JPH11232065A - Printing paper supply / discharge control method and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a print control device that enables efficient continuous printing. SOLUTION: Data based on a print request is converted into an intermediate code in a page unit by an intermediate code generation unit 11 and stored in an intermediate code file 12. The page information management unit 13
It is detected whether or not there is a succeeding page for each intermediate code, and if it exists, it indicates that there is a succeeding page when the page is expanded into real image data by the real image data generation unit 14. The page information is added to the previous area of the actual image data and the spool file 15 is added.
To accumulate. By sending the actual image data to which the page information is added to the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus performs the discharge control processing of the preceding page and the paper supply control processing of the subsequent page at the same time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing system and its component devices, for example, which perform printing paper supply / discharge control at the same time to speed up printing processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a remarkable tendency to increase the functions of printing apparatuses regardless of the cost and to reduce the cost by suppressing the functions to some extent. In the latter case, the hardware is usually reduced, and the buffer for storing print data is also reduced in capacity as much as possible. In a conventional printing apparatus in which the capacity of a buffer for storing print data is less than a page unit, printing based on print data is executed after feeding, and discharge control is performed after printing is completed. Paper for the next page was being fed.

[0003]

As described above, in a printing apparatus having a small buffer capacity, the printing paper for the next page is fed when the discharge of the printing paper for the previous page is completed. However, there is a problem that the reception of the print data and the analysis processing thereof must be suspended until the printing paper feeding is completed. In addition, there is a problem in that paper ejection and paper feeding take time since they are realized by hardware, which prolongs the time required for printing.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and has an improved print control method that enables efficient continuous printing even when the buffer capacity is less than one page. Is to provide.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing system suitable for implementing the above-described printing control method and a component device thereof.

[0006]

A paper supply / discharge control method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a method for controlling the supply / discharge of printing paper when performing continuous printing. In the case of a plurality of pages, page information indicating that a succeeding page exists in the preceding area of the data of the preceding page is spooled, and page information of the spooled data is printed at the time of printing the preceding page. To determine the presence or absence of a subsequent page, and when a subsequent page exists, it is necessary to perform the discharge control processing of the print paper for the preceding page and the paper feed control processing of the print paper of the subsequent page at the same time. Features.

Another method of controlling paper supply and discharge according to the present invention is a process for converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed. Is assumed. When it is detected that the intermediate code extends over a plurality of pages, when the real image data for the preceding page is expanded, page information indicating that a subsequent page of the page exists is added to the real image data and spooled. Keep it. During the printing process of the preceding page, the presence / absence of a succeeding page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled actual image data. The sheet feed control process for the page printing paper is performed at the same time.

In each of the paper supply / discharge control methods, if the print instruction for the subsequent page is canceled, the page information is erased before the paper discharge control process for the preceding page.

The present invention also provides a printing control device and a printing device, or a recording medium for giving a printing control function to a computer.

[0010] The print control apparatus of the present invention comprises an image processing means for converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into real image data to be printed; It is detected whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists for each of the converted intermediate codes, and when a subsequent page exists, it is determined that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. Page information adding means for adding the page information to be added to the previous area of the real image data, and sending the real image data to which the page information has been added to a printing apparatus, thereby discharging the paper based on the real image data. The control device and the paper feed control process based on the subsequent page are performed by the printing apparatus at the same time.

The printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a data holding means for acquiring and holding the real image data from the print control apparatus, and detecting the page information from the held real image data to determine whether or not a subsequent page exists. Information decoding means for determining,
When there is a subsequent page, a control unit is provided for performing the discharge control process of the printing paper for the preceding page and the paper feeding control process of the printing paper for the subsequent page at the same time.

The printing apparatus may further include a trailing edge detection sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the sheet being printed. In this case, when the trailing edge of the sheet being printed on the preceding page is detected when the succeeding page is present, the control unit starts sheet feeding control processing for printing the succeeding page. The configuration is as follows.

The recording medium of the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute the following processing is recorded.

(1) a process of converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page and holding the same, reading the intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed; (3) processing for detecting whether or not an intermediate code for a subsequent page exists in the intermediate code of (3), when a subsequent page exists for each page, the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for that page is expanded And (4) sending the real image data to which the page information has been added to a printing apparatus.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an example of a printing system to which the present invention is applied is shown in FIG.

