WO1992016890A1

WO1992016890A1 - Peripheral programming process

Info

Publication number: WO1992016890A1
Application number: PCT/EP1992/000366
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hubert PÜLLBECK
Original assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT öSTERREICH; Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1991-03-12
Filing date: 1992-02-21
Publication date: 1992-10-01
Also published as: AT403220B; ATA52591A

Abstract

Programming a computer-connectable peripheral is simplified thanks to a process for selecting and programming the functions of such a peripheral. This process also allows the programming and selecting steps to become automatic.

Description

Method for programming a peripheral device

The invention relates to a method for selecting and programming functions of a peripheral device that can be connected to a computer, in particular a printer.

Modern peripheral devices, such as Printers have a large number of functions which can be programmed either via a control panel of the device or from a computer via a data interface with the aid of control commands. To select or program a specific function via the data interface, it is necessary to enter the control command that characterizes this function, for example using the input keyboard of a computer, and to send it to the printer. The use of several independent peripheral devices therefore requires either knowledge of all control commands from these devices (typically 20-40 per device for printers) or the use of lists and manuals from which these control commands result.

The object of the invention is to simplify the complex process of programming peripheral devices.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a method for selecting and programming functions of a peripheral device which can be connected to a computer, in particular a printer, at least one configuration file being stored in the computer and containing all control commands of the peripheral device with different identifiers, with the following Process steps:

- a call to start the process is sensed;

- The configuration file, the name of which is contained in the call, is loaded into a working memory of the computer;

- Those control commands of the loaded configuration file, the identification of which corresponds to a parameter contained in the call, are sent to the peripheral device. This makes it possible to automatically bring one or more peripheral devices connected to a computer into a desired state, ie to program the functions required for a specific application. This can take place, for example, as part of the initialization process of the connected computer after a switch-on process, so that both computers and peripheral devices are ready for operation after the initialization process has been completed. In addition, the programmed functions of the peripheral devices can be changed with little effort during operation.

An embodiment of the invention is advantageous in that

- When a call is made that does not contain the name of a configuration file, the names of the data stored on the computer screen

Computer saved configuration files are displayed;

- That the stored, depending on the type of the peripheral device stored configuration file is loaded into a working memory of the computer and that it from, the basis for one to be taken by the user

Content forming the selection and control commands for the peripheral device is displayed.

This embodiment of the invention makes it possible to initialize the new peripheral device quickly and with little effort when exchanged.

It is advantageous if the configuration files contain additional information not to be taken into account when sending the control commands.

This additional information simplifies the assignment of the control commands to the corresponding functions of the peripheral device. An advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that at least some of the control commands of a peripheral device have a variable command part, that the parameters contained in a call are processed according to their order in the call and that after calling up a control command with a variable command part a number of following parameters of the call is used to determine this variable command part.

This reduces the number of control commands required for a peripheral device and simplifies handling.

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. 1 shows a device arrangement consisting of a personal computer, a screen, an input keyboard and a printer, and FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the method according to the invention.

The device combination shown in Fig. 1 includes one

Personal computer 1, a screen 2, an input keyboard 3 and a printer 6.

The personal computer 1 is connected in a conventional manner to the other components by means of cables 4, 5, 7. It essentially consists of a central processor unit, several peripheral units for controlling the connection with the screen 2, input keyboard 3 and printer 6, a working memory and a mass storage device. All components are controlled by an operating system (MS-DOS) so that a functional unit is created.

The printer 6 is a conventional matrix printer, which is programmed either manually via a control panel or via a data interface (physically a cable 7) with the aid of control commands. The control commands are therefore entered keyboard of the personal computer 1 or generated by a program of this personal computer and sent to the printer 6.

In addition to the control commands that define the function of the printer 6, the latter also receives the data to be printed (text, image) via the data interface (cable 7). To distinguish between control commands and data, the former is preceded by a typical character, which is marked on the input keyboard with "ESC" (escape). The control commands are therefore also referred to as "escape sequences".

The method according to the invention carried out with the personal computer system shown in FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

The program required to control the process is stored in the mass memory of the personal computer. After it has been called up, it is loaded into the main memory of the computer and the individual command steps are carried out. Such a call can have the following form, for example:

IOC pt88s_22.i0C 1 11 1 26 5 132 42

This call contains the following main features:

- the name of the controlling program (IOC),

- the name of a configuration file (pt88s_22.ioc) and

- a number of parameters (1 11 1 26 5 132 42).

Such a call can either be entered via the input terminal 3 or can be generated by a computer program running on the personal computer 1.

The call is then scanned by the personal computer 1 in a first method step 101 and the control program is called. The second method step 102 consists of querying the scanned call. If, as in the example given, it contains the name of a configuration file and at least one parameter, the transition to automatic sequence 103 takes place.

The next step 104 then consists in searching for the specified configuration file and loading it into the main memory.

The configuration files are identified by the so-called "extension" in the file name (the characters after the point) as configuration files. Each configuration file contains the numbered control commands of a peripheral device. In addition to each control command, a comment is provided which facilitates the assignment between the control command and the function of the peripheral device.

This is followed by the cyclic processing of the parameters listed, starting with a further query 105 as to whether there are other parameters that have not been processed in the call.

If this is the case, then the next respective parameter is read 106 and the control command, the number of which corresponds to the value of this parameter, for example (11), is sought. The control command is then sent to printer 6 in the next method step 107.

If all parameters of the call have been processed, the control program is deactivated in a last method step 108 and the personal computer 1 returns to the previous state.

If the procedure call does not contain a configuration file, the procedure takes a different course. In this case, after the query 102 as to whether a configuration file is present, the transition 109 to interactive operation takes place. In this method branch, the configuration files present in the personal computer are displayed on the screen 2 in a first step 110.

The name of a configuration file to be entered by the user depending on the connected printer 6 is scanned 111.

In another query 112, the validity of the configuration file entered is checked, i.e. whether the entered name of a configuration file matches the name of one of the existing configuration files.

If a valid configuration file has not been entered, the method is ended 108.

However, if the name is valid, the corresponding configuration file is loaded in a further method step 113 and its content is displayed on the screen 2.

The input made by the user depending on the desired function of the printer is scanned 114.

In a next query 115, it is judged whether a control command has been selected and if this has occurred, the

Control command sent 116. Otherwise, there is a jump to process end 108.

The method steps scan input 114, query 115 and send control command 116 are repeated until a jump to method end 108 takes place on the basis of a corresponding input.

Claims

Claims:

1. Method for selecting and programming functions of a peripheral device which can be connected to a computer, in particular a printer, at least one configuration file being stored in the computer and containing all control commands of the peripheral device with different identifiers, with the following method steps:

- a call to start the process is sensed; - The configuration file, the name of which is contained in the call, is loaded into a working memory of the computer;

- Those control commands of the loaded configuration file, the identification of which corresponds to a parameter contained in the call, are sent to the peripheral device.

2. The method according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t,

- That when a call is made that does not contain the name of a configuration file, the names of the configuration files stored in the computer are displayed on a computer screen;

- That, depending on the type of connected peripheral device, the stored configuration file is loaded into a working memory of the computer and

- That it is displayed from, the basis for a selection to be made by the user forming control commands for the peripheral device existing content.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the configuration files contain additional information not to be considered when sending the control commands.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least part of the control commands of a peripheral device has a variable command part, that the parameters contained in a call are processed according to their order in the call and that after calling a control command With a variable command part, a number of the following parameters of the call are used to determine this variable command part.