Storage media control circuit and apparatus including same

A storage media control apparatus comprising a storage media control circuit and a slot unit;

• said storage media control circuit controlling inputs to and outputs from a plurality of types of storage media of different shapes and specifications and including:
• detection terminals provided for respective ones of the storage media of the plurality of types for detecting state of connection of each storage medium;
• and
• input/output terminals for inputting data to and outputting data from a storage medium whose connection has been detected by said detection terminals,
• the number of input/output terminals being equal to the number of input/output signals of whichever storage medium has the largest number of input/output signals among the storage media of the plurality of types, and
• said slot unit being capable of having storage media of a plurality of types insertable therein and including an exclusion mechanism for limiting simultaneously inserted storage media to a single storage medium.

A printing apparatus comprising a storage media control circuit and a slot unit;

• said storage media control circuit controlling inputs to and outputs from a plurality of types of storage media of different shapes and specifications and including:
• detection terminals provided for respective ones of the storage media of the plurality of types for detecting state of connection of each storage medium;
• and
• input/output terminals for inputting data to and outputting data from a storage medium whose connection has been detected by said detection terminals,
• the number of input/output terminals being equal to the number of input/output signals of whichever storage medium has the largest number of input/output signals among the storage media of the plurality of types, and
• said slot unit being capable of having storage media of a plurality of types insertable therein and including an exclusion mechanism for limiting simultaneously inserted storage media to a single storage medium,
• wherein the printing apparatus is so adapted that it is possible to print image data that has been stored on the storage media.

A storage media control circuit for controlling inputs to and outputs from a plurality of types of storage media of different shapes and specifications, comprising:

• detection means for detecting the type of a storage medium that undergoes input/output of data;
• buffers for holding input data or output data with regard to this storage medium;
• first control means, which correspond to respective ones of the plurality of storage media, for performing control for accessing the storage media;
• selection means for selecting said buffers;
• and
• second control means for controlling selection of said first control means and said selection means in accordance with result of detection by said detection means.