JPH05342388A - Portable printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save power consumption without obstructing operability by providing a mode setting means, a power consumption saving means for setting power saving mode at the mode setting means and an automatic starting means for setting a normal mode at the mode setting means in the main body of a printer. CONSTITUTION:In the main body 2 of the printer, when waiting time measured by the timer circuit 37 of a printer control part 32 exceeds a reference time set beforehand, a CPU 33 outputs a control signal to a power source control circuit 39. Power supply from a battery 45 to a DC/DC converter 47 is stopped by the power source control circuit 39 and an operational mode is turned to the power saving mode. In a state with the power saving mode is set, when a reception module 40 receives the radio transmission of a handy terminal, a PLL circuit 41 outputs the control signal. The power source control circuit 39 restarts the power supply from the battery 45 to the DC/DC converter 47 with the control signal and the operational mode is turned to the normal mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable printer such as a portable label printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, a portable printer in which a portable printer body which can communicate freely and a handy terminal are combined is put into practical use. In such a portable printer, the handy terminal and the printer main body are generally connected by a communication cable, but such a communication cable hinders the operability of the portable printer, which is not preferable. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, in the portable printer disclosed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-294980, a handy terminal and a printer body are separately provided without having a mechanical connection. When the handy terminal is attached to the printer body, optical information is used for communication.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned portable printer, since information communication is not performed until the handy terminal is attached to the printer body, real-time information processing cannot be performed and the work tends to be delayed. is there. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, the present applicant installs a wireless communication device that wirelessly communicates information between the handy terminal and the printer body, so that information can be communicated in real time without deteriorating its operability. I suggested that.

Here, in such a portable printer, the drive power for the handy terminal and the printer body is inevitably obtained from a battery or the like, but this is a power saving because the capacity of the power that can be supplied is limited. Is required. Therefore, as a means for solving such a problem, a mode setting means for switching the normal mode in which the drive power is in a normal state and the power saving mode in which the drive power is restricted in the printer main body that consumes excessive power is switchable. It is possible to provide it with a switch or the like.

However, since the worker generally carries out various works by operating only the handy terminal while carrying the printer main body, for example, the worker cannot operate the printer main body due to the setting of the power saving mode. It may happen that the handy terminal is operated continuously without noticing. In this case, the information sent by the handy terminal in real time according to the operator's operation input is not received by the printer body, so the operator needs to set the printer body in the normal mode and then repeat the handy terminal operation input from the beginning. There is.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A handy terminal for transmitting various information input by an information input unit such as an optical scanner or a keyboard, and a printer main body for performing various printing based on the information transmitted from the handy terminal. In the portable printer combining the above, a wireless transmission device is provided in the handy terminal and a wireless reception device is provided in the printer main body, and the printer main body is provided with a normal mode in which drive power is in a normal state and a power saving mode in which the drive power is restricted. A mode setting means for freely setting is provided, and a power saving means for setting a power saving mode to the mode setting means when a preset predetermined condition is detected is provided in the printer main body, and the printer main body is provided with the power saving means wirelessly. When the reception is detected, the automatic start to set the normal mode in the mode setting means It provided the stage.

[0007]

In the printer body, the power saving means automatically sets the power saving mode according to a predetermined condition to prevent wasteful power consumption. The printer body in which the power saving mode is set wirelessly transmits various information from the handy terminal. Upon reception, the automatic start-up means automatically sets the normal mode to enable various operations to be executed, so that power saving can be realized without impairing the operability.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First of all, this portable printer 1
It has a structure in which a portable printer body 2 and a handy terminal 3 are individually portable. In appearance, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the printer main body 2 has shoulder belts 5 mounted on both side surfaces of a main body housing 4, and an issuing port 7 of a printer unit 6 is formed on the front surface of the printer main body 2. An operation panel 8 is provided in the. On the other hand, in the handy terminal 3, a reading window 11 of a scanner section 10 which is an optical scanner is formed on the front surface of an elongated body housing 9, and a proximal end side serves as a grip section 12, and keyboards 13, 14 and A display 15 and the like are provided.

The handy terminal 3 has a circuit and an optical device 16 and a CCD (C) as shown in FIG.
a CPU (Central Processing Unit) via a signal processing circuit 18, a binarization circuit 19 and a decoder circuit 20 in the scanner unit 10 including a large coupled device) 17.
21 is connected, and this CPU 21 has a ROM (R
ead Only Memory) 22, RAM (Random Access Memory)
23, the keyboards 13 and 14, the display 1
5, the transmission module 24, which is a wireless transmission device, and the like are connected. Here, this transmission module 24 is
The modulation circuit 25 connected to the PU 21 has an RF (Radio-Frequ
ency) The structure is such that the high frequency circuit 26 is connected and the antenna 27 is provided, and the frequency of the wireless transmission is fixedly set in advance.

