JPH05204562A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the printer whose reception system for a higher-order machine is automatically switched to the radio system or the wire system in accordance with the signal from the higher-order machine by taking in printing data from an interface circuit which permits take-in of printing data and performing the print operation based on this printing data. CONSTITUTION:A control circuit 1 is provided with a CPU, a RAM, a ROM used for control of each part by the CPU, etc. The control circuit 1 consists of a printing head for dot pattern printing, a printing head drive part 3, a paper feed motor 4, a paper detecting sensor 5, and a home position detecting sensor 6. The control circuit 1 is connected to first and second interface circuits 9 and 10 through a data bus 11 and an address bus 12. The reception system for the higher-order machine is automatically switched to the radio system or the wire system in accordance with the signal from the higher-order machine.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus which connects a personal computer, a workstation or the like as a host device and receives print data from the host device to perform a printing operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a printing apparatus of this kind, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-286328 and 63-288317.
As can be seen in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2003-264, there has been developed a printer which is provided with a wireless interface and wirelessly receives print data from a host device and prints the print data. For example, JP-A-62-1
In the 286328 publication, as shown in FIG. 3, a data transmission / reception circuit section is provided on the printer side, and a data transmission / reception circuit section is provided as an adapter on the interface connector section of the higher-level device to perform wireless transmission between both data transmission / reception circuit sections. It is like this.

A printing apparatus that wirelessly receives print data from such a higher-level device and prints it does not have the trouble of arranging a cable like a cable, and there is no great restriction on the arrangement of the printing apparatus, and a relatively free position. There are advantages such as being able to be placed in the above, and being relatively free to be shared by a plurality of higher level devices.

[0004]

However, when such a printing apparatus is used, a wireless control unit is required as a higher-level device. Therefore, the printing apparatus which is connected to the higher-level apparatus by wire has such a wireless function. When replacing the printer with the printer, it is necessary to newly install a wireless control unit in the host device. In addition, it was troublesome to change the wired printer system to a wireless system.

Therefore, the present invention can deal with a higher-level device in either a wireless system or a wired system, and thus can improve versatility, and whether the higher-level device receives the wireless system or the wired system. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can be automatically switched according to a signal from a host device.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in a printing apparatus which receives print data from a host device and performs a printing operation based on the received print data, an interface connector for wired connection to the host device, An interrupt signal from any one of a first interface circuit that controls a signal from this interface connector, a wireless circuit to which an antenna is connected, a second interface circuit that controls a signal from this wireless circuit, and each interface circuit. Occurs, the circuit switching means that allows the acquisition of print data from the interface circuit that generated the interrupt signal and prohibits the acquisition of print data from other interface circuits, and the interface circuit that allows the acquisition of print data Capture print data and based on the print data It is provided with a control means for performing printing operation.

[0007]

In the present invention having such a structure, when a signal is received from the higher-level device of the wireless system, an interrupt signal is generated from the second interface circuit, whereby the circuit switching means prints from the second interface circuit. The data acquisition is permitted and the print data acquisition from the first interface circuit is prohibited. After that, the print data is fetched from the second interface circuit and the printing operation is performed based on the print data. Further, when a signal is received from a wired high-order device, an interrupt signal is generated from the first interface circuit, whereby the circuit switching means permits the capture of print data from the first interface circuit and the second interface circuit. It is prohibited to capture print data from. After that, the print data is fetched from the first interface circuit, and the printing operation is performed based on the print data.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the invention is applied to a serial printer.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control circuit, which is a CPU (central processing unit) that constitutes the main body of the control unit, a RAM (random access memory) that stores received print data, and a CPU. A ROM (Read Only Memory) storing program data for controlling each unit, a ROM provided with a character generator for developing print data into a dot pattern for actual printing, and the like are provided.

The control circuit 1 drives and controls a print head 2 for printing a dot pattern, a print head feed drive unit 3 for controlling the movement of the print head along a platen, and a paper feed motor 4 for carrying print paper. It is like this. Further, the control circuit 1 controls a paper detection sensor 5 for detecting the presence or absence of print paper, a home position detection sensor 6 for detecting whether or not the print head 2 is at the home position, and a control of capturing signals from various operation switches 7. At the same time, the LED display 8 showing the status of the printer is controlled to be turned on.

The control circuit 1 is also connected to a first interface circuit (I / F 1) 9 and a second interface circuit (I / F 2) 10 via a data bus 11 and an address bus 12. A Centronics interface connector 13, for example, is connected to the first interface circuit 9 as an interface connector. A wireless circuit 14 is connected to the second interface circuit 10, and an antenna 15 is connected to the wireless circuit 14. A specific host device is connected to the connector 13 via a cable.
The CPU of the control circuit 1 is programmed to perform the reception control shown in FIG. First, when the power is turned on, each part is initialized. Then, the first and second interface circuits 9 and 10 are set to receive enable.

