Printer

Abstract

In order to switch, in a standalone state without connection to a host device, settings information respectively corresponding to a plurality of different types of printer drivers, a printer (100) comprises a print unit (50), a conveyance unit (60), a communication unit (40), a display unit (20) for displaying settings information such as a device ID, an operation unit (30) (input unit) for selecting a device ID displayed on the display unit (20), and a control unit (10). The control unit (10) comprises a memory (14) (storage unit) and a processing unit (13). The memory (14) stores different device IDs corresponding to respective printer drivers, and a program for controlling the print unit (50) and the conveyance unit (60) in a manner corresponding to each device ID. The processing unit (13) executes a program corresponding to a device ID, and the processing unit (13) executes a program corresponding to one device ID selected by the operation unit (30) from among a plurality of device IDs displayed on the display unit (20).

Description

printer

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer.

[0002] Printers are used by connecting them to a host device such as a personal computer, tablet terminal, cash register, etc. The printer has firmware, and the host device has a printer driver compatible with the connected printer in order to operate the printer, and the printer driver for the host device must be compatible with the connected printer.

[0003] Here, a printer may be replaced with a new model printer or a different model printer due to, for example, a malfunction, or a different model printer may be connected in addition to an already connected printer.

[0004] In these cases, the host device must be equipped with a printer driver compatible with the newly connected printer. If the host device does not have the printer driver, the host device must be connected to a server or the like to install the printer driver on the host device, or the firmware of the newly connected printer must be updated from the host device in order to operate the printer using the existing printer driver that the host device has.

[0005] In addition, in a system in which multiple cash registers, multiple types of printers, and computers are connected via a network, it is necessary to use a different printer driver for each type of printer and adjust the settings of each printer using the computer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0006] Patent No. 3838467

[0007] However, installing a printer driver in a host device or updating printer firmware from a host device places a burden on the printer user. Furthermore, if the host device is not a multi-functional device such as a personal computer, for example, if the host device is a cash register, it is not possible to install a new printer driver in the cash register or update the printer firmware from the cash register, so as mentioned above, it is necessary to adjust the printer (such as updating the firmware) using a computer, which is a problem that takes a lot of time and effort.

[0008] The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a printer that can switch setting information corresponding to multiple different types of printer drivers in a stand-alone state (printer alone) without being connected to a host device.

[0009] The present invention is a printer comprising a printing unit that prints on a printing medium, a transport unit that transports the printing medium, a communication unit that communicates with an external host device when connected to the host device, an operation unit that inputs operations, and a control unit that controls the printing unit, the transport unit, the communication unit, and the operation unit, wherein the control unit has a memory unit and a processing unit, and the memory unit stores multiple device IDs corresponding to each printer driver, and setting information corresponding to a program that controls the printing unit and the transport unit corresponding to each device ID, and the processing unit executes a program corresponding to one of the multiple device IDs selected in response to an operation input to the operation unit.

[0010] The printer according to the present invention can switch between setting information corresponding to a plurality of different types of printer drivers in a stand-alone state (printer alone) without being connected to a host device.

[0011] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printer; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer; FIG. 3 is a device ID using a USB interface, where (a) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer3, (b) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer2, and (c) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer1; FIG. 4 is a device ID using a parallel interface (IEEE1284), where (a) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer3, (b) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer2, and (c) shows the device ID corresponding to the model name Printer1; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how the communication unit of a printer is connected to the communication unit of a host PC via a USB interface or a parallel interface; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process flow of the host PC operating the printer after the printer and host PC are connected; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing how the printer changes the device ID of model name Printer3 to the device ID of model name Printer2 or the device ID of model name Printer1; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a printer according to a second embodiment; FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer shown in FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of thermal paper on which a device ID is printed by a printer according to a second embodiment. FIG.

[0012] An embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] (First embodiment) <Overall configuration> Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printer 100, and Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer 100. The printer 100 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is one embodiment (first embodiment) of a printer according to the present invention.

