JPH03111958A - Extension system for image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency of the above extension system by connecting an address setting line between a central control unit and plural extension devices and providing each extension device with an operation part for forming an inherent address. CONSTITUTION:The operation parts 9c to 11c provided in respective extension devices 9 to 11 form their inherent addresses by an address setting signal sent from the central control device 6 through the address setting line 8 provided between the central control device 6 and respective extension devices 9 to 11. When the operation part of the host extension device e.g. forms the inherent address of the extension device, the inherent address is transferred to the terminal extension device, which adds a number to the sent inherent address of the host extension device and transfers its own inherent address successively to the terminal extension device, so that the inherent addresses of respective extension devices 9 to 11 can be automatically allocated and respective extension devices 9 to 11 can be discriminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an expansion system for an image forming apparatus having a common bus line connecting a central control unit and a plurality of expansion devices.

(Prior Art) For example, in a laser printer system as shown in FIG. 3, the purpose is to improve functionality.

A large quantity paper feeder (L Cf T) which also serves as a table is installed outside the laser printer main body 1 - L knit 2. Large quantity output (LCOT)
Unit 3. It includes a finisher 4 (having a finishing mechanism such as a punching mechanism, stapler mechanism, etc.), a sorter 5, etc. (hereinafter referred to as an expansion device). Each of these expansion devices 1
5 are connected in parallel via a common bus line 7 to a central control unit 6 which exchanges information such as image information with the host machine (MH).

A control section within each expansion device is provided with dip switches SW1 to SWs for manually setting the address (unique number) of each expansion device by a service person or the like.

Then, the central control unit 6 uses the address of this unique number.
Information is transmitted between the expansion devices 1 to 5 and the expansion devices 1 to 5.

To explain this specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the laser printer body 1. Large leaf feed (LCIT) unit 2
．． Large quantity output (LCOT) unit 3゜Finisher-4
and the sorter 5 has its own unique address, e.g.
171, 11291, R3+1″4″
5" is given. Information is transmitted from the central controller 6 to the laser printer system in the form of "unique address + command" from the central controller 6 via the bus line 7, and the received extension Devices 1 to 5 execute the command if the number is the same as their own address. If the addresses are different, the command will be ignored. In this way, the central control device 6 can send information to the necessary expansion devices.

Furthermore, information is transmitted from the expansion device to the central control device in the form of “specific command+status” in the same way as described above. This allows the central control device to determine which expansion device the information is from.

When bus line connections are made using these procedures, it is necessary to determine the unique address of the connected expansion device, so as mentioned above, a dip switch is built into the control section of each expansion device. .

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In this way, in the conventional expansion system, each expansion device 1
A service person or the like uses a dip switch installed in ~5 to input a unique number (for example, address
5 #j), so when configuring the expansion system for the first time or adding expansion devices, remove the dip switch provided in the control section of each expansion device. , it was necessary to set it each time.

Furthermore, since the setting is done manually, errors are likely to occur during setting, and a considerable amount of time may be required for setting.

(Objective of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to provide an expansion system for image forming apparatuses and the like that can automatically assign a unique number to each expansion device without manual intervention.

(Structure and Operation) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an expansion system for an image forming apparatus having a common bus line connecting a central control unit and a plurality of expansion devices. An address setting line for determining the respective address of the device is connected between each expansion device, and each expansion device is connected to the expansion device by an address setting input signal sent from the central controller via the address setting line. The device is characterized in that it includes an arithmetic unit that creates a unique address for the device.

The present invention allows a calculation unit provided in each expansion device to set a unique address using an address setting input signal sent from the central control device via an address setting line set between the central control device and each expansion device. create. In this case, for example, if a unique address for the expansion device is created in the calculation unit of the upper expansion device, that unique address is transferred to the lower expansion device, and the lower expansion device uses the unique address of the transferred upper expansion device. a number, e.g. “1” or “n”
, and sequentially transfers its own unique address to lower-order expansion devices, thereby making it possible to automatically assign a unique address to each expansion device and to distinguish between each expansion device.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a connection configuration diagram of a central control device 6 and each expansion device A-C (9 to 11) according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9 to 11), an address setting line 8 is additionally connected in addition to the bus line 7 by the central control unit 6. Each expansion device i! A, B, C (9
, 10, 11) include calculation units 9C and IOC.

11 (1) to create a unique address.

This operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG. For example, when an address setting input signal c="o"' is transmitted from the central control device 6 to the address setting line 8, it is input to the first connected expansion device A (9) (S□), and is input by the calculation unit 9C. , C=A+B['0"+It I II
= −It 111 ) is calculated (S2).

The operation in this arithmetic unit 9C is as follows: C=II Q
1” is input to the IIB terminal, and C=A+B(
1=O+1) is output, and II I ++ becomes the unique address of this expansion device A (9) (S,).

Also, this unique address “1” is the address setting line 8.
C to the calculation unit 10C of the next expansion device B (10) via
=111++ is input (S4). Similarly to the calculation unit 9C, the calculation unit 10G also has C=A+B (2=1
+1) is performed, and the unique address of expansion device B (10) becomes it 2 u. Thereafter, in the same way, unique addresses are automatically set one after another from the upper to the lower expansion devices.

Furthermore, when the order of expansion devices 3, 4, and 5 shown in FIG. 3 in the prior art is electrically and mechanically connected to 4, 5, and 3, a unique address must be set each time. Although it needs to be corrected, in the case of this embodiment, it is automatically set and does not require human intervention.

Further, by transmitting information between the central control device and the expansion device using, for example, “unique address + expansion device celebrity status”, the central control device can determine which expansion device is connected to which location.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention connects an address setting line between the central control unit and the expansion device, and provides a calculation unit for creating a unique address for each expansion device, thereby making it possible to connect the central control unit to the expansion device. allows you to automatically set a unique address for each expansion device. As a result, it is not necessary to manually perform each expansion system creation or addition as in the past, and the settings can be made without errors, resulting in high efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connection configuration between a central control unit and each expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a configuration layout of a laser printer system. 4 are diagrams showing a connection configuration between a conventional central control device and each expansion device. 1... Laser printer main body, 2... Large quantity paper feed unit (LCIT), 3... Large quantity paper output unit (LCOT), 4... Finisher-15.
...Sorter, 6...Central control unit, 7...Bus line, 8...Address setting line, 9-11
. . . Expansion devices A-C59C to 11C . . . Arithmetic unit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In an expansion system for an image forming apparatus having a common bus line connecting a central control unit and a plurality of expansion devices, the system further comprises: determining the address of each of the plurality of expansion devices outside the bus line; An address setting line is connected between each expansion device, and each expansion device includes a calculation unit that creates a unique address for the expansion device based on an address setting input signal sent from the central controller via the address setting line. An expansion system for an image forming apparatus, comprising: