Printer interface detection device

• US 8,073,989 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Cao, Xiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shyu, Jing-Yih
• Application Number:
  US12/630,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/19
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/00 Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture H01L22/00; testing line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence

Abstract

A printer interface detection device includes a printer interface connected to a printer interface of a computer to be detected, a microcontroller, and an indicator. The printer interface includes a number of input/output (I/O) pins and a data signal pin connected to the corresponding pins of the microcontroller. The microcontroller outputs a plurality of printing status signals to the computer according to instructions from the computer. The computer compares whether the number of printing statuses are consistent with printing statuses stored in the computer, to determine whether a printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal. When the printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal, the indicator is lit.

Claims

1. A printer interface detection device for simulating a printer to detect whether a printing function of a printer interface of a computer connected to the printer interface detection device is normal, the printer interface detection device comprising:

a printer interface to be connected to the printer interface of the computer, the printer interface comprising a plurality of input/output (I/O) pins and a data signal pin;

a microcontroller comprising a plurality of I/O pins to connect with the corresponding I/O pins and the data signal pin of the printer interface, to output a plurality of printing status signals to the computer;

an indicator connected to one of the plurality of I/O pins of the microcontroller;

a first light emitting diode (LED) displaying a power status of the printer interface detection device, the first LED comprising an anode connected to a power pin of the microcontroller, and a cathode grounded; and

a second LED displaying a printing status of the printer interface detection device, the second LED comprising an anode connected to the microcontroller, and a grounded cathode;

wherein the microcontroller outputs the plurality of printing status signals to the computer via the corresponding I/O pins according to instructions transmitted by the computer, the computer comparing whether the plurality of printing status signals output by the microcontroller is consistent with printing status signals stored in the computer, to determine whether the printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal, whereby when the plurality of printing status signals output by the microcontroller is consistent with the printing status signals stored in the computer, the printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal, and the indicator is lit;

wherein the plurality of printing status signals comprises first to fourth printing status signals, the plurality of I/O pins of the printer interface comprises an initialization signal pin, an acknowledgement signal pin, a busy signal pin, a strobe signal pin, and a data signal pin, wherein the acknowledgement signal pin, the busy signal pin, and the strobe signal pin are operable to be triggered at a low level, to output the first to fourth printing status signals, respectively;

wherein the microcontroller outputs a low level signal, as the first printing status signal, to the computer via the strobe signal pin of the printer interface detection device, in response to the computer transmitting a printing demand instruction to the microcontroller via the data signal pin;

the microcontroller outputs a low level signal, as the second printing status signal, to the computer via the acknowledgement signal pin, in response to the microcontroller receiving print data from the computer;

the microcontroller outputs a low level signal, as the third printing status signal, to the computer via the busy signal pin of the printer interface detection device, in response to the controller finishing receiving the print data and the microcontroller outputs a low level signal, as the fourth printing status signal, to the computer via the initialization signal pin, in response to the printer interface detection device finishing printing;

wherein when the printer interface detection device has started receiving the print data, the microcontroller outputs a high level signal to turn on the second LED; and

when the printer interface detection device has finished printing, the microcontroller outputs a low level signal to turn off the second LED.

2. The printer interface detection device of claim 1, further comprising a shell on which the printer interface is mounted, wherein the microcontroller is mounted in the shell, the indicator is mounted on the shell, the indicator comprises an anode connected to one of the plurality of I/O pins of the microcontroller, and a grounded cathode, and the microcontroller directs the I/O pin connected to the anode of the indicator to output a high level signal after the plurality of printing status signals output by the microcontroller are consistent with the printing status signals stored in the computer, to turn on the indicator to denote that the printing function of the printer interface of the computer is normal.

3. The printer interface detection device of claim 1, further comprising a switch, wherein the microcontroller further comprises a reset signal pin connected to a power source via the switch.

4. The printer interface detection device of claim 1, further comprising a switch, wherein the microcontroller further comprises a power signal pin connected to a power source via the switch.