Interactive computer, printer, and interactive operation method

Abstract

To allow initial settings, or the like, to be configured without a keyboard.SOLUTION: An interactive computer includes: a printer interface which communicates with a printer; an input unit which receives key operation of a user on a key of the printer via the printer interface; an output unit which causes an output device to output a sentence to the user via an interface; and a processor which functions as a provision unit configured to provide an interactive UI using the sentence and the key operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an interactive computer, a printer and an interactive operation method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, systems in which a plurality of electronic devices work together are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a POS (Point Of Sale) register system in which a plurality of electronic devices work together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-90820 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a system in which a plurality of electronic devices cooperate with each other, at least one of the electronic devices may not have a keyboard, and in such an electronic device, it is necessary to perform settings such as initial settings without using a keyboard. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The interactive computer for solving the above problems includes a printer interface that communicates with a printer, an input unit that accepts key operations by a user on the keys of the printer via the printer interface, an output unit that causes an output device to output text to be communicated to the user via the interface, and a processor that functions as a providing unit that provides an interactive UI using the text and the key operations.

[0006] A printer for solving the above problems includes an interface for communicating with a computer, keys, a mechanical mechanism, and a processor that operates the mechanical mechanism in response to the operation of the keys in normal mode, and that notifies the computer of the operation of the keys without operating the mechanical mechanism in response to the operation of the keys in interactive mode.

[0007] An interactive operation method for solving the above problem includes having an output device output text to be communicated to a user, having a non-HID class device accept key operations, and transmitting a status including the key operations accepted by the device to a USB host as a non-HID class USB device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a system including an interactive computer. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive computer. [Figure 4] 11 is a sequence chart showing a setting process. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a printed sentence. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Here, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order. (1) System configuration: (1-1) Printer configuration: (1-2) Interactive computer configuration: (2) Setting process: (3) Other embodiments:

[0010] (1) System configuration: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a system including an interactive computer 10 according to this embodiment. The interactive computer 10 cooperates with external devices. In the example configuration shown in Fig. 1, the interactive computer 10 is a computer that constitutes part of a POS system, and cooperates with a printer 20 for printing receipts and the like, and a display 30 for displaying prices and the like.

[0011] Furthermore, the interactive computer 10 can also be connected to other computers (not shown), such as a mobile terminal, for various settings and management purposes, and can act as a relay between the other computers and the printer 20 and display 30. For example, an application program executed on the other computers can centrally manage the printer 20 and display 30 included in the POS system.

[0012] In this embodiment, the interactive computer 10 operates in accordance with the OS (Operating System) that runs on the other computer. That is, when the other computer runs on OS1, the interactive computer 10 must be set to an OS1 mode that is corresponding to OS1. When the other computer runs on OS2, the interactive computer 10 must be set to an OS2 mode that is corresponding to OS2. For this reason, before connecting the other computer to the interactive computer 10, it is necessary to set the interactive computer 10 to an appropriate mode.

[0013] The system shown in FIG. 1 is a system for setting the mode. That is, the mode of the interactive computer 10 is set in a state where no other computers are connected to the interactive computer 10 and a printer 20 and a display 30 are connected. As will be described later, the interactive computer 10 only has limited keys and does not have a display. For this reason, an interactive UI (User Interface) cannot be provided to a user using only the interactive computer 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the interactive computer 10 provides an interactive UI using the printer 20 and the display 30. The display 30 may be a display device of various types as long as it is capable of displaying prices and the like.

[0014] (1-1) Printer configuration: 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the printer 20. The printer 20 includes a processor 20a, a printer I / F 20b, a non-volatile memory 20c, a printing unit 20d, and a feed button 20e. The processor 20a includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown), and can execute various programs recorded in the non-volatile memory 20c to control each unit of the printer 20.

[0015] The processor 20a may be configured as a single chip, may be configured as multiple chips, or may be configured as an SoC together with various functional blocks. Also, for example, an ASIC may be used instead of a CPU, or a configuration in which a CPU and an ASIC work together may be used. When each device in this embodiment includes a processor, the processor can be realized in various forms similar to the processor 20a.

