JP2000062294A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer capable of arbitrarily changing individual data and control software in the printer. SOLUTION: This printer consists of a CPU section 1 for executing controlling of printing, a data memory section 2 for storing printing control data as individual data, a program memory 3 wherein various kinds of control software is stored, an image memory section 4 for developing inputted image data, a printing section 5 for printing the image data, an operation panel section 6, a PC card section 7 for providing an interface to a PC card, an interface section 8 for providing an interface to an external device, and a system bus 9 for connecting the above sections. The PC card section 7 has a function for reading data or writing data from or into the PC card inserted to a card slot. The insertion of the PC card is detected by means of the control software stored in the program memory 3 and a type of the data recorded in the PC card is judged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having an interface portion to which an external device is connected, or a PC card insertion slot (slot).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video signal recording / printing system in which a camera and a printer are integrated is used by general users as a print sticker creating machine for easily making ID photo devices, business card stickers, or photo stickers for amusement purposes. Have been used for. Generally, in a normal printing apparatus, data including image data is input / output to / from an external apparatus such as a personal computer, and printing is performed in a full-screen printing mode. An image taken by the camera is printed by setting a mode in which the printing paper is divided into a plurality of, for example, 16 or 4 sections.

In a conventional printing apparatus, in order to rewrite the unique data inside the printing apparatus, the unique data is changed by using the software built in the printing apparatus and stored in the data memory section inside the printing apparatus. Was configured.
Here, the unique data is print control data unique to the printing device, such as the number of divided screens of one printing sheet, or comment data printed at the same time as a captured image.
If the mode is not properly set for a plurality of setting items, printing cannot be performed by controlling the printing device. That is, since the unique data stored in the printing device is closely related to the printing operation itself of the printing device, how to set the unique data depends on the purpose and use of the printing device. . Therefore, in the case of the above-described video signal recording / printing system, when changing the mode, the unique data stored in advance in the data memory unit in the printing apparatus is appropriately rewritten and re-set as appropriate print control data. Had to do.

Further, in the above-mentioned printing system, in order to solve the trouble caused by the printing apparatus or to maintain and manage the entire system including the printing apparatus, the usage environment of the printing apparatus is grasped by grasping unique data. It is also necessary to specify.

[0005]

In the printing system described above, the specific data used by a plurality of systems are almost the same in view of a specific purpose and purpose of use. It is possible for the user to reset the unique data for each individual system. However, this work requires several kinds of setting items to be changed at the same time, which is a very complicated work for a general user and is not realistic.

Next, when the printing apparatus is inoperable for some reason or when the system provided including the printing apparatus is inoperable, the printing apparatus, or It is common practice to analyze the cause of the error by using print control specific data incorporated in a printing system. However, in order to collect information on the unique data of the printing apparatus, it is necessary to investigate many kinds of setting items. Moreover, general users cannot refer to the setting items to be investigated stored in a special area inside the printing apparatus, and it is impossible to investigate those items.

Further, since the printing apparatus operates with the control software stored in the program memory section and the control software needs to be stored even when the power of the printing apparatus is turned off, it is normally ROM ( Read Only
Memory) is used. Therefore, for a user who wants to use unique data that is different from the usual one, a ROM for that purpose is created and incorporated into the printing device.
Replacement work is required. Also, if the control software is upgraded, the program will be modified or the control function will be added.
Even in such a case, the ROM needs to be replaced.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a printing apparatus in which a user can arbitrarily change the unique data inside the printing apparatus or the control software according to the use. Is to provide.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising: a data memory section in which print control data is stored; a program memory section in which control software for controlling printing operation is stored; and an external device. A printing device having an interface unit for inputting and outputting data including image data between the detecting unit and a detecting unit that detects that data is input through the interface unit, and a data memory unit in the data memory unit based on the data. The print control data stored in the data memory unit is controlled by the control software to change the stored print control data.

Further, the printing apparatus according to the second aspect has a PC card insertion port, and a PC card unit for reading and writing data with the PC card inserted therein and the insertion port. A P-card inserted in the PC card part is further provided with a detection means for detecting the insertion of the PC card.
When the format of the record data of the C card matches the print control data stored in the printing device, the print control data is collectively changed by transferring the unique data recorded in the PC card to the data memory unit. It is something that is done.

Further, the printing apparatus according to a third aspect further comprises a recording means for recording the print control data stored in the printing apparatus in the PC card when the inserted PC card is writable. Is.

