JP2009163289A - Printer and method for connecting usb device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent malfunction by simple and inexpensive configurations, the malfunction arising when a plurality of USB devices having the same function are connected. <P>SOLUTION: A USB host controller 711 validates connection with either radio communication equipment 17 or an external USB device 18, and invalidates connection with the other, so that even when a plurality of USB devices having the same function are connected, it is necessary only to control one USB device, and costs to be spent on the development of a photo-printer is reduced by simple configurations where it is not necessary to perform any complicate processing. Also, the USB host controller 711 invalidates connection with the other USB device, so that even when the other USB device unintentionally issues an unauthorized signal to the photo-printer, the malfunction of the photo-printer due to the unauthorized signal is surely prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for connecting a USB device to a printing apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing apparatus configured to be connectable to a host device such as a host computer or a mobile phone via a wireless communication interface such as the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, wired connection with a wired host via a USB interface and wireless connection with a wireless host via a wireless communication interface are possible at the same time, and the printing apparatus can be controlled from both hosts. It is like that. At this time, during printing control by the wired host, the printing apparatus permits connection with the wireless host and transmits the status of the printing apparatus to the wireless host by wireless communication, but rejects reception of print data from the wireless host. It is configured as follows. With such a configuration, even when the printing apparatus is performing print control based on print data from the wired host and the print data cannot be received from the wireless host by wireless communication, the state of the printing apparatus is wirelessly set. It is possible to detect by the host, and it is possible to provide a highly convenient system.

JP 2007-79924 A (paragraphs 0009, 0014 to 0017, 0024, 0030, 0031, 0047, FIGS. 2, 6 and the like)

  Incidentally, an external external USB device having an auxiliary communication function that enables connection to a host device may be wired to the above-described printing apparatus via a USB interface for wired connection. That is, an external USB device having an auxiliary communication function such as a wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth standard or IrDA standard, or a wired communication standard such as IEEE 1394 standard or serial interface standard is connected to the USB interface of the printing apparatus. The host device can be connected to the printing apparatus via the printer. Accordingly, it is possible to connect a plurality of host devices to the printing device together with the connection of the host device via the wireless communication interface built in the printing device. However, on the other hand, when a plurality of host devices that can independently control the printing device are connected to the printing device, print data may be simultaneously transmitted from the plurality of host devices to the printing device. There was a risk of malfunction.

  In order to solve such a problem, the above-described printing apparatus exclusively processes print data transmitted from a host device connected to the printing apparatus, so that only print data from one host device is processed. It is configured. However, the processing for enabling such exclusive control of a plurality of host devices is complicated, resulting in an increase in the development cost of the printing apparatus. In the printing apparatus described above, no consideration is given to connecting an external external USB device having the same function as a built-in interface that enables connection to a host device to the printing apparatus. It is necessary to take immediate measures when such an external USB device is connected to the printing apparatus.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a printing apparatus and a USB device connection method capable of preventing malfunction when a plurality of USB devices having the same function are connected with a simple and inexpensive configuration The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to the present invention is connected to any one of a USB host controller, a USB hub having a plurality of USB ports, and the USB port, and has an auxiliary communication function with an external device. The USB host controller has a second auxiliary communication function USB device having the auxiliary communication function as an external USB device when connected to the USB port. The connection with one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function is made valid and the connection with the other is made invalid.

  The USB device connection method according to the present invention is a USB device connection method for connecting a USB device connected to a USB hub having a plurality of USB ports and a USB host controller, wherein the USB host controller includes: When the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function having an auxiliary communication function with an external device are respectively connected to the USB port, one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function The connection with the other is made effective, and the connection with the other is made invalid.

  In the invention configured as described above, when the second USB device with the auxiliary communication function having the auxiliary communication function is connected to the USB port, the USB host controller is connected to the USB port as the external USB device. This is a case where a plurality of USB devices with auxiliary communication functions having the same function are connected in order to make the connection with one of the function-equipped USB devices valid and make the connection with the other invalid. However, it is only necessary to control one USB device with an auxiliary communication function, and since it has a simple configuration that does not require complicated processing, the cost for development can be reduced. In addition, since the connection with the other USB device with auxiliary communication function is invalidated, even if the other USB device with auxiliary communication function unexpectedly issues a fraudulent signal to the printing apparatus, It is possible to reliably prevent the printing apparatus from malfunctioning.

