JPH09190298A - Information processing apparatus, printing apparatus, and data processing method for printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: To visually inform a user of a data processing status of a printing apparatus main body. A print data detection unit 303 includes a spooler 30.
When the print data stored in No. 1 is searched to detect the first print data storage amount, the detected first print data storage amount is displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 1012.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of communicating between a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a printing apparatus and a data processing method of the printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing device of this type has a display device on an operation panel to display a printing error such as a paper jam that may occur during execution of a printing process or a status such as whether or not printing is in progress. Had a function to do.

Further, it is provided with a function of temporarily accumulating print information (print job) received from a host as a data source in a storage medium and releasing the host, so that new print information can be sequentially received from the host. There is also proposed a printing apparatus configured in.

[0004]

However, in the state where the print information received from the host or the like is normally processed, how much print information is stored in the storage medium and which print information is currently processed? That is, since the data processing status of the printing apparatus main body is not displayed, the user cannot accurately grasp the data processing status of the printing apparatus only by displaying the printing apparatus main body, and the current data Despite the fact that the processing status is very high, a situation occurs in which other print information is transferred, and the user has to wait endlessly until the transferred print information is obtained, and the print result is displayed. There was a problem that it took a long time to get it.

This kind of problem is that, especially in an environment in which the printing apparatus main body is shared on the network, if the data processing status of the printer selected in advance can be grasped, another printing apparatus can be selected to promptly print the result. In some cases, the fact that the data processing situation cannot be visually recognized is often a serious problem.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the first to seventh inventions of the present invention is to provide prints to be sequentially received from an information processing apparatus and processed. Provided are an information processing apparatus, a printing apparatus, and a data processing method for the printing apparatus, which can visually notify the user of the data processing status of the printing apparatus body by managing the total amount of data and displaying the data on the panel of the printing apparatus body. It is to be.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, when a print request for output information from a predetermined application printer is made, A transfer unit for transferring the data amount of the print data to the printing device before converting the output information into print data translatable by the printing device and transferring the print data to the printing device is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a printing device capable of communicating with an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, a storage means for sequentially storing print data received from the information processing device, and the storage device. Detection means for searching the print data stored in the means to detect the first print data storage amount, and first display for displaying the first print data storage amount detected by the detection means on the display means And control means.

In a third invention according to the present invention, the first display control means is the first display control means detected by the first detection means.
The print data storage amount is displayed on the display means according to a desired display format.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, a holding unit for holding print data transferred from the information processing apparatus, and the information. An arithmetic means for updating the total data amount of the print data held in the holding means each time the data amount is received, based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the processing device, and the arithmetic means. Second display control means for displaying the total amount of data on the display means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the second display control means causes the display means to display the total data amount calculated by the calculation means in a desired display format.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a data processing method of a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, printing received from the information processing apparatus and accumulated in a storage medium is performed. A detection step of searching the data to detect a first print data storage amount;
And a first display step of displaying the print data storage amount on the display means.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a data processing method of a printing device capable of communicating with an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, the data processing method is based on a data amount of print data transferred from the information processing device. And a second display step of displaying the calculated total body data amount on the display means for updating the total data amount of the print data held in the storage medium every time the data amount is received. I have.

[0014]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a print request is made for output information from a predetermined application printer, the output information is transferred before being converted into print data translatable by the printing apparatus and transferred to the printing apparatus. The means makes it possible to transfer the data amount of the print data to the printing device, and to let the printing device manage the data amount of each print data that is sequentially transferred.

In the second invention, when the detecting means detects the first print data storage amount by searching the print data stored in the storage means, the detected first print data storage amount is calculated. The first display control unit causes the display unit to display, and the user can visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the accumulated print data.

In the third invention, the first display control means causes the display means to display the first print data storage amount detected by the detection means in accordance with a desired display format, and the display data is stored. A user can easily visually recognize the congestion degree of a printing device from the total amount of print data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the arithmetic unit calculates the total data amount of the print data held in the holding unit based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the information processing apparatus each time the data amount is received. After the update calculation, the second display control unit displays the calculated total data amount on the display unit, and the user can visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the held print data. And

In the fifth invention, the second display control means causes the display means to display the total data amount calculated by the calculation means in a desired display format, and the total of the held print data. This makes it possible for the user to easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the data amount.

