Abstract: Printout that enables the user to easily know printed information is produced. A print data acquisition unit 11 acquires, as part of the print data, code information that is information for printing a code image 30 and contains at least one attribute data set including an identifier and a parameter. A storage unit 15 associates and stores the identifier to style information and a condition for determining whether to apply the style. An attribute data set extraction unit 12 extracts from the code information the attribute data set containing an identifier stored in the storage unit 15. A condition evaluation unit 13 determines if the parameter contained in the extracted attribute data set satisfies the condition associated in the storage unit 15 to the identifier contained in the attribute data set. When the parameter is determined to satisfy the condition, a print command unit 19 applies a print command to the printer based on the style information associated to the identifier.

Abstract: Printout that enables the user to easily know printed information is produced. A print data acquisition unit 11 acquires, as part of the print data, code information that is information for printing a code image 30 and contains at least one attribute data set including an identifier and a parameter. A storage unit 15 associates and stores the identifier to style information and a condition for determining whether to apply the style. An attribute data set extraction unit 12 extracts from the code information the attribute data set containing an identifier stored in the storage unit 15. A condition evaluation unit 13 determines if the parameter contained in the extracted attribute data set satisfies the condition associated in the storage unit 15 to the identifier contained in the attribute data set. When the parameter is determined to satisfy the condition, a print command unit 19 applies a print command to the printer based on the style information associated to the identifier.

Abstract: Advertising information input control module of a POS system receives advertising information, and a billing amount calculating module calculates a billing amount based on advertising information received by input control module. A payment confirming module confirms payment of the billing amount calculated by the billing amount calculating module, and an advertising information storing control module stores the advertising information in a storing device. A check-out information input control module receives input of customer check-out information, and an advertising information retrieving module retrieves the advertising information stored in the storing device. A printing data generating module synthesizes or combines check-out information with the advertising information so as to generate printing data, which is output at a printing device, and printed as a receipt with an ad.

Abstract: Advertising information input control module of a POS system receives advertising information, and a billing amount calculating module calculates a billing amount based on advertising information received by input control module. A payment confirming module confirms payment of the billing amount calculated by the billing amount calculating module, and an advertising information storing control module stores the advertising information in a storing device. A check-out information input control module receives input of customer check-out information, and an advertising information retrieving module retrieves the advertising information stored in the storing device. A printing data generating module synthesizes or combines check-out information with the advertising information so as to generate printing data, which is output at a printing device, and printed as a receipt with an ad.

Abstract: Advertising information input control module of a POS system receives advertising information, and a billing amount calculating module calculates a billing amount based on advertising information received by input control module. A payment confirming module confirms payment of the billing amount calculated by the billing amount calculating module, and an advertising information storing control module stores the advertising information in a storing device. A check-out information input control module receives input of customer check-out information, and an advertising information retrieving module retrieves the advertising information stored in the storing device. A printing data generating module synthesizes or combines check-out information with the advertising information so as to generate printing data, which is output at a printing device, and printed as a receipt with an ad.

Abstract: A data transmitter/receiver apparatus transmits host computer screen data by wireless interface or by cable to terminal. Also, the screen data is transmitted to the terminal as the bit-mapped data constituting that screen, and screen display is performed. At that time, the bit-mapped data is divided into blocks, converted into indexes having a smaller number of bits than the pixels to transmit, making the number of bits in the indexes representing each block of pixels smaller as the number of colors used within each block is smaller, and compressed before sending; the blocks may be made in units of 10K-50K pixels. Furthermore, only the parts changed in the data composing one screen are detected by comparing with the screen one screen before, and transmits the data of the changed rectangular portion when the changed rectangle detector has detected as a changed rectangle the region computed by .vertline.X1-X2.vertline..times..vertline.Y1-Y2.vertline.

Abstract: A computer system is connected to a printer via a parallel interface, for point-of-sale (POS) applications employing one or more different paper sources, such as, continuous tape, document insertion, and sheet validation. A detector is associated with each paper source to sense a paper empty or out condition. The printer has an addressable latch that enables a choice of one or more of these detectors for connection through to a single status line within the parallel printer interface. The computer CPU can access the addressable latch prior to any printing so that the presence of an appropriate type of paper in its appropriate print position in the printer can be checked or tested utilizing an industry standard parallel printer interface, such as, the widely employed Centronics interface.

Abstract: A printer control device is employed with host computer controlled printers, typically of the point-of-sale (POS) type, which are capable of printing on several different types of recording paper. Several detectors are used on the printer to sense out-of-paper conditions with at least one detector being associated with each paper source used, and a detector selection device is used to determine which detector outputs are to be connected to the host computer through a communications interface. Detector output values can be stored and logically combined to allow transfer over a single communications line. Specific detector outputs can be enabled or selected for transfer to the host or for use in termination of printing operations. A paper type selector is used for setting line spacing or advancement amounts which are stored by the printer controller for later retrieval. Typically each advancement value relative to one type of paper is stored separately in a memory location or element.