JPH02291014A - printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the time from the input of data to the output of the data by providing a control means to prepare a cache font by utilizing a usable RAM area at maximum. CONSTITUTION:An analyzing part 4 analyzes received print data and requests the cache font to a memory management part 7 when font data are required. To the request of the cache font, when the cache font is not prepared in a RAM yet, the memory management part 7 prepares the cache font on the RAM from the storage part of data not to be composed of a bit map such as an out-in font, etc. When the RAM area is secured by the analyzing part 4, the required area is secured by the memory management part 7 and given to the analyzing part 4. When the used RAM area is not required any more, the RAM area is defined as an idle area and released by the memory management part 7. Finally, based on the result analyzed by the analyzing part 4, an output part 5 outputs the data to a medium 6 to be recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing device that prints out data on recording paper or the like in accordance with data manually input from an external device such as a host computer.

[Prior Art] In conventional printing devices, font data that is not configured in bitmap format, such as outline fonts, is expanded into bitmap fonts on RAM (hereinafter referred to as cache fonts). In this case, the cache font area is a dedicated fixed area, and the cache font is created when the font data is manually input from an external device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example described above, the cache font is created after the data is entered manually, so there is a drawback that it takes time from data input to print output. Also, if font data that is the same as a cache font that already exists in RAM is manually created, it will be necessary to create it again, which shortens the time to output, but if the area for cache fonts is small, This has the disadvantage that the probability (hereinafter referred to as hit rate) of the human power fan A1~ and the data and the cash fan A[~ is poor, and it is difficult to shorten the time until output.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and shortens the time from manual input to output of data.

[Means (and actions) for solving the problem] In order to achieve this purpose, the invention provides a control system that creates a cache fund by maximally utilizing the available RAM area. By providing a means to do so, it is possible to shorten the time from data manual input to output.

[Example] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing device according to the present invention,
In the figure, 2 is an external device such as a host computer;
3 is a human power section that receives data, 4 is an analysis section that analyzes the received data, 5 is an output section that controls output, 6 is a recording medium such as paper, and 7 is a memory that manages the use of RAM. Management section, 8 is RAM, 9 is outline fin]
A function that is not constructed in the form of a map such as
・It is a data storage unit.

In the printing device 1, the printing data from the external device 2 is first received by the human power section 3. Next, the analysis section 4 analyzes the received data, and if font data is required as a result of the analysis, requests the memory management section 7 for the cache fan 1. In the memory management unit 7, if the cache fin 1 has already been created in RAM in response to the request,
From the storage section 9 of data that does not consist of bit 1 maps such as outline fonts, cache is stored on the RAM.
Create a font.

In addition, in the analysis section 4, RAM is used to store the analysis results.
When securing an area, a request is made to the memory management unit 7, and the memory management unit 7 secures the necessary area and provides it to the analysis unit 4. Also, when the RAM area that was being used is no longer needed, the analysis unit 4 requests the memory management unit 7 to release it, and the memory management unit 7 releases the RAM area as a free area.

Finally, based on the results analyzed by the analysis section 4, the output is performed to the output section 5 or the recording medium 6.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the memory management unit 7 that implements the tree invention.

It is assumed that the program represented by this flower 1- is stored in the memory management section 7. Memory management section 7
First, go to step S1 to see if any request has been issued from the analysis section. If there is no request, go to step S2. If there is no free space in the RAM, go back to step S1. If there is, use this time to Phones likely to be used in the future
Predict ~ and create a cache font from outline font 9. In other words, as long as no request comes, R
The attempt is made to create in advance the cache fonts that will be requested next until AM runs out. As a method of prediction in S3, for example, it is possible to assign priorities to fonts in advance, and create cache fonts in descending order of priority.

Step S1, if there is a request from the analysis department,
In step S4, it is checked whether there is a request for creation of cache font 1. If so, in step S5 it is checked whether the requested font is already created on the RAM as a cache font. If it has already been created, do not create a new one and return to step S1. If it is not created, step S6 searches for free space on the RAM, and if there is no free space, step S7 deletes as many unnecessary cache phones as necessary, and step S8 searches for a free space on the RAM. Create a cash fund 1. Incidentally, the frequency of use of unnecessary fonts may be stored in the RAM 8, and the less frequently used fonts may be designated as unnecessary fonts. If there is space, the process immediately moves to step S8. After that, the process returns to step S1 again.

In step S4, if the request is not a cache font creation request, in step S9, the R
Check whether it is a request to release or reserve the AM area. If it is a release request, the RAM area used by the analysis unit is released and made into a free area. If it is a reservation request, step S
Use KI to check if there is free space in the RAM, and if so, go to step Sl2 to delete any necessary or unnecessary cache fonts, and then go to step Sl3 to check if there is free space in the RAM.
The AM area is reserved for the analysis section. If there is space, immediately proceed to step SI3. After that, the process returns to step S1 again.

[Other Embodiments] As another embodiment, in step S2 of FIG.
If there is no free space in the AM, it may be possible to rearrange the memory to make effective use of the memory without creating a free space. Also, at this time, it is possible to further improve the hit rate by performing controls such as deleting cached fonts that are considered unnecessary in the future and creating new fonts that are likely to be needed in the future. .

It is also conceivable to divide the RAM area into three areas: a dedicated area for the analysis section, a dedicated area for cache fonts, and a shared area, and perform the tree invention only on the shared area.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, by creating the maximum amount of cache in the available RAM area, the hit rate of cache fonts can be improved, and the time from data input to output can be reduced. It has the effect of shortening the time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus embodying the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing carried out by the memory management section 7. As shown in FIG. 1...Printing device 2...External device 3...Manpower section 4...Analysis section 5...Output section 6...Recording medium 7...Memory management section 8...RAM 9 ...Storage area for data that does not consist of hit maps

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Storage means for storing fonts other than bitmap fonts; Conversion means for converting the fonts stored in the storage means into bitmap fonts; Conversion by the conversion means for certain font data. an instruction means for instructing; a storage means for temporarily storing the bitmap font converted by the conversion means; when there is no request for conversion by the instruction means, the storage area of the storage means is utilized to the maximum; A printing device characterized in that a conversion unit performs conversion processing on predetermined font data.