Further, in the printer main body 2, as shown in FIG. 1, the printer is constructed by connecting a head drive circuit 29 to a thermal head 28 and a motor drive circuit 31 to a pulse motor 30 as shown in FIG. A unit 6 is formed, and the printer control unit 32 including the printer unit 6 has a ROM in the CPU 33 as a mode setting unit.
34, the RAM 35, the operation panel 8, the sensor 36, the timer circuit 37, the reset circuit 38, the power supply control circuit 39 and the like are connected. The receiving module 40, which is a wireless receiving device connected to the printer control unit 32, includes the CPU 33 and the power supply control circuit 3.
PLL (Phase LockedLoop) circuit 41 connected to 9
The waveform shaping circuit 42, the RF high frequency circuit 43, and the like are sequentially connected to each other, and the RF high frequency circuit 43 is provided with an antenna 44. A power switch 46 is connected to the battery 45 of the printer body 2, and the power switch 46 connects the printer controller 32 and the receiving module 40 to DC / DC (Direct Curren).
t / Direct Current) converters 47 and 48 are connected via the power supply control circuit 39.

By doing so, in the printer body 2 of the portable printer 1, a normal mode in which the drive power supplied from the battery 45 to the printer control section 32 is in a normal state and a power saving mode in which the drive power is in a restricted state. The CPU 33, the power supply control circuit 39, and the like form a mode setting means for setting the switchable state, and when the preset predetermined condition is detected, the power saving means for setting the power saving mode in the mode setting means is the timer. The receiving module 40 is formed by the circuit 37, the power supply control circuit 39, and the like.
The automatic start-up means for setting the normal mode to the mode setting means when the wireless reception of is detected is formed by the PLL circuit 41, the power supply control circuit 39 and the like.

In such a structure, the portable printer 1 has the keyboard 1 of the handy terminal 3.
When product information is input to the handy terminal 3 by a manual operation of 3, 14 or scanning of a barcode by the scanner unit 10, the product information is transmitted from the transmission module 24 of the handy terminal 3 to the reception module 40 of the printer body 2.
The printer unit 6 of the printer body 2 issues a bar code label 49 by radio transmission.

By doing so, in the portable printer 1, the handy terminal 3 and the printer body 2 are provided.
Since and wirelessly communicate information, it is possible to communicate information in real time with good operability.
It is possible to contribute to improving the efficiency of the work for issuing 9.

Here, in this portable printer 1,
The above-mentioned work is performed in a state where the operation mode of the printer body 2 is set to the normal mode. In this case, the drive power of the battery 45 is not regulated by the power supply control circuit 39 and the printer control is performed. It is supplied to the section 32. In the printer body 2 operating in the normal mode, the CPU 33 outputs a control signal to the power supply control circuit 39 when the standby time measured by the timer circuit 37 exceeds a preset reference time, and the power supply The control circuit 39 stops the electric power from the battery 45 to the DC / DC converter 47, and the operation mode becomes the power saving mode.
By doing so, in the printer body 2, when the standby time in the normal mode exceeds the reference time, the drive power of the printer controller 32, which consumes excessive power even in the standby state, is stopped. Useless consumption is prevented and power saving is realized.

Then, in this portable printer 1,
As described above, even when the power saving mode is set in the printer main body 2 and the printer control unit 32 is inoperable, the receiving module 40 with low power consumption is driven with the same drive power as in the normal mode. Therefore, in the printer body 2 in such a power saving mode, when the receiving module 40 wirelessly receives the wireless transmission of the handy terminal 3, the PLL circuit 41 outputs a control signal. DC / DC converter 4
The power supply to 7 is restarted and the operation mode becomes the normal mode.

By doing so, in this portable printer 1, even if the printer controller 2 is inoperable due to the power saving mode being set in the printer body 2, if the handy terminal 3 wirelessly transmits the product information, the printer body 2 Automatically switches the operation mode to the normal mode, and the printer unit 6 issues the barcode label 49 according to the product information received by the receiving module 40.

That is, in the printer body 2 of the portable printer 1, when the standby time in the normal mode exceeds the reference time, the power saving mode is automatically set to prevent wasteful power consumption, and the handy terminal 3 stores the product information. By wirelessly transmitting, the normal mode is automatically set and various works can be executed, so that power saving can be realized without impairing the operability.

In the portable printer 1 of this embodiment, when the standby time measured by the timer circuit 37 exceeds the reference time, the CPU 33 outputs a control signal to the power supply control circuit 39 to set the power saving mode. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described format. For example, the timer circuit 37 outputs the control signal directly to the power supply control circuit 39, or the CP circuit is used without using the timer circuit 37.
It is possible to programmatically compare the standby time with the reference time by the U33, or forcibly set the power saving mode when the printing operation of the printer unit 6 is completed without performing time control.

Further, the portable printer 1 of this embodiment
In the above, the printer main body 2 issues the barcode label 49 when the barcode is read and scanned by the handy terminal 3, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned format. It is also possible to carry out reading and scanning of a two-dimensional code such as, and the printer body 2 to print character information.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the portable printer (not shown) of this embodiment, the overall appearance and the handy terminal 3 are
Since the structure is the same as that of the portable printer 1 described above as the first embodiment, these parts are denoted by the same names and reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In the printer body 50 of this portable printer, the PLL circuit 41 of the receiving module 40 is the CP of the printer control unit 51 in terms of circuitry.
It is connected to the U52 and the reset circuit 53, and the DC / DC converter 47 of the printer controller 51 is connected to the battery 45 only via the power switch 46.

