has not been performed, the process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S402 that the discharge port name and the number of persons belonging to the group (the discharge port name registration area 502 or the group number registration area 503) have been edited, then in step S403 the discharge port The name of the paper discharge port designated by the user's input operation is acquired from the port name registration area 502, and step S40 is performed.
In step 4, the number of group members specified by the user's input operation is acquired from the group number registration area 503, and in step S405, the acquired discharge port names and each group number are converted into designations for the image recording apparatus 102 and transmitted. And register.

Thereafter, these are used as information added at the time of printing in the mailbox mode designation, and are used by the printer driver UI (mailbox ejection designation screen shown in FIG. 3).
On the top, the set name is information from the image recording apparatus 102 (information such as a discharge port name which is registered and centrally managed).
And displayed as a distribution destination display area 602.

Normally, the settings shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 need only be set once at the time of installing the printer. If the user wants to change the operation of the mailbox mode, the system administrator or the like can set the output port name or The sorting method can be changed by appropriately changing the number of groups.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram for explaining the arrangement of an image recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to the image recording apparatus 102 in the image recording system shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 2201 denotes an I / F driver which converts logical data into an electric signal and exchanges it with the interface 2211. Reference numeral 2202 denotes a logical channel control unit which analyzes data received from the I / F driver unit 2201, allocates job packets and management packets to different channels, and multiplexes the transport layer in the OSI 7 layer.

Reference numeral 2204 denotes a job spooler, which is composed of a large-capacity memory device such as an HDD, a flash memory, or a DRAM, and temporarily holds PDL data of a print job until printing is completed. An apparatus database unit 2205 stores attribute information of the print job.

A job preprocessor 2203 receives and analyzes a job packet, and stores print job attribute information in the device database unit 2205 and PDL data in the job spooler 2204 separately. 221
Reference numeral 3 denotes a job readout table that describes the processing order of jobs. A drawing buffer 2207 stores intermediate data that can be drawn in real time.

Reference numeral 2206 denotes a PDL translator, which extracts jobs in the order described in the job readout table 2213, and stores attribute information stored in the device database 2205 and PD stored in the job spooler 2204.
The L data is analyzed, and intermediate data that can be drawn in real time is generated and stored in the drawing buffer 2207.

Reference numeral 2209 denotes a printer engine which obtains intermediate data from the drawing buffer 2207, renders the intermediate data in real time together with the paper transport processing performed by the printer engine 2209, and transmits the rendering as video data to the printer engine 2209. Part 22
08. Physical printing is performed on paper based on video data transmitted from the drawing unit 2208 using a known electrophotographic technique.

Reference numeral 2210 denotes an information management unit which receives a management packet transmitted from the host computer 101, acquires information from the device database unit 2205 in response to a request, issues a job cancellation request or an interrupt request, and And automatically issues a notification event to the host computer 101 upon detecting the end of the operation and the abnormality of the device.

Reference numeral 2212 denotes an interrupt processing unit which performs actual interrupt processing when a job interrupt is designated.

As shown in the figure, the image recording device 102
I / F driver section 2201, logical channel control section 220
2, job preprocessor 2203, job spooler 2204, device database 2205, PDL translator 2206, drawing buffer 2207, drawing unit 2
208, printer engine 2209, information management unit 221
0, an interrupt processing unit 2212, and a job reading table 2213.

It is to be noted that each unit in the image recording apparatus 102 may be constituted by dedicated hardware,
It may be configured by a ROM or other storage medium storing a program to be executed by the PU or the CPU, a RAM, an EEPROM, a hard disk, or the like.

Hereinafter, the control operation of the job preprocessor 2203 shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a third control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied, and particularly corresponds to the processing procedure of the job preprocessor 2203. Note that S501 to S514 indicate each step.

The job preprocessor 2203 starts processing when the image recording apparatus 102 is started, and thereafter continues the processing until the power of the image recording apparatus 102 is turned off.

First, in step S501,
Receives job packets. Upon receipt, step S
At 502, it is determined whether or not the received job is a job start operation. If it is determined that an operation other than the job start operation has arrived, the operation becomes an illegal operation. At step S503, the job packet is discarded. Return to processing.

On the other hand, if the job received in step S502 is determined to be a job start operation, the job ID of the job is acquired in step S504, and the job ID is assigned as a 2-byte number. It is used as a key for reading and writing job attribute information in 2205.

Next, in step S505, the job ID of the job is added to the job readout table.
In step S506, the additional data of the job packet is searched, and it is determined whether the operation mode is “0x04”. If it is determined that the operation mode is not “0x04”, the process proceeds to step S508.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S506 that the operation mode of the additional data of the job packet is “0x04”, it indicates that the interrupt printing has been specified as described above. In that case, in step S507, the interrupt processing unit 2212, and issues an interrupt printing instruction.
Proceed to step S508.

Next, in step S508, the next job packet is accepted, and in step S509, it is determined whether the received job packet is an attribute setting operation or not, and it is determined that the received job packet is an attribute setting operation. In this case, in step S510, attribute data is set in the device database unit 2205. The keys at this time are the job ID acquired in step S504 and the attribute ID and attribute data described in the additional data of the job packet.

For example, in the case where the received job packet is an attribute setting operation in which mailbox ejection is specified as the job attribute value in the paper ejection mode, the number of mailbox ejections corresponding to the job attribute value and the number of designated distribution destinations A code designating a distribution destination and the number of distributions is acquired, and attribute data is set in the device database unit 2205.

When the attribute setting in step S510 is completed, the next job packet is received.
Return to the processing of.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S509 that the received job packet is not an attribute setting operation, it is determined in step S511 whether or not the received job packet is a PDL data transmission operation. If it is determined that there is, PDL data is added to the job spooler 2204 in step S512. At this time, the job ID is passed as a key so that the job ID can be taken out as a key when it is taken out later. Upon completion of the addition to the job spooler 2204, the process returns to step S508 to receive the next job packet.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S511 that the received job packet is not a PDL data transmission operation, it is determined in step S513 whether or not the job packet is a job end operation. If it is determined, the process goes through a series of loops and returns to the initial state of step S501.

If it is determined in step S513 that the job packet is not a job end operation,
That is, if it does not correspond to any operation,
Since the job packet is an invalid job packet, the job packet is discarded in step S514, and the process proceeds to step S50.
The process returns to step 8.

By the above operation, the job preprocessor 2203 can distribute the job packet to the device database 2205 and the job spooler 2204.

Next, the job reading table 2213 shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the job reading table 2213 shown in FIG.

FIG. 17A shows a state in which jobs 1 to 4 are registered in the job reading table 2213. In this state, the PDL translator unit 22
When executing translation, the job pre-processor 2203 sequentially takes out print jobs from the readout table, and the job pre-processor 2203 executes step S505 in FIG.
In the case where the job 5 is added to the job readout table, the job 5 is added to the end of the readout table as shown in FIG.

When the printer engine unit 2209 recognizes that the discharge of the last page of the job 1 is completed, the job 1 is deleted from the job reading table as shown in FIG.

As described above, the job reading table 2
Reference numeral 213 controls the order of jobs processed by the PDL translator unit 2206.

The operation after the processing of PDL translator section 2206 will be described below.

The PDL translator unit 2206 performs a translation process based on the PDL data stored in the job spooler 2204 and the job information stored in the device database unit 2205, and converts the data into intermediate data that can be rendered by the rendering unit 1208 in real time. And the drawing buffer 22
07.

Next, the drawing buffer 2207 stores the intermediate data for a plurality of pages and transfers it to the drawing unit 2208. Next, the drawing unit 2208 acquires the intermediate data from the drawing buffer 2207, renders the intermediate data in real time together with the sheet conveyance processing performed by the printer engine unit 2209, and transmits the data to the printer engine unit 2209 as video data.

Next, the printer engine unit 2209 physically prints on paper based on the video data transmitted from the drawing unit 2208 using a known electrophotographic technique.

The information management unit 2210 receives the information acquisition request from the utility unit 2105 in the form of a management packet, acquires necessary information from the device database unit 2205, converts it into a management packet, and converts it into a management packet.
Reply to the host computer via 202. Also,
When the end of the job is detected, the end notification is spontaneously converted into a management packet and notified.

The main body of the image recording apparatus 102 is provided with an operation panel (panel section) 104 shown in FIG. 12, which will be described later.
It is composed of a display device such as D and operation buttons, and can perform processing of reflecting settings from the user in the device database unit 2205 through the information management unit 2210 or displaying the current device status.

Next, the configuration of the image recording apparatus 102 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 12 shows the image recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a laser beam printer to which No. 2 is applicable.

The image recording apparatus to which this embodiment is applied is not limited to a laser beam printer.
It goes without saying that a printer of another printing system such as an ED system, an inkjet system, a thermal transfer system, and a sublimation system may be used.

In the following description and drawings, an example in which two optional units are connected will be described. However, more optional units can be connected, and the functions of the optional units may be shared by the main body. Absent.

In the figure, a laser beam printer (printer) 102 can be connected to various optional devices, and can be connected to a general-purpose interface (for example, Centronics, RS232C, U232) with an external device 101 such as a host computer.
SB, etc.), network (for example, Ethernet etc.)
Connected to the external device 10 via a general-purpose interface.
1 (control information such as code data based on a predetermined printer language, for example, Post Scr).
ipt, LIPSIII, LIPSIV, image data, etc.).