In a sixth aspect, the print data received from the information processing apparatus and stored in a storage medium is searched to detect a first print data storage amount, and the detected first print data is detected. It is possible to display the data storage amount on the display means and perform a process for allowing the user to easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the stored print data.

In the seventh invention, the total data amount of the print data held in the storage medium is updated every time the data amount is received, based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the information processing device. It is possible to display the calculated total data amount on the display unit and perform a process for allowing the user to easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the held print data.

[0021]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a sectional view for explaining an example of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applicable, showing a case of a laser beam printer.

Needless to say, the printer to which this embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer, and may be a printer of another printing system such as an ink jet printer.

In the figure, reference numeral 1000 denotes a laser beam printer (LBP) main body which stores and stores print information (character codes, etc.), form information, macro commands, etc. supplied from an externally connected host computer. A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording paper or the like that is a recording medium.

An operation panel 1012 is provided with switches for operation and an LED display. 1001
Is a printer control unit for controlling the entire LBP main body 1000 and analyzing character information supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to a laser driver 1002.

L provided on the operation panel 1012
The ED display is configured to display one character (katakana, alphanumeric characters, etc.) with N × N dots and to display a predetermined number of the character. The operation panel 1012 is configured to be able to display the job spool status in various display formats when storing received print data in units of jobs, which will be described in detail later.

The laser driver 1002 drives the semiconductor laser 1003, and switches on / off the laser light 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to the input video signal. Reference numeral 1005 denotes a rotary polygon mirror, which is oscillated in the left-right direction so that a laser beam
04 is exposed by scanning. The electrostatic drum 1006 forms an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern by the laser light 1004 that is scanned and exposed by the rotary polygon mirror 1005.

Reference numeral 1007 denotes a developing unit, which is the electrostatic drum 1.
The latent image on the electrostatic drum, which is arranged around 006, is developed and then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used for this recording paper. 1008 is a paper cassette, LBP100
It is attached to 0 and stores cut sheet recording paper. 100
Reference numeral 9 is a paper feed roller, 1010 is a transport roller, and 1011 is a transport roller, and the cut sheets stored in the paper cassette 1008 are taken into the apparatus and supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006.

The LBP main body 1000 is provided with at least one or more card slots (not shown) so that an optional font card and a control card (emulation card) having a different language can be connected in addition to the built-in font. .

The present invention is applicable to such a printer capable of converting the resolution and performing band processing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied. The laser beam printer (printer 1000) shown in FIG.
And an information processing device (host computer 3000) connected via a bidirectional interface.

As long as the functions of the present invention are executed, a single device or a system composed of a plurality of devices is a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied.

In the host computer 3000, 1
Is a CPU, which executes document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets, etc.) are mixed based on a document processing program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 3, and is connected to the system device 4. Control each device collectively.

Further, the program ROM of the ROM 3 has a CPU 1 as shown in a flow chart described later.
R for fonts stored in ROM3
The OM stores font data and the like used in the document processing, and the data ROM of the ROM 3 stores various data used in the document processing and the like.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM, which functions as a main memory and a work area of the CPU 1, and has an area for managing the number of print jobs spooled in the external memory 11.

5 is a keyboard controller (KBC)
Then, key input from the keyboard (KB) 9 or a pointing device (not shown) is controlled. Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), and a CRT display (CRT) 1
Controls the display of 0. 7 is a memory controller (MC)
In addition, a hard disk (HD) for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, etc., a flop disk (F
Control access to the external memory 11 such as D). A printer controller (PRTC) 8 is connected to the printer 1000 via a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21 and executes communication control processing with the printer 1000. Note that the CPU 1 executes, for example, an outline font rasterizing process on the display information RAM set on the RAM 2 to enable WYSIWYG on the CRT 10.

The external memory 11 is provided with a printer 1000 when a print request is issued from an application program.
A plurality of printer drivers (print control programs) for converting output information into print information (print data, control data, etc.) based on a printer description language (PDL) that can be analyzed (translated) and transferring the print information to the printer 1000 are installed. It has been done. Then, the printer driver is configured to be able to perform not only the print information but also the process of transferring the data amount of the print information to be transferred to the printer 1000.

Further, the CPU 1 opens various windows registered on the basis of commands designated by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing. It should be noted that the data processing unit 200 is configured by
0 is configured in steps.

