JPH02200461A - Printing process time reduction method in printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a printing process time by a processor by a method wherein a process stand-by state in a processor is checked, and by using this state the processor is made to conduct another processing. CONSTITUTION:During a process stand-by period 14 in the execution of a process 3 of a line 1 by a processor, a part 16 of a process 1 of a line 2 is processed by the processor. Thus, the down time of the processor in the execution of the process 3 is eliminated. During a process stand-by period 18 in the execution of a process 5, a part 20 of the process 1 is conducted. Thus, the down time of the processor is eliminated. A main process 21 by the processor is broadly divided into a check 22 of each task processing and a task start process 24. In the task start process 24, the processes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are conducted. While data is transferred to a head 6 by a hard wear in the process 3, another executable process is checked and conducted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method for reducing printing processing time in a printer such as a thermal plotter that prints using a line head.

[Conventional technology]

As shown in the time chart of Figures 1-4, the processor sequentially executes management processing and processing 1, 2, 3, 4.5, which will be described later, for each line, and transfers data to the head. , × portion 2 indicates the part where the processor is idle, that is, the state in which it is waiting for processing.In process 3, the processor waits for processing while data is being transferred to the head by hardware. This is because the processor is temporarily in a state where it is not processing. In addition, in process 5, the processing wait state occurs in the processor because:
This is because the processor temporarily stops processing several times while the hardware timer is counting and sending pulses.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, if the processor is in a non-processing state, that is, play occurs in processing 3 and 5 by the processor, this play takes time for data processing by the processor, and the defect is that data cannot be transferred and processed quickly. The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned defects.

[Means to solve problems]

(1) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a process 1 for creating data to be transferred to a line head in a frame buffer under the control of a processor, and a memory for transferring the head data created in the process 1. Process 2 for storing data in the transfer memory and Process 3 for transferring data in the transfer memory to the head.
In a printer configured to execute a process 4 for latching data transferred to the head and a process 5 for applying a pulse to the head, a processing waiting state of the processor that occurs during the execution of the process 3 is checked, This state is used to cause the processor to perform other processing.

(2) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a process 1 for creating data to be transferred to a line head in a frame buffer under the control of a processor, and a process 1 for storing data created in process 1 in a memory for head data transfer. Process 2 for storing data in the transfer memory and Process 3 for transferring data in the transfer memory to the head.
In a printer configured to execute a process 4 for latching data transferred to the head and a process 5 for applying a pulse to the head, check the processing waiting state of the processor that occurs during the execution of the process 5, When the processor is in a processing waiting state, this state is used to cause the processor to execute other processing.

〔Example〕

The structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

The procedure for transferring data for one line printed by the thermal line head is performed in the following format.

First, one line of data 4 is divided into 16 blocks as shown in FIG. The number of each block corresponds to the data number of the thermal head 6, and the number of dots in each block is as follows.

When transferring data with 256 dots to the head, 64 dummy dots must be inserted first. Next, as shown in Figure 4, the dot data at the left end of each block is extracted and are combined into one word of data. Do the same thing for the dots on the right side of each block to create 320 words of data. 0 The created 320 words of data are:
The data is transferred to the head 6 and stored in the transmission RAM 8. Finally, the hardware (
Data is transferred to the head 6 by an external circuit (external circuit), and printing becomes possible by latching the head 6. Note that after the head 6 is latched, the next data can be transferred to the head 6. The printing process for one line of a thermal plotter using the thermal line head 6 can be roughly divided into the following five processes. That is, there is a process 1 in which data to be transferred to the head 6 is created in a frame buffer using the image LS 112, and the data created in the process 1 is stored in the head data transfer RAM 8 via the image LS 112. 3, a process 3 for transferring data in the transfer RAM 8 to the head 6, a process 4 for latching the data transferred to the head 6, and a process 5 for applying a pulse to the head 6. Process 1 is necessary because the data transfer format to the head 6 is special.

