JP2002149356A - Print system and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a print system for changing a command content without affecting a printer and can simplify hardware constitution. SOLUTION: A command with respect to the printer 20, which a computer 10 generates, is interpreted by a computer side command interpretation part 30. A machine control instruction for directly designating the operation of the machine operation part 45 of the printer 20 is generated. The machine control instruction is transmitted to the printer 20 from the computer 10. The printer 20 mechanically operates the machine operation part 45 based on the machine control instruction. Thus, the command content can be changed on a computer 10-side and the hardware constitution of the printer 20 can be simplified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing system and a printer, and more particularly, to a printing system and a printer in which an instruction for an operation of a machine operation unit of the printer is transmitted from a computer to the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a serial printer such as an ink jet printer, a command transmitted from a computer is interpreted on the printer side, and based on the result of the interpretation, specific machine control is performed on a machine operation unit 45 of the printer. ing. For example, when printing is completed, a “paper feed command” is transmitted from the computer to the printer. The printer that has received the “paper feed command” analyzes the command content by the command analysis unit and specifies what kind of mechanical operation should be performed. Then, based on the specified result, the paper feed motor of the paper feeder is rotated, for example, in the forward direction by 500 steps. Further, when the printing paper is no longer detected, the paper feed motor of the paper feeder is rotated, for example, by 200 steps in the forward direction.

[0003]

As can be seen from the above description, in the conventional printer, a command analysis unit for analyzing a command received from a connected computer and specifying a mechanical operation is provided on the printer side. Must be provided. Therefore, the hardware for that, namely, R
OM and RAM are required on the printer side, and the manufacturing cost of the printer increases accordingly.

In the conventional printer, when the contents of a command or the contents of a sequence formed by combining the commands are changed, the hardware of the printer must be changed. When the hardware needs to be changed, the operation required to change the contents of the command and the contents of the sequence becomes more complicated than when the change can be dealt with only by the software. Further, it is practically impossible to change the hardware of a printer already used by a user, which limits version upgrade and the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a printer capable of easily changing the contents of a command or a sequence of a printer by changing software. .

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a printing system according to the present invention is a printing system having a printer and a computer connected to the printer. Machine control command generation means for interpreting the command and generating a machine control command for specifying the operation of the machine operation unit of the printer required to execute the command, and machine control generated by the machine control command means Transmitting a command to the printer; transmitting means for receiving the machine control command transmitted from the computer; receiving means for receiving the machine control command from the computer; and Operating means for operating. As described above, the computer generates the machine control command for designating the operation of the machine operation unit of the printer, and the printer operates the machine operation unit based on the machine control command. become able to. Also, since the printer only needs to interpret the machine control command and operate the machine operation unit based on this,
The hardware configuration is simplified.

In this case, the machine operation section may include a paper feed motor of a paper feeder, and the machine control command may specify the operation of the motor. In this way, a change in the content of the command including the operation of the paper feed motor of the paper feeder can be dealt with by a change in the software of the computer.

The printer further includes a print control unit for controlling a print head for performing printing and for controlling a movement of a carriage on which the print head is mounted, and wherein the computer starts printing as the machine control command. When instructed, the print control unit may control the print head and the carriage. Thus, control of printing after the computer instructs printing start can be left to the print control unit.

In this case, the printer further includes image data storage means for storing image data for printing, and the print control section performs the printing based on the image data stored in the image data storage means. Printing may be performed by controlling the head and the carriage. Thus, the print control unit can acquire the image data from the image data storage unit and execute printing without a machine control command from the computer.

[0010] The computer may further include status request transmitting means for transmitting a status request to the printer after transmitting the machine control command to the printer. The printer may be configured to transmit the status request to the printer based on the status request. Information regarding the status of the printer may be returned to the computer. This allows
When the content of the instruction for the printer is handled as a software change on the computer side, the effect of the software change can be prevented from affecting the portion other than the changed portion.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is necessary to cause a printer to analyze a complicated command by transmitting a command for directly designating a mechanical operation of the printer from a computer to the printer. This makes it possible to change the contents of commands and sequences by changing software on the computer side. This will be described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG.
The printing system according to the present embodiment includes a computer 10
And a printer 20 connected to the computer 10.

The computer 10 includes a printer-side command analysis unit 30, a sequence generation unit 31, an image generation unit 32, and an image buffer 33. These are connected to the transmission / reception unit 34. In the present embodiment, the printer-side command analysis unit 30, the sequence generation unit 31, and the image generation unit 32 are formed by software, and are realized by executing the software by a CPU included in the computer 10. . On the other hand, the image buffer 33 is formed by hardware,
This is realized by securing a predetermined area in an AM (Random Access memory).

