JPH0944322A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: To provide a printer capable of automatically selecting a control code table most suitable for a control code system of a control code included in transmitted data. In a printer initial state, a first control code table 22 is selected, and a normal printer printing operation is performed in accordance with the first control code table 22.
The first control code table 22 is searched from the data received for printing, and when the count value N of undefined codes reaches a predetermined value (for example, “2”), the second control code table 23 is displayed. Printing after the selection is performed according to the second control code table 23, and the second control code table 2 is selected from the data received for printing.
Try to search for 3. Then, when the count value n of the undefined code reaches a predetermined value (for example, "2"), the first control code table 22 is selected, and thereafter, this operation is repeated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly, to a control code table optimal for a control code system of control codes included in transmitted data, which is selected from a plurality of control code tables. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a general-purpose serial printer or the like is connected to a host computer such as a large computer or a personal computer, and various data and program data output from the host computer are printed on a printing paper. ing.

In the personal computer, the control code system (command system) of the output data is also changed according to the type of software used, so that the printer connected to the personal computer outputs from the personal computer. A plurality of control code tables are provided so as to match the control code system of the control code. When the software of the personal computer is changed, the switch for selecting the changed control code table is operated, and the power is turned on again or the reset operation is performed.

[0004]

However, in the printer, the operator must first recognize that the control code systems of the control codes output from the personal computer are different. Then, every time the operator changes the control code table, the operator has to perform a complicated operation such as a switch operation, a reset operation, or a power-on operation. Further, there is a problem that an inappropriate control code table may be selected due to an erroneous operation of a switch for changing the control code table.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of automatically selecting the optimum control code table for the control code system of the control code included in the transmitted data.

[0006]

To achieve this object, in a printer according to a first aspect, a data buffer for storing data transmitted from a host computer and a plurality of control codes for each control code system are provided. A plurality of control code tables that store internal codes indicating the functional operation of the printer corresponding to each control code are provided, and control is performed based on the control code read from the control code table of the selected control code system. In the printing device,
One of the plurality of control code tables is selected as a selection candidate by the candidate table selection means. Then, the determining means compares the control code contained in the data stored in the data buffer with the one control code table selected by the candidate table selecting means to determine whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied. To be judged.

When the determining means determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied, the table selecting means selects one control code table selected by the candidate table selecting means from among the control codes stored in the data buffer. It is selected as the optimum control code table for the control code system. When the determining unit determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the candidate table selecting unit selects another control code table from the plurality of control code tables as a selection candidate and controls it. The code table is judged by the judging means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the determining means in the first aspect of the present invention comprises a reading means for sequentially reading out the control code contained in the data stored in the data buffer. The control codes read by the reading means are sequentially compared with one control code table selected by the candidate table selecting means, and all the control codes stored in the data buffer are compared with each other by a predetermined value. If it is found that the condition (1) is not satisfied, the reading of the control code by the reading means is stopped at that time, and it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

Further, in the printing apparatus according to the third aspect, the determining means in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect sequentially reads the control code included in the data stored in the data buffer, and the reading means. Search means for searching whether each control code read by the means exists in one control code table selected by the candidate table selection means, and control based on the search result by the search means. And a counting means for counting the number of control codes not existing in the code table. Then, the determination means determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied when the counting result of the counting means reaches a predetermined value.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a serial printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) to which the present invention is applied.

A platen 3 is rotatably supported in a main body frame 2 of the printer 1, and a pair of guide shafts (not shown) for movably supporting a carriage (not shown) is provided below a front portion of the platen 3. Has been done. A wire dot print head 4 is mounted on the carriage so as to face the platen 3, and a pair of paper feed rollers (not shown) for transporting print paper are provided in front of and behind the platen 3, respectively. It is provided and is similar to a normal printer.

At the right end of the main body frame 2, there is provided an operation unit 5 provided with various function switches such as a power switch, a page feed key, and a line feed key.

