JPH04302021A - printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically operate the selective setting of an interface means in a printer equipped with two or more kinds of interface means. CONSTITUTION:In the printer having an I/F part 3 equipped with two or more kinds of interface means, an interruption control means 4 stores input data in a receiving buffer 5, and allows a controller means 6 to operate the interruption processing to the data in order to print the data, according to the level of a priority order applied according to the kind of the above-mentioned interface means.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to printing devices such as Centronics, RS2
The present invention relates to a printing device that prints via interface means (hereinafter referred to as I/F means) such as 32C, RS422, and GP-IB.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of computers, printing devices have also been widely used, and their ease of use has become an important issue.

[0003] A conventional printing device will be explained below. Printing device is Centronics, RS232C, RS422
, GP-IB, etc., receives print data from the host computer and prints it. If the printing device is equipped with multiple types of I/F means, the user can select and specify the I/F means using the front panel or dip switch, and communicate with the host computer using only the specified I/F means. ing.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such conventional printing devices, even if the printing device is equipped with a plurality of I/F means of different types that can communicate with a host computer, it is difficult for the user to access the front panel. Communication with the host computer was impossible unless an I/F means was specified using a switch or a switch.

The present invention solves the above problems, and eliminates the need for the user to specify the I/F method with the host computer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can communicate with any I/F means.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an I/F unit having at least two types of interface means for communicating with a host computer, and a controller means for controlling the operation of the device. In a printing device, a priority order corresponding to the type of the interface means is set, and a reception buffer provided for each of the interface means, and a printing device according to the priority order when print data is input from the host computer. The printing apparatus is provided with an interrupt control means that receives only data and stores it in the reception buffer, and causes the controller means to interrupt and print the print data.

[0007]

[Operation] In the above configuration, the interrupt control means stores the input data in the reception buffer according to the priority level given depending on the type of I/F means, and the print data is processed by the controller means with an interrupt. to print.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this device includes an I/F section 3 having three different I/F means for inputting print data from host computers 2a, 2b, and 2c, and an I/F section 3 provided corresponding to each of the I/F means. a controller 6 that controls the operation of the printing device; and a controller 6 that performs interrupt processing in response to data input to the I/F unit 3. It includes an interrupt control circuit 4 and a printing section 7 that performs printing work.

To explain the operation in the above configuration, for example, when print data corresponding to RS232C is transmitted from the host computer 2a, the data is input to the I/F section 3, and the interrupt control circuit 4 corresponds to RS232C. An interrupt request is input to the controller unit 6 to set it to an interrupt state, and the print data is transferred to the RS232
It is accumulated in the reception buffer 5a corresponding to C. The controller section 6 interprets the data and causes the printing section 7 to print it.

[0011] At this time, the controller 6
Interrupts from I/Fs whose interrupt level is lower than the interrupt level are set to a state in which they cannot be received. For example, if the interrupt level by Centronics is lower than the interrupt level by RS232C, even if host computer 2b sends print data using Centronics while host computer 2a is sending print data using RS232C, Centronics is busy. Therefore, it will not receive data from Centronics until it returns from the RS232C interrupt. When the CPU returns from the RS232C interrupt state, the busy state is released, and print data from the Centronics is received and stored in the reception buffer 5b corresponding to the Centronics.

[0012] If an interrupt related to an I/F with a higher level than RS232C occurs while transmitting print data by RS232C, for example, when data by RS422 is transmitted from the host computer 2c, the interrupt control circuit 4 sends an interrupt to RS422. The corresponding interrupt request is output to the controller section 6, and the print data is sent to RS4.
In the case of RS232C DTR control, the DTR signal is used to disable the I/F means currently receiving data, and the RS4
After the reception of RS232C is completed, the data of RS232C is successively received.

As described above, the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an I/F section having at least two types of interface means for communicating with a host computer, and a controller means for controlling the operation of the apparatus. In the printing device, a priority order corresponding to the type of the interface means is set, and when print data is input from the reception buffer provided for each interface means and the host computer, only the print data according to the priority order is received. By providing the printing apparatus with an interrupt control means that receives and stores the print data in the reception buffer, and causes the controller means to interrupt and print the print data, the user does not have to specify the I/F means. In addition, an I
/F means, all I/F means can be used,
Furthermore, by changing the I/F method, connection with multiple host computers is possible.

[0014] Furthermore, by setting priority levels for I/F means of the same type, printing apparatuses equipped with two or more types of I/F means and a plurality of I/F means of the same type can Needless to say, the I/F means can be automatically selected.

[0015]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention comprises an I/F unit equipped with at least two types of interface means for communicating with a host computer, and a controller means for controlling the operation of the device. In the printing device equipped with the above-mentioned printer, a priority order corresponding to the type of the interface means is set, and a reception buffer is provided for each of the interface means, and when print data is input from the host computer, only the print data according to the priority order is set. By providing a printing device equipped with an interrupt control means that receives and stores the print data in the reception buffer, and causes the controller means to interrupt and print the print data, the user does not have to specify an I/F means. , and an I corresponding to the host computer and printing device.
/F means, all I/F means can be used,
Furthermore, by changing the I/F method, connection with multiple host computers is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printing device 2a, 2b, 2c Host computer 3 2
I/F section 4 equipped with more than one type of interface means Interrupt control circuit (interrupt control means) 5a
, 5b, 5c Receive buffer 6 provided for each type of interface Controller section

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] I/F equipped with at least two or more types of interface means for communicating with a host computer.
In the printing device, a priority order corresponding to the type of the interface device is set, and a reception buffer provided for each interface device, and a controller device for controlling the operation of the device, are configured to print data from the host computer. The printer is provided with an interrupt control means for receiving only the print data according to the priority order and storing it in the reception buffer when inputting the print data, and for causing the controller means to perform interrupt processing on the print data and print the print data.