Reference numeral 103 denotes a video controller, which is connected to the external device 101 via the general-purpose interface, receives code data (ESC code, various PDL data, etc.) transferred from the external device 101 via the general-purpose interface, and It generates page information including dot data and the like based on the data, transmits image data (binary or multi-valued) to an engine controller 105 to be described later via the video interface 80, and transmits the image data (binary or multi-valued) to the after-mentioned interface via the general interface 90. A command for specifying sheet feeding and discharging is transmitted to the option controller unit 106. The engine controller 105 forms a latent image on a photosensitive drum by a well-known electrophotographic process based on the image data transferred from the video controller 103, and transfers and fixes it on a supplied sheet to perform printing. At this time, the control unit 106 instructs the option controller unit 106 to supply and discharge paper.

Reference numeral 104 denotes a panel unit which is an interface with a user including various switches (buttons) for operation, an LED display, an LCD display, and the like. Can be instructed to perform a predetermined operation. Various data and the like set by the user are stored and managed in a non-illustrated non-volatile memory, for example, NVRAM, EEPROM, or the like.

The option controller unit 106 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM and the like (not shown). One unit is controlled based on paper supply / discharge designation and the like supplied from the video controller 103 and paper supply / discharge instructions from the engine controller 105. This is a general controller for controlling the above optional devices (units) collectively, and communicates with an optional controller unit included in various optional devices via the optional unit interface 70 to control the various optional devices collectively.

In the RAM of the option controller unit 106, there is a shared memory (shown in FIG. 18 described later) which can be accessed by the video controller 103. The shared memory has a transport status management area of about 40 pages, The video controller 10 includes a status area, a command status management area, a start-up processing area, and the like.
Reference numeral 3 designates designation of each optional device via each area of the shared memory.

The transfer status management area is set by the video controller 103 in the printing method (paper feed port, paper discharge port, color,
An area for notifying each optional device of stapling, shifting, and the like, and an area for notifying the video controller 103 of each option state (how far the printing has been performed, the discharge has been completed, and the like).

In the basic status area, the abnormality of each optional device (JAM, no paper, no staple, etc.)
Is notified to the video controller 103, and the command & status management area is
The start-up processing area is an area in which the command status is exchanged with the device 3 and the video controller 103 specifies the start-up processing of each optional device.

Reference numeral 107 denotes a paper feed option device (unit)
For example, a paper deck option unit has a paper deck controller (large-capacity paper feed cassette controller) 107 a therein, and performs paper feed control based on control information transmitted from the option controller unit 106. The paper deck controller 107a
Has a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown), and the CPU controls the sheet feeding option device 107 based on a program stored in the ROM. Further, the ROM stores extended information of the paper feed option device 107, for example, information on paper sizes that can be stored in the paper deck.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a discharge option device (unit)
A sorter option unit having a sort function, for example, has a sorter controller (large-capacity discharge stacker controller) 108a inside, and performs a sort operation and a discharge operation based on control information transmitted from the option controller unit 106. Do. The sorter controller 108a includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM (not shown), and the CPU controls the paper discharge option device 108 based on a program stored in the ROM. Also, ROM
The extended information of the paper discharge option device 108 includes, for example, the number of paper discharge bins, the presence or absence of a sort function, the presence or absence of a staple function,
Information on the presence / absence of a shift function for shifting the discharged paper in a predetermined direction, the presence / absence of a reversing function for reversing the face direction of the discharged paper, and the like are stored.

Note that the paper feed option device 107 and the paper discharge option device 108 are provided with operation units (controllers) 107b and 108b having a display unit and various keys, respectively. Can be displayed and operated.

Reference numeral 109 denotes a control unit, which is an engine controller 105 for controlling a printing process of the printer 102, a video controller 103 for controlling the entire printer 102 and analyzing data from an external device 101 such as a host computer and converting the data into image data. , And an optional controller unit 106 for controlling various optional units.

Note that the option controller section 106
Manages each option unit by a common option unit interface 70, and communicates with the video controller 103 via the general interface 90.
This embodiment is characterized in that the video controller 103 controls each paper supply / discharge option unit via the option controller unit 106.

FIG. 13 shows the printer 102 shown in FIG.
13 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of FIG. 12, and the same components as those in FIG. 12 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the drawing, reference numeral 230 denotes a paper cassette which holds the recording paper S and has a mechanism for electrically detecting the size of the recording paper S by a partition plate (not shown). Reference numeral 231 denotes a cassette paper feed clutch, which separates only one of the uppermost recording papers of the recording paper S placed on the paper cassette 230, and feeds the separated recording paper S by a driving unit (not shown) to the paper feed roller 20.
This cam rotates intermittently every time paper is fed, and feeds one sheet of recording paper corresponding to one rotation. 23
A recording paper detection sensor 0S detects the amount of the recording paper S held in the paper cassette 230.

Reference numeral 227 denotes a registration shutter which presses a sheet to stop sheet feeding. The paper feed roller 204 is a recording paper S
Is transported to the resist shutter 227. 20
Reference numeral 2 denotes a manual tray on which the recording paper S is placed. Reference numeral 203 denotes a manual feed clutch, which conveys the recording paper S placed on the manual tray 202 to the registration shutter 227. 2
33 is an optional paper feed roller (paper feed relay conveyance roller)
Then, the recording paper S fed from the paper feed option 107 is supplied into the main body of the printer 102.

The manual paper feed roller 203, cassette paper feed clutch 231, optional paper feed roller 233
A registration roller pair 205 for synchronously transporting the recording paper S is provided downstream of the registration roller. A laser image emitted from a laser scanner unit 206 is provided downstream of the registration roller to form a toner image on the recording paper S by a known electrophotographic method. An image recording unit 207 formed by a process is provided.

In the laser scanner unit 206, 215
Is a laser unit that emits laser light based on an image signal (VDO signal) sent from the video controller 103. The laser light emitted from the laser unit 215 is scanned by the polygon mirror 216, and is passed through the image forming lens group 218 and the folding mirror 219.
A latent image is formed on 0. A beam detector 217 detects a laser beam emitted from the laser unit 215 and outputs a main scanning synchronization signal. A light amount sensor 270 detects the light amount of the laser light emitted from the laser unit 215.

In the image recording unit 207, 222
Is a primary charger, which charges the photosensitive drum 220 uniformly. A developing unit 223 is charged by the primary charging unit 222, and develops a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 220 by laser exposure by the laser scanner unit 206 with toner. 2
A transfer charger 24 transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 220 developed by the developing device 223 to the registration roller 20.
5 is transferred to the recording paper S fed. A cleaner 225 removes residual toner on the photosensitive drum 220.
Reference numeral 221 denotes a pre-exposure lamp that removes electricity from the photosensitive drum 220 by light.

Reference numeral 208 denotes a fixing unit for thermally fixing the toner image formed on the recording paper S by the image recording unit 207 to the recording paper S. Reference numeral 210 denotes a conveyance roller for discharging and conveying the recording paper S. A paper discharge sensor 209 detects a paper discharge state of the recording paper S. Reference numeral 211 denotes a flapper, which changes the transport direction of the recording sheet S on which recording has been completed to the sheet ejection tray 213 side or the sheet ejection option 10.
Switch to 8 side. 214 and 212 are paper discharge rollers,
The recording paper S conveyed by switching the flapper 211 is discharged to the stacking tray 213. Reference numeral 213S denotes a discharged paper stacking amount detection sensor, which is the recording paper S stacked on the stacking tray 213.
Detect the loading capacity of

The engine controller 105 in the control unit 109 controls the electrophotographic process by the laser scanner unit 206, the image recording unit 207, and the fixing unit 208, and controls the conveyance of the recording paper in the main body of the printer 102.

Further, the video controller 103 is connected to an external device 101 such as a personal computer by a general-purpose interface (for example, Centronics, RS232C, etc.), and develops image information sent via the general-purpose interface into bit data. Bit data to V
The DO signal is sent to the engine controller 105 via the video interface 80.

Next, various optional units detachably connected to the main body of the printer 102 will be described.

The option controller section 106 shown in FIG. 12 is provided in the printer main body shown in FIG.
Various optional units are configured to be communicable with the same protocol via the optional unit interface 70 serving as a common path. The option controller unit 106 is connected to the video controller 103 via the general interface 90.

In the paper feeding optional device 107 such as a paper deck optional unit, reference numeral 241 denotes a paper deck on which a large amount of recording paper S is stacked on a deck that moves up and down.
Reference numeral 242 denotes a paper deck paper feed roller.
The recording paper S stacked on the paper 1 is fed.

Reference numeral 244 denotes a conveying roller which conveys the recording paper S fed from the paper deck feeding roller 242 toward the optional feeding roller 233. Reference numeral 243 denotes a paper feed relay roller, which is fed from another paper feed system optional unit (an optional unit capable of feeding recording paper of different size or the same size) detachably connected to a plurality of lower portions of the paper deck option. Relay the recording paper. Also,
241S is a recording paper storage amount detection sensor, which is a paper deck 2
The amount of the recording paper S placed on the paper 41 is detected.

The paper feeding optional device 107 such as a paper deck optional unit is controlled by a paper deck controller 107a.

