JPH0224162A - Data process system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To process printing data including text data only prior to others to reduce a waiting time by a method wherein with respect to data applied with a priority indication code the data is outputted to a first processing means until it is applied with a priority indication end code, and the data is processed prior to others as far as the first data processing means has the data. CONSTITUTION:If data read from a data processor interface 105 is a priority indication code, a priority flag for judging that the data has priority with respect to the processing of the succeeding reception data is turned ON, an edition parameter is retracted, and the process returns to a main routine. If the data read from the data processor interface 105 is a priority indication end code, the priority flag is turned OFF, the edition parameter is reset, a page feed code is generated to be outputted to a priority R-buffer 120, and the process returns to the main routine. If the priority flag has been turned OFF already in the presence of the priority indication end code, this code is ignored, and the process returns as it is.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a data processing method for a printer such as a laser printer.

(Prior Art) A conventional electrophotographic printer internally receives two types of drawing data: text data drawn using a font pattern prepared in advance, and graphic data in raster and vector formats. They are processed and drawn in the order in which they are displayed.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, there is a considerable difference in processing time between text data and graphic data. Text data requires almost no time to process because it only involves reading font pattern data, but graphic data requires complex arithmetic processing, which takes several minutes to sometimes tens of minutes to process. Therefore, in the method described above, in which received data is processed in the order in which it is received,
If print data consisting only of text data, which requires less processing time, is received after print data containing graphic data, it is necessary to wait for the processing of the print data containing graphic data to finish, even though it would take almost no processing time. However, it is not possible to process print data that is only text data. Therefore, even in printers that can analyze and perform various processing on the next received data during printing, a waiting time may occur until printing starts.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to receive print data containing only text data first, even if print data containing graphic data that requires processing time is received first. To reduce waiting time, graphic data is processed while the processed text is being printed.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to solve the above object, the data processing method of the present invention includes a data storage means for temporarily storing data input from the outside, and a data storage means for storing a print image. a print image storage means; a data analysis means for analyzing the data stored in the data storage means; and when the analysis result by the data analysis means is a code of print data, it is stored in the print image 7 storage means. a first data processing means for priority processing, which includes a drawing means for writing as a print image on the computer; a data storage means for temporarily storing data input from the outside; and a print image storage for storing the print image. means, a data analysis means for analyzing the data stored in the data storage means, and when the analysis result by the data analysis means is a code of print data,
a second data processing means for normal processing, comprising a drawing means for writing the data as a print image in the print image storage means; the data includes print data including text data and graphic data; A control code that includes a priority designation code that is added to the beginning of the print data to perform priority processing for that print data, and a priority designation end code that is added to the end of certain print data to terminate the priority processing of that print data. and identification means for identifying the type of data, and if the identification means recognizes a priority designation code in the data, subsequent data will be marked with a priority designation code in the data. The data is input to the data storage means of the first data processing means until the specified end code is recognized, and the data is processed, and when the priority designated end code is recognized, subsequent data is
Until the priority designation code is recognized in the above data, the second
The data is input to the data storage means of the data processing means and data is processed, and as long as there is data in the first data processing means, the data in the second data processing means is not processed until the processing is completed. It is characterized by being controlled as follows.

(Operation) Data to which a priority designation code is attached is output to the first (priority) data processing means until a priority end code is attached, and data to which a priority designation code is not attached is output to the first (priority) data processing means. The data is output to the second (normal) data processing means, and as long as there is data in the first data processing means, that data is processed preferentially.

Further, the end of priority designation is specified by the priority designation end code.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a printer system 10 that is an embodiment of the present invention.
The configuration of the processing system is shown below.

Data from the general-purpose data processing device 1 is temporarily stored in an external filing buffer 2 and then output to the printer system 10 in order to improve the throughput of the data processing device 1. The data sent from this data processing device 1 includes text data and graphic data for printing, codes for controlling the print engine to perform line breaks, page breaks, etc., and priority processing related to the present invention. It consists of a priority designation code for designating and canceling the priority designation, and a control code including a priority designation end code.

