The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 19, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 18, 1997
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A print control apparatus includes an interface controller, a counter, a paper feed controller, and a print controller. The controllers operate in parallel in accordance with a value of the counter and a status of a paper sheet. The number of print instruction or instructions from an external device is counted by the counter, and, if the value counted by the counter is not “0” and if a printing apparatus is ready for feeding a paper sheet, the paper feed controller initiates picking up a paper sheet from a paper feed cassette and conveying it. In turn, the value counted by the counter is decreased by 1. When the print controller detects that the paper sheet is conveyed to a printing position, the paper sheet is printed. The external device can inquire regarding the current value of the counter as well as instruct the decrease or clearance of the value of the counter. Thereby, the external device can know the number of printings to be performed and/or erase a print instruction or instructions which have been outputted to the printing apparatus.