JPH02268318A - Print data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To share one or more printers among plural OA devices and to facilitate the write operation by writing print-out data in a memory card through a printer interface and a memory interface together with control data and automatically updating the address. CONSTITUTION:Print-out data and printer control data from an external device 9 like an OA device are supplied to a write control means 5 through a printer interface means 1 and are written in an IC memory card 2 through a memory card interface means 3. When this write is interrupted for a prescribed time, the address of the card 2 is automatically updated by a data end address updating means 7. Thereafter, data is printed out based on data of the card 2 read out by a read control means 6 by a printer connected to the OA device by offline, and thus, one or more printers are shared among plural OA devices, and the address is automatically updated to accurately write data in the memory card by the easy operation.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a new technology for using so-called IC memory cards, and more specifically,
The present invention aims to provide a print data processing device using a memory card as a storage medium.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, so-called personal computers (
OA devices such as personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as personal computers), office computers, workstations, word processors, etc. are rapidly becoming popular, and it is said that several to dozens of these OA devices are installed in one office. This situation is becoming more common.

For the above-mentioned OA equipment, CR is used as an external output device.
Most commonly, a printer is connected with the T, but the time the printer is in operation accounts for a fairly small percentage of the actual usage time of OA equipment, and high-performance, high-priced printers The size is large,
Occupying a large amount of space in the office
For these reasons, it is extremely uneconomical to install one printer for each OA device.

Therefore, in the past, one printer was connected to several OA devices with the same printer control code system via a switch, and when the user wanted to use the printer, the printer was connected to the printer using the same printer control code system. Another method is to adjust the rotary switch of a switching device so that the OA equipment and printer are connected.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, when using a printer switching device like the one mentioned above, OA devices that share one printer must be connected to each other with cables via the switching device, so it is not possible to share the same printer. This has the disadvantage that a plurality of OA devices must be placed close to each other, which also limits the space arrangement within the office.

Also, if the printer connected via the switch is being used by another user, you must disconnect the cable from the printer to use it, even if another printer is free. However, if you want to use a vacant printer located far away, you can interrupt the process on the OA device you are currently using and connect it to the vacant printer. There are also drawbacks, such as the need to restart processing on nearby OA equipment.

A first object of the present invention is to enable offline connection between OA equipment and printers through the intervention of an IC memory card. An object of the present invention is to provide a print data processing device that allows a printer to be shared.

A second object of the present invention is to simplify the operation when writing print data to an IC memory card in a print data processing device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object will be explained based on the functional block diagram of FIG.

A print data processing device according to the present invention includes a printer interface means 1 used for connecting a host device such as a personal computer and a printer.
, a memory card interface means 3 for accessing the IC memory card 2, a function switching means 4 for selecting either the print data writing function or the reading function, the writing control means 5, and the reading function. It has a control means 6, a data end/address information updating means 7, and a reading stop means 8.

Note that the IC memory card 2 uses an electrically rewritable SRAM or EEP-ROM as a storage element, and has a memory card interface means 3.
It can be attached to and detached from the print data processing apparatus itself via the .

The write control means 5 converts printout data and printer control data sent from an external device (in this case, an OA device such as a personal computer) 9 via the printer interface means 1 to a memory card. This is for writing data into the IC memory card 2 via the interface means 3. Further, the data end address information updating means 7 updates the I
This is provided for writing new data end address information into a predetermined area within the C memory card 2.

On the other hand, when the readout function is selected by the function switching means 4, the readout control means 6 reads the printout data and printer control data in the IC memory card 2 via the memory card interface means 3. It is for reading and further transmitting the read data to an external device (in this case, a printer) 9 via the printer interface means 1. Further, the reading stop means 8 is provided to control the end of reading the printout data and printer control data from the IC memory card 2 based on the data end address information.

Note that FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are conceptual diagrams showing how to use the print data processing apparatus according to the present invention.

