JPS63250730A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow plural computers to use one printer efficiently and to omit manual management and control of printing work by providing a printing system with a print controller having many required functions. CONSTITUTION:When a medium insertion detecting signal is inputted by a medium insertion detecting signal inputting function 1, a medium insertion detecting function 2 detects a status change from an insertion to recording medium insertion at each reading medium insertion port of a recording medium reader RD. A printing order determining function 3 determines the printing order of inserted recording medium printing texts is accordance with said status change. A reader control function 4 applies a medium insertion port specifying signal and a text reading signal successively to the reader RD in accordance with the printing order. A printing text input unction 5 inputs a printing text from the reader RD in responses to the operation of the function 4. A printer control function 6 controls a printer PR in accordance with the inputted printing text to print out the printing text on a printer PR.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a printing system for printing printed text output from a computer device, such as a computer software document, an operating status document of a process plant, etc., or a text created by a word processor. It is something.

[Conventional technology]

In the conventional printing system, as shown in FIG.
CB, and each computer device CP, ~CP
, the print text output from each printer PR, ~P
The configuration was such that printing was performed using R and R, respectively.

Another conventional printing system, as shown in FIG. , and one printer PR are connected by a communication cable CBo to CB with a switch KS inserted in the middle.For example, when printing text output from a computer device cp on the printer PR, the switch KS is used. Of the switches SW1 to SW constituting the switch sw,
With computer bag 2CP, and printer PR
For example, when the print text output from the computer device CPt is to be printed by the printer PR, the switch SWz is turned on to connect the computer device CPt and the printer PR.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the printing system shown in FIG.
It requires the same number of printers PR, -PR as the number of P1 to CP, and the equipment cost is high; however, each printer PR+ to PR is relatively expensive.

The operating rate of printers PR, ~PR, was low, and printers PR, ~PR, were not utilized efficiently. In addition, as word processors and the like are used more and more, there is a tendency for high print quality to be required, and for this reason there is a desire to use high-performance printers that can perform high-quality printing. PR, ~PR, l
In the case of a configuration in which the printers are connected in pairs, the number of printers is large, and the equipment cost becomes enormous, so it cannot be adopted.

On the other hand, in the printing system shown in Fig. 6, since the printer pH is shared by m computer devices cP and -CP, it is possible to keep the equipment cost low by using only one printer PR. PR can be used efficiently. Therefore, it is also possible to easily improve print quality by using a high-performance printer PR. However,
Since the m computer devices CP +~CP are usually installed at ~ locations d apart from each other, this sixth
In the printing system shown in the figure, communication cables CB + to CB,
There is a problem in that the communication speed becomes low and the performance of the printer PR cannot be fully utilized. In addition, it is necessary to turn on and off the switches SW + to SW of the changeover device KS in accordance with the computer devices CP1 to CP that require printing, but the computer bag 2 c
If the number of p + ~CP00 units is large, the management of the switch KS,
Control becomes difficult, and problems such as printing being interrupted or not being printed at all may occur.

An object of the present invention is to be able to efficiently print text output from multiple computer devices with a single printer, thereby reducing equipment costs; To provide a printing system capable of reliably printing without requiring human management and control of the printing work of printed text by a printer.

[Means for solving problems]

The printing system of this invention has m units (m is an integer of 2 or more)
m recording medium writing devices each writing print text transmitted through a communication cable from a computer device onto a recording medium inserted into a writing medium insertion slot; and by each of the m recording medium writing devices. It has n reading medium insertion slots (n is an integer of 2 or more) into which recording media written with print text are inserted, and the recording medium can be inserted into each of the n reading medium insertion slots. It outputs a medium insertion detection signal on the read medium insertion slot side corresponding to the presence or absence, and in response to the medium insertion port designation signal and the readout signal, the medium is inserted into the read medium insertion slot specified by the medium insertion port designation signal. a recording medium reading device that reads printed text from a recording medium; a printer that prints the printed text read from the recording medium; and medium insertion detection at a reading medium insertion port output from the recording medium reading device. A medium insertion detection signal input function that inputs a signal, and a recording medium for each read medium insertion port of the recording medium reading device based on the medium insertion detection signal of the read medium insertion port input by this medium insertion detection signal input function. A medium insertion detection function detects a change from a state in which a recording medium is not inserted to a state in which a recording medium is inserted, and a state in which a recording medium is inserted is changed from a state in which there is no insertion in response to a state change detection output generated by this medium insertion detection function. The printing order determining function determines the printing order of the print text on the recording medium inserted into the reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading device, which has changed to a reading device control function that sequentially provides the recording medium reading device with a medium insertion port designation signal that designates one of the reading medium insertion ports of the medium reading device and a readout signal that reads printed text from the recording medium; a print text input function that inputs print text output from a medium reading device in response to the operation of the reading device control function; and a print text input function that controls the printer according to the print text input by the print text input function to input the print text to the printer. and a print controller having a printer control function for printing print text.

