JP2845793B2 - Printer interface controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer interface control device, and more particularly, to a printer interface control device for a computer which connects a printer with one printer connector and switches between a plurality of printer interface means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With regard to conventional printer interface control, when a single printer is shared by a plurality of hosts having different interfaces, a receptacle (physical interface connector) is provided for each host. ) Is provided in the printer device, and the printer device selects a connection host by a control signal or the like supplied from the host and performs interface control.
4181, JP-A-4-302201 and JP-A-4-3
No. 29171, which is well known.

In this technique, interface control between an individual host connected to the printer and the printer is fixed, and is performed by transmitting and receiving signals via a corresponding physical interface connector. It is.

On the other hand, there are various requests for notification information from a printer of application software executed by a host. For example, in the case of notification information for notifying "abnormal" of a printer, it is sufficient to simply notify "abnormal". Some application software may be
For example, there is also application software that requests notification of power OFF, paper out, forget to press the select button, hardware abnormality, and the like.

[0005] All of these pieces of notification information are created by combining signals through the above-described physical connectors, and there are various patterns.

In view of the above, printer interface means for preparing a new broadcast information signal required by application software in accordance with the various signal combination patterns are prepared in the host, and the printer interface means is switched to the application interface by application software request. A host technology having a printer interface control capable of switching control to a printer interface means required by software has emerged.

FIG. 3 shows application software A requesting the printer interface means A from a host having two different printer interface means A and B.
And a block diagram to which application software B for requesting the printer interface means B is added .

The printer device 31 is connected to the host printer interface unit 30 by one physical connector, for example, by a Centronics interface.

The host printer interface unit 30 includes a printer controller (for example, a microprocessor),
The printer includes a printer BIOS and a memory for storing programs as printer interface means A and B. The printer BIOS controls the printer device 31, and the interface responds to a request from application software. It operates by switching to interface means. At the time of the initial setting at the time of turning on the power, a predetermined printer interface means, for example, a printer interface means A is set. Which printer interface means is currently set is stored by a flag or the like.

The printer interface control unit A instructs the host printer interface unit 30 to perform necessary processing in response to a print request from the application software A. Similarly, in response to a print request from the application software B, the printer interface control unit B instructs the host printer interface unit 30 on necessary processing.

The interface control will be described with reference to FIG.

When the application software A outputs to the printer, the application software A issues a printer interface means change command,
The printer interface means controller A checks whether the currently set printer interface means is the printer interface means A or B.

When the set printer interface means is the printer interface means B, a request is made to change the printer interface means from B to A, and after the change is completed, status information of the printer is obtained and printed. If possible, output data and terminate.

If the set printer interface means is the printer interface means A, status information of the printer is acquired, and if printing is possible, data is output and the process is terminated.

[0015]

The above-mentioned conventional printer interface control has a disadvantage that a corresponding printer interface means control unit must be provided for each application software.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printer interface control device which can be shared by various application software and can save resources.

[0017]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a printer interface control device includes a printer interface means for generating a printer interface notification information signal required by a plurality of application software. A printer interface control device for a computer having a plurality of corresponding printer interface means identifier storing means for storing an identifier of the printer interface means requested by the application software corresponding to the application software; In response to the first printer interface means change command, the identifier of the printer interface means requested by the application software is changed to the printer interface. When the printer interface means identifier stored in the means identifier storage means and stored in the printer interface means identifier storage means according to the subsequent command supply is compared with the identifier of the printer interface means set in the computer, A printer interface control means for instructing the computer to switch to a printer interface means having the same printer interface means identifier as the printer interface means identifier stored in the printer interface means identifier storage means. Have been.

A printer interface control device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the printer interface control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the printer interface control means is provided in the printer interface means identifier storage area of the printer interface means identifier storage means. It is characterized in that an identifier possessed by the printer interface means which is initially set in the computer is set as an initial value.

[0019]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a printer interface control device according to the present invention and the configuration of related devices and the like.

FIG. 1 shows, as an example, application software A for requesting the printer interface means A to a host having two different printer interface means A and B, and application software B for requesting the printer interface means B. block diagram added is shown.

