A print control method for a printing apparatus equipped with a first and second print control device, each of which are allocated with and control printing units, and a driving control unit that controls driving of mechanical printing mechanisms on the basis of commands from the first and second print control devices, first components allocated to the first print control device, and second components allocated to the second print control device, the print control method comprising:
- detecting the states of the first allocated components using a first detecting unit of the first print control device;
- transmitting a first detection result of the first detection unit to the second print control device connected to the first print control device and receiving a second detection result from the second print control device using a first communication unit of the first communication unit of the first print control device;
- combining the first detection result and the second detection result received from the second print control device in a first combining unit of the first print control device using a first combining unit of the first print control device;
- generating a normal state command if the combined result created by the first combining unit is normal and generating an abnormal state command if the combined result created by the first combining unit is abnormal using a first command generating unit of the first print control device;
- querying a first synchronizing unit of the first print control device using a first synchronizing unit of the first print control device when upon receiving the normal state command or the abnormal state command from the first command generating unit, and, if receiving a first acknowledgment signal from the first synchronizing unit as a response to the query, transmitting the normal state command or the abnormal state command to the driving control unit,
- detecting the states of the second allocated components using a second detecting unit of the second print control device;
- transmitting the second detection result of the second detection unit to the first print control device connected to the first print control device and receiving the first detection result from the first print control device using a second communication unit of the second print control device;
- combining the first detection result and the second detection result using a second combining unit of the second print control device;
- generating a normal state command if the combined result created by the second combining unit is normal and that generates an abnormal state command if the combined result created by the second combining unit is abnormal using a second command generating unit;
- and
- querying a second synchronizing unit of the second print control device using a second output unit, when upon receiving the normal state command or the abnormal state command from the second command generating unit and if receiving a second acknowledgment signal from the second synchronizing unit as a response to the query, the second output unit transmits the normal state command or the abnormal state command to the first synchronizing unit,
- wherein upon receiving the query from the first output unit, the first synchronizing unit responds with the first acknowledgment signal to the first output unit under the condition that the normal state command or the abnormal state command from the first command generating unit and the normal state command or the abnormal state command from the second command generating unit are present in the first synchronizing unit and that the present commands match,
- wherein upon receiving the query from the second output unit, the second synchronizing unit responds with the second acknowledgment signal to the second output unit unconditionally.