Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Data corruption – power interruption – or print prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-23
2001-05-01
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Data corruption, power interruption, or print prevention
C358S001150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226097
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method in which, when print data is transmitted for printing from a computer via a network to a printer using a page description language, such as a laser-beam-printer image processing system, the transmission of the print data from the computer to the printer can be discontinued to interrupt printing. The present invention also relates to an apparatus and system for realizing the method, and a program-stored storage medium used in the apparatus and system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional operating system (hereinafter referred to as an “OS”) such as “Windows” (trademark) converts print data produced by an application into a printer language characteristic of a printer before transmitting the print data to the printer. If interruption of the transmission of the print data is requested by a user, the OS interrupts the transmission of the print data to the printer when the interruption is requested by the user. However, even if the computer interrupts the transmission of the print data, any print data which has already been transmitted is received by a receiving buffer in the printer. In addition, the printer processes successively received print data as the remainder of the partly transmitted print data. Accordingly, when other print data is newly transmitted to the printer, if the printer is a type using a page description language, the newly transmitted data connects with the partly transmitted print data to cause errors such as character changes, which discontinues normal printing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a print-interruption method and apparatus capable of continuing normal printing even if a user requests interruption of data transmission and performs the next printing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a print-interruption method and apparatus in which, when the connection between a printer and an external unit during data transmission is broken due to some reason, and normal data transmission has failed, normal printing is continuable even if a user performs the next printing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a print-interruption method and apparatus in which, when no data is transmitted to a printer for a long period, a process for no data is performed and the next printing is normally continuable.
To this end, according to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects have been achieved through provision of a print system including a computer and a printer connected to each other, in which the computer comprises: transmission means for transmitting print data to an external unit; and control means for controlling the transmission means to transmit a print-interruption request when receiving the print-interruption request while the print data is being transmitted by the transmission means, and in which the printer comprises: receiving means for receiving print data from an external unit; analysis means for analyzing the print data received by the receiving means; storage means in which the print data received by the receiving means is stored; erasing means for erasing the print data stored in the storage means; and erasing control means for controlling the erasing means to erase the print data stored in the storage means when a print-interruption request in the received data is found by the analysis means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects have been achieved through provision of a print system including a computer and a printer connected to each other, in which the computer includes: transmission means for transmitting data to an external unit; and control means for performing control so that, while the transmission means is transmitting print data to the external unit after transmitting the print data and size information thereof, when the control means receives a print interruption request, the transmission of the print data is discontinued, and in which the printer includes: receiving means for receiving print data and size information thereof from an external unit; storage means in which the print data received by the receiving means is stored; calculation means for calculating the size of the print data received by the receiving means; comparison means for comparing the print data size calculated by the calculation means and the size information received by the receiving means; erasing means for erasing the data stored in the storage means; and control means for performing control so that, when the print data size and the size information, compared by the comparison means, differ at the end of the reception of the print data from the receiving means, the data stored in the storage means is erased by the erasing means.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects have been achieved through provision of a print system including a computer and a printer connected to each other, in which the computer includes: holding means for holding print data converted into a printer language in the form of a file; transmission means for transmitting the print data to an external unit; and control means for performing control so that, when the control means receives a print interruption request while the print data is being transmitted to the external unit by the transmission means, the print data is continuously transmitted up to the end of a page being transmitted before the transmission is interrupted, and in which the printer includes: receiving means for receiving print data transmitted from the external unit; expansion means for expanding the print data received by the receiving means into image data; output means for outputting the image data formed by the expansion means; and output-control means for performing control so that, when the reception of the print data from the external unit ends, the print data received by the receiving means is expanded by the expansion means, and the expanded print data is output by the output means.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, the foregoing objects have been achieved through provision of an output control apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving print data from an external unit; storage means in which the print data received by said receiving means is stored; erasing means for erasing the print data stored in said storage means; derivation means for deriving time information representing a lapse of time from the final reception of the print data by said receiving means; and control means for performing control so that, while the transmission of the print data from said external unit does not end, when a time based on the time information derived by said derivation means is more than a predetermined time, the print data stored in said storage means is erased by said erasing means.
According to the present invention, a printer or network printer can be notified of the interruption of print data transmission by a command, and the print data already transmitted for part of one page can be erased from the buffer of the network printer. As a result, after the transmission of the print data from the computer is interrupted, if another print data is transmitted to the network printer, the network printer can continue normal printing.
According to the present invention, the printer or the network printer can be notified of the interruption of print data transmission by the breaking of the connection to the computer, and print data already transmitted for part of one page can be erased from the buffer of the network printer. As a result, after the transmission of the print data from the computer is interrupted, if another print data is transmitted to the network printer, the network printer can continue normal printing.
According to the present invention, the transmission of print data can be interrupted after the print data is transmitted up to a page end. As a result, after the transmission of the print
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto LLP
Grant II Jerome
LandOfFree
Print interruption method, and information processing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Print interruption method, and information processing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Print interruption method, and information processing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2572254