JPS63300319A - Printer share device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the titled device by sharing a printer and plural data processor and confirming whether or not the transmission of the printed data is possible and using a channel changeover switch so as to select from which of the data processors the printed data to be printed. CONSTITUTION:A printer 3A and plural data processors 1A, 2A sharing the printer 3A and confirming whether or not the transmission of the printed data is possible are provided. The printer 3A and the data processors 1A, 2A are connected by unique channels 9, 10 and a channel changeover switch 11 is operated to select a printed data from which of the data processors 1A, 2A it is to be printed by the printer 3A. Thus, the printer sharing device to enable to select a data processor such as a word processor is obtained from the printer simply without requiring any complicated hardware.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer sharing device in which a printer device is shared by a plurality of data processing devices.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a conventional printer sharing device disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-138141. In the figure, 1.2 is a word processor body as a data processing device excluding each printer device. , 3 is a printer device that is shared (shared) by the word processor main body 1.2, and 4 is a conventional printer sharing mechanism. Printer share mechanism 4 and word processor 1.2
are each a signal! 16.7, and a signal line 8 is connected between the printer device 3 and printer share mechanism 4.
connected with. FIG. 5 is a detailed diagram of the printer sharing mechanism 4. In the figure, 41 is a data multiplexer, and 42 is a demultiplexer. Data multiplexer 41 has input terminals A and B. Input end A is connected to signal line 61, and input end B is connected to signal line 71.

Signal lines 61 to 65 correspond to signal line 6 in FIG. 4. Therefore, the signal lines 61 to 65 are connected to the word processor main body 1 in FIG. Similarly, the signal lines 71 to 75 are connected to the signal vA7 in FIG.
This corresponds to

Therefore, this signal 'l! A71-75 are connected to the word processor main body 2 in FIG.

The output terminal OUT of the data multiplexer 41 is the signal wire 81
The input terminal IN of the demultiplexer 42 is connected to the signal line 82. These signal lines 8
1.82 are connected to the printer device 3 in FIG. 4, and in FIG. 4, these signal lines are collectively designated by the symbol 8.
It is shown in Output A of demultiplexer 42 is connected to signal line 62 and output B is connected to signal 172.

Further, within the printer share mechanism 4, flip-flop circuits (hereinafter referred to as FF) 43 and 44 are provided. Each set input terminal S of the FFs 43 and 44 is connected to an output terminal of an AND gate 45 and 46. The AND gates 45 and 46 are two-man operated AND gates, and the first input terminal of the AND gate 45 is connected to the signal line 64, and the second input terminal is connected to the output terminal ζ of the FF 44 through the signal line 66. has been done. A first input terminal of the AND gate 46 is connected to the signal line 74, and a second input terminal is connected to the signal line 74.
The output terminals of the FFs 43 are connected to each other via 6.

Furthermore, the signal line 65 is connected to the reset input terminal R of the FF 43.
The signal line 75 is connected to the reset input terminal R of the FF44.
It is connected to the. An output terminal Q of the FF 43 is connected to the word processor main body 2 through a signal line 73. Further, the output terminal Q of the FF 44 is connected to the word processor body 1 through a signal line 63, and is also connected to the select input terminal 5ELECT of the data multiplexer 41 and the steer terminal 5TEER of the demultiplexer 42.

Next, the operation will be explained. The data multiplexer 41 in FIG. 5 selects a signal from either of the two input terminals A and B designated by the level of the signal input from the output terminal Q of the FF 44 to the select input terminal 5ELECT, and selects the signal from the output terminal OUT. Output. In this example, when the signal applied to the select input terminal 5ELECT is "1", the signal at the input terminal B is output from the output terminal OUT, and when the select input terminal 5ELECT is "0", the signal at the input terminal A is output from the output terminal OUT. It is designed to be output to OUT.