In process 1, as shown in FIG. 5, one line of data is divided into 16 blocks in the frame buffer, and the blocks are rearranged in such a way that they are stacked vertically in separate areas. Conversion of placement is done using LS for images.
Use 112. Processing 2 reads one line of data whose arrangement has been converted by processing 1 from the frame buffer, and reading data from the hand data bath sofa is as follows:
As shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6, the data created in process 1 is read one word at a time from the right end vertically, and the process for transferring the data in the head data transfer RAM to the thermal head 6 is activated. The actual transfer is performed by hardware. An interrupt is generated when the transfer is completed.

Process 4 is a process of latching the data transferred to the head 6. The data transferred to the thermal head 6 is stored in the shift register until it is latched. When the data in the head 6 is latched, the data in the shift register is copied to the print register. Printing follows the contents of this register, therefore, after data is latched, the next data can be transferred. The process 5 is to apply pulses to the head 6 using a 4-strobe method and perform a 1-line feed.The 4-strobe method pulse application is a control that is necessary because the power supply capacity is limited, and is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the line head 6 is divided into four parts (strobes) and pulses are sequentially output to each part. The flow of the printing process is shown in FIG. In this figure, a portion 2 marked with an x indicates a portion where the processor 10 is idle (processing waiting loop). When compared with the processing procedure shown in Figure 14,
It can be seen that the × part 2 has decreased. However, since the management processing is a little more complicated than the simple processing procedure shown in FIG. 14, the processing time here is longer.

The management process is a process of determining which of the above processes 1 to 5 should be executed and activating the determined process. 1st
As can be seen, line 1 by processor 10
While processing 3 is in progress and waiting for processing 14, line 2
A part 16 of process 1 of 1 is processed by processor 10, thereby eliminating idle time of processor 10 during execution of process 3. Furthermore, during the processing wait 18 during execution of the processing 5, a part 20 of the processing 1 is executed, thereby eliminating idle time of the processor 10. The main processing 21 by the processor 10 is as follows:
As shown in FIG. 8, each task process is roughly divided into a check 22 and a task activation process 24, and processes 1, 2, 3, 4.5 are performed in the task activation process 24. In process 3, while data is being transferred to the head 6 by hardware, as mentioned above, the processor 10 temporarily does not process, that is, idle time occurs, but other processes that can be executed during this time are checked. This is used to perform other processing.

In process 5, while the hardware timer is counting and sending pulses, the processor IO temporarily processes several times and then does not perform the processing. In more detail, the processor 10 checks other executable processes and executes the other processes. To explain in more detail the 0 or more processes, the process of the first line is executed in the order of process 1, process 2, and process 3. Then, in process 3, while data is being transferred, the process on the second line can be executed in process l, and this is executed. In addition, in the processing of the l-th line,
When the data transfer is completed and processes 3, 4 and 5 are executed, while the timer is counting for the 1st line in process 5, other processes such as the 3rd line are executed in process l. Yes, do this. The basic operation of the above multitasking will be explained below with reference to FIG. When a task is started, first, each task flag is initialized (block 1), and variable 2 is set to zero (block 2).Next, each task is checked (block 3). Next, it is determined whether all lines for each task have been completed, and if no.

It is determined whether each task is unexecutable or currently being executed (block 5). If YES, variable 2 is 2≦MAX (
block 8), NO
If yes, then proceed to block 2; if Yes, proceed to block 3. If No is determined in 0 judgment block 5, each task is processed (block 6), and the variable Z is
1 is added to (block 7), and the process moves to decision block 8.

If Yes is determined in decision block 4, Z=M
It is determined whether it is AX or not (block 9); if No, the process moves to block 8; if Yes, the task processing operation ends.

Next, checking of each task process will be explained with reference to FIG.

When you start the check processing procedure for each task.

All interrupts are prohibited (block 1), and it is determined whether each task has completed all lines (block 2).

This is determined by checking ZCT (Z)=1 for each task. ZCT( ) is a flag indicating that all lines of each task have been completed; 0 indicates that the task has not finished yet, and 1 indicates that the task has finished.

