Printer and control method therefor

• US 6,104,496 A
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Minowa, Masahiro, Miyasaka, Masayo, Ito, Yoshikazu, Yawata, Kazunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,394
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 395/101, 395/102, 395/105, 395/111, 395/112, 395/113, 395/114, 395/115, 399/367, 399/370, 399/371, 399/376, 399/388, 399/389, 399/396, 399/361, 358/296, 358/305, 358/449, 400/595, 400/596, 400/434
• US Class Current: 358/1.12
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/48 Apparatus for condensed record, tally strip, or like work using two or more papers, or sets of papers , e.g. devices for switching over from handling of copy material in sheet form to handling of copy material in continuous form and vice versa or point-of-sale printers comprising means for printing on continuous copy material, e.g. journal for tills, and on single sheets, e.g. cheques or receipts B41J15/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/0018 in the sheet input section of automatic paper handling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00

Abstract

A printer capable of printing on differing types of recording media. A memory section is provided that is capable of storing insertion wait times that wait for insertion of the respective recording medium types and setting wait times that wait for the recording medium to be properly set. Also, when the type of recording medium to be printed on is designated, then the printer waits for insertion of the recording medium according to the insertion wait time and setting wait time corresponding to that recording medium and then starts an automatic feed operation. Therefore, it is possible to offer a printer and its control method wherein the wait times can be set according to the level of experience of the operator and to the recording paper types, the ease of use of the recording medium and the installation circumstances of the printer, setting times can be set that do not cause stress on the operators, and printing can be performed without wasted time.

Claims

1. A printer capable of printing on a plurality of different types of recording medium, said printer comprising:

a recording medium transportation path to transport a recording medium;

at least one recording medium detector to detect a presence of the recording medium in said recording medium transportation path;

an interface to receive first predetermined times each corresponding to each of the recording medium types from a host device;

a first memory to store the first predetermined times;

a first recording medium selector to select the type of recording medium to be transported by said recording medium transportation path; and

a controller which controls handling of said recording medium based at least on the first predetermined time retrieved from said first memory corresponding to the recording medium type selected by said first recording medium selector and an output of said at least one recording medium detector.

2. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a transportation controller which starts said recording medium transportation path when the first predetermined time retrieved from said first memory and corresponding to the selected recording medium type selected by said first recording medium selector elapses after said recording medium detector has detected the presence of the recording medium.

3. A printer according to claim 2, wherein said interface receives second predetermined times each corresponding to each of the recording medium types, wherein said printer further comprises:

a second memory to store the second predetermined times; and

a recording medium waiting controller to terminate waiting for the recording medium to be set in said recording medium transportation path if said recording medium detector does not detect the presence of said recording medium before the second predetermined time retrieved from said second memory and corresponding to the selected recording medium type selected by said first recording medium selector elapses from when recording medium waiting starts.

4. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium detector is provided corresponding to each recording medium types, and

said first recording medium selector selects the type of recording medium in accordance with said recording medium detector which detects the presence of the corresponding type of recording medium.

5. A printer according to claim 1, further comprising a memory controller, wherein said first memory is responsive to said memory controller.

6. A printer according to claim 5, further comprising a second recording medium selector for selecting a recording medium type for which the first predetermined time is stored in said first memory in accordance with said memory controller.

7. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said interface comprises a data interpreter to interpret data received from the host device,

wherein said data interpreter outputs first recording medium selection information in accordance with a first predetermined data received from the host device, and

wherein said first recording medium selector selects a type of recording medium in accordance with the first recording medium selection information output by said data interpreter.

8. A printer according to claim 7, further comprising:

a second recording medium selector to select a recording medium type for which the first predetermined time is to be stored in said first memory; and

a memory controller to control said first memory to store the first predetermined time stored in said first memory and corresponding to the type of said recording medium selected by said second recording medium selector;

wherein said data interpreter outputs second recording medium selection information in accordance with a second predetermined data received from the host device, and

wherein said second recording medium selector selects a recording medium type in accordance with the second recording medium selection information output by said data interpreter.

