JPH06227094A - Control information memory changeable printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the control information changeable memory of an inexpensive printing device and simplify the chancing of an operating condition upon employing by a method wherein memories of an operating schedule information and an operating condition information are realized by a changeable memory preserving means, changing formed memory contents without employing any auxiliary power supply upon preserving the information. CONSTITUTION:The title device is provided with a printing device control means 1, controlling a printing device, and a changeable memory preserving means 3, changing the memorized contents of the operating procedure upon preserving it without employing any auxiliary power supply. Further, the title device is also provided with a condition switching means 2, for setting using conditions by a user, using the printing means 5, a printing means 5, and a printing mechanism control means 4, for generating a control driving signal for driving the printing means 5 by the commanding information of the means 1. Furthermore, the title device is provided with an external communication means 7, transmitting an information for controlling the contents of printing, printed by an external source, to the printing device, and a control condition indicating means 8, indicating the operation control condition of the printing device to an user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to control of a printing apparatus, particularly, storage of printing control procedures and printing operating conditions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing apparatus, a printing operation procedure is stored exclusively by using a memory storage means capable of only temporary storage formation, and only temporary storage formation is possible when the printing apparatus is controlled. Therefore, the printer is controlled based on the operation procedure memory which is fixedly formed. Also,
In storing the printing operation conditions of the printing device, the storage device is formed and saved using the storage device that can only form the temporary storage or the storage device that requires an auxiliary power supply device at the time of storage. At the time of controlling, the control information at the time when the temporary memory formation is performed, or the control information stored by using the memory storage means that requires an auxiliary power supply device at the time of storage is read to control the printing device. Was there.

[0003]

In the conventional printing apparatus that stores the operating procedure of the printing apparatus by using the memory storing means capable of forming only the temporary memory, the user can arbitrarily set the operating procedure information at the time of use. However, it is necessary to take measures such as changing the operating procedure in the user side device that drives the printing device. Further, even when the control drive signal for operating the printing device changes over time, the amount of change in the operating condition is retained as a memory, and the control drive signal according to the change is stored in the printing device. It was more difficult to generate than when the power was turned on.

In the control information storage variable printing apparatus according to the present invention, the operating procedure information and the operating conditions are controlled by the variable storage storage means that makes the stored content variable without using the auxiliary power supply device when storing the information. It realizes the storage of information. By this action, it is an object of the present invention to realize a control information variable storage device which realizes inexpensive control information storage of the printing device and makes it easier to change the operating state during use.

[0005]

A printing device control means for controlling a printing device in a printing device for printing on a print medium having an electric control means, and an operation procedure of the printing control means are stored. In addition, the storage contents of the operating procedure can be changed without using an auxiliary power source at the time of storage, and a variable storage storage means and a state switching means for a user who uses the printing apparatus to set operating conditions. A printing mechanism control means for generating a control drive signal for driving the printing means based on command information from the printing means and the printing means for printing on the print medium; It is characterized by comprising an external communication means for transmitting information for controlling the content to be printed from the outside and a control status display means for displaying the operation control status of the printing apparatus to the user.

A printing device control means for controlling the printing device in a printing device having an electric control means for printing on a printing medium, and operating conditions of the printing control means are stored, and Variable memory storage means for changing the storage contents of operating conditions without using an auxiliary power supply, state switching means for the user who uses this printing device to set operating conditions, and printing on the print medium Printing means for performing
According to the command information of the print control means, the print mechanism control means for generating a control drive signal for driving the print means, and the information for controlling the content to be printed from the outside to the printer are transmitted. It is characterized by comprising external communication means and control status display means for displaying the operation control status of the printer to the user.

[0007]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a control information storage variable printing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration example of a control information storage variable printing device according to the present invention. 1 and 2 have the same configuration, they are described as the same numbers.

