JPH02235137A - Output control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speed up printing output by reducing resolution and increasing a processing speed in the case of a sampling output of a printing device having plural resolution values. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 102 stores inputted printing data in a page buffer 105, and at the time of detecting a command for changing resolution at the time of a sampling output e.g., stores the set resolution in a RAM 104 and switches a selector 110 by setting up a flag to '1'. Then, the CPU 102 reads out data successively from the page buffer 105, accesses a font matched with the set resolution from a font memory 106, converts code data into dot image data, and stores the dot image data in a frame memory 107. The data are converted into serial data synchronized with the clock of a clock generator 109 by a P/S converter 108, the serial data are sent to a recording part 111 through a data line 112 and printing is executed synchronously with horizontally and vertically synchronizing signals sent through a synchronizing signal line 113.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an output control device for printing at a lower resolution when outputting a sample in a printer device capable of printing at a plurality of resolutions.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, output devices individually print out prints at a fixed resolution.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, the above conventional example had the following drawbacks.

It took the same amount of time to print out the sample (trial) output to check the composition and layout, such as font size and line spacing, and the actual regular output.

[Means for Solving the Problems (and Effects)] According to the invention, in the case of sample output as described above, it is possible to increase the processing speed by changing the resolution and increasing the processing speed in a printer device having multiple resolutions. This allows you to obtain sample output.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 101 is an interface, 102 is a CPU that controls the entire device, and 103 is a ROM containing firmware or a program shown in a flowchart described later. 104 is a work memory;
105 is a page buffer for storing print data sent from the host, 106 is a font memory,
A dot font or a vector font may be stored. 107 is a frame memory for storing bitmap data, 108 is a parallel-to-serial converter, 109 is a clock generator, 110 is a selector, 111 is a recording unit equipped with a printing mechanism, 112 is a data line for sending bit image data, 113 is a synchronization signal line for sending horizontal synchronization signals and vertical synchronization signals.

The flow of data in this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b). In this embodiment, in order to simplify the configuration, there are two levels of resolution, which are hereinafter referred to as high resolution and medium resolution. Normally, this printer device prints at high resolution. Print data is input from the host computer through an interface 101.

! When the print data is input, the CPU 02 stores it in the page buffer 105. If the CPU does not detect a predetermined command at the beginning of a series of print data (for example, a command to change the resolution when outputting a sample), the CPU proceeds to 34 in FIG. 2(a) and sets F1ag=0. In addition, when a command is detected (Fig. 2 (a) Sl), 1
The CPU of 02 stores the set resolution in the RAM of 104 and sets the flag to 1 (Fig. 2 (a) S2).
1 Switch the 10 selectors (S3 in FIG. 2(a)).

Next, the actual printing will be explained with reference to FIG. 2(b).

Once the data constituting one page is prepared (Fig. 2 (b)
) Sl, S2), 102 CPU sequentially reads data from the page buffer 105, determines whether Flag=1 at 53 in FIG. Access 1 (S4, S5 in FIG. 2(b)) in the font memory of . The code/data is transformed into dot image data and expanded into the frame memory 107. The CPU 102 reads data from the page buffer 105, takes in the next page data from the interface 101, and writes it to the page buffer 105. The data developed in the frame memory 107 is sent to the parallel/serial converter 108 (S6), where it is converted into serial data synchronized with the clock generated by the clock generator 109, and then sent through the serial data line 112 to the serial data line 111. It is sent to the recording department. Since the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals differ depending on the resolution, they are switched by a selector 110 and sent to a parallel/serial converter 108 and a recording section 111 through a synchronizing signal line 113. The txt recording section performs a printing operation in synchronization with this signal.

For the data sent as a sample print according to the above embodiment, a medium resolution is selected, and the processing speed is increased due to the reduction in processing, making it possible to obtain print output at high speed.

Although the mechanism of the recording section 111 will not be described in detail, for example, in the case of a laser beam printer, the on/off timing of the beam or the diameter of the beam can be changed depending on the pulse width specified by the signal sent to the recording section. This allows you to freely change the printer resolution.

[Other Embodiment J FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment. Figure 3 is the same as Figure 1 with 121 detectors and 122 selectors 1 added. The operation and data flow in this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).

Print data is input manually from the host computer through the interface 101. 102 CPUs are 1
05 page buffer (Fig. 4(b) st
). The data line is also connected to the detector 121, and the detector 121 detects data indicating that it is a predetermined sample output at the beginning of a series of print data (
Figure 4 (a) SS) and selectors 1 and 11 of 122
The select signal is switched for selector 2 of 0 (FIG. 4(a) S2, S3). As a result, compared to FIG. 1, the CPU 102 stores font memory 1.2 according to the resolution
However, the CPU 102 does not have to perform the selection process.

In sample output, medium resolution printing is performed in contrast to normal high resolution printing, so a font memory and synchronization signal suitable for the resolution are selected.

Thereafter, in S3 of FIG. 4(b), the already selected font memory is accessed and the dot image data is stored in the frame memory. The flow of print data after S4 is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the case of sample output, by lowering the resolution and increasing the processing speed, it is convenient to obtain printed output at high speed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the CPU of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. is the third
A flowchart 102 of the operation in the illustrated embodiment shows a CPU 103 as a ROM 104 as a RAM 105 as a page buffer 106 as a font memory 107 as a frame memory 110 as a selector 11 as a recording unit 12 as a serial data line 13 as a synchronization signal line 21 Detector 22 is selector 1 Male tJ-2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An instruction means for giving an instruction to output a sample to an output device capable of selectively outputting at a first resolution or a second resolution lower than the first resolution, based on the instruction from the instruction means. , signal generating means for generating a signal indicating output at the second resolution. (2) A determining means for determining whether or not it is an instruction to output a sample; a storage means for storing font data suitable for each of the first resolution and a second resolution lower than the first resolution; An output control device comprising: a selection means for selecting font data stored in the storage means to be output at the second resolution in the case of sample output based on a determination result.