[0016] The printer I / F 20b is an interface for communicating with the interactive computer 10. In this embodiment, the printer I / F 20b is an interface for wired communication, but the communication format is not limited and the printer I / F 20b may be an interface for wireless communication. Also, in this embodiment, the printer I / F 20b is assumed to be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, but the communication standard is not limited and may be another standard.

[0017] The non-volatile memory 20c is a storage medium capable of storing any data. In this embodiment, the non-volatile memory 20c stores the control program for the printer 20 (not shown) and various data.

[0018] The printing unit 20d is a part that executes printing, and prints content on print media. There are no limitations on the printing method, and various methods such as inkjet, toner, and dye-sublimation can be used. In this embodiment, the printer 20 is a receipt printer, and is assumed to be a thermal recording printer. The printing unit 20d includes actuators, various devices, sensors, drive circuits, mechanical parts, and the like for printing on various media.

[0019] The feed button 20e is a mechanical key that is used to instruct the printer 10 to feed the print medium. When the user operates the feed button 20e, an interface (not shown) outputs information indicating whether the button is on or off to the processor 10a. While the user is pressing the feed button 20e, the printer 20 continues to feed the print medium. In this embodiment, the feed button 20e is also used as an input unit for setting the mode of the interactive computer 10.

[0020] Since the printer 20 is a receipt printer, the user interface on the housing of the printer 20 is extremely simple. In this embodiment, there are no keys other than the feed button 20e. Furthermore, the only display device is an LED (not shown) that indicates whether the printer 20 is operating normally or an error has occurred, and there is no display such as an LCD device.

[0021] The processor 20a can operate the printer 20 in a normal mode and an interactive mode by a program (not shown). The normal mode is a mode in which printing is performed based on print data sent by another computer connected to the interactive computer 10. In the normal mode, the processor 20a controls each section of the printer 20 to execute printing. At this time, when the feed button 20e is pressed, the processor 20a controls the printing section 20d to transport the print medium.

[0022] The interactive mode is a mode used when setting the mode of the interactive computer 10. In the interactive mode, the processor 20a prohibits the printer from operating in response to a key operation on the feed button 20e. That is, in the interactive mode, the processor 20a does not allow the print medium to be transported even if the feed button 20e is pressed. However, the status indicating the operation content on the feed button 20e is updated.

[0023] Specifically, the processor 20a manages a status that indicates the operation of the feed button 20e. That is, the status indicates the state of each part of the printer 20, and is stored in the non-volatile memory 20c. When the feed button 20e goes from a not-pressed state to a pressed state, the status of the feed button 20e in the status changes to a pressed state. When the feed button 20e goes from a pressed state to a not-pressed state, the status of the feed button 20e in the status changes to a not-pressed state.

[0024] The status may include other information. For example, the housing of the printer 20 includes a cover that protects the internal mechanism, and the cover can be opened by a user operation. The status may include information indicating whether the cover is open or not. The status may also include other information, such as information that no print medium is set, the presence or absence of an error, etc.

[0025] In this embodiment, the interactive computer 10 monitors the status to obtain the operation contents of the user on the feed button 20e. That is, the interactive computer 10 monitors the status and identifies the operation contents by the user based on the number of times the feed button 20e is pressed, the length of time the button is pressed, etc.

[0026] (1-2) Interactive computer configuration: 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the interactive computer 10. The interactive computer 10 includes a processor 10a, a printer I / F 10b1, a display I / F 10b2, a non-volatile memory 10c, and an initialization button 10d. The processor 10a includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown), and can execute various programs recorded in the non-volatile memory 10c to control each part of the interactive computer 10.

[0027] Printer I / F 10b1 is an interface for communicating with printer 20. In this embodiment, printer I / F 10b1 is an interface for wired communication, but the communication format is not limited and it may be an interface for wireless communication. Also, in this embodiment, printer I / F 10b1 is assumed to be a USB interface, but the communication standard is not limited and other standards may be used. In this embodiment, printer I / F 10b1 and printer I / F 20b are USB interfaces that communicate with printer 20 in the printer class.

[0028] The display I / F 10b2 is an interface to which the display 30 is connected via a cable. The standard of the display I / F 10b2 is also not limited, and various standards may be used. In Fig. 3, the interactive computer 10 is configured to include the display I / F 10b2 and the printer I / F 10b1, but if the printer 20 and the display 30 communicate using the same standard, the printer I / F 10b1 and the display I / F 10b2 may be the same interface.

