Computer system for a printer which stores and operates multiple application programs
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer system for a portable printer wherein a plurality of application programs are implemented and used for controlling a printer mechanism in said printer to print information representing symbols, and a barcode scanner controllable by said computer which provides scan data representative of a barcode, said system comprising:
- memory in said printer addressable by said computer of said printer;
an operating system program stored in said memory which operates on said computer when said computer is activated;
plurality of application programs stored in said memory, each of said application programs being executable by said computer in which at least one of said application programs controls the printer mechanism and is capable of utilizing a barcode decoding program stored in said memory for decoding the scan data from said barcode scanner;
said operating system providing means for selecting one of said application programs and executing said selected application program on said computer to operate said printer in accordance with said selected application program; and
said selected application program operates in accordance with data received from a host computer to set parameters of printer operation in which said data is entered by a user via a graphical user interface provided for at said host computer.
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Abstract
A printer has a computer system which stores and uses multiple application programs. The printer may be a label printer which includes a printing mechanism, and a computer for controlling the printer mechanism and the advancement of label stock for the printer mechanism to print labels on the label stock. Coupled to the printer may be a barcode scanner controllable by the computer. The system includes a memory accessible by the computer which stores a plurality of application programs. Each of the application programs contains instructions which are executable by the computer to operate the printer. An application program can be selected by a user, or a host computer interfaced to the printer, or automatically by the printer, for execution by the computer. Utility files are also stored in the memory separate from the application programs which may include data and programs utilized by the selected application program. Such utility files include programs for barcode decoding, barcode encoding, and character rendering. The barcode decoding program utilizes Direct Memory Access (DMA) of the computer to capture values of a timer in the computer upon each transition in a scan data signal from the barcode scanner. The captured values are stored and then decoded to provide barcode data representing one or two-dimensional barcodes. The character rendering program provides for scaling of characters, defined in font files, to desired sizes. A graphical user interface may be used on the host computer interfaced to the printer to select various parameters of printer operation.
76 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer system for a portable printer wherein a plurality of application programs are implemented and used for controlling a printer mechanism in said printer to print information representing symbols, and a barcode scanner controllable by said computer which provides scan data representative of a barcode, said system comprising:
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memory in said printer addressable by said computer of said printer; an operating system program stored in said memory which operates on said computer when said computer is activated; plurality of application programs stored in said memory, each of said application programs being executable by said computer in which at least one of said application programs controls the printer mechanism and is capable of utilizing a barcode decoding program stored in said memory for decoding the scan data from said barcode scanner; said operating system providing means for selecting one of said application programs and executing said selected application program on said computer to operate said printer in accordance with said selected application program; and said selected application program operates in accordance with data received from a host computer to set parameters of printer operation in which said data is entered by a user via a graphical user interface provided for at said host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26)
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17. A method for a portable printer wherein a plurality of application programs are implemented and used for controlling a printer mechanism in said printer to print information representing symbols and a barcode scanner controllable by said computer which can provide scan data representative of a barcode, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing memory in said printer addressable by said computer; storing in said memory a plurality of application programs which are each executable by said computer in which at least one of said application programs controls the printer mechanism and provides for barcode decoding of the scan data from the barcode scanner; selecting one of said application programs; executing said selected application program on said computer to operate said printer in accordance with said selected application program; and receiving information for controlling printer operation from a host computer entered via a graphical user interface operating at the host computer in which said selected application program operates in accordance with said received information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A portable printer comprising:
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a housing having a barcode scanner for producing scan data defined by electrical signals corresponding to transitions in light detected by said barcode scanner representative of a scanned barcode, a printer mechanism, a microprocessor capable of controlling said barcode scanner and said printer mechanism, and memory addressable by said microprocessor; means for enabling Direct Memory Access (DMA) in said microprocessor to capture the value of a timer in said microprocessor upon each transition occurring in said scanned data; means in said microprocessor for storing said captured values in said memory; means in said microprocessor for decoding said stored captured values into barcode data representing said barcode scanned by said barcode scanner; and said microprocessor operates said printer mechanism in accordance with information received from a computer entered by a user via a graphical user interface operable on said computer.
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Specification