KR20010081226A - Data store method for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for storing data of a printer is provided to prevent a wrong operation of a printer according to a memory pool by preventing the memory pool from being generated. CONSTITUTION: A control unit checks whether a printing work is processed(400). The control unit checks whether a shortage of a memory is generated(402). The control unit tries to perform an increasing of the memory by applying an MET(Memory Enhancement Technique)(404). The control unit checks whether the shortage of the memory is generated(406). The control unit generates a swap file in a hard disc storage device(408). The control unit transfers data generated from processing of the printing work to the swap file(410). The control unit checks whether the printing work is completed(412). The control unit transfers the data to a memory unit(414). The control unit deletes the swap file generated(416).

Description

Data storage method of printer {DATA STORE METHOD FOR PRINTER}

The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a method for storing data in a printer.

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows a flowchart of a data storage method of a conventional printer, when the printer runs out of memory while storing data in a memory, the printer proceeds to step 104 and the memory increasing technique such as data compression ( The memory enhancement technique (hereinafter referred to as MET) is applied to increase the available memory. If the memory continues to run out afterwards, the printer proceeds to step 108 and reports the memory pool status to the operation panel or the host, and then ends the job.

As described above, the printer cannot normally perform a print job when the memory pool is in a state.

As described above, the conventional printer has a problem in that it cannot perform a print job normally when the memory pool is in a state.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer data storage method for storing data so that the printer does not become a memory pool state.

1 is a flow chart of a conventional data storage method;

2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printer to which the present invention is applicable;

3 is a flowchart of a job processing method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart of a data storage method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for retrieving a previously provided print job when a print job is newly provided through a network, and a newly provided print job when the previously provided print job is being processed. And storing the print job stored in the auxiliary memory device when the processing of the previously provided print job is completed.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While many specific details are set forth in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, to provide a more general understanding of the invention, these specific details are illustrated for the purpose of illustrating the invention and are not meant to limit the invention thereto. And a detailed description of known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted.

As technology has advanced, printer functions have also improved. In particular, high-performance printers, which can perform the role of a printer server, have a hard disk storage device as an auxiliary memory device for storing fonts or forms. It was. The present invention prevents the printer's memory from becoming a memory pool state by using the above-described auxiliary memory device.

Referring to FIG. 2, which shows a schematic configuration diagram of a printer to which the present invention is applicable, the control unit 200 of the printer controls the printer as a whole and stores data according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In order to store the data, the control unit 200 includes a memory manager for checking memory status, a swap file manager for creating or deleting a swap file in the hard disk storage device 206, A swapping job manager (SWAPPING JOB MANAGER) for storing or reading data in a swap file created in the hard disk storage device 206, and a network job for storing print jobs provided from the network in the hard disk storage device 206. NETWORK JOB MANAGER and a NETWORK JOB SERVICE MANAGER that constructs a list of print jobs to give priority to print jobs provided over a network. The memory unit 202 stores the processing program and various information of the control unit 200, and also stores the data processed at the time of the print job. The network interface 204 is responsible for the interface between the controller 200 and a plurality of computers connected to the network. The hard disk storage device 206 stores fonts, forms, and the like, as well as a swap file according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The swap file stores data processed at the time of a print job stored in the memory unit 202. The print engine unit 210 performs printing under the control of the controller 200. The operation panel 208 includes a plurality of keys and a display for the interface between the user and the control unit 200. The printer is connected to a plurality of computers via a network.

Referring to FIG. 3, which shows a flowchart of a print job processing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention applicable to the above printer, in step 300, the control unit 200 performs a new print job among a plurality of computers connected to a network. If either provides, go to step 302. In step 302, the control unit 200 searches whether the print job received previously is being processed. At this time, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 304 if it is processing the previously provided print job, otherwise proceeds to step 314 to search for a pending print job. If there is the waiting print job, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 304, and if there is no waiting print job, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 316 to process the provided print job.

