JPH0952412A - Printer with test printing function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function to conduct test printing which is the printing trial of a printer in the printer without an input means such as a switch on an operation board. SOLUTION: A printer 10 with a test printing function is equipped with an interface part 1 which exchanges data with a host computer, a judgment signal output means 2 which outputs a judgment signal 6 to determine whether test printing is to be implemented or not to the interface part 1, a judgment means 3 which receives an input signal from the interface part 1 by connecting a test printing connector cable with the interface part 1 and judges whether test printing is to be implemented or not, a test printing signal generating means 4 which generates a test printing signal when the judgment by the judgment means 3 is to implement the test printing, a printing means 5 which implements printing based on the test printing signal 9, and a control means 11 which controls an original printer function to print on the basis of printing data from the host computer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer having a test printing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer with a test printing function of this type is operated by operating an operation panel switch attached to the outside of the printer at the time of starting the test printing.
Alternatively, a method of starting test printing by operating a switch inside the apparatus is adopted.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional printer with a test printing function disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-93281. Referring to FIG. 8, this conventional printer with a test print function stores a CPU 31 that controls printing, a program ROM 32 that stores a program for the operation of the CPU 31, a development parameter, and test print data. Test print data R
OM33 and font ROM that stores font data
34, a CPU bus 35, a RAM 36 used as a buffer for temporarily storing various data, and a RAM according to a synchronization signal sent from a print engine 38.
Video I / F 37 for sending the image data on 36 to print engine 38, and print engine 38 for printing the image data sent from video I / F 37 on paper.
A test print key 391 used when the operator instructs the CPU 31 to perform a test print, a ROM creation key 392 used when starting the process for creating the test print data ROM 33, and the host computer 4
RS232C I / F40 that sends and receives data to and from
And a ROM writer 42 for sending print data to the printer.

[0004]

This conventional printer with a test printing function requires an input means for inputting a signal for activating the test printing to the outside or the inside of the printer device. Also, especially if the printer has its input means, remove part of the device each time test printing is performed.
You must be able to do that.

Further, due to recent improvements in the performance of the host computer, there are cases where all the print data processing is performed on the host computer side, and the printer need only have the function of performing the printing. The operation panel is unnecessary. However, on the other hand, in the manufacturing phase, a test print function is indispensable as a means for confirming whether or not it is operating normally. In order to perform test printing on a printer that does not have such an operation panel, data must be sent from the host computer or test printing must be started using an input means such as a switch provided inside the printer. In the former case, it is necessary to prepare a host computer, and in the latter case, it is necessary to remove the cover of the apparatus and operate the internal switches.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a function of performing a test print, which is a print trial of the printer, in a printer having no input means such as a switch on the operation panel.

[0007]

A printer with a test print function according to the present invention outputs an interface section for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer, and a determination signal used for determining whether or not to perform test print to the interface section. Determination signal output means, a determination means for determining whether or not to perform test printing by receiving an input signal from the interface portion by connecting a test printing connector cable to the interface portion, and the determination by the determination means is a test When printing is performed, a test print signal generating unit that generates a test print signal, a printing unit that executes printing based on the test print signal, and an original printer function that prints based on print data from the host computer are controlled. And a control means for

Further, the test print signal generating means of the printer with the test print function of the present invention connects a plurality of the test print connector cables having different terminal connection states to the interface section to thereby provide a plurality of types of test patterns. Is generated.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, a printer 10 with a test printing function of this embodiment performs test printing with an interface section 1 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer. The determination signal 6 used to determine whether or not the interface unit 1
To the interface section 1 by connecting the test printing connector cable to the interface section 1, and to determine whether or not to perform test printing by receiving the input signal from the interface section 1. Three
When the judgment by the above means that the test printing is to be executed, the test printing signal generating means 4 for generating the test printing signal 9 and the printing means 5 for executing the printing based on the test printing signal 9,
The control means 11 controls the original printer function of printing based on the print data from the host computer.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation in this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG.
The operation of this embodiment will be described. When the power of the printer 10 is turned on and the initialization processing of each section by the control means 11 is completed (steps 101 and 102), the determination signal 6 is output from the determination signal output means 2 to the interface section 1 (step 103). Subsequently, the determination unit 3 receives the input signal 7 from the interface unit 1 and determines whether the determination signal 6 and the input signal 7 change at the same timing (step 104). If the timings are the same, it is determined that they are test print execution signals, and the test print start signal 8 is output to the test print signal generating means 4 (step 105). The test print signal generating means 4 generates a test print signal 9 (step 106) and supplies it to the printing means 5. As a result, test printing is executed (step 107). When the determination unit 3 determines that the determination signal 6 and the input signal 7 do not change at the same timing, the test printing is not performed and the normal mode is set, that is, the mode in which the print data is received from the host computer and is printed. (Step 108).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for specifically explaining the operation of the judgment signal output means 2 and the judgment means 3 of this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, when the control unit 11 completes the initialization process, the test print sense signal 12
Is input to the determination signal output means 2. When the test print sense signal 12 is input, the determination signal 6 is output from the determination signal output means 2 as the signal OUT1. At this time, the control means 1
The signal OUT1 from 1 is in a high impedance state. At this time, it is assumed that the test printing connector cable 13 is connected to the outside of the printer 10. Since the 1st and 4th pins of the test printing connector cable 13 are connected, the determination signal 6 is the input signal 7 to the input signal 7
Is entered as. The signal IN1 is also input to the judging means 3, and whether or not the judging signal 6 and the input signal 7 have the same timing by the comparing circuit 14 in the judging means 3, in other words, the signal OUT1 and the signal IN1 have the same timing. It is determined whether there is. If the result of the determination is that the timings are the same, the signal TE is given as the test print start signal 8.
STEN1 goes high. This time chart is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. 4 shows the case where the test printing is activated, and FIG. 5 shows the case where the test printing is not activated.

