JPS60232974A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printer capable of supplying a plurality of kinds of character sets used in place of a normally used character set, in the state of being enclosed in a cartridge, and capable of selecting a character set to be used, easily and speedily. CONSTITUTION:A printer comprises a host computer 1 for externally outputting printing data and printing commands, a main body 2 of the printer, and a font cartridge 3 storing a plurality of kinds of character set patterns. The font cartridge 3 is so constructed that, for example, where a number is assigned to each kind of the character set, a character set 0 is stored in a ROM0, a character set 1 is stored in a ROM1, and so on (character sets 0-7 are stored respectively in ROM1-ROM7). When a code data for addressing the ROM0 are given to an address bus 34, a one-character amount of font data for a corresponding character in the character set 0 are outputted to a data bus 33. A combination of upper order bits in an address for selecting each of the ROMs have characteristic values. Dip switches 32 provide a controlling part 21 through a line 35 with information on the selection of the use of a certain one of the character sets (ROMn) by the operator.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field] The present invention is provided with a plurality of types of pattern conversion means, and when selecting and using the pattern conversion means, various character sets can be created by easy operation by an operator and readout control that takes usage priority into account. The present invention relates to a printing device that can easily perform printing.

[Prior art] Some relatively frequently used character sets are built into the main body, and when using other special character sets, character sets are provided from an external host computer as necessary. Printing devices of this type are becoming popular. Particularly when printing kana and kanji, a fairly large character set is required, and if you even consider changing the font, it would be uneconomical to have the entire character set available for constant use within the main unit. be.

Conventionally, this type of printing apparatus has been structured such that a particular character set is always selected whenever the power is turned on or the master reset button of the apparatus is pressed. Therefore,
When a user wants to use a different character set, he or she first sends a character set selection command via a host computer, selects the desired character set, and then sends print data to print. However, with the above method, the character set selection reverts to a specific one every time the power is turned on or the master reset button of the device is pressed, so to continue printing with a different character set, you must select a new character set. I had to resend the select command.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a cartridge containing multiple types of character sets that are used in place of commonly used character sets. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device which can easily and quickly select a character set to be used.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a host computer that outputs print data and print commands from the outside, 2 is the printing apparatus main body of this embodiment, and 3 is a font cartridge that stores a plurality of types of character set patterns.

The main body 2 includes a control unit 21 which is configured by a microprocessor including RAM and ROM and controls printing of the apparatus, and a built-in character set 22 which converts printer data codes input from the host computer 1 into corresponding pattern data. A dot printer unit 23 is provided for forming a permanent visible image on a sheet of paper using the converted pattern data.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the font cartridge 3. FIG. In the figure, 32 is a dip switch for selecting the character set in the font cartridge 3, and 31 is a connector that is detachably fitted to the connector 24 of the main body 2 and electrically connects various signals. be.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the font cartridge 3. As shown in FIG. In the figure, for example, if numbers are assigned to each type of character set, character set 0 is stored in ROM0, character set 1 is stored in ROMI, and so on, up to character set 7 are stored in each ROM. When code data for addressing ROM0 is given to address bus 34, font data for one corresponding character in character set 0 is output to data bus 33. The combination of upper bits of the address that selects each ROM has a unique value. For example, the upper address of ROM0 is 0=-00, the upper address of ROM1 is 001,...the upper address of ROM7 is ill.
It's like this. The deep switch 32 provides the control unit 21 via line 35 with information selected by the operator as to which character set (ROM n ) mentioned above is to be used.

FIG. 4 shows how the control section 21 sets a specific character when the power is turned on or when the reset button of the device is pressed. 4R
t6t-ccl! ! Fl! . Oh. -Aya-1.

In the figure, an input is made to step St when the power is turned on or when the reset button of the device is pressed. Step S
In step 2, it is checked whether the font cartridge 3 is attached to the connector 24 or not. Whether or not the cartridge 3 is installed can be easily determined by, for example, determining from the control unit 21 whether two arbitrary pins of the connector 24 are short-circuited due to the loading of the cartridge 3. font cartridge 3
If the character set 22 is not attached, the process advances to step S16 and the built-in character set 22 is selected. This is the condition for selecting the common character set, and the operator need not install the font cartridge 3.

In step S20, a printing program is executed.

Further, when the font cartridge 3 is installed, it is checked in step S3 whether or not the dip switch 32's beep 0 is set to 1. If it is 1, the process advances to step S8 and ROM0 is selected. That is, a code of 000 is added to the L-order 3 bits of input character code data from the host computer 1, and ROM0 forms a means for pattern conversion. In step S20, the font pattern converted according to the character set of ROM0 is printed on the dot printer section 23.
Printed by Further, if bit 0 of the dip switch 32 is not 1, the process advances to step S4. Step S
4, the bit l of the dip switch 32 is set to 1 in the same way.
Find out whether or not. If l, proceed to step S9 and ROMI
Select. Thereafter, the processing up to the point where bit 7 is checked in step S15 is the same. In this way, bits 0 to 7 are examined in order, and if there is a 1 bit in the middle, that character set is selected. Therefore,
When the operator selects a priority from a low priority to a high priority, he only has to turn on the bit switch. Also, when returning to the original state, turn the bit switch OFF.
Just set it to F. In this way, the character set can be selected by a simple switch operation on the main body of the apparatus, without having to perform the character set selection operation from the host computer 1.

In this example, an example in which the font cartridge itself is provided with a digital switch has been explained, but it is possible to use a large number of character sets (
It is also possible to have all the ROMs built into the main body and to select them in a similar manner using switch means attached to the main body panel.

[Effects] As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of five types of pattern conversion means are provided, and when selecting and using the pattern conversion means, the pattern conversion means can be used at any time by simple operation by the operator and readout control that takes into account usage priority. Since the desired character set can be easily and quickly selected, printing efficiency is greatly improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a font cartridge, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the font cartridge, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing until the control unit selects a specific character set. Here, 1... host computer, 2... printer main body, 3... font cartridge, 21... control section, 22... built-in character set, 23... dot printer section. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printing device that prints pattern information corresponding to code data input, a connector means for detachably supporting a pattern conversion means built into the main body and a cartridge means consisting of a plurality of specifiable sets of pattern conversion means from the outside; , a selection means for further preferentially processing the specified plurality of sets of pattern conversion means to select l pattern conversion means; and a pattern selected by the selection means when the cartridge means is loaded in the connector means; A printing apparatus comprising: a printing control means that prints using a converting means, and prints using a pattern converting means built into the main body when the cartridge means is not loaded in the connector means.