If No, it is determined whether each task is being executed (block 3), and this is determined by checking ZA (Z)=1 for each task. ZA() is a flag indicating that each task is being executed; 0 indicates that it is not executing, and 1 indicates that it is executing; if NO here, then determine whether variable 2 is 0 or not. (block 4), and if No, it is determined whether the number of lines of the current task is greater than the number of lines of the previous task. This means that ZCN (Z-1)≦ZC for each task
Look at N (Z). Here, ZCN() indicates how many lines each task has completed. For example, ZCN(Z-1
)ZCN (Z) Current time.

In the table above, the reason for not being able to execute is that the first line should have already been processed in process 3.

In the above, execution is possible because Process 3 can process the first line and the second line. If No is judged in 0 judgment block 5, it is judged whether variable 2 is the maximum value MAX, and (block 6) , if No, ZcN (Z+
1) Look at ≠ZCN (Z).

for example.

The reason why it is not possible to execute in the above table is because in process 4, the first line is still being processed, so the next third line cannot be processed.

If No is determined in decision block 7, RET is set to 1 (block 8).The meaning of the value of RET is as follows.

1: The process (task) indicated by z is executable.

O: Processing indicated by Z cannot be executed.

-1: The process indicated by z is currently being executed.

-2: The process indicated by z has been completed for all lines.

Interrupt permissions are then set (block 9).

If Yes is determined in decision block 2, RET
=-2 (block 10), and when Yes is determined in 0 determination block 3, which moves to block 9,
RET=-1 is set (block 11), and when Yes is determined in 1 determination block 5 which moves to block 9, RET=O is set (block 12),
Move to block 9. The processing of each task is performed according to the instructions of variable Z, as shown in FIG.

In the transfer processing procedure, as shown in FIG. 12, a head data transfer task 28 is performed. During hardware data transfer,
In process 3, idle time of the processor occurs as shown by .

FIG. 13 shows head strobe task 30 in process 5.
This shows the processing procedure.

In process 5, the head strobe task 30 turns on strobes 1 and 2 and starts a timer at pulse time.

Waiting for processor processing while the timer is counting...
. . . During this period, the processor processes other executable processing 1 interrupt processing 32.

The 0 interrupt processing 34 turns off strobes 1 and 2, turns on strobes 3 and 4, and starts the timer at the pulse time.
The interrupt processing 36 performs motor step drive processing,
The 0 interrupt process 38 that starts the timer at the step completion wait time is a process that ends process 5.

〔effect〕

As described above, the present invention utilizes the processing waiting time of the processor and executes other processing during this processing waiting time, so it has the effect of shortening the print processing time by the processor.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a time chart, Fig. 2 is a block explanatory diagram, Figs. 3 to 8 are explanatory diagrams, Figs. 9 and 10 are flow charts, Figs. 11 to 13 are explanatory diagrams, and Fig. 14 is a time chart of the prior art.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Process 1 of creating data to be transferred to the line head in a frame buffer under the control of the processor;
A process 2 for storing the data created in process 1 in the head data transfer memory, a process 3 for transferring the data in the transfer memory to the head, a process 4 for latching the data transferred to the head, and a process 4 for latching the data transferred to the head. In a printer configured to execute process 5 of applying a pulse, check a processing waiting state of the processor that occurs during execution of process 3,
A method for reducing printing processing time, characterized in that this state is used to cause a processor to perform other processing. (2) Process 1 of creating data to be transferred to the line head in a frame buffer under the control of the processor;
A process 2 for storing the data created in process 1 in the head data transfer memory, a process 3 for transferring the data in the transfer memory to the head, a process 4 for latching the data transferred to the head, and a process 4 for latching the data transferred to the head. In a printer configured to execute a process 5 of applying pulses, a processing waiting state of a processor that occurs during the execution of the process 5 is checked,
A method for shortening printing processing time, characterized in that when a processor is in a processing waiting state, the processor is made to execute other processing by utilizing this state.