JPH1125026A - Method for switching interface in printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the self-control of an interface user by validating one interface to which a signal is inputted earlier, and invalidating the other interface. SOLUTION: After activation, a printer device 10 receives a communication signal from an outside controller 7, and judges whether the received reception signal is inputted from a centronics interface 6 or an RS-232C interface 5. When the received reception signal is inputted from the centronics interface 6, an interface to be used afterwards is set in a centronics, and communication through the RS-232C interface 5 is invalidated. Also, when the received reception signal is inputted from the RS-232C interface 5, an interface to be used afterwards is set in an RS-232C, and communication through the centronics interface 6 is invalidated. This state is maintained until a power source is turned off.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device having a Centronics interface and an RS-232C interface, in which one of the interfaces to which a signal is input early is enabled and the other interface is disabled. The present invention relates to an interface switching method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method of switching an interface in a printer device (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-140328) is described below.
As shown in FIG. 4, a Centronics interface connected to computer A and an RS-2 connected to computer B
When a signal is input to one of the 32C interfaces to the printer P, the interface is selected, the other interface is in a busy state, and when the signal input is cut off, both interfaces are automatically selected. Returned effectively.

[0003]

According to the above-mentioned conventional interface switching method in a printer, when a signal is input to one interface, the interface is selected, the other interface is in a busy state, and the signal input is cut off. When the interface is used, both interfaces automatically return to valid.If the users of both interfaces do not manage themselves so that their support is not mixed, the printer device may malfunction. There was a problem.

[0004] In addition to the above, when there is a distance between the operation positions of the users of both interfaces, there is a problem in that there is a management burden in which the state of the interface of the printer must be checked sequentially.

[0005] Usually, Centronics is a relatively short distance, and RS-232C is an interface suitable for long-distance connection. Therefore, the RS-232C side is often operated from a position away from the printer device. Is also supported.

[0006] The inventors of the present invention have proposed a technology of the present invention in which, in a printer device having a Centronics interface and an RS-232C interface, one interface to which a signal is input earlier is enabled and the other interface is disabled. As a result of further research and development, the present invention achieves the object of eliminating the need for self-management of the interface user and eliminating the need to sequentially check the status of the interface of the printer device. Reached.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for switching an interface in a printer, wherein a signal is input quickly in a printer having a Centronics interface and an RS-232C interface. One of the interfaces is enabled and the other interface is disabled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for switching an interface in a printer apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of switched interfaces are released from the valid and invalid states. It keeps until it becomes.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for switching an interface in a printer device according to the second aspect, wherein the release state is when power is turned off.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for switching an interface in a printer device according to the second aspect, wherein the release state is determined when a release signal is input or release is required. It is something that is.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for switching an interface in a printer apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein after the interface is released, a reset signal for the interface is input. When resetting is necessary, the interface is reset.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the interface switching method in the printer apparatus according to the present invention enables one interface to which a signal is input earlier and disables the other interface. In order to avoid the state where both can be used, there is an effect that the self-management of the user of the interface is simplified.

The interface switching method in the printer apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure is the same as that of the first aspect.
In the present invention, since the switched valid and invalid states of the plurality of interfaces are held until the state is released, the self-management of the interface user is not required.

The method for switching an interface in the printer apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure is as follows.
In the invention, since the switched valid and invalid states of the plurality of interfaces are retained until the power is turned off, and are released when the power is turned off, both interfaces are reset when the printer device is turned on again. Becomes an effective standby state, so that it is not necessary to sequentially check the state of the interface of the printer device.

The method for switching an interface in the printer apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure is as follows.
In the present invention, the valid and invalid states of the plurality of interfaces that are switched and held are released when a release signal is input or release is required,
There is an effect that it is possible to release the state of the interface in any case where release is necessary.

The interface switching method in the printer apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure is the same as that of the second aspect,
In the invention, after the interface is released,
When a reset signal for the interface is input or reset is required, the interface is reset, so that an effect of enabling arbitrary reset of the interface is achieved.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention are described below.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) A method of switching an interface in a printer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention enables a printer device having a Centronics interface and an RS-232C interface to enable one interface to which a signal is input earlier to be effective. At the same time, switching is made to invalidate the other interface, and this state is maintained until the power is turned off.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a controller unit 1 comprising a CPU for controlling the entire system, a thermal head 2 for printing on paper, a stepping motor 3 for feeding paper, and a printer for printing. A switch 4 for starting, a first interface 5 for performing communication between the controller unit 1 and the external control device 7 by RS-232C, and a second interface for performing communication between the controller unit 1 and the external control device 7 by Centronics. The external control device 7 performs print data setting and operation control.

In the printer 10 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a cable 8 (Centronics) for connecting the printer 10 and a personal computer as the external control device 7 for controlling the printer 10 is provided. Cable or RS-232C cable).

