Printing apparatus comprising series-models supporting firmware and series-models supporting method
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorSung-hi Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing apparatus to perform a printing operation by driving hardware provided thereto according to a printing command received from a user, including a firmware unit to store function information of a plurality of models of the printing apparatus, and selectively perform the function of one of the plurality of models which corresponds to a model index designated as the printing apparatus is initialized.
Claims12
A printer to perform a printing operation by driving hardware provided thereto according to a printing command received from a user, comprising:
- a firmware unit to store function information of a plurality of printer models, supported by a common firmware, of the printer, and control the printer to selectively perform the function of one of the plurality of printer models which corresponds to a model index designated by a manufacturer as the printer is initialized, and
- wherein the common firmware is a multi-model firmware that can be used in the plurality of printer models, and the firmware unit comprises
- a storage unit to store the function information of the plurality of printer models therein;
- a model index processing unit to store a model index designation command received from outside the firmware unit, extract from the storage unit the function information which corresponds to the model index designated by the model index designation command upon the initialization of the printer, and output the extracted function information;
- and
- a firmware driving unit to control the hardware to receive the function information and perform a corresponding function,
- wherein the model index designation command is transmitted along with initialization files through a printer interface during the manufacturing of the printer, so that the model index designation command is processed upon the initialization of the printer.
A method of supporting a plurality of models of a printer by a common firmware, the method comprising:
- storing function information of a plurality of models of the printer;
- controlling the printer to selectively perform the function of one of the plurality of printer models which corresponds to a model index designated by a manufacturer, according to the function information corresponding to the printer;
- inputting a model index designation command and storing the command in a file of a printer in which the common firmware is installed, during a manufacturing operation;
- confirming a model index designation command which designates a model index corresponding to one of the plurality of printer models on performing an initialization of the printer;
- extracting function information corresponding to the one of the plurality of printer models which is designated by the model index designation command;
- confirming a function of the designated model using the function information;
- and
- performing the function based on the confirmation and controlling hardware of the printer to receive the function information and perform a corresponding function to the received function information,
- wherein the common firmware is a multi-model firmware that can be used in the plurality of printer models, and
- wherein the model index designation command is transmitted along with initialization files through a printer interface during the manufacturing of the printer, so that the model index designation command is processed upon the initialization of the printer.
A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a firmware unit to control a printer, wherein the firmware unit stores function information of a plurality of models of the printer, and controls the printer to selectively perform the function of one of the plurality of printer models which corresponds to a model index designated by a manufacturer, according to the function information corresponding to the printer,
- further comprising a model index processing unit to store a model index designation command received from outside the firmware unit by a manufacturer, extract the function information corresponding to a model index designated by the model index designation command upon the initialization of the printer, and output the extracted information, and
- a firmware driving unit to control hardware of the printer to receive the function information and perform a corresponding function to the received function information,
- wherein the common firmware is a multi-model firmware that can be used in the plurality of printer models, and
- wherein the model index designation command is transmitted along with initialization files through a printer interface during the manufacturing of the printer, so that the model index designation command is processed upon the initialization of the printer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.