JPH0224183A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve convenience for service by decreasing the number of operation keys to be installed by a method wherein a judged operation state of a printer is displayed, and when operation is performed by visually obsorbing said display, one of a plurality of relative process operation command input functions which has been changed over functions according to the operation state of the printer. CONSTITUTION:Each key 16, 17, 18 on an operation panel respectively has two types of process operation command input functions, and each key is switched by i.e., a BUSY state wherein a printer receives a data to be printed and a READY state wherein not received. In the case where the printer is judged as BUSY, when the key 16 is turned ON, a cancel process is executed. When the key 17 is turned ON, a form feed process is executed. When the key 18 is turned ON, a sauce process is respectively executed. Further, in the case of NO, when the key 16 is turned ON, a reset process is executed. When the key 17 is turned ON, a test print process is executed. When the key 18 is turned ON, a manual feed process is respectively executed. The cancel process for the key 16 is a process wherein all received printing data when the key is received are erazed and other data are kept under a state before input of the key to have no change. The reset process means a process for returning to an initial operaiton in an operaiton mode of the present printer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention provides an operation key provided on an operation section of a printer.
The present invention relates to a printer that has a plurality of related processing operation command input functions such as reset processing and cancellation processing, and is configured to switch the functions based on the operating state of the printer.

``Prior Art'' An operation key is provided that, when operated under switched printer operation conditions, inputs a predetermined processing operation command and inputs a different processing operation command by operating in combination with other operation keys. Printers have already been developed.

The operation keys of this printer only have a single function in a specific operating state, but when operated in combination with other operation keys, each performs a different function. For this reason, there are cases where two operation keys must be operated at the same time, and there are limits to how easy it is to simplify the operation procedure.There are also certain limits to reducing the number of operation keys, which can improve usability. There was a problem from that point on.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' The present invention has been made by focusing on the above-mentioned points. The solution is to provide a printer that has an operation command input function, switches that function based on the printer's operating status, reduces the number of installed operation keys, reduces costs, and improves usability. This is an issue to be addressed.

"Means for solving the problem" The specific means for solving the problem is to connect to a host device and respond to commands from the host device or commands input by single operation of an operation key provided on the operation unit. In a printer that executes a predetermined processing operation based on the above, the operation key is provided with a function for inputting a plurality of related processing operation commands such as a reset processing and a cancel processing, and a discriminating means for discriminating the operating state of the printer. and a display means for displaying the determined operating state, and a switching means for switching the processing operation command input function of the operation key to one of a plurality of functions based on the determined operating state. This is a characteristic feature.

"Operation" As clarified in the description of the specific means, the present invention provides that the determined operating state of the printer is displayed on the display means, and when the display is visually recognized and the operation keys are operated,
Depending on the operating state of the printer, one of a plurality of related processing operation command input functions is switched, and the printer executes a predetermined processing operation.

"Example" Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a printer system 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention.
0 is a configuration diagram.

In order to improve the throughput of the data processing device 1, the data from the general-purpose data processing device 1, which is the host device, is
After being temporarily stored in an external file buffer 2, it is output to the printer system 10.

The printer system 10 includes a character generator 3, a print engine 4 using an electrophotographic process and a laser,
It consists of accessory devices such as an external paper feed unit 5 and a sorter 6.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the printer system 10. The print engine 4 incorporates the bitmap type data processing device 3, and can be connected to an external paper feed unit 5 and a sorter 6 as accessories. Also,
An operation panel 44 is mounted on the upper front surface of the print engine 4. The operation panel 44 includes a display indicating the status of the system and operation keys for performing simple operations.

FIG. 3 shows details of the operation panel 44.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 indicates a display LED that displays a READY state corresponding to the operating state of the printer, and 12 indicates a display LED that similarly displays a BUSY state. The READY state is a state in which data to be printed is not being received, and the BUSY state is a state in which data to be printed is being received.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an error display section, which includes LEDs for various indications such as paper empty, toner empty, paper jam, and serviceman call. 14 and 15 are input key guide display LEDs, and the display LED 14 is in the READY state and the display LED is in the BUSY state.
15 lights up.

16, 17, and 18 are processing operation command input keys, and in the READY and BUSY states, the input key 16 is used to input commands for reset processing and cancel processing, and the input key 17 is used for test print processing. The input key 18 has a command input function for form feed processing, and a command input function for manual feed processing and pause processing. Reference numeral 19 is a display LED that indicates whether the input key 18 is ON or OFF.

4th [! 1 is a schematic block diagram of printer system 10. FIG.

