A printing system with optional devices connected in series

摘要

A print system (5) comprises a printer (10) including a printer controller (10a). One or more optional support devices (12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,27) are associated with the printer, wherein each optional support device includes a device controller. The system further includes a bidirectional serial communications path, including one or more trunklines (30,31,32,33), which provides serial electrical interconnection between the printer controller (10a) and each device controller of each optional support device (12,14,16,18,20,22,24,26,27) of the system. The printer controller (10a) automatically assigns a unique device address to each optional support device. Each optional support device further includes logic circuitry which, based upon a command of the printer controller, enables passage of information generated by the printer controller through a first optional support device to a next electrically serially connected optional support device following an assignment of a first device address to the first optional support device.