This printing system is configured by connecting a host computer 1 and a printing device 2 via a printer cable. The printing device 2 executes a predetermined printing process to form an image on a printing sheet when receiving printing data and accompanying format information from the host computer 1. In the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 2 is assumed to be an inexpensive serial printer with a small buffer capacity. However, this does not make it impossible to use another high-end printer. The connection form with the host computer 1 may be either a stand-alone state or a network connection state.

The host computer 1 executes, controls and monitors a program through a predetermined system program. Specifically, a CPU (Central processing Uniform) arranged on a system board (not shown)
t), RAM (Randum Access Memory), ROM (Read
Only Memory) and a built-in or external hard disk (HD) 3, and the CPU appropriately reads a required program from the HD 3 and executes a required process. The HD 3 includes an application program (hereinafter, AP) for generating print target data and format information,
A print control program (printer driver) for realizing the print control apparatus of the present invention is recorded.

The host computer 1 also includes a display device 4 having a monitor screen, a data input device 5 for inputting various setting information, a CD-ROM drive, and an FD.
A media reading device 6 including the communication device D and a communication control device 7 serving as a connection interface with a private network are connected. The display device 4 is configured to display a predetermined dialog window in response to an instruction of a system program, an AP, a print control program, or the like. The data input device 5 is a keyboard, mouse, or other pointing device.

The print control program is usually
It is developed by a manufacturer of the printing apparatus 2 and is recorded in a form readable by the host computer 1 on a flexible disk (FD) or a CD-ROM, distributed and used when the printing apparatus 2 is used. Alternatively, it is installed in the HD 3 by being read by the host computer 1 through the communication control device 7.

Next, an embodiment of a print control apparatus realized by the host computer 1 reading the print control program will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the print control apparatus 10 has functional blocks of an intermediate code generation unit 11, a page information management unit 13, and a real image data generation unit 14.
Further, an intermediate code file 12 and a spool file 15 formed in a memory unit (not shown) are provided. FIG. 2 shows only the components necessary for implementing the present invention.

The intermediate code generation unit 11 converts data based on a print request from the application unit (AP) into an intermediate code for each page and stores the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12. The intermediate code is composed of, for example, position information for data in page units and image information at that position, that is, bitmap data for characters, shape data for graphics, and image data for multi-valued images such as photographs. Is done. Converting data based on a print instruction request to intermediate code once requires complicated processing if the data is directly converted to real image data. This is because the data size is generally small.

The real image data generation unit 14 sequentially reads out intermediate codes from the intermediate code file according to the execution status of the printing process by the printing apparatus 2, develops the intermediate codes into real image data to be printed, and accumulates them in the spool file 15. Things.

The page information management unit 13 monitors the storage and readout status of the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12, and determines whether the intermediate code is the intermediate code of the first page, and stores each intermediate code in the intermediate code for the subsequent page. Is detected. In the case of the intermediate code of the first page, a preloading command indicating this is added to the area before the real image data when the real image data for the page is expanded. If there is a subsequent page, page information indicating that fact is generated, and this is added to the area after the preloading command and the area before the real image data when the real image data for the page is expanded. This is a process that focuses on the fact that conversion to intermediate code is relatively lighter than expansion to real image data, and at the time of expansion of real image data, it is possible to determine whether there is an intermediate code for the next page. The end of printing is notified to the AP at the time of conversion into the intermediate code. If it is not canceled at this time, the processing automatically shifts to the actual image data development.

The page information management section 13 can detect that the print request for the succeeding page has been canceled from the AP. When the succeeding page is canceled, the intermediate code of the corresponding page is deleted, and the fact that the page is canceled is displayed on the display device 4. Also, a cancel command for instructing data clear is inserted in the area before the paper ejection command.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the printing apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment.

The printing apparatus 2 is used by mounting a paper feed tray 21 and a paper discharge tray 22 on a printer body 20. An ASF (auto sheet feeder) motor 23 is provided near the mounting opening of the paper feed tray 21, and the printing paper S is guided to a predetermined position of the printing mechanism 24 by driving the ASF motor. The PF is located near the mounting opening of the paper discharge tray 22.
A (paper feed) motor 25 is provided, and when the PF motor 25 is driven, the printing paper is conveyed in the direction of the paper discharge port, and at this time, printing is performed by the printing mechanism 24. After printing, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 22. Printing device 2
0 further includes a sensor 27 for detecting the lower end of the printing paper S, and the sensor 27 can detect that the printing paper S has been conveyed by the PF motor 25 and the printing process has been completed. I have. The output of the sensor 27 is notified to the control unit 26.