The character generator 3 includes a bitmap control unit 30 (5th rM
), bitmap RAM for bitmaps (BM-
RAM) 32, a bitmap writing section 31 for drawing on this BM-RAM 32, and a font section 33. The connection with the print engine 4 is via a bus B3 for control data (number of sheets, accessory control, etc.) and a bus B4 for image data. Commands are input from the keys.

The print engine 4 is mainly composed of three controllers. First, the interface control section 40 processes control data from the bitmap control section 30, controls the operation panel, and controls the timing of the entire printer through the internal bus B5.

The electrophotographic control section 41 controls the electrophotographic processing section 45 in accordance with data sent from the interface control section 40 through the internal bus B5.

The print head control section 42 controls the semiconductor laser of the print head section 43 according to the information sent from the interface control section 40 through the internal bus B5 in order to write the image data sent from the bitmap writing section 31 through the internal bus B4. Controls light emission and polygon motor rotation.

In addition, the external paper feed unit 5 and the sorter 6 are also connected to the internal bus B5.
It is controlled by the interface control unit 40 through the interface control unit 40.

The printer system 10 described above is a bitmap type laser printer. Print data (mostly represented by a code) sent from the data processing device 1 is developed as an actual print image on the BM-RAM 32 of the character generator 3 and output to the print engine 4.

The print engine 4 modulates the laser beam according to the data from the character generator 3, records it on the photoreceptor, and further transfers it to recording paper.

The data sent from the data processing device 1 includes not only print data but also codes for format control and engine mode setting.

The character generator 3 analyzes these protocols in addition to the print data, and controls the format and issues instructions to the print engine 4 to feed paper or change optional modes as needed.The print engine 4 performs the above operations. In addition to the recording control, it also controls the electrophotographic system, controls the timing of recording paper, and performs processing synchronized with paper feeding to other options.

Control of the print engine 4 is similar to that of an electrophotographic copying machine except for the scanning system.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the bitmap control section 30. The bitmap control section 30 is composed of several blocks connected by an internal bus B501. BM-CP
U301 is a central control unit of the character generating device 3, and communicates with the data processing device 1 and external file buffer 2 through the data processing device interface 308, converts print data, and controls the bitmap writing unit interface. 306, the bitmap writing unit 31 is controlled, and the print engine interface 30
It controls the print engine 4 through 7 and connects to the operation panel 44 through an operation panel interface 311. SYS-ROM 302 stores programs for BM-CPU 301. SYS-RAM303 is BM-
This is a working storage area for the CPU 301, and is used for storing stacks and basic fufugu.

The R-buffer 304 is a buffer for communication with the outside (data processing device 1 and file buffer 2).
The purpose is to enable communication between the processing program of the PU 301 and the data processing device 1 to be processed even asynchronously.

The packet RAM (hereinafter abbreviated as P-RAM) 305 stores data from the data processing device 1 as temporary editing data that is converted from font attributes and is easy to draw on the BM-RAM 32 .

The print engine interface 307 is an interface with the print engine 4, and provides job information such as the number of prints and job information such as print commands.
The lilfl command is exchanged with the print engine 4 interface via bus B3. Other external input switch 309 is a deep switch for initializing the printer.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below according to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 6 and below.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the basic operation of the character generating device 3.

First, when the power is turned on, internal initialization is performed in step 511 (hereinafter the step will be omitted).

At this time, each display LED on the operation panel 44 lights up momentarily and then goes out. Then proceed to 812 and SYS-RAM
302 and BM-RAM 32 are cleared, font attribute information is read from the font unit 33 (see Figure 4) in 313, and the process proceeds to S14, where switch settings such as interface switching and operation mode settings by commands are performed. After performing and connecting the operation mode settings and internal default values (margins, etc.), the interface control unit 4
R for warm-up processing of print engine 4 from 0
When the EADY signal is received, the REA of the operation panel section 44 is
The DY state display LED II is turned on, and the initial setting and initial operation are completed.

Continued <815. In S16, subroutines for key manual processing and error display processing are called. This image processing routine will be described later.

If there is no error and it is in a normal operable state, proceed to S17.
Determine whether or not it is in a pause state from the pause flag,
If it is in a pause state, YES'' Proceeds to cs18, sends a data transmission prohibition signal to the data processing device 1, which is the host device, returns to S16, and repeats the above processing while in the pause state.When returning from the pause state is N in S17
At step o, the process advances to S19 and a data transmission permission signal is transmitted to the host device.

In S20, a subroutine for analyzing received data that processes received data received from the host device is called, and the routine will be described later.

