JPH10254650A - Serial recorder, serial recording method and storage medium recording serial recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten time required for transferring and printing image data. SOLUTION: A serial printer main body 2 is provided with a card slot 7 for connecting a card type flash memory 6 other than a host interface 4 for connecting a host computer 1, the image data prepared on the host computer 1 are recorded on the card type flash memory 6 and the card type flash memory 6 recording the image data is mounted to the card slot 7 of the serial printer main body 2. Thus, a serial printer reads the image data on the card type flash memory 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a serial recording device and a serial recording method for printing image data on printing paper, and a storage medium storing the serial recording method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventionally known serial recording apparatus is connected to a host computer through an interface, and it is necessary to transfer print data through the interface. That is, the serial recording device and the host computer need to be connected by the interface cable.

[0003]

For this reason, the serial recording device can be installed only within a range where the interface cable can reach from the host computer, and when the serial recording device and the host computer are separated from each other, the total length of the serial recording device can be reduced. It was necessary to prepare a long interface cable or temporarily move the serial recording device closer to the host computer.

Further, since the image data is transferred from the host computer to the serial recording device via the interface, if the data transfer speed of the interface is low, the transfer time of the image data becomes longer, and the time until the end of printing becomes longer. There was a problem.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide
It is an object of the present invention to provide a serial recording device and a serial recording method in which the time required for transferring and printing image data is reduced, and a storage medium storing the serial recording method.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a serial recording apparatus according to the present invention is a serial recording apparatus for printing image information on printing paper. Connecting means, and reading means for reading image data recorded on the card-type flash arithmetic memory mounted by the connecting means, when image data is not transmitted from the host computer via the host interface Also, the image data is printed on printing paper via the reading means.

Further, the serial recording method according to the present invention
When printing the image data supplied from the host computer with the serial recording device, the image data is recorded on the card type flash memory, and the image data is read from the card type flash memory without transmitting the image data via the interface cable. This is for printing image data.

Further, when printing image data supplied from a host computer with a serial recording device, the storage medium according to the present invention records the image data on a card-type flash memory and transmits the image data via an interface cable. The procedure for printing the image data read from the card type flash memory without transmitting the image data is stored.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In one embodiment of the present invention,
In addition to a host interface for connecting to a host computer, a card slot for connecting a card-type flash memory is provided in the serial printer body,
The image data created on the host computer is recorded on the card-type flash memory, and the card-type flash memory on which the image data is recorded is inserted into the card slot of the serial printer main body. Can be read by a serial printer, and the read image data can be printed on printing paper.

With such a configuration, a small amount of image data is transferred to the serial recording device through the host interface, and a large amount of image data for which data transfer is likely to take a long time is stored in the card flash memory. And reading the data into a serial recording device. That is, by selecting an optimum data transfer method according to the state of the image data, it is possible to reduce the printing time of the image data.

Further, even when the serial recording device and the host computer are difficult to be connected by the interface cable, the image data is recorded on the card type flash memory and read by the serial recording device. Image data can be printed without connecting the serial recording device and the host computer with an interface cable.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a serial printer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure to be executed by the printer controller of the serial printer. The control procedure shown in this figure is stored in the ROM 9 in the serial printer in advance.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a host computer,
Reference numeral 2 denotes the entire serial printer. Reference numeral 3 denotes an interface cable, 4 denotes a host interface, 5 denotes a print buffer, 6 denotes a card type flash memory, 7 denotes a flash memory card slot, 8 denotes a printer controller, and 9 denotes a ROM.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, in order to transfer print data from the host computer 1 to the serial printer, the serial printer 2 has a host interface 4 for data reception, and the host computer 1 is connected to the host interface for data reception by an interface cable 3. ing. Thereby, the host computer 1 can transfer the print data to the data receiving host interface 4.

First, print data received by the data receiving host interface 4 is recorded on a print buffer 5 provided inside the serial printer, and the print data recorded on the print buffer 5 is stored in the serial printer 2. The data is read by the printer controller 8 for controlling the operation, and is printed on the printing paper by the printer controller 8 (step S2).

In the present embodiment, in addition to the conventional host interface 4 as described above, a flash memory card slot 7 for mounting the card type flash memory 6 in the serial printer 2 is provided (step S).
1: YES), by mounting the card type flash memory 6 in the flash memory card slot 7, the print data recorded on the print buffer 5 is read by the printer controller 8 in the same manner as the card type flash memory 6 is read. The image data recorded above can be read by the printer controller 8 (steps S4 and S5).

With such a configuration, the print data created by the host computer 1 is written on the card type flash memory 6 inserted in the flash memory card slot 7, and the card type flash on which the print data is written is written. By mounting the memory 6 in the flash memory card slot 7, the print data created by the host computer 1 can be read by the printer controller 8 without passing through the interface cable 3 and the data receiving host interface 4. . As a result, even if the host computer 1 and the serial printer 2 are not connected by the interface cable 3, the host computer 1
It is possible to print the print data created by the serial printer 2 on the serial printer 2.

However, when the amount of image data to be printed is equal to or less than a predetermined number, it is preferable to perform data transfer via an interface cable (step S3: YE).
S).

As described above, in the serial printer main body,
By providing a flash memory card slot for mounting a card type flash memory in addition to a conventional data receiving host interface, image data in the card type flash memory can be read into a serial printer. Thus, the image data created on the host computer can be printed by the serial printer without connecting the host computer and the serial printer via the interface cable.

When printing a large amount of image data,
When data is transferred via a conventional data receiving host interface and printing is performed, it takes time to transfer data via the interface in addition to the time required for actual printing. However, according to the present embodiment, since the operation of writing image data from the host computer to the card-type flash memory can be performed in a short time, the image data is read by the serial printer using the card-type flash memory as a medium. As a result, the time until printing is completed can be reduced.

The present invention may be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices or to an apparatus constituted by a single device. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, by reading a storage medium storing a program represented by software for achieving the present invention into the system or the apparatus, the system or the apparatus can enjoy the effects of the present invention. Becomes

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the time required for transferring and printing image data can be reduced despite the simple structure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the serial printer shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Serial printer 3 Interface cable 4 Host interface 5 Print buffer 6 Card type flash memory 7 Card slot for flash memory 8 Printer controller 9 ROM

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A serial recording device for printing image information on printing paper, comprising: a connecting means for mounting a card-type flash memory; and a recording means on the card-type flash arithmetic memory mounted by the connecting means. Reading means for reading image data, wherein even when image data is not transmitted from the host computer via the host interface, the image data is printed on printing paper via the reading means. Serial recording device. 2. A serial recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connection means includes a flash memory card slot provided in a printer main body. 3. The serial recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the function of the reading unit is executed by a printer controller. 4. When printing image data supplied from a host computer by a serial recording device, the image data is recorded on a card-type flash memory, and the card is transmitted without transmitting the image data via an interface cable. A serial recording method characterized by printing image data read from a flash memory. 5. When printing image data supplied from a host computer by a serial recording device, the image data is recorded on a card-type flash memory, and the image data is not transmitted via an interface cable. A storage medium storing a procedure for printing image data read from a flash memory.