JPH1093585A - Line concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for a print server by applying storage processing to print output data sent from a terminal equipment side with a print server function and sending the print output data subject to storage processing depending on the state of the printer under the management when print output is available. SOLUTION: Print-out data sent from a terminal equipment side 2a are given to a terminal equipment input output section connection port 1a of the line concentrator and subject to storage processing by a print server function of the line concentrator. The print-out data subject to storage processing by the line concentrator are printed out by a printer 3 connecting to a print-out port 1b of the line concentrator. Since the printer is directly connected to print-out terminal of the line concentrator, number of connectable terminal equipments is not affected and no print server is required, then it is not required to reserve the installed location of the print server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a concentrator and, more particularly, to a local area network (LAN).
etwork).

[0002]

2. Description of the Prior Art FIG.
9 is an example of a configuration in a case where a printer device is arranged on N.
Referring to FIG. 4, a conventional line concentrator system includes a terminal device 2a connected to a line concentrator 5 via a connection port 5a, a printer device 3 connected to an output port 5b via a print server 4, and a LAN. And another concentrator 6. The print server 4 may be directly connected to a LAN. There may be a plurality of terminal devices 2a, printer devices 3, and print servers 4 each composed of a personal computer. Although only two concentrators 5 and 6 are shown in this drawing, there may be three or more.

A conventional concentrator 5, as shown in FIG.
Print output data from the terminal device 2a to the printer device 3 is output via the concentrator 5 or via another concentrator 6 connected via LAN, and via the print server 4 arranged on the LAN. Is done. Here, the conventional line concentrator 5 merely relays the print output data from the terminal device 2a to the print server 4.

[0004]

In such a conventional line concentrator system, when a plurality of printers 3 are installed on a LAN, a print server 4 for connecting the printers 3 is connected to the print server 3. Since only the number is required, the system becomes large-scale, and the print server 4 must be connected to the terminal input / output unit 5a of the concentrator 5. As a result, the terminal 2a which can be connected to the concentrator 5
Was limited. Further, a plurality of printer devices 3
When the printer is installed on the LAN, it is necessary to secure an installation place of the print server 4 for connecting the printer 3.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a line concentrator which does not require a print server, reduces the size of the system, and does not require an installation place.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a line concentrator according to the present invention stores print output data transmitted from a terminal device side by a print server function, and stores the stored print output data. In accordance with the status of the printer device under management, if the printer output is possible, it is transmitted.

Here, a connection port connected to a terminal device and an output port connected to a printer device are provided, wherein the concentrator has a control unit for receiving print output data, and temporarily stores the print output data. Storage unit to
A print output unit that confirms that the print output data stored in the storage unit is in a printable state and outputs the print output data. In addition, a switch for stopping the function of the print server is provided.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a concentrator according to the present invention
This is shown in FIGS. Referring to FIG. 1, the line concentrator according to the embodiment of the present invention has the function of a print server. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately prepare a print server.

The print output data transmitted from the terminal device 2a is input to the connection port 1a of the concentrator 1, and is stored by the print server function of the concentrator 1. The print output data accumulated and processed by the concentrator 1 is output to an output port 1b of a print output unit of the concentrator 1.
Is output from the printer 3 connected to the printer.

Note that the concentrator 1 includes a terminal device 2a directly connected to the terminal device input / output unit connection port 1a, and
Another concentrator installed on the AN or terminal 2
The print output data from the terminal device directly installed on the LAN as shown in b is also stored and processed in the same manner as the terminal device 2a connected to the concentrator 1, and is connected to the output port of the print output unit of the concentrator 1. The print data is output from the printer device 3.

Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 2 showing an embodiment of the internal configuration of the concentrator of the present invention, the concentrator 1
Are terminal device input / output units 11a to 11h for connecting to each terminal device and inputting / outputting data to / from each terminal device;
LAN input / output unit 12 for inputting / outputting data to / from another terminal device or another concentrator on the AN, and output from each of the terminal device input / output units 11a to 11h or the LAN input / output unit 12. A control unit 13 for controlling the print output data, a storage unit 14 for receiving and temporarily storing the print output data, and a first unit for controlling the print output data temporarily stored in the storage unit 14 by the control unit 13 to print out the data. , A second print output unit 1b, 1c, a connection port 1a connected to each of the terminal device input / output units 11a to 11h, and an output port connected to the first and second print output units 1b, 1c. Is provided.

