printer

Abstract

To provide a printer that is able to simultaneously and stably feed power to an external device and power required to print.SOLUTION: A printer includes a first interface, a second interface, a printing unit, a power supply unit, and a CPU. The first interface can receive power from the battery. The second interface can receive power from an AC adapter. The printing unit can be driven by drive power, which is power used for printing on a medium, by using at least one of the battery and the AC adapter as a supply source. The power supply unit is capable of being connected to an external device and is capable of supplying supply power, which is power to be supplied to the external device, by using at least one of the battery and the AC adapter as a supply source. The CPU sets the power supply sources for the supply power and the drive power according to a state of connection of the battery to the first interface, a state of connection of the AC adapter to the second interface, and a state of connection of the external device to the power supply unit (S7, S13, S17).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer. [Background technology]

[0002] The portable printer described in Patent Document 1 is powered by a battery or an AC adapter, and selectively executes either a normal printing mode or a print speed priority mode. In the normal printing mode, the portable printer executes printing using power from the AC adapter. In this case, the portable printer cuts off the supply of power from the battery. On the other hand, in the print speed priority mode, the portable printer executes printing using power from the battery at a higher speed than in the normal printing mode. In this case, the portable printer cuts off the supply of power from the AC adapter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-056700 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The portable printer may need to supply power to an external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard, for example. In this case, the portable printer supplies power to the external device based on the power of either the battery or the AC adapter. Therefore, the portable printer limits the drive power, which is the power used for printing, by the amount of power supplied to the external device. In this case, the portable printer must reduce the printing speed in accordance with the limit on the drive power and stop supplying power to the external device only during printing. This could result in a decrease in usability of the portable printer.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can simultaneously and stably supply power to an external device and power required for printing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The printer of the present invention includes a first power receiving unit connectable to a first power source and capable of receiving power from the first power source, a second power receiving unit connectable to a second power source and capable of receiving power from the second power source, a printing unit that can be driven by driving power, which is power used for printing on a medium, with at least one of the first power source or the second power source as a supply source via the first power receiving unit and the second power receiving unit, a power supply unit connectable to an external device and capable of supplying supply power, which is power to be supplied to the external device, via the first power receiving unit and the second power receiving unit, with at least one of the first power source or the second power source as a supply source, and a control unit, wherein the control unit executes a setting process to set the supply source of the supply power and the driving power depending on the connection status of the first power source to the first power receiving unit, the connection status of the second power source to the second power receiving unit, and the connection status of the external device to the power supply unit.

[0007] The printer supplies power according to the connection status between the power source and the external device. Therefore, the printer can secure the power supply and driving power from the power of the first power source and the power of the second power source, respectively. Therefore, the printer can stably supply power to the external device and the power required for printing at the same time.

[0008] In the present invention, the setting process may set the source of the driving power to the first power source and the source of the supply power to the second power source when the first power receiving unit is connected to the first power source, the second power source is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is connected to the power supply unit. The printer can execute printing by the printing unit using the driving power of the first power source, and can supply power to the external device using the supply power from the second power source. Therefore, the printer can execute printing by making maximum use of the power of the first power source.

[0009] In the present invention, when the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit, the external device is connected to the power supply unit, and the second power source is not connected to the second power receiving unit, the setting process may set the source of the drive power to the external device and the source of the power supply to the printing unit to the first power source, and the control unit may execute a first speed setting process to reduce the printing speed of the printing unit in accordance with the power supplied to the external device. The printer reduces the printing speed of the printing unit in accordance with the power supplied to the external device based on the power of the first power source. This allows the printer to perform printing while ensuring power supply to the external device using only the first power source.

[0010] In the present invention, when the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit and the second power source is not connected to the second power receiving unit, the setting process may set the source of the driving power to the printing unit to the first power source regardless of whether the external device is connected to the power supply unit, and the control unit may execute a second speed setting process to set the print speed to a maximum speed that is the maximum speed at which the printing unit can be driven by the first power source without supplying the feed power to the external device. When the second power source is not connected, the printer supplies power from the first power source only to the printing unit. In this case, the printer can drive the printing unit at the maximum speed by using the driving power based on the first power source to the maximum extent.