[0014] As an example, the printer 100 is a thermal printer that uses a thermal head to print on thermal paper as a print medium. However, the printer 100 is not limited to a thermal printer, and may be any printer that is connected to a host device such as a personal computer, tablet terminal, or cash register and prints in accordance with a print command from the host device.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the printer 100 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped as a whole. The printer 100 has a display unit 20 at the front of the top surface, and a plurality of physical operation units 30 located in front of the display unit 20. In addition to the display unit 20 and operation unit 30, the printer 100 also has a control unit 10, a communication unit 40, a printing unit 50, and a transport unit 60, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0016] The display unit 20 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) and is provided with LEDs that indicate whether the power is on (ON) or off (OFF), and whether the thermal paper is almost out of paper or has run out of paper by turning on and off or by changing the color of the light. The display unit 20 displays various setting information for the printer 100, which will be described later. The various setting information includes, for example, printing setting information (whether to compress line spacing, whether to shrink vertically and horizontally, whether to print watermarks, etc.), and multiple device IDs stored in a selectable memory unit.

[0017] The operation unit 30 receives user inputs and includes a cover opening / closing operation unit 30B and a switch operation unit 30A. The cover opening / closing operation unit 30B is a cover open lever that receives inputs for opening and closing the paper cover 1 that covers the paper storage chamber in which thermal paper is stored.

[0018] The switch operation unit 30A has multiple buttons (four in this embodiment, for example), and by pressing these buttons, the setting information of the printer 100 is changed or selected, and thermal paper is fed (transported).

[0019] One of the four buttons is a switch button (an example of a switching means) that switches one of three device IDs (described later) displayed on the display unit 20 to the other two device IDs one by one, and the other button is a decision button (an example of a decision means) that decides, as the selected device ID, the one device ID switched by the switch button and displayed on the display unit 20. Another button different from the above two buttons corresponds to the function of feeding (conveying) the thermal paper by a predetermined length, and when pressed, the thermal paper is fed by the predetermined length.

[0020] It should be noted that these four buttons may not have fixed functions as buttons corresponding to the above-mentioned functions, but may have functions that can be switched depending on the setting information displayed on the display unit 20 .

[0021] The printing unit 50 prints on thermal paper and has a print head such as a thermal head.

[0022] The transport unit 60 feeds the thermal paper being printed by the printing unit 50 and transports the printed thermal paper for ejection. The transport unit 60 has, for example, a stepping motor or a DC motor as a drive source for transporting the thermal paper.

[0023] When the communication unit 40 is connected to an external personal computer 200 (an example of a host device; hereinafter referred to as the host PC 200), the communication unit 40 communicates with the host PC 200. The connection to the host PC 200 is made via, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface or a parallel interface (IEEE1284).

[0024] The control unit 10 controls the printing unit 50, the transport unit 60, the communication unit 40, the display unit 20, and the operation unit 30. The control unit 10 has a memory 14 (storage unit) and a processing unit 13. The memory 14 stores setting information corresponding to a device ID that differs for each printer driver, and firmware (programs) that control the printing unit 50 and the transport unit 60 for each device ID. The memory 14 of the printer 100 of this embodiment stores three device IDs, as an example. The processing unit 13 has a CPU 11 and an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) 12, and reads firmware from the memory 14 and executes a program corresponding to a selected device ID from the firmware.

[0025] 3A, 3B, and 3C are examples of information recorded in three device IDs stored in memory 14. As shown in Fig. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the device ID includes information such as the manufacturer name (MANUFACTURE) of the printer 100 and the model name (MODEL) of the printer 100. The device ID shown in Fig. 3A has the model name Printer3, the device ID shown in Fig. 3B has the model name Printer2, and the device ID shown in Fig. 3C has the model name Printer1, and the device ID in Fig. 3A, the device ID in Fig. 3B, and the device ID in Fig. 3C have different model names.

[0026] While Figures 3(a), (b), and (c) show device ID expressions using a USB interface, device IDs using a parallel interface (IEEE1284) are expressed as shown in Figures 4(a), (b), and (c). Figure 4(a) corresponds to the device ID for the model Printer3 shown in Figure 3(a), Figure 4(b) corresponds to the device ID for the model Printer2 shown in Figure 3(b), and Figure 4(c) corresponds to the device ID for the model Printer1 shown in Figure 3(c).

