JP2008305265A - File transmission apparatus, image forming apparatus, file communication program, and file communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems such as a processing stop and processing speed reduction due to a buffer overflow, memory shortage, and the like caused by excessive size of an XPS (XML Paper Specification) file to be transmitted, in an image forming apparatus etc. for handling XML extended format files such as an XPS file. <P>SOLUTION: The margin state of a memory in the image forming apparatus is notified to a file transmission side (terminal device such as a PC), and on the basis of the notified margin of the memory and the size of an XPS file to be transmitted, the XPS file is divided if required and transmitted to the image forming apparatus, thus solving the problems. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  By dividing and transmitting the document file in an image forming apparatus or file transmission apparatus that handles an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file such as an XPS (XML Paper Specification) or an OPC (Open Packaging Conventions) file, The present invention relates to solving the problem caused by the file size being too large on the receiving side.

  When printing with a conventional printer, a document is handled by an application file on the terminal device, and the printer driver program provided on the terminal device converts the document into print data in a page description language (PDL). In this method, print data in the printer is analyzed, print data in the page description language is analyzed, the print engine is driven, and printing is performed.

  However, since the performance of CPU (Central Processing Unit) has improved and the processing capacity of relatively inexpensive CPUs such as those used in printers has also improved, application documents on terminal devices can be sent to the printer in document file format. It has become possible to perform printing by converting into print engine drive data in a printer. This method eliminates the need for PDL conversion processing in the terminal device and eliminates the load, and eliminates the need to develop a printer driver for PDL conversion.

  Recently, new document file formats such as XPS (XML Paper Specification) and OPC (Open Packaging Conventions) proposed by Microsoft (registered trademark) have come to be used. However, since these files are originally created by extending the XML format, the file size tends to increase greatly.

  In order to solve the size expansion of the XML file, there is a method of removing the fixed part of the markup language document and encoding the markup language document using the frequency of occurrence of the changing part (see Patent Document 1). ).

  The above method is effective as a method for reducing the size of an XML file, such as when storing or transmitting a file. However, before and after storing or transmitting, a large amount of memory is consumed when encoding and decoding the file. Will end up.

  Many of the document files such as XPS and OPC include drawing that consumes a lot of memory, and if one document file is sent as it is to the printing apparatus, the file size is too large. There are problems such as stoppage of processing and slowdown due to insufficient memory in the printing apparatus.

JP 2004-32774 A

  The problem to be solved is that when the XML extended format file is transmitted from the terminal device to the image forming apparatus and printed, the size of the XML extended format file is too large. This is the point that the decrease in processing speed could not be suppressed.

  A file transmission apparatus according to the present invention includes a document size acquisition unit that acquires a file size of a document file in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format, and a memory status acquisition unit that acquires a margin of a memory of a file reception device that receives the file. The file size of the document file and the margin of the memory to determine whether or not the document file can be processed in the file receiving device, and the file determination unit cannot process the file And a divided file transmission unit that transmits the document file or the divided document file to the file receiving device based on the determination result of And

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention receives a memory status transmission unit that acquires a memory surplus status and transmits it to a file transmission device, and receives an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file divided by the file transmission device. The main feature is that it includes a divided file receiving unit, a print data converting unit that converts the divided document file into print engine drive data, and a print unit that prints the print engine drive data.

  The file communication program of the present invention includes a document size acquisition means for acquiring a file size of an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file included in a file transmission apparatus, and a memory condition for acquiring a memory margin condition of the file reception apparatus. An acquisition unit, a memory status transmission unit that transmits a margin status of the memory from the file reception device to the file transmission device, a file size of the document file, and a margin status of the memory; A file determination unit for determining whether or not the document file can be processed in the receiving device; a file division unit for dividing the document file based on a determination result indicating that the file determination unit cannot process the document file; The document file from the file transmission device A divided file reception means for transmitting to the yl receiving apparatus, and the most important feature is caused to function with.

  The file communication method according to the present invention is a file communication method for transmitting an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file from a file transmission device to a file reception device, wherein the file transmission device has a file size of the document file to be transmitted. The file receiving device acquires the memory margin status and transmits it to the file transmission device, and the file transmission device compares the size of the document file to be transmitted with the memory margin status. Then, it is determined that the document file cannot be processed in the file receiving device, and if it is determined that the processing is impossible, the file transmitting device divides the document file, and the document file or the divided document file is Sending from the file sending device to the file receiving device It is referred to as the most important feature.

