JPS6271685A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate wast of power consumption by storing unprinted data into a data backup memory and shutting off a power supply when printing paper has run out. CONSTITUTION:The availability of printing paper is checked by CPU 1 through a power unavailability detection circuit 10 which detects an output signal from a paper unavailability detector 9. If a paper unavailability detection signal is output from the paper unavailability detector 9, CPU 1 stops printing operation and transmits a stop signal to a host computer 3. The presence of unprinted data of printing data transmitted from the host computer 3 is checked by an unprinted data storage means. If present, such data are stored into a data backup memory. Next a power supply shutoff signal G is sent out of an output port 11 by a power supply shutoff means. A NPN-type transistor Q is set to 'OFF' condition, opening a relay contact 8a. This deenergizes a relay coil 23b and a relay contact 23a to opens, thus shutting off a power supply. If printing paper is supplied and again a power supply is turned on, unprinted data are read out to be printed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an improvement of a printing device having a function of printing printing data transmitted from an external device.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, some printing devices have a function of receiving print data transmitted from an external device, such as a host computer, and printing this print data. When such an apparatus runs out of printing paper, it detects the lack of paper, stops the printing operation, and maintains that state.

In other words, it is in a state in which printing is not possible in the energized state.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Therefore, in this state, power is consumed even though no printing operation is performed, and this state continues until the operator supplies printing paper, resulting in wasted power consumption. Therefore, in order to eliminate power consumption, it was necessary to issue a command from the host computer to turn off the power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can cut off the power supply itself when the printing paper runs out, thereby eliminating waste of power consumption.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention includes a paper detection means for detecting the presence or absence of printing paper;
A data backup memory stores unprinted data among print data sent from an external device in response to a paper no-detection signal sent from the paper detection means, and a power switching circuit automatically switches to a power supply switching circuit when receiving a paper no-detection signal. This printing device attempts to achieve the above object by including a power cutoff means for releasing the holding of the holding type relay and cutting off the power.

Further, the present invention provides, in each of the above means, a print data detection means for detecting whether unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory when the power switching circuit is in a closed state after the power cutoff means has cut off the power. A memory data printing means that reads unprinted data from the data backup memory and prints it upon receiving a print data presence signal from the print data detection means, and a memory data printing means that reads unprinted data from the data backup memory and prints it, and after printing of the unprinted data in the data backup memory finishes printing, prints data from an external device. This is a printing device which attempts to achieve the above object by including a printing continuation means for receiving and printing.

[Effect]

The present invention is a printing device equipped with the above-mentioned means, which stores unprinted data in a data backup memory and turns off the power by opening a power switching circuit when printing paper runs out.

Further, the present invention detects whether or not unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory when the power is turned off and then turned on again. This is a printing device that receives print data and prints it.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing device. In the same figure, 1 is C
The CPU is a central processing unit (PU), and the following functions are connected to the CPU via an internal bus (including a data bus, a control bus, and an address bus) 2. That is, an interface (1/F) 4 that receives print data transmitted from the host computer 3, a print drive control unit 6 that drives and controls the print mechanism 5, a data backup memory 7, and a print flowchart shown in FIG. A main memory 8 in which printing programs and the like are stored, a paper-absence detection circuit 10 that receives a paper-absence detection signal from a paper-absence detector 9 that detects the presence or absence of printing paper in the printing mechanism 5, and an output port 11 are connected. .

By the way, the CPUI has various means as shown in FIG. That is, the unprinted data storage means 1-1 has a function of storing unprinted data among the print data sent from the host computer 3 in the data backup memory 7 when the printing paper runs out, and when the power is turned off. The means 1-2 has a function of transmitting a power cutoff signal G to cut off the power when the printing paper runs out. The CPU further includes a print data detection means 1-3 which has a function of detecting whether unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory 7 when the power is turned off and then turned on again, and this print data detection means. 1
A memory data printing means 1-4 reads unprinted data from the data backup memory 7 and performs printing operation upon receiving a print data presence signal from the data backup memory 7, and prints from the host computer 3 after printing of the unprinted data in the data backup memory 7 is completed. It is provided with printing continuation means 1-5 for receiving and printing data.

Further, the power switching circuit 20 is configured as follows. A power supply circuit 24 is connected to the power plug 21 via a fuse 22 and a relay contact 23a of a first relay 23, and this power supply circuit 24 creates a voltage at a predetermined level, which is supplied to each function via a power line 25. It is now possible to do so. One end of the relay coil 23b of the first relay 23 is connected to the power plug 21, and the other end is connected to the A switch 27 of the main switch 26. therefore,
When the A switch 27 is closed, the relay contact 23a is closed. A second relay 2 is connected in parallel to this A switch 27.
8 relay contacts 28a are connected, and the relay coil 2
8b has one end connected to the power supply circuit 24 and the other end connected to the collector of the NPN transistor Q.

