CORDLESS PRINTER CONTROL DEVICE

A printer control device which operates via a cordless link to control a dedicated printer in a shared access mode, allowing access by an alternate computer. In the preferred embodiment, the cordless printer control device operates in an environment in which a host computer is directly connected to a dedicated printer which operates in a normal printing mode. The device is provided as a pair of compact add-on units, a transmitter unit connected to a portable computer and a receiver/switch unit connected to the dedicated printer. The pair of units operate to provide an infrared transmission link by which an alternate/portable computer can detect a break in the normal printing mode and temporarily access the dedicated printer for printing tasks. The receiver/switch unit is provided with a time-out switch which operates to allow the alternate computer to gain access to the printer only if during a predetermined interval, the dedicated printer is not busy with a printing task already assigned to it. Once the portable computer has gained temporary access, the time-out switch protects its continued use of the dedicated printer without allowing the host computer to regain control until the task is completed.