  A file transmission apparatus according to the present invention includes a document size acquisition unit that acquires a file size of a document file in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format, and a memory status acquisition unit that acquires a margin of a memory of a file reception device that receives the file. The file size of the document file and the margin of the memory to determine whether or not the document file can be processed in the file receiving device, and the file determination unit cannot process the file And a divided file transmission unit that transmits the document file or the divided document file to the file receiving device based on the determination result of Therefore, an XML extended format file is sent from the file sending device to the file receiving device. When, it becomes possible to suppress a decrease in processing stopping and processing speed of a buffer overflow in the file receiving apparatus due to the size of the file is too large.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention receives a memory status transmission unit that acquires a memory surplus status and transmits it to a file transmission device, and receives an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file divided by the file transmission device. To have a divided file receiving unit, a print data conversion unit that converts the divided document file into print engine drive data, and a print unit that prints the print engine drive data. When an XML extended format file is transmitted from the file transmission apparatus to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to suppress processing stoppage and decrease in processing speed due to buffer overflow in the image forming apparatus due to the size of the file being too large. It became.

  The file communication program of the present invention includes a document size acquisition means for acquiring a file size of an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file included in a file transmission apparatus, and a memory condition for acquiring a memory margin condition of the file reception apparatus. An acquisition unit, a memory status transmission unit that transmits a margin status of the memory from the file reception device to the file transmission device, a file size of the document file, and a margin status of the memory; A file determination unit for determining whether or not the document file can be processed in the receiving device; a file division unit for dividing the document file based on a determination result indicating that the file determination unit cannot process the document file; The document file from the file transmission device Since the most important feature is to function as a divided file transmission / reception means for transmitting to a file receiving device, the size of the XML extension format file is transmitted from the file transmitting device to the file receiving device. It became possible to suppress the stop of processing and the decrease in processing speed due to the buffer overflow in the file receiving device due to being too large.

  The file communication method according to the present invention is a file communication method for transmitting an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file from a file transmission device to a file reception device, wherein the file transmission device has a file size of the document file to be transmitted. The file receiving device acquires the memory margin status and transmits it to the file transmission device, and the file transmission device compares the size of the document file to be transmitted with the memory margin status. Then, it is determined that the document file cannot be processed in the file receiving device, and if it is determined that the processing is impossible, the file transmitting device divides the document file, and the document file or the divided document file is Sending from the file sending device to the file receiving device Therefore, when an XML extended format file is transmitted from the file transmission device to the file reception device, processing is stopped or processed due to a buffer overflow in the file reception device due to the size of the file being too large. It became possible to suppress the decrease in speed.

  When a document file in an XML extension format such as XPS (XML Paper Specification) or OPC (Open Packaging Conventions) is transmitted from the terminal device (file transmission device) to the image forming device (file reception device), the image forming device is not processed. The image forming apparatus can process a document file to be transmitted, based on the memory availability of the image forming apparatus, on the problem of processing stoppage or slowing down of the image forming apparatus caused by the transmission of a large file that can be transmitted. The problem was solved by sending the data divided into sizes.

  An XPS (XML Paper Specification) file as an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extension format for a PC (Personal Computer) (file transmission apparatus) and a printing apparatus (file reception apparatus, image forming apparatus) as an embodiment according to the present invention. The case of transmission will be described below.

[Data flow]
First, the data flow of an XPS (XML Paper Specification) file from the PC to the printing apparatus will be described.

  In the XPS file (ZIP compression), since information such as size is written at the end of the file, the PC reads the information.

  Since the PC side needs to know the memory size inside the printing apparatus in addition to the information, the PC requests the printing apparatus to notify the memory status.

  On the printing device side, the internal memory size is transmitted to the PC side as information in response to a request from the PC side.

  The PC side determines whether the data size of the XPS file to be output is large enough not to burden the memory on the printing apparatus side.

  As a result, the PC side determines whether the XPS file to be output may be output in the same size or whether it must be divided and transmitted because it is a burden on the printing apparatus side. .

  If there is no problem with the size as it is, the data is sent to the printing apparatus side (output instruction is issued).

  If it is necessary to divide the data into parts and send data to the printing apparatus, division processing is performed, and the parts are sequentially sent to the printing apparatus (output instruction is issued).

  The printing apparatus side receives the transmitted XPS file (both when it is divided and when it is not divided) and prints it out.

[Constitution]
The functional units of the PC (file transmission apparatus) 1.1 and the printing apparatus (image forming apparatus) 1.2 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

  1.1 PC (Personal Computer) (file transmission device): A file transmission device that handles documents on an application and transmits data in a document file format such as XPS to the printing device for printing.