Here, the printer interface means, as described above, combines various interface signals transmitted and received via one physical interface connector between the host and the printer to generate a new broadcast information signal. The notification information signal newly created satisfies the requirements of the individual application software, so that each application software can know information about the printer.

The printer device 5 is connected to the host printer interface unit 4 by one physical connector, for example, by a Centronics interface.

The host printer interface unit 4 includes a printer controller (for example, a microprocessor), a memory for storing a printer BIOS and programs for printer interface means A and B, and controls the printer device 5 by the printer BIOS. In response to a request from the application software, the printer controller operates by switching to the corresponding interface means. At the time of the initial setting at the time of turning on the power, a predetermined printer interface means, for example, a printer interface means A is set. Which printer interface means is currently set is stored by a flag or the like.

The printer interface control device 1 includes a printer interface means control unit 2 and a printer interface means identifier storage unit 3.

The printer interface means control unit 2 analyzes a command supplied from the application software to check a printer interface means set at the present time, and determines whether the printer interface means is a printer corresponding to the application software to which the command is supplied. If it is not the interface means, an instruction is given to switch the printer interface means.

The printer interface means identifier storage section 3 has a storage area for each application software added to the host, and instructs the printer interface means control section 2 in response to a printer interface means change command from the application software. The printer interface means identifier to be stored is stored in a storage area designated by the printer interface means control unit 2.

The application software commands to the printer include a printer interface means change command for instructing a switch to the printer interface means corresponding to the application software;
In general, a status acquisition command for inquiring the printer status as to whether or not the printer can print and a print request command accompanied by data are prepared.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the printer interface control device according to the present embodiment.

The operation of the printer interface control device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the power is turned on, the printer interface means A of the host printer interface unit 4 is initialized.

When the application software starts work and the first printer output occurs, it first outputs a printer interface means change command to the printer interface means control unit 2.

The printer interface control unit 2 analyzes the arriving command, and since this is a printer interface change command (YES branch of step 21), the printer interface means specified by the printer interface change command is designated. That is, the identifier of the printer interface means used by the application software is stored in the storage area corresponding to the application software in the printer interface means identifier storage unit 3 (step 22).

Next, the printer interface control unit 2 obtains the identifier of the printer interface currently set in the host printer interface 4 from the host printer interface 4 (step 23). The stored identifiers are obtained from the printer interface means identifier storage unit 3 (step 24), and the respective identifiers obtained in steps 23 and 24 are compared (step 25).

If the comparison result in step 25 matches (YES branch of step 25), the command supplied from the application software is analyzed (step 27). In this case, the command is changed by the printer interface means change command. Since there is (YES branch of step 27), the process ends.

That is, in this case, even if the printer interface means change instruction is supplied from the application software, the printer interface means originally set in the host printer interface unit 4 will be replaced by the printer interface requested by the application software. Means, the printer interface means control unit 2 sends the host printer interface unit 4
Is not necessary to issue a printer interface means change request.

If the result of the comparison at step 25 does not match (NO at step 25), a request for changing the printer interface means is issued from the printer interface means control section 2 to the host printer interface section 4, and the host printer interface is issued. The printer interface means currently set in the section 4 is switched to the printer interface means having the identifier obtained in step 24 (step 26), and the command supplied from the application software is analyzed (step 27).
In this case, since the instruction is a printer interface means change instruction (YES branch of step 27), the process ends.

That is, in this case, the printer interface means originally set in the host printer interface section 4 is different from the printer interface means requested by the application software. This is a case where it is necessary to issue a printer interface means change request to the host printer interface unit 4 to change the printer interface means.

Next, a case where a command supplied from the application software to the printer interface means control unit 2 is other than a printer interface means change command will be described.

In this case, the printer interface means change instruction has already been output to the printer interface means control unit 2 and the identifier of the printer interface means used by the application software is stored in the printer interface means identifier storage unit 3. It is stored in a storage area corresponding to the application software.

The printer interface means control section 2 analyzes the received command, and since this is not a printer interface means change command (NO branch of step 21), the printer interface means control section 2 causes the host printer interface section 4 to execute the command. The identifier of the currently set printer interface means is obtained from the host printer interface unit 4 (step 23), and the identifier of the printer interface means corresponding to the application software already stored as described above is obtained. Is obtained from the printer interface means identifier storage unit 3 (step 24), and the respective identifiers obtained in step 23 and step 24 are compared (step 25).

