JPH06333455A - Method for assigning function of operation switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of operation switch, and to prevent the generation of operation error on the basis of the combination of ON/OFF and the operation time of a power switch and an operation switch. CONSTITUTION:A power switch and an operation switch are provided in an electronic equipment. At the time when the power switch is turned on, a judgement that the operation switch is under the operation condition or not is performed (S1). In the case of non-operation condition, the electronic equipment is set at an ordinary mode, and a first function (for example; reset function) is assigned to the operation switch. In the case of the operation condition, the electronic equipment is set at a special mode, and a second function (for example; damping function) is assigned to the operation switch (S6). Furthermore, in this case, a judgement that the operation switch is operated for a predetermined time or not is performed (S9). In the case where the operation time exceeds the predetermined time, the second function is assigned to the operation switch.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for assigning a plurality of functions to an operation switch of an electronic device and preventing the erroneous operation of the operation switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when some failure occurs in an electronic device, cause analysis is performed for debugging work. For example, a printer device that communicates with a host computer will be described as an example. It is assumed that some trouble occurs in the printer device during the communication operation with the host computer. In order to investigate the cause of such a communication failure, it is necessary to obtain dump data, which is a history of communication data transmitted to this printer device before the time when the failure occurs, and analyze the data. is there. In performing data analysis for such debugging work, generally, an operation switch assigned with a function for printing and outputting dump data may be operated.

[0003]

However, such debugging work is generally performed at the product development stage or the software test stage, and it has been described above when the end user uses the electronic device. Special work such as debugging work is rarely performed. Therefore, if a special operation switch, such as a dump switch, which is rarely used, is provided in the operation unit of the electronic device, the operation unit becomes complicated and the usability is deteriorated, and an erroneous operation may be caused.

Further, the increase of the space of the operation portion by providing the operation switch which is not frequently used is not preferable for downsizing the electronic equipment.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of assigning a function of an operation switch which can prevent an erroneous operation and reduce the number of operation switches which are rarely used.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in an electronic device having a power switch and an operation switch, the operation switch is in the operation state when the power switch is operated in the ON state. When it is determined that the operation switch is in the non-operation state, the electronic device is set to the normal mode, the first function is assigned to the operation switch, and the operation switch is in the operation state. If it is determined that the electronic device is set to the special mode, the operation switch is assigned the second function different from the first function, and the operation switch is set to the predetermined mode when the electronic device is set to the special mode. When it is determined whether the operation switch has been operated for a predetermined time or more and it is determined that the operation switch has been operated for a predetermined time or more, the second function is enabled. To have.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when the power switch of the electronic device is set to the ON state, the operating switch is kept in the operating state so that the electronic device is set to the special mode and the operating switch has a function different from the first function. Second function is assigned.

When the electronic device is set to the special mode, the second function becomes effective only when the operation switch is operated for a predetermined time or more, so that when the operation switch is not operated for a predetermined time or more. The second function is not effective.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the operation switch function allocation method of the present invention is applied to a printer apparatus for bidirectional data communication with a host computer will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an operation unit of the printer device, and FIGS. 3 to 6 are operation flowcharts of the printer device.

First, the configuration of the printer device will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. Host computer 1
0 and the printer device 16 are connected via the input / output interface 12 including the data line 14, and exchange communication data.

There are the following two types of communication data. That is, one is communication data transmitted from the host computer 10 to the printer device 16, which includes a print code indicating print data and the printer device 16.
And a control code indicating control information given to.

The other is communication data transmitted from the printer device 16 to the host computer 10, which is a response transmitted when the control code includes a response request command. The data. This response data is, for example, error status data of the printer device 16.

The components of the printer device 16 are as follows. That is, 18 is a CP that performs the entire control operation.
U is a program ROM that stores firmware such as a control program, 22 is a data reception control unit that controls reception of communication data, and 24 is a reception that sequentially stores communication data received from the host computer 10. A RAM including a memory (not shown),
Is a mechanical control unit that performs a printing operation, and 28 is an operation unit. B is a bus that connects the CPU 18 and the above-described components.

The receiving memory included in the RAM 24 is composed of, for example, a ring buffer having a predetermined storage capacity, and stores processed and unprocessed communication data. Therefore, when some trouble occurs, it is possible to analyze the history of the communication operation by dumping the contents of the reception memory and viewing the contents of the processed communication data.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the operation unit 28 has a power switch 28a assigned with the function of turning on and off the power of the printer device 16, and cancels the error when an error such as a paper jam occurs. A reset switch (operation switch) 28b assigned with a reset function for causing the printer device 16 to perform a reset operation is included.
The operation unit 28 also includes monitor lamps 28c, 28d, and 28e for displaying an operating state of the printer device 10, for example, a power ON state, a ready state, and an error state.

Next, the operation of the printer device 16 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 is a main flow showing the flow of main operations, FIG. 4 is a flow of a normal processing routine, FIG. 5 is a flow of a reset processing routine, and FIG. 6 is a flow of a dump processing routine.

First, the main operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The program is started by turning on the power switch 28a, and first, it is determined whether the reset switch (operation switch) 28b is turned on (operation state) or not (non-operation state) (S1). Power switch 28a
If the reset switch 28b is not turned on at the time of ON, the printer device 16 is set to the normal mode and the reset function (first switch) is assigned to the reset switch (operation switch) 28b (S2). Next, it is determined whether or not the reset switch (operation switch) 28b is turned on (S3), and if not turned on, an operation based on communication data received from the host computer 10 is performed as will be described later. A processing routine is executed (S4). When the reset switch 28b is turned on while the normal mode is set, the reset processing routine of FIG. 5 for performing a paper discharge operation or the like is executed as described later (S).
5). Regardless of whether the normal process or the reset process is completed, the process returns to step S3 and the reset switch 28b is turned off
If not, the state of holding the next communication data is held.

