JP3210046B2 - Information processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method for printing data received from a host unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an information processing unit and a print control unit, which are main control units, are individually controlled to save power in a print unit of a system device independently controlled, transition states such as a stop state and a standby state are considered. And their management was performed by the main control unit.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional example, there is a problem that the busy state is present at various places due to the convenience of the printing unit, and the main control unit is in a waiting state during that time. Also, when transferring data such as print data to the printing unit, the printing unit side is not accepted unless it is in a standby state,
Both time and power were wasted.

[0004] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and method capable of performing an appropriate process depending on whether or not the printer unit is set to be off during the initialization process of the printer unit. Is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an initialization processing means for initializing a printer unit for printing data received from a host unit; Print processing means for performing print processing of data received from the host unit after the initialization processing of the printer unit is performed by the initialization processing means, wherein the initialization processing means sets whether the printer unit is turned off. If it is determined that the printer unit is not set to off, the print processing unit prints data received from the host unit and determines that the printer unit is set to off. In this case, the printer unit is turned off.

Further, according to the information processing method of the present invention, an initialization processing step of performing an initialization processing of a printer section for printing data received from a host section, and an initialization processing of the printer section by the initialization processing step. A print processing step of printing the data received from the host unit after the operation is performed.The initialization processing step determines whether or not the printer unit is set to off, and determines whether the printer unit is off. If it is determined that it has not been set, the data received from the host unit in the print processing step to print processing,
If it is determined that the printer is turned off,
The printer unit is turned off.

[0007]

【Example】

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) which is one of information processing apparatuses as one embodiment of the present invention. The personal computer 1 includes an apparatus body 101, a keyboard 102, an upper cover 104 having a display unit 103, a printer 2, and other components. The upper cover 104 is attached to the main body 101.
It is rotatably mounted via hinges 104a provided at both ends of the rear edge. Thus, when the present apparatus is used, the upper cover 104 rotates the display unit 1 by the rotation thereof.
03 can be opened to a position where it can be easily viewed, and closed when not in use to function as a cover. As a display element of the display unit 103, a liquid crystal display element is used because the display unit can be thin.

[0008] Ink jet recording head (BJ-
The printer unit 2 using the (head) is disposed in front of the display unit 103 and is housed in the apparatus main body 101.
The printer unit 2 has an opening (not shown) that can be opened and closed by an operator so that the recording head can be replaced.

The recording paper 3 is inserted from a paper feed port 101a provided below the keyboard 102, conveyed in a conveyance path penetrating the inside of the apparatus main body 101, and discharged from a paper discharge port (not shown) at the rear of the apparatus. Is done. The keyboard 102 is the device body 1
01 is rotatably mounted via hinges 102a provided on both sides. Thus, even when a relatively short recording paper such as an envelope or a postcard is used, the keyboard 102 can be opened upward and the recording paper 3 can be inserted deep into the transport path. As described above, since the transport path of the recording paper 3 is provided below the keyboard 102, even when the recording paper is set, the keyboard 102 and the display unit 103 are provided.
Various operations using the operation panel SW105 are possible.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a host computer and a printer.

First, in the host computer, the central control unit (CPU) controls the main control, and the BIOS ROM instructs the basic control.
(Basic Input Output System
m ROM). From floppy disk (FDD) and hard disk (HDD) to floppy disk controller (FDC) and hard disk controller (H
DC) to read the application program and execute the program using the system memory (RAM). At this time, as a screen display method, characters and the like are displayed on a liquid crystal (LCD) using an LCD controller (LCDC), and key input from a keyboard (KB) is performed via a keyboard controller (KBC). Here, the numerical processor (FPU) is CP
U supports arithmetic processing. or,
The real-time clock (RTC) indicates the current elapsed time, and the operation is performed by the dedicated battery even when the power of the entire system is turned off. The DMA controller (DMAC) is provided between memories,
In order to transfer data at high speed between I / O and between I / O and I / O, data transfer is performed without intervention of the CPU.
An interrupt controller (IRQC) receives an interrupt from each I / O and performs processing according to the priority. The timer (TIMER) has several channels of free running timers and performs various time managements. In addition, a serial interface (SIO), expansion port (PORT), and LE that communicates the operation status to the user
There is D.

