JPH0238076A - Printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable printing and copying of a document to be performed by only a printer device without connection to a host device by storing online data into a memory card detachably fitted to a main body of the printer device, as a copy of printing data. CONSTITUTION:In response to an instruction from a host device, printing data is inputted to a printer device through a data receiving circuit 7 as online data, and is sent to a printing controlling circuit 8, to be printed by a printing mechanism part 9. The same printing data as above is stored into a data memory 17 in a memory card 16 connected directly to a bus line of the printer device, through a data writing circuit 14. When an instruction for starting printing is supplied from a copying instructing part 11, a copy counter 12 counts the number of times of copying. Simultaneously, a copy printing circuit 13 is operated, and a data reading circuit 15 reads the data stored in the data memory 17 in the memory card 16. The data thus read is printed through the printing controlling circuit 18 and the printing mechanism part 19. This operation is repeated the number of times set on the copy counter 12.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a printer device, more specifically, the printer device itself has a print data memory function and can copy print data even in an offline state with a host device. The present invention relates to a printer device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, when printing slips or documents using a word processor, etc., data is edited using a host device such as a personal computer, and the print data is sent to a printer device connected to the computer. It was printed by The edited print data is stored and stored in a storage means such as a floppy disk (FD), and the host device reads the print data stored in this storage means to copy a document, etc. It was.

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional printer device and a host device. In the figure, l indicates a host device such as a personal computer, and the host device 1 includes a CPU 2, a ROM 3 storing a control program for the CPU 2, a RAM 4 for data storage, and an I10 for connection with a printer device 6. It consists of 5 boats. The RAM 4 includes a created document data storage area 4a for storing document data being created, a print data storage area 4b for storing print data, and the like. On the other hand, the printer device 6 includes a data receiving circuit 7 from the host device 1, a print control circuit 8, a print mechanism section 9 such as a print head, and the like.

In a device system having such a configuration, a document created using a keyboard (not shown) is stored in the created document data storage area 4a when the document is created, and is stored as print data in the print data storage area 4b when printing the document. The print data is stored and sent to the print control circuit 8 via the data receiving circuit 7 of the printer device 6 according to the print instructions of the system user, and the print mechanism section 9 prints the print data under the control of the print control circuit 8. do. At this time, the user's instructions regarding the number of copies to print are n copies (
If it is the n section 2), printing is performed by reading the print data from the print data storage area 4b of the host device 1 n times and performing the above operation each time.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional host device-printer device system, printing is possible only after the print data is sent from the host device, and editing data cannot be printed without connection to the host device. Since printing cannot be performed, conventional printer devices have the inconvenience of not being able to print stored documents without a host device and being unable to be used independently.

Furthermore, when printing is repeated as many times as necessary based on print data of the same content, memory access in the host device is required each time, which poses a problem of placing a burden on the host device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a high-performance printer that can print and copy documents by itself without being connected to a host device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a printer device that prints print data from a host device, including a removable data storage unit that stores the print data as it is, and a printer that prints the print data in the data storage unit. A data writing means for writing data, a data reading means for reading the print data from the data storage means, and a copy instruction/control means for instructing and controlling copying of the print data, and the apparatus is connected to the host device. The printer device is characterized in that the print data can be copied without being connected to the printer.

(Operation) The data storage means of the printer device of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the device of the present invention) stores and holds the print data in the host device as is. This storage can be performed simultaneously when the print data in the host device is first printed, or it is also possible to perform only storage without performing any printing. This data storage means is one that can be detachably attached to the main body of the printer apparatus.

The data writing means and the data reading means write print data into the data storage means or read print data from the data storage means.

Further, the copy instruction/control means copies the print data stored in the data storage means to the printer device in a state where the printer device is not connected to the host device (herein, “
The term "copying" includes the printing of copies of documents.

Since the device of the present invention is composed of each component having the above-mentioned functions, the printer device alone, that is, in an offline state with the host device, reads the print data stored in the data storage means such as a memory card installed, and prints out the document. You can print and make as many copies as you need.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes copy instruction/control means, including a copy command section 11 that sets the start of printing, the number of copies, and other printing conditions, a copy counter 12 that counts the number of copies, and a Printing control circuit 8 and data reading circuit 1 based on printing conditions
5. It consists of a copy printing circuit 13 etc. which operates a data modifying section 19 etc. 14 is a data write circuit for writing print data created by the host device into the memory card 16, and 15 is a data read circuit for reading the print data stored in the memory card 16 at the time of copying. The memory card 16 used is one that can be detachably attached to the main body of the printer and has a data memory 17 backed up by a battery. 18 is a pass line, and 19 is a data modifying section for modifying print data. In the figure, a data receiving circuit 7,
Since the print control circuit 8 and the print mechanism section 9 are the same as those in the conventional printer device, the same numbers as in FIG. 2 are given.

Next, the operation of writing print data to the memory card 16 will be explained.

Print data created in a host device such as a personal computer is input to the printer device as online data through a data receiving circuit 7 according to instructions from the host device, sent to a print control circuit 8, and printed by a print mechanism section 9. On the other hand, print data having exactly the same content as the data to be printed is stored via the data write circuit 14 in the data memory 17 in the memory card 16 directly connected to the pass line of the printer device. This memory card 16 is backed up by a battery so that the data will not be erased even when the power is turned off or after the memory card 16 is removed from the printer main body. Through such processing, print data having exactly the same content as the printed data is stored in the memory card 16. Note that the above explanation is for the case where print data is stored in the memory card 16 when printing is performed according to an instruction from a host device, but at this time, the print data is stored in the memory card 16 without printing. Only storage may be performed. And the selection of these modes is
This may be done by the copy command/control unit 10.

Next, the copy operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the copy command unit 11 outputs a copy command including the number of copies and other printing conditions, the copy function of the printer device starts operating. When a copy start command is issued from the copy command unit 11, a copy counter 12 counts the number of copies. At the same time, the copy printing circuit 13 operates, and the data reading circuit 15 reads data from the data memory 17 in the memory card 16. The read data is printed by the print control circuit 8 and the print mechanism section 9. This operation is performed the number of times specified by the copy counter 12. Note that commands from the copy command unit 11 are issued via normal instruction means such as operation switches on the printer device, but when the printer device is connected to a host device, commands can also be issued via online commands. .

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the implementation relationship of one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 20 indicates the main body of the printer device. The memory card 16 used in the present invention is detachably attached to the printer main body 20 via a connector (not shown). Further, the memory card 16 is used by inserting a memory card 16 storing a predetermined document into the printer main body 20 when necessary. The number of memory cards 16 is not limited to one, but two or more can be used at a time if necessary.

FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram showing an example of the data modifying section 17 in FIG. 1. Data modification section 1
Reference numeral 9 is used to modify the print data stored in the data memory 17. The content of the modification is not particularly limited, and may be any known method such as 2x horizontal expansion printing, 1/2 horizontal reduction printing, etc. FIG. 4 shows the case where the print data is printed with double horizontal expansion. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes an arithmetic circuit which shifts the normal print dot row horizontally one dot at a time, and transfers the normal print data with the distance between the dot rows read from the data memory 17 to 2a horizontally.
This is to convert into double expanded printing, and a known arithmetic circuit can be applied to this.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an enlargement command unit that instructs the data reading circuit 15 and the arithmetic circuit 21 to perform enlarged printing, and this can be provided together with the copy command unit 11 in FIG. Note that when performing operations sequentially on data read out from the data memory 17,
The print data read from the data memory 17 is temporarily stored in a buffer memory (not shown). The copy printing circuit 13 in FIG. 1 performs data input/output control to this buffer memory when an extended printing instruction is received from the copy instruction section 11. In this way, by providing the data modification function, a wide variety of copy printing becomes possible using only the local function of the printer device, and any printing format that can be performed online can be realized offline.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above in detail, according to the present invention, by storing online data as a copy of print data in a removable memory card in the main body of the printer, offline printing can be performed by the printer itself. Since you can make a copy at any time, you can obtain the following effects.

■Data management is easy because data is stored on a removable memory card.

(2) Since copies can be made offline, there is no burden on the host device, and characters can be created by the host device even when copying in a conventional host device-printer system. Therefore, the functionality of the host device can be increased.

■Since copies can be made offline, high-speed copying can be achieved.

Furthermore, by adding to the printer device of the present invention the print data modification function normally possessed by host devices, such as color printing, reduction/enlargement, and correspondence between paper and print data, the device of the present invention can be used. Functionality can be further enhanced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of a conventional host device-printer system, FIG. 3 is a diagram of the implementation relationship of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an example of the data modifying section 19 in FIG. 1. FIG. 0... Copy instruction/control means, 1... Copy command unit, 12... Copy counter, 3
...Copy printing circuit, 4...Data writing circuit, 5...Data reading circuit, 16...Memory card,
7...Data memory, 9...Data modify section. Patent Applicant Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Upper Equipment - Psonta System 2 Shift 7 - Mu tr > Block Diagram Figure 2 vA Relationship Diagram of One Embodiment of the Great Invention Figure 3 Figure 751774 Part 19 Figure 4 shows an example of a 4-condensed 7゛ lock diagram.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A printer device that prints print data from a host device, comprising: a removable data storage unit that stores the print data as it is; and a data write unit that writes the print data to the data storage unit. means, a data reading means for reading out the print data from the data storage means, and a copy instruction and control means for instructing and controlling copying of the print data.
A printer device comprising: a control means, and capable of copying the print data without being connected to the host device.