The print data processing bag W10 according to the present invention has a parallel interface connector 11 compliant with the so-called Centronics standard as a part of the printer interface means.

When writing data to the IC memory card 2, the writing function is controlled to be selected by the function switching means described above, and the OA equipment main body 9a such as a personal computer is connected via the connector 11. .

In this case, when a printout command is issued to the OA device main body 9a, the OA device main body 9a sends printout data (data to be actually printed by the printer) and printer control data (print execution commands, line change commands, etc.). The print data processing device outputs both printout data and printer control data (hereinafter, both data are collectively referred to as print data). ), the receiver writes them into the IC memory card 2 in the same order.

In addition, at this time, if the transmission of print data from the OA device main body 9a is interrupted for more than a predetermined time width,
The print data processing device automatically stores and writes end address information (data end address information) of print data into a data end address area secured in a predetermined area within the IC memory card.

On the other hand, when reading data from the IC memory card 2, the above-mentioned function switching means controls the reading function to be selected, and the print data processing device IO is connected to the printer via the connector 11. 9b: In this case, the print data processing device 10 sequentially reads the print data stored in the IC memory card 2, and transmits the read print data to the printer 9b via the connector 11. .

As a result, the printer 9b uses OA when writing data.
The printing operation will be executed according to the print data output from the main body of the device.

Further, the print data processing bag W10 stops reading out print data based on the end address information written in the data end address area.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to have a so-called offline configuration in which the OA equipment main body and the printer are not connected with a cable.
It is also possible to use a printer located in a completely different location from device A.

Note that a print data processing device that only has the function of writing print data to an IC memory card and a print data processing device that only has the function of reading print data are provided separately, and the former is installed in the OA equipment main body, and the latter is installed in the printer. It is obvious that the printers may be configured to be connected exclusively to each other, and furthermore, a print data processing device having a print data reading function may be built into a part of the printer itself.

〔Example〕

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

In the following description, when simply written as H or L, it is assumed that the respective logical H level or L level is indicated.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a print data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The print data processing device of this embodiment includes a CPLI21,
A ROM 22 for storing programs, a RAM 23 for storing processing data, etc., a human cover 24, an output boat 25, an input/output boat 26, a memory card connector 27 provided as an interface means for a memory card, and these It is constructed of a microcomputer system having a data bus 28, an address bus 29, a control bus 30, etc., connecting each element.

The input port 24 is connected to a function changeover switch S1 for selectively switching between a write function and a read function, as well as a start switch S2, a stop switch S, and a card insertion detection signal line CD. RE A, D Y status display LED 31
, LED 32 for displaying processing in progress, and L for error display
ED33 is connected.

A parallel interface connector 11 compliant with the so-called Centronics standard is connected to the input/output board 26 with an input latch circuit, and in this embodiment, the connector 11 and the input/output board 26 constitute a printer interface means. are doing. Therefore, the connector 1
1, an OA device such as a personal computer is connected as an external device 9 when writing data, and a printer is connected when reading data.

FIG. 4 is a time chart diagram for explaining signals exchanged between the OA equipment main body and the printer via a parallel interface compliant with the well-known Centronics standard.

The OA device is configured to output print data from the DATA line and an active L strobe signal from the /STB line to the printer. On the other hand, the printer is configured to output a busy signal (active) from the BSY line and an acknowledge signal (L active from /ACK) to the OA equipment body as handshake signals from the printer.

That is, first of all, on the OA equipment main body side, BS'l is L.
After confirming that the level is reached, output the printer data and strobe signal. As a result, the printer side outputs a busy signal in response to the strobe signal, but the OA equipment main body side must not output the next printer data and strobe signal while this H-level busy signal is being output.

Here, the printer side is the print data bar.

When the loading into the file memory is completed, an acknowledge signal is output and the BSY line is returned to the L level. Therefore, when the OA equipment body side detects that the BSY line goes to L level or that an acknowledge signal is output, it outputs the next printer data and strobe signal.

