JPH02273277A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a printer in which paper is moved by a paper feed mechanism and serially printed by a print head.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of printer, settings for various functions on the printer side have been made using switches provided for function settings. And its functions are N sets (N≧
2), some were configured as multiple function sets.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In conventional printers such as those mentioned above, if the host device does not have printing control functions such as assignment functions and character font specification,
Printing was to be controlled from an operator panel on the printer side. In other words, even if the printer has N control sets, when it is desired to change the printing control method, it is necessary to stop printing midway through and then change it from the operator panel, making the operation complicated.

This invention was made to solve this problem, and when there is no printing control from the host device, by setting the page layout in advance,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a printer with improved operability by automatically performing layout during printing and executing desired printing control.

[Means to solve the problem]

The printer according to the present invention includes a command means for changing or setting various control functions of the printer by an operator, a command means for moving a carriage by an operator, a command means for moving paper by an operator, and N control ranges. The control system is equipped with N first storage means for storing the following information, and N second storage means for storing each control function within the N control ranges.

[For production]

In this invention, the operator determines the control range on paper using the carriage movement command means and the paper movement command means, and stores it in the first storage means.
Next, a control function that is effective only within the control range is input from the command means set by the operator 2, and is stored in the second storage means. When printing, the current position is compared with the control range, and within the control range, the corresponding control function is executed.
The desired control state can be obtained.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the concept of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, (11) is a carriage moving means, (
12) is a paper moving means, (13) is a control function setting means, (
14) is a memory that stores N @q control ranges, (15)
is a memory that stores N control functions.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, (20) is a CPU.

(21) is a ROM in which the program is stored; (22)
) is a memory that stores control functions effective for the entire page (hereinafter referred to as background functions), (23) is a current position counter, and (24) is an operation setting memory that controls printer operations. (25) is an I10 boat for driving the carriage motor and paper feed motor; (26)
) is a panel that can be set by the operator, and (27) is a memory for storing control information.

Here, to explain the relationship between Figures 1 and 2, the memory (
14) and (15) are controlled by the memory (27), and the control function setting means (13) is controlled by the operator panel (26) and C
The carriage moving means (11) and the paper moving means (12) are connected to the operator panel (26) and the CPU (20) and the ROM by the PU (20) and the ROM (21).
(21) and I10 boat (25).

``Figure 3 explains the setting range within a page. Setting range C is determined by determining point A in the figure and point B on the diagonal line thereof.

Also, the 0 point in the figure is set as the origin. Here, the coordinates of point A are (X, , Y,), and the coordinates of point B are (X2, Y2
).

FIG. 4 shows the contents of the memory block in FIG. 2, and shows the coordinates of points A and B, x, , y, , X2, Y2
(16 bits each) and a control function register consisting of 8 bits, totaling 9 bytes. The configuration of the control function register is shown in FIG. 5(a). Here, we will focus on the lower two bits, and assume that the allocation of each bit is as shown in FIG. 5(b).

As shown in Fig. 6, there is an auxiliary plate (62) adjacent to the head (61) on the carriage, and a reference mark (62) is placed on it.
3) is shown. The reference mark does not need to have such a configuration as long as it is shown on the carriage.

FIG. 7 shows the operator panel.

In the figure, (71) is a control switch in the X direction,
The carriage can be controlled in the left and right direction. (
Reference numeral 72) is a Y-direction control switch, which can control paper feeding in the forward and reverse directions. Both can be controlled step by step.

(73) is a setting switch for various control functions;
-a) allows the character pitch to be set, and (73-b) allows the font to be set. In other words, the switch (73-
In a), the character pitch can be set to pyro or elite, and in (73-b), the font can be set to roman or sans serif.

(74) is a switch for importing setting positions and setting functions into the memory (27). This is a switch that allows you to manually set the settings when you press it once, and resets the settings when you press it twice in succession.

The operation of the printer configured as described above will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. First, a method for setting control details will be explained.

When the printer is not performing a printing operation, it enters the setting mode by the panel switch (26) (Sl). Then, the next step is to load paper into the printer (S2) and set the paper. Next, the reference mark (63) on the carriage is aligned with the zero point on the paper using the range switches (71) and (72) on the operator panel (S3).

Then, the set switch (74) is pressed twice to reset the current position counter (23) (S4). If you want to set the background function at this point (S5), use the various control content setting switch (73) and the set switch (73).
4) to perform settings (S6). Here, we will set a sans-serif of Pi force as a background function. Next, the control range is set, starting with the setting of point A (S7). Panel range specification switch (71
), (72) to mark the reference mark (63) on the carriage.
) to match point A, and press the set switch (74) once to input the x, y, of the position of point A into the memory (27). Next, point B is similarly set (S8), and the positions X2 and Y2 of point B are manually entered into the memory (27). Next, the setting switch (73) and set switch (74) of the setting function.
) to make settings (S9). Here, as a control function within range C, elite Roman settings will be made. Repeat steps (S7) to (S9) until the settings are completed (5IO), then exit the setting mode using the switch on the operator panel (
Sll). This completes the setting of the control range.

Next, the operation during printing will be described with reference to FIG. 9. When printing, the memory (231), (23-
Sequentially compare the current position counter in 2) with the setting range of the memory block (27) (TI), and if it is within the setting range, copy the setting function to the operation setting memory (24) L (T2)
, if it is outside the setting range, the contents of the background function setting memory (22) are copied to the operation setting memory (24) (T3).

Then, (T1) to (T3) are continued until the page ends (T4).

Further, when the next sheet is loaded and the next page is moved, if loading is performed in the same manner, the current position counter (23) is reset and the same operation as for the previous page is performed.

Furthermore, if it is desired to perform settings over a plurality of pages, this can be accomplished by adding a 1-byte memory indicating the page position to the contents of the memory block shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, character pitch and font were described as examples of control functions, but it goes without saying that the same +1 can also be applied to other functions such as paper thickness setting and margin setting.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when printing cannot be controlled on the host device, or when the printer has functions that cannot be performed, printing can be controlled on the actual paper with respect to the contents that can be set using the operator panel. The range of allocation can be visually confirmed.

Also, when you want to change print controls such as print mode on the same page, the layout becomes easy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the concept of an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the setting range within the page, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the contents of the memory block in Figure 2, and Figures 5 (a) and (b). ) is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the control function register and the assignment of control commands in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the indicated position display device in FIG. 1, and FIGS. This is a flow chart showing the operation. (15) Carriage moving means Paper moving means Control function setting means Memory for storing N control ranges Memory for storing N control functions or more 11 people Seiko Epson Co., Ltd. agent Patent attorney Kisanbe Suzuki (and 1 other person) Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 1 'ji' 14 (b) Figure 9y55 Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a printer in which paper is moved by a paper feed mechanism and serial printing is performed by a print head, there is provided a command means for changing or setting various control functions of the printer by an operator, and a carriage for moving the carriage by the operator. a commanding means, a commanding means for moving the paper by an operator, N first storage means for storing N control ranges, and N first storage means for storing each control function within the N control ranges. 2. A printer characterized in that the printer is equipped with storage means according to item 2, and executes a corresponding control function within a control range.