JPH0533909B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding the improvement of serial printers, the purpose of this invention is to enable printing in the horizontal direction (as viewed from the paper) on left-bound paper, etc. using the serial printer. Write the code to the character code position buffer in correspondence with the print position, write the line feed pitch to the line feed pitch memory, scan the character code position buffer in the column direction, and write the characters obtained by scanning. Based on the code and the contents of the newline pitch memory,
The dot pattern is developed into a dot pattern buffer, and the contents of the dot pattern buffer are sent to the print head.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to improvements in serial printers.

[Conventional technology]

In serial printers, it is common for media whose paper suction direction is limited due to mechanical constraints (left-handed binding paper, copy sheets, etc.) to be inevitably limited in their print processing direction as well. It is true.

In order to overcome this limitation, the conventional method requires that a dot data buffer for one page be provided in the printer to perform so-called landscape/portrait conversion.

For example, as shown in Figure 7, when printing a character string in the horizontal direction (with respect to the paper) on left-bound paper using a serial printer, first transfer the character pattern for one page to the dot data buffer. The contents of the dot data buffer are then supplied to the print head column by column for printing.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional method, one page of dot data
It has the disadvantage of consuming a large amount of memory because it requires a buffer.

The present invention was created in view of this point, and by simply adding a small amount of memory inside the printer, it has the same functionality as a conventional printer that has a dot data buffer for one page. The purpose is to provide serial printers.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The serial printer of the present invention has a data receiving buffer memory 3 that stores print information sent from the main unit.
01, the CG memory 302 that stores character dot pattern data, and the area corresponding to the dot area corresponding to the greatest common divisor of each character size.
A character code position buffer 303 for storing character codes in one or more print areas corresponding to print positions, and a line feed pitch memory for storing the line feed pitch between each line. 304, a dot pattern buffer 204 for storing dot patterns, a printer control section 200, and a printer mechanism section 100. The printer control section 200 has a data analysis means 220, a character code writing means 230, a line feed pitch writing means 240, and a printing execution means 250.

The data analysis means 220 retrieves data from the data reception buffer memory 301, analyzes it, and when the retrieved data is a character code, passes the character code to the character code writing means 230 to instruct writing, and retrieves the data. If the data entered is a line feed command, the line feed pitch writing means 24
A line feed pitch is passed to 0 to instruct writing, and if the retrieved command is a command instructing execution of printing, it instructs printing execution means 250 to execute printing.

When instructed to write a character code, the character code writing means 230 writes the passed character code into one or more print areas corresponding to the print position.

When the line feed pitch writing means 240 is instructed to write the line feed pitch, the line feed pitch writing means 240 changes the line feed pitch to the line feed pitch.
Write to memory 304.

When instructed to perform printing, the printing execution means 250 scans the character code position buffer 303 in the column direction, and stores the character code for each printing area unit obtained by scanning and the contents of the improved pitch memory 304. Dot pattern buffer 204 with reference to
The dot pattern is developed while being converted by 90 degrees, and the dot pattern in the dot pattern buffer 204 is passed to the printer mechanism section 100 for printing.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electric circuit according to the present invention. In the figure, 100 is a printer mechanism section;
101 is a dot matrix print head, 102 is a platen, 103 is a paper feed roller, 201 is a hammer driver, 202 is a motor, 203 is a motor driver, 204 is a dot pattern buffer for one line, and 205 is a program. Storage ROM, 206 is data storage RAM, 2
07 is the interface, 208 is the main unit, 2
09 is a CPU, 210 is a data bus, and 211 is an address bus.

Hammer driver 201 drives the solenoid of print head 101. motor 202
Although only one motor 202 is shown, it represents a paper feed motor, a carrier movement motor, etc. A motor driver 203 is for driving these motors. Although only one motor driver 203 is shown, there is also a motor driver for each motor. The dot pattern buffer 204 stores one line of dot character patterns. In the case of 90° conversion mode printing (for example, horizontal binding paper), the characters are converted by 90° and developed in the dot pattern buffer 204, and in the case of normal mode printing (for example, top binding paper), the characters are Dot pattern buffer 2 for one line in the positive direction
Expanded on 04. A program storage ROM 205 stores a CG memory storing printed character patterns and various programs. data storage
There are various buffers, work areas, etc. in the RAM 206. The interface 207 controls data transfer with the main device 208. The CPU 209 is the program storage ROM 205
Run the program.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the buffer and memory used in the present invention. In the figure, 301 is a data reception buffer memory, 302 is a CG memory,
303 indicates a character code position buffer, and 304 indicates a line feed pitch memory.

The data reception buffer memory 301 stores print data (character codes and commands) sent from the main unit. The CG memory 302 is
Stores the dot pattern of characters. Dot
The pattern buffer 204 stores one line of character dot patterns. The character code position buffer 303 is for one page. Character code position
The buffer 303 is used in the 90° conversion mode, and stores character codes. A line feed pitch is stored in the line feed pitch memory 304.

In normal mode, the data reception buffer
A character dot pattern corresponding to the character code taken out from the memory 301 is taken out from the CG memory 302 and stored in the dot pattern buffer 20.
Written to 4.