In addition to the above-described controls of a general personal computer, in a notebook personal computer (personal computer), at least two of an AC adapter and a battery are used.
It is necessary to cope with a power source, and in particular, it is necessary to save power when a battery is used. EL inverter circuit on-off / power supply to FDD / power supply to HDD / time control of power supply to devices other than RAM and VRAM, CLOCK control of CPU etc., power control at suspend / resume A host power management unit (host PM unit) for controlling procedures and the like, and switching between RAM and VRAM between a suspend state and a cpu-clock operation by a command signal from the host PM unit to ref
It comprises a refresh controller for refreshing and a charge controller that can drive the host while charging the secondary battery.

The printer unit sends a general-purpose parallel interface register PIO / I to the host computer.
O and printer control & status register PST
/ IO, the data is transmitted and received at the register level of the I / O port, and the image of the connection is the same as when an external printer is exchanged.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the printer unit. The main configuration is as follows.

Here, the CPU-P is a microprocessor type CPU for performing main control of the printer unit, and a PST / I of a printer control & status port unit to be described later.
Transfers printer status information and emulation setting information to and from the host via the O register.
Based on this state setting, the host
In accordance with printer commands and data obtained through the PIO / IO register of the adapter unit, desired state processing and printing processing are performed in accordance with programs and data stored in a ROM-P described later in a microcode form. RO
MP is a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs corresponding to the recording control procedure and print control procedure executed by the CPU-P, a character generator (CG), other tables, and fixed data such as default values. . TIMER1-P is a paper feed motor (FM)
RTC-P is a RTC (real-time clock) for knowing the elapsed time of the recovery operation. The composite control UNIT includes IF transfer control / power saving control / RAM access control / printer control & status control / printer port control, among which RAM access control / printer control & status control / power saving control etc. Independent control is possible regardless of the control of the CPU-P even when the clock of the CPU-P is stopped and a fault occurs. The above configuration corresponds to B of CPU-P.
Connected to US. The RAM-P has a work area used as a register, a line buffer for storing print data for one line, a dot development buffer re-developed into dots, an INPUT buffer from a parallel IF, and an area for recording emulation information. (Random access memory), R between compound control UNIT
Connected by AM bus, R of compound control unit
The AM-control unit allows the RAM-P to be accessed from a plurality of control units including the CPU-P. Each printer drive control signal is output from the complex control UNIT, and F
The M drive circuit / CM drive circuit / head driver / heater driver converts the drive level into FM / CM / BJ-Head / heater etc., and the FM (feed motor) / CM (carrier motor) / BJ-Head parts of the printer Driven. Composite control UNI as power saving control signal
From T to Vcc1P-off / Vcc2P-off / Vp
It has a power control signal of -off, a Printer-off / printer sensor from the operation panel SW as an input signal, and an LED drive signal of the operation panel as an output signal. Of these, only when the Printer-off signal changes from active to inactive, Vcc
1-P is supplied, and the combined control UNIT / CP
Power can be supplied only to the UP / RAM-P. Also, the power supply Vcc1P-off can be turned off at the OFF timing in which the Printer-off signal is changed according to the driving condition of the printer.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the complex control unit.

The functional blocks are mainly a parallel IF adapter functioning as an IF adapter from the host side, and the RAM-P inp via the parallel IF adapter.
I that stores parallel data on out-buffer
F data acquisition control unit, printer control & status port unit for mainly confirming and controlling the status of the printer directly from the host side, refresh control unit for generating refresh timing of RAM-P, RAM-
A BJ-head / CM control unit that reads out the one-line dot development data on P and drives and prints the BJ head while also controlling the phase excitation of the carrier; and FM / heater / LED
Port control section for driving the like, IF data capture control section, refresh control section, and BJ-head / CM
The control unit includes a RAM access control unit that has an access right for each priority for the four access requests of the CPU-P, and a printer PM unit that performs power saving control. Although the power saving control will be described later, the return from the low power consumption mode, in which the supply clock is stopped in a fault state of the CPU-P, to the normal processing state can also be performed by various interrupts or resets managed centrally by the PM control unit. Arrested, CPU
After the condition for restoring -P is satisfied, it is output as INT or P-RES, and the CPU-P resumes processing.