Further, the signal input to the input terminal IN of the demultiplexer 42 is sent to the steer terminal 5TEtiR at the output terminal Q of the FF 44.
The output terminal A or B corresponds to the level of the signal introduced from the output terminal A or B. In this embodiment, when the steer terminal 5TEER is "0", it is output to the output terminal A, and the output terminal B outputs a "0" signal. Also, steer terminal 5T
When the EER is "1", it is output to the output terminal B, and a "0" signal is output to the output terminal A.

On the other hand, FF43 and 44 are normal set/reset type OFs.
F, which is used to display which of the two word processor main bodies 1 and 2 connected to the printer sharing mechanism 4 is using the printer device 3. Suppose now that the word processor main body 1 is using the printer device 3.

This word processor body 1 checks the state of the signal line 63 connected to the output end Q of the FF 44 supplied from the printer share mechanism 4. If this signal line 63 is "1" (that is, if the output terminal Q of FF44 is "1")
, indicates that the word processor main body 2 is currently using the printer device 3, and if the signal line 63 is rOJ, it indicates that the word processor main body 2 is currently not using the printer device 3.

Therefore, if the signal line 63 is "1" now, it waits until the signal line 63 becomes "0", and conversely, the signal vA
If 63 is "0", a signal is introduced from the word processor body 1 to the first input terminal of the AND gate 45 via the signal line 64 in order to use the printer device 3. A signal from the output terminal ζ of the FF 44 is also applied to the second input terminal of the AND gate 45. As a result, the AND gate 45 outputs a signal from the signal line 64, and the FF 43 is set by this output.

Now, as described above, when FF43 is cented,
The output terminal Q of the FF 43 becomes "1", the output of this FF 43 is sent to the word processor main body 2 via the signal line 73, and the word processor main body 2 can thereafter use the printer device 3 until the FF 43 is reset. It disappears. In this way, the word processor main body 1 secures the right to use the data bus to the printer device 3, and then transfers the printer device to the printer share mechanism 4 via the signal line 61. ! ! 3, the data multiplexer 41 selects the select input terminal Sε-LECT as "
0", data multiplexer 4
1 is selected, the word processor main body 1 can send predetermined information from the output terminal OUT of the data multiplexer 41 to the printer device 3 through the signal line 81.

Further, a response signal or status information sent from the printer device 3 via the signal line 82 is also applied to the input i1N of the demultiplexer 42 based on the same principle, and is sent from the output terminal A to the word processor main body 1 via the signal line 62. The word processor main body 1 performs a predetermined printing operation (
For example, when the printer device 3 is ready to be released after printing one page worth of text), the word processor body 1 is connected to the word processor body 1 via the signal line 65
A reset node signal is transferred to the reset input terminal R of F43, and this FF43 is reset. This indicates that the word processor body 2 has finished using the printer device 3. From the above description, the operation when the word processor main body 2 uses the printer device 3 can also be inferred.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Since the conventional printer sharing mechanism is configured as described above, hardware devices such as FF43, 44 and AND gate 45,46 are required, and when connecting a large number of data processing devices, these hardware devices are required. wear increases,
There were problems such as complicated configuration and processing.

This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a printer sharing mechanism that allows a data processing device such as a word processor to be easily selected from the printer device side without requiring complicated hardware. With the goal.

[Means for solving problems]

A printer sharing device according to the present invention includes a printer device and a plurality of data processing devices that share the printer device and check whether or not printing data can be sent. Each of the data processing devices is connected to its own channel, and by operating a channel changeover switch, it is possible to select which of the data processing devices prints the print data by the printer device.

[Effect]

The channel changeover switch in this invention sends a channel change instruction signal to each data processing device, and after each data processing device confirms that it is not possible to send out print data, it then sends a channel selection signal to the designated channel selection switch. Send to data processing device.