The printer 1000 includes a printer control unit 1001, a printing unit 17, and an operation unit (operation panel) 101.
2 and the external memory 14.

In the printer control unit 1001,
Reference numeral 12 denotes a CPU, which is a system bus 15 based on a control program or the like stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program or the like stored in the external memory 14.
Access to various devices connected to the printer is comprehensively controlled, and an image signal as output information is output to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected via a printing unit interface (I / F) 16.

Further, the program ROM of the ROM 13 has a CPU as shown in a flow chart described later.
12 control programs and the like are stored, and the font ROM of the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the output information, and the data ROM of the ROM 13 is stored.
In the case of a printer that does not have the external memory 14 such as a hard disk, it stores information used on the host computer.

A RAM 19 is a main memory of the CPU 12,
It functions as a work area and the like, and is configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an additional port (not shown). Note that RAM1
9 is an output information expansion area, environment data storage area, NVR
Used for AM and the like.

Reference numeral 18 denotes an input unit, which is a bidirectional interface 2
1 enables communication processing with the host computer 3000, and the printer 1000 is configured to notify the host computer 3000 of information and the like in the printer 1000.

The printing unit interface (I / F) 16 is
The printing unit 17 is controlled, and the printing unit 17 controls the printing unit I / F 16
The data sent via the is output as a visible image on the recording paper. Further, the operation panel 1012 described above is provided with switches for operation, an LED display, and the like.
The memory controller (MC) 20 controls access to the external memory 14 such as the hard disk (HD) or IC card described above. The external memory 14 is connected as an option, and stores font data, an emulation program, form data, and the like.

The above-mentioned external memory is not limited to one, but at least one external memory is provided, and in addition to the built-in font, an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages of different languages are connected. It may be configured to be possible. Further, an NVRAM (not shown) may be provided to store printer mode setting information from the operation panel 1012.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied. The same parts as those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. The printing system includes a host computer 3000 as an information processing device and a printer 100 as a printing device.
0.

In the figure, a spooler 301 receives print data for each job from the host computer 3000, and spools the print data in the order of receiving the data or according to a predetermined priority. The spooler 301 is
An area for receiving the print data is secured corresponding to the RAM 19 or the external memory 14 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 302 denotes a predetermined printer description language (PDL (Printer
P) that analyzes print information based on
In the DL analysis unit, a plurality of printer description languages (CaPSL,
An analysis unit corresponding to LIPS, Postscript, etc. (product name) is stored in the ROM 13 or the like. A print data detection unit 303 detects the amount of print data stored in the print wait state on the spooler 301, and stores it in the RAM.
Store on top of 19. A printer driver unit 304 stores a plurality of printer drivers.

Correspondence between this embodiment and each means of the first to third inventions and their functions will be described below with reference to FIG.

The first invention is an information processing apparatus (host computer 3) capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium (interface, network interface, etc.).
000), at the time of a print request for output information from a predetermined application printer, the output information is converted into print data translatable by the printing apparatus (LBP main body 1000) and transferred to the printing apparatus before the printing. A transfer unit (by a printer driver stored in the printer driver unit 304) for transferring the data amount of the data to the printing apparatus is provided, and the LBP main body 1000 outputs the output information when a print request is made for the output information from a predetermined application printer. Before converting the print data into translatable print data and transferring the print data to the LBP main body 1000, the printer driver transfers the data amount of the print data to the LBP main body 1000, and the data amount of each print data sequentially transferred is transferred to the LBP main body 1000. It is possible to let 1000 manage.

In a second aspect of the invention, in a printing apparatus (LBP main body 1000) capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus (host computer 3000) via a predetermined communication medium, print data received from the information processing apparatus is sequentially accumulated. A storage unit (spooler 301), a detection unit (print data detection unit 303) for searching the print data stored in the storage unit to detect the first print data storage amount, and the detection unit detected by the detection unit. A first display control unit (by the display function of the print data detection unit 303) for displaying the first print data storage amount on the display unit, and the print data detection unit 303 displays the print data stored in the spooler 301. When the search is performed to detect the first print data storage amount, the detected first print data storage amount is displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 1012 and stored. By user congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the overall data amount of the print data is visually recognizable.