Under the 90° conversion mode, if the data retrieved from the data reception buffer memory 301 is a character code, the character code is written to the character code position buffer 303 in association with the print position. . Also,
If the data retrieved from the data reception buffer memory 301 is a line feed command, the line feed pitch specified by the line feed command is written to the line feed pitch memory 304. When printing is instructed, the character code position buffer 303 is scanned in the vertical (column) direction, and the character dot pattern corresponding to the character code included in the scan result is retrieved from the CG memory 302. The character dot pattern is converted by 90 degrees and written to the dot pattern buffer 204, the blank part determined by the line feed pitch in the line feed pitch memory 304 is written, and then the next character code included in the scan result is written. A corresponding character dot pattern is retrieved from the CG memory 302, and the retrieved character dot pattern is converted by 90° and written into the dot pattern buffer 204. Thereafter, similar processing is repeated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of character code position buffer data. When in 90° conversion mode, “AB” is used as the first line print data.
When the character code string “…” is sent from the main unit, “A” is placed in the first and second digits of the first line of the character code position buffer 303.
The character code "B" is written in the third and fourth digits. When in 90° conversion mode, “12
When the character code string “…” is sent from the main unit, “1” is placed in the first and second digits of the second line of the character code position buffer 303.
The character code for the 3rd and 4th digits is written.
The character code “2” is written in the digit. When in 90° conversion mode, when a character code string "Product name..." is sent from the main unit as print data on the third line, the first digit of the third line of the character code position buffer 303 is or third
A character code for "product" is written in each digit, and a character code for "name" is written in each of the fourth to sixth digits. When in 90° conversion mode, when the character code string "Name..." is sent from the main unit as the print data on the 4th line, the character
The character code for "Mr." is written in each of the 1st to 3rd digits of the 4th line of the code position buffer 303, and the character code for "First Name" is written in each of the 4th to 6th digits. .

Character code position buffer 3
03, two consecutive identical character codes in the line direction means that the character occupies two units of area when printed, and three identical character codes in the line direction means that the character occupies 2 units of area when printed. Its existence indicates that the character occupies an area of 3 units when printed. For example, in the case of a 24-dot printer, one unit has the size of 12 dots. Alphanumeric and kana characters occupy two units of space, and kanji characters occupy three units of space.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of data in the line feed pitch memory. The main unit sends a line feed command after sending the character code string for the first line, but if the line feed command specifies 1/6 inch,
1/6 inch is written to the first line of line feed pitch memory 304. If the line feed command after the character code string on the second line indicates 2/6 inch,
2/6 inch is written to the second line of line feed pitch memory 304. If the line feed command after the character code string on the third line indicates 3/6 inch, then
3/6 inch is written to the third line of line feed pitch memory 304. The same applies hereafter.

When a predetermined command is sent from the main unit, the first and second digits of the character code position buffer 303 are scanned in the column direction. In the scan of the first and second digits, the character code "A" appears first, so
The character pattern "A" is read from the CG memory 302, converted by 90 degrees, and written into the dot pattern buffer 204. Next, line break pitch
A blank area determined by the line feed pitch of the first line of memory 304 is written into dot pattern buffer 204. In the column direction scan, the character code "1" appears next to the character code "A", so the character pattern "1" is read from the CG memory 302, converted by 90 degrees, and converted into a dot pattern.
The data is written to the buffer 204. Next, a blank portion determined by the line feed pitch of the second line of the line feed pitch memory 304 is written into the dot pattern buffer 204. "1" in column direction scan
The character code for "product" appears next to the character code for "product". Kanji occupies 3 units, so CG memory is 30
2 to 2/ from the left (start) of the character pattern for "product"
3 is read out, converted by 90° and written into dot pattern buffer 204. next,
A blank portion determined by the line feed pitch of the third line of the line feed pitch memory 304 is written into the dot pattern buffer 204. In the column direction scan, the character code for ``Mr.'' appears next to the character code for ``品''. Since a kanji character occupies 3 units, from the left of the character pattern "Mr." from the CG memory 302, 2/
3 is read out, converted by 90° and written into dot pattern buffer 204. After the character pattern determined by the character code existing in the first and second digits of the character code position buffer 303 is expanded into the dot pattern buffer 204, the dot pattern buffer 303 is expanded.
After the dot pattern of the buffer 204 is printed, the paper is advanced by 24 dots.