At this time, if a printer device is connected to this data processing device, this data processing device confirms that it is possible to send print data, sends a selection confirmation signal to the printer device, and then sends the print data. is output to this printer device and printed. On the other hand, if the printer device is not connected to the data processing device, the selection confirmation signal will not be sent to the printer device, and when this is confirmed,
The channel selection switch above sends the channel selection signal,
The data is sent to another data processing device to which the printer device is connected. This data processing device confirms that it is possible to send print data, sends a selection confirmation signal to the printer device, and then outputs the print data to the printer device to cause it to print.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
In the figure, IA and 2A are data processing devices (hereinafter referred to as hosts) such as word processors that are the same as or equivalent to the conventional one shown in FIG. 3, and 3A is a host IA and 2A.
printer device shared (shared) by, 9
is channel A1 connecting host IA and printer 3A
10 is a channel B that connects the host 2A and the printer 3A, and 11 is a channel changeover switch.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the signal exchange operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 1, and 12 is a channel selection switch 11.
13 is a channel 8 selection signal, 14 is a channel 8 selection confirmation signal sent from the host I-IA, 15 is print data transferred from the host IA, 16 is a channel changeover switch 11 Channel B selection signal sent out, 17 is host 2A
This is a channel B selection confirmation signal sent from the channel B selection confirmation signal.

Next, the operation will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, by switching the channel changeover switch 11 on the printer device 3A side (step IS), a channel change instruction signal 12 is sent to the host IA and the host 2A (step 2S). The host LA and host 2A confirm by this signal that it is impossible to send out the print data 15 (step 33). Next, channel 8 selection signal 13 is sent from channel changeover switch 11.
is sent to the host LA (step 4S). In this case, it is determined whether or not the printer device 3A is connected to the host IA (Step 5S).
A selection confirmation signal 14 is sent to the printer device 3A (step 6S). The host 1A then transfers the print data 15 to the printer device 3 to start printing (step 7S)
).

Next, the host (2A) that is not connected to the printer device 3A
The operation when is selected is explained below.

By switching the channel changeover switch 11 in the same manner as the above operation (step IS), the host I
A sends a channel change instruction signal 12 to the host 2A (step 2S). Host LA.

The host 2A confirms based on this signal that the print data 15 cannot be sent (step 3S).

Next, the channel B selection signal 16 is sent from the channel changeover switch 11 to the host 1-2A (step 4S).
. However, in this case, since the host 2A is not connected to the printer device 3, the channel B selection confirmation signal 17 is not sent to the printer 3.

After confirming that this channel B selection confirmation signal 17 has not been sent (step 8S), the channel changeover switch 11 again transfers the channel A selection signal 13 to the host IA.
The channel A selection confirmation signal 14 is sent from the host I-IA to the printer 3 (step 10S). 15 is received and starts printing (step 7S).

In the above embodiment, two hosts 1-IA, IB and 1-1
Although the relationship with one printer device 3A has been described, a case where there are two or more hosts may be used, and the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a printer device and a plurality of data processing devices that share the printer device and check whether or not it is possible to send print data, and the data processing devices and the printer device are connected to each other. are connected to each other by a channel, and a channel selector switch is used to select which of the data processing devices to print the print data from, eliminating the need for various hardware like in conventional devices, making the device In addition to making it easier to
When a selection signal is sent to a data processing device not connected to a printer device, the data processing device connected to the printer device is automatically selected to effectively utilize the printer device. There is an effect that can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block connection diagram of a printer sharing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the signal exchange operation between the blocks shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the operation of the printer sharing device. FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a conventional printer sharing device, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing details of the conventional printer sharing mechanism. IA, 2A is a data processing device, 3A is a printer device, 9
．． 10 is a channel, 11 is a channel changeover switch. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. Fig. 1 9: +↑>ne/l/A 10:'7v nne IL/B Fig. 2 Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A printer device, a plurality of data processing devices that share this printer device and check whether it is possible to send print data, and a channel that connects each of these data processing devices to the printer device. , and a channel changeover switch for selecting which of the data processing devices to print print data from. (2) When the channel changeover switch makes it impossible to send print data from the selected data processing device to the printer device, the channel changeover switch allows printing data to be sent from another data processing device to the printer device connected to it. 2. The printer sharing device according to claim 1, wherein the printer sharing device is capable of sending data.