Printing apparatus, POS system and printing apparatus control method

A printing apparatus for printing a multiplicity of receipts in succession with each receipt printed to print paper in response to print data received from a computer with said print data including first print data representing transaction information which may include a paper cut command, second print data representing additional information print data to be printed in addition to the first print data and having an identifier added thereto, and third print data representing a receipt header to be printed on each successive receipt, said printing apparatus comprising:

• a receiving unit for receiving print data from said computer;
• a transportation unit for conveying the print paper to which each receipt is printed;
• a printing unit for printing the receipt synchronized to said transportation unit;
• a cutter unit for cutting a printed receipt in response to a paper cut command appended to the first print data;
• a first control unit for controlling the operation of the transportation unit and printing unit to delay the timing in the execution of the paper cut command for a controlled time period when the received print data in said receiving unit is determined to be first print data with said first control unit having a delay time counter for timing the delay of the paper cut command when the print data is determined to be said first print data;
• a print data evaluation unit responsive to the delay in the execution of the paper cut command for determining if print data received in said receiving unit while execution of the paper cut command is being delayed is second print data or third print data;
• and
• a second control unit responsive to said print data evaluation unit for controlling the transportation unit, printing unit, and cutter unit for timing the printing f third print data to said print paper in the preparation of each successive receipt such that printing occurs before executing the paper cut command to cut the previous receipt when the received print data is determined to be third print data.

A POS system having a host computer for running a POS application and a printing apparatus for printing a receipt to print paper in response to print data generated from the host computer wherein said print data includes first print data representing transaction information having a paper cut command appended thereto when generated by the POS application and second print data representing additional information print data to be printed in addition to the first print data and having an identifier added thereto, said POS system comprising:

• a first print data output unit for sending said first print data to the printing apparatus with said added paper cut command when generated;
• a second print data generation unit for analyzing the first print data and determining whether to generate second print data based on the analysis of the first print data;
• a print data output unit responsive to the determination by said second print data generation unit that second print data is to be generated for generating and outputting to the printing apparatus the second print data along with the identifier added thereto and
• a control unit responsive to said second print data generation unit and to said print data output unit for controlling execution of the paper cut command such that if the first print data does not include the identifier the paper cut command is executed before printing the first print data and if second print data is determined to be generated along with the identifier the paper cut command is executed after printing the second print data.

A POS system having a host computer for running a POS application and having a printing apparatus for printing a receipt to print paper in response to print data generated from the host computer wherein said print data includes first print data representing transaction information which may include a paper cut command, second print data representing additional information print data to be printed in addition to the first print data and having an identifier added thereto, and third print data representing a receipt header to be printed on each successive receipt to be printed by the printing apparatus comprising

• a third print data output unit for sending the third print data to the printing apparatus;
• a first print data output unit for sending first print data to the printing apparatus with an added paper cut command when generated by the POS application;
• a second print data generating unit for determining whether to generate second print data based on analyzing the transaction information print data;
• a second print data output unit for generating and outputting the second print data with the identifier added thereto to the printing apparatus when the second print data generating unit determines that second print data is to be generated and
• a control unit responsive to said second print data generation unit and to said print data output unit for controlling execution of the paper cut command such that if the first print data does not include the identifier the paper cut command is executed before printing the first print data and if second print data is determined to be generated alone with the identifier the paper cut command is executed after printing the second print data.

A method for controlling a printing apparatus for printing a receipt to print paper and cutting the receipt in response to print data received from a computer including first print data representing transaction information having a paper cut command appended thereto and second print data representing additional information print data to be printed in addition to the first print data and having a predetermined identifier added thereto, comprising the steps of:

• determining when first print data is received from the computer for printing the first print data to said receipt while and delaying the timing of the execution of the paper cut command;
• determining if print data received while execution of the paper cut command is being delayed is second print data containing said predetermined identifier;
• executing the paper cut command after printing the second data when the received print data is determined to be second print data containing said predetermined identifier;
• and
• executing the paper cut command before printing the received print data when the received print data is determined not to be second print data.

A method for controlling a printing apparatus for printing a multiplicity of consecutive receipts on print paper and cutting the trailing end of each printed receipt from the print paper in succession in response to print data received from a computer with said print data including first print data representing transaction information which may include a paper cut command, second print data representing additional information print data to be printed in addition to the first print data and contains a predetermined identifier added thereto, and third print data representing a receipt header to be printed on each consecutive receipt comprising the steps of:

• printing the first print data to a receipt and delaying execution of the paper cut command added to the first print data when first print data is received from the computer;
• determining if print data received while execution of the paper cut command is being delayed is third print data or second print data based on whether the predetermined identifier is detected in the received print data;
• and
• printing the third print data on the next consecutive receipt before executing the paper cut command to cut the previous printed receipt when the received print data is determined to be third print data.