  1.1.1 XPS file (document file): An XPS format file (ZIP compression is performed).

  1.1.1.1 Size information: Information such as the size in the XPS file of 1.1.1 is the compression information portion described. It is written around the end of ZIP.

  1.1.2 Main control unit: A functional unit that performs control for document file transmission.

  1.1.2.1 Data processing unit (document size acquisition unit, memory status acquisition unit, document size acquisition unit, memory status acquisition unit): confirms the size of an XPS file (document file). Also, the memory size on the printing apparatus side is confirmed.

  1.1.2.2 Data Judgment Unit (File Judgment Unit, File Judgment Unit): The data size of the XPS file that is going to be output by the printing device is either large enough not to burden the memory on the printing device side Judge whether the size.

  1.1.2.3 XPS file output determination section (file determination section, file determination means): As a result of the data determination section, there is a problem even if the output process is performed for the XPS file to be output for each data as it is. Is n’t it? A part that determines whether it will be a burden on the printer if it is not divided and processed.

  1.1.2.4 Memory: Memory in the PC.

  1.1.3 XPS file output instruction unit (file division unit, divided file transmission unit, file division unit, divided file transmission / reception unit): As determined in the XPS file output determination unit 1.1.2.3, if file division is necessary An instruction is given to divide the file and output it.

  1.2 Printing device (file receiving device, image forming device): prints document file format data sent from a PC.

  1.2.1 Memory: Memory in the printing device. Recording is performed when the divided file transmitted from the PC is processed.

  1.2.2 Memory status determination unit (memory status transmission unit, memory status transmission means): a processing unit on the printing apparatus side. The memory size status in the printing apparatus is transmitted to the PC side.

  1.2.3 Output instruction receiving unit (divided file receiving unit, divided file transmission / reception means): Receives an output processing instruction received from the PC side. A document file or a divided document file is received.

  1.2.4 Output processing unit (print data conversion unit, printing unit): Print engine drive capable of driving the print engine by analyzing document files sent from the PC (both divided and not) The data is converted into data, and the print engine is driven by the data to perform printing.

[flowchart]
An operation flow of the embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

  S2.1: The data processing unit 1.1.2.1 determines the size of the XPS file within the PC.

  S2.2: The data processing unit 1.1.2.1 inquires the memory size of the printing apparatus to the printing apparatus, compares it with the data of the XPS file, and determines whether the data can be output without a burden.

  S2.3: The XPS file output instructing unit 1.1.3 notifies the printing apparatus of the start of the job for division processing.

S2.4: The XPS file output determining unit 1.1.2.3 determines that the data is divided and output if the XPS file data is larger than the memory size threshold in the printing apparatus, and the process proceeds to S2.6. If it is smaller, the output is determined as it is and the process proceeds to S2.5. (The threshold value is assumed to be a size (value) at which printing apparatus output can be performed smoothly.)
S2.5: The XPS file output determination unit 1.1.2.3 transmits an undivided document file to the printing apparatus 1.2 and issues an output instruction.

  S2.6: The XPS file output determining unit 1.1.2.3 determines which part to output to divide the document file, etc., and divides the ZIP compressed parts and arranges them in the order of flow. .

  S2.7: The XPS file output instructing unit 1.1.3 repeats the loop for the number of parts divided in S2.6 and rearranged in the output order.

  S2.8: Send the parts arranged in the division process to the printing apparatus 1.2 and give an output instruction.

  S2.9: Wait until the processing of the data sent in S2.8 proceeds on the printer side, the memory is released and new data can be received.

  S3.0: Notify the end of job to the printer.

  The division process by the XPS file output instruction unit 1.1.3 in S2.6 is performed for the following reason.

  An XPS file is made up of many parts that are ZIP-compressed into one. Therefore, the purpose of the division process is to determine which part is sent to the printing apparatus so that it can be output normally (including normal drawing) and the burden on the printing apparatus can be minimized. .

  Next, the flow of processing on the printing apparatus side will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 3A is a flowchart for notifying the PC of the memory status of the printing apparatus.

  When an inquiry about the memory status of the printing apparatus is transmitted in the process of S2.2 on the PC side, the following process starts in the printing apparatus.

  S3.1: The memory status determination unit 1.2.2 determines the memory size in the printing apparatus.

  S3.2: The memory status determination unit 1.2.2 transmits the memory size information to the PC side.

  FIG. 3B is a flowchart regarding the printing process.

  When print data is transmitted by the processing of S2.5 or S2.8 on the PC side, the following processing is started in the printing apparatus.

  S3.3: The output instruction receiving unit 1.2.3 receives an output instruction of data processed in the PC and output from the printing apparatus from the PC side.

