JP2008129414A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve the contrast adjustment for dealing with the variation in the contrast of an LCD without increasing the physical quantities of hardware. <P>SOLUTION: The printer includes an input means accepting the input of a user and a contrast adjustment means for adjusting the contrast of a screen display means according to values from the input means. The inside of the nonvolatile memory is equipped with a voltage value conversion mean which stores the reference contrast voltage adjusted to attain the regulated contrast level at a specific contrast level, and converts the specific contrast level stored in the hard disk to a reference contrast voltage value stored into the nonvolatile memory every driving of the printer and converts the voltage value of the other contrast level on the basis of the specific contrast level. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer capable of display contrast adjustment for adjusting the contrast of an image displayed on a display screen of a printer.

  Some printers include an operation screen for displaying information to a user. In many cases, a liquid crystal display (LCD) that displays liquid crystal is used. A touch panel type that also has an operation input function is also common.

  By the way, LCD has the property of changing its appearance depending on the visual direction and angle. The contrast is also affected by the ambient temperature, and the brightness changes depending on the ambient temperature. Therefore, a function that allows the user to change the contrast appropriately in the usage environment is required. Therefore, for example, the user is provided with a function capable of adjusting from the level 1 to the level 16 on the contrast adjustment screen, thereby enabling adjustment by the user. The contrast is adjusted by the contrast voltage input to the LCD.

  On the other hand, LCDs have manufacturing variations, and the contrast of each panel display unit may not be constant even with the same voltage value. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the contrast at the time of shipment at the factory specified temperature at the time of shipment from the factory, and store data necessary for the adjustment of the contrast in a nonvolatile memory or a hard disk before shipment.

  However, if the contrast adjustment value is held in the hard disk, the contrast value adjusted at the time of manufacture and shipment will be lost if the hard disk is replaced after shipping because of a problem with the hard disk. On the other hand, if a contrast adjustment value, a contrast control program, or the like is loaded on the nonvolatile memory, it is necessary to prepare a memory with a large capacity.

  Conventionally, an LCD display contrast adjustment circuit is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, in the circuit described in Patent Document 1, since the user adjustment circuit and the factory adjustment circuit are connected in parallel, the amount of hardware increases accordingly.

  Further, a method of storing a correction value at the time of factory shipment in a memory is also known (for example, see Patent Document 2). However, since the user setting image data is also stored in the memory, the required memory capacity increases.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-39279 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-341358

  To provide a printer that eliminates contrast variations from machine to machine without significantly increasing the amount of hardware such as factory adjustment circuits and storage memory.

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, in a printer having a hard disk and nonvolatile memory for holding data and setting values, and a screen display means, an input means for receiving user input, and a value from the input means And a contrast adjustment unit that adjusts the contrast of the screen display unit, and the non-volatile memory stores a reference contrast voltage value that is adjusted to a prescribed contrast at a specific contrast level, And the hard disk stores a specific contrast level,
Each time the printer is started, a specific contrast level stored in the hard disk is converted into a specific contrast voltage value based on a reference contrast voltage value stored in the nonvolatile memory, and the specific contrast voltage value is converted into a specific contrast voltage value. Voltage value conversion means for converting voltage values of other contrast levels as a reference is also provided.

  The hard disk stores printer control software, operation panel display data, and a user-set contrast level.

  Further, the contrast level of the contrast adjusting means is a 16-level contrast level of 1 to 16, and the specific contrast level is “10”.

  The screen display means and the input means may be an integrated operation panel.

  Further, the nonvolatile memory is a flash memory.

  The present invention has hardware dedicated for adjustment in order to adjust contrast variation by converting the contrast level input from the touch panel into contrast data during contrast adjustment and outputting it to the contrast voltage control unit used during user setting. This eliminates the need for hardware and reduces the amount of hardware.

  Further, since the contrast data stored in the panel control unit is only data corresponding to the user set value level 10 at the time of adjustment, and the display data and the user set value level are stored in the hard disk, the memory capacity can be reduced. .

