JPH1153143A - Network printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network printer which can easily execute necessary setting at the time of connecting the IP address of a printing device to a TCP (transmission control protocol)/IP(internet protocol) network. SOLUTION: In the network printer, the plural printing devices 104 and a hot device 101 are connected in a TCP/IP network. The printing device 104 has NIC(network interface card) for connecting it to the network and it broadcasts a setting protocol containing the NIC address of the printing device to which the IP address is to be set with utility software operating on the host device 101 to the network. The printing device inputting the setting protocol compares a MAC(media access control) address contained in the protocol with a self-MAC address. When they are matched, indispensable setting at the time of connecting NIC to the network can easily be set by changing self-setting.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network printer, and more particularly, to a network printer having a network formed by a TCP / IP protocol.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related 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 developed to share printing devices and storage devices and improve efficiency. It is spreading at a remarkable rate. In particular, TCP / IP (TR
ANSMISSION CONTROL PROTOC
The LAN environment connected by the OL / INTERNET PROTOCOL protocol is considered to be a network connection form that is expected to be most widely used in the future with the spread of the Internet.

In the above TCP / IP environment, a unique address is assigned to each network device such as a printing device and a host device, and data is transferred with this address as a destination. This address is referred to as the IP address (INTERNET PROT)
OCOL ADDRESS). However, since data cannot be transferred to a printing device for which this has not been set, the setting must be input before use.

[0004]

However, this I
The P address was set from the panel device of the printing device, etc. 1) The panel device of the printing device is a few lines of LCD (LIQUA
Since the display is an ID (CRYSTALD DISPLAY) display, a complicated menu configuration is required when setting items are diversified, and it is very difficult to set. 2) In recent years, printers without a panel device have appeared in order to reduce costs, and how to set an IP address for these printers has become a problem. And so on.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a network printer which can easily perform an indispensable setting such as an IP address when connecting an I / F card to a network. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the object, a network printer according to 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. Is configured to include an I / F card for connecting to a TCP / IP network, and includes a setting including an I / F card address of a printing device for which an IP address is to be set by utility software operating on a host device. The feature is to broadcast the protocol to the network.

[0007] The printing apparatus that has received the setting protocol broadcast by the utility software, when the address of the I / F card included in the setting protocol matches the address of its own I / F card,
You may change your settings according to the configuration protocol.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 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, one embodiment of the network printer of the present invention is shown.

FIG. 1 is a connection configuration diagram showing a connection relationship of a network printer according to the present invention. In FIG.
And 102 are host devices connected on the network. Utility software for monitoring and setting printing that is also connected to the network operates on these host devices.

Reference numeral 103 denotes an optional I / F card (hereinafter, referred to as NIC) for connecting the printing apparatus to a network, which decodes a protocol and sends print data sent to itself to the printing apparatus. 104 is NIC
This is a printing device that prints print data received from the printer.
Reference numeral 105 denotes a network cable that physically configures a network.

Next, an example of the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When started, the utility software broadcasts a packet for management and setting (a set of information in a fixed size) on a local network (step S1). Since broadcast is to send data to all devices on the network regardless of the IP address, even if no IP address is set, this data is transmitted to all devices as long as they are physically connected. Delivered to the printing device. This packet is called a response request packet.

On the other hand, a printer that supports this protocol, upon receiving this packet,
Address (MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL
ADDRESS) is returned to the utility software (step S2).

[0013] The utility software displays information on the printing device that has responded to the host device screen, thereby allowing the operator to recognize which printing device is currently operating. Since the response data includes the MAC address of each NIC, it is possible to know which NIC has which MAC address.

When setting the IP address of a certain NIC, a setting packet including the MAC address of the other party to be set is broadcast (step S).
3). Since this setting packet is broadcast, it is sent to all the devices as in the response request packet.

The printing device that has received the setting packet,
The own MAC address is compared with the MAC address described in the packet (step S4), and if they match (step S5 / YES), the packet is regarded as having been sent to itself, and the setting contents are set. Is changed (step S6). If they do not match (step S5 / NO), it is regarded as being sent to another NIC and the data is discarded (step S5).
7).

According to the above-mentioned flow, it is possible to perform setting even for an NIC for which an IP address has not been set.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, the network printer of the present invention can very easily set an IP address and other essential settings for network connection when a new printer is introduced.

When a new printer is introduced,
Indispensable settings such as P address for network connection 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 showing an operation example of the network printer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101, 102 Host device 103 NIC 104 Printing device 105 Network cable

Claims (2)

[Claims] A plurality of printing devices and a host device are connected to a TCP.
In a network printer connected via a / IP network, the plurality of printing devices each have an I / F card for connecting to the TCP / IP network, and an IP address is set by utility software operating on the host device. A network printer which broadcasts a setting protocol including an address of the I / F card of the printing device to be set to the TCP / IP network. 2. The printing apparatus, which has received the setting protocol broadcast by the utility software, matches the address of the I / F card included in the setting protocol with the address of the I / F card of the printing apparatus. 2. The network printer according to claim 1, wherein the setting is changed according to the setting protocol.