JPH02131979A - Thermal printer controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily detect the number of plates of an internal program even if associated in an external unit, and to facilitate the management of the number of the plates by simultaneously printing symbol or numeral representing the number of plates of the program when a self-diagnosing program is started to print an inner character pattern. CONSTITUTION:A microprocessor(MPU) 3 has internal or external read only memory(ROM) 31, and contains, in addition to a main control program area 41, a microprogram having a self-diagnosing program area 42 and a character pattern area 43 as a program for controlling a thermal printer in a ROM 31. When a self-diagnosing program is started, a contained character pattern 44 is sequentially read, and, for example, printed on a heat sensitive sheet. When all character patterns are printed completely, the number of plates of the program is read, and a symbol or numeral 45 indicating the number of plates is printed after the printed pattern. Thus, even if associated with the external unit, the number of the plates of the program can be easily detected to easily manage the number of the plates.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A thermal printer control device that can easily detect the version number of a built-in program even if it is incorporated in an external device and can easily manage the version number, regarding a thermal printer that prints various data. The main control program for controlling the operation of the thermal printer and the self-diagnosis program for self-diagnosing the operational status of the thermal printer are stored in a ROM along with character patterns, and are controlled by a microprocessor. In a thermal printer, when a self-diagnosis program is activated and a built-in character pattern is printed, a symbol or number representing the version number of the built-in program is simultaneously printed.

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a thermal printer that prints various data, and particularly to a thermal printer control device that facilitates version number management of built-in programs.

In addition to a mechanical section that includes a thermal head and a drive motor, a thermal printer is equipped with a control device that controls the mechanical section according to commands input from the outside, and the control device executes the above commands using a built-in microprogram. do.

However, if there are any inconveniences in executing instructions from the outside, the microprograms are improved and revised. Therefore, in order to reliably execute commands and maintain good printing conditions, it is necessary to constantly update the microprogram to the latest version.

However, the control device is often built into an external device as part of the thermal printer, and even if the version number of the microprogram is displayed on the control device, the version number cannot be seen unless the external device is disassembled and the control device is removed. I can't.

Therefore, there is a need for a thermal printer control device that can easily detect the version number of a built-in program even if it is built into an external device, and that can easily manage the version number.

[Prior Art] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal printer, FIG. 4 is an address map of a built-in program, and FIG. 5 is an example of printing by conventional self-diagnosis.

In FIG. 3, the thermal printer consists of a mechanism section 1 and a control circuit 2. The mechanism section 1 includes, for example, a thermal head 11 that colors and prints on thermal paper, a drive motor 12 for a paper feeding mechanism that moves the thermal paper, and a thermal head 1l. The apparatus includes a switch 13 for detecting head-up or head-down, a horizontal position detector 14 for detecting the print position on thermal paper, a paper detection mechanism 15 for detecting the presence or absence of thermal paper, and the like.

On the other hand, the control circuit 2 includes a microprocessor (hereinafter abbreviated as MPU) 3, and the MPU 3 includes a head control circuit 21, a motor control circuit 22, and a head-up detection circuit 23.
, a position detection circuit 24, a paper detection circuit 25, and the like to the above-mentioned mechanism section 1.

Input of print data and print commands from an external device (not shown) to the MPU 3, output of an alarm signal from the MPU 3 to the external device, etc. are performed via the interface 26.

The MPU 3 has a built-in or external read-only storage device (hereinafter referred to as ROM) 31, and has a main control program area 4 as shown in the address map in FIG.
In addition to 1, a microprogram having a self-diagnosis program area 42 and a character pattern area 43 is built into the ROM 31 as a program for the thermal printer system 1'n.

When a printing command is inputted from the outside via the interface 26, the main control program stored in the main control program area 41 is started, and the character pattern nodding area 4 is started.
The print data is printed on, for example, thermal paper based on the character pattern in 3.

Further, when a self-diagnosis command is input via the interface 26, the self-diagnosis program stored in the self-diagnosis program area 42 is started, and the character pattern area
As shown in FIG. 5, all the character patterns 44 in 3 are printed on, for example, thermal paper to self-diagnose the operating state of the mechanism section 1.

The microprograms contained in the ROM, such as the main control program, self-diagnosis program area, character patterns, etc., are improved and revised if there is any problem in executing instructions. Therefore, in order to reliably execute commands and maintain good printing conditions, it is necessary to always update the microprogram to the latest version.

The version number of a built-in program cannot be identified by the appearance of the ROM, and if the version number is not displayed on the ROM when the microprogram is written into the ROM, there is a risk that a different version number will be used.

Therefore, the version number is generally displayed on the front or back side of the ROM, and in conventional thermal printer control devices, the version number is managed based on the version number.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the control device is often incorporated into an external device as part of a thermal printer, and in order to detect the version number of the built-in program displayed on the front or back side of the ROM, the control device is often incorporated into an external device. There was a problem in that the control device had to be taken out from the machine and the control device had to be opened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal printer-based f'ff device in which the version number of a built-in program can be easily detected even if it is installed in an external device, and version number management is easy.

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operating principle of a control device according to the present invention. The same objects are represented by the same symbols throughout the plan.

” - The problem is to have a ROM in which a main control program that controls the operation of a thermal printer and a self-diagnosis program that self-diagnoses the operating status and status of a thermal printer are stored together with character patterns, and is controlled by a microprocessor. A thermal printer control according to the present invention is configured such that when a self-diagnosis program is activated and a built-in character pattern is printed, a symbol or number representing the version number of the built-in program is printed at the same time in the thermal printer. achieved by the device.

[For production]

In Figure 1, when starting the self-diagnosis program and printing the inner character pattern, by simultaneously printing a symbol or number representing the version number of the built-in program,
It is possible to provide a thermal printer control device in which the version number of a built-in program can be easily detected even if it is incorporated in an external device, and version number management is easy.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that FIG. 2 is an example of printing by the self-diagnosis of the present invention.

In a conventional thermal printer control device, when a self-diagnosis program is started, the built-in character patterns are sequentially read out and printed on, for example, thermal paper, and the self-diagnosis ends at the same time as printing of all character patterns is completed.

On the other hand, in the thermal printer control device according to the present invention, when the self-diagnosis program is started as shown in FIG. 1, the built-in character patterns 44 are sequentially read out and printed on, for example, thermal paper, as shown in FIG. When printing of all character patterns is completed, the version number of the built-in program is read out,
A symbol or number 45 representing the version number is printed after the printed character pattern.

In this way, when starting the self-diagnosis program and printing the built-in character pattern, by simultaneously printing the symbol or number representing the version number of the built-in program, you can check the version number of the built-in program even if it is installed in an external device. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a thermal printer control device that can easily detect and easily manage version numbers.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the thermal printer, FIG. 4 is an address map of the built-in program, and FIG. 5 is an example of printing by conventional self-diagnosis.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thermal printer control device that facilitates version number management.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the operating principle of the control device according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is an example of printing by the self-diagnosis of the present invention. Example of printing by Figure 5 Figure 5 Block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal printer

Claims (1)

[Claims] A main control program that controls the operation of the thermal printer and a self-diagnosis program that self-diagnoses the operational status of the thermal printer are stored together with character patterns in a read-only storage device, and are executed by a microprocessor. The controlled thermal printer is characterized in that, when the self-diagnosis program is activated and the built-in character pattern is printed, a symbol or number representing the version number of the built-in program is simultaneously printed. Thermal printer control device.