The printer 20 includes a transmission / reception unit 40, a printer-side command analysis unit 41, a machine control unit 42, an AS
IC (Application Specific IC) 43 and RAM 44
And a machine operation unit 45 are provided. The printer 20 according to the present embodiment is configured by an ink jet printer. In the present embodiment, the printer-side command analysis unit 41 and the machine control unit 42 are configured by hardware.

Next, the operation of the "paper feed command" in the printing system will be described. For example, computer 1
If 0 generates a “paper feed command” after printing,
The “paper feed command” is subjected to command analysis by the printer-side command analysis unit 30. Then, based on the result of the command analysis, the sequence generation unit 31 generates a necessary sequence.

Specifically, the paper feed motor of the paper feeder is rotated in the forward direction within 500 steps until the printing paper is no longer detected, and then the paper feed motor of the paper feeder is rotated in the forward direction for 200 steps. To generate a series of machine control instructions. The machine control commands constituting this sequence are transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 34 to the printer 20 in order.

The machine control command transmitted from the computer 10 is received by the transmission / reception unit 40 of the printer 20. The machine control command received by the transmission / reception unit 40 is subjected to command analysis by the printer-side command analysis unit 41. And
Based on the result of the command analysis, the command is transmitted to the machine control unit 42 as a more specific machine operation command. The machine control unit 42 generates specific pulses, electric signals, and the like based on the command, and transmits the generated pulses and electric signals to the ASIC 43. For example, the ASIC 43 transmits pulses necessary for the paper feed motor of the paper feeder to perform the forward feed for 500 steps.
Send to The ASIC 43 operates the mechanical operation unit 45 based on these pulses, electric signals, and the like.

Next, a paper feeding sequence after printing is completed will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a paper feed sequence after printing according to the present embodiment.
5 is a timing chart showing signals transmitted and received between the computer 10 and the printer 20 in the paper feed sequence.

The paper feed sequence shown in FIG. 2 is a sequence generated by the sequence controller 31 based on the result of the command analysis by the printer command analyzer 30. As shown in FIG. 2, in the paper feed sequence,
It is determined whether printing by the printer 20 has been completed (step S10). If printing has not been completed (step S10: No), it is determined whether or not the paper sensor has detected printing paper (step S11). When the paper sensor detects the printing paper (step S1)
1: Yes), the process returns to step S10 described above.

On the other hand, when the paper sensor has not detected the print paper (step S11: No), the paper feed sequence causes the printer 20 to rotate the paper feed motor of the paper feeder by 200 steps in order. Then, a machine control command is transmitted (step S12). The position where the paper sensor detects the presence or absence of the printing paper is, for example, a position 1 cm before the print head. Therefore, when the paper sensor does not detect the printing paper, the sequential feed of 200 steps is performed because the printing paper still exists in the paper feeder even if the paper sensor detects that there is no printing paper. Therefore, the printing paper is ejected in order, and the printing paper is discharged to prepare for the next paper feeding.

On the other hand, the above-described step S10
When it is determined that the printing is completed (step S10:
In Yes, it is determined whether the paper sensor has detected the print paper (step S13). When the paper sensor has not detected the print paper (step S13: No)
In step S12, a machine control command for rotating the paper feed motor of the paper feeder in the forward direction by 200 steps is transmitted to the printer 20.

If the paper sensor has detected the printing paper (step S13: Yes), a machine control command for rotating the paper feed motor of the paper feeder one step forward is transmitted to the printer 20 (step S14). ).
Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the number of times of performing the one-step forward feeding is less than 500 times (step S15).

If the number of forward steps in one step is less than 500 (step S15: Yes), the above-described steps S13 and S14 are repeated. If the number of forward feeds in one step is not less than 500 (Step S15: No), that is, if it is 500 or more, it is determined that a paper jam has occurred, and the paper feed sequence is ended.

The timing chart of FIG. 3 shows a case where the processing of steps S13, S14 and S15 of FIG. 2 is repeated, and the paper feed sequence is ended in step S12.

As shown in FIG. 3, in step S14, the computer 10 transmits a machine control command for sequentially feeding the paper feed motor of the paper feeder by one step to the printer 20 (time T1). In the printer 20 receiving this machine control command, the printer-side command analysis unit 41
And analyzes the machine control command, and operates the machine operation unit 45 based on the analysis result. Here, an operation of sequentially feeding the paper feed motor of the paper feeder by one step is performed.

Next, as shown in FIG.
, A status request is transmitted from the computer 10 to the printer 20 (time T2). In the printer 20 that has received the status request, the printer-side command analysis unit 41 analyzes the status request, and based on the analysis result,
The status of the printer 20 is returned to the computer 10 (time T3). The computer 10 that has received the status reply decodes the status and determines whether or not the printing paper is detected by the paper sensor.