In a third aspect of the invention, the first display control means (by the display function of the print data detection unit 303) displays the detected first print data storage amount in a desired display format (different display described later). The format is displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 1012 so that the user can easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the accumulated print data.

A data processing method of the printing apparatus of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the first embodiment of the data processing method of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied. The spooling state of the print data spooled in the printing apparatus is displayed on the operation unit 1012. Corresponds to the processing displayed on the display unit.

When the printer 1000 is activated, in step (1), the CPU 12 causes the print data detection unit 3
03 determines whether or not the presence of print data of the spooler 301 is detected. If it is determined that the presence of print data is detected, the CPU 12 determines the number of print data jobs in job units in step (2). Check and operation unit 1012
Through, the number of jobs is displayed on the panel in the following display format.

Specifically, the number of jobs is displayed by setting one job as one dot on the LED display of the operation unit 1012,
One page is displayed as one dot on the LED display of the operation unit 1012, or the print data detection unit 303 calculates the predicted processing time of a spooled job, and the predicted processing time is displayed as one dot for one minute. Alternatively, the job processing status is displayed with a specific numerical value instead of the one-dot correspondence display.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step (1) that the job does not exist in the spooler 301, in step (3), the operation from step (1) is repeated again after a certain period of time has elapsed. It is assumed that the print data processing and the data processing shown in FIG. 4 are processed independently.

Correspondence between the present embodiment and each step of the sixth invention and its action will be described below with reference to FIG.

A sixth aspect of the invention is a printing apparatus (LBP main unit 100) capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium.
In the data processing method of (0), the detection step of searching the print data received from the information processing apparatus and stored in the storage medium to detect the first print data storage amount (step (1), ( 2)) and a first display step (step (2) in FIG. 4) of displaying the detected first print data storage amount on the display unit of the operation unit 1012,
This makes it possible for the user to easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the accumulated print data. As described above, the user can confirm the data amount of the transmitted print data by checking the operation unit 1012 of the printing apparatus, and can know the end timing of the print processing.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the print data detection unit 303 analyzes the data amount of the data transferred to the spooler 301 and displays it on the operation unit 1012. However, the printer 1000 is described. There is no area (spooler) for holding print data in the external memory 1 before the host computer 3000 transfers print data.
The printer driver stored in 1 may transfer the data amount of the print data, and the print data management unit may manage the data amount of the print data and display the data amount on the operation unit 1012. Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be applied. The same parts as those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. .

In the figure, reference numeral 501 denotes a printer driver unit stored in the external memory 11 shown in FIG. 2 or the like, which stores a plurality of printer drivers based on a predetermined printer description language and sets them on a print control setting screen (not shown). The selected printer driver is managed by, for example, a print manager or the like. Each printer driver notifies the printer 1000 of a function of converting output information into print data translatable by the printer 1000 and transferring the print information and a data amount of the print data to be transferred when the print request is issued from the application program. It has the function to do. Further, the notification of the data amount will be described in the case where the notification is given prior to the transfer of the print data. However, an inquiry from the printer 1000 (printer 100
It may be configured such that the notification is made according to (when the data processing load of 0 is small).

A data receiving unit 502 determines whether the data transmitted from the host computer 3000 is print data or data indicating the amount of print data, and determines the transfer destination of the received data based on the determination result. . The data receiving unit 502 is stored in the program ROM area of the ROM 13 shown in FIG. 2, and is configured to execute the data receiving process by the CPU 12 executing the program.

A print data amount management unit 503 manages the print data amount transmitted from the host computer 3000 to the printer 1000. The print data amount management unit 503 is a program R for the ROM 13 shown in FIG.
Stored in the OM area, the CPU 12 is configured to execute the print data amount management process by executing the program. The selected printer driver in the printer driver unit 501 of the host computer 3000 transmits the data amount (volume) of the print data to be transmitted to the printer 1000 at the time of printing, that is, before the transfer of the print data is started. Then, when the printer 1000 is ready to receive the print data, the printer 1000 is ready to send the print data.