In the discharge option device 108 such as a sorter option unit, reference numerals 251 to 257 denote first to seventh discharge bins for performing face-down discharge, in which the recorded recording paper S is sorted and stacked. Things. Reference numeral 258 denotes an eighth discharge bin for directly passing the paper conveyed to the sorter option and performing face-up discharge. 280 is a flapper, which is a printer 1
The recording paper S sorted by the flapper 211 of the main body 02 and sent to the sorter option unit 108 is transport-switched so that the face of the recording paper S is switched based on an instruction from the video controller 103. Also,
Reference numerals 261S to 268S denote paper empty detection sensors for detecting whether or not the recording paper discharged to the first to eighth discharge bins 251 to 258 is loaded.

Further, the discharged paper stacking amount detection sensor 271S-
278S are the first discharge bin 251 to the eighth discharge bin 2
Loading capacity of the recording paper loaded on 58 (zero loading capacity (empty)
~ Full), and the height of the recording paper stacked in the first discharge bin 251 to the eighth discharge bin 258 is, for example, 18 m.
m (corresponding to about 120 images), the sorter controller 108a fills the video controller 103 via the option controller 106 with
Notify.

The first discharge bin 251 to the eighth discharge bin 258 can load about 120 sheets in each bin, that is, about 960 sheets in eight bins.
The seventh to seventh discharge bins 257 can perform sorted discharge.

When the face-up is designated by the video controller 103 through the centralized interface 90, the face-up flapper 280 is turned on and sorting is performed. When face down is designated by the video controller 103 through the general interface 90, the face up flapper 280 is turned off and sorting is performed. The sheet is conveyed until it exceeds the up flapper 280, and then the roller 291 is reversed and fed into the vertical path from the rear end of the recording sheet S, and the bin flappers 281 to 282 are designated by the designated discharge bin.
86 is driven at a predetermined timing to perform distribution to each face-down discharge port, and the discharge is completed in the face-down state. When the discharge bin is the seventh discharge bin 257, the face-down discharge is completed by directly discharging the paper without driving the bin flapper.

Further, when the stapler (not shown) specifies stapling by the video controller 103 through the general interface 90, the recording paper S is stored in a staple tray (not shown), and the recording paper S is aligned.
The stapler executes the stapling and executes the first output bins 251 to 251.
The sheet is discharged to one of the eighth discharge bins 258. When the shift is designated by the video controller 103 through the general interface 90, the sheets are stored in a staple tray (not shown), the recording paper S is aligned, and the recording The recording paper S to be discharged is shifted, that is, the placement area (tray) of the discharged recording paper S is shifted, and then the recording paper S is discharged to any of the first to eighth discharge bins 251 to 258. The staple also has a staple remaining amount detection sensor (not shown), and detects a staple remaining amount stored in the staple.

The sorter option unit 108
Is controlled by the sorter controller 108a.

Further, the option controller 106,
The paper deck controller 107a and the sorter controller 108a are connected by connectors, respectively, and perform serial communication by the option unit interface 70. Both are connected in series by the same connector,
Therefore, the paper deck option unit 107 and the sorter option unit 108 can be connected in a different order.

The manual feed roller 203, the cassette feed clutch 231 and the paper deck feed roller 24
The pair of registration rollers 205 for transporting the recording paper S, the paper supply roller 204, and the conveyance roller 244 are provided downstream of the pair 2, and the laser emitted from the laser scanner unit 206 is provided downstream of the pair of registration rollers 205. Image recording unit 20 that forms a toner image on recording paper S by light
7 are provided. Further, a fixing unit 208 for thermally fixing the toner image formed on the recording paper S is provided downstream of the image recording unit 207, and a discharge unit for detecting a conveyance state of a discharge unit is provided downstream of the fixing unit 208. A paper sensor 209, a transport roller 210 for transporting the recording paper, a flapper 211 for switching a transport direction of the recording paper S on which recording is completed, and the like are provided.

FIG. 14 shows the printer 102 shown in FIG.
13 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of FIG. 12, and the same components as those in FIG. 12 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0200] In the figure, reference numeral 91 denotes a serial communication interface, from which commands such as designation of paper feeding to the paper deck option unit 107 and designation of a discharge bin to the sorter option unit 108 are transmitted from the video controller 103 to the option controller unit 106. The statuses such as the paper presence / absence state of the paper deck option unit 107, the stacking state of each paper discharge bin of the sorter option unit 108, and the staple presence / absence state are determined by the option controller unit 106 and the video controller 103.
You can also connect directly by U bus.

Reference numeral 92 denotes an OPTRDY signal, which functions as a signal indicating whether an option designated by the video controller 103, for example, whether or not staples can be used, is transmitted from the option controller 106 to the video controller 103. Reference numeral 93 denotes a POUTT signal, which functions as a timing signal for the printer 102 to discharge recording paper. A PFEDT signal 94 functions as a signal indicating the timing at which the printer 102 receives recording paper from the optional unit. 95 is SP
The CNG signal functions as a signal for lowering the speed of the recording paper S conveyed at a high speed in the option unit to match the conveyance speed of the printer 102 main body.

Reference numeral 81 denotes a communication interface,
02 and the printer 102
Commands such as designation of paper ejection to the paper ejection tray 231 of the main body and printing are transmitted from the video controller 103 to the engine controller 105, and the status of the cassette 230 in the main body of the printer 102 such as a paper presence state and a paper jam is transmitted from the engine controller 105. Video controller 103
Sent to. A VDO signal 82 indicates bit data transmitted from the video controller 103.

In addition, although not shown, control of each process by the engine controller 105 is executed based on a signal exchanged with the video controller 103, and the signals include / CPRDY and / PPR.
DY, / RDY, / PRNT, / VSREQ, / VSY
NC, / BD, / SCLK, / CMD, / CBSY, /
STS, / SBSY, / CCRT (Condition
Change Report), and details thereof are as shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 shows a video controller (VC) 1
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining signals exchanged between the engine controller 03 and an engine controller (EC) 105.

[0205] Of the above signals, the method of using the / CCRT signal will be described, and the processing will be as in Procedure 1 and Procedure 2 below.

(Procedure 1) The video controller 103 checks the normal / RDY signal and the / CCRT signal, and if there is a change in these signals, starts reading status information. At this time, the / CCRT signal becomes "FALS
E "and the / RDY signal becomes" FALSE ", the status of contents such as misprint, wait, sleep, operator call, etc. is checked. See the status for details.

(Procedure 2) On the other hand, if the / CCRT signal is "TR
UE ", the status of contents such as paper size change, paper presence / absence change, paper feed function change, and warning content change is read, and the type of the changed status is recognized. The engine controller 105 sequentially reads the statuses of the group and recognizes the details of the reset procedure of the / CCRT signal. The warning status change is constantly checked, and if a change is made, the status change status corresponding to the higher level is set to "1", and the / CCRT signal, which is a hard signal, is set to "TRUE". Receiving a status request command from the controller 103 and reading the status change status into the video controller 103 It was with it, to "FALSE" the / CCRT signal.

The general interface 90 includes a serial communication interface 91, an OPTRDY signal 92,
An OUTT signal 93, a PFEDT signal 94, and an SPCNG signal 95 are configured by five hard signals.

Note that three signals of the POUTT signal 93, the PFEDT signal 94, and the SPCNG signal 95 are output from the engine controller 105 and output from the video interface 8
The signal is input to the option controller unit 106 through the video controller 103 via “0”. Details of each of the above signals are as shown in FIG.

FIG. 16 shows a video controller (VC) 1
03 is a diagram illustrating signals exchanged between an engine controller (EC) 105 and an option controller (OC) unit 106.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of video controller 103 shown in FIG.
The same components as those described above are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the figure, reference numeral 401 denotes a panel interface (I / F) which receives various settings and instructions from the operator from the panel 104 by data communication with the panel 104. 402 is a host interface (I / F)
And an input / output unit for signals with the external device 101 such as a host computer. Reference numeral 406 denotes an engine interface (I / F), which is an input / output unit for signals with the engine controller 105, which sends out data signals from an output buffer register (not shown) and controls communication with the engine controller 105.

Reference numeral 403 denotes an image data generator, which is an external device 1
The bitmap data for actual printing is generated based on the control code data sent from 01. An image memory 405 stores image data.

Reference numeral 409 denotes a CPU, which is a video controller 1
03 controls the entire system. Reference numeral 404 denotes a ROM, and the CPU 40
9 is stored. 407 is a RAM, a CPU
409 functions as temporary storage means. 410
Denotes an EEPROM, which is composed of a nonvolatile memory medium.

[0215] Reference numeral 408 denotes a DMA control unit which transfers bitmap data in the image memory 405 to the engine interface unit 406 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 409. 4
Reference numeral 12 denotes an option interface (I / F) unit, which communicates with the option controller unit 106 in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 409. Further, the POUTT signal 93, the PFEDT signal 94, and the SPCNG signal 95 are sent from the engine interface unit 406 to the overall interface 90 through.

A system bus 411 has an address bus and a data bus. Panel interface unit 401,
Host interface unit 406, image data generation unit 40
3, ROM 404, image memory 405, engine interface unit 402, RAM 407, DMA control unit 40
8, a CPU 409, an EEPROM 410, and an option interface unit 412 are connected to a system bus 411, and can access all functional units on the system bus 411.