After the paper has been fed for 24 dots, the third character code position buffer 303
The digit and fourth digit are scanned in the column direction. Third
In the scan of the digit and the fourth digit, the character code of "B" appears first, so the character pattern of "B" is read from the CG memory 302, converted by 90 degrees, and written to the dot pattern buffer 204. . Next, the blank area determined by the line pitch of the first line of the line feed pitch memory 304 is filled with dots.
written to pattern buffer 204. In the column direction scan, the character code "2" appears next to the character code "B", so the character pattern "2" is read out from the CG memory 302,
90° converted dot pattern buffer 20
Written to 4. Next, line break pitch memory 3
The blank area determined by the line feed pitch of the second line of 04 is written into the dot pattern buffer 204. In the vertical scan, the character code for "product" and the character code for "name" appear next to the character code for "2". Since a kanji character occupies 3 units, the remaining 1/3 of the character pattern for ``品'' is extracted from the CG memory 302.
At the same time, the 1/3 part from the beginning of the character pattern of "first name" is read out, and the combination of these is converted by 90 degrees and becomes a dot pattern.
The data is written to the buffer 204. Next, a blank portion determined by the line feed pitch of the third line of the line feed pitch memory 304 is written into the dot pattern buffer 204. In column direction scan, "product",
After the character code for "first name", the character codes for "surname" and "first name" appear. Kanji occupies 3 units, so CG
1/3 remaining character pattern of “Mr.” from memory 302
At the same time, the 1/3 part from the beginning of the character pattern of "first name" is read out, and the combination of these is converted by 90 degrees and becomes a dot pattern.
The data is written to the buffer 204. The character pattern determined by the character code present in the third and fourth digits of the character code position buffer 303 is stored in the dot pattern buffer 204.
Dot pattern buffer 2
04 dot pattern is printed, and after printing is completed, the paper is advanced by 24 dots. below,
Similar processing is performed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of printing processing in the 90° conversion mode.

Check whether data has been received or not. If YES, perform the process; if NO, return to .

Analyze received data.

If the received data is a character code, the character code is written to the character code position buffer. Perform the following processing.

If the received data is a line feed command, the line feed pitch is written to the line feed pitch memory. Return to next process.

Performs processing to update the pointer in the row direction,
Return to

If the received data is a paper ejection command, processing is performed to scan the character code, position, and buffer in the column direction.

A dot pattern buffer for one line is created while referring to the line feed pitch memory.

Executes printing of one line.

Check whether all lines have been printed, and if YES, perform the process; if NO, return to .

Eject the paper and return to.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, when the received data is a character code, the character code is written in the character code position buffer in such a way that the position when printing the character becomes clear. , when the received data is a line feed command, writes the line feed pitch to the line feed pitch memory, scans the character code position buffer in the column direction at the start of printing operation, and stores the character code obtained by scanning and the line feed pitch memory. Since the dot pattern for one line is expanded into the dot pattern buffer with reference, it is possible to use a printer device with the same function as the conventional method, which has a dot data buffer for one page, with a small memory capacity. It is possible to achieve remarkable effects by simply adding them.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electric circuit of the invention, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a buffer and memory used in the invention, and Fig. 4 is a character code. - Figure 5 shows an example of position buffer data, Figure 5 shows an example of line feed pitch memory data, Figure 6 shows the flow of printing processing in 90° conversion mode, Figure 7 shows the flow of printing processing in 90° conversion mode. serial·
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a character string in the horizontal direction is printed on left-bound paper using a printer. 100... Printer mechanism section, 101... Print head, 102... Platen, 103... Paper feed roller, 200... Printer control section, 201...
Hammer driver, 202...Motor, 203...
...Motor driver, 204...Line buffer, 205...Program storage ROM, 206...
...Data storage RAM, 207...Interface, 208...Main device, 209...CPU, 2
10...Data bus, 211...Address bus, 301...Data reception buffer memory, 3
02...CG memory, 303...Character code position buffer, 304...Line feed pitch memory.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data reception buffer memory 301 that stores print information sent from the main device, and a CG that stores character dot pattern data.
Memory 302 and dots corresponding to the greatest common divisor of each character size.
The area corresponding to the area is one printing area unit,
Character code position buffer 303 for storing character codes in units of one or more print areas corresponding to print positions
, a line feed pitch memory 304 for storing the line feed pitch between each line, a dot pattern buffer 204 for storing a dot pattern, a data analysis means 220, and a character code writing means 2.
30, a serial printer comprising a printer control section 200 having a line feed pitch writing means 240 and a printing execution means 250, and a printer mechanism section 100, wherein the data analysis means 220 reads data from the data reception buffer memory 301; is extracted and analyzed, and if the extracted data is a character code, the character code is passed to the character code writing means 230 to instruct writing, and if the extracted data is a line feed command, line feed pitch writing is performed. Means 24
The character code writing means 230 is configured to pass a line feed pitch to 0 to instruct writing, and if the retrieved command is a command instructing printing execution, to instruct the printing execution means 250 to execute printing, and the character code writing means 230 When instructed to write a character code, the passed character code is configured to be written in one or more print areas corresponding to the print position, and the line feed pitch writing means 240 is configured to write the passed character code in units of one or more print areas corresponding to the print position. When prompted, change the line break pitch to
When instructed to perform printing, the printing execution means 250 scans the character code position buffer 303 in the column direction, and prints the characters for each printing area unit obtained by scanning. The dot pattern buffer 204 refers to the code and the contents of the line feed pitch memory 304.
The dot pattern is developed while being converted by 90 degrees, and the dot pattern in the dot pattern buffer 204 is passed to the printer mechanism section 100 to be printed. A serial printer configured to perform the following operations.