JP3645401B2 - NETWORK PRINTER, PRINTING DEVICE, HOST DEVICE, NETWORK PRINTER CONTROL METHOD, AND PRINTING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network printer, and more particularly to a network printer that forms a network using a TCP / IP protocol. The present invention also relates to a printing device and a host device constituting such a network printer, and a control method for such a network printer and the printing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a so-called LAN (LOCAL AREA NETWORK) environment, in which several host devices and printing devices are connected to a network and shared by a plurality of users, has been striking for sharing printing devices and storage devices and improving efficiency. It has spread. In particular, a LAN environment connected by a TCP / IP (TRANSMISSION CONTROL PROTOCOL / INTERNET PROTOCOL) protocol is considered to be a network connection form that is expected to be most popular in the future with the spread of the Internet.
[0003]
In the above TCP / IP environment, a unique address is assigned to each network device such as a printing device or a host device, and data is transferred using this address as a destination. This address is called an IP address (INTERNET PROTOCOL ADDRESS). However, since data cannot be transferred to a printing apparatus in which this address cannot be set, the setting must be input before use.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, although this IP address was set from the panel device of the printer,
1) Since the panel device of the printing device is a several-line LCD (LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY) display, when there are a wide variety of setting items, it is difficult to set a complicated menu structure.
2) In recent years, printing apparatuses that do not have a panel device have appeared for cost reduction, and it has become a problem how IP addresses are set for these printing apparatuses.
It was accompanied by problems such as.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a network printer that can easily perform indispensable settings such as an IP address when connecting an I / F card to a network. With the goal.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the network printer of the present invention is a network printer in which a plurality of printing devices and a host device are connected by a TCP / IP network, and the plurality of printing devices are connected to a TCP / IP network. The host device has means for broadcasting a setting packet including the address of the I / F card of the printing device to which an IP address is to be set to the TCP / IP network . The printing apparatus receives the setting packet broadcast to the TCP / IP network by the means, and when the address of the I / F card included in the setting packet matches the address of its own I / F card, It further has means for changing its own setting according to the setting packet. It is characterized in.
[0007]
The printing apparatus of the present invention is a printing apparatus connectable to a host apparatus via a TCP / IP network, and an I / F card for connecting to the TCP / IP network and the TCP / IP by the host apparatus. Means for receiving a setting packet including the address of the I / F card broadcast to the network, an I / F card address included in the setting packet received by the means, and an address of its own I / F card And a means for changing its own setting according to the setting packet when they match.
In such a printing apparatus, when a response request packet for acquiring the address of the I / F card is received from the host device, the address of the I / F card provided to itself is used as a response to the response request packet. Means may be provided for returning a response containing the response.
In addition, the host device of the present invention provides an I / F of the above-mentioned printing device for which an IP address is to be set in a printing device having an I / F card for connection to a TCP / IP network and a host device that can be connected via a TCP / IP network. Means for broadcasting a setting packet including the address of the F card to the TCP / IP network is provided.
In such a host device, means for broadcasting a response request packet for obtaining the address of the I / F card to the TCP / IP network, and the address of the I / F card included in the response to the response request packet It is good to provide the means to receive.
The network printer control method of the present invention is a network printer control method in which a plurality of printing devices and a host device are connected via a TCP / IP network. The printing device for which an IP address is desired to be set in the host device. The setting packet including the address of the I / F card for connecting to the TCP / IP network is broadcast to the TCP / IP network, and the printing apparatus broadcasts the setting packet to the TCP / IP network. When a setting packet is received and the address of the I / F card included in the setting packet matches the address of its own I / F card, its own setting is changed according to the setting packet. is there.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus control method comprising: an I / F card for connection to a TCP / IP network; and a printing apparatus control method that can be connected to a host apparatus via a TCP / IP network. And receiving the setting packet including the address of the I / F card broadcast to the TCP / IP network by the host device, and the I / F card address and its own I / F included in the received setting packet. When the card address matches, its own setting is changed according to the setting packet.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of a network printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the network printer of the present invention is shown.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is a connection configuration diagram showing the connection relationship of the network printer of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 101 and 102 denote host apparatuses connected on the network. Similarly, utility software for monitoring and setting prints connected to the network operates on these host devices.
[0010]
Reference numeral 103 denotes an option I / F card (hereinafter referred to as NIC) for connecting the printing apparatus to the network, which decodes the protocol and sends the print data sent to itself to the printing apparatus. A printing apparatus 104 prints print data received from the NIC. A network cable 105 physically configures the network.
[0011]
Next, an operation example of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When activated, the utility software broadcasts a packet for management and setting (a set of information and a fixed size) on the local network (step S1). Broadcasting means sending data to all devices on the network regardless of the IP address. Therefore, even if the IP address is not set, this data will be transmitted as long as it is physically connected. Delivered to the printing device. This packet is called a response request packet.
[0012]
On the other hand, when the printing apparatus that supports this protocol receives this packet, it returns response data including its own MAC address (MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL ADDRESS) to the utility software (step S2).
[0013]
The utility software causes the operator to recognize which printing device is currently operating by displaying information on the printing device that has responded on the host device screen. Further, since the response data includes the MAC address of each NIC, it is possible to know which NIC is which MAC address.
[0014]
Now, when setting an IP address of a certain NIC, a setting packet including the MAC address of the other party to be set is broadcast (step S3). Since this setting packet is broadcast, it is sent to all devices like the response request packet.
[0015]
The printing apparatus that has received this setting packet compares its own MAC address with the MAC address described in the packet ( step S4), and if this matches (step S5 / YES), this packet is sent to itself. The setting contents are changed (step S6). If they do not match (step S5 / NO), it is considered that the data has been sent to another NIC and the data is discarded (step S7).
[0016]
According to the above flow, it is possible to perform setting even for a NIC whose IP address has not been set.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, the network printer of the present invention can very easily perform settings necessary for network connection such as an IP address when a new printer is introduced.
[0018]
In addition, when a new printer is introduced, settings necessary for network connection such as an IP address can be performed very easily.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a connection configuration diagram showing a connection relationship of a network printer of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation example by the network printer of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
101, 102 Host device 103 NIC
104 Printer 105 Network cable