ASF motor 23, printing mechanism 24, and P
The operation of the F motor 25 is controlled by the control unit 26. The control unit 26 detects the page information from the print data (actual image data) from the host computer and determines the presence / absence of a subsequent page. The print data management unit 261 also controls the operation of the printing mechanism 24 and the motors 23 and 25. A mechanism control unit 262 for performing the operation is provided. The print data management unit 261
A buffer having a data capacity of less than one page is held, and page information is detected by referring to the head of the print data stored in the buffer.

Next, a paper supply / discharge control method using the above printing system will be described.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are processing procedure diagrams in the print control apparatus 10.

Upon reception of a continuous print request from the AP, the print control apparatus 10 converts data based on the print request into an intermediate code in page units and stores the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12 (step S101: Yes, S102). , S10
3). When the storage of the intermediate code for at least one page is completed, the development to the actual image data is started (step S104). At this time, the page information management unit 13 determines whether the intermediate code in the intermediate code file 12 is the first page, and if it is the first, adds a preloading command to the previous area of the actual image data ( Step S105: Yes, S106). When it is detected that an intermediate code exists for the succeeding page, page information is created and added to the area before the actual image data (the area after the preloading command) (step S107: Yes, S108). . The page information may be information indicating that one succeeding page exists, or may be information indicating the number of pages when intermediate codes for at least several pages exist.

The actual image data to which the page information is added is
Stored in the spool file 15 (step S10
9), is read out and transmitted to the printing apparatus 2 when the transmission timing is reached (Step S110: Yes, S11)
1).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of the print control device 10 when the print request for the subsequent page is canceled, that is, when the cancel command is sent from the AP. Upon receiving the cancel command, the print control device 10 checks whether the printing of the preceding page has been completed (steps S201 and S202). If the printing of the preceding page has not been completed, a cancel command is inserted into the area after the last column of the actual image data of the preceding page (step S202: Yes, S203), and further, a paper discharge command is inserted into the subsequent area (step S202). Step S20
4). Then, the actual image data is transferred to the spool file 1
5 (step S205). If the printing of the preceding page has been completed when the cancel command is received from the AP, the above processing is ignored (step S202: Yes).

FIG. 6 shows an example of the structure of the actual image data stored in the spool file 15 in this manner. FIG. 6A shows the data structure of the first page, and FIG. 6B shows the data structure of the second page. FIG. 9C shows the data structure in a case where the print request is canceled from the AP before the printing of the second page is completed.

Next, a processing procedure on the printing apparatus 2 side will be described with reference to FIG.

The printing apparatus 2 first analyzes the received print data (actual image data to which page information and the like are added as necessary) (step S301).

When the preloading command is detected, the ASF motor 23 is driven to start feeding the printing paper S (step S302). When page information is detected, the page information is set in an auxiliary memory (not shown) (step S303: Yes, S304). After that, the PF motor 25 is driven to print the printing paper S on the printing mechanism 2.
4 at a predetermined position (step S30).
5) Read the actual image data from the buffer and execute the printing process (step S306). When the lower end of the sheet is detected by the sensor 27 (step S307: Ye
s) Check whether there is a subsequent page based on the page information set in advance. If there is a subsequent page (step S308: Yes), the ASF motor 23 is also driven while the PF motor 25 is driven, and sheet feeding for the subsequent page is started (step S309). Thereafter, the set page information is updated, and the processing from step S305 is repeated until there is no subsequent page (step S305).
308: No).

In the example shown in FIG. 7, an example is shown in which page information is set and sequentially updated, but each time the page information in the buffer is read to check whether a subsequent page exists. You may do so.

As described above, in the communication system according to the present embodiment, when data to be printed extends over a plurality of pages, spooling is performed by adding page information to the area preceding the actual image data of the preceding page. The presence / absence of a subsequent page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data at the time of the preceding page print processing. If there is a subsequent page, the print sheet discharge control processing for the preceding page and the subsequent page Since the paper feed control process is performed at the same time, even a low-cost printing apparatus having a buffer capacity of less than one page does not prolong the time required for continuous printing.