[0029] The non-volatile memory 10c is a storage medium capable of storing any data. In this embodiment, the control program of the interactive computer 10 and various data (not shown) are stored in the non-volatile memory 10c. The various data include text information 10c1. The text information 10c1 is text data indicating information provided to the user when realizing the interactive UI. In this embodiment, the text information 10c1 indicates a text indicating the operation contents required to set the mode of the interactive computer 10. Specifically, in the text, the operations required for setting each mode using the keys described below are shown as options.

[0030] The initialization button 10d is a button provided on the housing of the interactive computer 10, and outputs information indicating whether the button is on or off to the processor 10a via an interface (not shown). A user presses the initialization button 10d when starting mode setting of the interactive computer 10.

[0031] As described above, the only key provided on the interactive computer 10 is the initialization button 10d. Furthermore, the interactive computer 10 does not have an output device, such as a display, for outputting information to the user. Therefore, an interactive UI cannot be provided using only the interactive computer 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, an interactive UI is provided using external devices, such as the printer 20 and the display 30, so that mode setting can be performed.

[0032] In this embodiment, in order to set the mode, a mode setting program (not shown) is stored in the non-volatile memory 10c. When the mode setting program is executed, the processor 10a functions as an input unit 10a1, an output unit 10a2, and a providing unit 10a3.

[0033] The input unit 10a1 has a function of accepting, via the printer I / F 10b1, key operations by a user on the keys of the printer 20. That is, when an operation is performed on a key by the printer 20, the processor 10a acquires the content of the key operation via the printer I / F 10b1 using the function of the input unit 10a1.

[0034] The output unit 10a2 is a function that causes the output device to output text to be communicated to the user via an interface. In this embodiment, the output device is at least one of the printer 20 and the display 30, but here, an example is assumed in which text is output to both. For this reason, the processor 10a uses the function of the output unit 10a2 to transmit text generated based on the text information 10c1 to the printer 20 via the printer I / F 10b1, and causes the printer 20 to print the text generated based on the text information 10c1. In addition, the processor 10a uses the function of the output unit 10a2 to transmit text generated based on the text information 10c1 to the display 30 via the display I / F 10b2, and causes the display 30 to display the text generated based on the text information 10c1. If the display 30 is a simple display, the content displayed may be less than the text printed by the printer 20. In addition, only one of the printer 20 and the display 30 may be connected to the interactive computer 10.

[0035] The providing unit 10a3 is a function that provides an interactive UI using text and key operations. When the interactive mode is started, the processor 10a, by the function of the providing unit 10a3, presents the user with guidance or questions in text and accepts a response thereto by the user's key operations. Specifically, the processor 10a selects and acquires the first text registered as the text information 10c1. Furthermore, by the function of the providing unit 10a3, the processor 10a generates additional information to be added to the standard text indicated by the text information 10c1. For example, the processor 10a identifies the mode of the interactive computer 10 as the additional information. Furthermore, the processor 10a generates text data indicating a text to be provided to the user by adding the additional information to the standard text indicated by the text information 10c1. Then, the processor 10a, by the function of the providing unit 10a3, passes the text data indicating the text to the output unit 10a2. The output unit 10a2 causes the output device to output the text indicated by the text data. The user visually checks the output result from the output device and specifies the operation content required to set the desired mode based on the text.

[0036] When the user performs the operation according to the operation content using the keys of the printer 20 described below, the processor 10a accepts the operation using the function of the input unit 10a1. The processor 10a identifies the operation content using the function of the providing unit 10a3 and sets the mode specified by the user. In other words, the processor 10a uses the function of the providing unit 10a3 to start a program corresponding to the OS specified by the user, and connects another computer running on the OS specified by the user to the interactive computer 10 so that the computer can execute processing.

