Network printer apparatus and LAN network system

A network printer apparatus connected to a plurality of clients through a LAN network system, comprising:

• a LAN interface driver for receiving printing information from a client through said LAN network system,
• the printing information including an emulation name for identifying a format of printing data sent from the respective one of the clients, the printing information also containing an information portion field and a header field which is disposed ahead of the information portion field, the header field containing a destination address field, a sender address field and a communication protocol type field identifying the type of one of a plurality of communication protocols, said information portion field containing a header field for identifying the header of the communication protocol identified from said communication protocol type field, and a print data field, each of the communication protocols identifying a format for transferring the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the clients;
• communication protocol control means having a protocol control function respectively for each of said plurality of communication protocols, and identifying one of the communication protocols by the protocol type in said type field in the printing information and further controlling transfer of the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the clients, wherein the printing information is contained in a packet which is sent through the LAN network, said communication protocol control means identifies a communication protocol from said type field in the printing information in said packet, the protocol control function of said multiprotocol controller, which corresponds to the communication protocol identified from the communication protocol type field is selected, and said transfer is performed in accordance with the identified communication protocol;
• and wherein said respective protocol control functions may be processed in parallel:
• storage means for storing the printing data transferred;
• a spooling controller coupled to said storage means for storing the printing data and creating a queue for printing jobs to be executed;
• a printer controller for forming an image of the printing data in accordance with the emulation name in the printing information transferred;
• and
• a printing mechanism for printing the image on paper.

A LAN network system comprising:

• a plurality of computers;
• and
• a network printer apparatus connected to said computers;
• said network printer apparatus including:
• LAN adapter means including a LAN interface driver for receiving printing information from a client through said LAN network system, the printing information including an emulation name for identifying a format of printing data sent from the respective one of the computers, the printing information also containing an information portion field and a header field which is disposed ahead of the information portion field, the header field containing a destination address field, a sender address field and a communication protocol type field identifying the type of one of a plurality of communication protocols, said information portion field containing a header field for identifying the header of the communication protocol identified from said communication protocol type field, and a print data field, each of the communication protocols identifying a format for transferring the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the computers, a multiprotocol controller having a protocol control function respectively for each of said plurality of communication protocols and identifying one of the communication protocols by the protocol type in said type field in the printing information and further controlling transfer of the printing data between the apparatus and a respective one of the clients, wherein the printing information is sent through the LAN network in the form of a packet, said multiprotocol controller identifies the communication protocol from said type field in the printing information contained in the protocol control function said multiprotocol controller, which corresponds to the communication protocol identified from the communication protocol type field, is selected, and said transfer is performed in accordance with the identified communication protocol;
• and wherein said respective protocol control functions may be processed in parallel;
• storage means for storing the printing data transferred, and a spooling controller coupled to said storage means for storing the printing data and creating a queue for printing jobs;
• a printer controller for forming an image of the printing data in accordance with the emulation name in the printing information transferred;
• and
• a printing mechanism for printing the image on paper;
• and
• each client including:
• a menu controller for creating printing data, inquiry data for inquiry about the state of said apparatus and printing job information and data for changing or registering printing attributes by an operation on a menu screen;
• and
• a communication controller for transmitting a request for printing in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol, and supplying said inquiry data for inquiring about the state of said apparatus and printing job information and said data for changing or registering printing attributes, to said network printer apparatus in accordance with an original communication protocol which is different from said predetermined communication protocol.

A LAN adapter for a network printer apparatus connected to a plurality of computers through a LAN network system, comprising:

• a LAN interface driver for receiving printing information from the computers through said LAN network system, the printing information including an emulation name for identifying a format of printing data sent from the respective one of the computers the printing information also containing an information portion field and a header field which is disposed ahead of the information portion field, the header field containing a destination address field, a sender address field and a communication protocol type field identifying the type of one of a plurality of communication protocols, said information portion field containing a header field for identifying the header of the communication protocol identified from said communication protocol type field, and a print data field, each of the communication protocols identifying a format for transferring the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the computers;
• and
• a multiprotocol controller having a protocol control function respectively for each of said plurality of communication protocols, and identifying one of the communication protocols by the protocol type in said type field in the printing information and further controlling transfer of the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the computers and indicating a printer controller to form an image of the printing data in accordance with the emulation name in the printing information transferred from the one of the computers, wherein the printing information is sent through the LAN network in the form of a packet, said multiprotocol controller identifies the communication protocol from said type field in the printing information contained in said packet, the protocol control function of said multiprotocol controller, which corresponds to the communication protocol identified from the communication protocol type field, is selected, and said transfer is performed in accordance with the identified communication protocol, and wherein said respective protocol control functions may be processed in parallel.

A LAN adapter for a network printer apparatus connected to a plurality of computers through a LAN network system, comprising:

• a LAN interface driver for receiving printing information from the computers through said LAN network system, the printing information including an emulation name for identifying a format of printing data sent from the respective one of the computers the printing information also containing an information portion field and a header field which is disposed ahead of the information portion field, the header field containing a destination address field, a sender address field and a communication protocol type field identifying the type of one of a plurality of communication protocols including a TCP/IP protocol, an IPX/SPX protocol and an ETHER nettalk, said information portion field containing a header field for identifying the header of the communication protocol identified from said communication protocol type field, and a print data field, each of the communication protocols identifying a format for transferring the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the computers;
• and
• a multiprotocol controller having a protocol control function, respectively for each of said plurality of communication protocols, and identifying one of the communication protocols by the protocol type in the printing information and further controlling transfer of the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the computers and indicating a printer controller to form an image of the printing data in accordance with the emulation name in the printing information transferred from the one of the computers, wherein the printing information is sent through the LAN network in the form of a packet, said multiprotocol controller identifies the communication protocol from said type field in the printing information contained in said packet, the protocol control function said multiprotocol controller, which corresponds to the communication protocol identified from the communication protocol type field, is selected, and said transfer is performed in accordance with the identified communication protocol;
• and wherein said respective protocol control functions may be processed in parallel;
• a front processor including the multiprotocol controller.

A network printer apparatus connected to a plurality of clients through a LAN network system, comprising a LAN interface driver for receiving printing information from a client through said LAN network system, the printing information including an emulation name for identifying a format of a printing data sent from the respective one of the clients the printing information also containing an information portion field and a header field which is disposed ahead of the information portion field, the header field containing a destination address field, a sender address field and a communication protocol type field identifying the type of one of a plurality of communication protocols, said information portion field containing a header field for identifying the header of the communication protocol identified from said communication protocol type field, and a print data field, each of the communication protocols identifying a format for transferring the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the clients;

• communication protocol control means having a respective protocol control function for each of said plurality of communication protocols and identifying one of the communication protocols by the protocol type in the printing information and further controlling transfer of the printing data between the apparatus and the respective one of the clients, wherein the printing information is sent through the LAN network in the form of a packet, said communication protocol control means identifies the communication protocol from said type field in the printing information in said packet, the protocol control function of said multiprotocol controller, which corresponds to the communication protocol identified from the communication protocol type field, is selected, and said transfer is performed in accordance with the identified communication protocol;
• and wherein said respective protocol control functions may be processed in parallel;
• storage means for storing the printing data transferred;
• a spooling controller coupled to said storage means for storing the printing data and creating a queue for printing jobs to be executed;
• a printer controller for forming an image of the printing data by converting the printing data into dot image data based on the queue created by the spooling in controller;
• and
• a printing mechanism for printing the dot image data on paper.