This electrophotographic printer system 10 includes a bitmap data processing device 3, a print engine 4, an external paper feed unit 5, and a sorter 6.

FIG. 3 is a central sectional view showing a paper passing path of an electrophotographic printer to which the present invention is applicable. Paper is selectively fed from three removable paper feed cassettes 51, 52 and 53. After toner is removed from the photosensitive drum 401 by a cleaner 406, the photosensitive drum 401 is charged to a charger 404.
It is uniformly charged by the eraser lamp 405 and receives image exposure from the optical system 409. And the developing device 402
A toner image is formed on the photoreceptor drum 401 by
A toner image is transferred onto the fed paper by a transfer charger 403. The vapor is transported to a fixing device 408 by a conveyor belt 407, and after being subjected to a fixing process by the fixing device 408, it is stored in the sorter 6.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the bitmap type data processing device 3 of FIG. 2, in which a priority processing section necessary for carrying out the present invention is provided in parallel with a normal processing section.

This bitmap processing device 3 is composed of several blocks connected by an internal bus.

101 to 106 are blocks commonly connected to the priority processing section and the normal processing section. BM-CPUIOI is a central control unit of the bitmap processing device 3,
It communicates with the data processing device l through the data processing device interface 105 via the external file buffer 2, controls the print engine 4 through the print engine interface 106, and converts print data to write bitmap data as described later. Bitmap writing section 113 through writing section interface 1127u and priority bitmap writing section interface 122.
and controls the priority bitmap writing section 123. SYS
-ROM102 stores the program of BM-CPUIOI. SYS-RAM103 is BM-CPUIO
This is the working storage area of L, and is used to store the stack and basic flags.

110-114 is a normal processing unit for processing received data that does not require priority processing;
Configure data processing means.

Reference numerals 120 to 124 are priority processing units for performing priority processing on received data to which a priority designation code has been attached in the present invention. established in

It should be noted that the font section 115 is shared between the priority processing section and the normal processing section since it is not necessary to have each of them.

The normal processing section and the priority processing section will be explained below. Furthermore, data to be processed with priority and assigned a priority designation code is stored in the priority R-buffer 120, and data to be processed normally is stored in the R-buffer 110.
- It is controlled by the CPUIOI, and the basic operation of the priority processing section is the same as that of the normal processing section.

The R-buffer 110 and the destination R-sofa 120 are buffers for communication with the outside (data processing device 1, file no. \, file 2), and are used to communicate between the processing program of the BM-CPUIOl and the data processing device l. It is possible to perform communication even asynchronously.

The P-RAM III and the priority P-RAM 121 store various data from the data processing device 1 as intermediate codes that are easy to process.

Actual drawing is performed by the bisotoma knob writing section 113 and the priority bitmap writing section 123, but the information to the bitmap writing section 113 and the priority bitmap writing section 123 includes the pattern built-in address of the font section 115, etc. , bitmap RAM 114 and priority bitmap RA
There are parameters such as a drawing address to M124. Calculating these parameters takes a certain amount of time. Therefore, while the data in the bit map RAM 114 and the priority bi-Sotmanov RAM 124 are being printed, the data for the next page is preprocessed to speed up the processing. Therefore, P-RAMI 11 and Priority!
”-The movement of data within the RAMI 21 is first-in, first-out.

In this embodiment, the bitmap RAM 14 and the priority bitmap RAM 124 are provided in the same memory, but they may be separate memories.Furthermore, graphic data is also subject to priority processing. In this case, not only the bitmap RAM 14 but also the priority bitmap RAM 124 requires a storage capacity for one page.

Further, the print engine interface 106 is an interface with the print engine 4, and is used to issue job-based commands such as print commands. l commands are exchanged with the print engine 4 interface through the communication bus.

An embodiment of the present invention that performs priority processing can be achieved by using the configuration of the bitmap type data processing device 3 described above and by the control flow of the printer device described below.

