JPH11321030A - Printer, and method for confirming set content of its operation parameter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an operator or a technician to correctly grasp set contents of an operation parameter of a printer. SOLUTION: After reading out set contents of an operation parameter stored in an NVRAM, a printer checks a print mode of the set contents of the operation parameter. In printing only by a CALRA code, the printer develops on a bit-map a list of the set contents of the operation parameter on a RAM by the CALRA code to form image data, and outputs the data to an engine to print to a paper. In printing in the CALRA code and an ASCII character string, the printer develops the list of set contents of the operation parameter in a bit map by the CALRA code and ASCII character string on the RAM, forms image data and outputs to the engine to print to the paper. Set contents of the operation parameter of the printer an be correctly grasped by reading printed results by a computer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printer and a method for confirming the setting contents of its operation parameters.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printers can set operating parameters for determining operating conditions such as LF (line feed) pitch, page length, character type, etc., so as to be compatible with various uses. Then, a list of the setting contents can be printed so that the operator can confirm the setting contents of the operation parameters.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method for confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters, the above-mentioned print result (the setting contents of the operation parameters printed on the paper) must be decoded by the operator, but it must be visually checked. Decoding can be overlooked or misread.

[0004] Further, when a problem occurs in the printer,
For the purpose of having the technician at a remote location check the setting contents of the operation parameters, a print result of the setting contents is sent to the technician's facsimile device using a facsimile device, but a facsimile device with a low resolution is used. In some cases, the print result sent via the printer loses characters and numerical values, making it very difficult to visually decipher it.

[0005] For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-16497, all settable information (operation parameters) is printed (in list form) to obtain a print result that is easy for the operator to interpret. Printers have been proposed in which the set information is printed with emphasis more than other information, but this also only helps visual decoding, and the possibility of oversight and errors may occur. Does not lower.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to enable an operator or a technician to accurately grasp the setting contents of the operation parameters of a printer.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a parameter setting means for setting an operation parameter for determining an operation condition, and a parameter for printing a list of setting contents of the operation parameter by the means. In a printer having a printing means, a parameter printing means is used to display a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means as a combination of nxm (n, m are positive integers) dot marks. This is a means for printing with a code.

Further, the parameter printing means is arranged to display a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means with a color code displayed by a combination of n × m (n, m is a positive integer) dot mark and an operator. A printer for printing a character string readable by the printer.

Further, a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means is printed by the parameter printing means by any one of the printers, and the printing result is read by the computer.
Also provided is a method for confirming the settings of the operation parameters of the printer for confirming the settings of the operation parameters of the printer.

Further, a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means is printed by the parameter printing means by any of the printers, and the print result is transmitted to a remote facsimile apparatus by the facsimile apparatus. A method for confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer, which allows the computer to read a copy of the printing result output from the facsimile apparatus and thereby confirm the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer at a location apart from the location of the printer. provide.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a laser printer embodying the present invention.

This laser printer comprises a printer controller 1, an engine 2, a panel device 3, and a disk device 4. The host device 5 is a host device of the printer. The printer controller 1 includes a CPU 6, a program ROM 7, a font ROM 8, a RAM 9, an NVRAM
10, an IC card 11, an engine interface (hereinafter, "interface" is abbreviated as "I / F") 12,
Panel I / F13, Disk I / F14, Host I / F
It consists of 15 I / Fs.

The CPU 6 is a central processing unit that controls the entire printer controller 1 in accordance with a program in the program ROM 7, a mode instruction from the panel device 3, and a command from the host device 5. Program ROM 7
Is a read-only memory storing a control program of the printer controller 1, a font ROM 8
Is a read-only memory for storing bitmap font or outline font data.

The RAM 9 is a work memory for the CPU 6,
Used for receiving buffer (input buffer) for storing input data, page buffer for storing page data, bitmap buffer for storing bitmap data, font file for storing download font data, etc. Random access
Memory.

The NVRAM 10 is a non-volatile memory for storing the setting contents of operation parameters for determining the operation conditions of the laser printer.
Is a removable memory card used when externally supplying font data and programs.

The engine I / F 12 is an interface for communicating commands, statuses, and print data with the engine 2 that actually performs printing on paper, and a panel I / F 12.
The / F13 is an interface for communicating commands and status with the panel device 3 for notifying the user of the current printer status and giving a mode instruction. The disk I / F 14 is an interface for communicating with the disk device 4.