The control code for controlling the CPU 409 is composed of an OS, which is called a task and is controlled by a system clock (not shown) in a time-division manner on a load module basis, and a plurality of load modules (tasks) operating on a function basis. Shall be.

With the above configuration, the video controller 1
Reference numeral 03 denotes a printer having a plurality of paper supply / discharge ports, and controls handling of a recording medium to be fed or discharged to a printer 102 capable of recording an image on the recording medium based on print information input from the external device 101.

Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, video controller 103 is connected to option controller section 106.
A description will be given of a control method for integrally controlling each optional device.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a shared memory with the video controller 103 secured in the RAM provided in the option controller unit 106 shown in FIG.

The shared memory shown in FIG. 18 is used to specify a page, to control the transport status of the paper to know the transport status, to know the abnormal status of each option, and to exchange the command status. And a start-up processing unit that specifies start-up processing of the optional device.

The start-up processing section is the video controller 10
3 is a start-up designation part for designating from 3, and a completion notification part for notifying that each option has completed processing as a result of the designation.

The video controller 103 performs start-up processing of each option by designating the start-up processing section. When the power is turned on, the video controller 103 informs the start-up designated portion of the initialization designation of the shared memory, the designation of acquisition of configuration information of each option required by the option controller unit 106, the completion of information acquisition, etc. The completion notification portion is monitored to determine whether or not the process has been completed. When all the processes have been completed, the startup process ends.

The transport status management area includes a paper feed port, a paper discharge port,
A part that specifies the printing method such as color / monochrome, staple position and execution, and a part that tells you the status of options such as how much paper has been fed, whether a print signal can be output, and whether the paper has been ejected. Consists of The video controller 103 executes the printing while specifying the printing method and grasping the status of each option.

The above specification can be specified for a maximum of 40 pages. The specification is performed for each page in order, the area where the discharge is completed is regarded as an empty area, and the area is initialized so that the specification can be performed again. Use as

The basic status section is an area for notifying an abnormal state of each device, and acquires from this area information such as no paper, paper size mismatch, door open, paper jam, failure, full load, and no staples. More detailed information is acquired from the contents of the basic status by the command status.

The command status section is an area for obtaining detailed information of each option and controlling the operation of each option. In this area, a command is specified as necessary and information is obtained. For example, the information that can be obtained includes the device name, paper feed mounting paper size, paper feed remaining amount, paper jam position, type, access point, stacking amount of discharged paper, failure details, and the like, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 19, commands corresponding to each situation are issued and status is received. The command status section also controls options such as shifting to a power saving mode, emergency stop at the time of a paper jam, movement of a discharge bin, and execution of reset.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a fourth processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The video controller 103 shown in FIG. The CPU 409 in the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17 executes based on the program stored in the ROM 404 in correspondence with the procedure for issuing a command status to acquire detailed information of each input / output option. (A)
Corresponds to the case where an abnormality of the input device is found, and (b)
Corresponds to a case where an abnormality of the output device is found. Also,
S101 to S108 and S111 to S117 indicate each step.

First, as shown in (a), when the video controller 103 detects an abnormality of the input device by the basic status section of the shared memory shown in FIG. 18 (S10)
1) A command is specified in the command status section, and an abnormal device (if a plurality of input optional devices are connected, which input device is specified) is specified (S102).

Further, a command is specified in the command status portion, and the content of the abnormality (paper missing, paper size mismatch, door open, paper jam, failure, etc.) is specified (S103).

Next, a command corresponding to the identified abnormality content is specified. For example, in the case of no paper, a paper-less deck is specified (S104), and a paper-free factor is specified (S104).
105) Also, in the case of a paper jam, the location of the paper jam is specified (S106), and in the case of a failure, the failure location is specified (S107).

Then, a message indicating the content of the abnormality acquired by the above command is sent to the panel unit 104 and the operation unit 107.
b, Displayed on the display unit or the like of the external device 101.

[0233] As shown in (b), when the video controller 103 detects an abnormality in the output device from the basic status section of the shared memory shown in FIG. 18 (S11).
1) A command is specified in the command status section, and an abnormal device (when a plurality of output optional devices are connected, which output device is specified) is specified (S112).

Further, a command is specified in the command status section, and the content of the abnormality (full load, no staples, door open, paper jam, failure, etc.) is specified (S113).

Next, a command corresponding to the specified abnormality content is specified. For example, when the sheet is full, the full deck is specified (S114). When the sheet is a paper jam, the paper jam location is specified. (S115) In the case of a failure, a failure location is specified (S116).

Then, a message indicating the content of the abnormality acquired by the above command is sent to the panel unit 104 and the operation unit 107.
b, Displayed on the display unit or the like of the external device 101.

As described above, the video controller 103 obtains the above information, executes printing in a state where there is no abnormality, and when the occurrence of abnormality is detected from the basic status, issues a command status for specifying an abnormal part. The content of the abnormality is specified for the device, and detailed information collection and control according to the abnormality are performed.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a fifth processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The video controller 103 shown in FIG. In response to the procedure for accessing the shared memory and exchanging the command status with each option and exchanging information, the video controller 10 shown in FIG.
3 is executed by the CPU 409 based on the program stored in the ROM 404. S201 to S211 indicate each step.

To acquire the option information, the option is specified in the command status management area in the memory of the option controller unit 106, and the information is received. In the command specification area, an ID for identifying the type of necessary information is specified at a predetermined address (S201), the number of data specified to the option controller unit 106 by the execution command is specified at a predetermined address (S202), and the specified content is specified. Is designated as a predetermined address (S203).

Then, it is notified that the command has been transmitted, and the option controller unit 106 exchanges information with each of the optional devices to generate a trigger for acquiring information (S204).

[0241] Based on the trigger and the specified contents in step S204, the option controller unit 106 performs serial communication with necessary optional devices to obtain the specified information. On the other hand, a timer is started until the option controller unit 106 completely obtains information, and it is monitored whether or not the video controller 103 is in a state where status information can be obtained (S205, S206).

If the status does not shift to the status information obtainable state in step S206 even after a certain period of time in step S205, status information cannot be obtained, and a retry notification is issued to execute the command again (S21).
1), end the process.

On the other hand, before shifting to the status information obtainable state in step S206 before the predetermined time elapses in step S205, the status ID is obtained, and it is confirmed whether or not the status information is for the specified command (S
207).

Next, the number of status data is obtained (S20).
8) Acquire status data for the number of status data (S209), notify the option controller unit 106 of completion of status acquisition (S210), and end the process.

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 21 to 24, FIG.
The data flow from the external device 101 to the option controller unit 106 and the engine controller 105 shown in FIG.

FIG. 21 shows the external device 101 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data flow from to the option controller unit 106 and the engine controller 105.

A control code for controlling the CPU 409 of the video controller 103 shown in FIG. 17 includes an OS for performing time-division control on a load module basis called a task by a system clock (not shown) and a plurality of operating on a function basis. Of the load module (task).

A translator processing system (analysis development task 1001), scheduling system (page operation task 1002), engine I / F system (engine I / F task 1003), option I shown in FIG.
/ F system (option I / F task 1004)
As described above, it is a task that has the CPU 409 as an entity, and operates logically in parallel.

FIG. 22 shows the structure of the page table stored in RAM 407 shown in FIG.

In the figure, a page table 1100 stores page information. This page table 110
0 is a table for logically recognizing each page in the CPU 409, and the page table 1100
Are “page number” 1101 and “raster pointer” 11
02, “status flag” 1103,..., “Paper feed mode”
1104, “Requested paper size” 1105, “Copy page ID” 1106, “Process number” 1107, “Discharge mode” 1108, “Identification name” 1109, “Number of copies” 1
110, a “paper discharge port” 1111 and the like exist as a continuous area in a control information storage area (not shown) of the RAM 407 shown in FIG. 17, and are acquired and released by a page management function unit or the CPU 409 (not shown). Be managed.

A "raster pointer" 1102 in the page table 1100 is a head pointer of an area for one page in the image memory 405 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 9 designates an area (not shown) in the image memory 405 which is divided for each page at the time of power-on initialization, and is linked thereto.

The "status flag" 1103 is an area for storing a flag indicating the status of the page. As shown in FIG. 22, the "expansion end flag" 1103a indicating the end / incomplete of the page development and the page designation A “page designation end flag” 1103b indicating end / unfinished, a “print start flag” 1103c indicating print start / unstart of the page, and a “discharge end flag” 110 indicating end / non-end of page discharge.
3d, a "release flag" 1103e indicating that the page information development area is being released / not released, and the like, and it is possible to determine what state the created page information is in based on this state flag.

Further, a "paper feed mode" 1104 indicates a method of determining paper feed means, and includes "automatic paper feed", "cassette 1 (cassette 230) paper feed", and "paper deck (not shown)". Cassette 107) paper feed "," MP tray (manual paper tray 202) paper feed ", etc., and" automatic paper feed "means that a predetermined priority This is a mode in which search and determination are performed in order.

[0254] The "requested paper size" 1105 stores a numerical representation of a paper size for which the engine controller 105 is requested to feed paper.