Correspondence between the present embodiment and each means of the fourth and fifth inventions and their functions will be described below with reference to FIG.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is a printing device (LBP main body 100) capable of communicating with an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium.
0), holding means (data receiving unit 502) for holding the print data transferred from the information processing apparatus, and the holding means based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the information processing apparatus. Calculation means for updating the total data amount of the existing print data each time the data amount is received (by the calculation function of the print data amount management unit 503)
And a second display control unit (by the display function of the print data amount management unit 503) for displaying the total data amount calculated by the calculation unit on the display unit, and the printing transferred from the host computer 3000. The print data amount management unit 503 updates the total data amount of the print data held in the memory (for example, the RAM 19 (see FIG. 2)) in the data receiving unit 502 each time the data amount is received, based on the data amount of the data. After the calculation, the calculated total data amount is displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 1012, and the user can visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the held print data.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the second display control means (by the display function of the print data amount management unit 503) operates the calculated total data amount according to a desired display format (display format described later). This makes it possible for the user to easily perform visual recognition of the congestion degree of the printing device based on the total data amount of the print data held and displayed on the display unit of the unit 1012.

A data processing method of the printing apparatus of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of the data processing method of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied. The print data transferred from the host computer 3000 processed by the printer 1000. This corresponds to the processing for displaying the processing status of. In addition, (1)-
(6) shows each step.

First, in step (1), the printer 1000 receives data, and in step (2),
The CPU 12 executes the printer stored in the data receiving unit 502, determines whether the received data is print data or data indicating the print data amount, and determines that the received data is data indicating the print data amount. If done,
In step (3), the CPU 12 transfers the print data amount to the print data amount management unit 503, and the print data amount management unit 503 stores the print data amount already received and the print data amount of this time in the printer 1000. Print data amount (in this embodiment, the amount of data held in the RAM 19 and the amount of data waiting to be sent to the printer 1000 are added for calculation. In other words, the print data amount management unit 503 uses the RAM 19 for the calculation. A data amount is calculated by taking a snapshot of the data amount held in the data receiving unit 502, and the calculated data amount and the data amount waiting to be transmitted to the printer 1000 held in the data receiving unit 502 are calculated. The amount of print data accumulated in the printer 1000 is calculated by the addition.

Then, in step (4), the CPU
The display unit 12 displays the calculated print data amount on the operation unit 1012 in a display format described later, and ends the process.

Specifically, the number of jobs is displayed by setting one job as one dot on the LED display of the operation unit 1012,
One page is displayed as one dot on the LED display of the operation unit 1012, the predicted processing time of the spooled job is calculated by the print data amount management unit 503, and the predicted processing time is displayed as one dot for one minute. Alternatively, the job processing status is displayed with a specific numerical value instead of the one-dot correspondence display.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step (2) that the received data is print data, the CPU transfers the print data to the PDL analysis section 302 (5) and the printing section 17 performs printing ( 6), the process ends.

Correspondence between the present embodiment and each step of the seventh invention and its action will be described below with reference to FIG. 6 and the like.

A seventh invention is a data processing method of a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the information processing apparatus (host computer 300
0), the total data amount of the print data held in the storage medium is updated every time the data amount is received, based on the data amount of the print data transferred (step (3) in FIG. 6). A second display step (step (4) in FIG. 6) for displaying the calculated total data amount on the display means, and the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the held print data. It is possible for the user to easily perform a process of visually recognizing.

As described above, the user can know the total amount of print data currently being processed by the printing apparatus by checking the operation unit of the printing apparatus, and can more accurately grasp the print end timing.

Further, in the first and second embodiments described above,
The case of using the LWED indicator of the operation unit 1012 or the like to display the data processing status including the congestion degree of the printing device has been described, but a dedicated LED is used and the blinking interval of one LED is changed. The data processing congestion degree may be displayed in stages, or the data processing congestion degree may be displayed in stages by a plurality of LEDs.

Furthermore, by combining the first and second embodiments described above, the host computer 30 is provided for the printer 1000 having an area (spooler) for holding print data.
00 transfers the amount of print data before transferring the print data, and the amount of the print data is transferred to the print data management unit 503.
It is needless to say that the same effect can be obtained even if it is configured to be managed by and displayed on the display unit of the operation unit 1012.

Further, in the first and second embodiments described above,
Although the operation unit 1012 was used to display the data processing status of the printer 1000 (such as congestion), the printer 1
It may be configured such that the congestion degree of 000 is transferred to the host computer 3000 via the bidirectional interface 21 and is displayed on the display device of the host computer 3000, and the user is in a seat and the data processing status of the printing device. You can know.

