JP2003312067A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which is effective for back-up of print data at a comparatively low cost. <P>SOLUTION: This printer is equipped with a media drive 8. Print data is recorded to a detachable medium 9 loaded to the media drive 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device for printing print data generated by an information processing device such as a host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, print data generated by an information processing device such as a host computer is stored in a bitmap format together with a file name and password attribute of each print data.
A storage medium such as a magnetic tape or an optical disk of an electronic filing device incorporated in an information processing device is recorded in a recording / reproducing device, and when a printing instruction is given from a printing device, the information is reproduced, supplied to the printing device, and printed. ing.

[0003]

However, the electronic filing apparatus incorporated in the information processing apparatus is an expensive apparatus because it is a filing apparatus dedicated to the information processing apparatus. Further, the electronic filing apparatus not only saves the print data, but also saves the processed data that has been subjected to other processing such as accounting calculation, so that the processing capability of extracting the saved print data during printing is slow and inconvenient. Further, since the purpose is to back up the print data, no consideration was given to data security as an electronic document medium.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive and effective as a data backup of printing data.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive, is effective as a data backup of print data, and provides security protection.

[0006]

The present invention is a printing apparatus comprising a medium or memory drive, and recording data for printing on a removable medium or memory mounted on the drive.

The present invention is a printing apparatus comprising an interface and a medium or memory drive connected to the interface, and recording printing data on a removable medium or memory mounted on the drive. is there.

The present invention is a printing apparatus characterized by comprising a detachable media drive, and recording printing data on a medium or a memory attached to or attached to the drive.

According to the present invention, there is provided an interface and a detachable media drive which is connected to and detached from the interface, and printing data is recorded on a medium or a memory attached to or attached to the drive. It is a device.

According to the present invention, the printing data is data which is encrypted based on a specified encryption code.

The present invention is a printing apparatus characterized in that user ID information is recorded in the medium or memory together with the printing data.

According to the present invention, the user ID information is recorded in the medium or the memory together with the print data, and the reproduced user ID information is compared with the user ID designated by the printing device at the time of reproduction, and when the user ID information matches, the reproduction is performed. The printing apparatus is characterized by permitting data processing of the printing data.

In the present invention, the interface is ATA.
PI (AT Attachment with Pack
et Interface) A printer having a standard interface.

In the present invention, the interface is ATA.
PI (AT Attachment with Pack
et Interface) standard specification interface, wherein the medium is a disk.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to the first embodiment of this invention.
In FIG. 1, the printer 1 is a CPU (central processing unit).
2, a host interface 3 connected to the host computer 4, and an RO for storing a device control program and the like.
M (nonvolatile memory) 5 and RA for storing print data and the like
M (volatile memory) 6 and ATAPI interface (ATAPI (AT Attachment with
Packet Interface) Standard interface 7) and removable ATAPI media 9
It preferably comprises an ATAPI media drive 8 connected to an ATAPI interface 7 for mounting a disc.

Further, a data conversion processing unit 10, a printing mechanism unit 11, and a panel interface 12 connected to a panel operation unit 13 are provided. The CPU 2, the host interface 3, the ATAPI interface 7, the data conversion processing unit 10, the printing mechanism unit 11, and the panel interface 12 are connected by an internal bus 14.

Here, the ATAPI interface 7 is for ensuring signal transmission by always matching the signal specifications of the internal bus 14 and the ATAPI media drive 8, and it is convenient to use the ATAPI interface 7.

Next, the operation will be described. When a print data save command is issued by the host computer 4 or the panel operation unit 13, the compressed print data created by the host computer 4 is temporarily stored in the compressed data storage unit 20 of the RAM 6 based on the instruction from the CPU 2, and the ATAPI is used. It is recorded and stored in the ATAPI medium 9 attached to the ATAPI device drive 8 via the interface 7.