FIG. 5 shows the main flow of the printer device.

When the power is turned on, internal initialization is performed (step S
(hereinafter steps are omitted), various buffers and RAM
(S2), reads font attribute information such as cell size from the font section 115 (S3), and sets switch settings (interface switching, etc.) and internal default values (
Initial settings are performed using margins, etc.) (S4).

After the above initial operations are completed, data reception from the data processing device 1 such as a host computer is permitted, and a received data processing loop is entered.

In the received data processing (S5), it is determined whether there is data in the R-buffer 110 or the priority R-t<, , 120, and the processing is performed.

FIG. 6 shows the flow of received data processing. This process mainly involves converting received data into intermediate code.

This is because by converting the data into an intermediate code in advance, the time for data analysis during printing is shortened, and the total printing time is shortened.

If there is priority data in the priority R-buffer 120 (S51
(YES), processes 852 to S57 are performed to perform priority processing. In S52, the priority data is read from the priority R-buffer 120, and if the data is not a control code (No in S53), that is, if it is print data or graphic data, it is converted into a predetermined format as an intermediate code (554). , output to the priority P-RAM 121 (
S57). In addition, if it is a control code (S53
(YES at 856), the details are omitted, but if it is necessary to process various control codes (S55) and output them to the priority PRAM 21 (YES at 856), the priority P-RAM 121
(S57).

If there is no data in the priority R-buffer 120゛ (S51
(NO), normal processing from 862 to S67 is performed.

This normal processing includes the priority R-buffer 120 (S52) and the priority P-buffer 120 (S52) used in the priority processing of 352 to S57 above.
R buffer 1 instead of RAM 121 (S57)
10. If the P-RAM 111 is used, the procedure will be the same, so the explanation will be omitted.

Returning to FIG. 5, the explanation will be continued. After processing this received data, if the priority via) map 124 is accessible (
YES in S6), performs the packet processing described next (S6).
7).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of packet processing. Priority P-RA
If there is priority data in Ml 21 (YES in S71)
, 372 to S77 are performed. At S72, data is read from the priority P-RAM 121 (S72
), if the data indicates a control code (S
73: YES), the control code is analyzed (S74)
, if the code specifies a page break (YES in S75), a paper discharge request is made (S76) and the process returns. If it is not a page break designation code (NO in S75), the process returns directly. Also, if the data read from the priority P-RAMI 21 does not indicate a control code (NO in S73),
That is, if it is print data or graphic data, predetermined font data or raster data are developed in the priority bitmap RAM 124 (S77), and the process returns.

If there is no data in the priority P-RAM 121 (N in S71)
o), normal packet processing from 382 to S87 is performed. In this normal processing, the P-RAM is
If the bitmap RAM 114 is used, the same procedure will be used, so the explanation will be omitted.

Returning to FIG. 5 again, the explanation will be continued. After the above packet processing, if a paper ejection request (876 or 886) is issued (S
8: YES), perform print control on S9 (
S9), the paper is ejected and the next paper is fed.

Data reception is performed asynchronously with the above processing. 1st
The figure shows the flow of this data reception.

In order to perform the above-described priority processing, a data processing device such as a host computer newly adds and transmits a priority designation code and a priority designation end code when transmitting data, and data below these codes is , it is necessary for the printer system 10 to identify that the data should be processed with priority and that priority processing is not specified.

In the present invention, if the processing is based on page units, the priority designation code may be added to the beginning of the page, and the priority designation end code may be added to the end of the page (that is, immediately after the page break code). In that case, if you use a printer that can process data during printing, if the print data includes not only graphic data but also text data and graphic data in one page,
By not specifying priority, waiting time can be reduced.

It is also possible to completely separate text data and graphic data, give priority processing to each type of print data, and print on separate pages.

In that case, a priority designation code is added to the beginning of the text data group, and a priority designation end code is added to the end of the text data group, that is, the beginning of the graphic data group. At this time, the priority designation may change in the middle of the page, so in that case, a page break code is generated inside the printer.

