GB2300986A - Optical data communication apparatus for printer - Google Patents

Description

OPTICAL DATA COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND PRINTER The present invention

relates to an optical data communication apparatus and a printer having optical data communication functions.

There have been developed small portable printers for personal computers. The small portable printer is not installed at a specific place but is put on a user's desk or the like when it is used. Data for printing is sent to the portable printer from a personal computer or a portable data communication device. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an interface or a data transmission means for the purpose of connecting the printer and the personal computer.

Recently, infrared data transmission means without cables have been proposed. With the infrared data communications system, the data transmitter and the data receiver are provided with light emitting elements and light receiving elements that transmit and receive data for printing in accordance with a predetermined - 2 communication protocol. The conventional data receiver is secured to the printer body. However, since infrared radiation is directional, the data transmitter has to be oriented with the data receiver so that the data transmitter is within a predetermined light receiving angle with respect to the data receiver.

Consequently, it is impossible for a user to orient the printer and the personal computer in accordance with a user's will.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a data receiving apparatus used with a printer, which can be positioned with respect to a data transmitting apparatus according to a user's will by utilizing an optical communication.

According to the present invention there is provided a radio communication apparatus for a printer comprises a first member having a light receiving element,the light receiving element having a predetermined light receiving angle, a second member to emit a light ray transmitting a set of data for pri nting, the second member being separately formed from the first member, and the printer being arranged to receive the set of data f rom the second member through the first member, the first member b eing functionally connected to the printer through a predeterm ined means so that the printer performs a printing operation in accordance with the set of data emitted with the light ray, wherein a part of the first member is arranged to be movable so that the second member comes within the light receiving angle of the light receiving element in the first member.

Preferably, the f irst member is an optical communication adapter that is detachably attached to the printer, and the second member is a personal computer having at least a data transmitting portion to emit the light ray transmitting the set of data for printing.

Examples of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical data communication apparatus for a printer, according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the optical data communication apparatus shown in Fig. 1, attached to a printer and in a first orientation; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the optical data communication apparatus shown in Fig. 1 attached to a printer and in a second orientation; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of an optical data communication apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention attached to a printer.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a printer 10 and an optical data communication apparatus or adapter 51 (hereinafter the adapter). In particular, the adapter 51 is depicted so that the inside of the adapter 51 is shown.

It should be noted that the optical communication mentioned in this embodiment means a type of communication, in which a light ray is used to transmit sound, images, data pulses and so forth. In other words, in this embodiment, the optical data communication can be defined as a data communication without employing cables actually connecting target apparatus, The printer 10, which is a thermal-line printer, has a printer body 11 which is provided on the upper surface with a paper feed port 13 and on the front surface with a paper discharge port 15. Furthermore, the printer body 11 is provided on the side surface with a printing data receiving connector (port) 17. On the upper surface of the printer body 11, a power button 19 and an indicating LED 21, which indicates the functions of the printer, are also provided. As is well known, there are printer elements (not shown), such as a printing mechanism having a thermal head, a battery, a print control circuit, and a print data communication circuit, and so forth, in the printer body 11.

The adapter 51, which communicates with a personal computer 31 (Fig.2), is attached to the printer body 11. In this embodiment, the personal computer 31 is considered a printing data transmission means. The printer 10 carries out printing operations in accordance with the data for printing supplied through the adapter 51. The adapter 51 comprises an adapter body to the adapter body 53.

portion (light emitting arranged to rotate about 53 and an upper cover 55 attached A data transmitting and receiving and receiving portion) 57 is a shaft 59 in an accommodating space 58 (Fig. 3) defined by the adapter body 53 and the cover 55. Furthermore, the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 is formed in a predetermined shape so that the portion 57 includes an upper surface 57a and a bottom surface 57b.