Next, in S21, BM-FtAM32 is accessible (
BM-RAM BUSY), and if it is accessible, the answer is YES, and the processes from 315 to S20 are continued, and the temporary editing data is output to the bitmap writing section 31. If the received data is a control code, processing corresponding to the control code is performed (S22); however, if the control code is a paper discharge request, 323 is YES and the print engine 4 is activated to print, etc. The print control processing subroutine is called (S24)
The zero routine will be described later.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of data reception processing, which performs asynchronous processing with respect to the main flow of FIG.
It is output to and temporarily stored (S32).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of manual key processing on the operation panel 44.

Each key 16, 17, and 18 on the operation panel 44 has two processing operation command input functions, a so-called BUSY state in which the printer is receiving data to be printed, and a READY state in which the printer is not receiving data. It will be cut off.

If BUSY is determined in S41, in steps 342 to S47, cancel processing is performed when key 16 is turned on, form feed processing is performed when key 17 is turned on, and pause processing is performed when key 18 is turned on. executed.

If the answer is No in 341, the reset process starts when key 16 is turned on in steps 848 to 853.
When key 18 is turned on, the test print process starts and key 18 is turned on.
Then manual feed processing is executed respectively.

The two types of processing operation command input functions of each key are associated with each other, and the cancel processing for key 16, when the key receiver is attached, erases all received print data, and for other This is a process in which the state before the key is manually operated is maintained and does not change, and the reset process is a process that returns to the initial operation in the current printer operation mode.
From S49, the process returns to 312 in FIG.

The test print process for key 17 is a process that outputs a specific chart to check the operation of the printer, and the 7 ohm feed process prints out the intermediate results developed in the print buffer without clearing the data on the buffer. This is a process that allows editing to continue.

In addition, the manual feed process for key 18 is a process to select manual paper feeding, and the pause process temporarily stops data reception and data development operations. This is a process to stop paper feeding.

9 to 14 are flowcharts showing an outline of the manual processing of each key.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of cancellation processing.

The cancel function is for erasing the print data received from the host device, and in each step 861 to 863, all BM-RAM, P-RAM, and R-buffer are cleared, and in S64, the READY status display LED is cleared.
Turn on I, turn off the BUSY status display LF and D12, and turn off the display LED1 on the side of the key manual guide with no received data.
4 is turned on, and the display reset 15 on the side with received data is turned off.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart of the reset process.

The reset function returns printer operating modes other than those specified by the user to the state they were in when the power was turned on.
If it is determined that there is an operation mode set, the setting parameters are saved and only the operation mode setting value is retained (S
72).

FIG. 11 is a schematic flowchart of the test print process.

The test print function provides various parameter information (interface settings, font selection, etc.) of the current printer,
This is to output a print sample, and READ in S81
Displays the Y state and turns off the input key guide display LED 14 on the side with no received data, turns on the display LED 12 on the BUSY state and the input key guide display LED 15 on the side with received data, and in S82, information is stored from the SYS-RAM 303. Read the operation setting parameters to be output as
Convert the parameters into character codes and print them as print data.
- Output to RAM (883), and in S84, a predetermined pattern (character code, graphic data) is read and the pattern is also output to P-RA as print data.
In S86, output the paper ejection request to P.
-Output to RAM. These poultry processing processes are similar to the received data analysis process except that the sources from which each data is output are SMS-RAM and SMS-ROM.

FIG. 12 is a schematic flowchart of form feed processing.

The form feed function outputs the intermediate results during editing as described above, and after turning on the form feed flag in S91, after printing is completed, the flag is turned off by the print control routine (Fig. 17) described later.
F. Since the print control routine RAM is not cleared, editing can be continued.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart of manual feed processing.

As mentioned above, the manual feed function performs manual paper feeding. 3101, the flag to be detected when selecting the paper feed port during print control is turned on.
F (reverse), and in S102 the display L on the key 18 is
Flip ED 1 9.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of pause processing.

The pause function is to temporarily stop data reception editing and multi-copying in the printer, and the pause flag determined in step 817 of the main flow (Figure 6) and 8151 of the print control routine (Figure 17) to be described later in step S111. Perform ON10FF (reverse) and continue <31
12 inverts the display LED 19 on the key 18.

FIG. 15 shows a flowchart of error display processing.

The character generating device 3 constantly monitors errors, and detects errors in the device itself or the interface control unit 40.
The errors recognized through
It is now displayed. That is, it is determined whether or not there is an error held in the 8121 character generating device 3, and if there is no error, the process goes to 8122 and 8123 with No, and
Error display LED of error display section 13 of operation panel 44
is turned off, and the READY state display LED 11 is turned on. If there is an error, YES, the process advances to 5124 to read the internal error code, followed by <8125.3126 to display the corresponding error, turn on ED, display the READY state, and turn off EDll.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of received data analysis processing.