[0011] In the present invention, the setting process may set the source of the power supply to the external device to both the first power source and the second power source when the first power receiving unit is connected to the first power source, the second power source is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is connected to the power supply unit. When the printer does not require driving power, that is, when printing is not being performed by the printing unit, the printer can supply power based on the first power source and the second power source to the external device. Therefore, the printer can supply a larger amount of power to the external device than when each power source supplies power individually.

[0012] In the present invention, the first power source may be a battery and the second power source may be an AC adapter, allowing the printer to efficiently use the power of the battery and the AC adapter.

[0013] In the present invention, the setting process may set the source of the driving power supply to the AC adapter when the battery is connected to the first power receiving unit, the AC adapter is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is not connected to the power supply unit. The printer can reduce battery consumption by using driving power based on the power of the AC adapter for the printing unit.

[0014] In the present invention, the first power source may be a battery and the second power source may be an AC adapter, and the setting process may set the source of the driving power supply to the battery when the battery is connected to the first power receiving unit, the AC adapter is not connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is not connected to the power supply unit. The printer drives a printing unit based on the power of the battery. In this case, since there is no need to connect an AC adapter to the printer, the user can easily carry the printer.

[0015] In the present invention, the power supply unit may supply the power to the external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. The printer can execute control in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 2 is a diagram showing a connection state between a printer 1 and a tablet PC 5. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the power supply configuration of the printer 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] 13 is a flowchart of a main process. [Figure 4] 11 is a table showing the conditions of the operation settings of the printer 1 when no external device is connected. [Diagram 5]11 is a table showing conditions for operation settings of the printer 1 in a print speed priority mode. [Figure 6] 11 is a table showing conditions for operation settings of the printer 1 in the power supply priority mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The right-downward direction, the left-upward direction, the right-upward direction, the left-downward direction, the upper direction, and the lower direction in Fig. 1 correspond to the right, left, rear, front, upper, and lower directions of a printer 1, respectively.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 is configured to be capable of printing on a printing medium. The medium is, for example, a plurality of thermal labels continuously attached to a long mount. The printer 1 is driven by receiving power from a battery 11. The battery 11 is detachably attached to a first interface 41 (see FIG. 2) provided inside the printer 1. The battery 11 is, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery. The first interface 41 can receive power from the battery 11. The maximum power that the battery 11 can output is 70 W. The printer 1 can be driven by receiving power from an external power source connected to, for example, a commercial outlet (not shown). The external power source is, for example, an AC adapter 9 (see FIG. 2). The AC adapter 9 is connected to a second interface 42 provided at the rear lower part on the right side of the printer 1. The second interface 42 can receive power from the AC adapter 9. The maximum power that the AC adapter 9 can output is 90 W.

[0019] An interface 43 is provided at the front lower part of the right side of the printer 1. The interface 43 is a USB interface (I / F) that complies with the USB Type-C (registered trademark) standard. A cable 3 is connected to the interface 43. The cable 3 has a connector that complies with the USB Type-C standard and supports USB PD (USB Power Delivery). For example, the cable 3 can transmit power corresponding to a current of up to 5A and transmit various information.

[0020] The printer 1 can be connected to, for example, an external device via the interface 43 and the cable 3. The external device is, for example, a tablet PC 5. The tablet PC 5 has, for example, an LCD touch panel. A user edits print data such as character strings using the touch panel. In response to a user operation, the tablet PC 5 transmits print data to the printer 1 via the cable 3. The printer 1 prints characters such as letters and figures on a medium based on the print data received from the tablet PC 5.

[0021] Furthermore, the printer 1 is capable of supplying power to the tablet PC 5 in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard, thereby enabling the printer 1 to charge the tablet PC 5.

