JPS6169483A - Serial printer with indication of mode switching - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a serial printer to be inexpensively manufactured, by indicating a mode switching by movement of a printing head. CONSTITUTION:Where three font modes A1, A2, A3 are provided, the current font mode is stored in a font mode storing register AR, and the three font modes are cyclically switched in the manner of A1 A2 A3 A1... each time a font mode switching signal generating means SwA is operated. Thus, a value for a selected font mode is stored in the register AR, and when a corresponding value is stored in a counter CNT, a CPU1 judges whether or not a home position sensor (FPS)5 is turned ON. When the FPS5 is ON, the head is moved an n-character amount rightward, is then driven a n-character amount. When the FPS5 is not ON, the head is moved an n-character amount leftward, and is then moved by an n-character amount rightward. Since the head is oscillated two times when the font mode A2 is selected, and is oscillated three times when the font mode A3 is selected, the operator can know the selected font mode by the number of times of oscillation of the head.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a serial printer connected to a host computer. In particular, the present invention relates to a serial printer that displays a change in print mode to an operator when there is a change in print mode.

Conventional technology The size and pitch of a single character to be printed in a serial printer connected to a host computer.

When selecting line spacing, color, print density, etc. and switching the printer to these modes, the operator operates a switch on the printer's control panel to set the printer to these selection modes, but conventional printers , a buzzer device or LED indicates that the mode has changed.
It was displayed to the operator using a display element or the like.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Providing an LED display element or a buzzer device for mode switching display increases the cost of the printer itself, and the present invention is an improvement on this point-1.

Means for Solving the Problems FIG. 1 is a block diagram of means for solving the above-mentioned problems of the present invention.The present invention includes a mode switching signal generating means MSW and a memory for storing the current mode of the serial printer. Current mode storage means MM and the mode switching signal generation means M
a mode switching means MCH which receives a signal from SW, cycles through and selects a mode next to the mode stored in the current mode storage means MM, and stores the selected mode in the current mode storage means MM; Print head movement control means PHC that moves the print head accordingly
A mode switch is displayed by moving the print head.

Operation: When the mode switching signal generation means MSW outputs a mode switching signal, the mode switching means MCH reads the current mode from the current mode storage MM, switches to the next mode, and also reads the current mode from the current mode storage MM. Store the switched mode. The print head is moved by the print head movement control means PHC according to the mode stored in the current mode storage means MM, and the currently selected mode is displayed according to the movement form.

Embodiment FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit of a serial printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, where 1 is a microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as CP (J)) that controls the serial printer, and 2 is a microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as CP (J)) that controls the serial printer.
The memory is comprised of 80M RAM for programs and arithmetic processing for controlling the serial printer. 3 is an internal bus, 4 is an I10 boat, 5 is a home position detector that outputs an output signal when the print head is located at the home position (usually the left end), and 6 is a signal from each mode switching signal generating means 8. In the switch input control circuit that receives and controls the mode switching signal, the mode switching signal generating means may be a push button switch for each mode switching, and the mode switching signal can be switched when a plurality of push button switches for performing other functions are turned on in combination. A conventional mode switching signal generating means adapted to generate a signal may also be used. 7 is a carriage motor control circuit that controls the carriage motor M.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the wood brush 1 will be explained along with the operation processing flow shown in FIG.