9. A printer according to claim 8, wherein the data interpreter outputs a time value to be stored in said first memory in accordance with a third predetermined data received from the host device, and

wherein said memory controller controls said first memory to store the first predetermined time based on the time value output by said data interpreter.

10. A printer according to claim 9, wherein the second and the third predetermined data are included in a single command.

11. A printer according to claim 9, wherein each of the second and the third predetermined data belongs to a command independent from each other.

12. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises

a recording medium waiting controller to terminate waiting for the recording medium to be set in said recording medium transportation path if said recording medium detector does not detect the presence of the recording medium before the predetermined time retrieved from said first memory and corresponding to the selected recording medium type selected by said recording medium selector elapses from when recording medium waiting starts.

13. A control method for a printer capable of printing on a plurality of different types of recording medium, the control method comprising the steps of:

detecting a presence of the recording medium in a recording medium transportation path;

receiving first predetermined times each corresponding to each of the recording medium types from a host device;

storing the first predetermined times;

selecting a first type of recording medium to be transported; and

controlling recording medium handling based at least on the first predetermined time stored in said storing step corresponding to the recording medium type selected in the recording medium selection step and the detection result in the detection step.

14. A control method according to claim 13, the controlling step comprising the step of starting recording medium transportation when the first predetermined time corresponding to the selected recording medium type selected in the recording medium selection step elapses after presence of the recording medium has been detected in the detection step.

15. A control method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving second predetermined times each corresponding to each of the recording medium types;

(2) storing the second predetermined times; and

(3) terminating waiting for the recording medium to be set in the recording medium transportation path if the presence of the recording medium is not detected in the detection step before the second predetermined time stored in step (2) corresponding to the selected recording medium type selected in the selection step elapses from when recording medium waiting starts.

16. A control method according to claim 13,

wherein the detection step comprises the step of detecting each recording medium types, and

wherein the first type selection step comprises the step of selecting the first type of recording medium in accordance with the type of recording medium of which the presence is detected in the detection step.

17. A control method according to claim 13, further comprising the setting/changing step of at least one of setting and changing the first predetermined times stored in the storing step.

18. A control method according to claim 17, further comprising the second selecting step of selecting a second type of the recording medium, wherein the setting/changing step comprises the step of at least one of setting and changing the first predetermined time corresponding to the second type of recording medium selected in the second selecting step.

19. A control method according to claim 13, wherein the receiving step comprises the step of interpreting data received from the host device,

wherein the interpreting step comprises the step of outputting first recording medium selection information in accordance with a first predetermined data received from the host device, and

wherein the first type selection step comprises the step of selecting the first type of recording medium in accordance with the first recording medium selection information output in the first information outputting step.

20. A control method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a second type of recording medium for which the first predetermined time is to be at least one of set and changed; and

at least one of setting and changing the first predetermined time stored in the storing step and corresponding to the second type of the recording medium selected in the second type selection step;

wherein the interpreting step comprises the step of outputting second recording medium selection information in accordance with a second predetermined data received from the host device,

wherein the second type selection step comprises the step of selecting the second type of recording medium in accordance with the second recording medium selection information output in the second information outputting step.

21. A control method according to claim 20, wherein the interpreting step comprises the step of outputting a time value to be at least one of set to and changed with as the first predetermined time stored in the storing step in accordance with a third predetermined data received from the host device, and

wherein the storage at least one of setting and changing step comprises the step of at least one of setting and changing the first predetermined time based on the time value output in the time value outputting step.

22. A control method according to claim 13, the controlling step comprising the step of terminating waiting for the recording medium to be set in the recording medium transportation path if the presence of the recording medium is not detected in the detection step before the predetermined time stored in the storing step and corresponding to the type of recording medium selected in the selection step elapses from when recording medium waiting starts.