The printing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the invention includes a diagnostic means for diagnosing whether the data format of the received data received via the interface unit matches the data format stored in the printing apparatus, and the receiving means. When it is determined that the data format of the data matches the print control data in the printing apparatus, a transfer unit that transfers the received data to the data memory unit as new print control data is further provided.

The printing apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention further includes a sending unit that sends the print control data stored in the printing apparatus to the external device connected to the interface unit via the interface unit. It is a thing.

Further, the printing apparatus according to the present invention receives the data when the data format of the received data received through the interface unit is judged to match the control software for controlling the printing operation of the printing apparatus. Comparison means for comparing the version information of the control software with version information of the control software inside the printing device; and a rewriting means for rewriting the control software stored in the program memory unit by the received data according to the comparison result by the comparison means. Is further provided.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the accompanying drawings,
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Embodiment 1. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, this printing apparatus includes a CPU section 1 for controlling printing, a data memory section 2 for storing print control data for setting various print items as unique data, and a printing operation. A program memory unit 3 in which various control software for controlling is stored, an image memory unit 4 for expanding image data input from an external device such as a personal computer, a printing unit 5 for printing the image data, The operator gives various instructions to the printing apparatus, and an operation panel unit 6 for displaying a file name, the status of the printing apparatus, and the like.
A PC card unit 7 that provides an interface with a PC card, an interface unit 8 that provides an interface with an external device, and a system bus 9 that connects the units.

The CPU section 1 is composed of a microcomputer and the like, and according to a micro program stored in the ROM, while exchanging data with the RAM, arithmetically processes and processes values necessary for various operations. The image memory unit 4, the interface unit 8,
It controls the PC card unit 7, the operation panel unit 6, the printing unit 5, and the like. Further, it is detected that print control data or the like is input through the interface unit 8, or the data memory unit 2
It has a function of arbitrarily changing the print control data stored in.

The program memory unit 3 is composed of a rewritable storage area such as a RAM and a storage area such as an ordinary ROM, and stores updatable control software described later in the RAM area.

The PC card section 7 interfaces with the PC card, has a PC card insertion slot (card slot), and reads and writes data from and into the PC card inserted therein. It has a function to do. Then, the control software stored in the program memory unit 3 detects that the PC card is inserted into the insertion slot, and determines the format of the data recorded in the PC card.

The PC card is JEIDA ((Company)
It is an IC card standardized by Japan Electronics Industry Promotion Association) and PCMCIA (Memory Card Association) in the United States.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

In the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the operation of each section is controlled by the CPU section 1 which operates according to the control software stored in the program memory section 3. The control software sets each unit in the printing apparatus based on the unique data stored in the data memory unit 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing PC card detection and data format processing.

In step ST1 of FIG. 2, it is detected by polling or interruption that the PC card has been inserted into the card slot of the printing apparatus. When the printing apparatus detects the insertion of the PC card, step ST2 shown in FIG.
Then, the data of the PC card is read, and in step ST3, it is determined from the format of the read data whether or not the data is unique data.

As a result of this judgment, when the format of the read data is the unique data of the printing device, the control software stores the read unique data in the data memory unit 2 (step ST4). The control software sets each unit in the printing device based on the unique data stored in the data memory unit 2, and the printing device can operate according to the unique data recorded in the PC card.
When the format of the read data is data other than the unique data, the control software performs a predetermined process (step ST5).

When a plurality of unique data are recognized in the PC card, a list of file names of the unique data is displayed on the operation panel of the printing device, and the user's instruction is awaited. When the specific unique data is selected by the user, the printing apparatus transfers the specified unique data to the data memory unit 2 and sets each unit in the printing apparatus.

As described above, in the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment, a PC card that can be used by the printing apparatus having the recorded data is prepared according to the purpose of use by the user. By detecting that a card has been inserted, the unique data inside the printing device can be changed arbitrarily, so that the user can easily and arbitrarily change the unique data inside the printing device according to the intended use. it can.

Further, in the conventional printing apparatus, the peculiar data is handled only inside the printing apparatus.
In this printing device, since it is possible to output or record the unique data of an external device connected to the interface unit or a PC card inserted in the PC card unit, it is possible to print a plurality of printing devices. Even when a similar print operation setting request is made, it is possible to omit the complicated work of setting the unique data for each printing apparatus, which leads to improvement in operability.