CPIJ1 polls and monitors whether mode switching signal generation means SWA, SW8, SWC, etc. for various selection items such as font, pitch, line space, etc. are pressed and turned on via l/(:5 boat 4). ?ll (step 81.82
．． 83) L...If not pressed, other normal processing is being performed. Therefore, the operator can, for example, use a font mode switching signal generating means S to switch between printing fonts such as Mincho font and Gothic font.
When you operate WA (in this example, there are three types of fonts and the font mode is A1.A2.A3), CP
U1 detects that the mode switching signal generating means SWA is turned ON (Step S1), and judges whether the value of the font mode storage register AR that stores the current font mode is "1" (Step 10); 1'', the current font mode A1 is switched to the font mode A2 (step 81).
2) Set the value of the font mode storage register AR to "2" and set the counter CNT to 2. Also, if the value of the font mode storage register AR is "2" (step S11)
The font mode is switched to A3 (step 514), and the font mode storage register AR and counter CNT are set to "3" (step 515). Furthermore, if the value of the font mode storage register AR is neither "1" nor "2" (step S10.511), the font mode is switched to A1 (step 816), and the font mode storage register AR, counter C
NT is set to "1" (step 517), that is, in this embodiment, the font mode is A1. A2. There are three types of modes A3, the current font mode is stored in the font mode storage register AR, and the font mode switching signal generation means SWA
The three font modes are A1 → A2 → A3 each time is operated.
→A1...It is switched in circulation. thus,
Step 813. In S15 and S17, the value for the switched mode is stored in the font mode storage register AR, and the corresponding value is stored in the counters C and NT'':'0I and CPU1.
(step 818), that is, whether the current print head position is at the home position (left end) and the home position detector FPS is ON. S, O
If N, the carriage motor M is driven via the carriage motor control circuit 7 and the carriage motor M is driven rightward by n characters (for example, 4
character) and then drive n characters to the left to swing the print head by n characters (steps 319 and 820).
).

Further, if the home position detector FPS is not ONL (step 31.8'), the carriage motor M is driven to move the print head to the left by n characters,
Next, move the n-letter valve to the right (step 821.8
22). Next, the CPU 1 subtracts "1" from the counter CNT (step 523), and repeats steps 818 to 823 until the counter CNT becomes "0" (step 524).

As a result, when the font mode switching signal generating means SWA is operated and the font mode A1 is selected, the counter CNT is set to "1" and the print head swings only once. Also, if font mode A2 is selected, the print head swings twice, and if font mode A3 is selected, the print head swings three times. You can know. Note that in the first embodiment above, when the print head is located at the home position (left end), it is an example of a serial printer of a type that cannot be moved by n characters to the left, but if it is a printer that can move, , the above steps S18°819 and S20 are not necessary,
Step 821, which always moves first to the left and then to the right. Only S22 is sufficient. Furthermore, instead of simply swinging the print head, the print head may be moved left or right, stopped once, and then moved right or left. In this case, step 32
1 or S19 to reset and start the timer,
The timer may wake up the print head after a set time has elapsed.

In the above description, an example has been shown in which the operator operates the font mode switching signal generating means SWA, but the mode switching signal generating means SWB has other options.

The same process is performed when operating SWC..., but the difference is that the register that stores the current mode of the selection item is a mode storage register B for each selection item B instead of AR.
R, only replaces the mode storage register OR of selection item C. If the mode is not 3 modes as shown in FIG. 3, the mode storage register B is
The values of R, OR, etc. are circulated and each selects the next mode. In general, if there are n modes, 1
→2→3...→n→1→.

In the first embodiment, the currently selected mode is identified and displayed based on the number of swings of the print head, but in the second embodiment, the mode is identified based on the amount of swing stroke of the print head.

The selected mode is identified and displayed based on the position at which the print head swings and stops.

The configuration of the control unit is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2, and the operation of the embodiment of Suiden 2° is performed with the operation processing flow of Fig. 4 as well as three types of fonts as in the first embodiment. The switching will be explained.