The host computer 4 or the panel operation unit 13
When a print command is generated, the ATAPI medium 9 is reproduced based on the instruction from the CPU 2, and the read compressed print data is stored in the compressed data storage unit 20 of the RAM 6.
Is temporarily stored in the expanded data storage unit 21 of the RAM 6 and then expanded by the expansion processing unit 25 of the data conversion processing unit 10.
Is stored in the bitmap data storage unit 22 of the RAM 6 and then processed by the rasterization processing unit 28 of the data conversion processing unit 10 into the bitmap format data that the printing mechanism unit 11 can read. It is sent to the printing mechanism unit 11 and printed.

Here, the ATAPI interface (A
TAPI (AT Attachment with P
The interface (standard interface) 7 is an American national standard specification, and is widely used as a general-purpose component, so that it is particularly inexpensive.
Also, since the data recorded on the removable ATAPI medium 9, preferably the disc, is the printing data only, it can be read out immediately when necessary and is effective as a data backup.

Next, a case where the print data is encrypted and decrypted will be described. FIG. 2 is a partial configuration diagram centering on the data conversion processing unit 10 of FIG. Encryption processing section of data conversion processing section 10 Decryption processing section 26, 27
Is divided into an encryption processing unit 26 and a decryption processing unit 27, and compressed print data, an encryption code, and an encryption / decryption path are shown. 2, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

When the encryption is required, the specified encryption code 24 is sent together with the compressed print data from the host computer 4 shown in FIG. Or panel operation unit 1
Input from 3. The encryption processing unit 26 converts the encrypted print data into encrypted print data based on the encrypted code 24. The encrypted print data includes the file management information 29 and the user ID information 3
0 and the device ID information 31 are recorded and stored in the ATAPI medium 9 mounted in the ATAPI device drive 8 via the ATAPI interface 7.

When the ATAPI medium 9 is reproduced, the read encrypted print data is decrypted and decrypted by the decryption processing unit 27 from the host computer 4 or the panel operation unit 13 based on the encryption code 24. The converted print data is temporarily stored in the compressed data storage unit 20 of the RAM 6 of FIG. 1, then expanded by the expansion processing unit 25 of the data conversion processing unit 10, and temporarily stored in the expanded data storage unit 21 of the RAM 6. Next, the rasterization processing unit 28 of the data conversion processing unit 10 processes the data into bitmap format data that can be read by the printing mechanism unit 11, is temporarily stored in the bitmap data storage unit 22 of the RAM 6, and then the printing mechanism unit 1
1 to be printed.

Further, when the ATAPI medium 9 is reproduced, whether the read user ID information 30 is the same as the user ID information 30 designated by the printing apparatus is shown in FIG.
The CPU 2 may check and the encrypted print data may be permitted to be input to the decryption processing unit 27 only when they match.

Whether the user ID information 30 and the device ID information 31 read when the ATAPI medium 9 is reproduced is the same as the user ID information 30 and the device ID information 31 designated by the printing device. The CPU 2 in FIG. 1 may check and only allow the input of the encrypted print data to the decryption processing unit 27 if they match.

FIG. 3 is a partial configuration diagram centering on an example of an implementation circuit of the encryption processing unit and the decryption processing unit 26, 27 in FIGS.

The compressed print data 50 and the encryption code 24 sent from the host computer 4 of FIG. 1 are input to the encryption / decryption processing units 26 and 27, and the compressed print data 50 is converted into the encryption code 24. Based on this, for example, rotation of bit shift is performed in 1-byte units in the encrypted bit operating circuit 55. At this time, the encrypted byte counter circuit 54 counts which byte is to be bit-operated, and the encrypted code 24 By controlling the decryption control circuit 56, the encrypted print data 52 is generated,
It is recorded on the ATAPI medium of FIG.

When the encrypted print data 52 recorded on the ATAPI medium 9 is printed, the encrypted print data 52 uses the decryption bit operation circuit 57 and the decryption byte counter circuit 58 based on the encryption code 24. The data is decrypted by the encryption / decryption control circuit 56, and is printed via the decompression processing unit 25 and thereafter via the normal print route.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of data recorded on the ATAPI medium 9. Encrypted print data 52
When recording, the user ID information 30 is stored together with the file management information 29, and the document creator
By providing the encryption code and the user ID information, it is possible to provide the user with a protected electronic document. Further, the device ID information 31 used by the user is reversely provided to the specific user and stored in the ATAPI medium 9, so that one medium can be created as an electronic document that can be used only by the specific user. Secure electronic documents can be realized.