[Effect]

According to the configuration of the present invention, the printed text output from the m computer devices is transmitted to the m recording medium writing devices through the communication cables, and the printed text is written on the recording medium by the recording medium writing device. By inserting the recording medium on which has been written into one of the n reading medium insertion slots of the recording medium reading device, a medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion slot side is outputted from the recording medium reading device, and this reading is performed. The media insertion detection signal from the media insertion port side is captured by the media insertion detection signal input function of the print controller, and from the captured media insertion detection signal, it is determined that no recording medium is inserted for each reading media insertion port of the recording media reading device. The medium insertion detection function detects the change from the state with the recording medium inserted, and the print order determination function detects the change from the state of no insertion to the state with insertion in response to the generation of the state change detection output by the medium insertion detection function. The printing order of the recording media inserted into the reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading device whose state has changed is determined, and the reading device control function determines the printing order of the recording media inserted into the reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading device whose state has changed, and the reading device of any of the recording medium reading devices is set according to the determined printing order. A medium insertion port designation signal for specifying a medium insertion port and a readout signal for reading printed text are sequentially applied to the recording medium reading device, thereby inputting the printed text output from the recording medium reading device using a printed text input function. However, since the printer is controlled according to the input text using the printer control function, the text output from m computer devices can be efficiently printed using one printer, reducing equipment costs. Moreover, it is possible to print text outputted from m computer devices without the need for human management and control of printing work by a printer, and printing can be performed reliably.

〔Example〕

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, this printing system includes m recording medium writing devices WR+ to WR.
, a recording medium reading device RD, a printer PR, and a print controller PC.
They are arranged adjacent to each of PI to CP, and are distributed throughout a building in a factory, for example, while the recording medium reading device RD, print controller PC, and printer PR are arranged in one place.

The m recording medium writing devices WR3 to WR11 are arranged in m units (m
is an integer of 2 or more) computer equipment 77 CP + ~ C
Media insertion slots W S + to W for writing print text transmitted from P1 through communication cables CB and -CB, respectively.
After writing is completed, the computer device cp,
The recording medium MEM is automatically ejected in response to an ejection command signal from ~cp.

m computer devices (including word processors)C
P+~CP, for example, Centronics standard, R3-
232G standard, R3-422 standard, etc., is transmitted to m recording medium writing devices WR, ~WR, respectively through communication cables CB + ~ CB, and then after writing to the recording medium MEM is completed, the text is written on the recording medium MEM. Writing bag NWRI~
The computer devices W c p + to CP do not need to operate on the same operating system. Also, it is not necessary that all communication standards be the same.
The recording medium writing devices j w R+~WR write each computer device ff CP I~ to a recording medium MEM consisting of a floppy disk, an optical disk, an IC memory card, etc.
It writes the print text sent from CP, and all recording medium writing devices WR, ~Wl? , need not be configured to write print text on the same type of recording medium MEM; for example, the recording medium writing device WR+ is for a floppy disk, and the recording medium writing bag j'fWR, is for an optical disk. Device fWR.

ME is a different type of recording medium, such as one for TC memory cards
Recording medium writing device WR that writes print text to M, ~
In addition to the main body of the printed text, the printed text to be written to the recording medium MEM may include the following:
Printed text identification codes can be included, such as code numbers for the computer devices CPI to CP1, code numbers for the recording medium MEM, and code numbers indicating the department or department of the person who created the printed text. Note that these print text identification codes are sent from the computer devices CP1 to CP, respectively.

The recording medium reading device RD has m recording medium writing W MI
It has n reading medium insertion slots R3° to R811 (n is an integer of 2 or more) into which the recording medium MEM in which the print text is written by each of W Rl to WRII is inserted, and the n reading medium A medium insertion detection signal is output on the read medium insertion port side corresponding to whether or not the recording medium MEM is inserted into each of the insertion ports R3° to R3, and the medium is inserted in response to the medium insertion port designation signal and the read signal. The print text is read from the recording medium MEM inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R3l-R3 specified by the insertion slot designation signal, and the ejection provided from the print controller PC after printing is completed. The recording medium MEM on which the print text has been printed is automatically ejected in response to a command signal.