[0022] The electrical configuration of the printer 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The printer 1 further includes a boost circuit 31, an OR circuit 32, a digital circuit unit 6, a printing unit 7, and a power supply unit 8. The boost circuit 31 is composed of a power supply IC and the like. The boost circuit 31 boosts the voltage of the battery 11. The output power of the boost circuit 31 can be supplied to the OR circuit 32 and the power supply unit 8. The power of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the OR circuit 32 and the power supply unit 8. The supply of power to the power supply unit 8 will be described later.

[0023] The OR circuit 32 switches the power supply path to the digital circuit unit 6 and the printing unit 7 depending on the connection status of the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9. When only the AC adapter 9 is connected, the OR circuit 32 switches the supply path to supply power from the AC adapter 9. When only the battery 11 is connected, the OR circuit 32 switches the supply path to supply power from the battery 11. When both the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11 are connected, the OR circuit 32 switches the supply path to supply power from either the AC adapter 9 or the battery 11. In other words, the OR circuit 32 can change the supply source of power for driving the printing unit 7 (hereinafter also referred to as "driving power") depending on the connection status of the power source. The supply path switching of the OR circuit 32 is executed by the CPU 21, but may be set by the user.

[0024] The digital circuit unit 6 is driven by power supplied by the OR circuit 32. The digital circuit unit 6 includes a CPU 21, a RAM 22, a flash memory 23, an EEPROM 24, etc. The CPU 21 performs overall control of the printer 1. The CPU 21 is electrically connected to the RAM 22, the flash memory 23, the EEPROM 24, the printing unit 7, and the power supply unit 8.

[0025] The RAM 22 temporarily stores various data such as print data received from the tablet PC 5. The flash memory 23 stores various programs executed by the CPU 21 to control the printer 1. The EEPROM 24 stores information such as printer settings and print history, as well as tables A, B, and C (see FIGS. 4 to 6) described later.

[0026] The printing unit 7 includes a thermal head 13 and a transport motor 15. The thermal head 13 generates heat in response to a signal from a CPU 21 and prints on the medium. The transport motor 15 drives a feed roller for feeding the medium. The CPU 21 controls the thermal head 13 and the transport motor 15 to execute printing on the medium.

[0027] The power supply unit 8 includes a DCDC converter 35, a USB PDIC 37, a FET 36, and an interface 43. The DCDC converter 35 converts the input voltage from the AC adapter 9 or the battery 11 into an output voltage (e.g., 9 V, 5 V, etc.) suitable for power supply to the tablet PC 5. Furthermore, the DCDC converter 35 can simultaneously input the input voltages from the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11. In this case, the DCDC converter 35 can output power larger than the output voltages of the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11. For example, the DCDC converter 35 can output upper limit power, which is the upper limit power of the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. The upper limit power is, for example, 100 W. Hereinafter, the power output by the DCDC converter 35 is also referred to as "power supply". The power supply is supplied to the tablet PC 5.

[0028] The USBPDIC 37 is capable of mutual communication with the CPU 21. The USBPDIC 37 executes negotiation in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard with the tablet PC 5 via an interface 43. The USBPDIC 37 controls the value of the power supply output from the DC-DC converter 35 based on the negotiation result.

[0029] The USBPDIC 37 controls the switches SW1 and SW2 to set the source of power supply to the DCDC converter 35. For example, by turning on switch SW1 and turning off switch SW2, the source of power supply is set to the battery 11. By turning off switch SW1 and turning on switch SW2, the source of power supply is set to the AC adapter 9. By turning on both switches SW1 and SW2, the source of power supply is set to both the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11.

[0030] The USBPDIC 37 controls the supply of power from the DC-DC converter 35 to the tablet PC 5 by controlling the on / off of the FET 36. For example, when the FET 36 is turned on, power is supplied to the tablet PC 5 via the interface 43 and the cable 3.