[0027] The printer with the model name Printer3 is, for example, a successor model or an upward compatible model of the printer with the model name Printer2, and in addition to the basic functions of the printer with the model name Printer2, it has functions that the printer with the model name Printer2 does not have. The printer with the model name Printer2 is, for example, a successor model or an upward compatible model of the printer with the model name Printer1, and in addition to the basic functions of the printer with the model name Printer1, it has functions that the printer with the model name Printer1 does not have.

[0028] The functions realized by each printer with these model names are defined by a program in firmware that corresponds to the device ID.

[0029] The functions of the printer with model name Printer3 can be operated by the latest printer driver A, but cannot be operated by an older generation printer driver B that operates the functions of the printer with model name Printer2, or an older generation printer driver C that operates the functions of the printer with model name Printer1.

[0030] Similarly, the functions of the printer with model name Printer2 can be operated by printer driver A or printer driver B, but cannot be operated by older generation printer driver C, which operates the functions of the printer with model name Printer1.

[0031] The functions of the printer with the model name Printer 1 can be operated by any of printer driver A, printer driver B, and printer driver C.

[0032] Here, since printer 100 is, for example, a printer with model name Printer3, its original device ID is the one shown in Fig. 3A. However, printer 100 can also operate as a printer with model name Printer2, which is a previous model or lower model, and can also operate as a printer with model name Printer1, which is a previous model or lower model of the printer with model name Printer2.

[0033] Therefore, in addition to the device ID corresponding to the original model name Printer3 (see Figure 3(a)), printer 100 also has a device ID corresponding to the model name Printer2, which is an earlier model or a lower model (see Figure 3(b)), and a device ID corresponding to the model name Printer1, which is an earlier model or an even lower model (see Figure 3(c)).

[0034] The firmware stored in memory 14 is a program that causes printer 100 to operate so as to fulfill the functions corresponding to the printer with the original model name Printer3 (device ID in Figure 3(a)), but as described above, it also includes a program that causes printer 100 to operate with the functions corresponding to the printer with the model name Printer2 (device ID in Figure 3(b)), and a program that causes printer 100 to operate with the functions corresponding to the printer with the model name Printer1 (device ID in Figure 3(c)).

[0035] Therefore, when the device ID in Figure 3(a) is selected, the printer 100 causes the processing unit 13 to operate the printing unit 50 and the conveying unit 60 to read from the memory 14 a program that performs functions corresponding to the printer with the model name Printer3 and execute it; when the device ID in Figure 3(b) is selected, the processing unit 13 causes the printing unit 50 and the conveying unit 60 to read from the memory 14 a program that performs functions corresponding to the printer with the model name Printer2 and execute it; and when the device ID in Figure 3(c) is selected, the processing unit 13 causes the printing unit 50 and the conveying unit 60 to read from the memory 14 a program that performs functions corresponding to the printer with the model name Printer1 and execute it.

[0036] Here, when the switching button on the operation unit 30 is pressed, the display unit 20 displays one of the three device IDs described above under the control of the control unit 10. Specifically, under the control of the control unit 10, the display unit 20 first displays the device ID of the model name Printer3, which is set as the default, and when the switching button on the operation unit 30 is pressed, under the control of the control unit 10, the display unit 20 displays the device ID of the model name Printer2, instead of the device ID of the model name Printer3.

[0037] Furthermore, when the switch button on the operation unit 30 is pressed, the display unit 20 displays the device ID with the model name Printer1 instead of the device ID with the model name Printer2 under the control of the control unit 10, and when the switch button is pressed again, the display unit 20 displays the device ID with the model name Printer3 instead of the device ID with the model name Printer1 under the control of the control unit 10. Thereafter, the printer 100 sequentially switches one device ID displayed on the display unit 20 each time the switch button is pressed.

[0038] When the enter button on the operation unit 30 is pressed while one of the device IDs is displayed on the display unit 20, the printer 100 determines the displayed device ID as the device ID to be selected, and the control unit 10 controls the printer 100 to operate as a printer with the model name of the selected device ID. In other words, the control unit 10 controls the printing unit 50 and the transport unit 60 so that the processing unit 13 executes a program in the firmware that corresponds to the selected device ID, and notifies the communication unit 40 of the selected device ID.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the communication unit 40 of the host PC 200 is connected to the communication unit 40 of the printer 100 via a USB interface or a parallel interface, the control unit 10 detects that the host PC 200 has been connected to the communication unit 40 by the plug-and-play function (S1 in FIG. 6), and, under the control of the control unit 10, transmits the notified device ID to the host PC 200 via the communication unit 40 (S2 in FIG. 6).

