JPS58201192A - Printing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform double-height character printing with simple constitution and to lighten the processing load on a host side equipment, by interposing a double-size print data generating circuit between a picture element memory and a printer print data register. CONSTITUTION:The double-size print data generating circuit 207 is interposed on a data transfer line between the picture-element memory 204 and printer print data register 206. This double-size print data generating circuit 207 enlarges picture element data in read longitudinal dot strings into a double-height dot character pattern with regard to only picture data within a range specified by the double-height print table in a main memory 201 among picture-element data read out of the picture-element data 204, and divides them into two upper and lower double-size dot strings, which are set in the printer print data register 206.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a print control device used in a dot impact type serial printer.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

The first dot-impact type serial printer
For the full-width character pattern shown in the figure (,),
Conventionally, when performing various types of double-width printing as shown in b) to (d), the host side equipment
) generates pixel data corresponding to the character pattern shown in
This pixel data is sent to the print control unit in units of one line to be printed out. The conventional printing control means used in this case will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the constituent elements of the print control section. In the figure, 101 is a main memory that holds 700 grams of printer control and data received from the host device (H-CPU) excluding pixel data, and 102 is a main memory that executes a control program in the main memory 10. This is a processing device (hereinafter referred to as CPU) and controls the entire printing control section.

Reference numeral 103 denotes an interface unit that controls data transmission and reception with the host device (H-CPU). A pixel memory 104 holds pixel data transmitted from the host device (H-CPU) in units of rows.

A printer control unit 105 generates a printer control signal (pc) based on a command signal from the CPU 102 and transmits status information (STU) from the printer to the CPU 102. Here, printer control signals (PC) include drive signals for various mechanical components such as printer paper feed, print head movement, and printing overdrive, as well as status information (PC) from the printer.
0106 is a printer print data register that holds data to be sent to the printer print head.

FIG. 3 shows the correspondence between the contents of the pixel memory 104 and the printer print data register 106.
, REG 1 and REG 2 indicate the printer print data register 106, which is divided into three registers in 1-byte units.

In such a configuration, when performing double-height printing as shown in FIG. 1(C), the following printing control means have conventionally been adopted. The print control unit shown in Fig. 2 receives and prints pixel data line by line from the host device (H-CPU), and prints the double-byte character pattern shown in Fig. When printing in the double-height character pattern shown in Figure 1(c), the host device (H-CPU) generates pixel data corresponding to the double-width character pattern shown in Figure 1(c), and divides this into two vertically to form one line. The upper half of the pixel data is on the eye, and the lower half is on the second line.

pixel data is sent. At this time, the line feed amount between the first and second lines is specified so that the dots are continuous. To explain these operations more specifically, first, the host device (H-CPU) transmits pixel data corresponding to the character pattern in the upper half of FIG. 1(c). This pixel data is held in the pixel memory 104 via the interface unit 103 under the control of the CPU 1θ2. At this time, the data held in the pixel memory 104 is defined as one full-width character =
In this case, the pixel memory 104 has a 24×24 dot configuration. Pixel data for one vertical slice (8x3=24 dots) is held in N+2. Similarly, N+3. N+4. ..., N+n and pixel data are held. Next, the host device (H-CPU) sends a print start command to the print control section. Accordingly, the print control section sequentially reads pixel data from the pixel memory 104 while driving the printer print head of the printer under the control of the printer control section 105, and generates the printer print data as shown in FIG. The data is held as print data in the register 106, and the data is printed. After printing one line, the host device (H-CPU
) sends a line feed command of such an amount that vertical dots are continuous for printing the next line. Accordingly, the printer control section 105 of the print control section performs line feed control of the specified line feed amount. Next, the host device (H-CPU)
5- In the same way as the double-width character pattern printing process in the upper half of FIG. 1(c), pixel data corresponding to the lower half double-width character pattern in FIG. 1(C) is transmitted and printed. In this way, double-height printing as shown in FIG. 1(c) is performed. Also, double-width width printing as shown in Figure 1(b) can be achieved by printing each vertical slice of the pixel shown in Figure 1(,) twice, but double-width width printing as shown in Figure 1(d) is not possible. This can be done by using the vertical slices shown in FIG. 12(b) twice in the same way as the printing operation shown in FIG. 10(c).

