JPS61193231A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate such troubles as to refer to an operation manual by setting a mode according to the guide outputted on a printer and the like and to reduce the manufacturing cost by utilizing switches of other functions. CONSTITUTION:In a guide output area 21, a guide sentence memory 21a stores information of guide sentences (questions, conformations, etc.) and a main control unit 20 selects and prints out guide sentences according to a mode set by an operator. The main control unit 20 indicates a present set mode by the top guide sentence and shows sequentially for each item whether any change is made of not to the mode stored in a set mode memory 8, updating the top sentence after detecting a push at a response switch. Operation switches 18 constituting a set input area 22 comprises a select (SLCT) switch 18a which generally sets a printer to a printing mode, and a line feed (LF) switch 18b; both SLCT and LF switches are also used as response switches for questions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to an improvement in a printer status setting method.

In recent years, with the spread of personal computers and the like, various functions (states) are required of printers, which are one of their output devices.

For example, 0 font (0, -e-), number of digits printed per line (80 digits,
A selection function such as 132 digits is configured so that a switch or the like can be set or changed.

However, the changeover switch is set to a standard function and is provided inside the printer cover, and the user selects the desired state while referring to an operation manual or the like. Therefore, there is a need for a printer that has good operability and allows easy setting of the status.

[Conventional technology]

The conventional technology will be explained below.

FIG. 2(a) (bl is a diagram showing an example of a conventional state setting method. Inside the cover 2 on the back side of the printer 1, there are a plurality of state setting switches 3 corresponding to the states, each of which is turned on. - By turning it off, you can set the following conditions, for example.

NO function 5W10N 5W10FF 1 digit Number 80 digits 132 digits 2 Zero font 0-e- 3 No paper detection Yes No 4 Buzzer
Yes No Other, normal/highlighted characters,
There are status setting switches for more than 10 types, such as with/without line feed, memory usage (buffer/download), etc.

FIG. 2(C) shows a block diagram of the above-mentioned state-setting printer. In the figure, 9 is a main control unit, 5 is an interface, 6 is a print information storage unit, 7 is a character pattern storage unit,
8 is a setting state storage unit, 10 is a space drive unit that drives the space motor 11, 12 is a paper feed drive unit that drives the paper feed motor 13, 14 is a print head drive unit that drives the print head 15, and 16 is a warning unit. 17 is a paper detection sensor, 18 is an operation switch, and 19 is an interface.

In the printer configured as described above, when the power is turned on, the main control section 9 searches for the on/off state of each of the state setting switches 3 and stores the setting state at the corresponding address in the setting state storage section 8 .

During a printing operation, the setting state storage section 8 is referred to and a predetermined printing operation is performed.

The outline of the printing operation is as follows.

The main control section 9 receives the print information through the interface 5 and stores it in the print information storage section 6, and after receiving the print information for one line, extracts the dot pattern information stored in the character pattern storage section 7. Print head drive unit 1
Drive 4 and send paper.

Perform printing operations while maintaining spacing.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional printer status setting method described above, the type of status to be set by pressing the switch 3 is not written in each of the switches 3, so it is necessary to refer to the manual, etc., and the operation It also had the problem of poor sex.

[Means for solving problems]

The above conventional problems can be solved by the printer of the present invention, which has an output means for outputting status setting guidance information and a setting means for setting the status according to the guidance information, and performs status setting in a conversational manner. can.

[Effect]

The present invention provides a printer that sequentially guides the status setting method in a conversational format, ie, prints out, etc., and sets the status according to the above guidance using conventional status setting switches or switches used for other functions. be. Therefore,
As output means, (1) printer output (2) audio output (3) display output, etc. can be used, and as setting means, (1)
Using conventional setting switches, we will guide you through the setting method described in the manual.

(2) Guide the setting method using on/off input, etc. using switches for other functions, and omit the conventional state setting switch. For this reason, a function is provided to set the printer to a status setting mode.

(3) Provide an on/off switch on the panel and perform the same operation as in (2).

・ etc., and combine with each of the above output means.

Note that if a means for storing the preset state is provided and a means for outputting and guiding the set state is used in combination, the state can be set quickly.

The conversational state setting means of the present invention can be summarized as follows.

Guidance output means Setting input means Storage method printout For status setting Standard setting storage voice output
Previous setting memory display output for other functions On/Off
Preset Memory [Example] An example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1(a) is a block diagram of a printer using an interactive state setting method using switches for other functions and printer output;
1) is a flowchart showing the operation and a diagram showing an example of guidance output.

In FIG. 1(a), 21 is a guidance output unit, including a guidance text storage unit 21a and a guidance output means (printer output) 21b.
22 is a status setting input section, 22 is a state setting input section, and 20 is a main control section of the printer. In addition, the same symbols represent the same objects throughout the figures.

In the guidance output unit 21, the guidance text storage unit 21a has a first
Guide text information of guide texts (questions, confirmations, etc.) shown in FIG. 2B is stored, and the guide text is selected and printed out by the main control unit 20 according to the operator's settings.

