Abstract: An add-in or expansion cartridge is provided for insertion into a cartridge receptacle of an electronic device, such as a laser printer, the electronic device comprising a first plurality of circuit elements. The add-in cartridge comprises a circuit board having a second plurality of circuit elements mounted thereon, the circuit board comprising a plurality of grounding pads and connectors for electrically connecting the second plurality of circuit elements, which may include a processor, to the electronic device. A housing accommodates the circuit board and comprises an opening such that the connector extends through the opening for connecting the circuit board through the electronic device. A conductive shielding layer is arranged on at least one interior surface of the housing and substantially surrounds the circuit board to reduce emission of electromagnetic radiation. First and second grounding pads are arranged at first and seconds ends, respectively of the opening.

Abstract: An add-on control circuit device for insertion into electronic apparatus such as a laser printer having a first microprocessor with an address line connected to an add-on card connector, a ROM that stores programs for the microprocessor, and a data converter that provides data in the form of memory addresses. The add-on circuit uses a printed circuit board of mounted inside of an add-on cartridge or casing, made from high thermal transfer material such as aluminum. When the cartridge is inserted into a printer, the processor inside of the printer reads identification data stored on a ROM inside of the cartridge and conducts processing according to a specified processing program in response to the identification data. The microprocessor is located in a mounting area near the front end of the cartridge, when viewed along the direction of insertion, so that the microprocessor is more effectively cooled by the flow of cooling air inside of the printer.

Abstract: The image processing performance of a present day or existing page printer, e.g., electrophotographic printer, is improved and accelerated with the use of a detachable intelligent cartridge which contains a CPU and necessary memory to process print data into image dated for the electronic control unit of the printer to which the cartridge is attached. Depending, upon the page description language (PDL) to be employed, a cartridge can be selected for use with the printer and accelerate its PDL conversion and printing output. The intelligent cartridge CPU, which is different from the printer CPU, receives print data are from the printer and, since the data bus connecting the intelligent cartridge and the electronic control unit of the printer has only a read only capability from the electronic control unit, data transfer to the cartridge is made possible by utilizing the print data as an index for the read address accomplished by the printer CPU.

Abstract: An accessory control device, also called a cartridge, is coupled to an electronic device, such as a printer, and a large amount of data is transferred from the electronic device to the accessory control device. An electronic control device within the electronic device reflects the data it is transferring to cartridge 3 installed in a slot of a printer in the lower 8 bits of the address signal line (CAB) and outputs the data. Data corresponding to this address are read from ROM 671 according to this address specification and held in latch 657. The cartridge is internally equipped with a FIFO memory 621, and when register FIFOREQ of the FIFO write registers is accessed, the data being held in latch 657 is written to FIFO memory 621 and the address counter for writing is incremented. The transfer of multiple bytes of data from the electronic device is completed by repeating this process.

Abstract: Electronic apparatus, e.g., a printer, can transfer data or information to a releaseably connected accessory control device, e.g., a removable cartridge, installed in an input connector of the electronic apparatus wherein the accessory control device has no existing or designed input data line or data bus connect through which to receive data. The transferred data can then be processed by a microprocessor in the accessory control device. The data to be transferred to the accessory control device is accomplished as part of the address signal utilizing the lower 8 bits of the address signal provided as output on an address signal line (CAB). The data corresponding to the address specified by this address is read from a ROM (617) and thereafter held in latches (651, 652), and the holding of the read data is announced by a signal, EWRDY. When cartridge microprocessor reads the data held in latches (651, 652) via an internal data bus (DB29), the transfer of data from the electronic apparatus is complete.

Abstract: An add-on control circuit device for insertion into electronic apparatus such as a laser printer having a first microprocessor with an address line connected to an add-on card connector, a ROM that stores programs for the microprocessor, and a data converter that provides data in the form of memory addresses. The add-on circuit uses a printed circuit board of mounted inside of an add-on cartridge or casing, made from high thermal transfer material such as aluminum. When the cartridge is inserted into a printer, the processor inside of the printer reads identification data stored on a ROM inside of the cartridge and conducts processing according to a specified processing program in response to the identification data. The microprocessor is located in a mounting area near the front end of the cartridge, when viewed along the direction of insertion, so that the microprocessor is more effectively cooled by the flow of cooling air inside of the printer.