  The USB host controller may invalidate the connection with the second USB device with auxiliary communication function when the second USB device with auxiliary communication function is connected to the USB port. May be. With such a configuration, even when the second USB device with an auxiliary communication function as an external USB device is connected to the USB port, the connection is invalid, and the user accidentally Even when the second USB device with an auxiliary communication function is connected to the USB port, it is possible to reliably prevent malfunction of the printing apparatus due to the connection.

  Further, the device further comprises a USB device setting switching means for switching a setting for enabling connection with either one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function, and the USB host controller includes the USB device controller A configuration may be adopted in which connection with the other of the first and second USB devices with auxiliary communication functions is invalid according to the setting contents by the device setting switching means. With such a configuration, any one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function can be made effective by switching the setting by the USB device setting switching means. , User convenience can be improved.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a photo printer which is an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration of the photo printer. In this photo printer 10, a printing mechanism 50 (see FIG. 2) is built in the printer main body 12, and in response to an operation command from a controller 70 (see FIG. 2) that controls the entire photo printer 10. Printing on the paper P is executed. Then, the printed paper is discharged to the front surface of the printer main body 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a front door 14 is attached to the front surface of the printer main body 12 so as to be freely opened and closed. The front door 14 is a lid for opening and closing the front surface of the printer main body 12. In the open state, it functions as a paper discharge tray for receiving the paper P discharged from the print mechanism 50. In addition, various memory card slots 16 provided on the front surface of the printer main body 12 can be used by the user. That is, in this state, the user can insert the memory card M storing the image file to be printed into the memory card slot 16. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a disk DC such as a music CD (Compact Disc) or a video DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) can be used as a recording medium in addition to a memory card. That is, an optical disc drive (ODD: Optical Disc Drive) 13 is provided in the base portion of the printer main body 12.

  An operation panel 20 is provided on the upper surface of the printer main body 12, and a cover 30 is attached to an inner side of the upper surface of the printer main body 12 so as to be freely opened and closed. The cover 30 is a resin plate molded to a size that can cover the upper surface of the printer main body 12, and exposes the surface of the operation panel 20 to the outside in the open state (see FIG. 1). On the other hand, when the cover 30 is closed, the entire operation panel 20 is covered.

  The operation panel 20 includes a display unit 22 that displays characters, graphics, symbols, and the like, and a button group 24 arranged around the display unit 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the button group 24 includes a power button 24a for turning on / off the power, a menu button 24b for calling the main menu screen, canceling the operation in the middle, and interrupting the printing on the paper P in the middle. A cancel button 24c for printing, a print button 24d for instructing execution of printing on the paper P, a save button 24e for saving an edited image in the memory card M inserted in the memory card slot 16, a display unit Each of the up / down / left / right arrow buttons 24f to 24i operated when selecting a desired option from the plurality of options displayed on the screen 22 or moving the cursor, and the up / down / left / right arrow buttons 24f to 24i. An OK button for instructing that the option selected by the arrow buttons 24f to 24i arranged in the center is selected. 24j, a display switching button 24k for switching the screen display on the display unit 22, a left guide selection button 24l for selecting the left guide displayed on the display unit 22, and a right for selecting the right guide displayed on the display unit 22. It includes a guide selection button 24m, a paper discharge tray open button 24n for opening the front door 14 having a function as a paper discharge tray, and the like.

  Further, in order to confirm the display content of the display unit 22, the cover 30 is provided with a window 32 having the same size as the display unit 22. That is, when the cover 30 is in the closed state, the user can check the display content of the display unit 22 through the window 32. On the other hand, when the cover 30 is in the open state, the display unit 22 can be adjusted to a desired angle as shown in FIG.

  Thus, when the cover 30 is in the open state, the cover 30 is held while being inclined obliquely rearward with respect to the operation panel 20 and can be used as a tray for supplying the paper P to the print mechanism 50. . Further, at the back of the operation panel 20, a paper feed port 58 of the printing mechanism 50 is provided, and a pair of paper guides 59, 59 that are slid in the left-right direction so that the guide width matches the paper width are provided. ing.

  Then, the paper P is sent to the print mechanism 50 through the paper supply port 58 and printing is executed. As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 53 is driven by a timing belt 51 spanned in a loop shape in the left-right direction and reciprocates left and right along the guide 52. The carriage 53 is provided with a paper edge detection sensor 57 for detecting the left and right edges and the upper and lower edges of the paper P. In other words, the paper edge detection sensor 57 detects the left and right edges of the paper set in the paper supply port 58 before the printing, and allows the paper width to be recognized by detecting the right and left edges of the paper. Or detecting the trailing edge of the paper during printing to enable recognition of the paper length.

  The carriage 53 is mounted with an ink cartridge 54 that individually accommodates ink of each color such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Each of these ink cartridges 54 is connected to a print head 55. The print head 55 applies pressure to the ink from the ink cartridge 54 and ejects the ink from the nozzle (not shown) toward the paper P. In this embodiment, the print head 55 employs a method in which a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element and pressurize the ink. However, a voltage is applied to the heating resistor (for example, a heater) to apply the ink. You may employ | adopt the system which pressurizes ink with the bubble generated by heating. The printed paper P is sent out to the opened front door (paper discharge tray) 14 by the transport roller 56.

  Further, a battery pack can be mounted on the back of the printer main body 12, and the printer 10 can be operated by a battery without being connected to a commercial power source. Because of this point and the fact that the printer 10 is a stand-alone printer that can be used without being connected to a host computer, the printer 10 is easy to carry and can be used anywhere.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 70 includes a USB (Universal Serial Bus) host controller 711, and has an auxiliary communication function such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard or IrDA standard that enables connection with an external device. The wireless communication device 17 (corresponding to the “first USB device with auxiliary communication function” of the present invention) is connected in accordance with the USB standard. Similarly, devices such as the ODD 13 and the memory card slot 16 are connected in accordance with the USB standard, and these devices (USB devices) 17, 13, and 16 are arranged in the printer main body 12. Also, a USB connector (not shown) for connecting an external device to the USB host controller 711 is disposed so as to be exposed to the outside of the printer main body 12, and the external device such as a host computer or a USB memory, or the auxiliary communication function described above. An external USB device 18 (corresponding to the “second USB device with auxiliary communication function” of the present invention) 18 can be connected.

  In addition to the memory card M inserted into the memory card slot 16 and the data of the image file in the externally attached USB memory, etc., the controller 70 is input with the wireless communication device 17 or an external USB device (wireless communication). Data of image files (print data, command signals, etc.) from a host device such as a mobile phone, a digital still camera (DSC), or a host computer connected via a device 18 is input. Further, a detection signal from the paper edge detection sensor 57 of the print mechanism 50, a command signal from the button group 24 of the operation panel 20 or a host computer, and the like are input. Further, the controller 70 stores an edited image or the like in the memory card M, and outputs a control signal to the print head 55 of the print mechanism 50 and a control signal to the display unit 22 of the operation panel. Furthermore, the controller 70 receives each button operation of the button group 24 by the user and executes control processing according to the operation. As will be described later, when an external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 having an auxiliary communication function is connected to the USB host controller 711, the user can set both by operating the button group 24 on the operation panel. The configuration is such that the connection with either one of the USB devices 17 and 18 can be made valid. Next, the controller 70 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part of the configuration of the controller 70. As shown in FIG. 3, a CPU 701, ROM 702, RAM 703, nonvolatile memory 704, VRAM 705, image processing unit 707, ASIC 708, USB host controller 711, and the like are connected to the system bus 700 of the controller 70. The CPU 701 performs arithmetic processing for executing operation control of the print mechanism 50. The ROM 702 stores a program (firmware) necessary for the control of the CPU 701. The RAM 703 temporarily stores data, the nonvolatile memory 704 stores various data and tables necessary for the control of the CPU 701, and the VRAM 705 stores image data to be drawn on the display unit 22.

  The USB root controller 800 is connected to the USB host controller 711 via a USB cable 810, and the memory card slot 16 is connected to the USB root hub 800 via the USB cable 810. The USB host controller 711 communicates with the memory card slot 16 (USB interface 16a) via the USB interface 801 of the USB root hub 800, and stores an external storage medium such as the memory card M inserted into the memory card slot 16. The image data can be read. In addition, the USB host controller 711 communicates with the memory card slot 16 (USB interface 16 a) in order to save the edited image or the like in the memory card M, and transmits image data to the memory card slot 16. The USB host controller 711 will be described later.

  The image processing unit 707 performs necessary image processing on image data provided from an external storage medium such as a memory card M read via the USB host controller 711. The image processing unit 707 has a function of generating display data corresponding to a printer-specific image such as a menu screen to be displayed on the display unit 22. Data obtained by combining the display data and the image processed image data is given from the image processing unit 707 to the LCD controller 709, and the display of the display unit 22 is controlled by the LCD controller 709. The ASIC 708 performs drive control of the print head 55 and a control circuit that performs speed control such as a motor (not shown) that transports the paper P provided in the print mechanism 50 and a motor (not shown) that rotates the timing belt 51. Built-in control circuit. The ASIC 708 sends a motor control signal generated based on a control signal from the CPU 701 and the control signal for the print head 55 to a drive circuit (driver) 710. Further, detection data from the sensor 57 and the like is taken into the CPU 701 through the ASIC 708.

  Next, USB connection devices (devices) 16, 13, 18, and 17 connected via the USB host controller 711 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, a USB root hub 800 having a plurality of USB ports Port 1 to Port 4 is connected to the USB host controller 711 via a cable 810. A USB physical connection and data communication are established between the USB host controller 711 and the USB interface 801 of the USB root hub 800. Further, as described above, in this embodiment, the USB port Port 1, Port 2, and Port 3 of the USB root hub 800 are respectively connected to the memory card slot 16, ODD 13, and wireless communication device 17 built in the printer main body 12 with the USB cable 810. Connected through. A USB connector (not shown) connected to the USB port Port3 is disposed so as to be exposed to the outside of the printer main body 12 so that the external USB device 18 can be connected to the USB port Port3.

  The USB host controller 711 and the USB interfaces 16 a, 13 a, and 17 a included in the memory card slot 16, the ODD 13, and the wireless communication device 17 are physically connected via the USB interface 801 of the USB root hub 800. And data communication is established. When the external USB device 18 is connected to the USB port Port3, the USB host controller 711 and the USB interface 18a of the external USB device 18 are connected to the USB of the USB root hub 800, as with other USB connected devices. A USB physical connection and data communication are established via the interface 801.

  Incidentally, the USB interface includes two signal lines (D + / D−) for performing communication between the USB host controller 711 and each of the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17, and the USB host controller 711 to each USB. A power line (VBUS) that enables power supply to the devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 is provided, and power can be supplied to the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 connected to the printer main body 12 as a USB host. It is configured. Further, in the USB standard, when the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 are supplied with power via the power supply line VBUS, the AC adapter, or the like, the signal lines correspond to the communication speeds of the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17, respectively. By pulling up one of D + and D−, it is specified to notify the USB host controller 711 of the communication speed of the device itself.

  Then, the USB host controller 711 detects that the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 are connected by pulling up one of the signal lines D + and D−, and after the detection, the USB device 16, A bus reset signal is output to 13, 18, and 17. When each USB device 16, 13, 18, 17 receives a bus reset signal from the USB host controller 711, the USB device 16, 13, 18 is in a period until the output of the bus reset signal is canceled (minimum 10 msec). , 17 is configured to perform initial setting of the USB interfaces 16a, 13a, 18a, 17a. Then, after the output of the bus reset signal is canceled and the initial setting of the USB interfaces 16a, 13a, 18a, and 17a is completed, the USB host controller 711 performs address setting of the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 or the like. The enumeration process is executed. When this enumeration process is completed, communication between the USB host controller 711 and the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 becomes possible.