In this case, the recording medium reading device RD outputs a medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion port side corresponding to whether or not the recording medium MEM is inserted into each of the reading medium insertion ports RS, ~R3. For example, switches that are turned on and off in response to whether or not the recording medium MEM is inserted into each of the reading medium insertion openings R3, .about.R3 are provided corresponding to the reading medium insertion openings R3l-R3.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the recording medium reading bag WRD is
Printing standby indicator lights L++ to Lln and printing in progress indicator lights L
~L! 7, printing completion indicator lights LSI to Lsa, and eject buttons BT and -BT.

Printing standby indicator L++~L5. ．． , the printing execution indicator Lt+""Lg*, and the printing completion indicator Ls+ to L, 7 are all controlled by the print controller PC.

The print standby indicator LII"L+++ lights up when the recording medium MEM is inserted into each reading medium insertion slot RS + to R3° of the recording medium reading device Rp and is in print standby, and lights up at other times. Lights out.

The printing execution indicator lights L21 to Lte light up when the recording medium MEM is inserted into each reading medium insertion slot RS + to R3 of the recording medium reading device RD and printing is being executed, and turn on at other times. Lights out.

The printing end indicator lights s+ to L1 are the recording medium reading device RD.
The recording medium ME is inserted into each reading medium insertion slot R3I to R3,
It lights up when M is inserted and printing is completed, and goes off at other times. Note that when the printing force is 1, the recording medium MEM is automatically ejected.
Since the lamps are only lit for a short period of time until the recording medium MEM is ejected, and the end of printing is known by the ejection of the recording medium MEM, there is no problem even if the printing end indicator lights L31-L3a are not particularly provided.

[! - is used to manually eject the recording medium MEM, and is used, for example, when the automatic ejection function has stopped, or when it is necessary to eject the recording medium MEM for some reason before the end of printing.

In addition, each reading medium insertion slot R3 of the recording medium reading device RD
, ~R5, is a recording medium loading device WR.

Although it is not necessary to have a one-to-one correspondence with ~WR, it is necessary to provide reading medium insertion ports R3, ~R3, corresponding to the type of recording medium MEM into which print text is written by the recording medium writing devices WR, ~WR,. At least one must be provided.

The printer PR prints the print text read from the recording medium MEM, and in this embodiment, for example, a laser-type page printer is used, but any type of printer may be used. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the print controller PC has a medium insertion detection signal input function 1, a medium insertion detection function 2, a print layer determination function 3, a reading device control function 4, and a print text input function 5. , a printer control function 6, a display control function 7, and a table 8.

The medium insertion detection signal input function 1 inputs a medium insertion detection signal from the reading medium insertion port side output from the recording medium reading position RD.

The medium insertion detection function 2 detects each read medium insertion port RS + of the recording medium reading device RD from the medium insertion detection signal of the read medium insertion port side inputted by the medium insertion detection signal input function 1.
~RS, a change from a state in which the recording medium MEM is not inserted to a state in which the recording medium MEM is inserted is detected.

゛The printing order determining function 3 detects the read medium insertion port R3 of the recording medium reading device RD which has changed from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion in response to the generation of the state change detection output by the medium insertion detection function 2. Recording medium MEM inserted in R3,
The printing order of the print texts is determined according to the order of insertion of the recording medium MEM into each reading medium insertion slot R3l-R3 of the recording medium reading device RD.

The reading device control function 4 outputs a medium insertion port designation signal for specifying one of the reading medium insertion ports R3, ~R3, of the recording medium reading device RD according to the printing order determined by the printing layer determining function 3, and the recording medium MEM. A readout signal for reading the printed text from the recording medium MEM is sequentially applied to the recording medium reading device RD, and an ejection command signal is applied to the recording medium reading device RD in response to completion of printing of the printed text on the recording medium MEM by the printer PR.

The printed text input function 5 inputs the printed text output from the recording medium reading device RD in response to the operation of the reading device control function 4.

The printer control function 6 controls the printer PR according to the print text input by the print text input function 5, and causes the printer PR to print the print text. In this case, in addition to the main body of the printed text, what is printed is a printed text identification code such as the code number of the computer device CP + to CP, the code number of the recording medium MEM, and the code number indicating the department name of the person who created the printed text. can be printed. In this way, it is possible to easily select the printed paper.

