JPS6027566A - Discrimination system of connected printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the waste to print different mechanical specification by notifying it to the system by using a system in which a discriminating function for the mechanical specification is provided for the printer itself without disintegrating centro-interface concept. CONSTITUTION:In a printer 17, when data received are judged to be discrimination code, the data are once stored in built-in RAM. The content of DIP switch preset is read out by the printer 17, and the content of discriminated data is compared with the content set by DIP switch to check whether they are in harmony with each other. When discrepancy is confirmed, fault line on centro- interface is made to active state by the printer 17 and it is notified to the main system. In the main system, due to said reason, the fact that connected printer is different form desired one is recognized and the job is aborted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a method for identifying a connected printer, and specifically to a method for identifying whether or not a printer compliant with the Centro interface is connected to a system. .

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Among printer interfaces, the Centro interface is commonly used. Therefore, as long as the printer is compliant with the Centro interface, the system can use it without any consideration, regardless of which printer is connected.

However, there is one problem here. In other words, even if the interface is compliant with the Centro interface, there are various mechanical specifications of the printer itself, such as the number of printing digits being 136 or 80, or being able to print double-width or not. Printers vary. The system side cannot recognize at all which specifications of the printer are currently connected.

This is because the Nanatro interface consists only of a data output line and an input line for knowing the printer status, and there is no information line for knowing the mechanical specifications. Therefore, if the system mistakenly sends data to a printer with different mechanical specifications, it will start printing even though there is an error, and the error will not be noticed until after printing. Therefore, not only the printing result intended by the user cannot be obtained, but also the printing paper is wasted.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and the above-mentioned waste can be avoided by providing the link itself with an identification function of its mechanical specifications and notifying the system without breaking the Centro interface concept. The purpose is to provide a method for identifying connected printers.

[A essential point of the invention]

Without breaking the Centro interface concept, the present invention company has provided the printer with the identification function itself, and when an abnormal identification code is sent, it puts itself into a fault state, so that the printer is not the printer that the system wants. This is to notify the mezun system of this. For this reason, the mechanical specifications of the printer (for example, whether or not the number of printing digits is 1x width printing, etc.)
A DTP switch is provided that is set, and also before the print data is sent by the main system.

A program routine that forcibly sends data for identification, and a program routine that compares the sent identification data with the data set by the above DIP switch. A program routine to do this is built into the printer.

After sending the identification data, the main system side recognizes that the desired printer is not connected to the system by knowing the fault state.

This allows the system to recognize the mechanical specifications of the connected printer before starting printing without compromising the Centro interface.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below using one drawing.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing system in which the present invention is adopted.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a central processing unit (CMU), which has a connit-a configuration in which a main memory and an arithmetic control unit are combined. This central processing unit 1
1 via the system bus 12.

It is connected to the input/output control device fEk (Iop J3). Hereinafter, the block 1 above this device 13, including this input/output control device 13, will be referred to as the main system.

The input/output control device 15 includes a keyboard, a 4° floppy disk device 15. Connected are an image device J6 that interacts with the operator and generates image data, and a printer 17 that prints the created image data.

Of course, the printer 17 complies with the Centro interface.

FIG. 2 shows how print command data (-) sent from the main system to the input/output control device 13 is converted into print sending data (b).

In the figure, control code character b 8 C+ r n @
vnl indicates identification data, 8I indicates a double-width designation code, SO indicates a double-width release code, and CR indicates a print start code.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the present invention.

Hereinafter, one operation of the present invention will be explained in detail.

A series of programs are stored on the floppy disk device 1.
6 to the central processing unit 27, and stores it in its built-in main memory. A certain job is activated using the keyboard 14 and the image device 16. If this job is something like a bill issuing office, the desired data should be
``In order to output to the printer 17, the print command is passed to the input/output control device 13 via the system bus 12t-.The input/output control device 13, which received the print command from the central processing unit 11, sends the print data to the printer J7. Before doing so, the main system forcibly sends identification data to determine whether the desired printer is connected or not.

For example, if you try to issue a slip using a 136-digit linter J2 with a double-width character function, as shown in the table above, nl ;o, n, :0 It is sufficient to send the identification data. FIG. 2 shows how the print command data sent to the input/output control device J3 is modified as data for sending to the printer.

Table 3 The following describes how the corrected printer sending data that has been sent is processed within the printer J7 using the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the printer 11 uses the received data as an identification code (E
8C+? ) or not. If it is not an identification code,
The data is assumed to have been received after it has already been identified, and printing processing begins.

If it is determined that it is an i@ separate code, the content of the following two-bit data (which will be expanded as appropriate) is assumed to be the identification data of the printer desired by the system, and is temporarily stored in the built-in RAM. The printer 17 successively prints out the contents of the preset DTP switch in order to determine whether the identification data points to itself.

Then, the contents of this identification data are compared with the contents set by the DTP switch to check whether they match.

If equality is confirmed here, the main system and 7
'This means that the identification contents of the printer J7 match, and the data sent after the identification data is successively received and a normal printing operation is performed. If it is confirmed that the printer is not equal to 1, it means that the currently connected printer J2 is different from what the system recognizes.
7. This is indicated by setting the fault line on the Centro interface to the accedip state.

Notify main system.

The main system will respond to the sent identification data.

Since Fault 2-in has become active, the printer recognizes that the currently connected printer is different from the one desired, and votes the job 7 times.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

(1) Without breaking the conventional Centro Zinterface concept, it is a printer that is connected incorrectly.

The system can recognize this by identifying the identification code.

(Applicable to 21) "Before printing, it is possible to know whether or not it is a link, eliminating the conventional waste of knowing whether it is a link or not until it is printed on paper.

(3) If many types of printers are connected, the effect of 1% is large, and the system can be notified that the system has mistakenly attempted to perform the J-J character on an unsuitable printer. .

(4) By expanding the identification code, it is possible to respond appropriately to the diversification of printers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information processing system to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows how print command data sent from the main system to the input/output control device is sent to the printer. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention. 73... Central processing unit, 12... System bus, J3... Input/output control device, 12... Printer. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Hiko Rin Ushiki Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the printer device connected to the main system via the Centro interface, is the DIP switch that sets the mechanical specifications of this printer logically connected to the printer with the desired specifications in the main system? In order to confirm whether or not the print data is sent, a first means for forcibly sending data for identification, and identification data issued by this first means and a self-answer set by the above-mentioned DIP switch are used. and a third means for placing the printer in a fault state when a mismatch is confirmed, and the main system, after sending the identification data by the first means, A method for identifying a connected printer, characterized in that it is recognized that a printer of a desired specification is not connected by knowing the fault state through the third means.