JPH04312877A - Test printing of macro-data - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure that a local test printing is performed without receiving a command from a host computer by providing a control part and an indicator device such as a test printing switch on a printer. CONSTITUTION:An indicator device such as a test printing switch 38 is provided on a printer 1. If an instruction to such an effect that test printing is performed, the control part of the printer 1 interprets whether a macrocartridge 37 is loaded in the printer 1. If the macrocartridge 37 is not loaded in the printer, the control part reads test print data in memory on the printer 1 to prepare image data for printing and sends the data to the printing part. In addition, if the macrocartridge 37 is loaded, the control part of the printer 1 reads macro data in the macrocartridge 37 to prepare image data for printing and sends it to the control part. The control part prints data based on the mentioned image data.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a macro data test printing method for test printing print data stored macroscopically in an IC card.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, non-impact page printers, for example, have a test print function in order to check printer functions and print quality. This function makes it possible to adjust the density of the printer by referring to the printed sample.

Normally, the above-mentioned test print is started by setting paper in the paper feed unit and pressing a test switch on the control panel, and the preset test print image is automatically printed for one page of paper. printed. In this case, the print data for the test print is stored in the memory in the printer as test print data, and when the operator presses the test switch, the printer control unit reads the test print data from the memory and prints it. I send it to the department and have it printed. Therefore, test printing can be performed locally without receiving commands from the host computer.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-mentioned conventional printer, the data to be test printed is stored in the printer's memory in advance, but cannot be used for density adjustment when performing normal printing. Although it is possible, it is not possible to perform various test prints.

[0005] If it is necessary to test print data other than the test print data stored in the memory within the printer, specially set print data must be sent from the host computer. in this case,
This requires work to set predetermined print data in the host computer, and the control procedure for receiving execution instructions from the host computer becomes complicated.

[0006] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of conventional printers, allows test printing of data other than the stored test print data, and also enables the printing of data without receiving instructions from a host computer.
An object of the present invention is to provide a macro data test printing method that allows test printing to be performed locally on a printer.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] For this purpose, in the macro data test printing method of the present invention, the printer is provided with a control unit and an instruction means such as a test print switch, and the printer is provided with an instruction means such as a test print switch. When receiving an instruction to perform a test print, the control section determines whether a macro cartridge is loaded in the printer.

Test print data is stored in the memory of the printer, and if the macro cartridge is not loaded, the control section reads the test print data stored in the memory, decodes it, and decodes it.
Edit and print. When the macro cartridge is loaded, the control section reads the macro data in the macro cartridge, decodes and edits the macro data, and prints the macro data without receiving an execution command from the host computer. ing.

[0009]

[Operation] According to the present invention, as described above, the printer is provided with an instruction means such as a test print switch,
When the operator operates the instruction means to issue an instruction to perform a test print, the control section of the printer determines whether or not a macro cartridge is loaded in the printer.

[0010] When the macro cartridge is not loaded in the printer, the control unit reads test print data in the memory of the printer, decodes and edits the test print data to create print image data,
Send to printing department. Additionally, when a macro cartridge is loaded, the printer control unit reads the macro data in the macro cartridge, decodes and edits the macro data, and prints the same without receiving an execution command from the host computer. Create image data for printing and send it to the printing department.

When the printing section receives the printing image data, it drives, for example, a light emitting diode array using the printing image data to expose the photosensitive drum.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a macro data test print method showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a printer in which the macro data test print method of the present invention is adopted, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of macro registration functions in normal operation. , FIG. 4 is a diagram of the macro execution function during normal operation.

In FIG. 2, the printer 1 is composed of a control section 3 that receives print data from a terminal 2, and a printing section 4 that performs printing. The control unit 3 includes an external connection interface unit 5 such as a Centronics interface, a reception buffer 6, a microprocessor 7, and a font memory 8.
, a memory 9 and a printer interface section 10 are provided. Print data sent from the terminal 2 is supplied to a reception buffer 6 via an external connection interface section 5.

In the memory 9, the reception buffer 6 is stored.
A page memory 9a for storing print image data created by the microprocessor 7 based on print data taken into the internal memory, a macro buffer 9b for registering macro data sent from the host computer, and a macro buffer 9b for storing test print data. A test print data buffer 9c to be stored and an option ROM 9d for accommodating macro data of the macro cartridge 37 are formed.

The printing section 4 is also provided with a printing paper supply section 11 on the right side for automatically supplying standard printing paper. Also, inside the printing unit 4, there are registration rollers 12 that start driving the printing paper from the printing paper supply unit 11, a clutch-driven hopping roller 13 that transports the printing paper to the registration roller 12, and a photosensitive roller on the outer periphery. A photoreceptor drum 14 on which a photoreceptor surface is formed, a charger 15 that uniformly charges the photoreceptor surface, a light emitting diode array 16 that forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to printing image data on the photoreceptor surface, a developer 17, and a transfer device. A fixing device 18, a fixing device 19, and a cleaner 20 are provided. Then, the printing section 4
A discharge section 31 is provided on the left side of the printer to discharge printing paper after printing has been completed.

The printing section 4 is also provided with a microprocessor 32 that communicates with the control section 3 and controls the printing section 4 as a whole. Further, between the control section 3 and the printing section 4, there is a bidirectional serial interface 33 for communication between the two, and a bidirectional serial interface 33 for transferring and controlling print data formed of dot image data. They are connected by a video interface 34 with signal lines.

[0017] Here, the serial interface 33
connects the microprocessor 7 and the microprocessor 32 of the printing section 4 via the printer interface section 10 of the control section 3; It is connected to the light emitting diode array 16 of section 4.

When print data from a host computer (not shown) is input to the printer 1 having the above configuration via the terminal 2 and the external connection interface section 5, the printer 1 receives the print data into the reception buffer 6. When one page of print data is received in the reception buffer 6, the photoreceptor drum 14 rotates, the charger 15 uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor, and the developer in the developer 17 is charged. Preliminary operations such as stirring are performed.

When the preliminary operation is completed, the clutch of the hopping roller 13 is turned on, and the printing paper is taken out from the printing paper supply section 11 and sent to the registration rollers 12. On the other hand, the microprocessor 7 reads the character code included in the print data taken into the reception buffer 6, creates print image data with reference to the font memory 8, and writes it into the page memory 9a in the memory 9. For example, printing image data for one page of printing paper is edited and stored in the page memory 9a.

Furthermore, when image data is directly sent as print data from a host computer (not shown) and transmitted to the reception buffer 6 via the terminal 2 and the external connection interface section 5, the microprocessor 7 stores it as it is in the page memory. 9a at a predetermined address. In addition, in the case of business graphic printing, print data is sent from the host computer in the form of graphic commands, so the print data is edited and calculated in the microprocessor 7 and directly stored in the page memory 9 as image data.
written to a.

[0021] When the analysis and editing of the printing image data is completed in this manner, the printing paper that has reached the registration rollers 12 is conveyed toward the transfer device 18. In parallel with this, the microprocessor 7 supplies printing image data to the light emitting diode array 16 via the video interface 34, the light emitting diode array 16 is driven, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the outer periphery of the photoreceptor drum 14. be done. When the photosensitive drum 14 rotates in the direction of arrow a, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 17.
The image is transferred to printing paper in the transfer device 18. Thereafter, the printing paper is fixed in the fixing device 19 and is discharged to the discharge section 31. Further, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 14 after the transfer is removed by the cleaner 20.

[0022] In this way, information based on print data received from the host computer is printed on printing paper. By the way, in the printer 1 having the above configuration, when a series of processes are repeated many times when analyzing commands sent from the host computer and processing print data, the macro function can be used to perform the above series of processes. A macro can be registered in memory with a macro name and read out as needed.

For example, when writing different characters for each document in a predetermined form that includes ruled lines and characters, commands for specifying the positions and lengths of the ruled lines and the characters in the form are used. The print data is common, and when printing a document in the same format many times, the same command and print data will be sent from the host computer. In such a case, the common commands and print data mentioned above are registered as macros in the memory.

Next, a macro registration function for registering normal macro data according to a command from the host computer will be explained. In FIG. 3, 36 is a host computer, 1 is connected to the host computer 36, and signals such as macro identification number, macro ID number, macro registration start command, various printing commands, print data, macro registration end command, etc. The printer 9b that receives the data is a macro buffer formed in the memory 9 built into the printer 1.

When the macro ID number and the macro registration start command are sent from the host computer 36 connected to the printer 1, the printer 1 uses the host computer 36 from then on until the macro registration end command is sent.
Macro data such as commands and print data sent from the computer are stored in the macro buffer 9b. Next, a macro execution function for executing normal macro data according to instructions from the host computer 36 will be explained.

In FIG. 4, when a macro ID number and a macro execution command are sent from the host computer 36 connected to the printer 1, the printer 1 sequentially stores the macro-registered commands and print data in the macro buffer 9b.
Read from, analyze commands, decode print data,
It performs editing, etc., and prints by operating as if it had received macro data such as commands and print data from the host computer 36.

By the way, in the printer adopting the macro data test print method of the present invention, the test print data buffer 9c for storing the test print data and the option ROM 9d for storing the macro data of the macro cartridge 37 are provided in the memory 9. is formed. The control panel of the printer 1 is provided with a test print switch for executing a test print, and when the operator presses the test print switch, the test print data stored in the test print data buffer 9c is printed. Test printing can be performed using print data or macro data in the macro cartridge 37.

When performing a test print using the macro data in the macro cartridge 37, the microprocessor 7 (see FIG. 2) decodes and edits the macro data in the macro cartridge 37 without receiving a command from the host computer 36. The image data for printing is written in the page memory 9a and sent to the printing unit 4.

Next, the operation of the macro data test printing method of the present invention will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 1, 1 is a printer, 37
A macro cartridge is loaded into the printer 1 as needed, and is composed of an IC card storing macro data. 38 is a test print switch provided on the control panel of the printer. Step S1: It is determined whether the operator presses the test print switch 38 and requests local test print without going through the host computer 36. If a test print is not requested, normal printing processing is performed, and if a test print is requested, the process advances to step S2. Step S2
It is determined whether the macro cartridge 37 storing macro data is loaded in the printer 1. Step S3: If the printer 1 is not loaded, the test print data stored in the test print data buffer 9c of the printer 1 is read out as before. Step S4
If the macro cartridge 37 is loaded, the macro data stored in the macro cartridge 37 is read out. Steps S5 and S6 The test print data or macro data is decoded, edited, and printed.

Next, the operation of analyzing test print data or macro data and performing printing processing will be explained. The test print data or macro data to be printed is stored in the test print data buffer 9c or the macro cartridge 3.
7, the microprocessor 7 converts the code data format data into an intermediate code format, edits it into a printing paper format, and stores it in the page memory 9a.

Next, the microprocessor 7 reads the intermediate code from the font memory 8 and the like in accordance with the intermediate code in the page memory 9a, and writes it to the specified position in the raster buffer. Then, font patterns are sequentially written into the raster buffer. When a certain amount of writing is completed,
In parallel with the continuous font pattern writing, dot image data such as a dot pattern written to the raster buffer is read out in the form of raster scan and transferred to the printing unit 4. This control operation is sequentially repeated for one page.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a band buffer type raster buffer. In the figure, numeral 21 indicates a dot image memory corresponding to one page of printing paper. The raster buffer 22 has a structure in which the address portion can be accessed in a cylindrical manner. In order to write a font pattern and read dot image data formed on a paper image, the raster buffer 22 is divided into a write layer 23, a write waiting layer 24, and a read layer 25. In addition, the read speed is adjusted to prevent overrun phenomena such as the inability of write processing to follow read processing.
The capacity of the raster buffer 22 and the number of divided layers are set.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0034]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the printer is provided with an instruction means such as a test print switch, and when an instruction to perform a test print is given, the control section of the printer determines whether the macro cartridge is loaded in the printer, and if it is not loaded, reads the test print data stored in the memory, and if it is loaded,
without receiving execution instructions from the host computer.
The macro data in the macro cartridge is read, decoded, and edited, and print image data is similarly created and printed.

[0035] Therefore, test printing can be performed without receiving an execution command from the host computer, which not only improves operability but also simplifies the control procedure. In addition, since there is no need to connect to a host computer, operations can be performed only from the front of the printer. Further, since the printer alone can perform various types of printing, storing various macro data in the macro cartridge can be used for demonstrations when selling the printer or the macro cartridge.

Furthermore, by storing various test data as macro data in the macro cartridge, the printing quality of the printer can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a macro data test printing method showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a printer that employs the macro data test printing method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional diagram of macro registration during normal operation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of macro execution functions during normal operation.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a band buffer type raster buffer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printer 3 Control section 4 Printing Department 9 Memory 36 Host computer 37 Macro cartridge 38 Test print switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: (a) When receiving an instruction to perform a test print from an instruction means provided in the printer, a controller of the printer determines whether or not a macro cartridge is loaded in the printer; b) If the macro cartridge is not loaded, read the test print data stored in the memory; (c) If the macro cartridge is loaded, without receiving an execution command from the host computer; A macro data test characterized by reading the macro data in the macro cartridge, and (d) decoding and editing either the test print data read from the memory or the macro data read from the macro cartridge and printing. Printing method.