The base of this NPN transistor Q is connected to a power supply circuit 24 via a bias resistor R. The main switch 26 is provided with a B switch 29, one end of which is connected to the base of an NPN transistor Q. Therefore, when this B switch 29 is closed, the base potential becomes the ground level and the NPN transistor Q
becomes OFF state. Furthermore, the NPN transistor Q
It is connected to the base of the output capacitor 11 via a buffer 30, and is configured to be turned off in response to a power cutoff signal G.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be explained according to the printing flowchart shown in FIG. When the A switch 27 of the main switch 26 is closed, the relay coil 23b is energized and the relay contact 23a is closed. As a result, power is supplied to the power supply circuit 24, a voltage of a predetermined level is created, and the voltage is supplied to each function. At the same time, the relay coil 28b of the second relay 28 is energized and its relay contact 28a is closed. Therefore, the relay contact 23a is kept closed.

When power is supplied in this manner and this is determined in step S1, the presence or absence of printing paper is determined in step S2. This determination is made by the CPU 1 by passing the output signal of the paper-free detector 9 through the paper-free detection circuit 10. As a result of this judgment, if there is printing paper, it is determined in step s3 whether printing data is stored in the data backup memory 7, and the process moves to the next step. Here, assuming that no print data is stored, the process moves to the next step s6, where it is again determined whether there is any printing paper. Therefore, assuming that there is printing paper and printing data has been sent from the host computer 3, the printing data is received and printed line by line in steps 67 to sll. That is, print data is taken in via the I/F 4 and temporarily stored in the main memory 8 via the internal bus 2. And this print data is C
The information is read out in accordance with the command from the PUI, and the printing mechanism operates under the drive control of the print drive control section 6 to print.

In this state, when the printing paper runs out and the paper non-detection signal is output from the paper non-printing device 6, the printing operation is stopped by a command from the CPUI, and a stop signal is sent to the host computer 3. Then, in step S12, it is determined by the unprinted data storage means 1-1 whether there is any unprinted data among the printed data sent from the host computer 3, and if there is, the unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory 7. Make me remember. After this storage execution, in step s14, that is, the power cutoff means 1-
2, a power cutoff signal G is sent from the output port 11. As a result, the NPN type transistor Q is turned off, and the relay contact 28a is opened.Therefore, the relay coil 23b is no longer energized, the holding state is released, and the relay contact 23a is opened.

Therefore, the power is cut off.

Then, the printing paper is supplied by the operator, and A
When the switch 27 is closed and the power is turned on again, it is determined in step S3 whether print data is stored in the data backup memory 7. In other words, only the print data detection means 1-3 functions. In this case, since unprinted data is stored, the unprinted data is read out and printed by the memory data printing means 1-4 in step s4. When printing is completed, the unprinted data in the data backup memory 7 is cleared.

Thereafter, in step s6, it is determined whether there is printing paper or not, and in step s7, it is determined whether or not print data has been sent from the host computer 3. If it has been sent, this print data is taken in and printed. In other words, the printing continuation means 1-5 functions.

In this way, in the above embodiment, when the printing paper runs out, the unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory 7 and the power switching circuit 20 is opened to cut off the power. There is no unnecessary power consumption during the period from when the printing paper is cut off to when printing paper is newly supplied, and the host computer 3 does not have to turn off the power to the printing device every time. Furthermore, since the power is cut off after storing unprinted data, there is no loss of printed data.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, when the power is turned on again after the printing paper runs out and the power is turned off, it is detected whether or not unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory 7. Since the configuration is such that after printing data, printing is performed by receiving print data from the host computer 3, in addition to the above effect, printing after re-input will start from unprinted data, resulting in loss of print data. Printing can be continued in order from the next print data after printing has stopped due to running out of printing paper without having to do so.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified without departing from the spirit thereof.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing device that can cut off the power by itself when the printing paper runs out, thereby eliminating waste of power consumption.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the printing device according to the present invention (1
Figure 2 is the printing flowchart of the non-explosion device,
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the device of the present invention. 1... CPU (Central Processing Unit), 1-1... Unprinted data storage means, 1-2... Power cutoff means, 1-
3... Print data detection means, 1-4... Memory data printing means, 1-5... Print continuation means, 2... Internal path, 3... Host computer, 4... Interface, 5 . . . Printing mechanism, 5 . . . Printing drive control unit, 7
...Data bank up memory, 8...Main memory,
9...Paper absence detector, 10...Paper absence detection circuit, 11.
...Output port, 20...Power switching circuit, 2
3... First relay, 24... Power supply circuit, 25...
Power line, 26... Main switch, 28... Second relay, Q... NPN type transistor. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a printing device that has the function of receiving print data from an external device and performing a printing operation, a power switching circuit having a self-holding relay, a paper detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of printing paper, and this paper detecting means a data backup memory for storing unprinted data among the print data in response to a paper no-detection signal sent from the power supply switching circuit; 1. A printing device characterized by comprising a power cutoff means for cutting off power. (2) In a printing device having a function of performing a printing operation upon receiving print data from an external device, a power switching circuit having a self-holding relay, a paper detection means for detecting the presence or absence of printing paper, and this paper detection means a data backup memory for storing unprinted data among the print data in response to a paper no-detection signal sent from the power supply switching circuit; A power cutoff means for cutting off the power; and a print data detection for detecting whether the unprinted data is stored in the data backup memory when the power switching circuit is in a closed state after the power cutoff means has cut off the power. means, a memory data printing means for reading out the unprinted data from the data backup memory and performing a printing operation upon receiving a print data presence signal from the print data detection means, and after printing of the unprinted data in the data backup memory is completed; A printing device characterized by comprising: printing continuation means for receiving printing data from the external device and printing it.