  The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of the printer apparatus of the present invention.

  The printer 1 is a memory board on which a controller control board 2 including a print data reception control unit 21, a print control unit 22, and a serial-parallel conversion control unit 23, and a memory for control / raster pattern storage / full dot memory are mounted. 3, a hard disk drive (HDD) 4, an operation panel 5, and a printer engine 6. The print data reception control unit 21 communicates with the host CPU 100. The HDD 4 stores printer control software, operation panel display data, and user-set contrast level.

  The operation panel 5 includes a communication control unit 7, a RAM 8, a flash ROM 9, a panel control unit 10, a touch panel control unit 11, an LCD display control unit 12, an LCD contrast control unit 13, and an LCD 14.

  The communication control unit 7 performs serial communication with the print control unit 22. .

  The RAM 8 copies and stores the control program recorded in the flash ROM 9.

  The flash ROM 9 stores a control program and a contrast voltage adjustment value at a contrast level 10.

  The panel control unit 10 analyzes the input information of the touch position input from the touch panel control unit 11, and performs transmission of touch position information and reception of display data and display control with the print control unit 22 via the communication control unit 7. .

  The touch panel control unit 11 converts analog data input when the touch panel of the LCD 14 is pressed into digital data and outputs the digital data to the panel control unit 10.

  The LCD display control unit 12 controls display / non-display of the LCD 14.

  The LCD contrast control unit 13 controls the contrast voltage according to the set contrast level.

  The LCD 14 includes an LCD and a touch panel.

  Next, adjustment and storage of the contrast level at the time of shipment from the factory will be described. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the adjustment method.

  First, in step 101 (S101, the same applies hereinafter), the printer is powered on. The printer starts the device initialization process, and at the same time, an initial test screen (not shown) is displayed on the panel.

  By an arbitrary operation (for example, an operator touches an arbitrary position on the operation panel (touch panel) 5 while the initial test screen is displayed), for example, numbers from “00” to “69” are written as shown in FIG. The displayed keypad test screen is displayed. Here, by continuously pressing specific numbers (eg, “31”, “38”) buttons, the panel control unit 10 determines that the LCD contrast adjustment mode has been selected (S102), and the LCD contrast adjustment screen is displayed. It is displayed (S111). FIG. 4 shows an example of the LCD contrast adjustment screen.

  Next, the operator performs contrast adjustment by pressing a contrast adjustment button displayed on the contrast adjustment screen. In the adjustment method, the setting value is lowered while the contrast setting value is maximized, and the determination button is pressed at a place where the blur or shadow of the pattern displayed on the panel disappears to determine the contrast level (S112).

  The touch panel control unit 11 outputs increase / decrease input information of the contrast setting value from the panel to the panel control unit 10. The panel control unit 10 displays the contrast value increased / decreased by the input contrast level increase / decrease information on the LCD 14, converts it into data, and outputs it to the LCD contrast control unit 13. The LCD contrast control unit 13 converts the input data into an analog value to change the contrast voltage, and outputs it to the LCD 14 to change the contrast of the LCD 14.

  When the contrast adjustment in S112 is completed, the operator presses the “Enter” button (S113: Yes).

  Thereafter, the panel control unit 10 writes the adjusted initial contrast adjustment value (reference contrast voltage value) into the flash ROM 9 (S114), and displays the initialization execution screen of S103.

  If it is not necessary to write data to the flash ROM 9 in S113, the “Exit” button is pressed to exit the adjustment operation.

  As described above, with the configuration of the present invention, the LCD contrast adjustment at the time of shipment from the factory starts from a special operation after power-on, and the contrast adjustment screen is displayed during the adjustment work, and the contrast adjustment is performed while viewing the panel screen. The contrast level can be input from the touch panel.

  After the shipment, when the user adjusts the contrast level, the initial contrast adjustment value stored at the time of factory contrast adjustment is applied as a specific contrast level (level: 10). (Levels: 1 to 9, 11 to 16) are also converted based on a specific contrast level (level: 10).

