JPH02552A - Printer and memory cartridge thereof - 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] The present invention relates to a printer that prints using font data or format data stored in a memory cartridge, and its memory cartridge.

[Conventional technology]

Some printers, such as laser printers, are capable of printing by inserting a memory cartridge in which predetermined font (font) data or format data is stored into the slot and using that font data or format data. be.

In such printers, various fonts or formats can be used by replacing the memory cartridges inserted into the slots.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in such conventional printers, only the font data or format data stored in the memory cartridge inserted in the slot can be used, so the required font or typeface is stored in multiple memory cards. If the memory is stored in a distributed manner, you will need to replace the memory cartridge each time you use it.

There was a problem that the operation became cumbersome.

To solve this problem, you can increase the number of memory cartridge slots so that multiple memory cartridges can be inserted at the same time, but doing so will make the printer larger. There is this inconvenience.

Additionally, the types of font data or format data stored in one memory cartridge may be increased, but in this case it becomes impossible to determine what type of font data or format data is currently selected. There are problems in that it becomes difficult to select a format and mistakes in font or format selection are likely to occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a printer and its memory cartridge that can easily and reliably print in various fonts or formats.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printer that prints using font data or format data stored in a replaceably inserted memory cartridge. It is equipped with data load processing means for loading format data into internal memory.

Further, the memory cartridge, which stores font data or format data and is replaceably inserted into the printer, is provided with display means for displaying the type of font data or format data currently selected.

[For production]

With the above configuration, even if the font data or format data to be used is stored in multiple memory cartridges, the font data or format data of each memory cartridge to be used can be specified in advance by the data load processing means. By loading the data into the internal memory, it becomes possible to use those data at the same time without having to replace the memory cartridge.

Furthermore, even if multiple types of font data or format data are stored in one memory cartridge, the currently selected type of font data or format data is displayed on the display means provided in the memory cartridge, so that they can be stored in one memory cartridge. It is possible to easily select data and confirm the type of selected data.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a laser printer embodying the present invention.

The printer controller 1 includes a central processing unit, ROM, R
A microcomputer (CP) consisting of AM, Ilo, etc.
U) 11 and host interface (1/F)? 2
, serial interface 13, and font ROM
14, a program ROM 15, a RAM 1B, an engine input/output device (Ilo) 17, a raster data generator 18, and a DMA (direct memory access) controller 19, and a font cartridge 21, which is a memory cartridge, is inserted. 20 slots for
It is equipped with

The CPU 1l is a processing device that controls the entire printer controller 1, and is a general-purpose 16-bit or 32-bit processor.
Uses a BIT microcomputer.

The host interface 12 is an office computer,
This is an interface for transmitting and receiving data with a host 2 such as a personal computer, word processor, image editing processing device, etc., and various parallel interfaces or serial interfaces are selected depending on the host 2.

The serial interface 13 is an interface for transmitting and receiving data between the front panel 1 and the panel 3.

This front panel 3 has a font car 1-ridge 21.
A font data selection key for inputting information for selecting phono 1~ data stored in phono 1~
a font load mode key for inputting information for controlling loading of font data from the cartridge 21;
Equipped with font search key and font load key.

The font ROM 14 stores the minimum amount of font data necessary for the printer. The program ROM 15 is a CPU for operating the printer controller 1.
It stores various processing programs for I. The font load processing program that processes the loading of font data from the font cartridge 21 is also stored in this program ROM.
It is stored in 15.

The RAM 1B is a large capacity random access memory and is mainly used as an input buffer, page buffer, video buffer, path buffer, font file, and system memory. Note that each buffer and file is located in the R area other than the area used as system memory.
To secure and use the required amount of AM area in advance.

To explain in detail each buffer and file in this RAM 1B, the input buffer is a buffer for temporarily holding data received from the host 2 through the host interface 12, and the data is sequentially retrieved by the print software and The page data is generated in the page buffer by adding a source address where the video data is actually stored, a destination address specifying where in the video buffer the video data is to be created, size information, etc.

Video data is generated on the video buffer using this page data, font data of the font file, and font data (source data) of the font ROM 14.

The font file includes phono 1-data from the host 1-2 downloaded through the host interface 12, or a 6-bus buffer into which font data from the font cartridge 21 is loaded.
The printer controller 1 is responsible for exchanging font data and data selection information between the font cartridge 21 installed in the printer controller 1 and the printer controller 1 .

In addition, in order to manage the download font data from the host 2 and the load font data from the font cartridge 21, the RAM 1B stores font management information such as the address of the font file that stores the font data, the font size, and the font name. It also stores information.

The engine 11017 is 1, 10 that controls the transmission and reception of necessary control data and the like with the printer engine 4. The raster data generator 18 generates raster data based on the video data read from the video buffer of the RAM 1B and sends it to the printer engine 4. The DMA controller 1 reads video data from the video buffer of the RAM 16 and transfers it to the raster data generator 18.

