Image outputting apparatus with auxiliary memory device for storing a plurality of control programs

Claim 2

An information outputting apparatus which outputs second information generated from first information, with the first information being input from a disconnectable information processing apparatus comprising: connection means for connecting, to said information outputting apparatus, an external memory which stores a program for generating the second information from the first information; memory means comprising a hard disc for storing plural different programs for generating second information from first information; storage control means for controlling said memory means to store the program stored in an external memory connected to said connection means and to register the program in said memory means; and output means for generating the second information from the first information using the program registered in said memory means and for outputting the generated second information.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first information comprises a character code and a control code.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second information comprises bit map information.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program for generating the second information comprises a control program.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control program comprises an emulation program for processing a command of a non-native command system different from a native command system so that a printing process conforming to the command of a non-native command system can be executed.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external memory comprises a memory cartridge and stores one program.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising selection of one of a plurality of different programs registered in the memory means wherein said selection selects a desired one of the plurality of different programs in response to an instruction entered externally.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storing means for storing a character font pattern.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printing means for printing the generated second information.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storing means for recopying the copied information in the hard disk to fetch the copied information a program execution area into which the program from the memory is re-copied for execution.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said program execution area comprises a random access memory.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 1, further comprising a memory region for storing a control program for generating second information from the first information, the control program being a control program for generating in a native mode of said information outputting apparatus, and wherein the program in the external memory being a control program for a non-native mode.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 12, wherein the memory region comprises a read only memory.

Claim 15

An information outputting method carried out in an information outputting apparatus having a connector for connecting thereto an external memory which stores a program for generating second information from first information input from a disconnectable information processing apparatus, said method for generating the second information from the first information and for outputting the generated second information, said method comprising the steps of: copying the program stored on the external memory to a memory comprising a hard disc and registering the copied program in the memory, wherein the memory is arranged for storage of plural different programs each for generating second information from first information; generating the second information from the first information using the program registered in the memory; and outputting the generated second information.

Claim 16

An information outputting method carried out in an information outputting apparatus having a connector for connecting thereto an external memory which stores a program for generating second information from first information input from a disconnectable information processing apparatus, said method for generating the second information from the first information and for outputting the generated second information, said method comprising the steps of: copying the program stored on the external memory to a memory comprising a hard disc and registering the copied program in the memory, wherein the memory is arranged for storage of plural different programs each for generating second information from first information; generating the second information from the first information using the program registered in the memory; and outputting the generated second information.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 14, wherein the first information comprises a character code and a control code.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 14, wherein the second information comprises bit map information.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 14, wherein the program for generating the second information comprises a control program.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 17, wherein the control program comprises an emulation program for processing a command of a non-native command system different from a native command system so that a printing process conforming to the command of a non-native command system can be executed.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 14, wherein the external memory comprises a memory cartridge and stores one program.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of selecting one of a plurality of different programs registered in the memory in response to an instruction entered externally.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of storing a character font pattern.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of printing the generated second information.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of recopying the program from the hard disc to a random access memory for execution therefrom.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of storing a control program for generating second information from first information, the control program being a control program for a native mode of said information outputting apparatus, and wherein the program stored in the external memory is a control program for a non-native mode.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 24, wherein the memory region comprises a read only memory.

Claim 28

An information outputting method carried out in an information outputting apparatus having a connector for connecting thereto an external memory which stores a program for generating second information from first information input from a disconnectable information processing apparatus, said method for generating the second information from the first information and for outputting the generated second information, said method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of different programs, each for generating second information from first information, in a memory comprising a hard disc; copying the program stored in the external memory to the memory and registering the copied information in the memory; selecting one of the plurality of different programs; generating the second information from the first information using the selected program; and outputting the generated second information.

Claim 29

An information outputting method carried out in an information outputting apparatus having a connector for connecting thereto an external memory which stores a program for generating second information from first information input from a disconnectable information processing apparatus, said method for generating the second information from the first information and for outputting the generated second information, said method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of different programs, each for generating second information from first information, in a memory comprising a hard disc; copying the program stored in the external memory to the memory and registering the copied information in the memory; selecting one of the plurality of different programs; generating the second information from the first information using the selected program; and outputting the generated second information.

Claim 30

A method according to claim 26, wherein the first information comprises a character code and a control code.

Claim 31

A method according to claim 26, wherein the second information comprises bit map information.

Claim 32

A method according to claim 26, wherein the program for generating the second information comprises a control program.

Claim 33

A method according to claim 29, wherein the control program comprises an emulation program for processing a command of a non-native command system different from a native command system so that a printing process conforming to the command of a non-native command system can be executed.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 26, wherein the external memory comprises a memory cartridge and stores one program.

Claim 35

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of selecting one of a plurality of different programs registered in the memory in response to an instruction entered externally.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of storing a character font pattern.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of printing the generated second information.

Claim 38

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of recopying the program from the hard disc to a random access memory for execution therefrom.

Claim 39

A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of storing a control program for generating second information from first information, the control program being a control program for a native mode of said information outputting apparatus, and wherein the program stored in the external memory is a control program for a non-native mode.

Claim 40

A method according to claim 36, wherein the memory region comprises a read only memory.

Claim 41

An output control apparatus which generates output data from input data received from a host computer and causes an output unit to output the generated output data, said apparatus comprising: instruction means for producing a registration instruction instructing registration of an emulation program stored in an external memory connected to said apparatus at a connection section thereof in a large capacity memory; control means for registering the emulation program in the large capacity memory in response to the registration instruction produced by sid instruction means, and thereafter allowing another emulation program stored in another external memory to be registered in the large capacity memory if a further registration instruction instructing registration of the another emulation is produced by said instruction means when the another external memory is connected to said apparatus at the connection section; and generating means for processing the received input data using either one of the emulation program and the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory to generate the output data.

Claim 42

An output control apparatus which generates output data from input data received from a host computer and causes an output unit to output the generated output data, said apparatus comprising: instruction means for producing a registration instruction instructing registration of an emulation program stored in an external memory connected to said apparatus at a connection section thereof in a large capacity memory; control means for registering the emulation program in the large capacity memory in response to the registration instruction produced by sid instruction means, and thereafter allowing another emulation program stored in another external memory to be registered in the large capacity memory if a further registration instruction instructing registration of the another emulation is produced by said instruction means when the another external memory is connected to said apparatus at the connection section; and generating means for processing the received input data using either one of the emulation program and the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory to generate the output data.

Claim 43

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the large capacity memory comprises a hard disc.

Claim 44

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said instruction means further produces an emulation selection instruction, and wherein said generating means analyzes the received input data and makes a character pattern using either one of the emulation program and the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory in response to the emulation selection instruction produced by said instruction means to generate the output data.

Claim 45

An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the output unit comprises a printer unit and wherein said generating means converts the generated output data into a video signal and sends the converted video signal to the printer unit.

Claim 46

An apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising a random access memory, wherein the emulation program or the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory is copied in said random access memory and then executed.

Claim 49

A method according to claim 43, wherein the large capacity memory comprises a hard disc.

Claim 50

A method according to claim 43, wherein said processing step analyzes the received data and makes a character pattern using either one of the emulation program and the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory in response to an emulation selection instruction produced by the instruction unit to generate the output data.

Claim 51

A method according to claim 43, wherein the output unit comprises a printer unit and wherein said method further comprises the step of converting the generated output data into a video signal and sending the converted video signal to the printer unit.

Claim 52

A method according to claim 43, wherein the emulation program or the another emulation program registered in the large capacity memory is copied in a random access memory of the apparatus and then executed.