Therefore, in the printer body 50 of this portable printer, the battery 45 to the printer control unit 51 are used.
The CPU 52 has a mode setting means for switching between a normal mode for setting the driving power supplied to the normal state and a power saving mode for setting the restricted state. The mode setting means detects a predetermined condition set in advance. The power saving means for setting the power saving mode is the timer circuit 37 or the CPU 52.
And the like, and the PLL circuit 41, the reset circuit 53, the CPU 52, and the like form an automatic starting unit that sets the normal mode in the mode setting unit when the wireless reception of the receiving module 40 is detected.

With such a configuration, in this portable printer, various works are performed with the operation mode of the printer body 50 set to the normal mode. In this case, the drive power of the battery 45 is the CPU.
It is supplied to the printer control unit 51 without being restricted by 52. Then, the printer main body 50 operating in the normal mode as described above, the CPU 52 when the standby time measured by the timer circuit 37 exceeds a preset reference time.
The operation mode of 1 becomes the power saving mode, and the drive power is reduced. By doing so, in the printer body 50, when the standby time in the normal mode exceeds the reference time, the CPU 52, which consumes excessive power, enters the standby state and the drive power is reduced, so that the battery 45 is wasted. Consumption is prevented and power saving is realized. In addition, such C
The reduction of the drive power in the standby state of the PU 52 is performed, for example, by lowering its oscillation frequency, and by doing so, the CPU 52 operates in a state in which the operating speed is reduced.

In this portable printer, even when the operating speed of the CPU 52 in which the power saving mode is set in the printer main body 50 is lowered as described above, the receiving module 40 that consumes very little power is the same as in the normal mode. It is driven by drive power. Therefore, in the printer main body 50 in such a power saving mode, when the receiving module 40 wirelessly receives the wireless transmission of the handy terminal 3, the PLL circuit 41 outputs a control signal, and the reset circuit 53 resets the CPU 52 by this control signal. By that,
The operation mode of the CPU 52 is the normal mode. By doing so, in this portable printer, even when the operation mode of the printer body 50 is set to the power saving mode, when the handy terminal 3 wirelessly transmits the product information, the printer body 50 is automatically set to the normal mode. It becomes possible to perform various work by switching to. Further, since the printer main body 50 does not require a dedicated part such as the power supply control circuit 39 to realize the above-described operation, its structure is simple, and it contributes to downsizing and weight saving of a portable printer and improvement in productivity. be able to.

That is, in the printer body 50 of this portable printer, when the standby time in the normal mode exceeds the reference time, the power saving mode is automatically set to prevent wasteful power consumption, and the handy terminal 3 displays the product information. When wirelessly transmitted, the normal mode is automatically set and various operations can be executed, so that power saving can be realized without impairing the operability.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a handy terminal for transmitting various kinds of information input by an information input unit such as an optical scanner or a keyboard, and various kinds of printing based on the information transmitted from the handy terminal. In a portable printer that is combined with the printer itself,
The handy terminal is provided with a wireless transmission device and a wireless reception device is provided in the printer body, and mode setting means for setting the printer body to be switchable between a normal mode in which the driving power is in a normal state and a power saving mode in which the driving power is restricted. The printer body is provided with power saving means for setting a power saving mode in the mode setting means when a predetermined condition set in advance is detected, and when the wireless reception of the wireless reception device is detected in the printer body, the mode setting means is provided. Since the printer body is provided with the automatic starting means for setting the normal mode, the power saving means automatically sets the power saving mode according to a predetermined condition to prevent wasteful power consumption. When the set printer body receives various information wirelessly from the handy terminal, the automatic start-up means automatically Since various operations can be executed by setting the normal mode and has an effect such as can be achieved power saving without hindering the operability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a printer body according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a handy terminal.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall structure.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Portable Printer 2, 50 Printer Main Body 3 Handy Terminal 10 Optical Scanner 13, 14 Keyboard 24 Wireless Transmitter 33, 39, 52 Mode Setting Means 37, 39, 52 Power Saving Means 39, 41, 52, 53 Automatic Starting Means 40 Wireless Receiver

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A combination of a handy terminal for transmitting various information input by an information input unit such as an optical scanner or a keyboard and a printer main body for performing various printing based on the information transmitted from the handy terminal. In a portable printer, a wireless transmission device is provided in the handy terminal and a wireless reception device is provided in the printer body, and the printer body is set to be switchable between a normal mode in which drive power is in a normal state and a power saving mode in which a regulation state is set. When a predetermined condition set in advance is detected, power saving means for setting a power saving mode in the mode setting means is provided in the printer body, and when the printer body detects wireless reception of the wireless reception device. The mode setting means is provided with an automatic starting means for setting a normal mode. A portable printer characterized by.