JPS607525A - Printer switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain an economical constitution of a printer switching device by providing a controller interface and a printer interface independently of each other and therefore increasing the number of desired interfaces in response to the number of printers. CONSTITUTION:A controller interface and a printer interface are provided independently of each other. For instance, various control commands are sent to a printer switching device 2 from printer controllers #1(1-1)-#8(1-8). At the same time, the texts to be printed are delivered to printers xsi1(6-1)-xsi4(6-4) via the device 2. Then the control command, the text output, the status, etc. are transmitted and received by controller interfaces #1(3-1)-#8(3-8) which are provided between a switch controller 4 and each printer controller. While printer interfaces xsi1(5-1)-xsi4(5-4) transmit and receive various signals between the controller 4 and each printer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printer switching device, and when a plurality of printers are used by a plurality of printer controllers, the number of which is greater than the total number of printers, it is possible to use any printer from any printer controller. The present invention relates to a printer switching device that enables printer switching.

Conventional printer switching devices have limited functionality, such as 2: 1.4: 2.8: 4, etc. By switching from printer controllers with twice the number of printers, a specific printer controller can use a specific printer. Therefore, these conventional switching devices have limited functional division9, and also have operating modes such as a mode in which any printer controller monopolizes any printer, and a mode in which this monopoly is released. Since the printer is not equipped with any means, etc., there is a drawback that the degree of freedom in using the printer is restricted.

For example, even if a 5-to-3 switching function is sufficient, an 8-to-4 switching device must be installed, resulting in three sets of controller interfaces and one set of printer interfaces being wasted. Because there is no function,
Even when one printer wants to output only information from a specific printer controller, text from other printer controllers is mixed in and output. Controller interface for each printer controller, which was made to eliminate the drawbacks.

By independently providing printer interfaces 7 and 8 for each printer, the necessary interfaces can be added according to the number of printer controllers and printers connected to this system, allowing for an efficient device configuration. In addition, a printer switching device is provided that allows text to be freely output from multiple printer controllers to any printer, as well as monopolizing a printer for a certain period of time, and forcibly canceling the monopolization state. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and in the figure, (1-1) and (1-2).

...(1-8) are each printer controller≠1
, Su2. ...≠8, and (2) is a printer switching device, and the printer switching device (2) includes a controller interface +1 (3-1) as an interface for each printer controller, and a controller interface +1 (3-1) as an interface for each printer controller. ≠2 (3-2),・
...the same Φ8 (3-8,), the switching controller (41, and the printer face @1 (5-1), the same 92 (5-2), the same 93 (5), which is the interface for each printer.
-3) and IjI4 (5-4) are provided. (6-1
), (6-2), (6'-3).

(6-4) are printers H1 and @2, respectively. @3゜g4
It is.

Each printer controller sends various control commands to the printer switching device +21, and outputs text to be printed to the printer connected via the printer switching device (2). Each controller interface provided between each printer controller and the switching controller (4) performs the transmission and reception of the above-mentioned control commands, text output, status (status signal), and the like. Each Boolean interface provided between each printer and the switching controller (4) performs the above-mentioned control command and text output as well as transmitting and receiving status, and in FIG. 1, the controller interface ÷1 to -+8
'(3-1) to (3-8) and printer interface 5
1 to 94 (6-1) and (6-4) are each divided into independent functions.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the bus structure in the printer switching device (2) of FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. Each bus from 1 path to printer 94 bus is considered to be included in the switching controller (4) in FIG. 1, and the plurality of connection lines connecting each interface and each bus are It is assumed that each face is representatively shown by one connecting line. Second
As shown in the figure, each interface and the switching controller (41) are connected to the control path, and each controller interface and the switching controller (41) are connected to all the printer paths, and the printer interface!
Jl (5-1), 62 (5-2) 93 (5-3), 94
(5-4) are connected only to the printer bus of the same article.

311 is a block diagram showing the connection control for the path of the control ink face, in which the same reference numerals as in FIG. Assuming that each printer bus consists of two round-trip lines, and the control path is four to one controller interface.
This shows the case where it is composed of lines. In addition, the controller interfacer 1 (a) is used as a control ink face.
-:t) is shown, but the contents of the other control interfaces have the same configuration. Furthermore, (7-IL (7-2
), (7-3L (7-4), (8-1).

(8-2), (8-3), and (F3-4) are respectively switching gates and switching controllers (depending on the logic of the control signal inputted from the control path line 41). A switch is made as to whether the child is released or not (9-1).

