JPH01145718A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use one set of printer in common with many computers at low cost without forming a network by providing a data read part and a control part in addition to a printing function, reading a data stored in an external storage medium from the external storage medium by a printer itself and printing it. CONSTITUTION:The title printer is constituted of a read part 6, a control part 7 and a printing part 8, and constitutes an off-line printer being independent from a computer 1, a document, a data, etc. which are generated by a computer 2 are stored temporarily in a format of a character code in an external storage medium 9, and the data which is stored in this external storage medium 9 is read by the read part 6 and printed by a printing part 8. Accordingly, the computer 2 can start the next work processing immediately by only storing a processing data for printing in the external storage medium 9. In such a way, since the data which is stored in the external storage medium 9 is read by a printer 1 itself and can be printed, it is unnecessary to form a network. Therefore, this printer can be used in common by plural sets of computers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer used in a business processing system.

[Prior Art] Conventional devices of this type include those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection form between a printer used in a conventional business processing system and various computer devices such as a personal computer and a word processor (hereinafter collectively referred to as computers). 1) shows a printer, (2) shows a computer, and (20) shows the entire system in which the computer and printer are combined. In the configuration shown in Figure 2,
One printer (1) is connected to each computer (2), and each printer (1)
) are dedicated printers for each computer (2). This type of connection is referred to herein as a direct connection type.

Furthermore, in terms of general frequency of use, the operating time of printers is shorter than that of computers, and therefore one printer may be connected to a plurality of computers to perform business processing. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing this type of connection type called a printer server. In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 indicate the same or corresponding parts, and (3) indicates a workstation connected to the network, 4) is a network line, (5) is a terminal for connecting the network line and the workstation, and (30) is a printer server.

The connection configuration shown in FIG. 3 forms a computer network, and when data created at each workstation (3) is printed on the printer (1), this data is sent to the computer (2) at one time. computer (2)
, and then prints on the printer (1) connected to the printer server <30).

With this connection type, the printer (1) can be shared and used in the network system, so it is only necessary to install one printer (1) in the entire system.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional printers as described above are connected to computers in the connection form described above. For example, in the case of the direct connection type shown in Figure 2, the printer is Only the same number is required.

Further, while the printer is in the process of printing, other business processes cannot be performed using the computer connected to the printer, and therefore waiting time is wasted. To solve this problem, it is necessary to prepare expensive hardware and software.

In addition, in the case of the printer server type shown in FIG. 3, it is necessary to install a high-end machine as a host computer in the computers making up the network, which has the problem of making the system expensive.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to provide a printer that can be shared by multiple computers at low cost without requiring a network.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In addition to the original printing function, the printer according to the present invention has
The printer is equipped with a data reading section and a control section, and the printer itself reads data stored in the external storage medium and prints the data.

[Operation] In this invention, data stored in an external storage medium can be read and printed by the printer itself, so there is no need to set up a network, and one printer can be shared by multiple computers.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 2 and 3 indicate the same or corresponding parts, (6) is a reading section, and (7) is a control section. , (8) is a printing unit, (9) is an external storage medium such as a flexible disk or magnetic data 1, and (10) is the entire offline printer according to the present invention. The reading section (6) is for reading data stored in the external storage medium (8), and the control section (7) is for reading the data stored in the external storage medium (8).
). External storage medium (9
) is in the form of a character code, but what is printed in the printing section (8) is the dot pattern of the character corresponding to the character code, and from the character code to the character dot pattern. The conversion is executed by a font memory (not shown) provided in the reading section (6).

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer according to the present invention is composed of a reading section (6), a control section (7), and a printing section (8). It consists of a computer (2) that stores documents and data created by the computer (2) twice in the form of character codes in an external storage medium (9), and then reads the data stored in this external storage medium (9) into a reading unit. It is read in (6) and printed in the printing section (8). Therefore, the computer (2
) stores processing data for printing on an external storage medium (9).
You can immediately start the next business process by simply storing the information in the memory.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in addition to the original printing function, the present invention includes a data reading section and a control section, and allows the printer itself to read data stored in the external storage medium from the external storage medium. Since it is printed, compared to the conventional direct connection type, the load on the computer is reduced, waiting time is reduced, and business processing capacity is improved.

Moreover, compared to the conventional printer server type shown in FIG. 3, there are advantages such as the ability to share one printer among many computers at low cost without forming a network.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are block diagrams showing connection forms between a printer and a computer used in a conventional business processing system, respectively. (2) is a computer, (6) is a reading section, (7) is a control section, (8) is a printing section, (9> is an external storage medium, (1)
0) is the entire offline printer according to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals in each figure indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A reading unit that reads data stored in the form of a character code in an external storage medium and converts it into a character dot pattern corresponding to the character code, and printing the character dot pattern converted by the reading unit. and a control unit that controls the reading unit and the printing unit, and reads data in the form of a character code stored in the external storage medium from the external storage medium and corresponds to the character code. A printer that prints characters as a dot pattern.