Font data is stored in the font cartridge 21, and the font cartridge 21 may be, for example, Fourier 10. There are multiple font cartridges containing various fonts such as Helvetian Power, Time Slow Man, etc.

The first part is a block diagram functionally showing the data load processing means of this printer controller 1.

The font load mode key 31 instructs the start of font load mode processing in which the font data of the font cartridge 21 is loaded into the font RAM 3;2 (the above-mentioned font file) as an internal memory.

The font search key 33 selects font car 1-ridge 2.
Instructs to search for necessary font data among the phono data stored in 1.

The font load key 34 is the font cartridge 21
Font RAM 32 of font data stored in
instructs to load.

When the font load mode key 31 instructs the start of font load mode processing, the font cartridge search unit 35 searches whether or not the font cartridge 21 is inserted into the slot 20, and determines that the font cartridge 21 is not inserted. Sometimes the display section 36
The font search section 37 displays whether or not the font cartridge 21 is inserted.
6 When the font search unit 37 receives a font search instruction from the font search key 33 while receiving a notification from the font cartridge search unit 35 that the font cartridge 21 is present, the font search unit 37 searches for the font cartridge 21. The font name is displayed on the display section 3, and the font name at that time is notified to the font loading section 38.

When the font load unit 38 receives a font load instruction from the font load key 34, the font load unit 38 reads the font data of the font name received from the font search unit 37 from the font cartridge 21, and stores the font in the font RA.
Load it into M32.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

First, the font loading operation will be explained with reference to FIG.

After inserting the font cartridge 21 into the slot 20, press the font load mode key 31 on the front panel 3.
Enter font loading mode by pressing . Note that if the font cartridge 21 is not inserted into the slot 20 when the font load mode key 31 is pressed, the font cartridge search section 35 displays this fact on the display section 36.

Then, by pressing the font search key 33,
A font search section 37 searches for the font name of font data stored in the font cartridge 21 inserted into the slot 20 and displays it on the display section 36.

At this time, if the font with the font name displayed on the display section 36 is not the font to be used, by pressing the font search key 33 again, the font search section 37 will be stored in the font cartridge 21 inserted into the slot 20. The font name next to the currently selected font data is searched and displayed on the display section 36.

By repeating such operations and pressing the font load key 34 when a font with the font name to be used is found, the font load section 38 loads the font with the current font name from the font cartridge 21 inserted into the slot 20. Load the data into the font RAM 32.

If the font data to be used has not been loaded yet, replace the font cartridge 21 inserted in the slot 20 with another font cartridge, press the font search key 33 again, and proceed in the same manner as described above to find the necessary font. Load the data into the font RAM 32.

At this time, the font load unit 38 loads the font RAM 52.
The storage addresses of the font data loaded into the font are managed, and font data with different font names are sequentially stored in different locations.

Next, this font loading operation will be specifically explained with reference to FIG.

Here, if you want to print using three types of fonts: "Fourier 10", "Helvetica", and "Time Slow Man", the font data of Fourier 10 will be placed in font cartridge A, the font data of Helvetica will be placed in font cartridge B, and so on. It is assumed that the font data of Time Roman is stored in each font cartridge C.

Therefore, first insert the font cartridge A into the slot 20, press the font load mode key 31, press the font search key 33, and when Fourier 10 is displayed as the font name, press the font load key 34.

Fourier 10 font data is loaded from font cartridge A into font RAM 32.

Next, pull out font cartridge A from slot 20, insert font cartridge B into slot 20, press font search key 33, and when Helvetey force is displayed as the font name, press font load key 33.
By pressing , Helvetey's font data from font cartridge B is loaded into the font RAM 32.

Furthermore, by pulling out font cartridge B from slot 20, inserting font cartridge C into slot 20, pressing font search key 33, and pressing font load key 34 when Time Slowman is displayed as the font name, time is extracted from font cartridge B. Roman font data to phono l-RA
Load into M 2i 2.

In this way, Fourier 1 is stored in the font RAM";2.
0. Three types of font data, Helvetian Force and Time Slow Man, are loaded one after another.

In other words, this printer has a function to load only arbitrarily specified font data from multiple font cartridges into internal memory, so if the font data to be used is stored in multiple font cartridges, However, by specifying the font data to be used in advance and loading it into the internal memory, you can use them at the same time.

Therefore, there is no need to replace the font cartridge each time or to increase the number of slots so that a large number of font cartridges can be inserted at the same time.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the font data to be loaded is specified manually using keys, but it is also possible to specify (select) the font data by a command from the host.

Figure 5 shows the font car 1 used in this laser printer.
- It is a top view showing an example of a ridge.

This font cartridge 21 stores font data of four types of first-order Helvetey forces.