Next, the overall configuration of the control system of the printer 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The printer 1 is basically composed of an operation unit 5, a print head 4, a paper feed roller drive motor 6, a carriage drive motor 7, drive circuits 4a, 6a and 7a, a control device C and the like. The drive circuits 4a, 6a, 7a are connected to the input / output interface 11 of the control device C via a data bus or the like.

The drive circuit 4a is connected to a plurality of solenoids that drive each of a plurality of wires provided in the print head 4. The drive circuit 6a is connected to the paper feed roller drive motor 6 that drives the paper feed roller. Drive circuit 7
Reference character a is connected to a carriage drive motor 7 that drives the carriage.

The controller C has a CPU (central processing unit) 9
And a character generator 10 connected to the CPU 9 via a data bus or the like, a ROM (read only
Memory) 20, RAM (random access memory)
It comprises an input / output interface 30, a communication interface 12, and a communication interface 12.

The character generator 10 stores dot matrix data of a large number of characters / symbols corresponding to code data.

The ROM 20 has a communication protocol for inputting the data output from the persol computer 13 via the communication interface 12, and the driving circuits 4a and 6a.
a control program for driving and controlling a. 7a, a program memory 21 storing a control program for control code table selection control described later, a plurality of control codes based on the first control code system, and a functional operation of each control code. A stored first control code table 22, a second control code table 23 storing a plurality of control codes based on the second control code system and the functional operation of each control code are stored.

From the personal computer 13, it is possible to output various kinds of data or a dump of the program according to the type of the data or the program to be transmitted in the first control code system or the second control code system.

In the RAM 30, the data buffer 31 for temporarily storing the data input from the personal computer 13, and the start address of the control code among the data stored in the data buffer 31 are sequentially designated from the start address of the data buffer 31. Control code pointer 3
2, a control code buffer 33 for temporarily storing the control code in the data buffer 31 designated by the control code pointer 32, and a search of the first control code table 22 for the control code in the data buffer 31 as a result of undefined control As a result of searching the second control code table 23 for the control code in the data buffer 31, the N counter 34 that counts the number of codes, the n counter 35 that counts the number of undefined control codes, and the result of arithmetic processing by the CPU 9 Various memories for temporary storage are provided.

Here, the printer 1 can receive the first control code based on the first control code system and the second control code based on the second control code system.

Each control code and function stored in the first control code table 22 stored in the ROM 20 is summarized in Table 1, and each control code and function stored in the second control code table 23. Table 2 shows the outline of the operation.

The first control code table 22 and the second control code table 22
In the control code table 23, the operation contents of the functional operations are described as the functional operations, but in reality, the start address (internal code) of the subroutine for performing each functional operation.
Is stored.

[0025]

[Table 1]

[0026]

[Table 2]

Next, the control code table selection control routine executed by the control device C of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
A description will be given based on the flowchart of FIG.

When the power switch is operated to turn on the power, this control is started, and step S1 (hereinafter simply referred to as S1
, And other steps are handled in the same manner), the initial settings such as clearing the buffer and memory are executed, and the process proceeds to S2. Based on the control signal accompanying data transfer,
When it is confirmed that data transmission has started (S2)
First, it is determined whether or not the data in the data buffer 31 is full based on the end address of the data buffer 31 (S3). When there is room to write the data, the data transmitted from the personal computer 13 is stored in the data buffer 31. When data is sequentially written (S4) and S3 to S4 are repeated and the data in the data buffer 31 is full, a busy signal indicating that is output from the printer, and data transmission from the host computer is temporarily stopped. (S5). Then, it is determined whether or not there is a control code based on the data in the data buffer 31 designated by the control code pointer 32 (S6), and when there is a control code, control lower than the address designated by the control code pointer 32 is performed. The code address is written in the control code pointer 32 (S7), and the control code designated by the control code pointer 32 is stored in the control code buffer 33.
(S8), the control code written in the control code buffer 33 is searched for each control code in the first control code table 22 (S9).