The host I / F 15 is an interface for communicating with the host device 5, and is usually a Centro I / F or RS232C. The disk device 4 is an external storage device that stores various data such as font data, programs, and print data, and is a floppy disk device (FDD), a hard disk device (HDD), or the like.

The CPU 6 shown in FIG.
By operating according to the control program stored in the control unit 7, the functions as the parameter setting unit and the parameter printing unit according to the first and second aspects can be realized.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a parameter printing process according to the present invention by the CPU 6 of the laser printer. This routine is performed on the panel device 3
When the printing of the operation parameter is instructed by an operation signal from the host device or a command from the host device 5, it is called by a main routine (not shown) and started.
First, the CPU 6 reads the setting contents of the operation parameters stored in the NVRAM 10.

Next, the print mode of the setting contents of the operation parameter is checked, and the list of the setting contents of the operation parameter is printed only by the color code or the color code and the AS
It is determined whether or not to print with a CII character string. If printing is to be performed with only a color code, a list of operation parameter settings read from the NVRAM 10 is stored in the RAM with a color code.
9 on a bitmap buffer,
After creating image data for printing, the image data is output to the engine 2 and printed on paper.

On the other hand, when printing with a color code and an ASCII character string, a list of operation parameter setting contents read from the NVRAM 10 is stored in the color code and the ASCII code.
After the I character string is developed into a bitmap on the bitmap buffer of the RAM 9 to create image data for printing, the image data is output to the engine 2 and printed on paper.

Here, the CPU 6 sets an operation parameter for determining the operation conditions of the laser printer and a print mode of the set contents of the operation parameter by an operation signal from the panel device 3 or a command from the host device 5. , Can be stored in the NVRAM 10. A color code represents various kinds of information by a combination of a plurality of dot marks M arranged in a matrix of n × m (n and m are positive integers), for example, as shown in FIG. It is.

FIG. 3 illustrates a case where n = 2 and m = 2. A total of four dot marks M are prepared for one carla mark 20, and these are either filled or left blank. 2 ⁴ = 16
Can express different information in different ways. This Carla Mark 20
When a plurality of are arranged, the amount of information that can be transmitted can be increased according to the arranged number. FIG. 3 shows a state where five carla marks 20 are arranged in a line.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a part of a print result when a list of operation parameter settings is printed in a color code, and FIG. 5 is a list of operation parameter settings in a color code and an ASCII character string. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a part of a printing result in the case. Although the Karla code is shown only schematically for convenience of illustration, it is actually as shown in FIG.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the setting contents (operating condition setting data) 31 of the operating parameters stored (set) in the NVRAM 10 as described above by the laser printer 30 configured as shown in FIG. Is printed as a color code or a color code and an ASCII character string, and the print result (print paper) 32 is taken into an analysis computer 34 using an OCR device (optical character reading device) 33 which is a scanner, and the analysis result is obtained. Computer 34
Thus, the setting contents of the operation parameters can be digitized and obtained as reproduction data 35 of the operation condition setting data 31. Therefore, the operator of the laser printer 30 can confirm (accurately grasp) the setting contents of the operation parameters.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the laser printer 30 constructed as shown in FIG.
A list of operation parameter setting contents (operation condition setting data) 31 stored in the AM 10 is printed as a color code or a color code and an ASCII character string, and the print result 32 is transmitted to a remote place (a service center or the like) by the facsimile device 40. A copy 4 of the print result transmitted to the facsimile machine 41 and output from the facsimile machine 41
2 is fetched into the analysis computer 44 using the OCR device 43, and is decoded by the analysis computer 44, whereby the setting contents of the operation parameters are converted into numerical values and can be obtained as reproduction data 45 of the operation condition setting data 31. . Therefore, a technician at a remote place can confirm the setting contents of the operation parameters of the laser printer 30.

As described above, according to the laser printer 30 of this embodiment, since the list of the setting contents of the operation parameters for determining the operation conditions can be printed in the color code, the printing result is analyzed by the analysis computer 34. Thus, the operator of the laser printer 30 can accurately grasp the setting contents of the operation parameters, and can solve problems such as oversight, erroneous reading, and illegibility.

The laser printer 30 of this embodiment
According to the above, since a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters for determining the operation condition can be printed in a color code and an ASCII character string, the operator of the laser printer 30 can visually confirm the print result by the ASCII character string, In addition, the computer 3 for analyzing the printing result by the Karla code
4, the laser printer 3
The setting contents of the operation parameter of 0 can be grasped more accurately, and can be stored and managed in the analysis computer 34.