Furthermore, the present invention is applied to a plurality of printers on a network, and the data processing status of each printer on the network is transferred to the host computer via the network and displayed on the display device of the host computer. The user may select a printer, or the host computer may automatically select an appropriate printer on the network, so that the user can always obtain the printed matter in the shortest time.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, by reading a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into the system or apparatus, the system or apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention.

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

[0081]

As described above, the first embodiment according to the present invention is described.
According to the invention, when a print request for output information from a predetermined application printer is made, the transfer means converts the output information into print data translatable by the printing apparatus and transfers the print data to the printing apparatus. Since the data amount of the data is transferred to the printing device, the printing device can manage the data amount of each print data that is sequentially transferred.

According to the second invention, when the detecting means searches the print data stored in the storing means and detects the first print data storage amount, the detected first print data storage amount is detected. Since the first display control means causes the display means to display, the user can visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the accumulated print data.

According to the third invention, the first display control means causes the display means to display the first print data storage amount detected by the detection means in a desired display format. The user can easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the generated print data.

According to the fourth invention, the arithmetic unit receives the total data amount of the print data held in the holding unit based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the information processing device, and receives the data amount. When the update calculation is performed for each, the second display control unit causes the display unit to display the calculated total data amount, so that the user can visually determine the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the held print data. Can be recognized.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the second display control means causes the display means to display the total data amount calculated by the calculation means in a desired display format. The user can easily visually recognize the degree of congestion of the printing apparatus from the total amount of data.

According to the sixth invention, the print data received from the information processing device and stored in the storage medium is searched to detect the first print data storage amount, and the detected first print data is stored. Since the print data storage amount is displayed on the display unit, the user can easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing apparatus from the total data amount of the stored print data.

According to the seventh aspect, the total data amount of the print data held in the storage medium is updated every time the data amount is received, based on the data amount of the print data transferred from the information processing device. Since the calculated total data amount is displayed on the display means, the user can easily visually recognize the congestion degree of the printing device from the total data amount of the held print data.

Therefore, the data processing state of the printing apparatus main body can be visually informed to the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a printing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the data processing method of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system to which a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the data processing method of the printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 System Bus 5 Keyboard Controller (KBC) 6 CRT Controller (CRTC) 7 Memory Controller (MC) 8 Printer Controller (PRTC) 9 Keyboard (KB) 10 CRT Display (CRT) 11 External Memory 12 CPU 13 ROM 14 external memory 15 system bus 16 printing unit interface (I / F) 17 printing unit 18 input unit 19 RAM 20 memory controller (MC) 21 bidirectional interface 200 control unit 1000 printer 1001 printer control unit 1012 operation unit 3000 host computer

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, when a print request for output information from a predetermined application printer is made, the output information is converted into print data translatable by the printing apparatus. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a transfer unit that transfers the data amount of the print data to the printing apparatus before the conversion and the transfer to the printing apparatus. 2. A printing device communicable with an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, comprising: storage means for sequentially storing print data received from the information processing device; and print data stored in the storage means. It has a detection means for searching and detecting the first print data storage amount, and a first display control means for displaying the first print data storage amount detected by the detection means on a display means. And printing device. 3. The first display control means causes the display means to display the first print data storage amount detected by the detection means according to a desired display format. Printing device. 4. A printing device capable of communicating with an information processing device via a predetermined communication medium, holding means for holding print data transferred from the information processing device, and print data transferred from the information processing device. Calculating means for updating the total data amount of the print data held in the holding means based on the data amount every time the data amount is received,
And a second display control unit for displaying the total amount of data calculated by the calculation unit on a display unit. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second display control means causes the display means to display the total data amount calculated by the calculation means in a desired display format. 6. A data processing method for a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, wherein the print data received from the information processing apparatus and stored in a storage medium is searched for and the first data is searched for. A data processing method for a printing apparatus, comprising: a detection step of detecting a print data storage amount; and a first display step of displaying the detected first print data storage amount on a display means. 7. A data processing method of a printing apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus via a predetermined communication medium, the printing data being held in a storage medium based on a data amount of print data transferred from the information processing apparatus. A calculation step of updating the total data amount of the print data every time the data amount is received,
A second display step of displaying the calculated total data amount on a display means.