JPH0531767B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to terminal equipment such as printers and plotters that are controlled by control commands based on control codes output from a host computer.

[Conventional technology]

Various terminal devices such as printers and plotters that are used in conjunction with a host computer are controlled by operation commands from attached operation switches and control commands from control codes output from the computer, which is the controlling entity, to output data, etc. I do.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In terminal devices such as printers, the instructions have become more complex as the variety has increased, so even if a certain operating condition is set by the operation command after the terminal device is started, the reset command, which is a type of control command, will not be issued afterwards. There are many cases where the operating conditions are changed due to
Some users have had the inconvenience of not being able to use the device under desired conditions. Therefore, the present invention enables users to set conditions for various functions with simple operations by setting priorities between the control commands, which are commands for controlling the terminal equipment, and the operation commands. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a terminal device whose component mounting board can be miniaturized and whose manufacturing cost is low.

[Means to solve the problem]

The terminal device of the present invention includes a host computer 20
It is a terminal device linked to a control means (CPU 22 and reset generator 25) which generates a reset signal to reset the internal circuit at startup, and which is controlled by a control command from the host computer or an operation command by an operation switch. )
, a determining means (CPU 22) for determining the presence or absence of the operating command when the reset signal is generated, and a switching means (type switching means) for switching the priority between the control command and the operating command based on the determination result by the determining means. It is characterized by having a style switch 4, a quality switch 8, a print pitch switch 11, and a TOF switch 16).

[Effect]

The reset signal generated by the control means is discriminated by the discriminating means. Based on this determination result, the priority order between the control command and the operation command is switched and set by the switching means. Therefore, in the terminal device of the present invention, by setting priorities between operation commands and control commands, changes in operating conditions due to mutual interference between the two can be prevented.