As described above, conventionally, when performing double-height printing, the host device (H-CPU) side selects the double-height pixel number J? Therefore, the burden on software or hardware becomes very large, and there remains a problem in terms of practicality.

Therefore, by preparing the pixel memory 1θ4 shown in Fig. 2 for two lines in advance and specifying the double height angle when transmitting pixel data, the software processing on the printer side can
It is conceivable to store pixel data corresponding to a double-width character pattern as shown in FIG. 1(C) in a line pixel memory in upper and lower sections and print the data. The data transmission sequence at this time will be explained with reference to Figure 4. In the case of normal printing, "ES
Send the control code C+A (normal print designation code) +-~n4 J, and continue (in the DATA section [n1~n4 J
The amount of pixel data defined in is transmitted. For double-height printing, use [, Esc instead of rEsc+AjO
-1-B (double-height printing designation code)" can be realized by a method that indicates that the pixels transmitted in the DAT A section should be printed in double-height. However, such a print control means requires two sets of pixel memories (for two lines) to be prepared on the printer side.

As mentioned above, in all conventional print control means, a double-height pixel pattern must be generated on the host device (H-CPU) side, which increases the burden on software and hardware. It had the drawback of being thick.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is a dot-impact type serial printer that receives pixel data line by line from the host device and processes the printing in units of predetermined dot rows. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing control device that can be configured and executed while greatly reducing the processing load placed on host-side equipment.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, when performing double-height printing, instead of generating double-height pixel data in the host device, the host device reads out one line of pixel data that has been received many times into the pixel memory.
When setting a predetermined vertical dot row unit in the printer print data register, only for pixel data that should be subjected to double-height printing, the pixel data of that vertical dot row is divided vertically by two.
The configuration is such that the data is divided into two parts, subjected to double-angle enlargement processing, and then set in the printer print data register twice, upper and lower, to be printed. This eliminates the need to generate double-height pixel data on the host device, reducing the load on the host device, and requiring only one row of pixel memory. The structure can also be simplified, which is economically advantageous.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 2
01 to 206 correspond to the respective components 101 to 106 shown in FIG. 2, 201 is the main memory, 202
is CPU.

203 is an interface section, 204 is a pixel memory, 20
5 is a printer control unit, and 206 is a printer print data register. Here, in the main memory 201, among the pixel data stored in the pixel memory 204,
A double-vertical printing table (VMT) is provided for specifying a pixel data range to be printed in double-vertical printing. FIG. 6 shows an example of a state in which double-width pixel data is designated by the double-height printing table (■T) in the main memory 201. Also, the pixel memory 20
4 and the serial print data register 206, that is, between the 9-CPU data bus (D-BUS) and the printer print data register 206, there is a data transfer path between the 9-CPU data bus (D-BUS) and the printer print data register 206. Of the data, only for pixel data within the range specified in the double-vertical print table (VMT) in the main memory 201, the pixel data of the read vertical dot row is enlarged to double-vertical dots, and the upper and lower two dots are A double-width print data generation circuit 207 is interposed to divide the data into double-width dot rows and set them in the printer print data register 206. A specific circuit configuration example of this double-width print data generation circuit 207 is shown in the seventh section.
As shown in the figure. Double-width print data generation circuit 2 shown in FIG.
θ7 receives a selection control signal 5EL-A during normal printing, and receives selection control signals 5EL-B and 5EL-B during double height printing.
It receives EL-C alternately, and among the above selection control signals, SF:LA is in an enabled state (for example, "1")
When this happens, the tod data supplied to input terminal A is output to output terminal Y. Therefore, in this case, the input 1
Pixel data (rAO to DATA7) in units of bytes maintains the same bit arrangement state and is output as print data (P DATA OP DATA 7) to each 1-byte width that constitutes the printer print data register 206. Register section (nEaO, REG7. REG
? ) are selectively supplied sequentially. Also, when the selection control side signals 5EL-B and 5EL-C are enabled alternately during double-height printing, the dot data supplied to input terminal B is It is output to output terminal Y. Therefore, in this case, the input pixel data (DATA O-I
)ATA7), the bit contents of I)IiTA7 are output as PDATA7.6, rMA 60-bit contents are output as PDATA5.4, and DAT
The bit content of As is PDATAJ.