[0040]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the printing paper for the next page is fed simultaneously with the discharge of the printing paper for the preceding page, continuous printing is efficiently performed. This makes it possible to shorten the time required for the printing shop.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a printing system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of the print control apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a main part of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of a print control device when a continuous print request is issued.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure of the print control apparatus when a print request for a subsequent page is canceled.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing an example of the structure of actual image data stored in a spool file, wherein FIG.
FIG. 7C shows an example in which the print request is canceled before the printing of the second page is completed.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure on the printing apparatus side when a continuous printing request is received.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Printing device 10 Printing control device 11 Intermediate code generation part 12 Intermediate code file 13 Page information management part 14 Real image data generation part 15 Spool file 20 Printer main body 23 ASF motor 24 Printing mechanism 25 PF motor 26 Control part 261 Printing Data management unit 262 Mechanism control unit 27 Sensor for detecting lower edge of paper S Printing paper

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling supply / discharge of printing paper when performing continuous printing, wherein when data to be printed extends over a plurality of pages, a succeeding page is added to a preceding area of the data for the preceding page. Is spooled with page information indicating the existence of a subsequent page, and the presence or absence of a subsequent page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled data at the time of print processing of the preceding page. A paper supply / discharge control method, wherein the paper discharge control process for a preceding page and the paper feed control process for the subsequent page are performed simultaneously. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: converting the data based on the print request into an intermediate code for each page, holding the converted intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed, the intermediate code covering a plurality of pages. When it is detected, when the real image data of the preceding page is expanded, page information indicating that a subsequent page of the page exists is added to the real image data and spooled, and the printing process of the preceding page is performed. Sometimes, the presence or absence of a subsequent page is determined by referring to the page information of the spooled real image data. If there is a subsequent page, the print sheet discharge control process for the preceding page and the supply of the print sheet for the subsequent page are performed. A paper supply / discharge control method, wherein a paper control process is performed at the same time. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the print instruction for the subsequent page is canceled, the page information is erased before the discharge control processing of the preceding page.
Paper supply / discharge control method described in the above. 4. An image processing means for converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, holding the converted code, reading the intermediate code, and expanding the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed, and It is detected whether or not the intermediate code of the succeeding page exists for the intermediate code, and when the succeeding page exists, the page information indicating that the succeeding page exists exists when the actual image data of the page is expanded. A page information adding means for adding the page information to a preceding area of the image data, and by sending the real image data to which the page information is added to a printing apparatus, a discharge control process based on the real image data and the subsequent page A printing control apparatus that causes the printing apparatus to perform a paper feed control process based on the print control at the same time. 5. The page information adding means, when a print instruction for the subsequent page is canceled, sends a page information erase instruction command for the succeeding page in an area before the discharge command for the preceding page. The print control device according to claim 4, wherein the print control device is inserted. 6. A data holding unit for acquiring and holding the real image data from the print control device according to claim 4 or not, and detecting the page information from the held real image data to determine whether there is a subsequent page. And information control means for performing, at the same time, a discharge control process of the print sheet for the preceding page and a feed control process of the print sheet for the subsequent page when the subsequent page exists. Printing device. 7. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising a trailing edge detection sensor for detecting a trailing edge of the sheet being printed, wherein said control means detects a trailing edge of the sheet being printed for said preceding page when said succeeding page exists. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a paper feed control process for printing the subsequent page is started at the point of time. 8. A process of converting data based on a print request into an intermediate code for each page, holding the converted intermediate code, and developing the intermediate code into actual image data to be printed. A process of detecting whether or not an intermediate code exists for a subsequent page, and, when a subsequent page exists in each page, a page information indicating that the subsequent page exists when the actual image data for the page is expanded. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute a process of adding the real image data with the page information added to a previous area of the real image data and a process of sending the real image data to which the page information is added to a printing apparatus is recorded. 9. A paper ejection control process based on actual image data of a preceding page, comprising: a printing device according to claim 6; and a computer reading the program from the recording medium according to claim 8. And a paper feed control process based on the image data at the same time.