Helvetica Reg
ular) Helvetica force bold (Helvetica
Bold) Helvetian force Italic (Heleve)
Helvatica Bold Italic (Helvatica Bold Italic) On the upper surface of the part of the font car 1-ridge 21 that is exposed to the outside when inserted into the slot 20 of the laser printer, as shown in FIG. .

A display section 22 is provided which includes characters representing these four types of font data names and four light emitting diodes (LEDs) 23; to 26 disposed at positions corresponding to the characters.

As shown in FIG. 6, the LEDs 23 to 26 are connected to a common power supply +V on their anode sides, and are installed on their cathode sides via a decoder 40.

When the font cartridge 21 is inserted into the slot 20 shown in FIG.
Data selection information indicating which font data is currently selected is supplied from the CPU II through the bus buffer in the RAM 16 and the slot 20, and based on that information, the cathode side of the LED corresponding to the font name is grounded. Then, the LED (any one of 23 to 26) is turned on.

That is, when the Helvetey force regular is selected, the LED 23 is displayed, and when the Helvetey force bold is selected, the LED 24 is displayed.

L if Helvetey force italic is selected
When the ED25 and the herpetite bold italic are selected, the LED2B is turned on.

Further, when loading font data into the font RAM 32 described above, the LEDs 23 to 2 corresponding to the currently loaded font data are similarly turned on.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the external appearance of a laser printer in which the font cartridge 21 is inserted and used.

This laser printer 5 is provided with a paper feed cassette insertion lower on the front surface into which a paper feed cassette 6 is installed, and on the side of the paper feed cassette insertion lower, slots 20 for cartridge insertion are provided in two upper and lower stages. It is being

The rest of the configuration is the same as the previous embodiment, and the front panel 3 includes a font load mode key 31, a font search key 33. Font load key 34. and a display section (LCD display) 36.

This laser printer 5 can be used with two font cartridges 21 inserted at the same time.

When font data stored in one of the font cartridges 21 is selected, the data selection information is outputted to the font cartridge 21 inserted therein via one of the slots 20 and sent to the decoder 40.
input terminals 41 to 43.

As a result, the decoder 40 is provided on the display section 22 of the cartridge 21.
The LED placed at the position corresponding to the character displaying the data name of the selected font data of 6 is turned on.

Also, when the font data stored in the font cartridge 21 is once loaded into the internal font RAM and then the data is used.

When data to be loaded is selected using the font search key 33 on the front panel 3, the LED corresponding to the selected data is similarly lit.

Therefore, the user can easily confirm the currently selected font data name by the lighting display of the LEDs 23 to 26 provided on the display section 22 of the cartridge 21.

Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the cartridge 21, which is currently being used (loaded) with data selected, from being inadvertently removed from the slot 20.

In the above embodiment, the font cartridge 21 is used as a memory cartridge in which four types of Helberty force font data are stored.
It is also possible to use other font data such as "R Time Slowman," and the number of types of font data stored in one cartridge may be greater or less than four.

In addition, memory cartridges are not limited to font cartridges, but also format cartridges that store format data,
Alternatively, even in the case of a memory cartridge in which both font data and format data are stored, the present invention can be implemented in the same manner as in the case of the font cartridge 21 described above.

Further, in the above-described embodiments, a laser printer was used as an example of the printer, but the present invention can be similarly applied to other printers such as an inkjet printer or a thermal printer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the printer of the present invention, when font data or format data to be used is stored in a plurality of memory cartridges, it is possible to store them even if the plurality of memory cartridges are not inserted at the same time. Data can be used simultaneously, and printing with one variety of fonts or one set can be easily performed.

Further, according to the memory cartridge of the present invention, even when multiple types of font data or format data are stored in one memory cartridge, it is possible to easily confirm which data among them is selected. This also prevents erroneous operations such as inadvertently removing a memory cartridge in use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram functionally showing the data load processing means of the printer controller 1 in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the font loading processing operation, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the process in detail, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of the font cartridge according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is the same. The circuit diagram which shows the circuit which lights up LED. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing an example of a laser printer using this font cartridge. 1...Printer controller 2...Host 3.
...Front panel 4...Printer engine 5
...Laser printer 16...RAM20...
・Slot 21... Font cartridge 22・
・・Display part 23-26・・LED31・・
Font load mode key 32... Font RAM 33... Font search key 34... Font load key 35... Font cartridge search section 36... Display section 37... Phono 1 to search section 38... Font load Part Figure 5 B Figure 6 Funn i Car Ridge 21 L+=-=-Hibiki-----Hot-----------------
−−−−−1−−Figure 7＼

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a printer that prints using font data or format data stored in replaceably inserted memory cartridges, the font data or format data specified from a plurality of memory cartridges can be printed. A printer characterized by comprising a data load processing means for loading data into an internal memory. 2 Font data or format data is stored,
1. A memory cartridge that is replaceably inserted into a printer, the memory cartridge comprising display means for displaying the type of currently selected font data or format data.