[0040] This allows the host PC 200 to detect whether a printer driver corresponding to the device ID sent from the printer 100 is installed in the host PC 200 (S3 in FIG. 6). If the host PC 200 detects that a printer driver corresponding to the device ID sent from the printer 100 is installed (YES in S3 in FIG. 6), the host PC 200 can operate the connected printer 100 by using the printer driver installed in the host PC 200 (S5 in FIG. 6).

[0041] On the other hand, if the host PC 200 detects that a printer driver corresponding to the device ID sent from the printer 100 is not installed (NO in S3 in FIG. 6), the host PC 200 is connected to another server and a printer driver corresponding to the device ID sent from the printer 100 is installed in the host PC 200 automatically by the plug-and-play function or manually by the user (S4 in FIG. 6).The host PC 200 can then operate the connected printer 100 by using the installed printer driver (S5 in FIG. 6).

[0042] Note that even when the host PC 200 detects that a printer driver corresponding to the device ID sent from the printer 100 is not installed (NO in S3 in FIG. 6), if a printer driver corresponding to one of the multiple device IDs selectable by the printer 100 is installed, the printer 100 can operate using the printer driver installed in the host PC 200 by selecting the device ID corresponding to the printer driver installed in the host PC 200.

[0043] For example, if the selected device ID of the printer 100 corresponds to a printer with the model name Printer3, the device ID of the model name Printer3 is sent to the host PC 200.

[0044] Here, when printer driver A corresponding to the device ID of model name Printer3 is not installed in host PC 200, but printer driver B corresponding to the device ID of model name Printer2, an older model, is installed, host PC 200 cannot use the installed printer driver B to operate printer 100 for which the device ID of model name Printer3 has been selected.

[0045] However, in this case, by pressing the switch button once, printer 100 changes the selected device ID from the device ID with the default model name Printer3 shown on the left of Figure 7 to the device ID with the model name Printer2 shown in Figure 7 (selecting the device ID with the model name Printer2), the device ID with the model name Printer2 is sent from printer 100 to host PC 200, and host PC 200 can use the installed printer driver B to operate the connected printer 100 as a printer with the model name Printer2.

[0046] In addition, by pressing the switch button twice to change the selected device ID from the device ID with the default model name Printer3 shown on the left side of Figure 7 to the device ID with the model name shown on the right side of Figure 7 (selecting the device ID with the model name Printer1), the device ID with the model name Printer1 will be sent from the printer 100 to the host PC 200, and the host PC 200 will be able to operate the connected printer 100 as a printer with the model name Printer1 using the installed printer driver B.

[0047] Similarly, if the host PC 200 does not have printer driver A corresponding to the device ID of model name Printer3 or printer driver B corresponding to the device ID of model name Printer2 installed, but does have printer driver C corresponding to the device ID of model name Printer1, which is an older model, installed, the host PC 200 cannot use the installed printer driver C to operate the printer 100 for which the device ID of model name Printer3 is selected or the printer 100 for which the device ID of model name Printer2 is selected.

[0048] However, in this case, by pressing the switch button twice on the printer 100 to change the selected device ID from the device ID with the default model name Printer3 shown on the left side of Figure 7 to the device ID with the model name Printer1 shown on the right side of Figure 7 (selecting the device ID with the model name Printer1), the device ID with the model name Printer1 is sent from the printer 100 to the host PC 200, and the host PC 200 can use the installed printer driver C to operate the connected printer 100 as a printer with the model name Printer1.

[0049] As described above, the printer 100 of this embodiment can switch the device ID, which is one of the setting information corresponding to each of multiple different types of drivers, in a standalone state (printer 100 alone) without being connected to a host PC 200 or the like.

[0050] Therefore, when the printer 100 of this embodiment is connected to a host PC 200 having a printer driver corresponding to one of the multiple device IDs stored in memory 14, the printer 100 can switch to a program (firmware) corresponding to the device ID corresponding to the printer driver possessed by the host PC 200 in a standalone state without being connected to the host PC 200 or the like.