[0255] In the "identification name" 1109, a character string representing the discharge port name of the discharge destination is stored. The “number of copies” 1110 stores a numerical value indicating the number of copies.
The “paper discharge port” 1111 stores a numerical value representing the paper discharge port of the paper discharge destination.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the structure of the engine status table stored in the RAM 407 shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1200 denotes an engine status table, which stores the engine controller 105 and the option (1
06, 107, and 108).
"/ RDY state" 1201, "/ CCRT state" 120
2,..., “Number of paper feed stages” 1203, “presence or absence of paper in cassette 1” 1204, “presence of paper in cassette 1” 1205, “presence or absence of paper deck paper” 1206, “paper deck paper size” 1207, “presence or absence of MP tray paper” 1208, “MP
Tray paper size "1209 and the like, and the actual engine controller 105 and options (106,
107, 108) are not the same, and the engine controller 10
5 and the options (106, 107, 108).

For example, the “/ RDY state” 1201 is a flag reflecting the state of the / RDY signal shown in FIG. 15, and the engine I / F task determines whether the / RDY signal “FALS”
Set to "TRUE" while detecting "E".

A "/ CCRT state" 1202 is a flag reflecting the state of the / CCRT signal shown in FIG.
The state of the signal is reflected. Engine I / F task is / C
By detecting “TRUE” of the CRT signal and acquiring the state of the engine controller 105 through a predetermined serial communication, the / CCRT signal becomes “FAL” as described above.
SE ”.

[0260] Further, the "number of paper feed stages" 1203 is a number of paper feed stages that can be selected reflecting the attachment of the optional cassette unit and the like.

The "presence / absence of one sheet of cassette" 1204 is
This is the presence or absence of paper in the cassette 230. Further, the “cassette 1 paper size” 1205 is a paper size set by a dial (not shown) of the cassette 230, and it is assumed that the operator has loaded the same paper as the dial value. Recognized as size.

In addition, "paper deck paper presence / absence" 1206
Is the presence or absence of paper in the paper feed option device 107. “Paper deck paper size” 1207 is a paper size set by a partition plate (not shown) of the paper feed option device 107, and it is assumed that the operator has placed the same paper as the value of the partition plate. It is recognized as the paper size of the paper feed option device 107.

The “presence / absence of MP tray paper” 1208 is the presence / absence of paper in the manual feed tray 202. The “MP tray paper size” 1209 is a paper size detected by a sensor (not shown) of the manual feed tray 202.

Note that both the page table shown in FIG. 22 and the engine state table (not shown in FIG. 21) shown in FIG. 23 are used for analysis development task, page operation task, engine I / F task, option Referenced / updated from the I / F task.

FIG. 24 shows the structure of the job control table stored in RAM 407 shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1300 denotes a job control table, which is a table for controlling a job in the CPU 409. The job control table 1300 includes a “job ID” 1301, a “job completed state” 1302,.
…, “Sort designation” 1303, “Available bin number” 1304, “Sort copy number” 1305, “Original page number” 1306, “Page number fixed state” 1
307, etc., and the entity is the RAM 4 shown in FIG.
07 exists as a continuous area in a control information storage area (not shown), and acquisition and release are managed by the CPU 409.

Hereinafter, the data flow of FIG. 21 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 21, print data (control code, PDL, etc.) input from the external device 101 is stored in the host interface unit 402 in a predetermined block unit.

The “analysis development task” 1001
When data is detected by the / F section 402, the page table 1100 shown in FIG. 22 is obtained. The data is analyzed in units of one block, and the image formation information (graphic drawing command of PDL, character code, etc.) is used by using the image data generation unit 403 shown in FIG.
The image is developed by itself and stored in the area indicated by the “raster pointer” 1102 in the page table 1100 shown in FIG.

The control information for the printer (the number of copies (number of copies), paper feed selection (paper feed mode), etc.) is stored in the page table 1100 shown in FIG. After analyzing and developing one page of data, set the “development end flag” in the “status flag” to TRUE,
A page queue having a FIFO structure (for example, the image memory 40)
5 or provided in the EEPROM 410).

The “page operation task” 1002 is shown in FIG.
The “status flag” 1103 in all the page tables 1100 in the above-described page queue is monitored simultaneously with reference to the job control table 1200 shown in (1), and the printing is realized by changing the transport procedure according to the status.

At the time of printing, the option I / F unit 412 specifies printing such as paper feeding means, paper discharging means, and printing mode, and the escin I / F unit 406 sets the paper feeding means and the like to the engine controller 105. Is actually performed. The page table 1100 for which the “discharge end flag” 1103 c is TRUE is dequeued from the page queue and returned to a page management function unit (not shown).

An “engine I / F task” 1003 and an “option I / F task” 1004 communicate with the engine controller 105 and the option controller unit 106 via the engine I / F unit 406 and the option I / F unit 412, respectively. The communication is performed in the cycle described above, and when a factor that changes the state of the page occurs, the above-mentioned “status flag” 1103 is updated.

Also, the change of the / RDY signal is monitored and TR
With respect to the change from UE to FALSE, the status of the printer is set to an error and the cancellation of the error is monitored.
Further, it monitors the state change such as the / RDY signal and the / CCRT signal, executes the above-mentioned (procedure 1) and (procedure 2), and executes the “engine state table” 12 shown in FIG.
Update 00.

The operation mode designation (number of copies, paper feed selection, etc.) from the panel unit 104 is temporarily stored in the panel I / F unit 401. The printer control task (not shown) patrols the panel I / F unit 401 at appropriate intervals, stores the data in the EEPROM 410 when data exists, and simultaneously stores the control information in a control information storage area (not shown) of the RAM 407. By storing the data in the EEPROM 410, the printer can be operated in a mode desired by the user even after the power of the printer is once turned off.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 25, image recording apparatus 1
The processing procedure from reception of print data 02 to completion of printing will be described.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a sixth control processing procedure of an image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The image recording apparatus 102 is controlled by an external device 101 such as a host computer. Corresponding to the processing from reception of print data to completion of printing, the CPU 409 shown in FIG. 17 executes based on a program stored in the ROM 404 or another storage medium (not shown). Note that S601 to S618 indicate each step.

First, in step S601, control information (attribute information) sent from the external device 101 such as a host computer and stored in the device database unit 2205 and stored in the job spooler 2204 by the processing shown in FIGS. The drawing information (PDL data) is analyzed, and in step S602, the control information (attribute information) is stored in the memory (RAM 407), and the drawing information (PD
L data) is expanded and stored in the memory (RAM 407).
In step S603, it is determined from the control information (attribute information) stored in the memory whether or not the paper discharge mode is automatically specified.
In step 612, a fixedly designated discharge port is selected based on the control information as a process at the time of fixing, and step S614 is performed.
Proceed to.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S603 that the discharge mode is automatic designation from the control information, the job separation (discharge to an empty discharge port for each job) is performed in step S604. It is determined whether or not job separation has been specified. If it is determined that job separation has been specified, in step S605, a search process for specifying the job separation is performed, and the flow advances to step S614.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S604 that the job separation has not been specified, the process proceeds to step S604.
In step 606, it is determined whether or not mailbox discharge is specified. If it is determined that mailbox discharge is specified, in step S607, a search process when mailbox discharge is specified (see FIG. 26, and the process proceeds to step S614.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S606 that mailbox delivery has not been specified, it is determined in step S608 whether sorting has been specified, and if it has been determined that sorting has been specified. Is
In step S609, search processing at the time of sorting designation is performed, and the flow advances to step S614.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S608 that sorting is not specified, it is determined in step S610 whether a stack is specified. If it is determined that a stack is specified, step S610 is performed. In S611, a search process is performed when a stack is specified,
Proceed to step S614.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S610 that the stack has not been specified, in step S613, a search process for improper specification is performed.
Proceed to 4.

Next, in step S614, the EEP
A check of the loading state and the like stored in the ROM 410 and each sensor (not shown) are checked to determine whether there is an abnormality such as a full load. If it is determined that there is no abnormality, the engine control process (step S615) is performed. Print processing)
Is executed, and when all the discharges of the print job are completed, the discharge bin having the identification name specified in the print job is transmitted to the host computer, and the bin that has discharged the paper is displayed on the UI of the host computer to the user. Then, the printing process is terminated. In the printing process when the mailbox discharge is specified, the print discharge process of the number of copies determined for each of the discharge ports determined by the mailbox discharge search process shown in FIG. .

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S614 that there is an abnormality (for example, there is an abnormality such as full load),
In step S616, an error display corresponding to the content of the error is displayed on the panel unit 104 of the image recording apparatus 102, and the content of the error and an event of the error display are notified to the host computer 101. In step S617, the user operation is performed. If it is determined that the abnormality has been cleared after waiting for the abnormality to be cleared, in step S618, the error display on the panel unit 104 is canceled, and an event of error display cancellation is notified to the host computer 101, and step S603 is performed. Is performed again from the process of and the recovery process is started.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 26, image recording apparatus 1
A description will now be given of the discharge port search processing procedure in the mailbox discharge mode shown in step S607 of FIG.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a seventh control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. The mailbox discharge mode shown in step S607 of FIG. The CPU 409 shown in FIG. 17 executes the processing based on a program stored in the ROM 404 or another storage medium (not shown) in response to the paper discharge port search processing at the time. In addition, S701-
S705 shows each step.

When the search processing in the mailbox discharge mode starts, first, in step S701, the RAM 4
From the control information (attribute information) stored in 07, one of the discharge port names specified in the print data is extracted, and a page is created (the table 1100 shown in FIG. 22 is obtained).