Then, as a result of the search, it is judged whether or not an undefined control code which is not defined in the first control code table 22 is detected (S10), and when it is defined, the process returns to S6 and S6 to S10. Is repeated.

For example, as shown in Table 1, (0D),
When the control code is (0A), (09), etc., S10
Is determined as No.

However, in the case of an undefined control code such as (1B, 48) or (1B, 4C) which is not defined in the first control code table 22, it is determined as Yes in S10 and the N counter 34 is incremented ( S11), S
Return to 6. When all the control codes in the data buffer 31 have been searched (S6), the control code pointer 32 is cleared (S12) and S13 to S17.
Then, each control code in the second control code table 23 is searched for the control code pointed to by the control code pointer 32.

Then, as a result of the search, when an undefined control code not defined in the second control code table 23 is detected (S17), the n counter 35 is incremented (S18), and the process returns to S13. For example, as shown in Table 2, when the control code is (1B, 50) or (1B, 6C), the n counter 35 is incremented.

Next, the count value N and n of the N counter 34
Based on the count value n of the counter 35, the count value N
Is smaller than the count value n (S19), the first control code table 22 is selected (S20), and according to the operation function corresponding to the control code read from the data buffer 31 based on the first control code table 22. , The paper feed roller drive motor 6 and the carriage drive motor 7 are drive-controlled (S21), and after all the transmitted data are processed, the N counter 34, the n counter 35, and the control code pointer 32 are cleared respectively. The transmission of the busy signal is stopped (S22), and the process returns to S2.

When it is determined No in S19, the second
The control code table 23 is selected (S23), and the paper feed roller drive motor 6 and the carriage drive motor 7 are drive-controlled in accordance with the function corresponding to the control code read from the data buffer 31 based on the second control code table 23. After all the transmitted data are processed (S24), the N counter 34, the n counter 35, and the control code pointer 32 are each cleared, and the sending of the busy signal is stopped (S22), and the process returns to S2.

As described above, the data buffer 31
The first control code table 22 and the second control code table 23 are searched for the control code written in
Since the control code table having the smaller number of undefined control codes is selected, the selection of the control code table becomes accurate, and the switch operation is not required, so that the operability and work efficiency are improved.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the data buffer 31 becomes full, the control shifts to S5, and the control codes written in the data buffer 31 are controlled by the first control code table 22 and the second control code table. 23 is searched and the control code table having the smaller number of undefined control codes is selected. But,
An offline switch for transmitting the busy signal to the operation unit 5 of the printer and processing the data written in the data buffer 31 is provided on the operation unit 5 of the printer, and the operator presses the offline switch to control S5.
The first control code table 22 and the second control code table 23 are searched for the control code written in the data buffer 31, and the control code table having the smaller number of undefined control codes is selected. May be.

When the data buffer 31 is full or when data transmission is started, the control code indicated by the control code pointer 32 is stored in the first control code table 22 and the second control code table 23. When the count value N or the count value n reaches a predetermined value (for example, "2" early), the first counter corresponding to the N counter 34 having a smaller count value is searched.
The printing process may be performed based on the control code table 22 or the second control code table 23 corresponding to the n counter 35 having a small count value.

Further, in the initial state of the printer, the first control code table 22 is selected, the normal printer printing operation is performed in accordance with the first control code table 22, and the first data is received from the data received for printing. The control code table 22 is searched, and when the count value N reaches a predetermined value (for example, “2”), the second control code table 23 is selected, and the subsequent printing is performed according to the second control code table 23. At the same time, the second control code table 23 is searched from the data received for printing. Then, when the count value n reaches a predetermined value (for example, "2"), the first control code table 22 may be selected, and thereafter, this operation may be repeated.

It is needless to say that the present invention can be similarly applied to a printer having three or more types of control code tables and capable of receiving data based on three or more types of control code systems.

The present invention can also be applied to various printers such as a thermal printer, a daisy wheel printer, and a character ball printer.