[0037] (2) Setting process: The setting process for setting the mode of the interactive computer 10 will be described in detail below. FIG. 4 is a sequence chart of the setting process executed by the interactive computer 10 and the printer 20. Here, an example in which the printer 20 functions as an output device for text of an interactive UI will be described, but the display 30 may be the output device. The setting process is started in response to a predetermined trigger. In this embodiment, the predetermined trigger is a long press of the initialization button 10d of the interactive computer 10 (for example, a pressing operation that continues for 3 seconds or more). When the predetermined trigger occurs, the processor 10a of the interactive computer 10 starts the setting process. At this time, the interactive computer 10 instructs the printer 20 to start the setting process. As a result, the processor 20a of the printer 20 starts the setting process.

[0038] When the setting process is started, the processor 20a prohibits the feed button 20e from feeding the print medium. As a result, the print medium is not wasted by operating the feed button 20e. In addition, the feed button 20e can be used as an input device for the interactive UI.

[0039] Meanwhile, the processor 10a issues a text printing instruction (step S100). That is, the processor 10a, using the function of the providing unit 10a3, refers to the non-volatile memory 10c and acquires text information 10c1 indicating the first text. Furthermore, the processor 10a, using the function of the providing unit 10a3, generates additional information to be added to the standard text indicated by the text information 10c1. In this embodiment, the processor 10a identifies the mode of the interactive computer 10 and sets it as the additional information.

[0040] Furthermore, the processor 10a generates text data indicating the text to be provided to the user by adding the additional information to the standard text indicated by the text information 10c1. For example, the processor 10a generates text data by adding a predetermined symbol (such as parentheses or an asterisk) to a numerical value indicating the current mode of the interactive computer 10. Then, the processor 10a passes the text data to the output unit 10a2 by using the function of the providing unit 10a3. The processor 10a transmits the text data to the printer 20 via the printer I / F 10b1 by using the function of the output unit 10a2.

[0041] When the text data is sent, the printer 20 acquires the text data via the printer I / F 20b and prints the text indicated by the text data (step S200). FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the text to be printed. In the example shown in FIG. 5, text is printed indicating the user's choice for the mode of the interactive computer 10. The choices are "Don't change," "OS1 mode," and "OS2 mode." Below the choice, a sentence is printed indicating that when selecting a choice, the feed button 20e should be quickly pressed the same number of times as the number indicated corresponding to the choice, and that to end selecting a choice, the feed button 20e should be pressed and held down.

[0042] Furthermore, in Fig. 5, the network status of the interactive computer 10 is included. In Fig. 5, an example is shown in which an IP address is included as the network status, but other network statuses, such as an SSID, a security protocol, and an encryption key method, may also be included.

[0043] The text provided to the user includes additional information in addition to the fixed text as described above. The additional information indicates dynamic information that may change for each interactive computer 10. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the additional information is brackets indicating the current mode set in the interactive computer 10 and the value of the IP address. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 5, brackets are added to the number of times the feed button 20e is pressed when instructing the OS2 mode, which is 2, indicating that the current mode is the OS2 mode. Based on the brackets, the user can recognize that other computers operating on OS2 can be connected to the interactive computer 10. In addition, the value of the IP address associated with the interactive computer 10, "192.168.11.33", is added as additional information to the fixed text "IP Address". According to the above configuration, the text can be transmitted to the user using the printer 20, which is an output device connected to the interactive computer 10.

[0044] The user specifies the operation content for selecting each option based on the sentence, and operates the feed button 20e to indicate the desired option. The processor 20a determines whether the feed button 20e has been operated (step S205). If it is not determined that the feed button 20e has been operated, the processor 20a repeats the processes from step S205 onward and enters a state of waiting for an operation input.

[0045] If it is determined in step S205 that the feed button 20e has been operated, the processor 20a changes the status of the feed button 20e (step S210). That is, when the feed button 20e changes from a not-pressed state to a pressed state, the processor 20a changes the status to indicate that the feed button 20e is pressed. When the feed button 20e changes from a pressed state to a not-pressed state, the processor 20a updates the status to indicate that the feed button 20e is not pressed. The status is stored, for example, in a RAM or the like.

[0046] When the status is changed, the processor 20a of the printer 20 transmits the status (step S215). That is, the processor 20a transmits the status of the feed button 20e to the interactive computer 10 via the printer I / F 20b.

