Seiko Epson Corporation

Other

Kazuhisa Aruga

Yoshikazu Ito

Mitsuaki Teradaira

Naohiko Koakutsu

Takuya Hyonaga

Hiroshi Ono

Masahiro Minowa

Kazuko Fukano

Kazunari Yawata

Noboru Yanagisawa

Torao Yajima

Masayo Miyasaka

Takaaki Akiyama

Asahiro Oguchi

Yuji Takamizawa

Hidetake Mochizuki

Yoshiaki Fukuda

A printing apparatus includes a data receiver that receives command data from a host device and a memory that stores the command data received by the data receiver. A printer controller reads out the command data stored in the memory in a first-in-first-out order and controls the printing apparatus in accordance with the command data. A command detector is provided to detect predetermined command data within the command data received by the data receiver without storing the command data in the memory or while or before command data is stored in the memory. An off-line recovery controller enables the printing apparatus to recover from an off-line state in accordance with the predetermined command data detected by the command detector.

Printing apparatus and a control method therefor

An interface device for a printer, a control method for the interface device, and a data storage medium for storing the control method. The receiver part of the interface device receives data sent by a host computer, and the transmitter part of the interface device sends received data to the printer through the printer expansion slot to which the interface device is installed. A detector detects whether the printer can receive data. Memory stores received data when the detector determines that the printer cannot receive data. A real-time command transmission controller assures that real-time commands are sent to the printer even when the printer cannot receive other data because the receive buffer is full, for example.

Interface device, control method for the same, and data storage medium for recording the control method

A printing apparatus for storing total operation counters for individual consumable and nonconsumable parts of a printing apparatus. A nonvolatile storage retains stored count information even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus. An operations counter counts a value indicative of a printing apparatus operation. A counter storage stores a historical counter indicative of the printing apparatus operation history to the nonvolatile storage means based on a value counted by the operations counter, and stores a total printing apparatus operations count to the storage means. Specific printer operations, such as the number of characters printed, distance of recording medium transportation, and the number of times the automatic paper cutter is operated, can thus be individually accumulated, and the historical counts, that is, the cumulative counts since the printer was first used, can be stored to memory.

Printing apparatus and control method therefor

A printer and control method for printing to various types of recording media store printing modes appropriate to those various types of recording media in a mode/media memory section. When a particular printing mode is selected while a particular type of recording media is selected, the correlation between that printing mode an recording media is stored. Whenever that type of recording media is subsequently selected for printing, the corresponding printing mode is automatically selected from memory to control the printing operation. It is therefore possible to select what printing mode is used with what recording media, and thereafter automatically select, by simply selecting the type of recording media, the printing mode that is most appropriate to the type of recording media, the thickness of the media, and other particular media specifications. Printing appropriate to the type of recording media is then possible by simply selecting the type of recording media used.

Printer and control method therefor

The printer of the present invention prevents loss of print data due to print operation malfunction after the completion of the initialization of print head 3 by detecting error conditions related to the motion of the print head during the initialization of the print head. In the initialization process of print head 3, print head 3 is moved until it is detected by reference position detector 16 located at the left edge of the print area of the printer; after completion of the initial-position detection for print head 3, print head 3 is moved over the entire print area to rightmost move position 37. By moving print head 3 as described above and by checking whether or not the print head has moved correctly, it is possible to detect any error conditions relating to the motion of print head 3.

Printing apparatus and a control method thereof

While eliminating the need for a dedicated on-line selector switch, a printing apparatus and control method is provided to improve the processes required to replenish consumable printing materials consumed during the printing operation. Using a transport mechanism for transporting the print medium and a printing mechanism for printing to the print medium, the printing apparatus accomplishes the printing process based on data received from a host device, selectively switches between an on-line state and an off-line state and notifies the host device of the currently selected state. The printing apparatus further comprises sensors for detecting the presence of consumable products, including roll paper and ink, that are consumed by the printing process, a switch with two functional settings, and a control device. The two functional settings of the switch are an on-line function commanding a transition from the off-line state to the on-line state, and a second function for specifying the process, such as a paper feed operation, to be executed by the printing apparatus when consumable materials are replenished. The control device causes the printing apparatus to shift to the off-line state when a sensor detects that a particular consumable material is not present, and selects the on-line function of the switch when a sensor detects after switching to the off-line state that a particular consumable material is again present and available for printing.

