JPS5889376A - printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change printing positions for line direction by units smaller than dot matrix unit by a method in which a register to set and hold vertical spacing units by units below the whole multiples of base line pitch is compared with the lower part of an address generator and the line is ended by concordant signal. CONSTITUTION:When printing with any line pitch is desired, the values of whole multiples of 1/300 inches are set in a line feed amount register 41 in advance. The values of line address counter 33 and block counter 34 are compared with the values of the line feed amount register 44, the line address counters 33 and block counter 34 are reset by concordant signals from a comparator 45, one line is ended, a clock is applied to the line address counter 39, and the line of a page memory 9 is renewed. When making 1/6 inches of vertical spacing, since 50 dots are counted in spite of the dot matrix with only 48 dots, an output inhibition signal 130 is applied from a flip-flop 53 and 2 dots of non-printing is forcibly made.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a printing device, and in particular to a raster scan type page printer that is capable of not only integer multiples of a general line feed pitch but also minute line feed in dot pitch units. It is.

Conventionally, when a printing device connected to a host machine such as a computer receives a print character code and a print control code from the host machine, it prints the data on the page memory (text memory) based on the print control code. The received print character codes are assembled, and after the page printer has finished storing all the characters to be printed, the page memory is accessed by DMA (direct memory access) using the page printer's main scanning clock and sub-scanning clock. The dot matrix pattern memory is accessed as the read out data (character position code) 1i-address by the operation, and the read data (character dot signal>'fr is parallel-serial converted by the shift register). The entire serial image signal is formed by the main scanning clock and transferred to the page printer in synchronization with the main scanning clock, thereby printing one page at a time.

By the way, in word processors, etc., character arrangement such as spacing between words, line alignment, line spacing, etc. is an important function for printing quality. Since a type printer was used, there were no particular problems.

However, serial impact type printers have a slow printing time for one page, so they are not compatible with non-impact type page printers that can print at high speed, such as laser printers and O
R1 printers are now required.

However, a page printer requires a page ψ memory, in which the entire area on the printing paper is divided into dot matrix sizes, and one word of the page memory corresponds to one character of the pattern memory. Therefore, there is a drawback that printing position cannot be controlled in units smaller than dot matrix units. Further, in order to fully control the print position with high quality, it is necessary to divide the page memory into controllable units, but this has the disadvantage that the capacity of the page memory increases.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate such conventional drawbacks by providing dot storage without increasing the page memory capacity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that controls printing position in the line direction in units smaller than matrix units and can easily control the line device within one page.

The printing device of the present invention includes a page memory that stores all print character codes transferred from the host machine, one page worth of print control codes also transferred, and a driver corresponding to the above print character codes. - In a printing device having a pattern memory for storing a matrix character pattern, and first and second address generation means for generating an address in the character direction and an address in the row direction of the page memory, respectively, the printing or control code is a line feed amount register that is set and held in units of line feed units that are less than or equal to an integral multiple of the total basic line pitch; and means for comparing the value of the line feed amount register with the value of the lower part of the second address generation means. 11? and resetting the lower part of the second address generation means by the Ikumaki signal of the comparison means,
The entire feature is that printing for one line is completed by updating the upper part.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1g is an overall pull-out diagram of a printing device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The printing device shown in No. 111c includes an interface circuit 2 that exchanges data with the host machine 1, and an OPυ that controls each device via an address bus and a data path.
3. Program memory (IO
M) 4, work memory (RAM) 6, memory multiplexer 6, ]: 1M RAM control circuit 7, printer control interface circuit 8, page memory (text memory) 9, character pattern memory 10, parallel/serial conversion data interface circuit 11, and a laser
It is composed of a printer 12.

The print character code transferred from the host machine 1 is assembled on the page memory 9 that stores a group of characters to be printed by the laser printer 12 based on the format control code also transferred from the host machine 1. . Here, format control is performed by program control using optr3. When all the characters to be printed have been stored in the page memory 9 by format control, the page memory 9 leaves the control t'' of 0PU3 and transfers to D.
MA control■Route 70 is under control. The DM control circuit 7 is
The character code is read out from the page memory 9 by the main scanning scan and sub-scanning scan of the laser printer 12, and then the dot/Y)rix pattern is stored using the extracted character code as an address. The character pattern memory (as ROM) 10 is accessed and character dot signals are read out.

The read character dot signal is parallel-to-serial converted by the shift register of the data interface circuit 11 to become a serial image signal, which is transferred to the laser printer 1''2 in synchronization with the main scanning scan, and is printed in one page. Printing is performed in units of one page.