[0031] The print speed priority mode and the power supply priority mode of the printer 1 will be described. The print speed priority mode is a mode that prioritizes the supply of drive power to the printing unit 7 when an external device is connected. In this case, the printer 1 executes high-speed printing using the power of the AC adapter 9 or the battery 11. In high-speed printing, printing is executed with a drive power of, for example, up to 70 W. High-speed printing means printing at a speed faster than the standard speed. High-speed printing means, for example, printing at the highest speed that can be realized based on the specifications of the printing unit 7. The power supply priority mode is a mode that prioritizes the supply of power from the power supply unit 8 to the external device when an external device is connected. In this case, the printer 1 executes low-speed printing using the power of the AC adapter 9 or the battery 11. In low-speed printing, printing is executed with a drive power of, for example, up to 48 W. Low-speed printing means printing at a speed slower than the standard speed. Low-speed printing means, for example, printing at the slowest speed that can be realized based on the specifications of the printing unit 7. Switching between the modes can be set by the user, for example, by an external device connected to the printer 1. For example, in the initial state, the print speed priority mode is set. If no external device is connected to the power supply unit 8 of the printer 1, the printer 1 does not need to consider the power supply and therefore performs high-speed printing. Details of the power supply to external devices in each mode will be described later.

[0032] The main processing will be described with reference to Fig. 3. For convenience of explanation, the following description will not take into account the power supply to the digital circuit unit 6 etc., but will only take into account the power supply to the printing unit 7 and power supply unit 8. When the user presses the power button of the printer 1, the CPU 21 reads and executes a program from the flash memory 23. This causes the CPU 21 to start the main processing.

[0033] When the main process starts, the CPU 21 acquires the connection status of each power source (S1). In this case, the CPU 21 identifies whether only the battery 11 is connected, only the AC adapter 9 is connected, or both the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 are connected to the printer 1.

[0034] The CPU 21 determines whether an external device is connected (S3). If it determines that an external device is not connected (S3: NO), the CPU 21 refers to table A (see FIG. 4) stored in the EEPROM 24 (S5). The CPU 21 performs operation settings for the printer 1 based on the power supply connection status acquired in S1 and table A (S7).

[0035] Here, the operation settings of the printer 1 include, for example, settings of the source of the driving power supplied to the printing unit 7 during printing, and settings of the maximum value of the driving power. When the maximum value of the driving power is 70 W, the printing unit 7 can perform high-speed printing. When the maximum value of the driving power is 48 W, the printing unit 7 can perform low-speed printing. The operation settings also include settings of the source of the power supply, whether or not power can be supplied, and settings of the maximum value of the power supply when printing / not printing. The setting of the supply source is realized, for example, by controlling the OR circuit 32, switches SW1, SW2, etc.

[0036] Table A stores detailed operation settings for the printer 1 according to the power supply connection status. Because no external device is connected to the power supply unit 8, the CPU 21 does not take into account the power supply unit 8 supplying power to the external device. Therefore, power supply from the power supply unit 8 is set to disabled regardless of the power supply connection status.

[0037] When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the driving power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum driving power to 70 W. In this case, 70 W of the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. In other words, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing using the AC adapter 9 as the supply source.

[0038] When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is not connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the driving power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum driving power to 70 W. In this case, 70 W of the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. In other words, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing using the AC adapter 9 as the supply source.

[0039] When the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the battery 11 as the driving power source and sets the maximum driving power to 70 W. In this case, 70 W of the maximum power of 90 W of the battery 11 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. In other words, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing using the battery 11 as the power source.

[0040] When the operational settings of the printer 1 are completed, the CPU 21 returns the process to S1.

[0041] On the other hand, if it is determined that an external device is connected (S3: YES), the CPU 21 determines whether the printer is set to the print speed priority mode (S9). If it is determined that the printer is set to the print speed priority mode (S9: YES), the CPU 21 refers to table B (see FIG. 5) stored in the EEPROM 24 (S11). The CPU 21 executes the operation setting of the printer 1 based on the power supply connection status acquired in S1 and table B (S13).