[0041]

As is apparent from the above description, in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, whether or not the control code table selected as a selection candidate by the candidate table selection means satisfies the predetermined condition by the determination means. Is determined,
When it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control code table selected as the selection candidate is selected by the code table selection means as the optimum control code table for the control code system of the control code stored in the data buffer. It On the other hand, when the determination unit determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the candidate table selection unit determines another control code table as a selection candidate,
The determination means determines whether or not the control code table satisfies a predetermined condition.

Therefore, according to the printing apparatus of the first aspect, a control code table optimal for the control code system of the control code included in the data transmitted from the host computer is automatically selected from the plurality of control code tables. The control code table can be selected accurately, and when changing the control code table, the operation does not require a cumbersome operation such as a switch operation, a reset operation, or a power cycle operation. Productivity and work efficiency are improved.

If it is determined that the control code table selected as a selection candidate satisfies a predetermined condition, the control code table is selected, so that it is not necessary to make a determination for all control code tables. The time required for selecting the control code table can be shortened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first aspect, the control codes read from the data buffer are sequentially compared with one control code table selected as a selection candidate. If it is found that the predetermined condition is not satisfied before comparing all the control codes stored in the data buffer, it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied at that time.

Therefore, according to the printing device of the second aspect,
When determining whether one control code table selected as a selection candidate satisfies a predetermined condition, it is necessary to compare all control codes stored in the data buffer with the control code table selected as a selection candidate. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, the time required for the determination process can be shortened and the time required for selecting the control code table can be further shortened.

Further, in the printing apparatus according to the third aspect, in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, each control code sequentially read from the data buffer is selected as one selection candidate control code table. Whether or not the control code table is present in the control code table is searched, and when the number of control codes that do not exist in the control code table selected as the selection candidate reaches a predetermined value, it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

Therefore, according to the printing apparatus of the third aspect,
When determining whether one control code table selected as a selection candidate satisfies a predetermined condition, it is necessary to compare all control codes stored in the data buffer with the control code table selected as a selection candidate. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, the time required for the determination process can be shortened and the time required for selecting the control code table can be further shortened.

Further, since the determination process is performed based on the number of control codes that do not exist in the control code table, that is, the number of undefined control codes that may cause an error, an error may occur. It is possible to select an optimum control code table having a low value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serial printer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of a serial printer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control code table selection control routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Serial Printer 9 CPU 13 Personal Computer 20 ROM 22 First Control Code Table 23 Second Control Code Table 30 RAM 31 Data Buffer 34 N Counter 35 n Counter C Controller

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of controls which store a data buffer for storing data transmitted from a host computer, a plurality of control codes for each control code system, and an internal code corresponding to each control code and indicating a functional operation of a printer. In a printing device having a code table and controlled based on a control code read from a control code table of a selected control code system, one control code table among the plurality of control code tables is a selection candidate. The candidate table selecting means for selecting as a candidate, the control code included in the data stored in the data buffer, and the one control code table selected by the candidate table selecting means are compared to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. The judging means for judging whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied by the judging means. When it is determined that one of the control code tables selected by the candidate table selection means is selected as the optimum control code table for the control code system of the control code stored in the data buffer, the table selection means is selected. When the determination unit determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the candidate table selection unit selects another one of the plurality of control code tables as a selection candidate. A printing device characterized by. 2. The determining means includes a reading means for sequentially reading out control codes included in the data stored in the data buffer, and the control codes read by the reading means are sequentially arranged in the candidate table. If it is found that the predetermined condition is not satisfied before comparing with one control code table selected by the selecting means and comparing all the control codes stored in the data buffer, The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading of the control code by the reading unit is stopped at a point of time, and it is determined that a predetermined condition is not satisfied. 3. The determining means sequentially reads out control codes included in the data stored in the data buffer, and each control code read by the reading means is read by the candidate table selecting means. Retrieval means for retrieving whether or not the control code table is present in one selected control code table, and counting means for counting the number of control codes not present in the control code table based on the retrieval result by the retrieval means. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination device that determines that a predetermined condition is not satisfied when the counting result of the counting unit reaches a predetermined value.