The print data processing device in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 is also configured to perform the same handshake as shown in FIG. 4 above via the input/output port 26 and the parallel interface connector 11. There are, but
The print data processing device of the present invention is connected to the OA equipment main body when writing data, and in order to provide a signal similar to that of a printer to the OA equipment main body via the connector 11, the DATA line is connected to the input/output port. The connection port with the and /STB line is in input mode, and the BS
The board connected to the Y line and /ACK line is set to output mode.
each controlled.

Conversely, when reading data, the DATA line and /ST line of the input/output board are connected to the printer and in order to give the printer the same signals as OA equipment.
The ports connected to the B line are controlled to the output mode, and the ports connected to the BSY line and /ACK line are controlled to the input mode.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a memory map of the SRAM built-in IC memory card 2 in this embodiment.
1, a 2-byte data end address area 42, and a print data storage area 43 consisting of all other areas. Among these, recognition code area 4
1 is an area for writing a special identification code to indicate that print data has been stored and written to this card, and data end address area 42 is an area for printing data storage area 43. This is for recording information (ie, data end address information) regarding which address within the address area actually stores valid print data.

Next, FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing an outline of the processing program of the print data processing apparatus of this embodiment written in the ROM 22. Explain the operation.

The print data processing device is connected to a suitable external device,
When the power is turned on and the operation starts, first, in step M1, it is checked whether the IC memory card 2 is inserted into the memory card connector 27 via the card insertion detection signal line CD of the input board 24. .

If IC memory card 2 is inserted here,
In step M2, the READY status display LED 31 is lit to indicate that processing is ready, and in steps M3 and M4, the status of the function changeover switch SI is read from the manual boat 24, and the changeover switch S is set to the printer data. Check whether the read function is set to the selected state or the write function is set to the selected state.

If the write function is selected here, in step W1, the /STB line, /R3T line and DATA'fa of the input/output port 26 are controlled to input mode, and the /ACK line and BSYvA are controlled to output mode. , and a CP assigned as an address pointer for the memory card.
The contents of a predetermined register (hereinafter simply referred to as memory card address pointer) in U21 are stored in step W2.
The value of the start address of the print data storage area 43 is initialized at . At this time, one acknowledge signal is output from the /ACK line which is in the output mode, and the BSY line is held at L level.

Next, in step W3, a state waits for an L active strobe signal to be output as the print data is output from the OA equipment main body, but when the strobe signal is output, the strobe signal is In response to the rising edge, D A T is applied to the input latch circuit of the input/output port 26.
The print data on A vA is latched, and the strobe signal itself is also latched, and as a result, an H-level busy signal is immediately output from the BSY line of the input/output port 26 in step W4.

At step W5, the interrupt 100m5 timer is reset and stopped, and at step W6, the execution display LED 32 is turned on to indicate that the print data is being written. shall be.

On the other hand, the print data latched in the input/output port 260 input circuit is fetched into the CPU 21 at step w7, and the fetched data is then read into the CPU 21 at step W7.
When the data is stored and written to the IC memory card 2 via the memory card connector 27 at step W9, the contents of the memory card address pointer are incremented at step W9. Next, in step WIO, one acknowledge signal is output and the BSY line is returned to L level, and then in step Wll, the 100m5 timer for interrupt is started, and the print data is output from the OA device again. The process returns to step w3, in which the process waits for the L active strobe signal to be output.

Note that in step W3, the input of the strobe signal is continued, but at the same time, in step W12, the IC memory card 2 is detected via the card insertion detection signal line CD of the input port 24.
A check is also made in parallel to see if the memory card is inserted into the memory card connector 27. Here, while waiting for the input of the strobe signal (that is, while continuing the loop of steps W3 and W12), 10
When the 0m5 timer is up and a timer interrupt occurs, the CPU 21 determines that writing of print data has been temporarily completed or interrupted.