[0042] Table B stores details of the operation settings of the printer 1 according to the power supply connection status. When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the source of the driving power to the battery 11 and sets the maximum value of the driving power to 70 W. In this case, all of the maximum power of 70 W of the battery 11 is supplied to the printing unit 7. In other words, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing using the battery 11. The CPU 21 also sets the source of the power supply to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 90 W. In this case, the power supply unit 8 can supply all of the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 to the external device. Note that if the external device requests power greater than 90 W, the maximum power of 90 W that the AC adapter 9 can supply will be exceeded, so the CPU 21 sets the power supply unit 8 to disable power supply. On the other hand, when printing is not being performed, the CPU 21 sets the power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11, and sets the maximum power supply value to 100 W. In this case, the power supply unit 8 can supply an upper limit power of 100 W to the external device.

[0043] When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is not connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the source of the driving power to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the driving power to 70 W. In this case, 70 W of the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. That is, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing with the AC adapter 9. The CPU 21 also sets the source of the power supply to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 20 W. In this case, a maximum of 20 W of the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the external device. Note that if the external device requires power greater than 20 W, the maximum power of 90 W that can be supplied by the AC adapter 9 will be exceeded, so the CPU 21 sets the power supply from the power supply unit 8 to be disabled. On the other hand, when printing is not performed, the CPU 21 sets the source of the power supply to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 90 W. In this case, the AC adapter 9 can supply up to 90 W of power to the external device out of the maximum power of 90 W. If the external device requires power of 90 W or more, this exceeds the maximum power of 90 W that the AC adapter 9 can supply, so CPU 21 sets power supply from power supply unit 8 to be disabled.

[0044] When the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the source of the driving power to the battery 11 and sets the maximum value of the driving power to 70 W. In this case, all of the power of the maximum power of 70 W of the battery 11 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. That is, the printer 1 executes high-speed printing using the battery 11. Since all of the power of the battery 11 is used by the printing unit 7, the CPU 21 sets the power supply from the power supply unit 8 to be disabled. On the other hand, when printing is not executed, the CPU 21 sets the source of the power supply to the battery 11 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 70 W. In this case, all of the power of the maximum power of 70 W of the battery 11 can be supplied to the external device. Note that when the external device requests a power supply of 70 W or more, the power supply exceeds the maximum power of 70 W that the battery 11 can supply, so the CPU 21 sets the power supply from the power supply unit 8 to be disabled.

[0045] When the operational settings of the printer 1 are completed, the CPU 21 returns the process to S1.

[0046] On the other hand, if it is determined that the printing speed priority mode is not set (S9: NO), the power supply priority mode is set, so the CPU 21 refers to table C (see FIG. 6) stored in the EEPROM 24 (S15). The CPU 21 executes the operation setting of the printer 1 based on the power supply connection status acquired in S1 and table C (S17).

[0047] Table C stores details of the operation settings of the printer 1 according to the power supply connection status. When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the source of the driving power to the battery 11 and sets the maximum value of the driving power to 48 W. In this case, the maximum driving power of 48 W of the power of the battery 11 is supplied to the printing unit 7. That is, the printer 1 executes low-speed printing using the battery 11. The CPU 21 also sets the source of the power supply to the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 100 W, which is the same as the upper limit power. The power supply unit 8 is capable of supplying 100 W of power supply from the AC adapter 9 and the battery 11. Even when printing is not executed, the source of the power supply and the maximum value of the power supply are the same as those during printing.