[0047] The processor 10a of the interactive computer 10 monitors whether the status has been received via the printer I / F 10b1 (step S105). If it is determined in step S105 that the status has been received, the processor 10a acquires the status (step S110) and stores it in RAM or the like. As a result of the above, the processor 10a can acquire the operation content of the feed button 20e. The printer class is defined by the USB standard, and the printer 20 communicates with the interactive computer 10, which is a USB host, as a printer class USB device.

[0048] The printer 20, which communicates in the printer class, is not a device compatible with the HID class. In other words, the printer I / F 10b1 and printer I / F 20b cannot send detailed information to the computer, such as key codes in the HID class used in input devices such as keyboards. Therefore, in a configuration in which a USB device compatible with the printer class is connected to the interactive computer 10, which is the USB host, as in this embodiment, detailed information indicating the contents of key input cannot be sent from the printer 20 as in the HID class.

[0049] Therefore, in this embodiment, the processor 10a acquires the status of the feed button 20e by using ASB (Auto Status Back), which automatically transmits the status from the printer 20 when the status is changed, and thereby acquires the operation details of the feed button 20e. With this configuration, it becomes possible to use the printer 20, which is a device that does not support the HID class, as an input device for the interactive computer 10.

[0050] When the status is acquired in step S110, the processor 10a determines whether or not the input of the command by the feed button 20e has ended (step S115). The command is a combination of predetermined operations of the feed button 20e, and corresponds to the operation contents indicated in the text of step S100. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 5, it is predetermined that the number of times the feed button 20e is quickly pressed specifies an option, and it is predetermined that a long press of the feed button 20e indicates the end of the command input.

[0051] In this case, when the feed button 20e changes from a not-pressed state to a pressed state and then from a pressed state to a not-pressed state, the processor 10a identifies the duration of the pressed state. If the duration is less than a predetermined threshold (e.g., 3 seconds), the processor 10a determines that the feed button 20e was pressed quickly. If the duration is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the processor 10a determines that the feed button 20e was pressed for a long time.

[0052] If it is determined in step S115 that the command input has not ended, the processor 10a repeats the processes in and after step S105. If it is determined in step S115 that the command input has ended, the processor 10a performs a process according to the command (step S120). That is, the processor 10a identifies the option selected by the user, i.e., the mode to be set in the interactive computer 10, based on the number of times the feed button 20e has been quickly pressed.

[0053] When the mode to be set is specified, the processor 10a sets the interactive computer 10 to operate in the specified mode, i.e., to operate with the specified OS. As a result, the interactive computer 10 can connect to another computer that operates with the OS specified by the user, and the other computer can control the printer 20 and the display 30 via the interactive computer 10. Then, the setting process ends and the normal state is entered. As a result, the print medium is transported in response to the operation of the feed button 20e. With the above configuration, the interactive computer 10 can be set even when a keyboard is not connected to the interactive computer 10.

[0054] In the example shown in FIG. 4, if the user inputs a command in response to one sentence, and then another sentence follows, the process may return from step S120 to step S100, execute the process from step S100 onwards, and accept a command based on the other sentence. Furthermore, the setting process may be terminated by an operation on the printer 20. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which an operation to open and close the cover of the printer 20, or a predetermined operation on the feed button 20e is a command to end the setting process. In this case, the printer 20 determines that a predetermined operation has been performed in step S205, changes the status based on that operation in step S210, and transmits the status in step S215. The processor 20a also terminates the setting process.

[0055] When the processor 10a receives a status corresponding to the predetermined operation in steps S105 to S115, the processor 10a ends the setting process in step S120. That is, the processor 10a ends the interactive mode and transitions to the normal mode.

[0056] (3) Other embodiments: The above embodiment is an example for implementing the present invention, and various other embodiments can be adopted. For example, the device connected to the interactive computer 10 is not limited to the printer 20 or the display 30. That is, the connected device may be various devices having keys and a mechanical mechanism. For example, it may be a scanner, a projector, a multifunction machine equipped with a scanning function, etc. In any case, it is sufficient that the mechanical mechanism is operated in response to a key operation in the normal mode, and the mechanical mechanism is not operated in response to a key operation in the interactive mode, and the computer is notified of the key operation content.