The bit contents of the bits of DATA4 are output as PDATA 1,0. Furthermore, 5EL
-C is enabled, input terminal C
The dot data supplied to is output to output terminal Y.

Therefore, in this case, among the input pixel data in units of 1 byte (DATA O-DATA 7), DkTA3
The bit contents of DA are output as PDATA7.6 and DA
The bit content of TA 2 is PDKrA 5 .

4, and the bit content of DATAI is PDAT
The bit contents of DATA o are output as PDATA 1,0. In this way, the double-width print data generation circuit 207 operates during normal printing (S
When the EL-A is enabled), the input 1
Vertical dot row pixel data in bytes (DATA O-D
ATA7) is sent directly to the printer print data register 106 as printing data (PDATAO to PDATA7) in through mode), and when double-height printing (5EL-
When the A/5EL-B is enabled), the input vertical dot row pixel data (DATA[
~DATA7) up and down for 2 minutes (DATA7~4/
DATA 3 to 0), enlarge each by 2 times, and
The data is sent to the printer print data register 106 at different timings (5EL-B/5EL-C).

Here, the operation of one embodiment will be explained. Host device (H-C
PU) Yes, rESC+A10n as shown in Figure 4.
When the "t ten...+n41 no 匍" code is sent to the printer, the next sent data is pixel data for normal size printing (normal printing), and "n!+..." is sent to the printer.
- Indicates that the amount of data indicated by +n4J will be transmitted. Next, pixel data for normal printing is transmitted with this specified amount of data. If pixel data to be printed on the same line is subsequently transmitted, the same sequence is used.

Also, if the host device (H-CPU) wants to print the pixel data sent to be printed in double height, press rEsc+
[Esc+BJ is used instead of AJ, and pixel data is transmitted in the same sequence thereafter. When the print control unit shown in FIG. 5 receives pixel data sent from the host device (H-CPU), it transfers this pixel data to the pixel memory.
204, and each of the above specified codes r
As shown in FIG.
).

Next, the host device (H-CPU) transmits a print start command (CR code in the example 13- in FIG. 4) for printing pixel data. When the print control unit receives this print start command, the printer control unit 205
Printing of the received pixel data is started under the control of.

This printing operation will be explained below. First, when double height printing is not specified, the contents of the pixel memory 204 are set as they are in the printer print data register 206 and printed. Therefore, in this case, the double-width print data generation circuit 207 selects the 8-person power.

Next, when double height is specified, the following printing process is performed. Double height printing table (V
MT), and print in the same way as when double height printing is not specified as described above for areas where double height printing is not specified.
For areas where double-height printing is specified, the upper half and lower half are printed twice. When printing the upper half, if the printing pattern is 24 vertical dots, print the upper 12 dots by 2.
Enlarge it twice and print it first. In the double-width enlargement process, first, the upper 1 byte of the 14-minute dot string data of the pixel menu 204 (corresponding to the Nth 1 byte in FIG.
Select the 70B input and output its output data (PDAT
A7~PDATA[) to printer print data register 2
Set the data to REG O of 06, then select the C input, and output the data (PDATA7 to PDATA
O) is also the printer print data register 2060RE.
Set to G1.