[0048] When the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42 and the first interface 41 is not connected, the CPU 21 sets the power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the driving power to 48 W. In this case, a maximum of 48 W of the power of the AC adapter 9 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. That is, the printer 1 executes low-speed printing with the AC adapter 9. The CPU 21 also sets the power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 42 W. In this case, a maximum of 42 W of the maximum power of the AC adapter 9 of 90 W can be supplied to the external device. Note that if the external device requests power greater than 42 W, the maximum power of the AC adapter 9 will be exceeded, so the CPU 21 sets power supply from the power supply unit 8 to be disabled. On the other hand, when printing is not executed, the CPU 21 sets the power supply source to the AC adapter 9 and sets the maximum value of the power supply to 90 W. All of the power of the maximum power of the AC adapter 9 of 90 W can be supplied to the external device. If the external device requests power greater than 90 W, the maximum power of 90 W of the AC adapter 9 will be exceeded, and the CPU 21 sets the power supply unit 8 to disable power supply.

[0049] When the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42 and the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the CPU 21 sets the battery 11 as the source of the driving power and sets the maximum driving power to 48 W. In this case, a maximum of 48 W of the power of the battery 11 can be supplied to the printing unit 7. That is, the printer 1 executes low-speed printing with the battery 11 as the source of the power. The CPU 21 sets the upper limit of the power supply to 22 W. In this case, a maximum of 22 W of the maximum power of the battery 11, 70 W, can be supplied to the external device. That is, when the power supply of the power supply is prioritized, the CPU 21 reduces the driving power that can be supplied to the printing unit 7 according to the power supply to the external device. Therefore, the printing speed of the printing unit 7 is reduced to the speed of low-speed printing. Note that when the external device requests power greater than 22 W, the maximum power of the battery 11 exceeds 70 W, so the CPU 21 sets the power supply from the power supply unit 8 to be disabled. On the other hand, when printing is not being performed, CPU 21 sets the power supply source to battery 11 and sets the maximum power supply value to 70 W. In this case, all of the maximum power of 70 W of battery 11 can be supplied to the external device. Note that if the external device requests power greater than 70 W, this will exceed the maximum power of 70 W of battery 11, so CPU 21 sets power supply from power supply unit 8 to be disabled.

[0050] When the operational settings of the printer 1 are completed, the CPU 21 returns the process to S1.

[0051] The printer 1 supplies driving power to the printing unit 7 and power to external devices based on the conditions set in each step of the main process.

[0052] As described above, the CPU 21 sets the source of supply of power and drive power depending on the connection status of the battery 11 to the first interface 41, the connection status of the AC adapter 9 to the second interface 42, and the connection status of an external device to the power supply unit 8.

[0053] The printer 1 supplies power according to the connection state between the power source and the external device. Therefore, the printer 1 can secure the supply power and the driving power from the power of the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9. Therefore, the printer 1 can simultaneously and stably supply power to the external device and the power required for printing. For example, the printer 1 can supply driving power based on the power of the battery 11 to the printing unit 7 and supply power based on the power of the AC adapter 9 to the external device. In this case, the printer 1 can perform printing at the highest speed by using the power of the battery 11 to the maximum extent regardless of the presence or absence of the supply power. Therefore, the printer 1 can reduce the possibility of being subject to power restrictions even when supplying power to the external device and supplying driving power required for printing. Also, when only the power of the battery 11 is available, the printer 1 can supply driving power and supply power based on the power of the battery 11 to the printing unit 7 and the external device, respectively. On the other hand, when only the power of the AC adapter 9 is available, the printer 1 can supply driving power and power based on the power of the AC adapter 9 to the printing unit 7 and the external device, respectively. Also, when no external device is connected, the printer 1 can perform high-speed printing with driving power based on the power of either the battery 11 or the AC adapter 9. Therefore, the printer 1 can improve the usability.

[0054] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42, and an external device is connected to the power supply unit 8, the CPU 21 sets the driving power source to the battery 11, and sets the supply power source to the AC adapter 9. The printer 1 can execute printing by the printing unit 7 using the driving power of the battery 11, and can supply power to the external device using the power supplied from the AC adapter 9. Therefore, the printer 1 can execute printing by making maximum use of the power of the battery 11.

