EP0341040A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Printer control device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-05-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A printer control device (2) is connected between the output of one or more word processing terminals (12) and the input to a printer (16). The device (2) is also connected to an envelope printer (22) and/or a label printer (21). The device functions to recognise printable control codes inserted into a document text while it is being composed by a word processor operator to identify the beginning and end of address data in a letter. The device controls printing of this address data on envelopes or labels while the letter itself is being printed on the main printer (16).
Inventors
- 👤 David Richard Spencer Altham
- 👤 Andrew Peter Michael Prince
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:18
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/18; G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1201; G06F3/1202; G06F3/1203; G06F3/1204; G06F3/1206; G06F3/1223; G06F3/1237; G06F3/126; G06F3/1278; G06F3/1291; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/12; G06F40/131; G06F40/20; G06F40/205; G06F40/221; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; H; H01; H01G; H01G7/00; H01G7/02; H01G7/021; H01G7/023; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/0005; G06K2215/0011; G06K2215/0014; G06K2215/0082; G06K2215/0097; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/39
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A dedicated printer control device (2) comprising at least one input port (2,4,6,8,10) for receiving text data, a first output port (18) for connection to a printer (16) on which said text data is to be printed, means (24,60) for designating characters as control codes which identify the beginning and end respectively of a part of the data to be separately printed, means (42,54,80) for recognising the or each control code in the input text data, selectively operable means (64,80) for transmitting said part of the data to a second or third printer output port (19,44), and means (66,64,80) for modifying the format of the part of the text data applied to the second or third output port (19,44).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A dedicated printer control device (2) comprising at least one input port (2,4,6,8,10) for receiving text data, a first output port (18) for connection to a printer (16) on which said text data is to be printed, means (24,60) for designating characters as control codes which identify the beginning and end respectively of a part of the data to be separately printed, means (42,54,80) for recognising the or each control code in the input text data, selectively operable means (64,80) for transmitting said part of the data to a second or third printer output port (19,44), and means (66,64,80) for modifying the format of the part of the text data applied to the second or third output port (19,44).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is housed within a printer (22).
Claim 4
Independent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the designating means comprises a keyboard (24).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a memory (60,84) for storing the or each designated control code.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
29 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means (80) for stripping said control codes from the text data applied to the output ports.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
28 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising mode setting means (24) for determining the data to be applied to each output port.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recognising and transmitting means for controlling flow of data from the input to each output port comprise a programmed microprocessor (80).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
46 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means (80) for converting at least a portion of said part of the text data into bar code form and transmitting the bar code form of the data to an output port (18,19,44).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
40 words
A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the recognising means comprises a look up table (42) stored in ROM for receiving and comparing the text data character by character with the designated control codes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
A dedicated printer control device (2) for use with a computer system comprising means (12) for outputting text data and at least two printers (16,21,22), the device (2) having an input port (4,6,8,10) for receiving said text data and respective output ports (18,19) for connection to the two or more printers (16,21,22), the device further comprising means (42,54,64,80) for identifying control codes in the input text data and, in response to recognition thereof, transmitting the text data to one or both or more of said printer output ports in similar and/or selectively modified formats concurrently on different output ports.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
99 words
A dedicated printer control device (2) for use with a computer system comprising means (12) for outputting text data and at least two printers (16,21,22), the device (2) having an input port (4,6,8,10) for receiving said text data and respective output ports (18,19) for connection to the two or more printers (16,21,22), the device further comprising means (42,54,64,80) for identifying control codes in the input text data and, in response to recognition thereof, transmitting the text data to one or both or more of said printer output ports in similar and/or selectively modified formats concurrently on different output ports.
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