  S3.4: The output processing unit 1.2.4 converts the received document file (both when it is divided and when it is not divided) into drive data for the print engine, and performs print output.

  This completes the processing on the PC side.

[Effect of Example]
In this embodiment, after confirming the size of the XPS file in advance, if it is considered that the data size is too large and inconvenience may occur in the printing apparatus output, the data is divided and sent to the printing apparatus. Therefore, in the printing apparatus, it is possible to increase the memory efficiency and to output the printing apparatus more smoothly.

  With the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the PC does not need to convert a document into a page description language (PDL), and a printer driver for PDL conversion is not necessary.

  Also, since the PC does not require PDL conversion processing, the PC processing burden during printing is reduced.

  The image forming apparatus can directly print a document file format such as XPS, and the number of data conversion processes is reduced as compared with the conventional one, and printing can be performed at a higher speed.

[Others]
As an example, XPS (XML Paper Specification) has been described as a document file format, but other document file formats such as OPC (Open Packaging Conventions) may be used.

1 is a functional block diagram of a PC (terminal device) and a printing device (image forming device) (Example 1). 10 is a flowchart of processing on a PC (terminal device) side (first embodiment). 10 is a flowchart of processing on the printing apparatus (image forming apparatus) side (first embodiment).

Explanation of symbols

1.1 PC (Personal Computer) (file transmission device)
1.1.1 XPS (XML Paper Specification) file (document file)
1.1.2.1 Data processing unit (document size acquisition unit, memory status acquisition unit, document size acquisition unit, memory status acquisition unit)
1.1.2.2 Data judgment part (file judgment part, file judgment means)
1.1.2.3 XPS file output determination unit (file determination unit, file determination means)
1.1.3 XPS file output instruction section (file division section, divided file transmission section, file division means, divided file transmission / reception means)
1.2 Printing device (file receiving device, image forming device)
1.2.2 Memory status judgment unit (memory status transmission unit, memory status transmission means)
1.2.3 Output instruction receiver (split file receiver, split file transmission / reception means)
1.2.4 Output processing section (print data conversion section, printing section)

Claims (8)

A document size acquisition unit for acquiring the file size of an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file;
A memory status acquisition unit for acquiring a margin status of a memory of a file receiving device that receives a file;
A file determination unit that compares the file size of the document file with the margin of the memory and determines whether the document file cannot be processed in the file reception device;
A file dividing unit that divides the document file based on a determination result indicating that the file determination unit cannot process;
A file transmission device comprising: a divided file transmission unit configured to transmit the document file or the divided document file to the file reception device. The file transmission device according to claim 1,
An XML (Extensible Markup Language) extension format is XPS (XML Paper Specification) or OPC (Open Packaging Conventions). A memory status transmission unit for acquiring a memory margin status and transmitting it to the file transmission device;
A divided file receiving unit for receiving a document file in an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format divided in the file transmitting device;
A print data conversion unit that converts the divided document file into print engine drive data;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints the print engine drive data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
The XML (Extensible Markup Language) extension format is XPS (XML Paper Specification) or OPC (Open Packaging Conventions).
An image forming apparatus. Document size acquisition means for acquiring the file size of an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file included in the file transmission device of a computer;
A memory status acquisition means for acquiring a margin status of the memory of the file receiving device;
Memory status transmission means for transmitting a margin status of the memory from the file reception device to the file transmission device;
A file determination unit that compares the file size of the document file with the margin of the memory and determines whether the document file cannot be processed in the file reception device;
A file dividing means for dividing the document file based on a determination result indicating that the file determining means cannot process;
A divided file transmission / reception means for transmitting the document file or the divided document file from the file transmission device to the file reception device;
File communication program to make it function. A file communication program according to claim 5,
An XML (Extensible Markup Language) extension format is XPS (XML Paper Specification) or OPC (Open Packaging Conventions). A file communication method for transmitting an XML (Extensible Markup Language) extended format document file from a file transmission device to a file reception device,
In the file transmission device, obtain the file size of the document file to be transmitted,
In the file receiving device, obtain a margin situation of the memory and communicate to the file transmitting device,
In the file transmission device, the size of the document file to be transmitted is compared with the margin of the memory, and it is determined that the document file cannot be processed in the file reception device,
If it is determined that processing is not possible, the file transmission device divides the document file,
A file communication method comprising: transmitting the document file or the divided document file from the file transmission device to the file reception device. The file communication method according to claim 7, comprising:
An XML (Extensible Markup Language) extension format is XPS (XML Paper Specification) or OPC (Open Packaging Conventions).

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