JPH0474673A - 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] The present invention relates to a printing device that prints data such as characters and graphics input from a host device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of device has an input section that inputs code data from an external device such as a computer, an analysis section that interprets the input data according to one data analysis rule (command syntax or grammar), It consists of an output unit that outputs the interpreted data to print.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the above conventional example, even if data with a different command syntax or corrupted data is sent due to some reason such as incorrect operation of an external device or disconnection of a line, it is not possible to forcefully analyze data as is. However, this method has the disadvantage that it ends up producing meaningless and wasteful printed matter.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and provides a printing device that does not produce wasteful printed matter.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to solve this problem, the printing device of the present invention is a printing device that prints an image based on print data input from the outside, and which analyzes the input print data. The present invention includes an analysis conversion means for converting the syntax error into a dot image, a counter means for counting the number of syntax errors during the analysis, and a print suppression means for suppressing printing based on the contents of the counter means.

[Operation] In such a configuration, by providing a printing suppression means that integrates syntax errors generated by the analysis unit and eliminates printing based on the value, it is possible to suppress unnecessary printing due to command syntax errors.

[Example] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the printing apparatus.

In the figure, an external device 5 sends print data (
character data and control data). The control code includes, for example, paper size specification data starting with an escape sequence, rask image data specification data, and the like. The receiving unit 4 receives print data transmitted from such an external device 5. This reception method is used in general printing devices such as 8-bit parallel.

A microprocessor (CPU) 6 controls the entire printer device of this embodiment. The ROM 7 stores, for example, a printing control program shown in FIG. 3, which is executed by the CPU 6. Further, the RAM 8 is used by the CPU 6 as a work area.

The syntax error counter 8a is placed here. In the image memory 3, print data is analyzed by the CPU 6, and image data developed in the form of a bitmap image is stored. The output unit 2 reads out the contents of the image memory 3, converts it into a video signal, and sends it to the printer 1. The printer 1 is a laser beam printer and prints the video signal from the output section 2.

With the above configuration, print data from the external device 5 is stored in the RAM 8 via the receiving section 4.

The CPU 6 sequentially analyzes print data and performs character data pattern development processing, or executes processing based on control data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment.

Here, first, in step S1, it is checked whether or not there is reception data in the reception section 4, and if there is no reception data, the reception is waited. If there is received data, the print data is analyzed in step S3.
This part may be performed as interrupt input processing.

Next, in step S4, it is determined whether the print data is character data or not, and in step S35, if it is character data, the character data is converted into a character pattern and developed on the image memory 3. Also, if the print data is not character data, step S
Proceeding to step 6, it is determined whether the data is dot image data or not. If it is dot image data, this dot image is expanded into the image memory 3 in step s7.

If the data is not dot image data, it is determined in step S8a whether or not it is a page break, and if it is page break data, the reception and development of one page has been completed, so the syntax error counter 8a is checked in step S8b, and "O ”, the contents of the image memory 3 are printed in step S9a. If it is more than "l", it is a syntax error, so it is considered a useless page and will not be printed. In any case, since this is a new page, the syntax error counter is reset to "O" in step S9b.

If it is determined in step S8a that the data is not page break data, other processing is performed while making the same determination in step 510a. Also not processed in step 510a, step 51
If it is determined in 0b that there is a syntax error, "1" is added to the syntax error counter in step Sll.

In the above embodiment, printing is suppressed when the error counter is equal to or greater than "1", but the determination may be made based on a value greater than this value. Alternatively, a switch means may be provided to make the threshold variable. A switch means may be provided to disable this suppression function itself.

Also, an error message may be displayed before the page is discarded, or the page may be stopped at -.

According to this embodiment, by providing the syntax error counter means and the printing suppression means, unnecessary printing can be avoided.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printing device that does not create wasteful printed matter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the printing apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment. In the figure, 1... printer, 2... output section, 3... image memory, 4... receiving section, 5... external device, 6... CPU, 7... ROM. 8: RAM, 8a: error counter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim] A printing device that prints an image based on print data input from the outside, comprising: an analysis conversion unit that analyzes the input print data and converts it into a dot image; and a syntax being analyzed. A printing apparatus comprising: a counter means for counting the number of errors; and a print suppression means for suppressing printing based on the contents of the counter means.