[0055] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, an external device is connected to the power supply unit 8, and the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42, the CPU 21 sets the battery 11 as the source of driving power to the external device and the source of power supplied to the printing unit 7. The CPU 21 reduces the printing speed of the printing unit 7 in accordance with the power supplied to the external device. The printer 1 reduces the printing speed of the printing unit 7 in accordance with the power supplied to the external device based on the power of the battery 11. This allows the printer 1 to perform printing while ensuring power supply to the external device using only the battery 11.

[0056] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41 and the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42, the CPU 21 sets the source of driving power supply to the printing unit 7 to the battery 11, regardless of whether an external device is connected to the power supply unit 8. The CPU 21 sets the print speed to the maximum speed at which the printing unit 7 can be driven by the battery 11 without supplying power to the external device. When the AC adapter 9 is not connected, the printer 1 supplies power from the battery 11 only to the printing unit 7. In this case, the printer 1 can drive the printing unit 7 at the maximum speed by using the driving power based on the battery 11 to the maximum extent.

[0057] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42, and an external device is connected to the power supply unit 8, the CPU 21 sets the source of power supply to the external device to both the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9. The printer 1 can supply power based on the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 to the external device. Therefore, the printer 1 can supply a larger amount of power to the external device compared to when power is supplied from each power source alone.

[0058] The printer 1 is connectable to a battery 11 and an AC adapter 9. The printer 1 can use the power of the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 efficiently.

[0059] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the AC adapter 9 is connected to the second interface 42, and no external device is connected to the power supply unit 8, the source of driving power is set to the AC adapter 9. The printer 1 uses driving power based on the power of the AC adapter 9 for the printing unit 7, thereby reducing consumption of the battery 11.

[0060] When the battery 11 is connected to the first interface 41, the AC adapter 9 is not connected to the second interface 42, and an external device is not connected to the power supply unit 8, the CPU 21 sets the source of driving power supply to the battery 11. When the printer 1 drives the printing unit 7 based on the power of the battery 11, there is no need to connect the AC adapter 9 to the printer 1. This allows the user to easily carry the printer 1.

[0061] The power supply unit 8 supplies power to an external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. The printer 1 can execute control in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard.

[0062] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. The techniques disclosed in the above-described embodiment and modified examples can be combined to the extent that they are not inconsistent. The printer 1 is a thermal printer, but is not limited to this, and may be an inkjet printer. The external device is a tablet PC 5, but is not limited to this. For example, the external device may be a smartphone, a PC, or other device.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the AC adapter 9 is used as the external power source, but this is not limiting. For example, the external power source may be replaced by a battery or the like. The printer 1 may receive power from an external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. Also, instead of the battery 11, the printer 1 may receive power from the AC adapter 9, or may receive power from an external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard. The AC adapter 9 may be connected to the first interface 41. In this case, the battery 11 may be connected to the second interface 42.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the printing unit 7 can be driven by the driving power supplied from the battery 11 or the AC adapter 9, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the printer 1 may be capable of supplying the driving power to the printing unit 7 from the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 as the supply source, like the DC-DC converter 35.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the maximum power of the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 is 70 W and 90 W, respectively, but is not limited to this. The maximum power of the battery 11 and the AC adapter 9 may be changed as appropriate. The upper limit power of the power supply unit 8 may also be changed as appropriate.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the driving power during high-speed printing and low-speed printing is 70 W and 48 W, respectively, but is not limited to this. The driving power may be changed as appropriate depending on the specifications of the battery 11, the AC adapter 9, the printing unit 7, etc. The upper limit power may also be changed from 100 W as appropriate.

[0067] In the above embodiment, when an external device requests power greater than the available power supply, the CPU 21 disables the setting of power supply from the power supply unit 8, but this is not limited to the above. For example, when there is surplus power that can be supplied, the surplus power may be supplied to the external device as power supply.