The display control function 7 controls the print standby indicator lights Lll to L17. of the recording medium reading device RD. Printing in progress indicator Lfl~L
Z 11 + Controls lighting and extinguishing of printing end indicator L2+=Li++ according to the progress of printing.

Next, the operation of this T-shaped system will be explained in detail. In this printing system, an operator operates m computer devices CP, ~CP, and sends print text from each computer device CP, ~CP to recording medium writing devices WR, ~WR, as necessary. As a result, the print text (print text body and print text identification code) is written on the recording medium MEM inserted into the write medium insertion slots WS1 to WS. When writing is completed, the recording medium M
EM is automatically discharged.

Next, the operator inserts the recording medium MEM into which the print text has been written into the reading medium insertion slot R of the recording medium reading device RD.
3, ~R3,. At this time, the reading medium insertion slot R3, to which the recording medium MEM is inserted first, is
It is not possible to insert the medium R8, ., and the medium is inserted into the vacant reading medium insertion slots RS+ to R3. This determination is made by turning on the print standby indicator light and ~L17. Printing execution can be performed depending on whether or not the printing execution indicator lamp LSI half-mark end indicator lamps Lffl-L3fi are lit. That is, for example, the recording medium reading bag WRD
Regarding the reading medium insertion slot R3, the print standby indicator light L11. If the printing in progress indicator L21 + printing end indicator L31 are all off, read medium insertion slot R3
, indicates that it is empty, and in this case, the recording medium MEM can be inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R3I.

On the other hand, the printing standby indicator L I + + printing execution indicator L21. If any one of the print end indicator lights 1-3+ is lit, it indicates that the recording medium MBM has already been inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R3, and in this case,
It is impossible to insert the recording medium MEM into the reading medium insertion slot RS+. Other reading medium insertion slot RS z~
The same applies to the insertion of the recording medium MEM into R3.

For example, the reading medium insertion port R8I of the recording medium reading device RD
When the recording medium MEM is inserted into the recording medium reading device R
D detects this, and the medium insertion detection signal corresponding to the reading medium insertion port R3 changes from inactive (indicating a state of no insertion) to active (indicating a state of insertion). The same applies when the recording medium MEM is inserted into another reading medium insertion port RS t =RS-. Note that when the recording medium MEM is inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R3, ~R3, the recording medium reading device RD turns on the print standby indicator light according to the printing status based on the command from the print controller PC, and ~L1111 Printing in progress indicator Lz
The +~Ltn+ printing end indicator lamps L31-L2m are turned on, and the operation in this respect will be described in detail when the operation of the print controller PC is explained.

The print controller PC uses the medium insertion detection signal input function 1 to input a medium insertion detection signal from the recording medium reading device RD from the reading medium insertion port at regular intervals (for example, one second).

The print controller PC has a built-in table 8 as shown in Table 1. This table 8 shows the insertion slot numbers 1-n of the reading medium insertion ports RS + ~R3,l of the recording medium reading device RD, and the reading medium insertion ports R3, ~R5, corresponding to each insertion slot number l-n. This figure shows an example of the correspondence between data indicating whether the recording medium MEM is inserted into the printer, data indicating whether printing is in progress, data indicating whether printing has been completed, and data indicating the printing order.

Table 1 [In the column ``Presence or absence of insertion'' in Table 1, the ○ mark indicates the state with insertion, and the x mark indicates the state without insertion. Also,"
In the ``Printing in progress'' column, an O mark indicates that printing is in progress, an x mark indicates that printing is not in progress, and an ○ mark in the ``Printing completed'' column indicates that printing has finished. The cross mark indicates that printing has not yet been completed. Furthermore, in the "Print order" column, the numbers 1.2.・
. . . indicates the printing order, and indicates that the number O is outside the number.

In the medium insertion signal input function 1 described above, the state of the medium insertion detection signal corresponding to each reading medium insertion port R3° to R5 of the recording medium reading device RD is determined by "insertion presence/absence" in Table 8 of Table 1. Write in the column corresponding to the insertion port number.

