Patent ID: 7830536

Claim:
A print system comprising: a plurality of personal computers; and a printer connected to the personal computers for forming an image on a recording paper sheet with using an image data output from each of the personal computers; wherein each personal computer has a command input means used for inputting a print command and a print lock command for locking print operation of the printer and a first control means for controlling each element of the personal computer; the printer has a paper feed tray on which at least one recording paper sheet is loaded, a recording paper feeding means for feeding the recording paper sheet loaded on the paper feed tray, an image formation means for forming an image on the recording paper sheet fed by the recording paper feeding means and a second control means for controlling each element of the printer; when a print lock command is inputted to the first control means through the command input means of one of the personal computers, the first control means outputs a print lock signal and a first ID code of the one of the personal computers to the printer; when the print lock signal and the first ID code are outputted from one of the personal computers, the second control means of the printer stops motion of the recording paper feeding means and makes the image formation means unprintable for all the personal computers and stores the first ID code in a memory; when an image data and a second ID code are outputted from any one of the personal computers, the second control means of the printer compares the second ID code with the first ID code stored in the memory; when the second ID code coincides with the first ID code, the second control means of the printer releases stop of the motion of the recording paper transfer means and enables the image formation means to print only for the one of the personal computers that outputs the print lock signal and the first ID code, and drives the recording paper transfer means and the image formation means for forming at least one desired image to be formed on a recording paper sheet with using the input image data; when a print operation of the printer using the input image data from the one of the personal computers is completed, the second control means of the printer enables the image formation means to print for all the personal computers.