Next, from the pixel memo I7204, write the next 1 byte of dot row data, that is, the 1 byte data at the center of the 24 vertical dots (taking the example of Fig. 3, the N+1st 1
double-width print data generation circuit 2070
Select the B input and output its output data (P DATA
7~PDATAO) to printer print data register 2
Set to REG 2 of 06. This printer print data register 206 (REGO, REG 1, RE
If the pixel data stored in G2) is printed, the upper half will be enlarged. By repeating this operation, you can print the upper half of double-height printing. Next, the printing process for the lower half is executed, but before that, a line break is made so that the upper half and the lower half are continuous, and then the printing process for the lower half is started. In the case of lower half printing, taking the lower half of the upper N-N+2 vertical slice as an example, read jp N+1 1-byte data from the pixel memory 204, select the C input of the double-width print data generation circuit 207, Its output data (PDAff'A7~
P DATA o '; is set in REG O of the printer print data register 206. Next, pixel memory 2
04 to N+2 1-byte data, select the double-width print data generation circuit 2070B input, set the output data (PDATA7 to PDATAO) to REG 1 of the printer print data register 206, and then
Select the input and send the output data (PDA
Set TA7 to PDATAθ). This printer print data register (REGO, REGJ, REG2
) If you print the pixel data stored in ), the lower half will be enlarged and printed.

The upper half printing and the lower half printing may be performed in any order. Further, the line feed between the upper half and lower half printing may be either a for food feed or a pack feed.

Depending on which line break method is used, Figure 8 (a) and (b)
As shown in , it determines whether the upper and lower halves of double-width characters appear above or below normal characters. Furthermore, if the same slice pixel data is printed twice in the horizontal direction, it is also possible to print twice in the vertical and horizontal directions as shown in FIG. 1(d).

The above describes a means for performing pixel enlarging operations using the hardware (double-width print data generation circuit 207) configured as shown in FIG. Program the CPU in advance.
It is also possible to realize this by manipulating a predetermined register in 202.

The processing flow in that case is as shown in FIG. As for the operation, the double-width print data generation circuit 207 of the above embodiment
The process of switching data is performed by operating a predetermined register in the CPU 202, and the processed data is transferred to the CPU 20.
2 to be set in the printer print data register 206.

In the above embodiment, the vertical dot row of the full-width character pattern 17- is explained as having 24 dots, but this is not limiting. As for the turn, the height double angle control as described above is also possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in a dot-in-4 type serial printer that receives pixel data from a host device in units of rows and processes the printing in units of predetermined dot rows, the host device can There is no need to generate double-height pixel data on the device side, and there is no need to generate double-height pixel data on the printer side.
Since there is no need to have pixel memory for each row, the print control has a simple configuration with less hardware addition, and has an extremely advantageous configuration that can significantly reduce the processing burden on the host device side. Equipment can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 (=) to (d) are diagrams showing printing dot patterns, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional print control device, and Figure 3 is a diagram of the pixel memory in Figure 2 above. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the transmission sequence of pixel data, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the contents and the printer print data register. Double vertical printing table (VMT)
FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the double-width print data generation circuit in the above embodiment, and FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are diagrams showing an example of the double-width pixel data designation state in the above embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the printing correspondence between double-width characters and double-width characters, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the processing procedure of a side-splitting program in another vase embodiment of the present invention. 201... Main memory, 202... CPU, 203...
-Interface unit, 204...pixel memory, 2o
5...Printer control unit, 206...Printer print data register, 207...Double-width print data generation circuit, VMT...Double-width print table, H-CPU
...Host device.・〒19- Full ? Engineering 584-

Claims (1)

[Claims] A pixel memory that stores pixel data to be printed line by line,
means for reading the pixel data stored in the pixel memory in units of vertical dot rows of a predetermined bit width; a print data register for storing the read data in units of vertical dot rows in units of one print dot row; and the pixel memory. double-height specifying means for specifying a double-height print range of pixel data stored in the pixel memory; and a double-height specifying means for specifying a double-height print range of pixel data stored in the pixel memory, and dividing the data read out from the pixel memory in units of vertical dot rows within the double-width print range into two parts, each of which is divided into double-width print dot data. A printing control device 0 characterized in that it comprises double-width dot data generation and storage control means for storing double-width dot data in the print data register at different predetermined timings.