FIG. 5 is an input / output configuration diagram of the mode control unit in the printer PM unit. Printer operation enable / disable SW (P
As for the input of “printer on / off SW”, both the latch signal via the printer operation disable signal latch circuit and the direct printer operation enable / disable SW signal are sent to the mode control unit. The write signal to the PST / IO register is PST /
A latch signal via the IO write latch circuit is sent to the mode control unit. The remaining inputs to the mode control unit are HRESET, which is a signal directly input from the host and is a hardware reset signal at the time of system power-on, and a suspend signal indicating whether the host is in a suspended state. These signals and PPM /
The mode transition system to be described later is P-RES / clock2 / Sleep / c under the condition of IO SLEEP / STOP setting.
This is realized by output control such as lock-stop. P
The -RES output is for resetting the CPU-P. The clock2 output is for stopping or delaying the clock when the CPU-P is in a fault state or unnecessary, thereby saving power. The sleep output is intended to stop circuits such as the refresh control system in the printer PM unit to save power. clock-
The stop output is for the purpose of saving power. This is to stop the oscillation of the clock itself supplied to the printer PM, and to further save power. Vcc1P-off / Vcc2P-off is described in order to obtain more effective power saving in accordance with the mode state, and simultaneously cuts off the power of unnecessary circuits. The latch / circuit operation / non-operation mode control unit is enabled when the CPU-P is in the suspended state in the fault state or the clock stopped state, and the latched signal becomes P-RES when the suspend is released by the resume.
Is used as a determination signal as to whether or not the reset of the printer CPU-P is made valid.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the IO register (PIO / IO) seen from the host side of the parallel IF adapter unit. IF send data / IF receive
edata / IF status / Buffer SP
/ IF control register group for controlling parallel IF transfer from the host to the printer unit.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the IO register (PIF / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the IF data fetching control unit. IB start / IB end / IB P
OINT / IB status / IB control information / IB
It consists of send data registers, and the function of each register will be described later.

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of an IO register (PFM / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the printer port control unit, and is composed of registers for FM phase excitation / SH heater signal / LED control.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the IO register (PBJ / IO) seen from the printer side in the BJ-head / CM control unit. PB start / PB end / PBP
Each register includes OINT / PB status / PB control information / CM phase excitation information.

FIG. 10 shows the configuration of an IO register (PPM / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the printer PM section, and is composed of registers for PPM status / PPM control information.

Here, the PPM status is the CPU-P
D0, D1, and D2 are bits indicating hardware reset and panel SW print, respectively.
er on, a reset signal by writing to the PST / IO register from the host, and the D5, D6, and D7 bits are used for suspend, paper insertion sensor, and PIO from the host
An interrupt due to writing to the / IO register is shown.

FIG. 11 shows an IO register (PS) viewed from the host side in the printer control & status port section.
T / IO), the PS / EM control / EM status registers are provided.

FIG. 12 shows the configuration of an IO register (HWR / IO) viewed from the CPU-P side in the printer control & status port unit.
It consists of IEM control / IEM condition registers. The aforementioned PST / IO register and HWR
The relationship with the / IO register is processed as follows under the control of the printer control & status port unit.