The data transmitting and receiving portion 57 is provided on the front surface thereof with an infrared light emitter (infrared radiation emitting diode, i.e.f infrared LED) 61 and an infrared light receiver (photodiode) 63. An infrared filter 65 is provided in front of the infrared LED 61 and the photodiode 63. The photodiode 63 converts the optical data output from the personal computer 31 as infrared pulse signals into electrical signals. The infrared LED 61 emits a predetermined response data with infrared pulse signals. It should be noted that there are various protocols for optical communications. In this embodiment, the adapter 51 and the printer 10 can be operated in accordance with any one of the various protocols..

The adapter body 53 is provided on the side surface with a connector 67, which can be connected to the connector 17 of the printer body 11. When the connectors 67 and 17 are connected, the adapter 51 is connected to the printer body 11. The connector 67 is connected to a cable 69 connected to the control circuit of the data transmitting and receiving portion 57. The cable 69 is laid out in a manner that from the data transmitting and receiving portion 57, the cable 69 extends into a hollow inside of the shaft 59, comes out of the shaft 59 at the bottom end thereof, and is connected to the connector 67. An indicating LED 71 is provided on the outer surface of the upper cover 55 to indicate the data communication state.

The shaft 59 is arranged to project upwardly from the upper surface 57a and downwardly from the bottom surface 57b of the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 so that the upper and lower projected portions of the shaft 59 are fitted in a shaft receiving hole 54 and a shaft receiving recess 56 formed in the adapter body 53 and the upper cover 55, respectively. The data transmitting and receiving portion 57 is rotatable about the shaft 59 within a range of approximately 180 degrees. When the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 is in the accommodation space 58, the portion 57 together with the upper cover 55 appears to be an integral portion of the printer 10. In this embodiment, this state of the adapter 51 is defined as an initial position. The initial position can be attained regardless of the operative/non- operative state of the adapter 51. In other words, when the adapter 51 is in an operative condition, the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 can still be in the initial position. In the initial position, the infrared filter 65 faces forward, i.e., corresponds with the front surface of the assembly of the printer 10 and the adapter 51.

Operation on the printer 10 and the adapter 51 will now be explained with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. When a printing operation is intended to be performed, the adapter 51 is attached to the printer body 11 (Fig. 2). The personal computer 31 is oriented such that an optical data transmitting and receiving portion (light emitting and receiving portion) 33 thereof faces toward the adapter 51. If the indicating LED 71 does not indicate an operative state even after the power switch 19 is operated, a user can rotate the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 as shown in the dotted line in Fig. 3, so that the data transmitting and receiving portion 33 of the personal computer 31 is within the light receiving angle of the photodiode 63 of the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 of the adapter 51.

In the embodiment to which the present invention is applied, it is not necessary to originally locate the personal computer 31 or the printer 10 to precisely face each other, since the direction of the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 of the adapter 51 can be adjusted (rotated) in accordance with the relative positions therebetween. For example, with Fig. 3, it is possible even to juxtapose the personal computer 31 and the printer 10. In this case, the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 and the infrared filter 65 of the adapter 51 are rotated by approximately 90 degrees about the shaft 59 after the adapter 51 is attached to the printer body 11 so that the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 faces the data transmitting and receiving portion 33 of the personal computer 31.

When the power switch 19 is turned ON, the printing operation begins in accordance with the operation of the personal computer. Consequently, data communication with the data transmitting and receiving portion 33 of the personal computer 31 is carried out in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. During the printing operation, the indicating LED 71 is lit to indicate that the data for printing communication is being executed.

As can be seen f rom the foregoing, with to the illustrated embodiment, the printer 10 (or the personal computer 31) can be oriented in accordance with a user's will with respect to the personal computer 31 (or the printer 10) since the orientation of the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 of the adapter 51 can be adjusted to face toward the data transmitting and receiving portion 33 of the personal computer 31 within a range of the light receiving angle thereof to thereby carry out the printing operation. In other words, there is no need to observe the face-to-face orientation between the printer 10 and the personal computer 31. This arrangement is advantageous and convenient over the prior arts.