In the media insertion detection function 2, "
By monitoring the status of the column "Insertion presence/absence", the medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion port side of the recording medium reading device RD changes from inactive (state of no insertion) to active (state of insertion B) Detect changes. Specifically, the data of "Insertion presence/absence" in Table 8 of Table 1 is read out and temporarily stored for each insertion port number at regular intervals, and the data of "Insertion presence/absence" corresponding to each insertion port number is read out and temporarily stored for each insertion port number. It is determined whether the data has changed from the data read last time, and when the data changes from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion, for example, a medium insertion detection signal corresponding to the reading medium insertion slot R3. A state change detection output is generated when the prone state changes from inactive to active.

In addition, when the print head determination function 3 inserts the recording medium MEM into the reading medium insertion port RS+ of the recording medium reading device WRD, the state of the medium insertion detection signal corresponding to the reading medium insertion port R3° becomes inactive. The printing order of the print text of the recording medium MEM inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R8l is determined when the state change detection output from the medium insertion detection function 2I is activated.

The procedure for determining the printing order will be specifically explained below. The print head determination function 3 reads each print order data in the "Print order" column of Table 8 of Table 1 in response to the generation of the state change detection output by the medium insertion detection function 2, and reads each print order data for each insertion slot number. Find the maximum value, e.g.
” Write “2” which is one larger than “2”.

Further, the print head determining function 3 outputs an insertion slot number designation signal that designates the insertion slot number 2 that is "1" among the printing order data in the [printing order j column determined by the above operation. As a result, the reading device control function 4 outputs a medium insertion slot designation signal and a read signal corresponding to the insertion slot number designation signal sent from the print head determination function 3, and applies them to the recording medium reading device RD. As a result, the recording medium reading device RD reads the print text from the recording medium MEM inserted into the reading medium insertion port RSt designated by the medium insertion port designation signal and sends it to the print controller PC.

In the print controller PC, the print text input function 5 inputs the text from the recording medium reading device RD and sends it to the printer control function 6. Printer system? In ill'Jl Noh 6,
The printer PR is controlled based on the sent print text to print the print text.

At this time, in the printer control function 6, when starting printing the print text, the "Printing in progress" in Table 8 of Table 1 is selected.
Write the data with insertion slot number 2 in the column above the data indicating that printing is in progress.

Also, when printing is finished, the "
The data with the insertion slot number 2 in the "Printing in progress" column is returned to data indicating that printing is not in progress, and the data with the insertion slot number 2 in the "Printing finished" column of the table 8 is changed to the data that indicates that printing has finished. Rewrite the data to indicate that.

In addition, the reading device control function 4 responds to the print end signal sent from the printer control function 6 by displaying the "print end" signal in Table 1.
The recording medium reading device R corresponds to the insertion slot number in which the data indicating the end of printing is written.
Reading medium insertion slot RS + ~ R3 of D to recording medium M
A discharge command signal for discharging EM is given to the recording medium reading device HRD. As a result, the recording medium M that has finished printing
EM is automatically discharged.

In addition, the print head determination function 3 reads the print order data (excluding 0) in the "Print order" column of Table 8 of Table 1 in response to the print end signal sent from the printer system '4''f5 function 6. each by l.

In addition, in the medium insertion detection function 2, the data in the "Printing end" column of Table 8 of Table 1 is detected by ejecting the data from the reading medium insertion ports R3I to R3 of the recording medium MEM after printing is completed. A change in the state of the signal is detected, and the data in the "printing end" column of the corresponding insertion slot number is rewritten from data indicating that printing has ended to data indicating that printing has not ended.

The display control function 7 reads out the data in the columns "Insertion presence/absence", "Printing in progress", and "Printing completed" in Table 8 of Table 1 at regular intervals for each insertion slot number. For l, the data in the "Insertion presence/absence" column indicates insertion, the data in the "Printing in progress" column indicates printing is not in progress, and the data in the "Printing end" column indicates printing has ended. If it is not printed, turn on the printing standby indicator L.
11 is turned on, and the printing in progress indicator light L21 and the printing end indicator lamp Lffl are turned off.

In addition, the data in the "Presence or absence of insertion" column indicates that there is insertion,
And if the data in the "Printing in progress" column indicates that printing is in progress, and the data in the "Printing finished" column indicates that printing has not finished, the printing in progress indicator light will turn on! I is turned on, the printing standby indicator lamp is turned on, and the printing end indicator lamp L3+ is turned off.

In addition, the data in the %J column indicates that there is insertion,
If the data in the "Printing in progress" column indicates that printing is not in progress, and the data in the "Printing finished" column indicates that printing has finished, the printing completion indicator L31 is turned on and the printer is waiting for printing. Indicator light.

and turns off the printing in progress indicator Lz+.