Although No. Lm shows a printing device using a laser printer, the present invention can be applied to all raster scan type printing devices and display devices.

First, the character pattern memory 10 which is the main part of the present invention
0 Now, the laser printer 12 is a M4 size page printer, with main scanning of 2480 dots and F1 sub-scanning of 3500 dots.
The lines form 111 planes, each with a high resolution.

It is assumed that both sub-scans are 1/300 inch.

For example, the character pattern memory 10 & C by Keikisha has proportional space characters (variable pitch characters) and 1/
No. Inch pitch characters, 1/12 inch pitch characters, and 1/1δ inch pitch characters 04m1lIO character sizes are stored, and the number of characters in the number character size is 12
Proportional space characters can have 8 characters, each character has a different character width, and 0 character widths are classified into 6 types of character widths. 0 character widths are classified in units called units, and 1 character is 6 dots. .

Second! ! I is an explanatory diagram showing the character width of proportional space characters.Characters such as ``工'' shown in Figure 2 (-) are three-dimensional characters (
15 dots x 49 dots), Fig. 2 (b) rf shown by K
Letters such as J are 4 letters (20 dots) x 48 dots, which corresponds to a pitch of 1716 inches), Figure 2 (o) K
The characters such as rJJ shown are δ unit characters (25 dots x 4
8 dots corresponds to 1/12 inch pitch), the letters such as rPJ shown in Figure 2) are 6 dots (30 dots).
x48 dots, equivalent to 1/No inch pitch), 2nd
Characters such as “mu” shown in w1(・)K are 7Yu-F characters (3
5 dots x 48 dots), and the characters such as rWJ shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a pattern memory for proportional space characters (8 units), and FIG. 4 is a detailed explanatory diagram of FIG. 3.

The pattern memory 10 consists of 64 bits of 1-ROM'
One character is stored in an area of 48 pi in each ROMK.

FIG. 3 shows a ROM area for storing the letter "M", and the areas designated by units O to 7 and blocks 0 to δ are used.

Figure 4 (&) shows the ROM area for one character in Figure 3, which occupies (8 units x 6 blocks). Figure 4 (b
) δ×8-bit matrix (small area) as shown in K
This forms δ OF-ROMs (chip numbers 0 to 4).
) each corresponds to 1 byte (bits 0 to 7) K. Therefore, one character requires 240 bytes since 6 chips of P-10M each use 48 bytes.

In the case of space characters whose number of en) is less than 8 units, the ni) is left-justified KL, and the remaining en) is left unused.

FIG. 6 is a bit configuration diagram of the address of the pattern memory.

The address of the pattern memory 1O is assembled by the D font control circuit 7, and as shown in FIG. 6, the address of one font is composed of 16 bits. Bit O~2
Bit number shown in Figure 4(b) with 03 bits (vertical printing)
t or chip number (horizontal printing) is specified, bits 3 to 5
The unit number shown in Figure 4 (&)k is specified by the 3 bits of the block number, the block number is specified by the 6th to 805th bits, the character is specified by the 9th to 1607th bits, and the character is specified by the bits 9 to 1607.
The 4 bits 16 to 19 specify 7 onts (types of typeface and size such as gothic, italic, double size, etc.).

The number of characters per 17 ont is 128. The number of logical bytes per chip for one character is 64 (however, the actual number of bytes used is 48), and the number of p-RoMO chips is 5, so the number of bytes per 17 ont The number is 40960 (pie)
/Fore)).

Next, page memory (text memory) 9 will be described.

Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of vertical printing and horizontal printing, and Figure 7 is 1
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the maximum number of prints on a page.

The printing code is stored in the page memory 9 under program control of the 0PU3, but in this case, as shown in Figure 6 (Xunga), the scanning direction of the printer is uniquely determined for printing. Therefore, when printing in both the vertical and horizontal directions, the assembly of the printing position of the page memory 9 must be changed.

6th vl(a) is A4 size paper in portrait orientation.
When printing characters so that they can be read in the same position (vertical printing), No. 61N(b) shows all cases where the characters are printed horizontally on A4 size paper (horizontal printing). .

As shown in Figure 6(&)Cb), in the case of vertical printing,
The main scanning direction must be the unit direction, and for horizontal printing, the main scanning direction must be the block direction, so the 01 station performs this conversion when writing to the page memory 9.