The setting state storage unit 8 stores the state stored when the power is turned on, and is used as a reference for the above-mentioned guidance.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the main control unit 20 provides guidance on the current setting state at the beginning of the guidance text, and if there is a change, the main control unit 20 provides guidance on whether or not to change the state of the setting state storage unit 8 in the order of the items. and updates when the response switch is detected.

The operation switch 18 constituting the setting input section 22 is normally provided with a select (SLCT) switch 18a, a line feed (LF) switch 18b, etc. that enable the printer to perform printing operations, and the 5LCT and LF switches are used to respond to inquiries. Use as a switch.

Therefore, the printer is set to the status setting mode, and the other function switch is converted to a response switch.

To set the state setting mode, turn on the power while pressing the 5LCT switch 18a, and the main control unit 20 detects the above state in the initialization operation, sets it to the state setting mode, and operates the above response switch. We will guide you on how to set the status.

The state setting operation will be explained using FIG. 1 (bl).

(1) Print out the current setting state and guide the user to press the 5LCT switch 18a if the current setting is acceptable, or to press the LF switch 18b if a change is required.

(2) If the LF switch 18b is pressed (setting change), the setting change mode is set and the status setting is guided for each item in sequence.

In response to the following questions, if the answer is "Yes", the 5LCT switch 18a, if the answer is "No", the LF switch 18b
Guide the press.

(3) If there is no change, guide the next item; if there is a change, update the contents of the status storage section 8, and output the changed item for confirmation.

(4) If there are any changes, we will ask if there are any changes, and if there are no changes, we will end the process.

(5) Output setting completion and return to print mode by pressing 5LCT switch 18・a.

With the above, the state setting switch 3 is omitted, and
Setting guide output makes it easy to set the status.

Note that the above switch is not limited to the 5LCT or LF switch, and even if an on/off switch is newly provided on the panel surface, the above switch can be implemented in the same way.

Furthermore, as the current state setting, we have shown a method of guiding the contents of the state storage unit 8 that stores the previously set state (which may be erased with battery support or power off), but the standard setting is There are methods such as storing it in ROM and guiding it.

FIG. 1C shows a block diagram of the setting input section 23 in a second embodiment in which the settings of the conventional state setting switch 3 are set according to the guidance display.

That is, an entry switch 24 is provided and used to set the state setting mode and to end the switch state. That is, (1) When the power is turned on while pressing the switch 24, the state setting mode is set.

(2) The setting guide prints out the states corresponding to on/off for each of the state setting switches 3 as a table.

(3) The operator refers to this output section and sets each switch.

(4) After setting, press the entry switch 24.
The main control section 20 searches the state setting switch 3, stores the state in the setting state storage section 8, and returns to the print mode.

FIG. 1 (el) shows a block diagram of the guidance output section 25 for a third embodiment in which combinations of a plurality of status settings are stored by an operator's operation and the combination is selected.

In other words, the write/write area has an area that can store multiple types of states.
An erasable state setting ROM 25b and an erase/write drive section 25c are provided, and a set state is recorded by a write switch 25d. Note that the status settings are the first. Any setting method such as that shown in the second embodiment may be used.

After setting the state setting mode, the guidance is sequentially printed out and the user is prompted to select the state.

This method has the advantage that the operator's operations are not troublesome and the status can be set quickly.

With the above, it is possible to set a state where there is a lot of blurriness in a conversational format.

In addition to printer output, a display on a liquid crystal display or audio output can be used as the guidance output means 21b, and it is possible to provide a printer having a combination suitable for setting the state.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the status is set according to the guidance provided by the printer output, etc., which eliminates the trouble of referring to the conventional manual, and reduces costs by reusing switches for other functions. A printer can be provided.

[Brief Description of the Drawings] Figure 1(a) is a block diagram of the first embodiment, Figure 1(b)
1 is a flowchart of the same operation as above, FIG. 1(C) is a block diagram showing the second embodiment, FIG. 1(d) is a block diagram showing the third embodiment, and FIG. 2(a) is a conventional block diagram. An external view showing how to set the printer status (in Figure 2) is a block diagram of a conventional printer, Figure 2 (C
) is a block diagram of a conventional printer. In the figure. 3 is a status setting switch, 5 is an interface, 6 is a print information storage unit, 7 is a character pattern storage unit, '8 is a setting status storage unit, 10 is a space drive unit, 11
is a space motor, 12 is a paper feed drive unit, 13 is a paper feed motor, 14 is a print head drive unit, 15 is a print head, 16 is a buzzer, 17 is a paper detection sensor, 18 is an operation switch, 18a is a 5LCT,
18b is LP. 19 is an interface, 20 is a main control unit, 21.25 is a guidance output unit, 21a and 25a are guidance text storage units, 21b is a guidance output means, j2.23 is a setting input unit, 24 is an entry switch, and 25b is a status setting ROM. 25c is an erase/write drive section, and 25e is a write switch. Year 1 mouth (b) - Ding Hei 1 Ko”J (b) -2 (C) 1 ¥ 1 2 (C) Year 21Z

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A printer characterized in that it has an output means for outputting state setting guidance information and a setting means for setting the state according to the guidance information, and is capable of setting the state in a conversational manner. (2) The printer according to claim (1), wherein each of the output means is a print output, an audio output, a display output, or a combination of the above outputs.