On the other hand, in step S1, if the reset switch 28b is turned on when the power switch 28a is turned on, the printer device 16 is set to the special mode and the reset switch 28b is assigned the dump function (second function). (S6). Next, it is determined whether or not the reset switch 28b is turned on (S7), and if it is not turned on, a normal processing routine of FIG. 4 described later is executed (S8). When the execution of this normal processing routine is completed, the process returns to step S7 and the reset switch 28b is turned off.
It is determined whether N has been done. When the reset switch 28b is turned on, it is determined whether the reset switch 28b has been operated for a predetermined time or longer (S9). The predetermined time may be set to a time that allows normal operation and erroneous operation to be distinguished, for example, about 5 seconds. When the operation is performed for a predetermined time or more, the dump function is enabled, and the dump processing routine of FIG. 6 that prints out communication data described below as dump data is executed (S10). When the operation has not been performed for the predetermined time or more, the reset processing routine similar to the above-described step S5 is executed (S11).

Next, referring to the flow chart of FIG.
The operation of the normal processing routine of step S4 described above will be described. First, it is determined whether communication data has been received (S
50) If not received, the determination is repeated until it is received. When received, the received communication data is stored in the reception memory (S51). Next, the stored communication data is read from the reception memory (S52), and it is determined whether the read communication data includes a response request command (S52).
53) If not included, the normal print operation and control operation are executed according to the print code and control code included in the read communication data (S54), and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. On the other hand, when the read communication data includes the response request data, the response data corresponding to the response request data is transmitted to the host computer 10 (S55), and the process returns to the main flow of FIG. Figure 1
As described above, the response request command included in the communication data is, for example, an inquiry about the error status of the printer device 16, and the printer device 16 sends response data indicating the presence or absence of an error in response to this command. It is supposed to be sent.

Further, the operation of the reset processing routine of step S5 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in order to recover from the error state caused by the paper jam or the like to the normal state, the jammed paper is discharged (S60). Next, the monitor lamp 28e or the like displaying the error state is returned to the normal state to cancel the error (S61), and the process returns to the main flow of FIG.

Next, the operation of the dump processing routine of step S10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the paper set in the printer device 16 is ejected, and the monitor lamps 28c and 28d are initialized such that the monitor lamps 28c and 28d are made to blink to indicate the dump operation state (S).
70). Next, the paper for printing the dump data is inhaled (S71). Then, the communication data stored therein is read out from the reception memory 24, converted into hexadecimal data in hex, and output to the mechanical control unit 26.
Returning to the main flow of FIG.

According to the embodiment described above, the printer device 16
By setting the normal mode and the special mode, the reset function (first switch) and the dump function (second function) are assigned to the reset switch (operation switch) 28b. That is, two types of functions can be assigned to one reset switch 28b. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an operation switch for the dump function, and the space of the operation unit 28 can be saved.

Further, in order to set the printer device 16 in the special mode, it is necessary to operate both the power switch 28a and the reset switch 28b at the same time, and therefore it is difficult to make an erroneous operation. Therefore, by setting the dump function that the end user rarely uses as the second function, it is possible to prevent the dump operation from being accidentally executed.

Further, when the printer device 16 is set to the special mode, the dump function is enabled only when the reset switch 28b is operated for a predetermined time or longer.
Therefore, even if the reset switch 28b is erroneously touched, the dump function is not effective unless the reset switch 28b is operated for a predetermined time or longer, so erroneous operation can be prevented.

In this embodiment, the printer has been described as an example of the electronic device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it can be widely applied to electronic devices having a power switch and an operation switch. There is no end.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the electronic device can be set to the normal mode and the special mode with only two switches depending on the combination of the power switch and the ON / OFF of one operation switch and the operation time. The operation switch can be assigned the first function and the second function. Therefore, the number of operation switches provided in the operation unit of the electronic device can be reduced, so that the space of the operation unit can be saved and the electronic device can be downsized.

Further, in order to set the electronic device to the special mode, it is necessary to operate both the power switch and the operation at the same time, and thus it is difficult to make an erroneous operation. Therefore, an erroneous operation can be prevented by setting a special function that the end user rarely uses as the second function.

Furthermore, when the electronic device is set to the special mode, the second function is enabled only when the operation switch is operated for a predetermined time or longer. Therefore, even if the operation switch is touched by mistake, if the operation switch is not operated for a predetermined time or longer, the second function is not effective, so that the operation error can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an operation unit of the printer device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of main operations of the printer device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a normal processing routine.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a reset processing routine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a dump processing routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 16 Printer device (electronic device) 28a Power switch 28b Operation switch (reset switch)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device having a power switch and an operation switch, wherein when the power switch is operated in an ON state, it is determined whether the operation switch is in an operation state or a non-operation state. Is determined to be in a non-operating state, the electronic device is set to the normal mode, the operation switch is assigned the first function, and the operating switch is determined to be in an operating state. Is set to a special mode, a second function different from the first function is assigned to the operation switch, and when the electronic device is set to the special mode, whether the operation switch has been operated for a predetermined time or more. If it is determined that the operation switch has been operated for the predetermined time or more, the second function is enabled. How to assign the function of the operation switch.