  In this embodiment, when the photo printer 10 is turned on, the CPU 701, the memories 702 to 705, the ASIC 708, the USB host controller 711, and the like included in the controller 70 are initialized. When the initialization of the USB host controller 711 is completed, power supply to the USB root hub 800, the memory card slot 16, the ODD 13, and the wireless communication device 17 is started via the power supply line VBUS. Upon receiving power supply (VBUS output) via the power line VBUS, the memory card slot 16, ODD 13, and wireless communication device 17 send signals according to the communication speed (full speed, low speed, high speed) of each device. By pulling up the lines D + and D−, the USB host controller 711 is notified of its own communication speed. The USB host controller 711 outputs a bus reset signal to each of the USB devices 16, 13, 17 in response to the pull-up of the signal lines D +, D−, and performs address setting for each of the USB devices 16, 13, 17. The enumeration process to be performed is executed to recognize each USB device 16, 13, 17, and the connection process with each USB device 16, 13, 17 is performed.

  In this embodiment, the external USB device 18 having the same function as the wireless communication device 17 and having an auxiliary communication function that enables communication with an external device (such as a host computer, a digital still camera, and a mobile phone) is provided. When connected to the USB port Port3, the connection between the built-in wireless communication device 17 and the USB host controller 711 is validated, and the connection between the external USB device 17 and the USB host controller 711 is invalidated. The initial setting is made. On the other hand, as described above, when the user operates the button group 24 of the operation panel 20, the operation content is transmitted to the USB host controller 711 via the CPU, and the external USB device 18 and the USB host controller 711 are connected. It is configured such that the setting can be switched so that the connection is valid and the connection between the built-in wireless communication device 17 and the USB host controller 711 is invalid. As described above, the USB host controller 711 is configured to be able to switch the setting for enabling the connection between one of the wireless communication device 17 and the external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 and the USB host controller 711. According to the setting contents, the connection between the other of the wireless communication device 17 and the external USB device 18 and the USB host controller 711 is invalid. As described above, the button group 24, the CPU 701, and the USB host controller 711 function as the “USB device setting switching unit” of the present invention.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the external USB device 18 having an auxiliary communication function with an external device such as a digital still camera in addition to the communication function with the USB host controller 711 is connected to the USB port Port3. The USB host controller 711 is configured to validate the connection with one of the wireless communication device 17 and the external USB device 18 and invalidate the connection with the other. Next, an example of a USB connection process in which the USB host controller 711 recognizes a USB connected device when the photo printer 10 is turned on will be described with reference to FIG. In the connection process described below, the connection between the wireless communication device 17 built in the printer main body 12 and the USB host controller 711 is valid, and the connection between the external USB device 18 and the USB host controller 711 is invalid. It is set to be.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the USB connection process. In this embodiment, in order to simplify the description, each of the memory card slot 16, ODD 13, external USB device 18, and wireless communication device 17 is a USB device having full-speed communication capability, and the USB host controller 711 The description will be made on the assumption that the signal line D + is pulled up when power is supplied (VBUS output) through the power line VBUS. However, the communication speeds of the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 are signals at low speed. The line D- may be pulled up, or the USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 having high-speed communication capability. First, when the photo printer 10 is powered on, initialization of the controller 70 is started (step S101). When the initialization of the USB host controller 711 is completed (step S102), the USB root hub 800 is detected and connected (step S103).

  Next, power is supplied to the USB devices connected to the USB ports Port1 to Port4 of the USB root hub 800 via the power supply line VBUS (VBUS output, step S104), and the states of the USB ports Port1 to Port4 change. Whether or not the signal line D + has been pulled up is detected (step S105). The USB host controller 711 detects which of the USB ports Port1 to Port4, that is, which signal line D + of the memory card slot 16, the ODD 13, the external USB device 18, and the wireless communication device 17 is pulled up. (Steps S106 to S109). At this time, in the present embodiment, the initial setting is made so that the connection with the external external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 is invalid and the connection with the built-in wireless communication device 17 is valid. Therefore, first, it is confirmed whether or not the signal line D + of the wireless communication device 17 connected to the USB port Port4 is pulled up, and then the signal line D + is pulled up in order from the USB port Port3 to the USB port Port1. It is configured to check whether or not.