Embodiment 2. In the printing apparatus according to the second embodiment, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the unique data read from the PC card is further stored in the data memory unit 2 inside the printing apparatus.
In addition to storing the data in the memory, the control software is provided to record the unique data of the printing device stored in the data memory unit 2 in the PC card.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the process of writing data to the PC card.

The printing device detects that the PC card is inserted into the card slot of the printing device (step ST1).
1) In addition, when the PC card is a writable PC card, the control software, as shown in FIG.
The unique data stored in is stored in the PC card (steps ST12 and ST13).

Embodiment 3. The printing apparatus according to the third embodiment is a printing system including a plurality of apparatuses having the same configuration as the printing apparatus in FIG. 1 and has a PC card as an intermediary for exchanging unique data.

Here, by inserting the PC card storing the unique data into the PC card slot of another printing apparatus of the same type, the unique data can be shared between the printing apparatuses. Therefore, even when the control software according to each user's request is embedded in the ROM and provided, the development period and the verification period can be shortened by transferring the unique data from the PC card to the printing apparatus, thereby reducing the development cost. It can also contribute to reduction.

Fourth Embodiment The printing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, further receives unique data corresponding to the internal data of the printing apparatus via the interface unit 8 and stores the unique data in the data memory unit 2 and the inside of the data memory unit 2. The unique data of the interface 8
It is provided with control software for transmitting to an external device via.

First, the interface unit 8 from the external device
A case where the unique data is received via will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for writing unique data from the external device to the printing device. As shown in FIG. 4, the user requests the setting change of the unique data from the external device (step ST21). When the setting change is requested, the external device transfers the unique data to the printing device (step ST22).

The printing device detects the input of unique data in the interface section 8 (steps ST23 and ST24).
Then, the control software in the printing apparatus transfers the unique data from the interface section 8 to the data memory section 2 (step ST25). When the format of the transferred data is data other than the unique data, the control software performs a predetermined process (step ST2).
6).

In this way, the printing apparatus can set each unit in the printing apparatus based on the unique data newly transferred to the data memory unit 2 and perform the operation corresponding to the unique data requested by the user. it can.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a procedure for transferring unique data from the printing device to the external device.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the user uses the operation panel unit 6 or the like to request transfer of the unique data inside the printing device to an external device (step ST31), the data transfer is requested to the printing device. (Step ST3
2). Therefore, the CPU unit 1 controls so that the unique data in the data memory unit 2 is transferred to the interface unit 8 (step ST33). As a result, the printing apparatus transfers the unique data to the external apparatus via the interface unit 8 according to the control software (step ST3).
4).

As described above, by allowing the external device to handle the unique data in the printing device through the interface unit 8, the handling and saving of the unique data of the printing device becomes easy, and the network environment and the mail environment are saved. And so on
High maintainability can be secured even in a distant place.

Fifth Embodiment The printing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment has the same configuration as the apparatus according to the first embodiment, and
Furthermore, it has a function of comparing the version information of the control software input from the interface unit 8 with the version information of the control software of the printing apparatus, and a rewriting function of rewriting the control software stored in the program memory section of the printing apparatus. It is one.

In such a printing apparatus, the case where the data input through the interface unit 8 is the control software of the printing apparatus will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for comparing version information.

The user transfers the control software from the external device to the printing device. When the printing apparatus detects that the data is transferred in the interface unit 8 (step ST41), it determines whether the transferred data is control software (step ST42). When the input of the control software is detected, the printing apparatus temporarily outputs only the version information of the input control software to the CPU.
Writing to the work memory or the like of the unit 1 (step ST4
3). Further, the version information is read from the built-in control software of the printing apparatus (step ST44), compared with the version information of the transferred control software,
It is determined whether it has been updated (step ST4).
5). If the version information is updated, step ST4
At 6, it is determined that the transferred control software is the latest version.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the control software rewriting procedure.

Here, the control software transferred to the interface section 8 is written in the work memory of the CPU section 1 (step ST51). Next, a check (diagnosis by checksum) is performed to check whether the transferred control software has a transfer error (step ST5).
2). In step ST53, if there is no error in the transferred control software from the diagnosis result, the old control software is erased (step ST54), and new control software is written in the program memory unit 3 (step S
T55). After the rewriting is completed, the printing apparatus is restarted by resetting the system.

As described above, in the printing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment, since the printing apparatus can be disassembled and the program can be modified or the control function can be added without replacing the ROM, the control software The cost required for correction and maintenance work can be reduced. Furthermore, by using a network or the like connected through the interface unit, the user can always use the latest control software to perform a series of operations.