In the above embodiment, the same effect can be obtained even if the ATAPI media drive 8 is changed to a memory drive, the ATAPI medium 9 is changed to a memory card, and the print data is recorded in the memory card.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 5, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 5, the apparatus of FIG. 1 is that the ATAPI device drive 8 is attachable to and detachable from the printing apparatus, and therefore the ATAPI device drive 8 is connected to and detached from the ATAPI interface 7. The ATAPI interface 7 is for ensuring signal transmission by always matching the signal specifications of the internal bus 14 and the ATAPI media drive 8.
It is more convenient to use.

In FIG. 5, the ATAPI media 9 is shown as being attachable to and detachable from the ATAPI media drive 8, but the same effect can be obtained even if it is attached to the ATAPI media drive 8 and cannot be removed. Also AT
Replace the API media drive 8 with a memory drive
Even if the TAPI medium 9 is replaced with a memory card and printing data is recorded in the memory card, the same effect can be obtained.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a printing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive and effective as a data backup of printing data. Further, according to the present invention, it is relatively inexpensive, effective as a data backup of printing data,
In addition, it is possible to obtain a printing device that achieves security.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system including a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial configuration diagram centering on a data conversion processing unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial configuration diagram centering on an example of an implementation circuit of an encryption processing unit and a decryption processing unit in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data structure recorded on an ATAPI medium.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a printing system including a printing device according to a second embodiment of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Printing device, 2 ... CPU (central processing unit), 3 ... Host interface, 4 ... Host computer, 5 ... R
OM (non-volatile memory), 6 ... RAM (volatile memory), 7
... ATAPI interface, 8 ... ATAPI media drive, 9 ... ATAPI media, 10 ... Data conversion processing unit, 11 ... Printing mechanism unit, 12 ... Panel interface, 13 ... Panel operation unit, 14 ... Internal bus, 20 ...
Compressed data storage 21, 21 ... Decompressed data storage 22, 22 ... Bitmap data storage 24, Encryption code 25 ...
Decompression processing unit, 26 ... Encryption processing unit, 27 ... Decryption processing unit, 28 ... Rasterizing processing unit, 29 ... File management information, 30 ... User ID information, 31 ... Device ID information, 50 ... Compressed data, 51 ... Decompressed data, 52 ... Encrypted print data, 54 ... Encrypted byte counter circuit, 55 ...
Encryption bit operation circuit, 56 ... encryption / decryption control circuit, 57
Decoding bit operation circuit 58 Decoding byte counter circuit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus comprising a medium or memory drive, wherein printing data is recorded on a removable medium or memory mounted on the drive. 2. A printing apparatus comprising an interface and a medium or memory drive connected to the interface, wherein printing data is recorded on a removable medium or memory mounted on the drive. 3. A printing apparatus comprising a detachable media drive, and recording print data on a medium or a memory attached to or attached to the drive. 4. A printing apparatus comprising an interface and a detachable media drive which is connected to and detached from the interface, and print data is recorded on a medium or a memory mounted on or mounted to the drive. 5. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing data is data encrypted based on a designated encryption code. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein user ID information is recorded together with the printing data in the medium or a memory. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein user ID information is recorded together with the print data in the medium or memory, and the reproduced user ID information and print are recorded during reproduction. A printing apparatus, which compares a user ID designated by the apparatus and permits data processing of the printing data reproduced when the user IDs match. 8. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the interface is ATAPI (AT Att).
achievement with Packet Inter
face) A printing device characterized by an interface of standard specifications. 9. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the interface is ATAPI (AT Att).
achievement with Packet Inter
face) a standard specification interface, wherein the medium is a disk.