  The host controller 711 waits for a predetermined time (several msec to several hundred msec) after the VBUS output in step S104 in order to preferentially connect to the wireless communication device 17, and then, after that, step S105 to step S105. It is configured to perform pull-up detection processing of the signal line D + of the USB ports Port1 to Port4 in S109. Therefore, if there is no abnormality in the wireless communication device 17, the signal line D + included in the wireless communication device 17 is pulled up during the standby time. D + pull-up can be reliably detected. In addition, when some abnormality occurs in the wireless communication device 17 and the signal line D + of the wireless communication device 17 is not pulled up, the signal line D + of the external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 connected to the USB port Port3. Can be detected, and subsequent connection processing can be performed. Specifically, the connection between the external USB device 18 and the host controller 711 is effective instead of the wireless communication device 17.

  Next, if a pull-up of the signal line D + of the wireless communication device 17 connected to the USB port Port4 is detected in step S106, a bus reset signal is output to the wireless communication device 17 (step S110). Specifically, the bus reset signal is output by maintaining the voltage of the signal lines D + and D− at a low level for a minimum of 10 msec. The USB host controller 711 obtains USB device information by obtaining a descriptor after outputting the bus reset signal (step S111).

  In step S112, it is determined whether or not the connected USB device is a wireless communication device. If YES is determined, it is further determined whether or not another wireless communication device is connected (step S113). If it is determined as YES in step S113, a disconnection process is performed between the wireless communication device 17 connected to the USB port Port4 and the host controller 711 (step S114). On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S112 and step S113, the address of the USB device is set (step S115), and finally the USB device is configured (step S116), and the process proceeds to step S105.

  If a pull-up of the signal line D + of the external USB device 18 connected to the USB port Port3 is detected in steps S105 and S107, a bus reset signal is output to the external USB device 18 (step S110). Then, after outputting the bus reset signal, the USB device information is acquired by acquiring the descriptor (step S111), it is determined whether the connected USB device is a wireless communication device (step S112), and YES is determined. For example, it is determined whether another wireless communication device is connected (step S113). If YES is determined in step S113, disconnection processing between the external USB device 18 connected to the USB port Port3 and the host controller 711 is performed (step S114), and NO is determined in steps S112 and S113. Steps S115 and S116 are executed, and the process proceeds to Step S105.

  Next, in steps S105, S108, and S109, if a pull-up of the ODD 13 connected to the USB ports Port2 and Port1 and the signal line D + of the memory card slot 16 is detected, the USB devices 13 and 16 are stepped. The processing of S110 and S111 is executed to determine whether the connected USB device is a wireless communication device (step S112). If it determines with NO in step S112, the process of step S115 and step S116 will be performed and it will progress to step S105. If NO is determined in step S105, that is, if the connection processing for all connected USB devices 16, 13, 18, and 17 is completed, the USB connection processing is terminated. Next, another example of the USB connection process when the external USB device 18 is connected to the USB port Port 3 later in the photo printer 10 in which the various controllers equipped with power already turned on have been initialized. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when an external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 is connected to the USB port Port3 and a pull-up of the signal line D + of the external USB device 18 is detected, the USB host controller 711 first starts the external A bus reset signal is output to the USB device 18 (step S201), and USB device information is acquired by acquiring a descriptor (step S202). In step S203, it is determined whether the connected USB device is a wireless communication device. If YES, it is determined whether another wireless communication device is connected (step S204). If “YES” is determined in the step S204, the disconnection process between the external USB device 18 and the USB host controller 711 is performed, and the connection process is ended (step S205). On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S203 and step S204, the address of the USB device is set (step S206), and finally the USB device is configured (step S207) to complete the connection process.