In addition, the data in the "Insertion presence/absence" column indicates no insertion,
If the data in the "Printing in progress" column indicates that printing is not in progress, and the data in the "Printing completed" column indicates that printing has not finished, the print standby indicator light L11. Printing in progress indicator L21. All printing end indicator lights L31 are turned off. If the data in each column of table 8 is different from the above, it is regarded as an abnormality and the print standby indicator light L17 is turned off.
．． Printing in progress indicator L21. Make the printing end indicator Lz+ blink.

Reading medium insertion slot R3 corresponding to other insertion slot numbers 2 to n
The same applies to i to R3 as above.

The printing system of this embodiment has m computer systems W.
The print text output from CPI to CP is transmitted through the communication cable CBI-CB to m recording medium writing devices WR+ to WR, respectively, and the recording medium writing devices W
Write to the recording medium MEM with R+~WR, and transfer the recording medium MEM with the printed text written to the n reading medium insertion slots RS+~R of the recording medium reading device RD.
3. By inserting the medium into either of the reading medium insertion slots, a medium insertion detection signal on the read medium insertion port side is output from the recording medium reading bag ZRD, and this medium insertion detection signal on the read medium insertion port side is output from the medium insertion port side of the print controller PC. Detection signal input function
Each reading medium insertion port R3, to R3 of the recording medium reading device RD is then read from the medium insertion detection signal.
, l, the medium insertion detection function 2 detects a change from the state in which the recording medium MEM is not inserted to the state in which the recording medium MEM is inserted, and the print order determination function 3 detects the state change by the medium insertion detection function 2. The printing order of the recording medium MEM inserted into the reading medium insertion slot R3+-R3- of the recording medium read value WRD that changed from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion in response to the generation of output is determined for each reading medium. It is determined according to the order of insertion of the recording medium MEM into the insertion slots R3l-R3, and according to the determined printing order, the reading device control function 4 selects one of the reading medium insertion slots RS + of the recording medium reading bag 'I RD. ~R3, and a readout signal for reading the printed text are sequentially given to the recording medium reading device RD, thereby inputting the printed text output from the recording medium reading bag RRD into the printed text input function 5. Since the printer PR is controlled according to the print text input by the printer control function 6, the print text output from m computer devices CPI to CP can be efficiently printed by one printer PR. This makes it possible to reduce equipment costs, and eliminates the need for human management and control of printing text output from m computer devices cp, -cp using printer PR, ensuring reliable printing. It can be carried out.

In the above embodiment, the printing order of the recording medium MEM inserted into the reading medium insertion slots R3I to R3 of the recording medium reading device RD that has changed from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion is changed for each reading. It was determined according to the order of insertion of the recording medium MEM into the medium insertion slots R3 and -R3, but the recording medium ME
By inserting the desired printing end time information into M or by providing a means for inputting the desired printing end time information into the recording medium reading device RD, the print controller PC stores the desired printing end time information for each recording medium MEM. Then, the print order determination function 3 compares and determines the desired print end time information of each recording medium MEM that is waiting for printing each time, and prints so that the one with the earlier desired print end time comes before the later one. ! 111 may be changed.

In addition, in the above actual tJ-example, after printing is completed, the recording medium ME
Although the configuration was configured to automatically eject M, the eject button B
It is also possible to have only a configuration in which manual discharge is performed by TI to BTll. In this case, the printing end indicator LSI to l-3n
Is required.

Furthermore, the timing for automatically ejecting the recording medium MEM may be before the end of printing, as long as the printed text has been completely transferred to the print controller PC.

A second embodiment of the invention will be described based on FIG. 4.

This printing system not only connects only one recording medium reading device RD to the print controller PC as in the first embodiment, but also provides the print controller PC with a function as a multiplex signal transmission device. A recording medium reading device R having a configuration similar to that of the recording medium reading device RD is connected to a PC with two multiplex transfer devices CDI"' CD *, and the multiplex transfer devices CDI to CD are connected to a PC.
D, to RD11 are connected to each other.

In this printing system, a recording medium reading device RD.