This data reception flow will be explained below.

First, data is read from the data processing device interface 105 (SIOl), and if the data is a priority designation code (YES in S102), a priority flag is used to determine that the received data below is data that should be processed with priority. , unless it is already turned on (8
1.03 (No), ONL (S104), saves the editing parameters (S105), and returns.

Further, if the data read from the data processing device interface 105 is a priority specification end code (S106
YES in S107), if the priority flag is ON (NO in S107).
O) To indicate that the priority specification has been completed, set the priority flag to ○FFL (Si20), and turn on the edit flag with 5105.
(5109)
, generates a page break code (SIIO), outputs it to the fu destination R-buffer 120 (S1], 2), and returns. Even if it is a priority specification end code, if the priority flag is OFF (S107: YES), this is ignored,
Return as is.

If it is neither a priority designation code nor a priority designation end code, it is determined whether the priority flag is ON or OFF (S11
1), if ON (YES), priority R-buffer 12
Output the data to 0 (5112), and if it is OFF (NO), output to R/lf, y77110 (Sl
13).

Through this received data processing, priority processing data and normal processing data are distinguished, and each priority R-buffer t
2o and R-buffer 11o.

(Effects of the Invention) By adding a priority designation code to data and giving it priority, data processing can be performed regardless of the order in which the data is received. For example, if you use a printer that can process data while printing, data that takes a long time to process, such as graphic data, will not be given priority, but text data, which takes a short time to process, will be given priority. Even if it is received after graphic data etc., it is processed first,
By printing, graphic data can be processed while text data is being printed, so by the time the graphic data is printed, some (or all) of the graphic data has already been processed. This reduces unnecessary waiting time before starting printing.

In addition, you can use the priority specification end code to instruct the end of priority processing, so even if text and graphics are mixed on one page, you can give detailed instructions such as giving priority to only the text and printing it on a separate page. becomes possible.

Further, it is also possible to specify priority for data to be processed preferentially, regardless of whether it is text data or graphic data.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of data reception according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a central cross-section showing the paper passing path of the blink system. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a binotmanbu data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
This figure is a main control flowchart of the printer system, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of received data processing, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart of packet processing. ■...Data processing device, 101...BM-CPU. 102...SMS-ROM, +03...SYS-RAM. 110...R-Buffer, Ill...P RAM. +12... Bintmanov writing unit interface, +
13...Bitmap writing section, 114...Bitmap RAM. 115... Font section, 120... Priority R-buffer, 121... Priority P-RAM. 122: Priority bitmap writing section interface, 123: Priority bitmap writing section, 124: Priority bitmap RAM. Patent applicant: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. Agent: Patent attorney: 1 person 11rll Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) a data storage means for temporarily storing data input from the outside; a print image storage means for storing a print image; and a data analysis means for analyzing the data stored in the data storage means; When the analysis result by the data analysis means is a code of print data, a first data processing means for priority processing includes a drawing means for writing the code as a print image in the print image storage means; a data storage means for temporarily storing data input from the data storage means, a print image storage means for storing a print image, a data analysis means for analyzing the data stored in the data storage means, and the data analysis means. If the analysis result is a code of print data, a second data processing means for normal processing is provided with a drawing means for writing the code as a print image in the print image storage means; Print data including data and graphic data, a priority designation code that is added to the beginning of certain print data to give priority processing to that print data, and a priority specification code that is added to the end of certain print data to give priority to that print data. and a control code including a priority designation end code for terminating the process, and an identification means for identifying the type of data, and when the priority designation code is recognized in the data by the identification means. inputs subsequent data into the data storage means of the first data processing means to perform data processing until the priority designation end code is recognized in the data, and when the priority designation end code is recognized. , input subsequent data into the data storage means of the second data processing means to perform data processing until the priority designation code is recognized in the data, and as long as there is data in the first data processing means. A data processing method for a printer, characterized in that the data in the second data processing means is controlled not to be processed until the processing is completed.