When printing, all characters are controlled in units of 1), so it is possible to mix and print with each character size 't 1''; l) printing paper. The dot pitch of l/300 inch is approximately 2480 dots, which corresponds to 496 units.
j l/3004 > approx. 3509 at a dot pitch of
This is a dot, which corresponds to TO2JL*k. Also, line! Since the feed direction is 1/6 inch, there are 70 lines (64 lines) in the longitudinal direction of A4 size paper and 49 lines (48 lines) in the transverse direction.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 'γ, the maximum number of characters printed on A4 size paper is 82 characters x 64 lines for vertical printing, 118 characters x 48 lines for horizontal printing, and P-Vational Space (PI s>
In this case, vertical printing will be 62 to 165 characters x 4 lines, and horizontal printing will be 88 to 236 characters x 48 lines, which is double the size of large print.
For scale (LP3), 31 to 82 characters x 3 in vertical printing
2 lines, 4th to 118 characters x 24 lines when printed horizontally. However, since each character size can be mixed within one page, the maximum number of prints cannot be uniquely defined.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the definition of data bits of the page memory, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the structure of the data bits.

As shown in FIG. 9, one unit/one row in page memory 9 is given information using 16 bits. In other words, the 7 bits from bits 0 to 6 determine the print character position ((IOD)
! f) is specified. Generally, the ASCII code is used as the character code printed from the host machine, but since the code is not continuous binary data but discrete data, the 0PIJ3 format control program converts it into a character harmonization code. It is necessary to convert it into an address code compatible with the memory 10. That is,
On the character pattern memory 10, patterns are stored at consecutive addresses every 64 bytes.

Therefore, the page memory 9 stores data whose address has been converted from the 0PU 36C, which is equal to the first address at which the corresponding character pattern in the character pattern memory 1o is stored.

Next, bit 7 is an underline designation (UL) bit, and when an underline designation is made for a printed character, this bit is used to indicate the horizontal lIK under the vertical character.
Print. Bits 8 to 1o are unit designation (VNT
) bits, and all characters are composed of 8 units from 3 & nits, so along with specifying the printing position of each character:
Set the :L=knit address to specify the order in which :L entries appear. bit) 11 is the spacing control (S
P) 7 lags, 1/1 of the character direction (unit direction)
Full control of the 20 inch eyelid volume. As aforementioned,
One unit consists of 6 dots, and since the dots of a laser printer have a pitch of 1/300 inch, 1
The unit is 5/300 inch or 1/60 inch. Therefore, if characters are stored in page memory unit by unit, the laser printer will have a full character resolution of 1/60 inch. However, when a character direction shift of 1/120 inch is requested for this printer, a spacing control bit (1 bit) 11r is prepared, and this and the unit specification bit (3 bits) are used to shift the character direction by 1/120 inch. Approximate control of 120 inch character direction shift is performed.

Next, bits 12-14 are 7-ont control (IT) bits that select one of the seven 7-onts. Bit 16 is line feed control (Ly)-y lag, which is fine movement amount position control for raising or lowering a partial line! I do. The line feed control flag is used when printing at a corresponding character position on a virtual line whose printing position is slightly shifted in the line feed direction, and the amount of line shift is 1/12 inch.

FIG. 11 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the 7-ont control bit.

A total of 77 onts can be set, and character pattern memories are assigned as the 1st to 77th onts, respectively.

1st to 67th ont: 1/10 inch, l/12
7 onts of any size, inch, 1/15 inch, proboscis space, or different 7 onts of the same size. The correspondence between each 7 ont and the 7 ont number is specified in advance and switched from the host machine using an O control code.

Note that the 77th ont has character pattern memory allocated for enlarged characters, and can store twice the size of the 1st to 6th characters. - Because enlarged characters have four times the area. , line feed control beep) (bit 15)
Four bits, including , are used to independently designate four locations: left-hi, upper right, lower left, and lower right, and are combined and printed on the printer. Furthermore, by changing the character pattern memory, it is possible to change to a different 7-ont font, and unnecessary fonts can be left as empty addresses by removing the character pattern memory.

! ! The IO diagram is a configuration diagram of address bits of a page memory.

The address space of page memory 9 is a maximum of 64 (rows)
702 (units) - 0928 (words).

o ptr3 is used by switching the contents of the address bits for vertical printing and horizontal printing according to instructions from the host machine 1. For vertical printing, bit O~
809 bits specify the unit, 6 bits 9 to 14 specify the line, and in the case of horizontal printing, bits 0 to 14 specify the unit.
The 6 bits of 6 specify the line, and the 6 to 15 c) 10 bits specify the unit.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are storage diagrams of IO character positions for vertical printing and horizontal printing in the page memory, respectively.

When storing data in the page memory 9, the order in which characters are stored by the 0PU3 and the order in which the characters are read out by the DM control circuit 7 match in vertical printing. First of all,
When host machine 1 specifies that the first character to be printed is the beginning of the first line, the format control program of 0PU3 determines that the number of units for the "mu" code is 6 units in the unit determination table. decide.