HWR indicating printer status and emulation handshake status written by CPU-P
The IPS status register of / IO remains in PST /
It can be confirmed by the host CPU in the PS status register of the IO. The EM control register and the EM condition register of the PST / IO are used for the purpose of the host CPU changing the emulation mode setting of the printer unit and various setting conditions relating to each emulation. That is, EM is sent from the host CPU.
When the emulation mode is written in the control register, an interrupt (CP
When the UP is stopped, a reset signal is generated. The emulation mode set by this interrupt processing is read from the IEM control register, and the analysis of the command transferred from the parallel IF of the printer is switched to the set emulation mode. At the same time, various kinds of printer setting information in the newly set emulation mode and change mode are written in the IEM control register and the IEM condition register. Since this information is visible in the EM control register and the EM condition register, the host CPU can confirm various printer setting information for the changed emulation mode. Similarly, when it is desired to change the printer setting information, the host CPU writes various kinds of printer setting information to be changed in the EM condition register, thereby completing the change. EM of PS status register
The set ready and EM acknowledgment bits are prepared for the above handshake, and can be written to the EM control register and EM condition register, respectively, and the state after the change is completed and the EM control register and EM condition register are changed. Indicates that the information is confirmed. Also, these bits are HW
R / IO register IPS status register IEM
Set Ready and IEM Acknowledge Bit CPU
−P, respectively.

FIG. 13 shows BJ-head / RAM on RAM-P.
The storage data buffer (PB) controlled by the CM controller and I
The reception buffer (I
The area arrangement of the address B) is shown.

The print buffer area is for setting a data area necessary for printing, and includes a start address (PB STAR).
T) and the end address (PB END), the stored data is read out in order from the start address by the BJ-head / CM control unit within that range, and the stored data is read out from the RAM-P until the end address is reached. ,
Sends a control signal to the head driver. At this time, the print data address pointer (PB point) indicates the data address of the data currently being transmitted and the data being transmitted.

Similarly, the reception data buffer area sets a data area necessary for reception, and includes a start address (I
B START) and the end address (IB END), the stored data is read out from the start address by the IF data acquisition control unit in that range, and the stored data is read out from the RAM-P until the end address is reached. Sends a control signal to the head driver.
At this time, the reception data address pointer (IB point)
Indicates a data address at which data has been received.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the software control flow at the time of reset start on the printer side.

At S51, an initialization process is performed. If Printer-off is set from the operation panel SW, the process proceeds to S51.
The process proceeds to 56 and becomes END. If Printer-off setting has not been made, the process proceeds to S52. Similarly, in the power saving control process of S52, if Printer-off setting is made, the process proceeds to S56 and becomes END, and Print
If the r-off setting has not been made, S53, S5
The process proceeds to three parallel processes of 4, S55. S53 is a dot data development process for developing character code data in the line buffer into actual one-line dot data;
Reference numeral 54 denotes a series of printing processing when the dot data of the next line is aligned and the print start command of the line is executed or the sequential execution command is executed. S55 interprets the command and data taken into the reception buffer. This is a command capture analysis process for creating a line buffer. S53,
Upon completion of each processing of S54 and S55, the process returns to the power saving control processing of S52 again.

FIG. 15 is a detailed flowchart of the initialization processing of FIG.

At S61, an interrupt MASK process is performed, and at S6
Proceed to 2. In S62, the above-mentioned register (PIF / IO,
PFM / IO, PBJ / IO, PPM / IO, etc.) are initialized as desired, and the device IO register is initialized.
Proceed to 3. In step S63, the condition that the CPU-P has been reset-started is set in the register PPM / IO of the printer PM unit.
Check by reading M status. If the Printer on / off switch of the operation panel SW is turned from off to on, go to S68. If there is a write from the host to the register PST / IO (various settings related to emulation), go to S66. The host is reset. If so, the process proceeds to S64. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S66. In S64,
The device such as the ROM-P and the RAM-P is checked, and if there is an error, the error status is notified to the host via the register HWR / IO (S65). In step S66, the emulation mode setting and various setting conditions relating to each emulation are written to the register HWR / IO and notified to the host. In S67, it is determined whether the Printer switch is in the off state. If the Printer switch is not in the Off state, the process returns to the processing in FIG. Printer switch is o
If it is in the ff state, a series of processes following S69, S70, and S71 are started, and these processes are performed in Stop
The procedure of the CPU-P when shifting to the Mode
Set M / IO to Stop Mode and set CPU-P to H
This is the process of setting at.

