Printing system, control method therefor, and recording medium

• US 6,480,292 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, TIA A
• Application Number:
  US09/236,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.12, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/1.16, 358/434, 358/435, 358/408, 358/402, 358/403, 710/11, 710/3, 370/238, 370/252, 370/229, 370/235
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1821 Sending feedback on the reception process to the data source, e.g. indication of full buffer

Abstract

A printing system has a host apparatus (information processing apparatus) and a printing apparatus (output apparatus) for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from the host apparatus. A plurality of communication channels are provided between the host apparatus and the printing apparatus. The numbers of packets transmittable and receivable in each communication channel are checked. When there is no packet transmittable to the printing apparatus from the host apparatus, the host apparatus issues a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct the printing apparatus to inform the host apparatus of the number of valid packets. The delay time for issuing a subsequent request to the printing apparatus for the notification of the number of valid packets is adjusted in accordance with the previous delay time and the number of packets obtained in response to the previous request from the host apparatus.

Claims

1. A printing system comprising an information processing apparatus, and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, said printing system comprising:

control means for controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus; and

adjusting means for issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus, and for adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time and the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

2. A printing system comprising an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, said printing system comprising:

control means for controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing means for issuing a request to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus;

responding means for responding to the request for notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting means for adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

3. A printing system comprising an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, said printing system comprising:

control means for controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus; and

adjusting means for issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus, and for adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time and the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

4. A printing system comprising an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, said printing system comprising:

control means for controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing means for issuing a request to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus;

responding means for responding to the request for notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting means for adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

5. A control method for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus; and

adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time and the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

6. A control method for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus;

responding to the request for notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

7. A control method for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus; and

adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

8. A control method for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus;

responding to the request for notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

9. A computer readable medium on which a program is recorded, the program for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, said program comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between the information processing apparatus and the output apparatus;

issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus; and

adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time and the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

10. A computer readable medium on which a program is recorded, the program for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation in accordance with data supplied from said information processing apparatus, the program comprising the steps of

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request to instruct said output apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said output apparatus from said information processing apparatus;

responding to the request for the notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

11. A computer readable medium on which a program is recorded, the program for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, the program comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus; and

adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said information processing apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

12. A computer readable medium on which a program is recorded, the program for a printing system which comprises an information processing apparatus and an output apparatus for performing a printing operation, the program comprising the steps of:

controlling communications between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of a plurality of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said output apparatus;

issuing a request to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said output apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said information processing apparatus from said output apparatus;

responding to the request for the notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said output apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

13. An information processing apparatus for communicating with an external apparatus, said information processing comprising:

control means for controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus; and

adjusting means for issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said external apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable from said information processing apparatus, and for adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said external apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

14. An information processing apparatus for communicating with an external apparatus, said information processing comprising:

control means for controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus;

receiving means for receiving a request to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said external apparatus of a number of transmittable packets;

responding means for responding to the request for notification of the number transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting means for adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said external apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.

15. A control method for communicating between an information processing apparatus and an external apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each of communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus;

issuing a request, after a lapse of a predetermined delay time, to instruct said external apparatus to notify said information processing apparatus of a number of transmittable packets in a case where there is no packet transmittable to said external apparatus from said information processing apparatus; and

adjusting the delay time for issuing a subsequent request to said external apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets obtained in response to the previous request.

16. A control method for communicating between an information processing apparatus and an external apparatus, said control method comprising the steps of:

controlling communication between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus by checking a number of transmittable packets in each communication channels provided between said information processing apparatus and said external apparatus;

receiving a request to instruct said information processing apparatus to notify said external apparatus of a number of transmittable packets;

responding to the request for notification of the number of transmittable packets after a lapse of a predetermined delay time; and

adjusting the delay time for responding to a subsequent request from said external apparatus for the notification of the number of transmittable packets in accordance with the previous delay time or the number of transmittable packets notified in response to the previous request.