As a result, the CPU 21 interrupts the data end address area 4 in step W13 of the timer interrupt routine.
Data end address information (that is, the value of the address pointer for the memory card) is stored and written in 2, and a predetermined rD code is stored and written in the recognition code area 41 in step W14. Furthermore, in step W15, the execution display LED 32 is turned off to indicate that the IC memory card 2 can be removed, and the process returns from the timer interrupt routine.

As a result, the process returns to the loop of steps W3 and W12, which continues to wait for the input of the strobe signal, but if the input of print data is resumed, step W3 is performed as described above.
~Wll processing will be repeated. If the input of print data is not resumed, the writing process will be terminated when the IC memory card 2 is pulled out.

Regarding the timer reset process in step W5 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 above, only when inputting the first print data, the interrupt
The timer 0m5 is in a state where it has not yet been started (it has not yet passed through step Wll), and in this case, no change in state occurs at step W5. Similarly, regarding the process of controlling the lighting of the execution display LED 32 in step W6, when the second and subsequent print data are input, the lighting is already controlled (
Step W6 has already been passed), so no change in state occurs in this case as well.

Next, a case will be described in which the operation of the print data processing apparatus is started with the pig reading function selected by the function changeover switch SI.

First, in step R1, the contents of the recognition code area 41 are read out, and in step R2, it is checked whether the read data matches a predetermined recognition code. If the read recognition code is not appropriate, it is determined that no print data has been written to this card, and the error display LED is turned on in step R17.
33 is only lit, and no read processing is performed at all.

On the other hand, if the recognition code is appropriate, the /STB line, /R3T line and DA line of the input/output port 26 are
The TA line is controlled to be in the output mode, and the /ACK and BSY lines are controlled to be in the input mode, and the contents of the memory card address pointer are initialized to the value of the start address of the print data storage area 43 in step R4.

Next, the process advances to step R5 to wait for the input of the start switch S2, and when the input of the start switch s2 is detected, in step R6, in order to initial reset the printer connected as an external device, /R3Tfi is set to an L level of a predetermined width. Output a signal. Further step R7
The end address is read from the data end address area of the IC memory card 2 and held in the RAM 23, and in step R8 the end address is read out from the data end address area of the IC memory card 2.
2 is lit to indicate that reading of print data has started.

Next, step R waits for the BSY line input to go to L level.
Proceed to step 9, and if it reaches L level, proceed to step RIO.
At step R11, the print data stored and written in the IC memory card 2 is read out via the memory card connector 27, and at step R11, the print data is output from the DATA line of the input/output board 26, and /S TB'! An L active strobe signal is output from iA for a predetermined width.

Thereafter, in step R12, the contents of the memory card address pointer are incremented, and in step R13.
Then, it is checked whether the content of the address pointer is equal to the end address mentioned above. If they are not equal, it is checked in step R15 whether there is an input from the stop switch S3, and if there is no such input, the process proceeds to step R9, where the BSY line input waits for the BSY line input to become L level again. , repeats the print data reading process. Also, in step R15, the stop switch S
, if there is an input from the start switch S2, the print data reading process is temporarily interrupted and the state waits for the input from the start switch St in step R16. , B again
The process advances to step R9, in which the process waits for the SY line input to become L level.

On the other hand, if the content of the address pointer is equal to the end address described above in step R13, it is determined that all the print data stored in the IC memory card 2 has been read out, and step R14 Then, the execution display LED 32 is turned off, and the print data reading process itself is stopped and completed.

Although not shown in the flowchart, in this embodiment, in the print data reading process, if it is detected that the card has been removed during the process, the error display LED 33 is immediately turned on and the process is aborted. Ru. Also, if the number of written bytes exceeds the memory capacity of the IC memory card during print data writing processing, the error display LED 33 is immediately turned on and the processing is stopped.