At step S702, step S7
It is determined whether or not there is the same discharge port name by comparing the designated discharge port name extracted in step 01 with the discharge port name registered in each discharge port (stored in the EEPROM 410).

If it is determined in step S702 that the same discharge port name exists, in step S703, the discharge port registered with that name for the page created in step S701 is discharged to the designated print data. Determined (designated) as a paper outlet (a character string representing the paper outlet name is stored in the “identification name” 1109 of the page table 1100,
A numerical value representing the paper discharge port is stored in the “paper discharge port” 1111), and the number of copies specified for the paper discharge port is determined (specified) as the number of paper discharge copies (“identification name” 1 in the page table 1100).
A character string representing a paper discharge port name is stored in 109, and “paper discharge port”
A numerical value representing the paper discharge port is stored in 1111), step S11
The process proceeds to 705.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S702 that the same discharge port name does not exist, step S704 is performed.
In the step S70,
1 is determined (specified) as the discharge port for the designated print data (stored in the “identification name” 1109 of the page table 1100) and specified as the discharge destination. Is determined (designated) as the number of copies to be discharged (“number of copies” 11 in the page table 1100).
10 is stored), and the process proceeds to step S705.

Next, in step S705, it is determined whether or not there is any other discharge port name specified in the print data. If it is determined that there is no discharge port name, the mailbox discharge search process is terminated. If it is determined that there is, the process returns to step S701, and the processes of steps S701 to S705 are repeated. That is, the designated discharge port name (identification name)
Then, the user designates the number of pages to be discharged to the discharge port that matches the discharge port name registered in advance in the discharge port.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 27, image recording apparatus 1
02 will be described.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing an eighth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. 17 is executed by the CPU 409 based on a program stored in the ROM 404 or another storage medium (not shown). In addition, S801-
S803 indicates each step.

[0295] The state of the paper discharge port changes with status information (option controller 106
18 to access the shared memory (FIG. 18) to exchange options and command status, acquire status information, and update (store in the EEPROM 410).

First, in step S801, it is determined whether or not there is a change in the stacking amount (state) of each discharge port. If it is determined that there is a change, in step S802, the stacking state is updated (EEPROM 410). ), And the process proceeds to step S803.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S802 that there is no change in the stacking amount (state) of each discharge port, the process proceeds to step S803.

Next, in step S803, a wait is performed for a certain period of time, and the process returns to step S801.
01 to S803 are repeated. The status of each paper ejection port monitored and acquired as described above is stored in the EEPROM 410 together with the identification name of each paper ejection port and the number of groups for each paper ejection port.

The loading state updated in step S802 (the loading state stored in the EEPROM 410) is checked when the abnormality is determined in step S614 in FIG. 25 and when the abnormality is determined in step S617.

The processing procedure for updating the information and display indicating the printer status on the host computer 101 will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 28 is a flow chart showing a ninth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus of the present invention can be applied. In response to the updating process, the CPU (not shown) of the host computer 101 executes the update based on a program stored in another storage medium (not shown). Note that S901 to S9
03 indicates each step.

First, in step S901, the process waits until there is an event notification (notification of the bin that discharged the paper in step S615 of FIG. 25, notification of the error display in step S616, notification of the cancellation of the error display, etc.). If it is determined that the status has changed and an event notification has been received, the notified event is received, and in step S902, the contents (notification of the bin that discharged the paper, notification of the error display, notification of the error display cancellation, etc.) ).

Next, in step S903, the contents of the notification are displayed or canceled based on the result of the analysis, and the user is notified of a change in the state of the printer.

For example, in the mailbox discharge mode,
Even if there is a paper ejection bin with the same paper ejection outlet name, printing may not be possible because of an operation error such as full loading, or paper may be ejected to an escape paper ejection outlet.

For this reason, at the end of the print job or during the print job, the host computer is notified whether or not the discharge to the discharge port registered with the discharge port name specified for the job has been normally performed. Then, the host computer says, "Your job is" Personnel 1 "and" Person 2 "
Distributed to , Or "Your job is full and cannot be distributed to Personnel 1" or "Your job has been distributed to Escape Bin and Personnel 2". And notifies the user of information such as the print job discharge status.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, at the time of registering the paper discharge outlet name on the host computer, the printer setting application sets the name to be the distribution destination for each paper discharge outlet of the printer and the name of the distribution destination. Register the number of groups that share the paper exit with the printer, and when printing, the printer driver assigns the same number of paper exits to the multiple paper exits specified by the name, or the specified number of paper exits. Has been described, the printer setting application registers only the name that is the distribution destination for each paper outlet of the printer when registering the paper outlet name. At the time of printing, the printer driver allows the user to specify the number of copies to be distributed to the discharge port for each discharge port specified by the name. May be configured to perform a print instruction of the form has been to number of copies distributed designated paper ejection port that is. Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 29 and 30 according to the example of FIG. 1 used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a schematic view showing an example of a discharge port name registration screen for a printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention, which is used to register a discharge port name by a printer setting application on a host computer. It corresponds to a UI (user interface). The same components as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mailbox discharge designation screen for instructing the printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention to perform a mailbox discharge designation print operation. The printer driver on the host computer corresponds to a UI (user interface) for giving a print instruction for mailbox discharge designation, and is displayed on a display unit on the host computer 101 in FIG. 1 at the time of printing. Is displayed. The same components as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 30, reference numeral 3001 denotes a distribution copy number input area.
By inputting a numeral using a keyboard (not shown), the number of copies distributed can be distributed to the distribution destinations designated by the distribution instruction check box 601.

Hereinafter, a print instruction procedure in the mailbox discharge mode according to the present embodiment will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 29, the printer setting application on the host computer registers the discharge port name for each discharge port of the printer specified by the printer setting manager in the printer.

For example, in FIG. 1, when the user B instructs printing such as “distribute a certain document to each section of the human resources department”, the UI shown in FIG.
Printer driver with (user interface)
A print instruction is sent to the printer so that the number of copies specified as the number of copies is distributed to the distribution destinations that are checked in the check box for determining whether to distribute.
In the example of FIG. 30, print data of a print instruction to be distributed such that seven copies are distributed to “first personnel section”, nine copies are distributed to “second personnel section”, and seven copies are distributed to “third personnel section”.

[Third Embodiment] In the second embodiment, at the time of registering the name of the paper outlet on the host computer, the printer setting application registers only the name of the distribution destination for each paper outlet of the printer in the printer. Although the configuration that does not have been described, the name of the distribution destination for each paper output port of the printer is registered in the printer,
As in the first embodiment, the number of people in the group sharing the paper ejection port with that name is also registered in the printer, or stored in the host computer, and at the time of printing, the number of people in the group is used in FIG. It may be configured to be used for display as a default value of the number of UI distribution copies as described above.

The number of groups corresponding to each paper outlet name displayed in the number-of-copies input area 3001 is the number of groups in the EEPROM 4 in the image recording apparatus 102 shown in FIG.
It is assumed that the host computer 101 requests and obtains the image recording apparatus 102 together with the paper discharge port names registered in advance in FIG.

[Fourth Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the steps S603 to S603 shown in FIG.
The search process of the paper discharge port according to the paper discharge mode 613 is shown in FIG.
Although the analysis and development task 1001 performs the task, the page operation task 1002 may be configured to perform the task.

Hereinafter, the printing procedure in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26.

In the first embodiment, step S
Although the page table 1100 was not created at the stage of 602, in the present embodiment, step S602 is performed.
In accordance with the control information (attribute information) of the print data, the page table 1 is prepared in advance by the number obtained by multiplying the number of discharge port names designated as the discharge destination by the number of copies designated at the discharge destination.
100 is created in advance.

The page table 1100 stores only the attribute specified as the control information (attribute information) of the print data (the “identification name” 1109 of the page table 1100 is a character string representing the discharge port name). Is stored), and the search processing after step S603 is performed for each page table created as described above.

For this reason, the search processing in the mailbox discharge mode shown in FIG. 26 is performed in the following procedure.

When the search process in the mailbox discharge mode starts, first, in step S701, the page table 11 in which control information (attribute information) is stored in advance.
From 00, the discharge port name (“identification name” 1109) is extracted.

In step S702, step S7
It is determined whether or not there is the same discharge port name by comparing the designated discharge port name extracted in step 01 with the discharge port name registered in each discharge port (stored in the EEPROM 410).

If it is determined in step S702 that the same discharge port name exists, step S703 is performed.
In (2), the discharge port registered under the name of the page of the page table currently referred to is determined (designated) as the discharge port of the designated print data (“discharge port” 1111).
The numerical value representing the paper discharge port is stored in), and the search processing in the mailbox paper discharge mode ends.

In the first embodiment, step S
Although it is determined whether there is a discharge port name specified in the print data in addition to the output port name 705, in the present embodiment, the number of discharge port names specified in the print data in advance is equal to the number of discharge port names. In order to create the page table 1100 and perform a search process for each page table, step S7
It is not necessary to perform the processing as in 05.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S702 that the same discharge port name does not exist, step S704 is performed.
In the search processing at the time of improper designation, a discharge port for escaping is determined (designated) as a discharge port of designated print data for a page of the page table currently referred to ("discharge port" 1111). Stores a numerical value representing the paper exit)
And the like, and the search process in the mailbox discharge mode ends.

