Printer system and method of controlling operation of the same
First Claim
1. A printer system comprising:
- a printer controller; and
a printer, connected to the printer controller by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data,said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other,said printer controller including,an image-data transmission controller transmitting image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, andsaid printer including,a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period;
an image data reception controller receiving the image data transmitted from said printer controller;
a buffer memory temporarily storing the image data received by said image data reception controller; and
a printing controller reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and printing an image which is represented by the read-out image data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A printer system includes a printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a cable according to IEEE Standard 1394. The printer controller and the printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data. The printer controller and the printer are assigned identical device identification data. The printer controller and printer decide a first transmission-permitted time period in which the printer controller transmits data to the printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which the printer transmits data to the printer controller. The first and second transmission-permitted time periods are separated from each other. The printer controller transmits image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to the printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period. The printer transmits data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to the printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A printer system comprising:
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a printer controller; and a printer, connected to the printer controller by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other, said printer controller including, an image-data transmission controller transmitting image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, and said printer including, a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period; an image data reception controller receiving the image data transmitted from said printer controller; a buffer memory temporarily storing the image data received by said image data reception controller; and a printing controller reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and printing an image which is represented by the read-out image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A printer system comprising:
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a printer controller; and a printer, connected to the printer controller by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other, said printer controller including, an image-data transmission controller transmitting image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, and said printer including, a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period; an image data reception controller receiving the image data transmitted from said printer controller; a buffer memory temporarily storing the image data received by said image data reception controller; and a printing controller reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and printing an image which is represented by the read-out image data, wherein the device identification data and the transmission destination identifying data include a channel number used in isochronous transfer wherein said buffer memory of said printer possess an image-data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of the image.
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12. A printer system comprising:
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a printer controller; and a printer, connected to the printer controller by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other, said printer controller including, an image-data transmission controller transmitting image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, and said printer including, a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period; an image data reception controller receiving the image data transmitted from said printer controller; a buffer memory temporarily storing the image data received by said image data reception controller; and a printing controller reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and printing an image which is represented by the read-out image data wherein the device identification data and the transmission destination identifying data include a channel number used in isochronous transfer wherein said image-data transmission controller repeats transmission of image data to said printer in packet units in such a manner that the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory will not be emptied from said buffer memory, and said printing controller reads out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and prints the image, which is represented by the read-out image data, at a constant speed.
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13. A printer controller, used in a printer system which includes the printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a bus, said printer controller comprising:
an image-data transmission controller transmitting image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other.
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14. A printer, used in a printer system which includes a printer controller and said printer connected to each other by a bus, comprising:
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a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period; an image data reception controller receiving the image data transmitted from said printer controller; a buffer memory temporarily storing the image data received by said image data reception controller; and a printing controller reading out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and printing an image which is represented by the read-out image data, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other.
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15. A method of controlling operation of a printer system including a printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, comprising the steps of:
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assigning identical device identification data to said printer controller and said printer; determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other; causing said printer controller to transmit image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period; and causing said printer to transmit data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period, causing the printer to receive the image data transmitted from said printer controller to store temporarily the received image data into a buffer memory, and causing the printer to read out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and to print an image which is represented by the read-out image data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of controlling operation of a printer system including a printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, comprising the steps of:
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assigning identical device identification data to said printer controller and said printer; determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other; causing said printer controller to transmit image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period; and causing said printer to transmit data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period, causing the printer to receive the image data transmitted from said printer controller to store temporarily the received image data into a buffer memory, and causing the printer to read out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and to print an image which is represented by the read-out image data, and further comprising the steps of adopting a channel number used in isochronous transfer as the device identification data and the transmission destination identifying data, and using such a buffer memory in said printer that possesses an image-data storage capacity smaller than a quantity of image data representing one frame of the image.
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26. A method of controlling operation of a printer system including a printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a bus, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, comprising the steps of:
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assigning identical device identification data to said printer controller and said printer; determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other; causing said printer controller to transmit image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period; and causing said printer to transmit data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period causing the printer to receive the image data transmitted from said printer controller to store temporarily the received image data into a buffer memory, and causing the printer to read out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and to print an image which is represented by the read-out image data, and further comprising the steps of; adopting a channel number used in isochronous transfer as the device identification data and the transmission destination identifying data causing said printer controller to repeat transmission of image data to said printer in packet units in such a manner that the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory will not be emptied from said buffer memory, and causing said printer to read out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and to print the image, which is represented by the read-out image data, at a constant speed.
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27. A method of controlling operation of a printer controller used in a printer system, which includes said printer controller and a printer connected to each other by a bus, the method comprising:
causing said printer controller to transmit image data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer in packet units in the first transmission-permitted time period, wherein said printer and said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other.
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28. A method of controlling operation of a printer used in a printer system, which includes a printer controller and said printer connected to each other by a bus, the method comprising:
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causing said printer to transmit data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said printer controller in the second transmission-permitted time period; causing the printer to receive the image data transmitted from said printer controller to temporarily store the received image data into a buffer memory; and causing the printer to read out the image data that has been stored in said buffer memory, and to print an image which is represented by the read-out image data, wherein said printer controller and said printer each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said printer controller and said printer being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said printer controller transmits data to said printer and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said printer transmits data to said printer controller, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other.
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29. A system comprising:
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a first device; and a second device connected to the first device, wherein said first and second devices each accepts data transmitted thereto when device identification data assigned thereto agrees with transmission destination identifying data accompanying the transmitted data, said first device and said second device being assigned identical device identification data, and determining a first transmission-permitted time period in which said first device transmits data to said second device and a second transmission-permitted time period in which said second device transmits data to said first device, the first and second transmission-permitted time periods being separated from each other, said first device controller including, a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said second device in the first transmission-permitted time period, and said second device including, a data transmission controller transmitting data accompanied by the transmission destination identifying data to said first device in the second transmission-permitted time period.
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Specification