If the comparison result in step 25 does not match (NO branch in step 25), a request for changing the printer interface means is issued from the printer interface means control section 2 to the host printer interface section 4, and the host printer interface is issued. The printer interface means currently set in the section 4 is switched to the printer interface means having the identifier obtained in step 24 (step 26), and the command supplied from the application software is analyzed (step 27).
In this case, since the instruction is other than the printer interface means change instruction (NO branch of step 27), the supplied instruction is executed (step 28), and the processing ends.

That is, in this case, the printer interface means originally set in the host printer interface unit 4 is different from the printer interface means requested by the application software. This is the case where the printer interface means is switched by another application software after issuing the interface means change command, and the printer interface means control unit 2 sends a printer interface means change request to the host printer interface unit 4. Is necessary to change it.

When the comparison result in step 25 matches (YES branch of step 25), the command supplied from the application software is analyzed (step 27), and in this case, a command other than the printer interface means change command is used. (NO branch of step 27), the supplied instruction is executed (step 28), and the processing ends.

That is, in this case, the printer interface means originally set in the host printer interface unit 4 is the same as the printer interface means requested by the application software.
If the application software issues a printer interface means change command and the printer interface means is not switched by another application software after that, or if the application software changes the printer interface switching as described above. This is the case when execution is performed.

As described above, the printer interface control device according to the present embodiment stores the identifier of the requested printer interface unit upon receiving the first printer interface unit change command, and thereafter stores this identifier. By using the application software, the application software can issue a command to the printer without being aware of whether or not the printer interface means has been switched by another application software, and the apparatus requests various interface means. It can be shared with application software, and resources required for interface means control can be reduced.

When the power is turned on, the printer interface unit A is initialized in the host printer interface unit 4. In response to this, the printer interface unit identifier storage unit 3 in the printer interface control unit 1 responds to this. If the identifier "A" of the printer interface means A initially set in the host printer interface unit 4 is set as an initial setting in each storage area of the printer interface means identifiers for the application software A and the application software B, The application software requesting the initially set interface means does not need to use the interface means change command even in the first print request. This is the second invention, and has an effect that the number of printer control instructions of application software can be reduced.

In the above description, the case where there are two printer interface means has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is obvious that a plurality of different printer interface means can be similarly controlled. .

Although the description has been given of the case where two application softwares are added , the present invention is not limited to this. It is obvious that the same control can be performed when a plurality of application softwares are added. is there.

[0050]

As described above, the printer interface control device according to the present invention stores the identifier of the requested printer interface unit upon receiving the first printer interface unit change command, and thereafter stores this identifier. By using the application software, the application software can issue a command to the printer without being aware of whether or not the printer interface means has been switched by another application software, and the apparatus requests various interface means. This has the effect that it can be shared by application software and resources required for interface means control can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer interface control device according to an embodiment of the present invention and related devices and the like.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the printer interface control device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional printer interface control device and related devices.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer interface control device 2 Printer interface means control part 3 Printer interface means identifier storage part 4, 30 Host printer interface part 5, 31 Printer device 21-28 Flow chart steps

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printer interface control device for a computer having a plurality of printer interface means for generating printer interface notification information signals required by a plurality of application software in response to different requests of said application software.
A printer interface means identifier storing means for storing an identifier of the printer interface means requested by the application software in correspondence with the application software; and an application corresponding to the first printer interface means change instruction of the application software. The printer interface means identifier required by the software is stored in the printer interface means identifier storage means, and the printer interface means identifier stored in the printer interface means identifier storage means in response to a subsequent command supply is stored in the printer interface means identifier and the computer. The identifier of the printer interface unit is compared with the set identifier. Printer In Tough Ace controller which comprises a printer in tough ace means controlling means for instructing the switching to the printer in tough ace means having Tafuesu means identifier and same printer in tough ace means identifier. 2. The printer interface means control means sets an identifier of the printer interface means which is initially set in the computer as an initial value in a printer interface means identifier storage area of the printer interface means identifier storage means. The printer interface control device according to claim 1, wherein