In this embodiment, the 100 mS timer is reset and stopped in step W5 each time new print data is input during the print data writing process, but the configuration is such that the reset and stop are not necessarily performed here. do not have to. In other words, regardless of whether or not new print data is input, a certain period of time (for example, 100
Even if an embodiment is assumed in which the data end address is updated every m5), the data end address will always be updated when the input of print data is interrupted for at least a predetermined time width.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when writing print data, each time one byte of print data is received, the data is written to the card one byte at a time. It is also possible to provide a buffer memory in the data processing device and write the print data to the card all at once after receiving a predetermined number of bytes of print data. In that case, when the data end address information is updated, if the remaining data to be written to the card exists in the buffer memory, the configuration is such that the remaining data is also written to the card. do it.

Although the print data processing apparatus of this embodiment is constructed as a microcomputer system, it may also be constructed using a so-called random logic circuit. Further, as the IC memory card, in addition to a contact type memory card, it is also possible to use a contactless type memory card that can be accessed via electromagnetic inductive coupling.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the OA equipment main body and the printer are not connected to each other in an ON-line state, multiple OA equipment can be connected via the IC memory card and the print data processing device. It is possible to achieve a state where one or more printers can be shared and used. As a result,
It becomes possible to reduce the number of printers without causing complications that often occur when sharing printers, and it becomes possible to increase the degree of freedom in the arrangement of OA equipment in the office.

Also, the processing time for writing print data to an IC memory card is extremely short compared to supplying print data directly to the printer, so when using a printer, single-use Even task OA equipment can be operated in the same way as in the case of multitasking. In other words, after the process of writing print data to the IC memory card is completed in a short time, it is possible to continue printing via the IC memory card and the print data processing device, regardless of the OA equipment. Even within the time normally required for printing, it becomes possible to free up the OA equipment for other purposes.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the operation of the print data processing device, especially when writing print data to an IC memory card, can be made extremely simple and less prone to erroneous operation. In other words, according to the configuration of the present invention, when the writing of print data is completed, the data end address information is automatically updated accordingly, so that the user does not have to worry about the end of the data writing process. At this time, no special switch operation is required, and therefore, there is no fear that the data writing process will fail due to forgetting to operate the card before removing the card.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 7 show a print data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the basic configuration, and FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are usage methods. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration, FIG. 4 is a time chart, FIG. 5 is a memory map of an IC memory card, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are flow charts. 1-.-.interface means for printer, 2-.-
.--IC memory card, 3.--memory card interface means, 4.--1.function switching means, 5.--writing control means, 6.--.reading control means, 7.----Data end/address update means, 8-.Reading stop means, 9-.
・-・External equipment, 93-・-OA equipment main body, 9 b--
----- Printer, 10 print data processing device,
11------ Parallel interface connector, 27---Memory card connector. (G) (b)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A printer interface means for connecting between a host device such as a personal computer and the printer, a memory card interface means for accessing an IC memory card, and an external device via the printer interface means. data writing control means for storing and writing sent printout data and printer control data into the IC memory card via the memory card interface means; A print data processing device characterized by comprising data end address information updating means for writing data end address information into a predetermined area in the IC memory card when data input is interrupted for a predetermined time width. . (2) Either a printer interface means for connecting between a host device such as a personal computer and the printer, a memory card interface means for accessing an IC memory card, or a print data writing function or reading function. function switching means for selecting one of the functions; and printout data sent from the outside via the printer interface means and printer control when the writing function is selected by the switching means. A data write control means for storing and writing data to the IC memory card via the memory card interface means, and data input via at least the printer interface means are interrupted for a predetermined time width. data end address information updating means for writing data end address information into a predetermined area in the IC memory card; and when the read function is selected by the function switching means, the memory card interface means readout control means for transmitting printout data and printer control data read from the IC memory card via the printer interface means to the outside; 1. A print data processing device comprising: reading stop means for stopping reading of data.