Abstract: A system has an electronic device, such as a printer, and an accessory control device, such as a cartridge, that couples physically and electrically to the electronic device. The electronic device includes a microprocessor, memory, a connector adapted to couple with the accessory device, a data output means, and a data output notification means. The accessory device includes a microprocessor, memory, an interrupt request receiving means, a notification cancellation means and a data fetch means.The present invention transfers data efficiently between an electronic device and an accessory control device in cases in which information processing is performed by installing the accessory control device in the electronic device.In operation, an electronic control device of printer that is transferring data, reflects the data to be transferred in the lower 8 bits of the address signal line (CAB) and outputs it. Data corresponding to the address specified by this address is read from a ROM and held in latches.

Abstract: An accessory control device for installation in an electronic device, such as a printer, that normally receives data though its own input port, for performing information processing. Rather than the electronic device receiving data from outside and processing it, the accessory control device is provided with a communication interface capable of receiving data directly from external sources and processing it using a processor within the accessory control device. The processed data is then transferred to the electronic device. The accessory control device is typically constructed using a cartridge type housing and has a communication control section that receives the data and transfers it to the microprocessor for processing in a desired manner. Memory internal to the cartridge is used to store data and programs used by the microprocessor.

Abstract: An accessory control device for use in conjunction with electronic apparatus, such as, a laser printer and the information processing device and information processing methods for use of the accessory control device. The accessory control device may comprise a cartridge installed in the laser printer and include a RISC-type processor and a data transfer controller. The cartridge microprocessor receives print data via a read control circuit disposed within a data transfer controller or a FIFO control circuit and develops the print data into image data after which the image data is stored in a cartridge memory. The image data is then transferred to the electronic control device of the laser printer via a double-bank control circuit. The read control circuit and double-bank control circuit transfer print data to the printer microprocessor via a data bus, which has a read only capability as viewed from the electronic control device.

Abstract: An accessory control device for installation in an electronic apparatus, provided with a setting memory that stores various settings for the electronic apparatus, thus facilitating switching of settings during installation and removal of the accessory control device. Parameters such as those for communication with a workstation, number of copies to be made, and other settings in a laser printer are normally stored in EEPROM in the printer. When the accessory control device, in the form of a cartridge, is installed, a microprocessor in the cartridge stores settings from the printer in the EEPROM. Therefore, settings in the EEPROM are stored, and when the cartridge is removed, the printer immediately operates according to its original settings.

Abstract: An add-on control circuit device for insertion into electronic apparatus such as a laser printer having a first microprocessor with an address line connected to an add-on card connector, a ROM that stores programs for the microprocessor, and a data converter that provides data in the form of memory addresses. The add-on circuit uses a printed circuit board of mounted inside of an add-on cartridge or casing, made from high thermal transfer material such as aluminum. When the cartridge is inserted into a printer, the processor inside of the printer reads identification data stored on a ROM inside of the cartridge and conducts processing according to a specified processing program in response to the identification data. The microprocessor is located in a mounting area near the rear end of the cartridge, when viewed along the direction of insertion, so that the microprocessor is more effectively cooled by the surrounding air.

Abstract: The image processing performance of a present day or existing page printer, e.g., electrophotographic printer, is improved and accelerated with the use of a detachable intelligent cartridge which contains a CPU and necessary memory to process print data into image dated for the electronic control unit of the printer to which the cartridge is attached. Depending upon the page description language (PDL) to be employed, a cartridge can be selected for use with the printer and accelerate its PDL conversion and printing output. The intelligent cartridge CPU, which is different from the printer CPU, receives print data from the printer and, since the data bus connecting the intelligent cartridge and the electronic control unit of the printer has only a read only capability from the electronic control unit, data transfer to the cartridge is made possible by utilizing the print data as an index for the read address accomplished by the printer CPU.

Abstract: In a magnetic head-positioning device using a coil motor, a position sensor detects the median position between one track and an adjacent track so as to decelerate and stop the moving head at the adjacent track. The magnetic head is transferred over a distance of many tracks by acceleration to the median positions and repeating the operation described above. A pair of flip-flops enables the magnetic head to move from one track to another one and a summing amplifier weights inputs from a position sensor, speed sensor and feed circuit to control motion of the voice coil motor.

Abstract: Storage space in this speech synthesizer is minimized by features including multiplex storage of voiceless phonemes and use of a word designator which selects in parallel information from a word memory and phoneme memory.