For example, if the print code transferred from the host machine 1 is an ASCII code, each code takes a discrete value, so the transferred print code is stored in the pattern memory 10.
needs to be converted to the actual storage address. 0PU3
The formatting control program converts the code for one person, and then incorporates the code for everyone in the unit direction, as shown in Figure 12. At this time, the unit output order is added to the converted code, and δ In this way, when the incorporation of one line from unit 0 to unit 495 is completed, the incorporation of the second line begins.The second line is incorporated from unit 512 to unit 971, Proceed sequentially to line 64.64
The row is from unit 32256 to unit 32716
will be incorporated up to. Note that FIG. 12 shows an example of printing of 6 unit characters (1/12 inch pitch).

Usually, the entire page is not used, so units that are not used in furnaces are installed with a blank pattern (all white). Also, since all 64 lines of the print code from host machine 1 do not always exist, even if the loading platform ends in the middle of one page, a non-print pattern is incorporated in the subsequent lines to complete the storage of one page. do.

Next, in the case of % horizontal printing, the order in which characters are stored by the opu3 and the order in which they are read by the DMA control circuit 7 are different, so when storing characters, an irregular address update is performed as shown in the first δWJk. eyes) 701~
At 697, the code converted data for the first "mu" is incorporated, and at units 696 to 692, the next data tube is incorporated, and the code is converted to 1 for "am" in the first row at the second nit 4 to 0. Incorporate the data. After incorporating the unit in the same way on the second line, proceed sequentially to the 48th line to complete one page.

- In this way, the format control program ν-gram of 0PU3 includes: α) reception of various commands from host machine 1 and their processing; ■ reception of character codes from host machine l and conversion from character codes to pattern addresses; c15) Storage of additional information and print code in page memory 9, (4) Printing IJ&+ of printer 12 functions, and works while referring to the table provided in program memory (ROM) 4. - Perform these functions by assembling code signals using memory (RMM) 5.

Next, the access operation of the page memory 9 and the access operation of the character pattern memory 10 by the DMA control circuit 7 will be explained.

FIG. 14 is an overall pull diagram showing the operation of the DMA control circuit 7, and FIG. 15 is a time chart of the I)M clock. carried out by However, the vertical/horizontal printing mode can be specified by DM.
It is assumed that the settings have been made by the time the system starts operating.

The main scanning direction Ell signal in DMA @ operation is shown in Figure 15 (
a) (t) (d) Tuff ivy 101. line·
In addition to the data F102 and line reset 103 signals, the tarok 101 is a synchronization signal corresponding to the driver F pitch of l/300 inches in the main scanning direction, and the line reset signal
Gate 102 is a data signal that validates data of 2480 dots in the main scanning direction, and line reset signal 103
is a signal for initializing counter control in the main scanning direction. Further, the signal related to the sub-scanning direction is the 15th W! J
Sink (8yae) 104 shown in (@) (0) 伽)
．． 7 Reme Day) 105.7 Reme Reset 106
0G signal, the sink 104 is 1/3 in the sub-scanning direction
The frame gate 105 is a synchronizing signal corresponding to a line pitch of 3,500 inches in the sub-scanning direction.
This is a gauge signal that has 4 effects on the line data, that is, the printing time for one page, and the 7-frame reset 106 is a signal that initializes the counter control tube in the sub-scanning direction.
In addition, in FIG. 15, (2), (transition) # (iL
(nL (0) is shift in vertical print mode) Register 2
3. Indicates each tie wording of pixel counter/unit counter, parallel data raid signal, line counter/pull counter, and row counter. (J)
, 斡), μ), (→, (P) is the shift register in horizontal print mode, pixel counter/bootsk counter,
row counter, parallel data p-do signal, twin
Counter/unit counter, O each timing is shown.