FIG. 16 is a detailed flow chart of the power saving control processing of FIG.

At S80, an interrupt MASK process is performed, and at S8
Proceed to 1. In S81, according to whether or not the printer drive control is being performed, if the printer drive control is being performed, the interrupt MASK is canceled in S103, and the process returns to Main. If the printer drive control is not being performed, the process proceeds to S82. In S82, 1
If the one-dot dot data development process has been completed according to whether or not the line dot data development process has been completed, the printer is currently operating in S83 depending on whether or not the printer is currently operating. In this case, the process proceeds to step S103. If the printer is not currently operating, the printer driving power supply Vp is turned on in step S84, and the process also proceeds to step S103. Returning to the original, if the one-line dot data development process is not completed, the process proceeds to S85.
After Vp is turned off in S85, the process proceeds to S86, and if the dot data development process is completed, the process proceeds to S88 if the dot data development process is completed.
If the dot data development process has not been completed,
7 and if PRINTER-off is present due to the presence or absence of Printer-off in S87, the process proceeds to S71 in FIG. 21 and END of S71 and S72.
The process is performed, and if there is no PRINTER-off, the process similarly proceeds to S103. In S88, depending on whether or not there is data in the INPUT buffer, if there is no data in the INPUT buffer, the process proceeds to S87, and the INPU
If there is data in the T buffer, the TIM
The setting mode of ER1-P is released, and the subsequent S91 and S9
2. Step S93 is a procedure that is performed in such a manner as to be expected to wake up again by an external interrupt by hardware. After setting sleep, the hardware interrupt is released and Halt is set. S
If there is a hardware interrupt in the state of 93, S100, S10
1, Halt release corresponding to S102, Re-release such as command release corresponding to Sleep release and hardware interrupt
The dy Mode resumption process is performed, and the process proceeds to S103.

FIG. 17 is a diagram in which the printer PM unit and the mode control unit change states according to conditions. After RESET, the printer PM unit is in the state indicated by A, but the PMM / I
When the sleep of O is set, the state shown in B is displayed.
When the stop of the PMM / IO is set, the state changes to the state indicated by C, respectively. The change in the state A is A → B change by the sleep setting of the CPU-P, and the st change of the CPU-P.
A → C change by op setting and Vp-of of CPU-P
There are three types of A → D change by f setting. Next, state B
There are three kinds of changes: (1) a change to state A, (2) a change to state C by a Printer-off signal from the panel SW, and (2) a change to state A through initialization by P-RES. When the state changes to the state A, the paper insertion / operation SW / data input / PST is performed in the non-suspend state.
/ IO, and at the time of transition from suspend to non-suspend state,
Printer operation disabled during RESUME (Printer-o
ff) No latch signal. If the status changes to C, whether or not the printer is operating (Pr
(inter-off) This is a case where a SW input occurs.
Further, when the state changes to the state A after the initialization by the P-RES, the printer operation is not performed at the time of the transition from the suspend to the non-suspend state, that is, at the time of the RESUME.
-Off) This is the case with a latch signal. Next, the change in the state C is a state in which the state changes to the state A through the initialization by the P-RES.
(rinter-on) When the host writes to the SW input or PST / IO, the transition from the suspend to the non-suspend state, that is, the RESUME time. The change in the state D is a case in which the state changes to the state A due to the release of the Vp-off setting of the CPU-P. These states A to D will be described next together with the description of the state of the printer system.

FIG. 18 is a transition diagram of the entire printer system.

The states are as follows: all clocks, STOP MODE without power supply, all power supplies and CL
ActiveMod with normal OCK and printable
e, ReadyMode without printer drive power supply compared to Active Mode, CPU-P and PM
Vcc power is supplied only to the control unit and the RAM-P, and the CPU-P and the RAM-P are basically stopped and are in the sleep mode in which only the contents of the memory and the register are held. Consists of

The following describes the change system of each mode, the control of the CPU-P, and the change system of the mode control unit.

The READY mode at the time of RESET is realized by using the RESET → A change system shown in FIG.