The various signals exchanged between ~RD& and the print controller PC are different in that the signal transmission form is changed between the multiplex transmission device in the print controller PC and the multiplex transfer device CD, ~CDk. Although the second embodiment is different, the other basic operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

In this manner, the printing system of this embodiment provides the print controller PC with the function of a multiplex transmission device, and also provides recording media in the multiplex transmission devices CD, ~CDk, which are installed at a location away from the print controller PC. The reading devices RD+ to RDk are connected, and the various exchanges (No. 8) between the recording medium reading devices RD+ to RDk and the print controller PC are performed by multiplex transmission. are installed in each part of the recording medium reading bag fiRD, ~RDk
, the recording medium MEM to be printed can be carried to the recording medium reading device RD near the print controller PC (but the print text can be printed by the printer PR.

C Effects of the Invention] According to the printing system of the present invention, the printed text output from the m computers Vz'll is transmitted to the m recording medium writing devices through communication cables, and the printing text is transmitted to the m recording medium writing devices through communication cables. By inserting the recording medium on which the printed text has been written into one of the n reading medium insertion slots of the recording medium reading device, the medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion slot side is output to the recording medium. The medium insertion detection signal outputted from the reading device and read out from the reading medium insertion port is captured by the medium insertion detection signal input function of the print controller, and the medium insertion detection signal is output from the reading medium insertion port side of the recording medium reading device. The medium insertion detection function detects a change from the state in which no recording medium is inserted to the state in which a recording medium is inserted, and the printing order determination function responds to the generation of the state change detection output by the medium insertion detection function. determines the printing order of the recording medium inserted in the reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading fi position that has changed from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion, and controls the reading device control function according to the determined printing order. A medium insertion port designation signal that designates one of the reading medium insertion ports of the recording medium reading device and a readout signal that reads the printed text are sequentially applied to the recording medium reading device, thereby causing the output from the recording medium reading device. In order to input the printed text using the printed text input function and to train the printer according to the printed text input using the printer control function, the printed text output from m computer devices can be efficiently printed using one printer. This makes it possible to reduce equipment costs, and also eliminates the need for human management and control of the printing work of printed texts output from m computer devices using printers, thereby ensuring printing can be performed reliably.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a recording medium reading device, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functions of a print controller, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a recording medium reading device. A block diagram showing the second embodiment of the invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6' are block diagrams showing conventional examples, respectively. CP, ~CP1... Computer device, W R+ ~
WR...recording medium writing device, MEM...recording medium, RD...recording medium reading device, R3'l to R8,,
...Reading medium insertion port, WS, ~WS, ...Writing medium insertion port, PR...Printer, PC...Print controller, 1...Media insertion detection signal input function, 2
...Media insertion detection function, 3...Printing order determination function, 4
...Reading device control function, 5...Print text input function, 6...Printer system? ll1a Noh Diagram 2 Tsu"J'/l-1;)-0-UPC Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] m recording media for writing printed text transmitted from m computer devices (m is an integer of 2 or more) through communication cables onto recording media inserted into a writing media insertion slot. and n reading medium insertion slots (n is an integer of 2 or more) into which recording media on which print text has been written by each of the m recording medium writing devices are inserted; A medium insertion detection signal on the read medium insertion port side corresponding to whether or not a recording medium is inserted into each of the read medium insertion ports is output, and the medium insertion detection signal for the read medium insertion port is output in response to the medium insertion port designation signal and the read signal. a recording medium reading device that reads printed text from a recording medium inserted into a reading medium insertion slot designated by an insertion slot designation signal; a printer that prints the printed text read from the recording medium; and the recording medium. From the medium insertion detection signal input function that inputs the medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion port side outputted from the reading device, and the medium insertion detection signal on the reading medium insertion port side input by this medium insertion detection signal input function. A medium insertion detection function for detecting a change from a state in which no recording medium is inserted to a state in which a recording medium is inserted for each reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading device, and a state change detection output by this medium insertion detection function. a printing order determining function that determines the printing order of the printed texts of the recording medium inserted into the reading medium insertion slot of the recording medium reading device that changes from the state of no insertion to the state of insertion in response to the occurrence of , a medium insertion slot designation signal that designates one of the reading medium insertion slots of the recording medium reading device according to the printing order determined by the printing order determination function, and a readout signal that reads the printed text from the recording medium. A reading device control function that sequentially applies to the recording medium reading device, a printed text input function that inputs the printed text output from the recording medium reading device in response to the operation of the reading device control function, and this printed text input function A printing system comprising: a print controller having a printer control function that controls the printer according to input print text and causes the printer to print the print text.