Similar to the first embodiment, CPtJl detects whether the mode switching signal generation means SWA, SWB, SWC, etc. for various selection items have been operated (steps 8101 to 810).
3) Now, when the font mode switching signal generating means SWA is operated, it is determined what the value of the font mode storage register AR is (step 5110.8111), and the value of the font mode storage register AR is "1". If so, the current font mode is A1, so it switches to the next mode, font mode A2, and stores "2" in the font mode storage register AR (steps 8112 and 8113). Also, if the value of the font mode storage register AR is If it is “2” (step 51
11) Similarly, the mode is switched to the next mode, font mode A3, and "3" is stored in the font mode storage register AR (steps 5114 and 8115). Also, must the value of the font mode storage register AR be neither "1" nor "2"? The font mode is switched to A1, and the value of the font mode storage register AR is set to "1" (steps 5116 and 5117). Next, the CPU 1 determines whether the home position switch FPS is ON (step 8118), and if it is not ON and the print head is not at the home position (left end), moves the print head to the home position (step 8118). 5119
). Next, the CPU 1 drives the carriage motor M to the right to move the print head by a value n (for example, 4) times the value stored in the font mode storage register AR (step 8120). That is, for example, if 0=4 and font mode A1 is selected, n XAR=4X1-
4 moves the print head to the right by 4 characters, and if font mode A2 is selected, n xAR
-4x2=8 moves the print head to the right by 8 characters, and if font mode A3 is also selected, 12
It will be moved to the right by characters. Then, this mode switching display process ends, and the print head stops at the moved position and enters a standby state. By switching the mode in this manner, the print head moves, and since the amount of movement varies depending on the currently selected mode, the operator can determine the selected mode based on the difference in the amount of movement. Further, it will become clearer if a mode display section is provided near where the print head moves and the mode at that time is clearly displayed at the position where the print head moves and stops.

In addition, mode switching push signal generation means sw for other selection items
Similar processing is performed when s, swc, etc. are operated, and in this case, the font mode storage register AR is simply changed to the mode storage register BR, CR, etc. of the respective selection item, and the process shown in Fig. 4 is performed. Same as flow. However, the fourth
- In step 5120 of the figure, the mode storage register AR (SR).

If the value of the coefficient n to be multiplied by CR) is changed for each selection item, the amount of movement and stop position of the print head will vary and can be easily displayed on the mode display section. For example, in the above example, n = 4 for selection item △ (selection of mode by font mode switching signal generation means SWA), and mouth = 5 for selection item B (corresponding to mode switching signal generation means SWB).
, Selection item C (corresponding to mode switching signal generation means SWC)
If n'-7 is used, the space of the mode display section can be made small and simple.

゛ In the second embodiment, the print head is first returned to its home position and the print head is moved by changing the amount of movement depending on each mode.
The position of the print head is stored in memory according to each mode, and each time the mode is changed, the position of the print head for the selected mode is read from the memory and the position of the print head is read from the memory without returning the print head to the home position. may be moved to a position corresponding to the selection mode.

Further, when the mode switching signal generating means is operated, the current mode may be displayed first, and when the mode switching signal generating means is operated again, the mode may be sequentially switched to the next mode.

Effects of the Invention The present invention has the advantage that conventionally, when switching modes in a serial printer, mode switching was indicated using a buzzer or EO, etc., but the mode switching was indicated using a buzzer or an LED. Since there is no need to provide a buzzer or LED display device, and mode switching is indicated by moving the print head, serial printers can be manufactured at low cost, and the selected mode can be easily and clearly identified. becomes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. The block diagram of the control unit of the second embodiment, FIG. 3, is as follows:
The operation flow of the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4, is the operation 70- of the second embodiment of the present invention. 1...Microprocessor-12...Memory, 3.
... Internal bus, 4... I/Q boat, M... Carriage motor. Figure 1 Figure 2 et al.

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) In a serial printer, a mode switching signal generation means, a current mode storage means for storing the current mode of the serial printer, and a signal received from the mode switching signal generation means and stored in the current mode storage means. The present invention is characterized by comprising a mode switching means for cycling through and selecting the next mode and storing the selected mode in the current mode storage means, and a print head movement control means for moving the print head according to the selected and stored mode. Serial printer with mode switching display. (2) The serial printer with a mode switching display according to claim 1, wherein the print head movement control means controls the number of swings of the print head according to the mode selected and stored in the current mode storage means. (3) The serial printer with mode switching display according to claim 1, wherein said print head movement control means controls the movement position of the print head according to the mode selected and stored in said current mode storage means. (4) The serial printer with a mode switching display according to claim 3, wherein a mode display section is provided near the print head movement area, and the mode is displayed at a position where the print head moves according to each mode. (5) The mode switching signal generating means generates the mode switching signal by turning on a combination of a plurality of switches, each of which generates a command signal for another function. A serial printer with a mode switching display as described in item 3 or 4.