[0068] Instead of the CPU 21, a USBPDIC 37, an ASIC, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like may be used as a processor. Each main process may be distributed among a plurality of processors. The printer 1 may include other non-transitory storage media, such as an HDD. The non-transitory storage medium may be any storage medium capable of retaining information regardless of the period for which the information is stored. The non-transitory storage medium may not include a temporary storage medium (e.g., a transmitted signal).

[0069] The various programs may be downloaded (i.e., transmitted as a transmission signal) from a server connected to a network (not shown) and stored in a memory such as a HDD. In this case, the various programs may be stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a HDD provided in the server.

[0070] In the above description, the battery 11 is an example of a "first power source" of the present invention. The first interface 41 is an example of a "first power receiving unit" of the present invention. The AC adapter 9 is an example of a "second power source" of the present invention. The second interface 42 is an example of a "second power receiving unit" of the present invention. The CPU 21 is an example of a "control unit" of the present invention. The processes of S7, S13, and S17 executed by the CPU 21 are an example of a "setting process" of the present invention. The process of S17 executed by the CPU 21 is an example of a "first speed setting process" of the present invention. The process of S7 executed by the CPU 21 is an example of a "second speed setting process" of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Printer 5. Tablet PC 7 Printing Department 8 Power supply unit 9 AC adapter 11 Battery 21 CPU 41 First Interface 42 Second Interface

Claims

1. A first power receiving unit that is connectable to a first power source and can receive power from the first power source; A second power receiving unit that is connectable to a second power source and can receive power from the second power source; a printing unit that can be driven by driving power, which is power used for printing on a medium, from at least one of the first power source and the second power source via the first power receiving unit and the second power receiving unit; a power supply unit that is connectable to an external device and that is capable of supplying power, which is power to be supplied to the external device, from at least one of the first power source and the second power source via the first power receiving unit and the second power receiving unit; Control unit and Equipped with The control unit is A setting process for setting a supply source of the feed power and the drive power according to a connection status of the first power source to the first power receiving unit, a connection status of the second power source to the second power receiving unit, and a connection status of the external device to the power feeding unit. Run A printer characterized by:

2. The setting process includes: When the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit, the second power source is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is connected to the power supply unit, a supply source of the drive power is set to the first power source, and a supply source of the supply power is set to the second power source.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

3. The setting process includes: when the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit, the external device is connected to the power supply unit, and the second power source is not connected to the second power receiving unit, a source of the drive power to the external device and a source of the power supply to the printing unit are set to the first power source; The control unit is A first speed setting process for reducing a printing speed of the printing unit according to the power supply to the external device. Run 2. The printer according to claim 1.

4. The setting process includes: when the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit and the second power source is not connected to the second power receiving unit, a supply source of the driving power to the printing unit is set to the first power source regardless of whether the external device is connected to the power supply unit; The control unit is A second speed setting process for setting a print speed to a maximum speed that is a maximum speed at which the printing unit can be driven by the first power source without supplying the power supply to the external device. Run 2. The printer according to claim 1.

5. The setting process includes: When the first power source is connected to the first power receiving unit, the second power source is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is connected to the power supply unit, a supply source of the power supply to the external device is set to both the first power source and the second power source.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

6. the first power source is a battery; The second power source is an AC adapter.

3. The printer according to claim 2.

7. The setting process includes: When the battery is connected to the first power receiving unit, the AC adapter is connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is not connected to the power supply unit, the supply source of the driving power is set to the AC adapter.

7. The printer according to claim 6.

8. the first power source is a battery; the second power source is an AC adapter; The setting process includes: When the battery is connected to the first power receiving unit, the AC adapter is not connected to the second power receiving unit, and the external device is not connected to the power supply unit, the battery is set as the supply source of the driving power.

2. The printer according to claim 1.

9. The power supply unit supplies the power to the external device in accordance with the USB PD (USB Power Delivery) standard.

9. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a printer having a plurality of printing heads.

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