Claims (7)

In a network printer in which a plurality of printing devices and a host device are connected via a TCP / IP network,
The plurality of printing devices each have an I / F card for connecting to the TCP / IP network,
The host device has means for broadcasting a setting packet including an address of an I / F card of the printing device to which an IP address is to be set to the TCP / IP network;
The printing apparatus receives the setting packet broadcast to the TCP / IP network by the means, and when the address of the I / F card included in the setting packet matches the address of its own I / F card The network printer further comprises means for changing its own setting according to the setting packet. A printing device connectable to a host device via a TCP / IP network,
An I / F card for connecting to the TCP / IP network;
Means for receiving a setting packet including an address of the I / F card broadcast to the TCP / IP network by the host device;
And a means for changing its own setting according to the setting packet when the address of the I / F card included in the setting packet received by the means matches the address of its own I / F card. Printing device. The printing apparatus according to claim 2,
Means for returning a response including the address of the I / F card provided therein as a response to the response request packet when a response request packet for acquiring the address of the I / F card is received from the host device; A printing apparatus characterized by being provided. A printing apparatus having an I / F card for connecting to a TCP / IP network and a host apparatus connectable with the TCP / IP network,
A host device comprising means for broadcasting a setting packet including an address of an I / F card of the printing device to which an IP address is to be set to the TCP / IP network. The host device according to claim 4,
Means for broadcasting a response request packet for obtaining an address of the I / F card to the TCP / IP network;
Means for receiving an address of the I / F card included in a response to the response request packet. A network printer control method in which a plurality of printing devices and a host device are connected via a TCP / IP network,
Causing the host device to broadcast a setting packet including an address of an I / F card for connecting to a TCP / IP network included in the printing device to which an IP address is to be set to the TCP / IP network;
The printing device receives the setting packet broadcast to the TCP / IP network by the host device, and the address of the I / F card included in the setting packet matches the address of its own I / F card A network printer control method, wherein the setting of the network printer is changed according to the setting packet. A printing apparatus control method comprising an I / F card for connecting to a TCP / IP network and capable of being connected to a host apparatus via a TCP / IP network,
The printing device receives the setting packet including the address of the I / F card broadcasted to the TCP / IP network by the host device, and the I / F card address included in the received setting packet and itself When the address of the I / F card matches, the setting of the printer is changed according to the setting packet.

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