JPH067406Y2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a type of memory stored in an electronic memory cartridge used as an external storage element of an image processing apparatus such as a printer or a word processor (hereinafter word processor). Regarding identification.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, for example, to increase versatility in a printer,
In recent years, an external storage memory for emulation data for operating a printer and font data for giving a character pattern or the like according to a command of a computer has been used. Further, in the word processor, the external storage memory includes a dictionary memory and a text memory. In recent years, an electronic memory cartridge (hereinafter referred to as an IC card) called an IC card has been adopted as such an external storage memory.

In the image processing apparatus having a plurality of external storage memories as described above, a mechanical switch is provided on the apparatus main body side to detect whether or not an IC card is installed, or I
It has been proposed that an identification code be stored in a memory and read out in order to identify the type of C card.

(Problems to be solved) However, the IC card as the external storage memory has the same shape as the memory itself even if the contents of the memory are changed, and an image having a connector for mounting a plurality of IC cards is provided. In the processing device, the mounting location is determined depending on the type of memory, but since the IC card has the same shape, the mounting location may be wrong. In this case, the device will not operate. Further, the device body can detect the mounting of the IC card, but cannot identify it. There is a demand for an image processing apparatus having an effective IC card identification means for preventing such erroneous card insertion.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is an image processing apparatus having an electronic memory cartridge for supplying memory to the image processing apparatus main body by mounting the image processing apparatus main body. ,
When the cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body, grounding means is provided between a plurality of identification terminals provided in the connector on the apparatus main body side and the grounding terminal, that is, the conducting member provided on the side surface of the cartridge and the conducting member. It is made of an insulating material that covers the surface and blocks the conduction of the identification terminal. The insulation material enables conduction by a grounding means having a different covering state for the conducting member depending on the type of the memory of the cartridge memory, and by the combination of the conducting states of the identification terminal The image processing apparatus is capable of identifying the type of memory stored in the mounted cartridge.

(Operation) In the present invention, the identification terminal is made conductive or non-conductive by the grounding means on the side surface of the IC card which is the electronic memory cartridge, and I is selected by the combination of the conductive states of the identification terminals.
The type of memory stored in the C card can be identified.

Embodiment An embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows I used in the image processing apparatus of the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a C card. IC card 1 has I
The grounding means 3 for identifying the type of memory stored in the C card 1 is provided on the side surface of the IC card, and the connection terminal 2 is provided on the side of the IC card 1 to be inserted into the device body 6. . The grounding means 3 is provided with a conducting member 31 made of a metallic material or the like, and engaging contacts 32, 33, 34 which can be covered with an insulator made of a resin material or the like which covers the surface of the conducting member 31 to be in an insulating state. Has been.

The IC card used in the present invention is, for example, a ROM
(Read-only memory) and RAM (random access memory) having a backup power source such as an IC device memory are incorporated.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a mounting state of the IC card of the present invention in the apparatus main body. IC card 1 on the device body 6 side
A connector 4 and a connector 5, which are two IC card connectors for mounting the IC card, are provided. IC in connector 4
The card A is attached to the connector 5, and the IC card B is attached to the connector 5. For example, in the printer, the memory of the emulation data is supplied by the IC card A,
The IC card B supplies the font data memory.
Here, since the connectors 4 and 5 have the same configuration, the same numbers are used. Inside the connectors 4 and 5, there are provided a grounding terminal 21 and identification terminals 22, 23 and 24 which are provided on the IC card 1 and engage with the grounding means 3. The ground terminal 21 is grounded, and the identification terminals 22, 23, 24 are connected to a power source, respectively, and are also connected to a CPU (central processing unit) via a decoder 7 such as a multiplexer.

In FIG. 2, the conducting member 31 and the engaging terminals 32, 33 and 34 on the IC card 1 side and the grounding terminal 21 and the identifying terminals 22, 23 and 24 in the connectors 4 and 5 on the apparatus main body side 6 that engage with the conducting member 31 and the engaging terminals 32, 33 and 34, respectively. Identifies the type of memory stored in the IC card. In this embodiment, the IC card A covers the engaging contacts 33, 34, and the IC card B covers the engaging contacts 32, 33, 34 by an insulator (hatched portion in FIG. 2).

The IC card A is connected to the connectors 4 and 5 of the apparatus main body 6, respectively.
When B is mounted, the grounding terminal 21 in the connector, the conducting member 31 of the grounding means 3 provided on the side surface of the IC card, the identification terminals 22, 23, 24 and the engaging terminals 32, 33, 34 engage with each other. . Since the ground terminal 21 and the conductive member 31 are always engaged without the interposition of an insulator, the conductive member 31 is grounded. In FIG. 2, the engaging terminal 32 of the IC card A is shown.
Is the identification terminal 2 in the connector without being covered with an insulator.
Engage with 2. As a result, the identification terminal 22 becomes the conductive member 31.
It is grounded by communicating with the grounding terminal 21 via.
As a result, the identification terminal 22 changes from the High state to the Low state. On the other hand, since the other identification terminals 23 and 24 are engaged with the engagement terminals 33 and 34 through the insulator,
It remains in the gh state. Engagement terminal 3 of IC card B
Since 2, 33, and 34 engage with the identification terminals 22, 23, and 24 via the insulator, they are all kept in the High state. These identification terminals 22, 23, 24 are connected to the CPU via the decoder 7, and decode the High or Low state and send it to the CPU as an identification signal to store the IC card according to the states of the three identification terminals. You can identify the type of memory you have.

As a method of identifying the type of memory stored in the IC card in FIG. 2, for example, the one in which the engagement terminal 32 is covered with an insulator is a memory group of emulation data, and the one not covered is a memory of font data. It is possible to identify the group and further identify the detailed type in each memory group by using the engaging terminals 33 and 34.
Based on this identification, the operator may be informed of the mounted state of the IC card and the type of memory.

In the above embodiment, since three engaging terminals for identification are provided, eight types of identification can be performed. When many types of identification are required, the number of engaging terminals may be increased. Further, in the above embodiment, the conducting member is provided on the side surface of the IC card.
When the housing of the card is made of a conductive material such as a metal material, the conductive member may be omitted, and the housing may be directly covered with an insulating material to form an engaging terminal as grounding means. .

(Effect of the Invention) In the present invention, the shape of the IC card can be changed,
With a simple configuration without reading the memory of the IC card,
The type of memory stored in the IC card attached to the main body of the apparatus can be identified, and erroneous attachment such as the apparatus not operating after the IC card is attached can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the outer appearance of an IC card used in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the mounting state of the IC card of the present invention in a mounting body. 1 ... IC card, 2 ... Connection terminal, 3 ... Grounding means, 4, 5 ... Connector, 6 ... Device body, 21 ... Grounding terminal, 22, 23, 24 ... Identification terminal, 32, 33 , 34 ... Engaging contacts

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image processing apparatus having an electronic memory cartridge for supplying a memory to the apparatus by being mounted on the apparatus body, wherein the apparatus body side is provided when the cartridge is mounted on the apparatus body. Between the plurality of identification terminals provided in the connector and the ground terminal, grounding means, that is, an electrically conductive member provided on the side surface of the cartridge, and an insulating material that covers the surface of the electrically conductive member to prevent electrical continuity of the identification terminals. The insulating material enables conduction by the grounding means whose covering state with respect to the conducting member differs depending on the type of memory of the cartridge, and identifies the type of memory stored in the cartridge mounted by the combination of the conducting states of the identification terminals. An image processing device characterized by the above.