First, in step 5131, data temporarily stored in the R-buffer 304 is read, and in step 5132, it is determined whether or not it is a control code. If it is a control code, YES″rs1
Proceed to step 33, necessary items are stored in PRAM305,
For other control codes, analysis processing corresponding to each control code is performed. If it is not a control code, it is character data or graphic data, so-called printing or character data, so 31
34, the LED 12 indicating the BUSY state of the operation panel 44, that is, the state in which received data is being received, and the input key guide display LED 15 are turned on, and the RE indicating that there is no received data is lit.
ADY status display LED II and input key guide display LE
Turn off D14. Subsequently, in 5135, each is converted into an intermediate code in the form of predetermined temporary editing data, and P-RA
It is output to M305 and stored.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of print control processing.

The print control process is a process that ends image editing on the BM-RAM 32 and activates the print engine 4 to print.

First, the print number counter is set in step 5141, and the paper feed port for the print engine 4 is selected.
At step 142, it is determined whether the manual flag is ON or not. If it is ON, it is YES and the process goes to 8143 to select manual feed (manual paper feed). If it is OFF, it is NO.
to select cassette feed at 8144, followed by 51
Set the paper feed command and print command at 45°5146. These commands are sent from the bitmap control section 30 to the interface control section 40, and the actual image data is sent from the bitmap writing section 31 to the printhead control section 42. When data transmission is completed, errors are monitored until it is determined that the print end is reached, and if an error occurs, a predetermined error display process is performed (S148). By receiving a print end command from the print engine 4 in step 5147, - When the print sequence for the sheet is completed and it is determined that the print has ended, the process proceeds to 5149 and it is determined whether the form feed flag is ON or not. If the form feed flag is ON, proceed to 8150 with YES, and 7
Turn off the ohm feed flag and return. If it is OFF, it is determined whether the pause flag is OFF or not in step 5151, and if it is ON, the pause state is maintained until the pause flag turns OFF and the feeding of the next vapor sheet is stopped.

At step 5152, it is determined that the number of sheets corresponding to the counter set at step 5141 has been printed and ejected. At step 5153, the BM-RAM is cleared, the READY state display LED II is lit, and the BUSY state display LED1 is turned on.
2 is turned off, the display LED 14 on the side with no received data of the key manual guide is turned on, and the display LED 15 on the side with data is turned off.

As clarified in the above explanation, the embodiment of the present invention is configured to issue individual processing operation commands to the operation keys provided on the operation panel 44 depending on the operating state of the printer, that is, whether there is received data to be printed or not. The input function is switched from, for example, a reset processing operation command to a cancellation processing operation command, and the operation state is displayed on a display means to prevent malfunctions from occurring.

"Effects of the Invention" As clarified in the explanation of the specific means and effects described above, the present invention provides that the determined operating state of the printer is displayed by the display means, and the operation keys are operated by visually checking the display. Then, depending on the operating state of the printer, one of the multiple related processing operation command input functions functions and the printer executes the predetermined processing operation, so the individual processing functions There is no need to provide operation keys for each operation key, and the number can be reduced to the necessary minimum, reducing costs. In addition, the display means displays the printer's operating status, and each operation key can input related processing operation commands. Since it has a function, there is no risk of making a mistake in the operation procedure by performing a combination operation with other operation keys as in the conventional case.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The accompanying drawings show embodiments of the invention, and FIG.
System configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is an external view of the printer system, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation panel 44, FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the printer system, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the bitmap control unit 30. , Fig. 6 to Fig. 17 show respective flowcharts, Fig. 6 shows the basic operation of the character generator 3, Fig. 7 shows the data reception processing, Fig. 8 shows the key manual processing, and Fig. 9 shows the cancellation processing. , Figure 10 shows the reset process,
11 shows test print processing, FIG. 12 shows form feed processing, 13th ryi shows manual feed processing, FIG. 14 shows pause processing, and FIG. 15 shows error display processing. I is received data analysis/processing, 17th
Each figure is a flowchart of print control processing. 190. Data processing device, 3.11 Character generator, 1
0,,,Printer system, 11,12. ,,display LED, 14,15. ,,Manual key guide display LE
D, 16, 17, 18. ,,Processing operation command person Kaki-
19,, display LED, 44. ,,control panel. Figure Figure Figure Figure Figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A printer that is connected to a host device and executes a predetermined processing operation based on a command from the host device or a command input by a single operation of an operation key provided on an operation unit, comprising: The key is provided with the function of inputting multiple related processing operation commands such as reset processing and cancel processing, and also includes a determination means for determining the operating state of the printer, a display means for displaying the determined operating state, and a discriminating means for displaying the determined operating state. 1. A printer comprising: switching means for switching the processing operation command input function of the operation key to one of a plurality of functions based on the operating state of the printer.