In the printing apparatus of the present invention, the printing apparatus control means 1 is supplied with power based on the control information stored in the variable storage storage means 3 in which the control information formed inside is variable. In this state, the printing means is controlled and printing is performed. In the normal printing use state, the printing device control means 1 receives the print command signal 10 transmitted from the external communication means 7 for converting the external control information 18 into the internal print control command information, and the command content of the command signal. Then, the drive command signal 13 is transmitted to the printing mechanism control means 4 so as to generate the control drive signal 14. In this printing apparatus, printing is performed on the printing medium by operating the printing unit 5 based on the control drive signal generated by the printing mechanism control unit. Further, during the operation of the printing means, the operation state detection signal 17 of the printing means and the output state detection signal 15 of the printing mechanism control means are transmitted to the printing mechanism state detection means 6, and the detected state detection signal 16 is sent to the printing device. When the control means is input and it is determined that the printing state of the printing means cannot generate the desired printing, the drive command signal is further changed to perform control so that the desired printing can be generated. . Further, in the present printing apparatus, the contents of the state detection signal 16 are stored as operation condition information in the variable storage storage means at any time during printing control. The status display means 8 shown in FIG. 1 displays the current control operation status of the printing apparatus when power is supplied to the printing apparatus. Next, the changed state of the operating procedure information will be described. When the operating procedure information is changed, an operating procedure information change command is transmitted as external control information 18 to the external communication means of FIG. The external communication means transmits the operation procedure information change command to the central control means through the information transmission system of the print command signal 10, similarly to the normal print command information.
The central control means that has received the operation procedure information change command is transmitted from the external communication means through the information transmission system of the print command signal 10 according to the operation procedure information change command execution procedure stored in the variable memory storage means 3. The operating procedure information to be updated is stored in the variable storage storage means.
The variable memory storage means according to the present invention employs a mechanism that retains information without using an auxiliary power supply even when power is not supplied. Therefore, with the operating condition information,
The operating procedure information is stored in the printing apparatus even when power is not supplied. That is, next time,
When power is supplied to the printing apparatus, the printing operation is performed according to the operation procedure information stored based on the latest operation information change command. In addition, since the operating condition information is stored, printing can be executed using the latest operating condition, and the control information is updated every time the operating condition changes so that the best printing is performed. To do. In addition, for the operation contents and the like that the user needs to operate relatively frequently, through the state switching means 2,
The state switching command signal 11 is transmitted to the control means. Of these, the content of the state switching command signal that needs to be stored is stored as a signal in the variable memory storage means in the same manner as the control conditions.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the construction of the printing apparatus of the present invention. The printing apparatus communicates with the outside through the serial communication interface 7. As the external communication device, in addition to the serial communication interface described in the present embodiment, when a communication means capable of communicating with the outside such as a parallel communication interface is used, the same operation is performed. When printing is performed, the obtained control signal is converted into the drive command signal 13 to the print mechanism control means by the CPU device 1 which is the control means and transmitted to the driver circuit which is the print mechanism control means through the serial communication interface. To be done. In the driver circuit, a power control drive signal for controlling a motor for moving the print head and the medium to be printed is generated.
The printing mechanism is driven by this power control drive signal. The positions of the print head and the medium to be printed are transmitted as a print mechanism position detection pulse 17 to the pulse counter which is the print mechanism state detection means as an operation state detection signal, and the power control drive signal is a path of the drive current signal 15. Then, like the pulse counter, it is transmitted to the current / voltage detector which constitutes a part of the printing mechanism state detecting means. The control states such as the number of counts per unit time of the pulse counter and the amount of electric power detected by using the current / voltage detector are taken into the CPU in the form of information that can be handled by the CPU and can be electrically erased. It is stored in the read-only memory device 3. This electrically erasable read-only memory has the function of storing a program that defines the control procedure of the printing apparatus. That is, when a command signal for changing a program is transmitted through the serial communication interface, the CPU changes the program content transmitted through the interface by changing the program stored in the electrically erasable read-only memory. For the purpose of storing the program according to the program, it acts to change the control procedure. In addition, depending on the content, a command from a switch group that is a direct state switching means is also stored in an electrically erasable read-only memory.

[0010]

In the control information storage variable printing apparatus according to the present invention, (1) it is possible to retain the operating condition information of the printing means, which changes with time even when the power is cut off, without using an auxiliary power supply.

(2) The operation procedure information of the printing apparatus can be changed by transmitting information after the initial information is stored.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a control information storage variable printing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a configuration of a control information storage variable printing device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Control Means 2 State Switching Means 3 Variable Memory Saving Means 4 Printing Mechanism Control Means 5 Printing Means 6 Printing Mechanism Status Detecting Means 7 External Communication Means 8 Status Display Means 9 Memory Content Readout Signal Means 10 Printing Command Signal Means 11 Means Switching Signal transmission means 12 State display means Display signal transmission means 13 Drive command signal transmission means 14 Control drive signal transmission means 15 Output state detection signal transmission means 16 State detection signal transmission means 17 Actuation state detection signal transmission means 18 External control information transmission means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printer having (a) an electrical control means for printing on a print medium, (b) a printer control means for controlling the printer, and (c) a print controller. Variable storage means for storing the operating procedure and changing the stored content of the operating procedure without using an auxiliary power source at the time of storage; A state switching means for setting, (e) a printing means for printing on a printing medium, and (f) a control drive signal for driving the printing means according to command information from the printing control means. Of printing mechanism control means,
(G) External communication means for transmitting information for controlling the contents to be printed from the outside to the printer, and (h) Control status display means for displaying the operation control status of the printer to the user. A control information storage variable printing device characterized by comprising: 2. A printing device having (a) an electric control means for printing on a printing medium, (b) a printing device control means for controlling the printing device, and (c) a printing control means. Variable storage means for storing the operating conditions and changing the stored contents of the operating conditions without using an auxiliary power source at the time of storage, and (d) the user who uses the printing device sets the operating conditions. A state switching means for setting, (e) a printing means for printing on a printing medium, and (f) a control drive signal for driving the printing means according to command information from the printing control means. Of printing mechanism control means,
(G) External communication means for transmitting information for controlling the contents to be printed from the outside to the printer, and (h) Control status display means for displaying the operation control status of the printer to the user. A control information storage variable printing device characterized by comprising: