JPH0560426B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A printer having a storage means with a print data storage capacity equal to or less than a predetermined paper length, which temporarily stores print codes in the order of input, and then rearranges the print codes in the order of print position. When storing the data again and expanding the print data corresponding to the print code order into a memory that has a print data storage capacity that is less than the paper length, the process takes a long time and requires a large amount of storage capacity overall. In contrast, when a print code is input, an address is created and sent that corresponds one-to-one to the print image corresponding to the print code, and also corresponds to the storage area for storing the print code, and the print code is placed at the print position. By configuring the data to be rearranged and stored sequentially from the beginning, it is possible to reduce the overall storage capacity and to perform quick print processing.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a printer that develops bit patterns for one page of paper into a memory with a capacity less than one page of paper and processes the data for printing.

2. Description of the Related Art Printers (hereinafter referred to as page printers) that transfer a print code from a host device and process print data corresponding to the print code for the length of paper are widely used.

This page printer is usually required to be capable of high-speed printing and to be inexpensive. To this end, (1) Reduce the capacity of the storage means as much as possible.

(2) Speed up the processing of print codes inside the page printer.

This is required.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional example, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the configuration of a page printer.

The configuration of the page printer shown in Figure 4 consists of a host device (not shown) (for example, a host device).
a data input unit 1 that receives the print code transferred from the computer and interfaces with a higher-level device (not shown); etc.), a print position control unit 3 that specifies and controls the print position corresponding to the print code based on the information processed by the data processing unit 2, and data such as the print code sent from the data processing unit 2. a print code control unit 4 that performs control to store data such as print codes in the input order; and a print code having a storage capacity equal to the paper length and that stores data such as print codes in the input order under the control of the print code control unit 4. An information storage section 5, a bitmap data writing circuit 61 that takes in a bit pattern corresponding to a printed code and controls writing to the bitmap data storage section 7, and a character generator in which various bit patterns are pre-built. (hereinafter referred to as CG) 62, and has a storage capacity equal to or less than the paper length, and under the write control of the bitmap data writing control section 6, bit patterns are written as print data. A bitmap data storage unit 7 that expands and stores the data (this storage means is called a band buffer), a video output unit 8 that reads out the print data stored in the bitmap data storage unit 7 and sets it in the print control unit 9, and prints. Print control unit 9 that controls data printing processing
and a print start control section 10 that is accessed by an access signal from the data processing section 2 and sends start signals to the print code information storage section 5, bitmap data writing circuit 61, video output section 8, etc. It is equipped with:

Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows the print code information storage section 5 of the conventional example.
The following shows an outline of the configuration, and the configuration is to control when data including the print position designation information determined by the print position control unit 3 and the print code processed by the data processing unit 2 is stored in the storage unit 52 in the input order. a storage section 52 that stores data and printing position designation information in the order of input under the control of the data storage control section 51; It includes a sorting control circuit 53 that sorts data in a predetermined order (print position order) based on an activation signal, and a storage unit 54 that stores data sorted in print position order based on print position designation information.

Data such as a print code stored in the storage section 54 is taken in by an address from a bitmap data writing circuit 61 and converted into a bit pattern corresponding to the print code.

As mentioned above, in this example, as the processing of the print codes in the print code information storage section 5, the print codes are stored once in the order of input, and the print position and order relationship are checked based on the print image corresponding to the print code. A method is adopted in which the sorting control circuit 53 sorts the data and stores it again.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, since the printed code is processed twice, an extra storage device is required and additional time is required to process the printed code, which slows down the printing speed accordingly. There is a problem.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating the principle of the invention.

The principle block diagram of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 shows the outline of the configuration of the print code information storage unit 5' of the page printer, and the configuration is as follows: FIG. Printed image and 1
1, and includes a first storage means (storage section) 54 in the print code information storage section 5' and a storage position control means (storage position control section) 55 for sending out the corresponding address. ing.

[Function] Storage position control means (storage position control unit) that sends out an address that corresponds one-to-one to the print image corresponding to the print code at the time when the print code is input, and that also corresponds to the storage area that stores the print code. 5
5 is provided in the print code information storage section 5', and the print codes are rearranged from the beginning in the order of print position and stored, thereby reducing the storage capacity and enabling quick print processing.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the gist of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the invention. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the print code information storage section 5' of the page printer. A storage position control circuit 55a that converts '' in a storage address designation circuit 55b and sends it; and an address ' of the storage section 54 that corresponds to the print position designation information based on information stored in advance by access from the storage position control circuit 55a. A storage address designation circuit 55b is provided for designating the memory address designation circuit 55b.

The storage address designation circuit 55b stores an address 'corresponding to print position designation information designated in accordance with the print code, and this is an address corresponding to the order of print positions in the storage section 54.

Normally, print codes transferred from a host device (not shown) are not necessarily transferred in the desired order of printing, so in the page printer of the present invention, when a predetermined print code is input, the print position control unit 3 handles the print codes. The print position information to be printed is specified and sent to the storage position control circuit 55a.

The storage position control circuit 55a accesses the storage address designation circuit 55b based on this print position information and sends out the corresponding address '. The data storage control section 51 stores the relevant print code information in the storage section 54 in the order of printing position at this address '. Note that this process is performed every time a print code is input.

At the same time, the print codes stored in the storage section 54 are sequentially taken in by the bitmap data writing circuit 61 in response to a start signal from the print start control section 10.
The CG 62 converts the data into corresponding print data, develops it in the bitmap data storage section 7, and sequentially prints the data.

As mentioned above, the storage unit 5 stores the print code.
4, the printing codes for the paper length are sequentially arranged and stored in the order of the printing positions without waiting for them to be stored, so the printing code processing time is shortened accordingly, and the entire internal storage means is This makes it possible to reduce the physical capacity.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention as described above, the overall storage capacity can be reduced and printing processing can be performed quickly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram explaining the principle of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram explaining an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional example, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the configuration of a page printer. In the figure, 1 is a data input section, 2 is a data processing section, 3 is a print position control section, 4 is a print code control section, 5 and 5' are print code information storage sections, 6 is a bitmap data write control section, and 7 8 is a bit map data storage unit, 8 is a video output unit, 9 is a print control unit, 10 is a print start control unit, 51 is a data storage control circuit, 52 and 54 are storage units, 53 is a sorting control circuit, and 55 is a storage location. Control unit, 55a is a storage position control circuit, 55b is a storage address designation circuit, 61 is a bitmap data writing circuit, 62
indicate CG, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Print code information storage unit 5' having a first storage means 54 for storing print codes for a predetermined abstract length.
a bitmap data writing control section 6 having a second storage means for storing bit pattern information corresponding to the printing code; and a bitmap data writing control section 6 having a capacity equal to or less than a predetermined paper length, In a printer equipped with a bit map data storage unit 7 that stores the bit pattern print data to be written, a print image derived from the print code and 1.
storage position control means 55 for sending an address corresponding to the pair 1 and corresponding to the first storage means 54;
A printer comprising: the first storage means 54 storing input print codes in the order of print positions specified by the storage position control means 55.