From the personal computer 7, the interface to be used is connected to the cable 8 by using control application software for the printer 10 using either the Centronics interface or the RS-232C interface. Control is possible.

The switching control of the interface according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

In step 101, the printer 1
0, after starting, receives a communication signal from the external control device 7 and determines in step 102 whether the received signal is from the Centronics interface or RS-2.
It is determined whether the communication is based on the 32C interface.

In step 103, if the received signal is from the Centronics interface, the interface to be used thereafter is set to Centronics. In step 104, the communication through the RS-232C interface is invalidated.

If it is determined in step 105 that the received signal is of the RS-232C interface, the interface to be used thereafter is changed to the RS-232C interface.
, And in step 106, the communication on the Centronics interface is disabled.

If it is determined in step 107 that there is a communication of an enabled interface, step 10
8, the interface configured and used is a Centronics interface or RS-23
Step 2 if 2C interface is used
At 08 or step 109, a Centronics command or an RS-232 command is received.

In step 111, the received command is analyzed and executed.

In the interface switching method according to the first embodiment, after the printer device 10 is activated,
A communication signal is received from the external control device 7 (step 1).
01), it is determined whether the received signal is from the Centronics interface or from the RS-232C interface (step 102).

If the received signal is from the Centronics interface or the RS-232C interface, the interface to be used thereafter is set to the Centronics or RS-232C interface. Is invalidated (step 103 or step 104).

That is, when the interface is set, if there is a communication thereafter (step 107), communication is performed using only the set interface (step 108), and the communication is set to Centronics. In this case, only the Centronics command is received (step 109), and when set to the RS-232C interface, only the RS-232C command is received (step 110), and the command is analyzed and executed (step 111). This state is maintained until the power is turned off.

Communication is accepted only from the enabled interface, and when viewed from the outside, the disabled interface keeps a busy state and does not function at all. The data is retrieved from the valid interface that is stored by the user.

The interface switching method in the printer according to the first embodiment having the above-described configuration enables one interface to which a signal is input earlier and disables the other interface.
To avoid the state where both can be used in the past,
This has the effect of simplifying the self-management of the interface user.

That is, when a signal is received by one of the interfaces, the selected state of the interface is held, so that when one of the interfaces is started to be used, the other becomes completely unusable. Management is simple, with no vague situations.

In the method of switching interfaces in the printer apparatus of the first embodiment, since the switched interfaces are held until the enabled and disabled states are released, self-management of the interface user can be performed. This has the effect of making it unnecessary.

Further, in the interface switching method in the printer apparatus according to the first embodiment, the switched on / off state of the plurality of interfaces is maintained until the power is turned off, and is released when the power is turned off. Therefore, when the power of the printer is turned on again, both interfaces are in a valid standby state, so that it is not necessary to sequentially check the status of the interface of the printer.

That is, when the printing according to the instruction to the printing apparatus is completed, the printed matter as a printing result is taken to the front of the apparatus. At this time, the power supply of the apparatus is usually turned off and on again. That is. As a result, the device enables both interfaces again and enters a standby state, thereby enabling the next use.

(Second Embodiment) The interface switching method in the printer apparatus of the second embodiment is performed by turning off and on the power supply which is indispensable as a method for releasing the selected state of the interface in the first embodiment. This is performed by using, but as an example instead of turning off and on the power every time, a special command is defined to change the state of the interface.

That is, in the second embodiment, the valid and invalid states of the plurality of interfaces that are switched and held are released when a release signal or a re-input signal is input or when release or resetting is required. Alternatively, it can be reset.

In this method, after selecting each interface and causing the user to perform desired printing using the enabled interface, a command determined from the enabled interface (reuse permission of both interfaces) Command), the interface reselection setting is performed in the same manner as when the power is turned on again.

The interface switching method in the printer apparatus according to the second embodiment has an effect of enabling reselection of an interface by transmitting a predetermined command from an enabled interface. .

The above-described embodiments are exemplifications for explanation, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize from the claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the drawings. Modifications and additions are possible without departing from the technical idea of the present invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printer device to which an interface switching method according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied and a control device thereof.

FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating a control procedure of an interface switching method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection relationship between the printer device and a personal computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a control procedure of an interface switching method in a conventional printer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Controller part 2 Thermal head 3 Stepping motor 4 Switch 5 First interface 6 Second interface 7 External control device 10 Printer device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Centronics interface and RS
A method for switching an interface in a printer device, comprising: enabling one interface to which a signal is input earlier and disabling the other interface in a printer device having a 232C interface. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the switching between the enabled and disabled states of the plurality of interfaces is maintained until the interface is released. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the release state is when the power is turned off. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the release state is a state where a release signal is input or release is required. 5. The interface according to claim 2, wherein after the interface is released, if a reset signal of the interface is input or reset is necessary, the interface is reset. Switching method of the interface in the printer device.