[0051] Second Embodiment The printer 100 of the first embodiment described above has the display unit 20 that displays the setting information of the printer 100, but the printer according to the present invention does not need to have a display unit.

[0052] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the printer 300, and Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer 300. The printer 300 is a second embodiment (second embodiment) of the printer according to the present invention.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 8, the printer 300 has an external appearance similar to that of the printer 100, and is generally formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The printer 300 has a plurality of physical operation units 30 at the front of the top surface. As shown in Fig. 9, in addition to the operation units 30, the printer 300 also has a control unit 10, a communication unit 40, a printing unit 50, and a transport unit 60.

[0054] Printer 300 has the same basic configuration as printer 100, but differs from printer 100 in that it does not have a display unit 20. Because printer 300 does not have a display unit 20, the user cannot display and check the setting information on the display unit 20 as with printer 100.

[0055] Therefore, the printer 300 is configured so that the user can check the setting information by inputting a predetermined operation to the operation unit 30, even if the printer 300 does not have the display unit 20.

[0056] Specifically, the operation unit 30 of the printer 300 has a cover opening / closing operation unit 30B through which operations to open and close the paper cover 1 are input, and a switch operation unit 30A through which operations to change or select setting information and operations to instruct the transport of thermal paper are input. The cover opening / closing operation unit 30B is a cover open lever, and the switch operation unit 30A is, for example, two buttons.

[0057] The control unit 10 controls the printing unit 50 and the transport unit 60 in response to operations input to the cover opening / closing operation unit 30B and the switch operation unit 30A to print the device IDs stored in the memory 14 one by one on the thermal paper. The processing unit 13 then selects one device ID in response to operations input to the cover opening / closing operation unit 30B and the switch operation unit 30A.

[0058] Here, one button of the switch operation unit 30A is a switching means that sequentially switches one device ID printed on the thermal paper to another device ID, and the other button of the switch operation unit 30A is a determination means that determines one device ID printed on the thermal paper by switching using the button of the switching means.

[0059] The printer 300 prints the currently selected device ID on thermal paper by combining the operation input to the cover opening / closing operation unit 30B and the operation input to the button serving as the switching means of the switch operation unit 30A. By looking at the thermal paper on which the device ID is printed, the user can confirm the device ID of the printer 300 at the time of printing.

[0060] When the user decides to select the set device ID, the processing unit 13 selects one device ID to be applied to the printer 300 by pressing a button serving as a decision means on the switch operation unit 30A.

[0061] On the other hand, if the user looks at the thermal paper on which the device ID is printed and does not select the set device ID, the processing unit 13 sequentially switches to another device ID each time the user presses the button serving as the switching means of the switch operation unit 30A, and prints the switched device ID on the thermal paper each time. By looking at the thermal paper on which the device ID is printed, the user can confirm the device ID of the printer 300 at the time of printing.

[0062] Specifically, for example, when the printer 300 is turned on while pressing one button on the switch operation unit 30A, an operation is input to the switch operation unit 30A and the power switch, and the control unit 10 controls the printing unit 50 and the conveying unit 60, and the setting information corresponding to the device ID (Printer3) selected by default is printed on thermal paper, as shown in FIG. 10.

[0063] Here, when the user checks the device ID printed on the thermal paper, approves the printed device ID, and presses the button that is the determination means of the switch operation unit 30A, the processing unit 13 determines that the device ID selected at the time of printing is the device ID of the printer 300.

[0064] On the other hand, when the user checks the device ID printed on the thermal paper, does not approve the printed device ID, and wants to switch to another device ID, the button serving as the switching means of the switch operation unit 30A is pressed, and this operation input to the switch operation unit 30A causes the processing unit 13 to switch the device ID set in the printer 300 to another device ID (for example, Printer 2). When the button serving as the switching means is pressed and held down, for example, for two seconds or more, this input serves as an operation input to the switch operation unit 30A, and the control unit 10 controls the printing unit 50 and the transport unit 60 to print the setting information corresponding to the switched device ID (Printer 3) on the thermal paper.

[0065] Here, when the user checks the device ID printed on the thermal paper, approves the printed device ID, and presses the button that is the determination means of the switch operation unit 30A, the processing unit 13 determines that the device ID selected at the time of printing is the device ID of the printer 300.