Here, the internal bus B is connected to the LAN. The connection port 1a can connect a plurality of terminal devices 2a. The output port is the printer device 3
Can be connected to multiple units.

In the embodiment of the concentrator of the present invention, the terminal device 2a is connected to the terminal device input / output units 11a to 11h, and communication with another terminal device 2b connected to the concentrator 1 is performed. When the device communicates with another terminal device 2a arranged on the LAN, the communication is performed via the internal bus B of the concentrator 1 or from the internal bus B via the LAN input / output unit 12. In addition to having the function of the conventional line concentrator, it also has a function as a print server described below.

Print output data output from the terminal device 2a or output from another terminal device 2b arranged on the LAN is transmitted from the terminal input / output units 11a to 11h and the LAN input / output unit 12 via the internal bus B. Is entered. If the output data is for a printer managed under the control of the concentrator 1, the control unit 13 temporarily stores the output data in the storage unit 14 for each printer output. The print output data for each printer output temporarily stored in the storage unit 14 is output to the first and second print output units 1b and 1c while checking the status of the printer by the control unit 13 for each printer output. Print output unit 1b, 1c
Confirms the status of the connected printer device, notifies the control unit 13 of the result, and if the status of the connected printer device is in a printable state, the control unit 1
The print output data stored in the storage unit 14 is output to the printer device via the printer 3. The print server function switch 17 starts or stops control of the print server function of the line concentrator 1.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the function of a print server is added to the conventional line concentrator, and the line concentrator shown in FIGS. To solve the problem of the conventional concentrator due to the terminal device input / output unit connection port and the need to eliminate the print server and secure the installation location.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a line concentrator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, a panel of the present line concentrator 1 has connection ports 1a for connecting a plurality of terminal devices.
And an output port 1 for connecting a plurality of printers
b, 1c, various displays for clarifying the operation state of the connected device, and a print server function switch 17 with a display. The connection to the LAN is on the back side, not shown. When it is determined that the operation is performed in the print server mode instructed by the input / output unit 12, the control unit 13 sends the control unit 13 from the terminal device to the concentrator having the print server function, and transmits the data according to the corresponding communication protocol. The flowing print data is extracted from the internal bus B and stored in the storage unit 14. Further, the control unit 13 converts the print data stored in the storage unit 14 into
The data is output to the printer output units 1b and 1c specified in advance by the input / output unit 12 or specified by a command transmitted from the terminal device. The printer output units 1b and 1c receive the print data sent from the control unit 13 and output the print data to the connected printer device 3.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the control section and the storage section are constituted by an integrated circuit device, so that the size can be reduced, and particularly, it becomes possible to mount the control section and the storage section in a conventional concentrator.

[0018]

As described above, according to the line concentrator of the present invention, a plurality of printers can be installed on a LAN and can be used as printers on a network. Does not require a server. That is, in the related art, when a printing apparatus is installed on a LAN, a print server is required and thus the print server is affected. However, according to the present invention, the printer apparatus is directly connected to the print output terminal of the concentrator. Since connection is possible, there is no effect on the number of terminal devices that can be connected, and since there is no need for a print server, there is an effect that there is no need to secure an installation place for the print server.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire system of an embodiment of a line concentrator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a concentrator according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the embodiment of the concentrator according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an entire system of a conventional line concentrator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 5, 6 Concentrator 1a Terminal device input / output unit connection port 1b, 1c Print output unit port 2a, 2b Terminal device 3 Printer device 4 Print server 11a to 11h Terminal device input / output unit 12 LAN input / output unit 13 Control unit 14 Storage unit 15, 16 Print output unit 17 Print server function switch

Claims (4)

[Claims] A print output data transmitted from a terminal device is stored and processed by a print server function, and the stored print output data can be output to a printer according to the status of a printer device under management. A line device characterized in that the line is transmitted. 2. The line concentrator according to claim 1, further comprising a connection port connected to a terminal device, and an output port connected to a printer device. 3. The line concentrator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives print output data, a storage unit temporarily stores the print output data, and prints the print output data stored in the storage unit. The line concentrator according to claim 1, further comprising: a print output unit that confirms the state and outputs the state. 4. The line concentrator according to claim 3, further comprising a switch for stopping a function of the print server.