If the previously provided print job is being processed, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 304 and stores the provided print job in the hard disk storage device 206 before proceeding to step 306. In step 306, the control unit 300 arranges the provided print jobs and the pending print jobs in the order of smallest size, and then proceeds to step 308 after constructing a list of waiting print jobs. The list may consist of identification information, size, and waiting time of a print job. In step 308, the control unit 200 searches whether there are any print jobs whose waiting time exceeds a threshold value among the print jobs in the list. If there is a print job in which the waiting time exceeds the threshold, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 310 and moves to the top of the list in which the waiting time exceeds the threshold, and then proceeds to step 312. In step 312, the controller 200 increases the waiting time of waiting print jobs, and then proceeds to step 300.

In step 300, if the new print job is not provided, the controller 200 proceeds to step 318 to search whether the print job is being processed. The control unit 200 continuously processes the print job when the print job is being processed, and proceeds to step 300 to search for whether a new print job is provided during the print job processing. If the control unit 200 is not processing the print job, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 320 to search for a pending print job. If there is a print job waiting, the controller 200 proceeds to step 322 to process the print job at the top of the list.

The use of the memory is reduced by buffering the print job provided as described above using the hard disk storage device 206. In addition, the present invention prevents the memory pool by swapping and storing data generated due to the processing of the print job.

Referring to FIG. 4, which shows a flowchart of a data storage method during the print job processing, in step 400, the controller 200 searches whether the print job is being processed, and if so, proceeds to step 402. In step 402, the control unit 200 searches whether a memory shortage occurs. At this time, if a memory shortage occurs, the controller 200 proceeds to step 404 and attempts to increase the memory by applying MET. Thereafter, the controller 200 proceeds to step 406 to search for whether memory shortage continues after the MET is applied. If the memory shortage continues after the MET is applied, the controller 200 proceeds to step 408 to generate a swap file in the hard disk storage 206. Thereafter, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 410 to move data generated by the processing of the print job from the memory unit 202 to the swap file. After that, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 412 and searches whether the print job is finished. When the print job is finished, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 414 and transfers the data transferred to the swap file to the memory unit 202. After that, the control unit 200 proceeds to step 416 to delete the generated swap file.

As described above, the present invention can reduce the load of the memory unit by storing the print job provided while the printer connected to the plurality of computers through the network is processing the print job in the hard disk storage device. In addition, the stored print jobs may be sorted in the order of smallest to be output, thereby improving inconvenience of waiting for a long time for a small sized print job for processing a large sized print job. In addition, as described above, in the case of aligning the print job, if the waiting value exceeds the limit, the waiting job is printed first.

In addition, the use of emulation, such as POST SCRIPT, ensures that if memory runs out while processing a print job, the data is moved to a swap file created on the hard disk storage device to prevent the memory pool from occurring.

As described above, the present invention is advantageous in that an abnormal operation of the printer by the memory pool can be prevented by preventing the memory pool from being generated.

Claims (4)

In the data storage method of the printer, When a new print job is provided through the network, searching for the processing of a previously received print job; Storing the newly provided print job in the auxiliary memory device if the previously provided print job is being processed; And processing a print job stored in the auxiliary memory device when the previously provided print job is completed. In the data storage method of the printer, When a new print job is provided through the network, searching for the processing of a previously received print job; Storing the newly provided print job in the auxiliary memory device if the previously provided print job is being processed; Constructing a list by sorting the newly stored print job and the pre-stored print job in order of smallest size; And when the processing of the previously provided print job is completed, processing the print jobs in the order arranged in the list. The method of claim 2, Searching whether there is a waiting time for each print job exceeding a limit after constructing the list; And moving the print job to the top of the list if there is a print job whose waiting time exceeds a threshold. In the data storage method of the printer, Detecting whether there is an out of memory while processing a print job; Generating a swap file in an auxiliary memory device when the memory shortage occurs; Moving data generated by the print job processing from the memory into the swap file; Searching for completion of the print job; And when the print job is completed, transferring the data stored in the swap file to a memory.