In this embodiment, the printer 20
The various statuses that are provided are collectively returned. For example, a sensor that detects the status of the paper sensor, a sensor that detects that the carriage has returned to the home position,
Information on the remaining amount of ink is included in this status. Note that the computer 10 sends the printer 20
Alternatively, a status request may be transmitted after designating the status relating to these individual sensors or the like, and only the designated status may be returned from the printer 20 to the computer 10.

Further, in the present embodiment, one machine control command, one status request, and one status reply form one set. That is, no matter what machine control command the computer 10 sends to the printer 20, the computer 10 subsequently sends a status request to the printer 20. In response, the printer 20 sends a status reply to the computer 20.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Assuming that the paper sensor has detected the print paper at step S5, the above-described processing at times T1 to T3 is repeated at times T4 to T6. By repeating such processing, the status returned from the printer 20 to the computer 10 at the time Tn,
Suppose that the paper sensor is in a state of not detecting the printing paper.

In this case, the determination in step S13 is No, and in step S12, the computer 10 sends the paper feed motor of the paper feeder to the printer 20.
A machine control command to rotate in the forward direction by 0 steps is transmitted. This machine control command is sent to the printer-side command analysis unit 4.
In step 1, the command is analyzed, and the machine operation unit 45 operates based on the analysis result. Here, the paper feed motor of the paper feeder rotates in the forward direction of 200 steps.

Subsequently, the computer 10 is connected to the printer 20
The printer 20 sends a status reply to the computer 10. This allows
The paper feeding sequence of FIG. 2 ends.

Next, a printing sequence executed by the printing system according to the present embodiment will be described. The print data generated by the computer 10 is analyzed by the printer-side command analysis unit 30 of the computer 10, and the image generation unit 32 generates image data to be printed by the printer 20. The image data generated by the image generator 32 is stored in the image buffer 33. In the image buffer 33, image data is stored in a width that can be printed by one carriage operation.

FIG. 4 shows that the image data stored in the image buffer 33 is sequentially transmitted to the printer 20 and is transmitted and received between the computer 10 and the printer 20 when processing for printing is performed. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing chart of signals.

As shown in FIG. 4, the computer 10 transmits print parameters to the printer 20 as a machine control command for initial setting (time T10). The print parameters include, for example, a print start position, a print end position, a print resolution, black printing, and color printing. The printer 20 that has received the message analyzes the command by the printer-side command analysis unit 41 and, based on the analysis result, executes the operation by the machine operation unit 45.
To work.

Next, the computer 10 is connected to the printer 20.
A status request is transmitted to (time T11). Based on the status request, the printer 20 transmits a status reply to the computer 10 (time T12).

Next, the computer 10 acquires image data for one pass from the image buffer 33 and transmits it to the printer 20 (time T13). The printer 20 that has received this one-pass image data analyzes the command analysis unit 41 on the printer side, and stores the received image data in the RAM 44 based on the analysis result.

Next, the computer 10 is connected to the printer 20.
A status request is transmitted to (time T14). Based on the status request, the printer 20 transmits a status reply to the computer 10 (time T15).

Next, the computer 10 transmits the print start command to the printer 20 as a machine control command (time T16). The printer 20 that has received the print start command analyzes the printer command analysis unit 41 and operates the machine operation unit 45 based on the analysis result. Here, the ASIC 43 retrieves the image data stored in the RAM 44, and controls the print head and the carriage for moving the print head based on the retrieved image data.
Print for one pass. That is, in the printing system according to the present embodiment, the ASIC 43 controls the print head and the carriage required for printing in the printer 20 after receiving the print start command.

Next, the computer 10
A status request is transmitted to (time T17). Based on the status request, the printer 20 transmits a status reply to the computer 10 (time T18).

Next, the computer 10 transmits a machine control command for rotating the paper feed motor of the paper feeder in the forward direction by 50 steps to the printer 20 (time T1).
9). The 50 steps are a width corresponding to a print width for one pass of the printer 20, and are transmitted to feed the paper for one pass. The printer 20 that has received the machine control command analyzes the printer command analysis unit 41 and operates the machine operation unit 45 based on the analysis result. Here, the operation of feeding the paper feeder in order of 50 steps is performed.

Next, the computer 10 is connected to the printer 20
The status request is transmitted to (time T20). Based on the status request, the printer 20 transmits a status reply to the computer 10 (time T21).

As described above, according to the printing system of this embodiment, the mechanical operation to be executed by the printer 20 is transmitted from the computer 10 to the printer 20 as an instruction. It is not necessary to analyze and execute a series of processes. Therefore, the hardware configuration of the printer 20 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the printer 20 can be reduced. Further, a change in the contents of a command or a change in the contents of a sequence can be dealt with as a change in software of the computer 10.

More specifically, the command generated by the computer 10 is analyzed by a printer-side command analysis unit 30 provided in the computer 10. The printer-side command analysis unit 30 generates a machine control command at a level at which the machine operation unit 45 of the printer 20 is actually operated, that is, a hardware-dependent machine control command, based on the command generated by the computer 10. Since the machine control command is transmitted from the computer 10 to the printer 20, the printer-side command analysis unit 41 of the printer 20
Then, it is sufficient to analyze this extremely simple machine control command.