  Therefore, when each user sets the specific contrast level as a reference, there is no variation in the contrast level for each panel.

  The operation panel 5 provides the user with a user interface that can store setting values according to a desired setting for each displayed contrast level. Using this user setting value, a contrast level is output to the panel control unit 10 and finally displayed at a contrast level according to each user's preference. This interface may have a simple configuration that allows the user to select a contrast level (for example, 1 to 16).

  FIG. 5 shows a contrast adjustment flowchart by the user, and the setting method will be described below.

  The printer is powered on by the user (S201). After startup, when the user selects a contrast adjustment screen from the menu on the operation panel (S202), the contrast adjustment screen is displayed (S203).

  Here, the user adjusts the desired contrast level while visually confirming the adjustment screen displayed on the operation panel (S204). After the user adjusts the desired contrast level, if the user instructs to save the setting by key input or the like, the contrast level at that time is stored in the hard disk drive 4 (S206). If canceled, the contrast level setting is not changed (S205).

  Specifically, for example, when the user sets the contrast level “8”, the setting value (default) “10” in the hard disk drive 4 is rewritten to “8”, and the panel control unit 10 changes the information to “8”. Based on this, the contrast voltage value recorded in the flash ROM 9 set at the contrast level “10” is converted into the voltage value of the contrast level “8” using the conversion table in the RAM 8. The process for controlling the contrast voltage is performed every time the printer is activated.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to have hardware dedicated for adjustment as described in Patent Document 1, and the amount of hardware can be reduced.

  Further, the initial contrast adjustment value stored in the flash ROM 9 of the operation panel 5 is only one value, and this adjustment value is the user initial value at the time of user adjustment (for example, level 10 of levels 1 to 16). Make it correspond.

  On the other hand, the display data of the panel screen and each level of the user setting value are stored in a storage device (for example, a hard disk) different from the flash ROM. Therefore, the memory capacity of the flash ROM can be minimized. Even if the hard disk is replaced with another hard disk (program data including display data etc. has been recorded) due to a malfunction of the hard disk, the initial contrast adjustment value at the time of shipment is stored in the flash ROM. It is not affected.

  Note that the present invention can be applied to other than LCD contrast adjustment. For example, the user can freely set the volume of the buzzer mounted on the operation panel, and the user setting level 3 is an initial value at the time of factory shipment. By adjusting the user setting level 3 data by inputting the level from the touch panel and storing it in the panel control unit, the initial value at the time of shipment can be adjusted without increasing the amount of hardware.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printer. It is a contrast adjustment flowchart. It is an example of a keypad test screen. It is an example of an LCD contrast adjustment screen. It is a user contrast adjustment flowchart.

Explanation of symbols

  1: Printer, 2: Controller control board, 3: Memory board, 4: Hard disk drive, 5: Operation panel, 6: Printer engine, 7: Communication control unit, 8: RAM, 9: Flash ROM, 10: Panel control unit 11: Touch panel control unit, 12: LCD display control unit, 13: LCD contrast control unit, 14: LCD.

Claims (5)

In a printer comprising a hard disk and nonvolatile memory for holding data and setting values, and a screen display means,
An input unit that accepts user input; and a contrast adjustment unit that adjusts a contrast of the screen display unit according to a value from the input unit;
In the non-volatile memory, a reference contrast voltage value adjusted to be a prescribed contrast at a specific contrast level is stored, and a specific contrast level is stored in the hard disk,
Each time the printer is started, a specific contrast level stored in the hard disk is converted into a specific contrast voltage value based on a reference contrast voltage value stored in the nonvolatile memory, and the specific contrast voltage value is converted into a specific contrast voltage value. A printer comprising voltage value conversion means for converting other contrast level voltage values as a reference.   2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the hard disk stores printer control software, operation panel display data, and a user-set contrast level.   2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the contrast adjustment unit has 16 levels of contrast levels 1 to 16 and a specific contrast level of “10”.   2. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said screen display means and said input means are an operation panel integrated.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the nonvolatile memory is a flash memory.

Images