Next, for READY Mode, R
The first change from the EASY Mode is READY
Mode → Active Mode and S in FIG.
Vp-off is set by the CPU-P according to 84, and the mode control unit changes from A to D in FIG. READY
The second of the change systems from -Mode is S81 to S81 in FIG.
If there is no data that can be processed in a state where printing has been completed in a series of processes of the CPU-P reaching 93, Sleep is set in the mode control unit and the mode becomes Halt. The B change occurs and changes from READY-Mode to Sleep Mode.

For ACTIVE-Mode, Ac
The change system from the active mode is only one mode.
The active-Mode → READY Mode is set to release Vp-off by the CPU-P in S85 of FIG. 16 described above, and the D → A change of FIG. 17 occurs in the mode control unit.

In Sleep-Mode, Sleep
The first change system from ep-Mode is Sleep-M
When a paper insertion / operation SW / data input occurs in a non-suspend state in mode → READY Mode, and when a transition from the suspend to the non-suspend state, that is, when a printer operation disable (Printer-off) latch signal is absent during RESUME, The change from B to A in FIG.
ock2 is set to a normal state, a hardware interrupt is generated for the CPU-P, and the CPU-P side executes S100 in FIG.
The process returns to S103. The second type of change from Sleep-Mode is whether or not the printer is operating (Printer-Mode).
off) Sleep-Mod by SW input condition
In e → Stop Mode, FIG. 1 in the mode control unit
7 is a change from B to C, and the control of the CPU-P does not intervene. The third change from Sleep-Mode is RE.
Printer operation disabled during SUME (Printer-of
f) When there is a latch signal, the state changes to Ready-Mode after initialization by P-RES, and is a change from B → reset → A in FIG. 17 in the mode control unit. Is done.

In the Stop-Mode, there is only one change system. At the time of RESUME, the printer operation enable (Printer-on) SW input in the non-suspend state or the P-RES at the time of writing from the host to the PST / IO occurs. Ready-M via reset
mode in the mode control unit, as shown in FIG.
This is a change from reset to A, and is initialized by hardware.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to an embodiment using an ink-jet printing method, it is obvious that a printer type and a recording method are not limited.

In addition, the present invention has been described only with respect to the embodiment in which the personal computer and the printer are integrated.
A separate type configuration in which the personal computer and the printer are the same battery drive source can be similarly realized.

In addition, in the case where the printer has a single battery drive source, the Ready M signal based on the Printer-off signal given from the Host unit is used.
Since the Mode → Stop Mode no longer exists, it is needless to say that the mode can be realized in a form excluding this mode.

Further, in state B in FIG.
The clock to the PU-P is set to a low speed.
It means the minimum clock speed at which a register inside the UP can maintain information and can return to the rest. If the CPU-P is capable of static operation, it is needless to say that the clock can be stopped. Similarly, the RAM-P is assumed to be a low-cost type such as a D-RAM and a PS-RAM that require refreshing, but does not require refreshing or has a data holding mode and holds data. Needless to say, if the RAM can be restored by power saving, it is possible to save power. In addition, CPU-P, RAM-P
It is needless to say that if the supply voltage in the B state is switched to the lowest voltage that can hold data, power saving can still be achieved.

Further, the explanation has been given with the host as a main body of a personal computer. However, as long as the printer unit can be controlled independently, it has a communication means to the outside such as a Japanese WP or a system notebook, or via a bus. Any device can be used as long as all types of communication can be performed.

[Second Embodiment] In FIG. 15 of the first embodiment, the CPU
After outputting the printer operation mode in S66 as initialization processing of P, it is determined in S67 whether or not a Printer off signal is present. If the Printer off signal is present, the CPU is turned off.
The case where P is stopped has been described. Printer control &
When there is a write from the host to the register PST / IO of the status port unit, the process proceeds to S66 regardless of the written information in FIG. 15, but the written information is discriminated and processing according to the information can be performed. It is. Also,
In addition to the processing, it is also possible to change the operation state of the CPU-P, such as whether to stop the CPU-P after the processing, according to the information written from the host.