Further, since the machine command for directly controlling the machine operation unit 45 is generated by the printer command analysis unit 30 formed by software in the computer 10, the command contents can be changed or the sequence contents can be changed. The change can be dealt with as a change in software of the printer-side command analysis unit 30 in the computer 10.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, the machine control command is not limited to the one described in the above-described embodiment.
The purpose is to include a command for a part that performs various mechanical operations operated by the mechanical operation unit 45 of FIG.

For each processing described in the above embodiment and realized by software, a program for executing each processing is stored in a floppy (registered trademark) disk, CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory).
y), recorded on a recording medium such as a ROM or a memory card,
It can be distributed in the form of a recording medium. in this case,
The recording medium on which this program is recorded is stored in a computer 1
The above-described embodiment can be realized by causing the data to be read by 0 and executed.

The computer 10 may include another program such as an operating system or another application program. In this case, the other programs included in the computer 10 are used, and the recording medium is selected from the programs included in the computer 10 from among the programs.
An instruction for calling a program for realizing the same processing as that of the above-described embodiment may be recorded.

Further, such a program can be distributed not as a recording medium but as a carrier through a network. The program transmitted in the form of a carrier wave over the network is taken into the computer 10 and the above-described embodiment can be realized by executing the program.

When a program is recorded on a recording medium or transmitted as a carrier wave over a network, the program may be encrypted or compressed.
In this case, the computer 10 that has read the program from these recording media or carrier waves needs to execute the program after decrypting and expanding the program.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The computer interprets the command to the printer, generates a machine control command that specifies the operation of the machine operation unit of the printer required to execute the command, and transmits the machine control command from the computer to the printer. Therefore, the change of the instruction content can be dealt with by the change on the computer side, and the influence on the printer side can be minimized. Further, since the printer only needs to interpret the machine control command and operate the machine operation unit based on the command, the hardware configuration is simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram illustrating a configuration of a computer and a printer in a printing system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of a paper feed sequence according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing chart for explaining signals transmitted and received between a computer and a printer in a paper feeding sequence according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart illustrating signals transmitted and received between the computer and the printer in the image data transmission sequence according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 computer 20 printer 30 printer-side command analysis unit 31 sequence generation unit 32 image generation unit 33 image buffer 34 transmission / reception unit 40 transmission / reception unit 41 printer-side command analysis unit 42 machine control unit 43 ASIC 44 RAM 45 machine operation unit

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A printing system comprising a printer and a computer connected to the printer, wherein the computer interprets an instruction for the printer and executes the machine of the printer required to execute the instruction. A machine control command generation unit that generates a machine control command that specifies the operation of the operation unit; and a transmission unit that transmits the machine control command generated by the machine control command unit to the printer. A printing system comprising: a receiving unit that receives a machine control command transmitted from the computer; and an operating unit that operates the machine operation unit based on the machine control command. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machine operation section includes a paper feed motor of a paper feeder, and the machine control command specifies an operation of the motor. The printing system as described. 3. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a print control unit configured to control a print head for performing printing and to control a movement of a carriage on which the print head is mounted, wherein the computer starts printing as the machine control command. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein, when instructed, the print control unit controls the print head and the carriage. 4. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising an image data storage unit configured to store image data for printing, wherein the print control unit controls the print head based on the image data stored in the image data storage unit. The printing system according to claim 3, wherein printing is performed by controlling the printer and the carriage. 5. The computer according to claim 1, further comprising: a status request transmission unit configured to transmit a status request to the printer after transmitting the machine control command to the printer. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a status returning unit configured to return information on a status of the printer to the computer. 6. A printer which is used by being connected to a computer, wherein the machine operation unit performs a mechanical operation based on a machine control command, and the connected computer interprets the command and executes the command. Receiving the machine control command, generating the machine control command required to perform the operation, and operating the machine operation unit based on the machine control command. Characterized printer. 7. The machine operation unit according to claim 6, wherein the machine operation unit includes a paper feed motor of a paper feeder, and the machine control command specifies an operation of the motor. The printer described. 8. A print control unit for controlling a print head for performing printing and a movement of a carriage on which the print head is mounted, and further comprising, when a command to start printing is received as the machine control command. 8. The printer according to claim 6, wherein the print control unit controls the print head and the carriage. 9. An image data storage unit for storing image data for printing, wherein the print control unit is configured to control the print head and the carriage based on the image data stored in the image data storage unit. The printer according to claim 8, wherein printing is performed by controlling the following. 10. Based on a status request transmitted after the connected computer transmits the machine control command,
The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a status returning unit configured to return information on a status to the computer.