A hybrid printer has mounted thereon a plurality of printing mechanisms and error processing appropriate to the respective printing mechanisms with differing functions and appropriate to the printing paper can be performed. Thermal printer state detector 65 and wire dot printer state detector 66 are provided which have the capability of detecting the respective states of thermal printing mechanism 10 and wire dot printing mechanism 20 mounted on hybrid printer 1. Further, printing mechanism selector 71 is capable of determining the printing mechanism selected from command data indicating the type paper. This makes it possible for state determination member 72 to know the error status of each printing mechanism and to determined which printing mechanism is in operation, and therefore it is possible to quickly perform error processing appropriate to the printing mechanism.

Hybrid printer device equipped with a plurality of printing mechanisms

Method and apparatus for altering the length of time a print head in a dot-matrix type of printer mechanism receives driving voltage in accordance with the type of recording media being used by the printer, and preselected print head driving modes selected as a result of control commands provided by a host computer. The print head driving voltage is also measured and digitized, and then used along with the paper type as a parameter for altering the print mode. Memory elements can be used to establish print mode, print media, and drive voltage relationships for automatically selecting an optimum driving time interval in response to one of the selected parameters.

Printer and method of control

A printing apparatus capable of using recording media of different widths expands the range of print head movement while limiting the movement of the mask plate, which press the recording media against a platen, to within the area of the recording media, thereby preventing interference between the mask plate and the recording media, as a means of assuring the minimum print head travel required to sufficiently advance the ink ribbon or prevent overheating of the print head. Said printing apparatus comprises an insertion opening to which the recording media is inserted with one side guided by one predetermined side of the insertion opening; a print head for printing on the recording media by means of an ink ribbon disposed between the print head and recording media while moving across the recording media; a masking means moving with the print head between the ink ribbon and recording media across the recording media; a movement range determination means for determining the range of print head movement for printing based on the print data input from a host system; a range limit storing means for storing the limit of print head movement referenced to the one side of the insertion opening within which the mask plate moves within the recording media; and a movement range expansion means for setting an expanded range of print head movement that is greater than the print head movement for printing and within the limit of print head movement.

The invention provides an drive coil protection apparatus and method and a printer incorporating the apparatus. A rank memory stores a preset rank value associated with a reference drive coil in the print head of a printer. The preset rank value characterizes inherent deviations associated with the reference drive coil. The deviations result from manufacturing process, etc. A judgment value memory stores a plurality of sets of mode judgment values. Each set of mode judgment values corresponds to a particular rank value. Each mode judgment value represents a threshold value for determining the thermal condition of the print head and for selecting an appropriate operating mode for the print head. A head information detector detects the voltage drop across the reference drive coil to measure the change in the resistance of the reference drive coil. The voltage drop is digitized for accuracy measurement. The change in temperature of the reference drive coil can thus be determined. An operating mode selection circuit compares the digitized voltage drop with a particular set of mode judgment values in the judgment value memory corresponding to the preset rank value. Then, the operating mode selection circuit selects a suitable operating mode for the print head in accordance with the comparison. Thus, burnout of the print head can be prevented without reducing the operating efficiency of the printer.

Drive coil protection apparatus and method and printer incorporating the

A computer system is connected to a printer via a parallel interface, for point-of-sale (POS) applications employing one or more different paper sources, such as, continuous tape, document insertion, and sheet validation. A detector is associated with each paper source to sense a paper empty or out condition. The printer has an addressable latch that enables a choice of one or more of these detectors for connection through to a single status line within the parallel printer interface. The computer CPU can access the addressable latch prior to any printing so that the presence of an appropriate type of paper in its appropriate print position in the printer can be checked or tested utilizing an industry standard parallel printer interface, such as, the widely employed Centronics interface.

Status and command function extension for industry standard printer

A printer control device is employed with host computer controlled printers, typically of the point-of-sale (POS) type, which are capable of printing on several different types of recording paper. Several detectors are used on the printer to sense out-of-paper conditions with at least one detector being associated with each paper source used, and a detector selection device is used to determine which detector outputs are to be connected to the host computer through a communications interface. Detector output values can be stored and logically combined to allow transfer over a single communications line. Specific detector outputs can be enabled or selected for transfer to the host or for use in termination of printing operations. A paper type selector is used for setting line spacing or advancement amounts which are stored by the printer controller for later retrieval. Typically each advancement value relative to one type of paper is stored separately in a memory location or element. The type of recording paper and line advancement value for that paper are each selected by a printer control command, which is interpreted and acted upon by the printer controller. The printer controller responds to data printing commands and activates paper transfer mechanisms within the printer to achieve the established line advancement values during printing operations.

Growing community of inventors

Suwa, Japan

Kazuhisa Aruga