[0066] As described above, the printer 300 of the second embodiment does not have a display unit such as an LCD for displaying setting information, and therefore cannot display setting information including the device ID on the display unit. However, the printer 300 can print setting information such as the device ID on thermal paper in response to operation inputs to the operation unit 30, and therefore can present the user with multiple selectable device IDs, and can also sequentially switch the device IDs set in the printer 300 one by one to select one device ID in response to operation inputs to the operation unit 30.

[0067] The printer 300 of the second embodiment can switch the device ID, which is one of the setting information corresponding to each of a plurality of different types of drivers, in a stand-alone state (printer 300 alone) without being connected to the host PC 200 or the like.

[0068] Therefore, like the printer 100 of embodiment 1, when the printer 300 of embodiment 2 is connected to a host PC 200 having a printer driver corresponding to one of the multiple device IDs stored in memory 14, the printer 300 can switch to a program (firmware) corresponding to the device ID corresponding to the printer driver possessed by the host PC 200 in a standalone state without being connected to the host PC 200 or the like.

[0069] In the printer 100 of the first embodiment and the printer 300 of the second embodiment, the selected device ID may be printed on paper such as thermal paper in a so-called self-printing mode, so that the user can confirm it.

[0070] The self-printing mode is a mode in which the contents of the setting information of the printer 100, 300 can be printed out on paper and checked. For example, the self-printing mode can be started by pressing one button on the switch operation unit 30A while turning on the power to the printer 100, 300 to start the function test mode, and then pressing another button on the switch operation unit 30A.

[0071] The setting information printed in the self-printing mode is, for example, the items listed below (1) to (10). Note that these are examples, and the information printed in the self-printing mode is not limited to these. (1) Printer model (type) name (2) Firmware version, device ID (driver ID) (3) Interface settings (4) Memory switch contents (5) Font A (20H to FFH) (6) Font B (20H to FFH) (7) Font C (20H to FFH) (8) Kanji font A 192 characters (9) Kanji font C 192 characters (10) Line feed up to the cut position and cut CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0072] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-173800, filed with the Japan Patent Office on October 5, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A printer comprising a printing unit that prints on a printing medium, a transport unit that transports the printing medium, a communication unit that communicates with an external host device when connected to the host device, an operation unit that inputs operations, and a control unit that controls the printing unit, the transport unit, the communication unit, and the operation unit, wherein the control unit has a memory unit and a processing unit, wherein the memory unit stores a plurality of device IDs corresponding to each printer driver, and setting information corresponding to a program that controls the printing unit and the transport unit for each device ID, and the processing unit executes a program corresponding to one of the plurality of device IDs selected in response to an operation input to the operation unit.

2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit selects one of the device IDs in response to input of at least one operation or a combination of two or more operations input to the operation unit, including an operation to open or close the printer's paper cover, an operation to change or select the setting information, and an operation to instruct the transport of the print medium.

3. The printer described in claim 2, wherein the operation unit has a cover opening / closing operation unit into which an operation to open and close a paper cover is input, and a switch operation unit into which an operation to change or select the printer's setting information and an operation to instruct the transport of the print medium are input, and the processing unit selects one of the device IDs in response to an operation input into at least one of the cover opening / closing operation unit and the switch operation unit.

4. The printer described in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the printing unit and the transport unit in response to operations input to the operation unit to print the multiple device IDs stored in the memory unit one by one in sequence onto the printing medium, the operation unit comprises a switching means for sequentially switching one of the device IDs printed on the printing medium to another of the device IDs, and a determination means for determining one of the device IDs switched by the switching means and printed on the printing medium, and the processing unit selects one of the device IDs determined by the determination means.

5. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying setting information of the printer.

6. The printer described in claim 5, wherein the display unit sequentially displays the multiple device IDs stored in the memory unit one by one as the setting information, the operation unit includes a switching means for sequentially switching one of the device IDs displayed on the display unit to another of the device IDs, and a determination means for determining one of the device IDs switched by the switching means and displayed on the display unit, and the processing unit selects one of the device IDs determined by the determination means.

7. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits one of the device IDs selected by the operation unit to the host device when the printer is connected to the host device.

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