SATO ARGOX GPIO User manual

Service Manual
GPIO

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GPIO interface
1. Specifications
1.1 GPIO interface is designed for iX4 series printer and external peripheral devices.
Figure 1 Installation of iX4 printer
1.2 GPIO interface orks in special control by input signals level change, it’s programmable or
customized and output signals sho n the printer status or functional indicator.

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1.3 The GPIO interface is as Figure 2 and Figure 3, it use a D-Sub 15 pin female connector.
Figure 2 GPIO board
Figure 3

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1.4 Connector pin definitions are as belo :
Pin No. Type Default Function Description
1 P GND Po er return path of +5V
2 P +5V Po er plus path of +5V.
3 I Start Print
Start to print
When this signal triggered (from high to lo ), do
the print job by command or internal pattern.
4 I Feed Feed, hen this level of signal in lo state, it’s
same as panel “FEED” key operation.
5 I Pause
Pause, hen this signal triggered (from high to
lo ), do the pause and stop the print job until the
next trigger happen.
6 I Re-Print
Re-Print, hen this signal trigger (from high to
lo ), do the previous print job once, it as same
as ‘Start to Print” function but don’t need any
action.
7 P 24V Po er plus path of +24V
8 P GND Po er return path of +24V.
9 NC Not Connect
10 O Serv_Req Service Require, output this signal (active lo )
hen printer as during printing.
11 O End_Print End of Print, output a lo pulse in 500ms for print
ending.
12 O Media Out Media out, output this signal (active lo ) hen
media out happened.
13 O Ribbon Out Ribbon out, output this signal (active lo ) hen
Ribbon out happened.
14 O Data Ready Data Ready, output this signal (active lo ) hen
printer as ready (idle).
15 O OPT_Fault Output Fault, active lo hen printer error
happened.
Type: P for Po er, I for Input, O for Output
Table 1
2. Connector pin specification
2.1 All of input pins in table are defined as standard TTL level.
2.2 All of output pins in table are defined as standard TTL level, they are pull-up 1K ohm internally
by 5V and maximum sink current is 30mA.
2.3 There are 2 po er supplies for external devices, the maximum supply current of 5V is 500mA,
and 24V is 1A.

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2.4 Because all of signals ere not isolated, the ground (pin1 and pin8) of GPIO board and signal
ground of external device need to connect directly, it should avoid different GND pin
connecting GPIO board and make this board fail.
2.5 Suggest the length of connect cable bet een GPIO interface and external device should less
than 15 feet to avoid the noise and error happen.
3. Description of input/output signals
3.1 There 4 input pins for application.
(1) Pin 3
Start Print:
a. This signal active make the printer start to do the print job, it is active lo .
b. When print job as finished, the output pin of End Print ill send a pause (500ms),
and the external device should disable the Start Print signal.
c. The output pin of Data Ready ill follo the “Start Print” signal to external device.
d. Timing chart is as Figure 4.
Figure 4
(2) Pin 4
Feed:
a. The signal is make the printer feed action; the distance is determining the internal
setting.
b. When during feed processing, the output pin of Data Ready ill active and disable till
the end of feed.
c. The timing chart is as Figure 5

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Figure 5
(3) Pin 5
Pause:
a. The signal is make the printer pause action; it is toggle (on/off) mode hen printer
needs temporary stop or back to standby state.
b. When during pause processing, the output pin of Data Ready ill active and disable till
the pause active again.
c. The timing chart is as Figure 6
Figure 6
(4) Pin 6
Re-Print:
a. This signal active make the printer start to do previous print job again, it is active lo .
b. When print job as finished, the output pin of End Print ill send a pause (500ms),
and the external device should disable the Start Print signal.
c. The output pin of Data Ready ill follo the “Start Print” signal to external device.
d. Timing chart is as Figure 7.

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Figure 7
3.2 There are 6 output pins for printer’s application; the timing chart is as Figure 8.
(1) Pin 10
Serv_Req:
a. The signal ill active hen printer is during normal printing process.
b. The timing is same as printer’s printing period.
(2) Pin 11
End Print:
a. It indicates the printer’s status and active hen print job as done.
b. The action timing is fixed to 500ms.
(3) Pin 12
Media out:
a. It indicate the media status and active hen media (paper) out happened.
b. This signal ill be cleared hen “Re-Print” signal received, and if the status of media
out as still exist, it ill back to the last situation and aiting to remove this issue.
(4) Pin 13
Ribbon out:
a. It indicate the ribbon status and active hen ribbon out happened.
b. This signal ill be cleared hen “Re-Print” signal received, and if the status of ribbon
out as still exist, it ill back to the last situation and aiting to remove this issue.
(5) Pin 14
Data Ready:
a. It indicate the printer’s status and active hen printer in idle state.
b. In this state, printer could accept input signal to start print job.

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(6) Pin 15
OPT Fault:
a. It indicate all of the printer’s error status, hen it active, no function could be executed,
please do the troubleshooting process.
b. If need to restore the printer function after faults remove, send the “Re-Print” signal
(Start Print also synchronous) to do the undone print job, or do last print job again.
Figure 8