[0057] The printer interface may be any interface that communicates with the printer. There are no limitations on the specifications of the printer interface. Therefore, it may be an interface that conforms to various standards for wired communication or wireless communication. For example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), wired LAN, wireless LAN, etc. may be used.

[0058] The input unit only needs to be able to accept key operations by the user on the keys of the printer via the printer interface. In other words, the input unit only needs to be able to acquire information indicating key operations from the printer, which is an external device of the interactive computer, via the printer interface. The keys of the printer are not limited to the feed key as in the above embodiment, and may be various other keys. For example, various keys such as an execution key and a stop key may be the keys of the printer. A sensor that detects the opening and closing of a cover may also be used as a key. The key operations may be various key operations, and various key operations may be instructed by the output device, and the user may perform various key operations according to the instructions.

[0059] The output unit only needs to be able to cause the output device to output text to be communicated to the user via the interface. In other words, the output unit only needs to be able to communicate various instructions and information to the user using an external output device. The output device may be a device capable of outputting text, and the output destination medium may be various media. For example, the output device may be a printer or a display. When the output device is a printer, the interface is a printer interface, and when the output device is a display, the interface is a display interface. The interface may be a general-purpose interface such as a USB interface, and in this case, the printer interface and the interface of the output device may be the same interface.

[0060] The providing unit may provide an interactive UI using text and key operations. In other words, the providing unit provides a user interface to the user by accepting key input and causing the output device to output information. The providing unit also indicates the user's operations and options by using text to be output by the output device, and the user determines his or her intention according to the text and inputs information to the printer keys, thereby providing an interactive UI. The interactive UI may be a UI that is realized by the user operating keys according to the content communicated to the user by the text.

[0061] The processor may be a circuit that functions as an input unit, an output unit, and a providing unit. Each function may be realized by hardware or software. Of course, the processor may have functions other than the input unit, the output unit, and the providing unit.

[0062] Furthermore, the present invention can be applied as a program or method executed by a computer. The above-mentioned system, program, and method may be realized as a single device, or may be realized by using parts of multiple devices, or each element may be provided in a device different from the above-mentioned device, and include various aspects. In addition, it can be modified as appropriate, such as being partly software and partly hardware. Furthermore, the invention can be established as a recording medium of a program that controls the system. Of course, the recording medium of the program may be a magnetic recording medium or a semiconductor memory, and any recording medium developed in the future can be considered in the same way. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10...Interactive computer, 10a...Processor, 10a1...Input section, 10a2...Output section, 10a3...Providing section, 10b1...Printer I / F, 10b2...Display I / F, 10c...Non-volatile memory, 10c1...Text information, 10d...Initialization button, 20...Printer, 20a...Processor, 20b...Printer I / F, 20c...Non-volatile memory, 20d...Printing section, 20e...Feed button, 30...Display

Claims

1. A printer interface for communicating with a printer; an input unit that accepts key operations by a user on the keys of the printer via the printer interface; an output unit that outputs a sentence to be conveyed to the user via an interface to an output device; a processor that functions as a providing unit that provides an interactive UI using the text and the key operation; An interactive computer with

2. the printer interface is a USB interface for communicating with the printer of a printer class; 2. The interactive computer of claim 1.

3. the processor prohibits the printer from performing a printer operation corresponding to the key operation when providing the interactive UI; 2. The interactive computer of claim 1.

4. the input unit receives, via the printer interface, a status that the printer changes in response to the key operation; 2. The interactive computer of claim 1.

5. the output device is the printer; The output unit causes the printer to print the text.

2. The interactive computer of claim 1.

6. the output device is a display; The output unit causes the display to display the sentence.

2. The interactive computer of claim 1.

7. An interface for communicating with a computer; Key, A mechanical mechanism; a processor that operates the mechanical mechanism in response to the operation of the key in a normal mode, and that notifies the computer of the operation of the key without operating the mechanical mechanism in response to the operation of the key in an interactive mode; A printer equipped with

8. Output the text to be conveyed to the user on the output device, A non-HID class device accepts key operations, transmitting a status including the key operation received by the device to a USB host as a non-HID class USB device; A method for interactive operation of a USB host.

9. The device is a printer.

9. The interactive operation method according to claim 8.

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