JPH0361557A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an image forming apparatus which can be set to a usable state in a short period of time by forming an image based on font data loaded in first memory means by loading means of the font data stored in second memory means. CONSTITUTION:A RAM 52 is partly assigned as a font memory for storing font data such as font down loaded from a host system 58, derived font, etc., partly assigned as a page buffer for temporarily storing image data to be sent, and further partly used as a working buffer memory of a CPU 50, is provided with a nonvolatile memory 68 for queuing stored font data to store the font data in the memory 68 according to an instruction from the system 58 or an operation panel 9. As a result, it can be set to a usable state in a short period of time without down loading the font data from the system or forming derived font each time a power source is turned ON or a using mode is changed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is applicable to, for example, image formation in a laser printer, an electronic copying machine, etc. that forms an image according to image information transferred from a host device. Regarding equipment.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in image forming apparatuses, font data for visualizing characters, etc. is created by modifying download fonts downloaded from a host device or existing fonts inside the image forming apparatus. There are day live fonts etc. These fonts are called software fonts, and are usually installed in the HMA installed inside the image forming device.
(random access memory).

In the case of downloaded fonts, these software fonts are downloaded randomly from a computer as a host device or an image reading device to the image forming device every time the power is turned on or the usage mode is changed. is created each time the power is turned on or the usage mode is changed. The image forming apparatus becomes usable with this software font set in the RAM, and from then on, image formation is performed in accordance with image data sent from the host apparatus.

However, with the above method, it takes a lot of time to download a huge amount of font data, and the host device is occupied, making it very inefficient. It also requires time and effort to create, and it has the disadvantage that it takes time until the device is ready for use.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, this invention requires a huge amount of font data to be downloaded when starting up an image forming apparatus, which requires a large amount of time and occupies the host device. This was done in order to eliminate the drawbacks that the usage efficiency is very low, and it takes time and effort to create day live fonts, and it takes a long time for the device to become usable. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be made usable in a short time without downloading font data from a host device or creating daily fonts each time a font is input or the usage mode is changed. do.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first storage means for storing font data, and an instruction to save the font data stored in the first storage means. a non-volatile second storage means for storing the font data stored in the first storage means when the instruction means instructs to save the font data; loading means for loading font data stored in a storage means into the first storage means; and image forming means for forming an image based on the font data loaded into the first storage means by the loading means. It is characterized by the following:

(Function) According to the present invention, font data downloaded from a host device or created on the image forming apparatus side is stored in a first storage means, and when an image is formed, the font data is stored in the first storage means. A nonvolatile second storage means is provided for storing the font data stored in the first storage means. The font data stored in the first storage means can be saved in the second storage means, and for example, when the power is turned on, the font data saved in the second storage means can be saved in the second storage means. The data is loaded into the first storage means and used for image formation.

As a result, it is not necessary to download font data from the host device or repeat the same operation to load font data created on the image forming apparatus side into the first storage means, and the image forming apparatus can be shortened. It can be made ready for use in a matter of hours.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 2 and 3 are an external perspective view and a schematic longitudinal sectional side view showing the internal configuration of an image forming unit device equipped with a laser printer as an image forming apparatus of the present invention. ing.

Reference numeral 1 in the figure indicates a laser printer as an image forming apparatus, which has the following configuration. That is, numeral 5 in the figure is a printer body of the laser printer 1, and the upper rear portion of the printer body 5 is raised one step higher, and a recess 6 serving as a paper ejection portion is formed in the center of the upper surface. A paper output tray 8 movably supported by a jogger 7 is installed in the recess 6, an operation panel 9 is mounted on the right side of the recess 6, and three IC cards 11 are installed on the left side.・are arranged respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the operation panel 9 includes an LCD (liquid crystal) display 9a that displays the number of sheets, mode, guidance message, etc., an LED display 9b that lights up and displays various statuses using LEDs (light emitting diodes), and a switch 9C for instructing various operations. The LED display 9b indicates "online" indicating whether or not it is connected to an external device, that is, online/offline mode.
"Ready" indicating that the printer is ready for operation;
It is composed of the following indicators: ``Data'' indicating that image data is being transferred, ``Operator'' requesting an operator call, ``Service'' requesting a serviceman call, and ``Mode'' indicating auto/manual.

The switch 9C includes, for example, a menu key, a value key, a numeric keypad (not shown), or the like. The above menu key is composed of two keys, "Next item" and "Previous item", and the multiple menu information displayed on the left side area of the LCD display 9a is incremented every time the "Next item" key is pressed. , is decremented and displayed each time the "previous item" key is pressed, and these display operations are cyclically repeated.

Also, the value keys above are “next item” and “previous item”
A plurality of value information corresponding to the menu information displayed on the left side area of the LCD display 9a is incremented each time the "Next item" key is pressed, and each time the "Previous item" key is pressed. are decremented and displayed, and these display operations are cyclically repeated. The operator selects a value corresponding to a desired menu by operating the menu key and value key, and instructs a predetermined operation. Furthermore, it is also possible to enter the value information manually using a numeric keypad (not shown), which is used for setting the number of copies, etc.

Furthermore, a paper output tray 12 is provided on the front of the printer main body 5.
Further, a manual feed tray 13 is attached to the rear side.

Further, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 15 as an image carrier is provided approximately in the center of the printer main body 5, and a charging device 16. Laser optical system 17. Developing device 18. Transfer device 19. Peeling device 20. Cleaning device 21. and a static eliminator 22 are arranged in this order.

Furthermore, an image support conveyance path 24 is formed in the printer body 5 and extends forward through an image transfer section 23 between the photoreceptor 15 and one transfer device, and is housed at the bottom of the printer body 5. from the paper feed cassette 25 to the paper feed roller 28
and paper P1 automatically fed via the transfer roller 29 etc.
Paper P manually fed from the manual feed tray 13 is guided to the image transfer section 23.

Further, an aligning roller pair 30 is disposed on the upstream side of the image transfer section 23 of the image support transport path 24, and a fixing device 31. Paper ejection selector 32 and paper ejection roller pair 3
3 is placed.

At the end of the image support conveyance path 24, there is a branch conveyance path 35 provided with a pair of paper discharge rollers 34 for guiding the sheets P sorted by the paper discharge selector 32 to the recess 6 serving as a paper discharge section. It is formed.

In Figure 2, 40 is a lower cover, 41 is a front cover, 42 is an upper cover, and 43 is a right cover (door) that can be opened and closed.
, 44 is a left cover, 45 is a right cover opening/closing lever, 46 is an upper unit opening/closing lever, and 47. as shown in FIG.
49 is a board on which a printer circuit is mounted to control the operation of the printer itself.

48 is a board on which a printer control circuit for controlling the operation of printer circuits 47 and 49 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, the board 48 on which this printer control circuit is mounted has three connectors 10 a, 10 b, and 10 at its ends.
c are attached to form an IC card slot 11, into which IC cards 65, 66, and 67 are inserted, respectively. In this way, the connectors 10a, 10b, 10c are directly attached to the board on which the printer control circuit 48 is mounted, and these connectors 10a, 10b, 10c
By inserting the IC cards 65, 66, and 67 into the respective terminals, there is no need to route the signal line using a harness, and the length of the signal line is therefore shortened, reducing delay on the line and reducing crosstalk noise. Therefore, the IC cards 65 to 67 can be accessed at high speed.

In the image forming operation, the photoreceptor 15 is rotationally driven and the charging device 16 operates uniformly. l
Then, the laser optical system 17 performs exposure on the photoreceptor 15 in accordance with the image signal to form an electrostatic latent image. Next, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 6 is transferred to a developing device 1 using a two-component developer consisting of toner a and carrier b.
8 and sent to the image transfer section 23 side as a developer image.

Meanwhile, in synchronization with this developer image forming operation, the paper P1 taken out from the paper feed cassette 25 or the manually fed paper P is fed through the aligning roller pair 30, and the developer image is formed on the photoreceptor 15 in advance. The above developer image is transferred to the transfer device 1.
The image is transferred onto the paper P by two functions. Next, the paper P is peeled off from the photoreceptor 15 by the peeling device 20, passes through the image support transport path 24, and is sent to the fixing device 31.

After the developer image is fused and fixed on the paper P, the paper discharge selector 32 selects the discharge direction and discharges the paper onto the upper paper discharge tray 8 or the front paper discharge tray 12. Note that after the developer image is transferred onto the paper P, the residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor 15 is cleaned by the cleaning device 21, and the next copying operation is ready.

FIG. 1 shows the main part of the electric circuit of the printer control section 48. As shown in FIG. In the figure, a CPU 50 controls the entire image forming apparatus. The ROM 51 stores a control program, and the CPU 50 operates according to this program. This ROM 51 also contains a password (PIN) that is verified when changing data.
Data related to paper P such as ID number), top margin, left margin, paper type, etc. are stored.

A portion of the RAM 52 is allocated as a font memory for storing font data such as fonts and daily fonts downloaded from the host device 58, and another portion is allocated for storing image data sent from the host device 58. is allocated as a page buffer for temporarily storing the data, and the other part is also used as a work buffer for the CPU 50. Expanded memory 5
Reference numeral 3 denotes a large-capacity memory used when the image data sent from the host device 58 is bitmap data or the like and the RAM 52 cannot store the data for one page. The video RAM 54 stores image data expanded into bit images, and its output is supplied to a serial-parallel conversion circuit 55. The serial-parallel conversion circuit 55 converts the image data developed into a bit image in the video RAM 54 and sent as parallel data into serial data, and sends it to the printer circuits 47 and 49.

The nonvolatile memory 68 stores designated font data in the font memory area in the RAM 52 in response to instructions from the host device 58 or the operation panel 9. As this non-volatile memory, for example, a static RAM with no backup (batch), electrically erasable PROM (E2 FROM), etc. are used.

The host interface 57 transfers data between a host device 58 such as a computer or an image reading device and the printer control unit 48, and connects two of the serial transfer line 59a and parallel transfer line 59b.
It is provided with different types and can be used appropriately depending on the type of data transferred between it and the host device 58. The printer interface 60 mediates the transfer of control signal lines between the printer control unit 48 and printer circuits 47 and 49. Connection circuit 62~
Reference numeral 64 controls turning on and off of the power supplied to the IC cards 65 to 67 when the IC cards 65 to 67 are inserted or removed.

The operation panel control circuit 56 controls the LCD of the operation panel 9.
Display data on the display 9a or switch 9
The data input from C is sent to the CPU 50. Further, the internal bus 61 is connected to the CPU 50 and the ROM 51.
, RAM 52, expansion memory 53, video RAM 54, operation panel control circuit 56, host interface 57, printer interface 60, connection circuits 62 to 64, and nonvolatile memory 68.

The IC cards 65 to 67 are non-volatile memories, such as static R memory with battery backup.
AM, E2 PROM, EPROM.

Alternatively, it may be constructed from a mask ROM or the like.

These IC cards 65 to 67 are color-coded depending on the type of memory and the function of the stored contents.
C cards are colored blue, and static RAM type IC cards on which emulation is recorded are colored orange. Therefore, the above IC card 6
5 to 67, the type of memory and the type of data written can be seen at a glance.

Further, the connection circuits 62 to 64 are connected to the IC cards 65 to 6
7 into connectors 10a to 10c, or when removing it from connectors 10a to 10c.
The power supply and signal lines supplied to the cards 65 to 67 are cut off, and the noise generated when inserting and removing the IC cards 65 to 67 is cut off.
This function is to prevent data stored in 67 from being destroyed.

Next, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6, the operation of saving/restoring font data in the above-described configuration will be mainly explained.

In order for this image forming apparatus to be operable, the font data to be used must be prepared in advance in the font memory area of the RAM 52. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, software fonts F1, F2, F3, F4, etc., such as downloaded fonts sent from the host device 58 or fonts created in the printer by specifying the size such as outline fonts, etc.・R in advance
It is stored in the font memory area of the AM52, and when code data to be printed is given, it is sequentially read out corresponding to the code data and used as data for forming characters and figures, for example.

In the following description, it is assumed that the nonvolatile memory 68 has already stored the font F2.

For example, when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned on, initialization processing is executed (step Sl). This initialization process may, for example, reset an undefined state of the hardware that occurs when the power is turned on to a predetermined value, or set initial data in the RAM 52 and other circuits through processing by the CPU 50 to bring the printer body 1 into an operable state. This is a process that guides you.

Next, it is checked whether font data already stored in the nonvolatile memory 68 exists (step S2).
. This is done by referring to the index closed area provided at the beginning area of the nonvolatile memory 68. and,
When it is determined that already stored font data (font F2) exists, the CPU 50 reads font F2 from the six nonvolatile memories and stores it in the RAM 5.
2 at a predetermined location in the font memory area.

Note that if it is determined that there is no font data already stored in the nonvolatile memory 68, the process of step S3 is skipped.

In addition to the fonts stored in the nonvolatile memory 68, the fonts loaded into the RAM 52 may be ROM fonts provided by the IC cards 65 to 67. In this case, instead of loading from the nonvolatile memory 68, loading from the IC cards 65 to 67,
Alternatively, if the tag 68 and the IC cards 65 to 67 coexist, the IC cards 65 to 67 are loaded after being loaded from the manual memory 68.

Next, it is determined whether there is a download request (step S4). That is, since the CPU 50 displays on the LCD display section 9a of the operation panel 9 that download is permitted, when the operator responds to this and brings the image forming apparatus online, the CPU 50 determines that there is a download request. to start download transfer (
Step S5). That is, data sent from the host device 58 to the host interface 57 via the data transfer line 59a or 59b is further stored sequentially in the font memory area of the RAM 52 via the internal bus 61. Note that if it is determined that there is no download request, the process of step S5 is skipped.

When the transfer of the downloaded font to the RAM 52 is completed in this way, it is next checked whether there is a font creation request (step S6).

Here, if it is determined that there is a font creation request,
Fonts are sequentially created in the font memory area of the RAM 52 (step S7). Note that if it is determined that there is no font creation request, the process of step S7 is skipped.

Next, it is checked whether there is a request to store fonts in the nonvolatile memory 68 (step S8).

This font storage request is generated by the command "ESCS, F3J" sent from the host device 58. In this command rESCS, F3J, "ESCS" is a code for command identification, and "F3" is the font name or font It is an ID. In other words, the above command is "F3
This command instructs the nonvolatile memory 68 to save font data with the name or ID "".

When the CPU 50 receives the rESCS and F3J commands, it determines that a storage request to the non-volatile memory 68 has occurred by analyzing it with an interpreter, and stores the font F3 in the font memory area of the RAM 52 in the non-volatile memory 68. Store (step S9). At this time, the index area is also updated in preparation for later reading.

Note that if it is determined that there is no font storage request, the process of step S9 is skipped.

Next, it is determined whether there is a font deletion request to the nonvolatile memory 68 (step 510). This font deletion request is a command rESCD sent from the host device 58.

Generated by F2J. This command rESCD, F2
J, rESCDJ is a code for command identification,
"F2" is a font name or font ID. In other words, the upper command is named "F2" or
This is a command to erase the font data of D from the nonvolatile memory 68.

When the CPU 50 receives the rESCD and F2J commands, the interpreter analyzes them and determines that an erase request to the non-volatile memory 68 has occurred, and transfers the font F2 in the font memory area of the RAM 52 from the non-volatile memory 68. Erase (step 511).

At this time, the index area is also updated in preparation for later reading. Note that if it is determined that there is no font deletion request, the process of step Sll is skipped.

After the above-described series of processes, when the power is turned off and then turned on again, font F3 will be automatically loaded into the font memory area of the RAM 52.

Next, step 5 is to execute print processing and other various processes.
12) Return to step S4 and repeat the same operation again. Through this repeated execution, font data can be downloaded from the host device 58 to the RAM 52, font data can be created on the RAM 52, and the RAM
It is possible to save the font data on the M52 to the non-volatile memory 68 and to erase the font data on the non-volatile memory 68.

In the above embodiment, the saving of font data to the non-volatile memory 68 and the erasure of font data in the non-volatile memory 68 are configured to be performed by commands from the host device 58, but commands from the operation panel 9 can also be used. It may be configured as follows. For example, by operating the menu key of the switch 9C to display rFONT 5AVE:J, and then operating the value key to input, for example, "F3" manually, the upper 3 command rESCS is generated.

3" is configured to perform the same operation as if it were given. Also, operate the menu key of switch 9c to
By displaying NT DELETE:J and manually inputting, for example, "F2" by operating the value key in this state, the configuration is made to perform the same operation as when the above commands rESCD and F2J are given. With this configuration, font data can be saved/restored by the same process as shown in FIG. 6, and the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

As described above, for example, font data downloaded from the host device 58 or created on the image forming device side is stored in the font memory of the RAM 52, and the font data stored in the RAM 52 is used when printing. A non-volatile memory 6 for saving font data stored in the RAM 52.
8 is provided so that the font data stored in the RAM 52 can be stored in the non-volatile memory 68 according to instructions from the host device 58 or the operation panel 9. For example, when the power is turned on, the font data is saved in the non-volatile memory 68. When the font data is loaded into the RAM 52 and used for printing, for example, the font data is downloaded from the host device 58, or the font data created on the image forming apparatus side is downloaded when the power of the image forming apparatus is turned off. It is not necessary to repeat the same operation to download and create fonts every time the power is turned on, and the image forming apparatus can be made usable in a short time.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, font data can be downloaded from the host device every time the power is turned on or the usage mode is changed, and there is no need to create a daily font. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can be put into a usable state.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of an electric circuit, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an image forming unit device equipped with an image forming apparatus, and FIG.
The figure is also a schematic vertical side view, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the operation panel, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the state of connection between the IC card and the board on which the control circuit is mounted, and Figure 6 explains the operation. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation. 9...Operation panel (instruction means), 50...CPU (
loading means), 51...ROM, 52...RAM(
first storage means), 56... operation panel control circuit, 5
7... Host interface, 58... Host device (instruction means), 60... Printer interface, 6
8...Nonvolatile memory (second storage means).

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first storage means for storing font data;
an instruction means for instructing to save the font data stored in the storage means; and a non-volatile storage device for storing the font data stored in the first storage means when the instruction means instructs to save the font data. a second storage means for storing font data stored in the second storage means; a loading means for loading the font data stored in the second storage means into the first storage means; 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming means for forming an image based on font data.