When data reception from the host device is started in this state, interrupt signals INT1 and INT2 are generated.
This determines whether the interrupt signal INT1 from the first interface circuit 9 or the interrupt signal INT2 from the second interface circuit 10 is determined. That is, when the first interface circuit 9 receives the data from the connector 13, it generates an interrupt signal INT1 to the control circuit 1, and when the second interface circuit 10 receives the data from the wireless circuit 14, it interrupts the control circuit 1. Generates signal INT2.

If it is the interrupt signal INT1 from the first interface circuit 9, the chip select CS1 is output to the first interface circuit 9 to permit the capture of print data from the first interface circuit 9, and the second The acquisition of print data from the interface circuit 10 is prohibited, that is, the reception is disabled. If the interrupt signal INT2 from the second interface circuit 10 is sent to the second interface circuit 10, the chip select CS
2 is output to permit the capture of the print data from the second interface circuit 10 and inhibit the capture of the print data from the first interface circuit 9, that is, disable the reception.

When the first interface circuit 9 receives the print data from the host device via the connector 13 while permitting the print data to be fetched from the first interface circuit 9, the print data is fetched and the print data is fetched. Is converted into pattern data, and the print head 2, the print head feed drive unit 3, and the paper feed motor 4 are driven and controlled to perform a printing operation. Then, this operation is repeated until the reception of print data is completed.

When the second interface circuit 10 receives print data from the host device via the wireless circuit 14 while permitting the print data to be fetched from the second interface circuit 10, the print data is fetched and The print data is converted into pattern data, and the print head 2, the print head feed drive unit 3, and the paper feed motor 4 are driven and controlled to perform the printing operation. Then, this operation is repeated until the reception of print data is completed.

In the embodiment having such a structure, when the print data is received from the host device connected through the connector 13, the first interface circuit 9 generates the interrupt signal INT1 to the control circuit 1, As a result, the control circuit 1 outputs the chip select CS1 to the first interface circuit 9 to output the first interface circuit 9
The print data from the second interface circuit 10 is permitted, and the print data from the second interface circuit 10 is prohibited.
In this way, the printing apparatus receives print data from the higher-level device connected by wire and prints it out.

When the wireless circuit 14 wirelessly receives print data from the host device via the antenna 15, the second
An interrupt signal INT2 is generated from the interface circuit 10 to the control circuit 1, and the control circuit 1 outputs the chip select CS2 to the second interface circuit 10 to fetch the print data from the second interface circuit 10. Permit and prohibit the capture of print data from the first interface circuit 9. In this way, the printing apparatus wirelessly receives print data from the higher-level device and prints it out.

The interrupt signal INT1 from the first interface circuit 9 and the second interface circuit 10
If the priority order is set in advance for the interrupt signal INT2 from, the printing operation is performed in accordance with the priority order when the interrupt signals occur at the same time.

As described above, since it is possible to deal with a higher-level device that is transmitted by wire and a higher-level device that is wirelessly transmitted, it is possible to replace it with a printing device of a system that has used a printing device having only a wired interface up to then. In the case of sharing with a plurality of upper devices, it can be easily realized by providing the upper device with a wireless interface.

Further, the control of receiving the print data by wire from the host device and the control of receiving the print data by wireless from the host device can be automatically switched, so that the troublesome work of manually switching is avoided. It is unnecessary and easy to use. Further, since the other interface circuit is disabled when switching is performed, reliable printing operation can be performed.

Although the above-described embodiments have been described in which the present invention is applied to a serial printer, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and can be applied to a printing apparatus such as a line printer or a digital copying machine. is there.

[0022]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to deal with the host device by either the wireless system or the wired system, and thus the versatility can be improved, and the host device receives by the wireless system. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus capable of automatically switching whether to perform reception by a wired system or according to a signal from a host device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing main part control of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Control circuit, 2 ... Print head, 9, 10 ... Interface circuit, 13 ... Centronics interface connector, 14 ... Wireless circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer, which receives print data from a host device and performs a printing operation based on the received print data, controls an interface connector for wired connection to the host device and a signal from the interface connector. When an interrupt signal is generated from any one of the first interface circuit, a wireless circuit to which an antenna is connected, a second interface circuit that controls a signal from this wireless circuit, and each of the interface circuits, an interrupt signal is generated. Circuit automatic switching means that permits the acquisition of print data from the interface circuit that has occurred and prohibits the acquisition of print data from other interface circuits, and the print data is acquired from the interface circuit that has been permitted to acquire the print data. Control to perform printing operation based on print data A printing apparatus comprising means.