[0050]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects.

In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, image data is stored between the data memory section in which the print control data is stored, the program memory section in which the control software for controlling the printing operation is stored, and the external apparatus. A printing apparatus having an interface unit for inputting and outputting data including,
The print control of the data memory unit is provided by the control software, which includes a detecting unit that detects that data is input through the interface unit and a changing unit that changes the print control data stored in the data memory unit based on the data. Since the data is controlled to be changed arbitrarily, the user can arbitrarily change the unique data inside the printing apparatus or the control software according to the purpose.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a PC card insertion port, and a PC card unit for reading and writing data with the PC card inserted therein and a PC card for the insertion port. A PC inserted into the PC card unit, further comprising a detection unit for detecting that the PC has been inserted.
When the format of the record data of the card matches the print control data stored in the printing device, the print control data is collectively changed by transferring the unique data recorded in the PC card to the data memory unit. Since it is configured as described above, P
It becomes possible to read and write from the C card,
It can also contribute to reduction of development period and cost.

In the printing apparatus according to the third aspect, when the inserted PC card is writable, the printing apparatus further comprises recording means for recording the print control data stored in the printing apparatus in the PC card. If a plurality of printing apparatuses are requested to perform the same operation, the complicated work of setting the unique data for each printing apparatus can be omitted, and the operability can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a diagnostic device for diagnosing whether the data format of the received data received via the interface unit matches the data format stored in the printing apparatus, and the received data. When it is determined that the data format matches the print control data inside the printing apparatus, a transfer means for transferring the received data as new print control data to the data memory section is further provided, so that the user can use it for the purpose. In addition, the unique data inside the printing apparatus can be arbitrarily changed.

The printing apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention further comprises a sending means for sending the print control data stored in the printing apparatus to the external apparatus connected to the interface section via the interface section. Therefore, it becomes easy to handle and store the unique data of the printing apparatus, and it is possible to secure high maintainability even in a distant place depending on the network environment, the mail environment, and the like.

In the printing apparatus according to the sixth aspect, when it is determined that the data format of the received data received via the interface unit matches the control software for controlling the printing operation of the printing apparatus, the received control software is received. Of the control software in the printing apparatus, and a rewriting means for rewriting the control software stored in the program memory unit with the received data according to the comparison result by the comparing means. Since the configuration is provided, the control software can be modified or the function can be added without disassembling the printing apparatus, and the user can always perform the work by using the latest control software.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a printing apparatus that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing PC card detection and data format processing according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of writing data into a PC card according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for writing unique data from an external device to a printing device according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for transferring unique data from a printing device to an external device according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for comparing version information according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control software rewriting procedure according to the fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU part, 2 data memory part, 3 program memory part, 4 image memory part, 5 printing part, 6
Operation panel section, 7 PC card section, 8 interface section, 9 system bus.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A data memory unit in which print control data is stored, a program memory unit in which control software for controlling a printing operation is stored, and data including image data are input / output between an external device. A printing apparatus having an interface unit, the detection unit detecting that data is input through the interface unit, and changing the print control data stored in the data memory unit based on the data. Means for controlling the print control data of the data memory unit to be arbitrarily changed by the control software. 2. A PC card unit having a PC card insertion port for reading and writing data from and into the PC card inserted therein, and a PC card inserted into the insertion port. The recording medium further includes a detecting unit for detecting, and when the format of the recording data of the PC card inserted in the PC card unit matches the print control data stored in the printing apparatus, the recording data is recorded in the PC card. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print control data is collectively changed by transferring the unique data to the data memory unit. 3. The recording device according to claim 2, further comprising a recording unit for recording the print control data stored in the printing device in the PC card when the inserted PC card is writable. The printing device described. 4. A diagnostic unit for diagnosing whether the data format of the received data received via the interface unit matches the data format stored in the printing apparatus, and the data format of the received data is the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a transfer unit that transfers the received data to the data memory unit as new print control data when it is determined that the received print data matches the internal print control data. . 5. A transmission means for transmitting print control data stored in the printing apparatus to an external device connected to the interface unit via the interface unit. Item 5. The printing device according to item 4. 6. The version information of the received control software and the printing apparatus when it is determined that the data format of the received data received via the interface unit matches the control software for controlling the printing operation of the printing apparatus. And a rewriting unit that rewrites the control software stored in the program memory unit with the received data according to the comparison result by the comparison unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the printing apparatus is a printing apparatus.