Typewriting machines – Including control of format by programmed-control-system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-12
2001-07-03
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Including control of format by programmed-control-system
C400S061000, C400S070000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254290
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a printing system composed of a primary system such as a computer system and a printer connected thereto, and particularly to a printing system capable of flexibly performing a sorting operation for separating, into job units, printed matters obtained by printing job data by a printer.
BACKGROUND ART
In the case where several jobs are continuously printed by a printer of a printing system, a sorting mark called a job separation mark is printed between one job and another for making it easy to recognize a separation between the jobs.
For a continuous paper printer, according to a prior art method, the above sorting mark has been printed as follows:
First, a primary system simply creates a mark form command at a separation between jobs and sends out an end separator date as a page date indicating the termination of the previous job.
When receiving a mark form command, the printer produces a blank page, and when receiving an end separator date, it prints five end separator pages. In order to allow easy sorting in the case where continuous paper is bent or folded, a job separation mark is printed out on a perforated line between end separator pages (sorting operation).
The technology of this kind has been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. Hei 4-65261 and Hei 3-167624.
According to the above prior art method, a primary system sends out only a sorting command indicating a sorting time at a separation between jobs and the termination of the previous job, and a printer prints a predetermined number of sorting pages.
Accordingly, the above-described prior art printing system cannot satisfy an individual user's particular needs to reduce the number of end separator pages or job separation marks to three pages in order to save paper, or to increase the number of job separation marks to seven pages because the separation between jobs is hard to recognize, and therefore, the printing system is poor in usability.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described inconvenience, and to provide a printing system capable of varying a sorting mode for each user's need or for each printing operation (printing of single job data), thereby realizing a highly flexible sorting operation.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a printing system comprising a primary system for outputting a command for printing job data to be printed, and a printer for printing the job data on the basis of the command supplied from the primary system, characterized in that the primary system includes: a sorting instructing means for outputting a sorting command for designating contents of a sorting operation which is a printing operation for indicating a separation between the job data, and the printer includes: a means for analyzing the sorting command; and a means for executing the sorting operation in accordance with the result of the analysis by the analyzing means.
According to the present invention, the sorting instructing means of the primary system instructs the contents of a sorting operation to be performed by the printer before printing of job data. As a result, assuming that the number of sorting pages is designated as the contents of the sorting operation, the number of printing pages for job separation can be altered for each printing system.
With this configuration, it becomes possible to provide a printing system capable of satisfying individual user's needs to reduce the number of job separation marks to three pages to save paper, or to increase the number of job separation marks to seven pages to make it easy to recognize a separation between jobs.
Since a sorting command is given for job data before a printing command is given for the job data (or when printing data is supplied to a printer), it is possible to alter the number of separation marks at any time. Accordingly, a sorting state can be set to match the needs of the user, to thereby improve the usability of the printing system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5328169 (1994-07-01), Mandel
patent: 5644685 (1997-07-01), Baehr
patent: 5718520 (1998-02-01), MacKay
patent: 5870089 (1999-02-01), Fabbio et al.
patent: 3-167624 (1991-07-01), None
patent: 4-65261 (1992-03-01), None
patent: 6-155834 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 7-123236 (1995-05-01), None
Hirai Kenshi
Imai Tsuneo
Hilten John S.
Hitachi , Ltd.
Mattingly Stanger & Malur, P.C.
Nolan, Jr. Charles H.
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