  As described above, in this embodiment, as with the built-in wireless communication device 17, the USB host controller 711 is wireless when the external USB device 18 having an auxiliary communication function with an external device is connected to the USB port Port3. This is a case where a plurality of USB devices having the same function are connected in order to make the connection with one of the communication device 17 and the external USB device 18 valid and make the connection with the other invalid. However, it is sufficient to control only one of the USB devices, and since it has a simple configuration that does not require complicated processing, the cost of developing the photo printer 10 can be reduced. In addition, since the connection with the other USB device is invalidated, even if the other USB device unexpectedly issues a certain illegal signal to the photo printer 10, the photo printer 10 malfunctions due to the illegal signal. Can be reliably prevented.

  In the present embodiment, when the external USB device (wireless communication device) 18 is connected to the USB port Port3, the connection is initially set to be invalid. Even when the USB device 18 is connected to the USB port Port3, malfunction of the photo printer 10 due to the connection can be reliably prevented. Of course, the host controller 711 may be configured so that the connection with the built-in wireless communication device 17 is always valid and the connection with the external USB device 18 is invalid.

  In addition, since the setting for enabling the connection with one of the wireless communication device 17 and the external USB device 18 is switchable, the connection with any one of the USB devices is effective. It is possible to improve user convenience. Note that when the connection between the external USB device 18 and the host controller 711 is set as valid, the host controller 711 may be configured to preferentially check the state of the USB port Port3.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications other than those described above can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, which of the four USB ports Port 1 to Port 4 is connected to each USB device 16, 13, 18, 17 to configure the photo printer 10 can be arbitrarily determined at the time of designing the photo printer 10. The USB host controller 711 may be configured to recognize one of the USB ports Port1 to Port4 with priority according to the connection state.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the USB root hub 800 has four USB ports has been described. However, the number of USB ports is not limited to this, and by connecting a USB hub to the USB root hub 800 further. The number of USB ports can also be increased. In the above embodiment, the ink cartridge type photo printer 10 is described as an example. However, the present invention may be applied to other printing apparatuses such as an ink jet printer. Further, the present invention can be widely applied to connection of USB devices.

1 is a perspective view showing a photo printer which is an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an internal configuration of a photo printer. The block diagram which shows the principal part of a structure of a controller. The figure which shows an example of a USB connection process. The figure which shows the other example of a USB connection process.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Photo printer (printing apparatus), 13 ... ODD (USB device), 16 ... Memory card slot (USB device), 17 ... Wireless communication apparatus (USB device with 1st auxiliary | assistant communication function), 18 ... External USB device ( 2nd USB device with auxiliary communication function), 24 ... button group (USB device setting switching means), 701 ... CPU (USB device setting switching means), 711 ... USB host controller (USB device setting switching means), 800 ... USB Root hub (USB hub), Port1-Port4 ... USB port

Claims (4)

A USB host controller;
A USB hub having a plurality of USB ports;
A first USB device with an auxiliary communication function connected to any one of the USB ports and having an auxiliary communication function with an external device;
The USB host controller
When a second USB device with auxiliary communication function having the auxiliary communication function as an external USB device is connected to the USB port,
A printing apparatus, wherein a connection with one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function is valid and a connection with the other is invalid. The USB host controller
When the second USB device with auxiliary communication function is connected to the USB port,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection with the second USB device with an auxiliary communication function is invalidated. A USB device setting switching means for switching a setting for enabling connection with either one of the first and second auxiliary communication function USB devices;
The USB host controller invalidates the connection with the other one of the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function according to the setting contents by the USB device setting switching means. Item 4. The printing apparatus according to Item 1. In a USB device connection method for connecting a USB device connected to a USB hub having a plurality of USB ports and a USB host controller,
The USB host controller has the first and second auxiliary communication functions when the first and second USB devices with an auxiliary communication function having an auxiliary communication function with an external device are connected to the USB port, respectively. A method of connecting a USB device, characterized in that the connection with one of the USB devices is valid and the connection with the other is invalid.

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