Since the data transmitting and receiving portion 57 of the adapter 51 is entirely accommodated in the accommodating space 58 defined between the adapter body 53 and the upper cover 55 and forms a part of the outer appearance of the adapter 51, the adapter 51 does not need a large accommodation space particularly when it is not used. Moreover, the contour of the adapter 51 is formed to match the contour of the printer body 11 when the adapter 51 is attached to the printer 10.

1 Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The data communication adapter 151 is provided with a data transmitting and receiving portion 157 which is provided on the adapter body 153 without an upper that the whole of the data transmitting and portion 157 is exposedand visible. Furthermore, the data transmitting and receiving portion 157 is rotatable to obtain a suitable optical connection with a personal computer and the like. Other structures of the data communications adapter 151, including the indicating LED 171, are the same as those of the adapter 51 in the first embodiment.

The arrangement and construction of the data transmitting and receiving portion are not limited to the illustrated embodiments. For example, it is possible to make the data transmitting and receiving portion rotatable about a horizontal axis in a vertical plane.

Furthermore, it is also possible to make the data transmitting and receiving portion capable of retractably projecting from the adapter body, wherein the data transmitting and receiving portion is rotatable about a pivot shaft in the vertical or horizontal plane in the cover so receiving projected position. Moreover, it is possible to provide the data transmitting and, receiving portion on the printer itself.

As may be understood from the above discussions, with the present invention, since the data transmitting and receiving portion, which receives data for printing transmitted from the printing data transmitting means through an optical communication, is detachably attached to the printer body, the portability and accommodability of the printer can be improved.

Moreover, with the present invention, since at least the data receiving portion is detachably attached to the printer, a user can determine the position of the printer first, and then adjust (rotating) the data receiving portion to communicate with the personal computer through optical communication.

Consequently, positioning and orientation of the printer are less limited.

It will moreover be understood that whilst the above examples relate to communication apparatus using radiation in the form of light rays, the apparatus of the present invention may use any alternative suitable form of radiation, for example radio waves or acoustic waves.

Claims (16)

1.A radiation communication apparatus for a printer, the apparatus comprising:a first member having a radiation receiving element. said radiation receiving element having a predetermined radiation receiving angle; a second member to emit a radiation transmitting a set of data for printing, said second member being separately formed from said first member; and said printer being arranged to receive said set of data from said second member through said first member, said first member being functionally connected to said printer through a predetermined means so that said printer performs a printing operation in accordance with said set of data emitted with said radiation; wherein a part of said first member is arranged to be movable so that said second member comes within said radiation receiving angle of said radiation receiving element in said first member.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first member is an optical communication adapter that is detachably attached to said printer.

3. Apparatus - 13 -.

according to claim 2 wherein said adapter comprises an adapter body, an upper cover and a data receiving portion in which said radiation receiving element is fixedly provided to receive said radiation transmitting said set of data for printing from said second member.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said data receiving portion is rotatably provided in an accommodating space defined by said adapter body and said upper cover.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 wherein said data receiving portion is rotatable in a horizontal plane with respect to a shaft vertically provided between said adapter body and said upper cover.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said data receiving portion is arranged to rotate about 180 degrees at maximum around said shaft.

7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein said adapter is adapted to constitute a part of a contour of said printer when said light receiving portion is contained in said accommodating space.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein said adapter further comprises a connector formed on - 14 said printer and a connector formed on said adapted body.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said radiation emitted from said second member is an infrared light ray.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said second member is a personal computer having at least a data transmitting portion to emit said radiation transmitting said set of data for printing.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said radiation receiving element comprises an infrared light receiver having a predetermined light receiving angle.

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said radiation communication apparatus comprises an optical communication apparatus.

13. A printer optical communication apparatus comprising: - a radiation receiving element having a predetermined radiation receiving angle for receiving data transmitted from a remote radiation transmitting element; and a mounting member mounting said radiation receiving element thereto whereby the orientation of the radiation receiving element relative to the printer is changeable.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 which is attachable to a printer.

15. A printer including apparatus according to claim 13.

- is -

16. A radiation communication apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.