Step S603 to step S including the above-described search processing S607 of the mailbox discharge mode.
The series of search processing in step 613 and the subsequent processing are performed in step S602 by multiplying the number of discharge port names specified in the print data in advance by the number of copies specified in each discharge destination. Is repeated for the number of page tables.

As described above, the host computer 101
By specifying from the host computer, the printer 10
2. It is possible to register the name of the paper discharge port for the printer 2 and each user can specify the paper discharge eye using the common name registered in the printer at the time of printing. As a result, the operation of sorting and discharging print jobs is facilitated.

[0327] The user is
By issuing a print instruction only once and transmitting one job to the image recording apparatus, it is possible to distribute the required number of copies to the discharge bins of the users who need the print job. Like a printer, a user who prints out the output port of the printer is not only used as a temporary storage place until the user retrieves the printed material output by him, but also the user can print out the printed material to other users. Can be realized as a mailbox for delivering the mail.

Therefore, it is possible to provide an image recording environment in which the use form such as a mailbox can be performed as easily as possible and at a high speed without increasing the load on the network.

The configuration of a control processing program readable by the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to a memory map shown in FIG.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium for storing various control processing programs readable by the data processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

Although not shown, information for managing a group of programs stored in the storage medium, for example, version information, a creator, etc. are also stored, and information dependent on the OS or the like on the program reading side, for example, a program is stored in the storage medium. An icon or the like for identification display may also be stored.

Further, data subordinate to various programs is also managed in the directory. Also, if the programs and data to be installed are compressed,
A program for decompressing may also be stored.

6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 10, FIG. 19, FIG. 20, FIG. 25, FIG. 26, FIG.
8 may be performed by a host computer by a program installed from the outside. In this case, the present invention is applied even when a group of information including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a flash memory, or an FD, or from an external storage medium via a network. Things.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program codes of the software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or the device, and the computer (or CPU or MP) of the system or the device is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention is also achieved when U) reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes a new function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As storage media for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, C
DR, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, RO
M, EEPROM, silicon disk, and the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) And the like perform part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0338] Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, The CPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by the processing is also included.

Further, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or to an apparatus composed of one device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, by reading a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into the system or the apparatus, the system or the apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention. .

Further, by downloading and reading out a program represented by software for achieving the present invention from a database on a network by a communication program, the system or apparatus can be
It is possible to enjoy the effects of the present invention.

[0341]

As described above, the first embodiment according to the present invention is described.
According to the invention, the registration unit instructs the image recording apparatus to register the identification name of each of the paper discharge ports,
Acquiring means for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording device from the image recording device,
The designation unit displays the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit when transmitting the print job, and selects and designates a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name for the print job. In addition, since the number of paper discharge copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified paper discharge destinations is specified, the name of the paper discharge port is registered in the image recording device by the designation from the data processing device. When printing, each user can specify the paper discharge port with a common name registered in the image recording device, and there is no need to make settings for each data processing device. The print job can be easily sent to the user's output bin by issuing a print instruction from the host computer only once and transmitting one job to the image recording apparatus. You can instruct the image recording apparatus so as to require copies distribute.

According to the second invention, the registration means instructs the image recording apparatus to register an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. The obtaining means obtains, from the image recording apparatus, an identification name registered in each paper outlet of the image recording apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. Since the number of sheets to be ejected for each paper destination is specified by the number of persons belonging to the identification name of the sheet ejection port acquired by the acquisition means or an arbitrary number of sheets, each ejection to the image recording apparatus is designated by the data processing apparatus. The number of paper outlets can be registered. At the time of printing, each user can specify the number of paper outlets registered in the image recording apparatus and easily specify the number of papers to be discharged to each paper outlet.

According to the third invention, there is provided storage means for storing a plurality of character strings as identification names, wherein the registration means comprises:
Since the input character string or a character string selected from the plurality of character strings stored in the storage means is registered as the identification name of the discharge port in the image recording apparatus, the image recording apparatus , The name of the paper discharge port can be easily registered.

According to the fourth aspect, the acquisition means acquires the identification name registered in each paper outlet of the image recording apparatus, and the designation means acquires the acquisition name when transmitting the print job. Means for displaying the obtained identification name, and for the print job, selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name, and performing the printing for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations. Since the number of paper output copies of the job is specified, it is possible to specify the paper output port with a common name registered in advance in the image recording apparatus at the time of printing, and it is not necessary to make settings for each data processing apparatus, and the print job The user can easily perform the sorting / discharging operation, and the user needs to issue a print instruction only once from the host computer and send one job to the image recording apparatus. You can instruct the image recording apparatus so as to require copies distributed to the output bin.

[0345] According to the fifth aspect, the obtaining means obtains, from the image recording apparatus, an identification name registered in each paper outlet of the image recording apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. The designation means designates the number of discharge copies for each of the selected and designated discharge destinations as the number of persons belonging to the identification name of the discharge port acquired by the acquisition means or an arbitrary number of copies. It is possible to specify the number of copies of each paper outlet registered in the image recording apparatus in advance, and easily specify the number of copies to be discharged to each paper outlet.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the notifying means for notifying the information of the paper discharge port that outputs the print job notified from the image recording apparatus at the end of the processing of the print job is provided.
The user can easily recognize the discharge port from which the print job has been discharged.

[0347] According to the seventh aspect, the identification name is information for indicating an owner who uses the paper discharge port including a user name, a group name, and a department name. Can easily be specified by the name representing the owner.

According to the eighth, twelfth and thirteenth aspects of the invention, the registration means registers the identification name of each of the paper discharge outlets instructed to be registered by the data processing apparatus, and Notifying means for notifying the data processing device of the identification name of each of the paper outlets registered by the first registration means in response to a request from the data processing apparatus; Based on the notification from the notifying unit, page information for a plurality of identification names specified in the print job is created, and the search unit registers the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job. The control unit searches for each of the page information created by the creation unit and the respective delivery destinations specified by the search job with respect to each of the page information created by the creation unit. Specify the number of copies to be ejected. The required number of copies can be distributed to the discharge bins of the users who need the print job by transmitting one job from the management device, and the user can use a mail box such as a mailbox for delivering printed materials to a plurality of users. It can be used at high speed without increasing the load on the network as much as possible.

According to the ninth aspect, the registering means registers an identification name for each of the paper discharge outlets instructed to be registered by the data processing device and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. Since the notifying unit notifies the data processing device of the identification name of each of the paper outlets registered by the registration unit and the number of persons belonging to the identification name in response to a request from the data processing device, The user can be notified of the number of copies of each paper discharge port registered in the recording apparatus.

According to the tenth aspect, storage means for monitoring the status of each of the paper discharge ports and storing the status of each of the monitored paper discharge ports, and each of the paper discharge ports stored in the storage means A second notifying unit for notifying the data processing apparatus of the state of the abnormal discharge port to the data processing apparatus when the status of the print job is abnormal; Is provided to notify the information of the paper discharge port that has output the print job, so that the user can easily be notified of the state of the paper discharge port and the paper discharge port from which the print job has been discharged.

[0351] According to the eleventh aspect, the storage means comprises:
Since the loading status, identification name, usage status, and the like of each paper ejection port are stored for each paper ejection port, the loading status, identification name, usage status, and the like can be easily managed for each paper ejection port.

According to the fourteenth and seventeenth aspects, the image recording apparatus is instructed to register the identification name of each of the paper discharge ports, and each paper discharge registered in the image recording apparatus is registered. The identification name of the mouth is acquired by requesting from the image recording apparatus, and when transmitting the print job, the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit is displayed, and for the print job, from the displayed identification name A plurality of paper discharge destinations of the print job are selected and designated, and the number of paper discharge copies of the print job is designated for each of the selected and designated paper discharge destinations. The name of the paper output port can be registered for each user, and at the time of printing, each user can specify the paper output port with the common name registered in the image recording device, and it is necessary to make settings for each data processing device. Without It is possible to easily perform the operation of sorting and discharging print jobs, and the user can issue a print instruction only once from the host computer and send one job to the image recording apparatus, and the user who needs the print job can print the job. The image recording apparatus can be instructed to distribute the required number of copies to the discharge bin.

According to the fifteenth invention and the eighteenth invention, when the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording apparatus is requested and obtained from the image recording apparatus and the print job is transmitted. Displaying the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit, for the print job, selecting and specifying a plurality of paper output destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name, and Since the number of paper discharge copies of each print job is specified, it is possible to specify the paper discharge port with a common name registered in advance in the image recording apparatus at the time of printing, and it is necessary to make settings for each data processing apparatus. The user can easily perform the operation of sorting and discharging print jobs, and the user can issue a print instruction only once from the host computer and send one job to the image recording apparatus. Job can instruct the image recording apparatus so as to require copies distributed to the user output bins as necessary.

According to the sixteenth and nineteenth aspects, in the control method of the image recording apparatus capable of discharging the print result of the print job received from the data processing apparatus to a plurality of paper output ports, Registering the identification name of each of the paper ejection outlets instructed by the registration, notifying the data processing device of the registered identification name of each of the paper ejection outlets in response to a request from the data processing device, Based on the notification, create page information for a plurality of identification names specified in the print job, and search for a paper discharge port in which the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job are registered. And
For each of the created page information, the discharge specification of each of the retrieved discharge outlets and the number of discharge sets of each discharge destination specified in the print job is performed. By transmitting, the required number of copies can be distributed to the discharge bins of the users who need the print job, and the user can use the image recording apparatus such as a mailbox to deliver the printed matter to a plurality of users. Can be performed at high speed without increasing the load on the network as much as possible.