Further, the printing result based on the color code output from the laser printer 30 or the printing result based on the color code and the ASCII character string is transmitted to the facsimile apparatus 4.
0 to the facsimile machine 41 at a remote place, and a copy of the print result output from the facsimile machine 41 is read by the analysis computer 44, so that the technician can read the setting contents of the operation parameters of the laser printer 30 by the laser. It is also possible to accurately grasp the location remote from the location of the printer 30.

Here, the Carla code is used for the analysis computer 44.
The error rate at the time of reading (read error rate at the time of digitization) is low, and the resolution of the facsimile device 40 is low, so that the copy state of the print result output from the facsimile device 41 is poor (the print surface is dirty). In this case, the data of the setting contents of the operation parameters can be accurately reproduced using the analysis computer 44, and the contents can be confirmed.

The laser printer 30 can print the setting contents of the operation parameters not in the ASCII character string but in another character string (hexadecimal or the like) readable by the operator.

While the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a laser printer has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other printers such as an LED printer and a liquid crystal shutter printer. In addition, the present invention
The present invention can be applied to other devices such as a facsimile machine, a scanner, a digital copier, and a multifunction peripheral.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters for determining the operation conditions of the printer is printed in the color code. The reading allows the printer operator to accurately grasp the setting contents of the operation parameters, and eliminate problems such as oversight, misreading, and indecipherability.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters for determining the operation conditions of the printer is printed in a color code and a character string readable by an operator. The printer can visually confirm the print result, and the computer can read the print result by the color code, so that the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer can be grasped more accurately, and problems such as oversight, misreading, and indecipherability can be solved. Can be.

According to the invention of claim 3, according to claim 1 or 2,
By the printer according to the invention, a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters for determining the operation conditions of the printer is printed with a color code or a character code readable by an operator and the print result is read by a computer, Since the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer are confirmed, the same effects as those of the first or second aspect of the invention can be reliably obtained.

According to the invention of claim 4, claim 1 or 2
The printer according to the invention prints a list of the setting contents of the operating parameters for determining the operating conditions of the printer in a color code or a character code readable by an operator, and prints the print result by a facsimile machine at a remote facsimile machine. Transmitted to the device,
By having the computer read a copy of the print result output from the facsimile machine, the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer are confirmed at a location remote from the printer (remote location). Can accurately grasp the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer, and can solve problems such as oversight, misreading, and indecipherability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a parameter printing process according to the present invention by a CPU 6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a laser printer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a Carla code.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a part of a print result when a list of setting contents of operation parameters of the laser printer illustrated in FIG. 2 is printed in a color code.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a part of a print result when a list of operation parameter setting contents of the laser printer illustrated in FIG. 2 is printed in a color code and an ASCII character string.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters of the laser printer shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining another example of a method for confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters of the laser printer shown in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Printer controller 2: Engine 3: Panel device 6: CPU 7: Program ROM 8: Font ROM 9: RAM 10: NVRAM 20: Color mark 30: Laser printer 31: Operating condition setting data 32, 42: Print result 33, 43: OCR device 34, 44: Computer for analysis 35, 45: Reproduced data 40, 41: Facsimile device

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer comprising: parameter setting means for setting an operation parameter for determining an operation condition; and parameter printing means for printing a list of setting contents of the operation parameter by the means. The list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means is n
A printer characterized in that it is means for printing with a color code displayed by a combination of × m (n and m are positive integers) dot marks. 2. A printer comprising: parameter setting means for setting an operation parameter for determining an operation condition; and parameter printing means for printing a list of setting contents of the operation parameter by the means, wherein the parameter printing means comprises: The list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by the parameter setting means is n
A printer for printing a color code displayed by a combination of dot marks of xm (n and m are positive integers) and a character string readable by an operator. 3. A printer according to claim 1, wherein a list of operation parameters set by said parameter setting unit is printed by said parameter printing unit, and the printing result is read by a computer. A method for confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer, wherein the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer are confirmed. 4. A printer according to claim 1, wherein a list of the setting contents of the operation parameters set by said parameter setting means is printed by said parameter printing means, and the printing result is sent by a facsimile apparatus to a remote facsimile machine. A printer which transmits a copy of a print result output from the facsimile apparatus to a computer, thereby confirming the setting contents of the operation parameters of the printer at a location remote from the printer. How to confirm the setting contents of the operation parameters.