FIG. 6 shows a concrete example of the test print signal generating means 4 of this embodiment. The printing means 5 sends and receives the video signal 15 and the vertical synchronizing signal 16 to and from the test print signal generating means 4, and sends and receives the other video interface signal 17 to and from the control means 11. When the signal TESTEN1 which is the test print start signal 8 becomes high level, the test print signal generating means 4 becomes effective, and the test print signal generating means 4 outputs the video signal 15 at high level / every time when the vertical synchronizing signal 16 is inputted. It becomes a low level and outputs white or black print data to the printing means 5.
As a result, test printing can be executed.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the above-described embodiment is extended and applied. Referring to FIG. 7, the comparing circuit A20, the comparing circuit B21, and the comparing circuit C22 are provided inside the judging means 3.
And are prepared. The connector connected to the interface unit 1 is the test printing connector cable A23.
(Connect 1 pin and 4 pin), test printing connector cable B24 (connect 2 pin and 4 pin), and test printing connector cable C25 (connect 3 pin and 4 pin) are prepared. Also, the test print signal generating means 4
A pattern A that generates different test pattern data (these are referred to as patterns A, B, and C)
A generation circuit 26, a pattern B generation circuit 27, and a pattern C generation circuit 28 are prepared, and these are TES which are valid signals of each test pattern output from the determination means 3.
It is activated by TAEN1, TESTBEN1, and TESTCEN1. In the case of such an example, by changing the test print connector cable connected to the interface section 1, the test print pattern generated by the test print signal generating means 4 can be changed.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since test printing can be performed simply by connecting the test printing connector cable to the existing interface section, the test printing can be performed without the signal input means for activating the test printing outside or inside the printer. can do.

If all the print data is processed by the host computer, the printer need only have the function of printing. Therefore, the test printing function required in the aspect of manufacturing inspection can be realized by the present invention, so that the printer does not have to have an operation panel, which is also useful for reducing manufacturing cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of an operation in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram specifically explaining the operations of the determination signal output unit and the determination unit of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram of signals when the test printing according to this embodiment is activated.

FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram of signals when the test printing according to the present embodiment is not activated.

FIG. 6 shows a specific example of a test print signal generating means of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of extended application of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Interface Part 2 Judgment Signal Output Means 3 Judgment Means 4 Test Print Signal Generation Means 5 Printing Means 6 Judgment Signals 7 Input Signals 8 Test Print Start Signals 9 Test Print Signals 10 Printers 11 Control Means 12 Test Print Sense Signals 13 Test Print Connectors Cable 14 Comparison circuit 15 Video signal 16 Vertical synchronization signal 17 Video interface signal 18 Flip-flop 19 Buffer 20 Comparison circuit A 21 Comparison circuit B 22 Comparison circuit C 23 Test printing connector cable A 24 Test printing connector cable B 25 Test printing Connector cable C 26 Pattern A generation circuit 27 Pattern B generation circuit 28 Pattern C generation circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An interface section for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer, a judgment signal output means for outputting a judgment signal used for determining whether to perform test printing to the interface section, and a test printing connector cable. A determination means for determining whether or not to perform test printing by receiving an input signal from the interface portion by connecting to the interface portion, and a test for generating a test print signal when the determination by the determination means is to perform test printing A test print function comprising: a print signal generation means, a print means for executing printing based on the test print signal, and a control means for controlling an original printer function for printing based on print data from a host computer. With printer. 2. The test print signal generating means generates a plurality of types of test patterns by connecting a plurality of the test print connector cables having different terminal connection states to the interface section. A printer with a test printing function according to item 1.