(9-2), (9-3), (9-4) are line receivers, (10-1), (10-2), (1
0-3) and (10-4) are line drivers, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the signal configuration of the control 1 command used in the present invention, and the columns shown in the figure are (40) u command number, (41) the command name, and (42) the code of the bits making up the command. , (43) indicate the contents of the command. These control commands are transmitted by a control unit not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the switching controller (41) that receives these control commands interprets the code of the command and updates the switching management information. According to this update, the signal logic on the control path to each controller interface is changed to establish the desired connection.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the stored contents of the switching management table, where the column (50) shown in the figure is the printer controller number (this number can be used as an address for this table), and the column (, 51) shown in FIG. Command ■S ELEC
The printer number specified by T, (52) is a flag indicating that the printer is exclusive by the command RESERVE in FIG. 4, and (53) is the exclusive printer number.

In the state shown in FIG. 5, the printer controller hand 4 and ≠
7 is not connected to any printer, printer controller +3 exclusively uses printer 91, and printer controller +5 exclusively uses printer @3. The printer @2 has a printer controller 4P1. +8 are shared, and printer 94 is shared by printer controller 4=2. ≠6 are shared.

If multiple printer controllers share one printer, use the command ``WRITE'' in Figure 4, for example.
rIf you connect the controller interface that outputs the data earlier to the relevant printer interface, and the other printer controller sends the command ■WRI T E before the text output is finished, the relevant printer is said to be in use. You can send back the status and wait for text output. In addition, the RES shown in FIG.
The ERVE flag (52) is reset to logic ``0'' when the command ``FORCED RELEASE'' is issued specifying the printer in question.

Although the above embodiment shows an example of 8 sets of controller interfaces and 4 sets of printer ink faces, it is possible to switch between any number of controller interfaces and printer ink faces by changing the number of printer buses and the switching controller logic. It can be performed.

Furthermore, as explained with reference to Fig. 3, switching is possible even for printers that also input text, and the switching target is not only printers, but also cassette magnetic tapes, floppy discs, cathode ray tube display devices, etc. be able to.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to output from any one of the plurality of printer controllers to any one of the plurality of printers, and in the event of an accident with one printer, it can be backed up with another printer. It is possible to output text to the same printer, improving system reliability. Further, since the controller interface and printer interface can be prepared according to the number of devices to be mounted, waste in terms of cost can be eliminated. Since it is possible to monopolize a specific printer, and to forcibly release this monopoly from others, it has the effect of greatly improving flexibility in switching usage.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a path structure within the printer switching device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the path structure of the printer switching device shown in FIG. A block diagram showing connection control; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a signal configuration of a control command used in the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the stored contents of the switching management table of the present invention. (1-1), (1-2), ... (1-8) ... printer controller l, -11-2, ...≠8, (
3-1), (3-2), ... (3-8) ... Controller interface +1. +2. ...+8, (4
1...Switching controller, (5-1), (5-2), (5-3), (5-4)...
・Printer interface 11. ! i2. fi3.
64, (6-1), (6-2L (6-3), (6-4 piece... Purinotase 1.92.! 3.94 pieces) In addition, the same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or Japanese priest part. Agent Masuo Oiwa Figure 3-135- Figure 4 Figure 5 Proceedings first] Authorized letter (spontaneous) Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office 1. Indication of case Patent application No. 116367/1982 2. Name of invention Printer switching device; 3. Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment Patent applicant address: 2-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyohi 1-ku, Tokyo Name (601) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Representative Hitoshi Katayama 4, Agent address: Tokyo 2-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Miyako, "Proprietary function J" is corrected. (2) The word "forceful" in the second line of page 5 of the same book is corrected to "forced". (3) Page 6, line 12 r (6-1), (6-4
) Correct J to r (6-1) to (6-4) J. (4) ``Floppy disk'' on page O of the same book, line 17
Correct the statement to read ``floppy disk''. 15) Correct the drawing in Figure 1 according to the attached drawing. 7.Inventory of attached drawings (II. Corrected drawing Figure 1... 1 copy (or more)

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printer switching device for controlling a plurality of fi + printers from a number of printer controllers different from the total number of printers, each controller interface provided for each printer controller, and each controller interface provided for each printer, respectively. Each printer interface provided, a switching controller that controls the connection between any controller interface and any printer interface, transmission and reception of control commands and status between each printer controller and the switching controller via the corresponding controller interface. a switching management table provided in the switching controller and whose contents are updated according to the decoding of the control command; forming a connection bus between each controller interface and each printer interface according to the contents of the switching management table; A printer switching device characterized by comprising means. 121 The means for transmitting and receiving control commands and status is a WRITE command that outputs print data from each printer controller to the switching controller,
ILEcT to specify the printer number for text output
A command, a RESERVE command to monopolize a printer, a RELEASE command to release the monopoly from a monopolizing printer controller, and a FORCEDRE-LEASE command from another printer controller to forcibly release the monopolization status to the printer 2. A printer switching device according to claim 1, further comprising means for switching a printer. (3) A patent claim characterized in that the switching management table has a memory for each printer controller of the selected printer number and a flag indicating whether it is exclusive or non-exclusive, and these memories are updated according to the lljlJ command. 1. The printer switching device according to item 1.