Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha

Yuji Hattori

Yoshinori Endo

Yoshinori Yokoe

PCMCIA slots are provided to a printer. When a fax modem card is mounted in the PCMCIA slot, a variety of settings are performed to enable the printer to execute a fax function in addition to its original printing function. More specifically, a fax data area is secured in a memory region. Then, fax control interrupt routine operation, fax panel display, and fax command reception are enabled. Contrarily, when no fax modem card is mounted in the PCMCIA slot, the memory region is used entirely for storing print data. Settings of wasteful functions, such as the fax control interrupt operations, which can lead to system errors are not performed.

Image processing device

The fax transmission routine is started in S when a fax entering command is transmitted from the personal computer. The fax transmission data is stored in S to S Once a data operation command, such as a print command, a send command, and a deletion command, are inputted, then corresponding operations are executed in S to S The print command is included in the data operation commands. Also the fax transmission data is deleted only after a deletion command is received. Therefore, whether or not the fax transmission data has been properly converted into a fax format can be confirmed before the fax transmission data is transmitted to a remote device. Also, a printed copy of the facsimile message can be obtained based on the fax transmission data. There is no need to retransmit the data in order to obtain the fax copy.

Facsimile transmission system

A raster scanable number is representative of a number of raster scans that can be performed with dot image data stored in a print image buffer. A raster scanned number is representative of a number of raster scans actually performed by a print mechanism. The raster scanable number and the raster scanned number are compared to detect an occurrence of a print overrun. When the print overrun is detected, the data processing load imposed when compressed print data received from an external unit is decoded is calculated, and the storage capacity of the print image buffer is expanded to a degree determined according to the data processing load thus calculated. Therefore, even when the data processing load is large, such as during encoding processes, so that dot image data developing processes are delayed, the print image buffers will not be emptied of dot image data for printing and printer overrun can be prevented to a very high level.

Printer with print image buffer expandable depending on load imposed

In a control system for a laser printer, an AND gate is connected to a circuit system extending from a DC controller circuit to a driving circuit for a laser diode. A mask signal of 'L' level is output from the port OPM of the DC controller circuit to the AND gate when a print stop key on an operation panel is switched on. Thereby, the print operation of a print mechanism is immediately stopped. This efficient method of interrupting printing prevents toner from being wasted on a printing error and allows immediate interruption when a printing error is discovered.

Printing apparatus with immediate interrupt

There is disclosed a printing apparatus implemented as a laser printer capable of changing the print format when outputting print data. When the operator changes the print format at the printer, the CPU changes the print data in a text buffer of a built-in RAM according to the changed print format, the data being converted into image data in a dot pattern for storage into an image buffer. The operator then pushes a reprint key, causing the CPU to read the pages of print data stored in the image buffer for outputting to a laser printer engine via a printer engine interface for reprinting. The printing apparatus allows the print format to be changed easily for efficient reprinting of the last print data in the new format without the need for the host computer to supply the same print data again.

Printing apparatus capable of changing print format

A printer has a printing mechanism for printing on printing paper in accordance with data stored in a buffer memory which is divided into a non-overwrite memory region and an overwrite memory region. The data entered from an external device is first stored in the non-overwrite memory region of the buffer memory. If the data in the non-overwrite memory region exceeds the storage capacity during printing, the excess data is stored in the overwrite memory region. When the data stored in the overwrite memory region exceeds the storage capacity, the printer overwrites subsequent data entered from the external device onto the previous data stored therein. Moreover, during reprinting, the data in the non-overwrite memory region of the buffer memory is read to activate the printing mechanism.

Printer which sequentially prints data from non-overwritable then

A printer having a ribbon lift mechanism for lifting a ribbon from a rest position to a printing position. The printer operates in two different modes, that is, a printer mode in which characters are printed according to the data in a memory and a typewriter mode in which characters are printed according to the data from a keyboard. The ribbon is returned from the printing position to the rest position when no subsequent data comes from the memory within a first preset time interval in the printer mode or when no subsequent data comes from the keyboard within a second preset time interval in the typewriter mode. The second time interval is preset shorter than the first time inteval in order to print successively in the printer mode and to put back the ribbon to the rest position quickly when an operator needs to check the print on a printing paper in the typewriter mode.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Yuji Hattori