Therefore, the user can refer to the discharge port name registered and centrally managed by the designation of each user, and operate the image recording apparatus such as a mailbox for distributing printed matter to a plurality of users. It is possible to provide an image recording environment in which the use mode can be easily operated and managed and a high-speed image transmission environment can be provided by one job transmission without increasing the load on the network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a sorting method of an image recording system to which a data processing device and an image recording device according to a first embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a discharge port name registration screen for the printer illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a mailbox discharge designation screen for issuing a print instruction for mailbox discharge designation to the printer illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a data processing device according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a job packet and a management packet of the data processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a first control processing procedure of an image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a first control processing procedure of an image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a second control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image recording apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a third control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the job readout table illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a laser beam printer to which the image recording device illustrated in FIG. 1 can be applied.

13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the printer illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the printer illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating signals exchanged between a video controller (VC) and an engine controller (EC).

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating signals exchanged between a video controller (VC), an engine controller (EC), and an option controller (OC).

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a video controller shown in FIG.

18 is a schematic diagram of a shared memory with a video controller secured in a RAM provided in the option controller unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a fourth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a fifth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

21 is a diagram showing a data flow from the external device shown in FIG. 12 to the option controller unit and the engine controller.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a structure of a page table stored in a RAM shown in FIG.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a structure of an engine state table stored in a RAM shown in FIG. 17;

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a structure of a job control table stored in a RAM shown in FIG.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a sixth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a seventh control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing an eighth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a ninth control processing procedure of the image recording system to which the data processing device and the image recording device of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a discharge port name registration screen for a printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a mailbox discharge designation screen for instructing a printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention to perform mailbox discharge designation print.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various control processing programs that can be read by the data processing device and the image recording device according to the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a diagram illustrating a usage form of a conventional printer.

FIG. 33 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a conventional process of converting a discharge destination of a printer driver in response to designation of a discharge destination by a name from a user.

FIG. 34 is a diagram for explaining a problem in the conventional pseudo mailbox delivery.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101A to 101D External device (host computer) 102 Image recording device (printer) 404 ROM 407 RAM 409 CPU 410 EEPROM 2101 Application unit 2102 Printer driver 2107 Job packet generation unit 2203 Job preprocessor unit 2206 PDL translator unit 2208 Drawing unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP04 AP07 AQ04 AQ05 AQ06 AS02 HN05 HN18 2H027 ED22 FA24 3F050 CA08 CB06 CB07 LA02 LA05 LA07 LB03

Claims (19)

[Claims] 1. A data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports can be connected. Registering means for registering and instructing the identification name of each paper ejection port, and acquisition means for requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper ejection port registered in the image recording device from the image recording device. When transmitting the print job, displaying the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit, for the print job, select and specify a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name, Specifying means for respectively specifying the number of copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations;
A data processing device comprising: 2. The registration unit instructs the image recording apparatus to register an identification name for each of the paper discharge ports and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. An identification name registered in each paper ejection port of the recording device and the number of persons belonging to the identification name are acquired from the image recording device; 2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of copies is specified by the number of persons belonging to the identification name of the discharge port acquired by the acquisition unit or an arbitrary number of copies. 3. A storage means for storing a plurality of character strings as identification names, wherein the registration means deletes an input character string or a character string selected from a plurality of character strings stored in the storage means. 3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus registers the identification name of the paper port in the image recording apparatus. 4. A data processing apparatus capable of transmitting print data to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper outlets, comprising: an acquiring unit for acquiring an identification name registered in each paper outlet of the image recording apparatus; When transmitting the print job, an identification name acquired by the acquisition unit is displayed, and for the print job, a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job are selected and designated from the displayed identification name, and Specifying means for respectively specifying the number of copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations;
A data processing device comprising: 5. The image acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires, from the image recording apparatus, an identification name registered in each paper discharge port of the image recording apparatus and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. 5. The data processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the number of discharged copies for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations is specified by the number of persons belonging to the identification name of the discharge port obtained by the obtaining means or an arbitrary number of copies. . 6. A notifying means for notifying information of a paper discharge port which has output a print job notified from the image recording apparatus when processing of the print job is completed, is provided.
6. The data processing device according to any one of claims 5 to 5. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification name is information for indicating an owner who uses the paper discharge port, including a user name, a group name, and a department name. Data processing equipment. 8. An image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from a data processing apparatus to a plurality of paper output ports, wherein an identification name for each of the paper output ports registered and instructed by the data processing apparatus. A first notifying unit that notifies the data processing device of the identification name of each of the paper outlets registered by the registering device in response to a request from the data processing device. Creating means for creating page information for a plurality of identification names specified in the print job based on the notification of the first notification means; and registering the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job. Search means for searching for a paper discharge port, and for each page information created by the creation means,
An image recording apparatus, comprising: a control unit that specifies a discharge of each of the discharge ports searched by the search unit and the number of discharge sets of each discharge destination specified in the print job. 9. The registration unit registers an identification name for each of the paper discharge outlets instructed to be registered by the data processing device and the number of persons belonging to the identification name. 9. The data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the identification name of each of the paper discharge ports registered by the registration unit and the number of persons belonging to the identification name are notified to the data processing apparatus in response to a request from the data processing apparatus. Image recording device. 10. A storage means for monitoring a state of each of the paper discharge ports and storing the monitored state of each of the paper discharge ports, and an abnormality in the state of each of the paper discharge ports stored in the storage means. A second notifying unit for notifying the data processing apparatus of a status of the abnormal discharge port; and a discharge port that outputs a print job to the data processing apparatus at the end of the processing of the print job. The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a third notification unit configured to notify the user of the information. 11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said storage means stores a stacking status, an identification name, a use status, and the like of each paper discharge port for each paper discharge port. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of paper discharge ports include a plurality of paper discharge ports provided in an image recording apparatus main body and a plurality of paper discharge ports provided in an optional device connected to the image recording apparatus main body. The image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein: 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the identification name is information including a user name, a group name, and a department name, which represents an owner who uses the paper discharge port. Image recording device. 14. A control method of a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports can be connected. A first registration step of instructing the apparatus to register the identification name of each of the discharge ports, and requesting the identification name of each of the discharge ports registered in the image recording apparatus from the image recording apparatus. Obtaining the identification name obtained in the obtaining step when transmitting the print job; and displaying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job based on the displayed identification name for the print job. And a designation step of, respectively, selecting and specifying the number of paper discharge copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified paper discharge destinations;
A method for controlling a data processing device, comprising: 15. A method for controlling a data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports is connectable. An acquisition step of requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the apparatus from the image recording apparatus, and displaying the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit when transmitting the print job; A designation step of, for a print job, selecting and specifying a plurality of paper discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name, and respectively specifying the number of paper discharge copies of the print job for each of the selected and specified paper discharge destinations When,
A method for controlling a data processing device, comprising: 16. A method for controlling an image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from a data processing apparatus to a plurality of paper discharge ports, wherein each of the discharge ports registered and instructed by the data processing apparatus is provided. A registration step of registering the identification name of the paper discharge port, a notification step of notifying the data processing apparatus of the registered identification name of each of the discharge ports in response to a request from the data processing apparatus, A creation step of creating page information for a plurality of identification names specified in the print job; and a search for searching a paper discharge port in which the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job are registered. And a designation step of, for each of the created page information, performing a discharge designation of each of the retrieved discharge outlets and the number of discharge copies of each discharge destination specified in the print job. Features Control method for an image recording apparatus for. 17. A data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports can be connected. A first registration step of registering and instructing the identification name of each paper discharge port, and requesting and acquiring the identification name of each paper discharge port registered in the image recording device from the image recording device. An acquiring step, when transmitting the print job, displaying the identification name acquired in the acquiring step, and selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name for the print job. A designating step of designating the number of paper discharge copies of the print job for each of the paper discharge destinations selected and designated;
And a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing the program. 18. A data processing apparatus capable of transmitting a print job to an image recording apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports or an image recording apparatus to which an optional apparatus having a plurality of paper discharge ports can be connected, wherein the data processing apparatus is registered in the image recording apparatus. An acquisition step of requesting and acquiring an identification name of each of the paper discharge ports from the image recording apparatus, and displaying the identification name acquired by the acquisition unit when transmitting the print job, A selecting step of selecting and specifying a plurality of discharge destinations of the print job from the displayed identification name, and specifying the number of discharge sets of the print job for each of the selected and specified discharge destinations,
And a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing the program. 19. An identification name for each discharge port registered and instructed by the data processing apparatus to an image recording apparatus capable of discharging a print result of a print job received from the data processing apparatus to a plurality of discharge ports. Registering, registering, and notifying the data processing apparatus of the registered identification name of each paper discharge port in response to a request from the data processing apparatus; and performing the printing based on the notification. A creation step of creating page information for a plurality of identification names specified in a job; and a search step of searching for a paper exit in which the same identification names as the plurality of identification names specified in the print job are registered. And a specifying step of specifying, for each of the created page information, a discharge designation of each of the retrieved discharge outlets and a discharge copy number of each discharge destination specified in the print job. Program A computer readable storage medium.