As is apparent from the above description, at least the printer drive power is supplied and the printable Acti is activated.
ve Mode and Ready Mode in which printer drive power is not supplied and printer control other than printing can be executed
A sleep mode in which a low-speed clock is supplied to a CPU that controls printer control, and only a memory is held;
4 Mode of Stop Mode that stops the clock and power supply to the CPU that controls the printer and stops the power supply completely
e, and power saving can be realized by transiting each mode. In addition, the transition from the stop mode to the ready mode is performed by resetting the CPU, and processing according to the reset condition of the CPU can be performed.

As described in detail, according to the present invention, the information processing side for performing main control and the control side for performing control relating to printing including power saving control are provided, and the information processing side for performing main control is the control side. The information can be transferred to the print control side regardless of whether the printer control unit is stopped.

As described in detail above, the present invention includes the information processing side for performing main control according to the present invention and the control side for performing control relating to printing including power saving control, and the reset instruction means of the printer control unit on the control side is provided. When there are a plurality of reset instructions, it is possible to easily identify them by having a register for identifying a reset instruction, and it is possible to easily select a reset process corresponding to each of the reset instruction means.

[0055]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
During the initialization process of the printer unit, the process can be appropriately performed depending on whether or not the printer unit is turned off.

[0056]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a personal computer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram between a host and a printer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printer unit.

FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of a composite control unit.

FIG. 5 is an internal block diagram of a printer PM unit.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a PIO / IO register.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a PIF / IO register.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a PFM / IO register.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a PBJ / IO register.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a PPM / IO register.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a PST / IO register.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of an HWR / IO register.

FIG. 13 is an address area diagram of PB and IB of the printer RAM-P.

FIG. 14 is a schematic control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization processing control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 16 is a power-saving control process control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 17 is a change diagram of a PM controller of the printer.

FIG. 18 is a state change diagram as a printer system.

[Explanation of symbols]

CPU-P CPU HRESET that performs main control of the printer unit Reset signal 105 Operation panel PPM / IO register IO register seen from the printer side in the printer PM unit

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Jiro Tateyama 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Canon Inc. (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/12

Claims (12)

(57) [Claims] An initialization processing unit for performing initialization processing of a printer unit for printing data received from the host unit; and an initialization processing unit for performing initialization processing of the printer unit by the initialization processing unit. Print processing means for performing print processing of the received data, wherein the initialization processing means determines whether or not the printer unit is set to off, and determines that the printer unit is not set to off. An information processing apparatus for causing the print processing unit to print the data received from the host unit and turning off the printer unit when it is determined that the printer unit is turned off. 2. The initialization processing means outputs an operation mode of the printer unit to the host unit, determines whether or not the printer unit is turned off, and determines that the printer unit is not turned off. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: causing the print processing unit to print the data received from the host unit, and if it is determined that the printer unit is turned off, the printer unit is turned off. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initialization processing unit checks a reset condition and performs a different process according to a result of the check. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting includes setting by a switch. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the host unit and the printer unit have an integral structure. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printer unit includes an ink jet printer. 7. An initialization processing step for performing initialization processing of a printer unit for printing data received from the host unit, and after the initialization processing of the printer unit is performed in the initialization processing step, A print processing step of printing the received data.The initialization processing step determines whether or not the printer unit is set to off, and determines that the printer unit is not set to off. In the information processing method, in the print processing step, the data received from the host unit is printed, and if it is determined that the printer unit is turned off, the printer unit is turned off. 8. The initialization processing step includes outputting an operation mode of the printer unit to the host unit, determining whether the printer unit is turned off, and determining that the printer unit is not turned off. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the print processing step prints the data received from the host unit in the print processing step, and turns off the printer unit when it is determined that the printer unit is turned off. The information processing method described. 9. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein in the initialization processing step, a reset condition is checked, and different processing is performed according to a check result. 10. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the setting includes a setting by a switch. 11. The host unit and the printer unit,
The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the information processing method has an integral structure. 12. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein said printer unit includes an ink jet printer.