【Example】

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an operation panel of a printer which is an embodiment of the terminal device of the present invention. 1 is a POWER lamp that lights up when a bistable seesaw-type POWER switch (not shown) is turned on;
2 is PAPER which indicates that the paper is out.
It is an EMPTY lamp. Also, 3 is a rotary type that sets the paper length.
FORM LENGTH switch 4 is a touch-type TYPE STYLE switch that sets the type style, and each time you press the switch, the sequence changes to STD setting 5 (standard character type), F1 setting 6 (other character type font 1), F2 setting 7 ( A switching operation for another character type font 2) is performed. 8 is a touch-type button that sets the character printing quality.
Each time you press the QUALITY switch,
DRAFT setting 9 and LQ setting 10 (LETTER
QUALITY) switching operation is performed. 11 is a touch-type PRINT for setting the print pitch.
Each time you press the PITCH switch
PROP setting 12 (PROPOTIONAL), 136 setting 1
3, 163 setting 14, 222 setting 15 switching operation is performed. 16 is the TOP for locating the beginning of the paper.
(TOP OF FORM) switch, 17 is a PAPER FEED switch for feeding paper, 18 is an online switch for switching between online and offline, and 19 is a lamp that lights up when the switch is set to online. Next, FIG. 2 shows a part of the circuit diagram of the operation panel in FIG. 1. 20 is a host computer, 21 is an interface (I/F) for exchanging control commands such as control codes with the computer, and 22 is for controlling the interface 21 and input/output device (I/O) 23, etc. It is a CPU for processing. The input/output device 23 is controlled by the CPU 22.
STD lamp 5 and F1 lamp 6 display the input of operation commands using operation switches such as TYPE STYLE switch 4, QUALITY switch 8, PRINT PITCH switch 11, and TOF switch 16, as well as the setting status sequentially set by the TYPE STYLE switch 4. Displays the setting status set sequentially by F2 lamp 7 and QUALITY switch 8.
DRAFT lamp 9 and LQ lamp 10, PRINT
PROP lamp 12 and 136 lamp 1 that display the setting status sequentially set by PITCH switch 11
Display information is output to display devices such as the 3 and 163 lamps 14 and the 222 lamps 15. 24 is a ROM that stores operating programs; 25
is a reset generator that generates a reset signal when the power switch is turned on.
When you turn on the power while pressing the QUALITY switch 8 and start the printer, the reset generator 2
5, a reset signal is generated to reset the CPU 22, and after the reset is released, the CPU 22 determines whether or not there is an operation command from the switch, and as a result, the operation command from the switch is prioritized.
For example, if the setting by the switch is LQ setting 10, only the operation command with this setting has the highest priority over other control commands, and if the switch is not turned on, the operation command and the control command are equal. The priorities are switched according to the relationship between the two. Next, Fig. 3 shows an example of combinations of operation switches related to priority switching and the corresponding functions, and Fig. 4 shows the combinations of operation switches related to priority switching.
The figure shows combinations of operation switches related to function switching according to priority order, and corresponding functions and flowcharts. Further, FIG. 5 is a table showing the types of control commands and operation commands used in this embodiment, and the correspondence between the commands. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 indicate modes set by operation switches;
Each mode 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 3
6 and 38 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. In mode 31, the TOF switch 16 is activated at startup.
Or TYPE STLE switch 4 and QUALITY
Switch 8 and PRINT PITCH switch 11 are 3
This mode is set when both the switches 4 and 11 are turned on at the same time, and the operation commands from the switches 4 and 11 are prioritized. In this mode, the settings are set by three switches, for example, switch 4 is set to STD 5,
The switch 8 has an LQ setting of 10, and the switch 11 has a LQ setting of 10.
222 If the setting is 15, the lamp for that setting will flash, and the operation command for that setting will take priority, and ESC K1 other than ESC K0, which is the control command corresponding to the operation command, will flash.
and ESC X0 and other than ESC K2 and ESC X1
ESC S1 and ESCs other than S1 P1 and ESC P and ESC M
will be ignored, and ESC will be ignored for the operation command.
PANEL MODE is also ignored. In mode 32, priority is given to the operation command set by the TYPE STYLE switch 4 when the switch 4 is turned on at the time of startup. In this mode, if the setting state set by the switch is set, for example STD setting 5, the lamp for that mode will blink, and the operation command for that setting will take priority, and the control command corresponding to that setting will be This is a panel style mode (PANEL STYLE MODE) in which ESC K1 and ESC K2 other than ESC K0 are ignored, and ESC is also ignored for the operation command. In mode 33, priority is given to the operation command set by the switch 8 when the QUALITY switch is turned on at startup. This mode is
Setting state set by switch 8, e.g.
If DRAFT setting 9 is set, the lamp for that setting will blink, the operation command for that setting will take priority, ESC X1 other than ESC X0, which is the control command corresponding to this setting, will be ignored, and This is a panel quality mode in which ESC is also ignored for operation commands. In mode 34, when the PRINT PITCH 11 switch is turned on at startup, the operation command by the switch 11 is prioritized.
In MODE, if the setting state set by the switch, for example PROP setting 12, is set, the lamp for that setting will blink and the operation command for that setting will take priority, and it will be the control command that corresponds to that setting. Esc
ESC P, ESC M, ESC S1 and S1 other than P1 are ignored, and ESC is also ignored for the corresponding operation command (PANEL PITCH mode).
MODE). In mode 35, when TYPE STYLE switch 4 and QUALITY switch 8 are turned on at the same time, the operation commands from switch 4 and switch 8 are given priority.
In MODE, if the setting status set by these switches is set, for example F2 setting 7 and LQ setting 10, the lamp for that setting will blink and the operation command for that setting will take priority and correspond to that setting. ESC K0 and ESC K1 other than ESC K2 which are control instructions
Panel style end quality mode (PANEL
STYLE AND QUALITY MODE). In mode 36, when the TYPE STYLE switch 4 and the PRINT PITCH switch 11 are turned on at the same time, the operation command is set preferentially by each switch of the switch 4 and the switch 11. If the setting status set by these switches is set, for example F1 setting 6 and 136 setting 13, the lamp for that setting will blink and the operation command for that setting will take priority and correspond to that setting.
ESC K0, ESC K2 and ESC P other than ESC K1
ESC P1, ESC M, ESC S1 and S1 other than ESC P1 and ESC S1 are ignored, and ESO is also ignored for the corresponding operation command.
STYLE AND PITCH MODE). Mode 37 is set to QUALITY switch 8 at startup.
When the PRINT PITCH switch 8 and the PRINT PITCH switch 11 are turned on at the same time, the operation commands of the switch 8 and the switch 11 are given priority. In this mode, if the setting status is set by each switch, for example, LQ setting 10 and 222 setting 15 are set, the lamp for that setting will blink and the operation command for that setting will take priority and correspond to that setting. ESC X0 other than ESC X1, which is a control instruction to
and ESC S1 and ESC P1 other than S1 and ESC P
PANEL QUALITY AND PITCH mode (PANEL QUALITY AND PITCH mode) in which ESC M is ignored and ESC is also ignored for the operation
PITCH MODE). In mode 38, TOF switch 16 at startup,
When the TYPE STYLE switch 4, the QUALITY switch 8, and the PRINT PITCH switch 11 are not all turned on, the operation commands set by the switches 4, 8, and 11 are not prioritized. In this mode, the operating command and the control command are in an equal relationship; for example, when an ESC command, which is a reset command using a control code, comes, the operating command returns to the initial setting mode (STANDARD MODE). ). Note that even when the printer is set in any of modes 31 to 38, the priority order of operation commands and control commands in the mode remains unchanged even when the operation switch is switched, and the priority setting of the operation switch If the switch is switched, the operation command of the switched setting will take priority, and if the operation switch that is not set as a priority is switched, the control command will be on an equal footing with the operation command of the switched setting. be. In addition, in this embodiment, the TOF switch 16,
The priority setting is switched by combining the TYPE STYLE switch 4, the QUALITY switch 13, and the PRINT PITCH switch 11, but the combination method, priority setting method, and switching method are arbitrary. Further, although this embodiment describes a printer, the present invention can also be applied to other terminal equipment such as a plotter.

【Effect of the invention】

As explained above, according to the present invention, a new operation means adapted to the multi-functionalization of terminal equipment is provided.
A switching function has been added to switch the priority order between operation commands and control commands using an existing operation switch, without adding or installing an operation switch such as a DIP switch, making the powder equipment multifunctional. In addition to improving operability, multi-function switching can be performed using existing switches, and the board on which electronic components are mounted can be made smaller, reducing manufacturing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the operation panel of a printer that is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the operation panel, FIG. 3 is a table of combinations of operation switches and their corresponding functions, and FIG. The figure is a flowchart based on the table, and FIG. 5 is a correspondence table between control commands and operation commands. 4...TYPE STYLE switch (switching means), 8...QUALITY switch (switching means), 11...
FLINT PITCH switch (switching means), 16... TOF switch (switching means), 20... host computer, 22...
CPU (discrimination means), 25...reset generator.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A terminal device connected to a host computer, which generates a reset signal to reset an internal circuit at startup, and which is controlled by a control command from the host computer or an operation command by an operation switch. a control means for determining the presence or absence of the operation command when the reset signal is generated; a switching means for switching the priority between the control command and the operation command based on the determination result by the determination means; A terminal device characterized by being equipped with.