In FIG. 14, the vertical/horizontal printing mode designation signal Ill is used to switch to vertical/horizontal printing mode for DM control, page memory address, character pattern memory address, etc. That is, tarok selector 15
is the main scanning direction signals 9 101 to 103 and the sub scanning direction signal 10 by the lI/horizontal mark inspection mark-do ψ select signal 111.
4 to 106, input 101-103 k to unit direction address counter 16 and row direction address X-counter 1717i: 104 to 106 for vertical printing, and enter unit direction address counter 16 for horizontal printing.
104 to 106 are input to the row direction address counter 17, and 101 to 103 are input to the row direction address counter 17. From the unit direction address counter 16, the unit address (10 bits)
107' and chip select signal (3 bits) in horizontal printing mode are generated, and from the row direction address counter 17, row address (6 bits) 108, block Serena) No. 41 (3 bits) are generated. 116 and θ bit select signal (3 bits) in vertical print mode) 110
occurs. Furthermore, with the data read from the page memory 9, the pattern happiness signal (7 on) (4 bits) 119 and the unit select signal (3 bits) 11
8. Specify the character select signal (7 bits) 117, respectively. In addition, page memory 90 days -II (
Underline control 7 ladder 125, spacing control 7
Lada 127, Twin Feed Control 7 Teda 126):
L! The data is input to the F direction address counter 16 and the row direction address counter 17, and used for control. Dot data 1 read from character pattern memory lO
21 (b pit in vertical print mode, 8 bits in horizontal print mode) is input to the underline synthesis circuit 22, and then
Input to shift register 23, parallel data
The load signal 113 causes the shift tag to
The parallel data load signal 113 is output from the 0IK to the printer as serial dossier data 124.The parallel data load signal 113 is output from the unit direction address counter 16 in vertical printing mode, and from the row direction address counter 17 in horizontal printing mode. are output, shifted and
It is selected by the register load signal select circuit 21.

FIG. 16 illustrates the character pattern memory control IIO.

As shown in the 16th cabinet, the character pattern ItOM printer 2 is composed of 47,150 64-bit ROMs, and each row of 05 chips stores 17 onts (128 characters). The 77th on-F stores enlarged characters and corresponds to 4 sets of other characters.

First, 7 is turned on by the 7-on select signal 119)
The ROM block select signal (
10 bits)) 120'), simultaneously accesses all five ROM chips in which the specified 7 bits are stored separately, and also outputs a character select signal (7 bits) 11
1 unit select signal (3 bits) 118, block select signal (3 bits) 1160, each signal is used to select one unit/unit of a predetermined character that can be stored in the above six ROMs.
1. Access the printer. Since one ll0M is the amount of data in bytes (8 bits), a total of 40 bits of data 132 are sent to the vertical print bit select circuit 25.
, and the horizontal print chip select circuit 26. When the vertical printing mode is specified by the vertical/horizontal printing mode signal 111, each ROM1 of the 40-bit data read out by the bit/chip serena signal (3 bits)) 115 of the pattern memo 927 The parallel dot data 121 is obtained by selecting a total of δ bits in each bit. At this time, the chip selection circuit 24 and the horizontal print chip select circuit 26 are disabled by the vertical/horizontal print mode ill signal.

The parallel dot data is a δ dot, and this data passes through the underline synthesis circuit 22 in FIG. 14 and is set in the shift register 23. The shift register 23 receives every δ bit &C parallel p-do signal 1
Parallel data is set at step 13, and converted into serial data 124 by shift clocker 101.

In addition, Schiff) Kurotsuta 101 is, for example, 3MM.

, the time to output 6-bit data is approximately 1.67 p m@a, so z, 6'rp
During the period of S.0, 41C page memory 9 and pattern memory IO must be accessed. Access time of page memory 9 is 0.45μs@o, Nfi
- If the access time of the online memory 10 is set to α45%, it will be 1667μS@o even if other delay times are taken into consideration.
Access will be completed within this period.

Next, in the horizontal printing mode, as shown in FIG. 16, a bit/chip select signal (3 bits) 115 is input to the chip selection circuit 24, decoded, and a chip select signal (6 bits) 131 is output. Ru. This is input to the horizontal print chip select circuit 2eNC, and one byte of the 6-byte data (40 bits) is selected and becomes doshi parallel data 121. The OII is the same as in the vertical print mode.

Note that, at this time, the vertical print bit (serena) HWs 25 is in a disabled state by the vertical/horizontal print mode signal 111.

In this way, out of the data (40 bits) (6 bytes) for 1 bit/1 bit read from the pattern memory boot staff, the δ bits for vertical printing and the δ bit for horizontal printing. Each of the 18 bits is selected, and the same character O is sequentially selected.
When the first character or the first character is read out, the program advances to the next character and continues the repeating operation.

FIG. 17 is a detailed block diagram of the second direction address counter and the row direction address counter in the first IIK.

In the vertical printing mode and in the horizontal printing mode,: input to the L knit direction address control section 16 and the row direction address control section 17])M person control clock (101 to 103.104)
~106) are replaced.

When vertical printing is O, signals 101-103 are sent to the pixel/line counter 28 (which becomes the w element counter), and the line/
Pixel counter 33 (becomes a line counter) #IC signals 104 to 106 are supplied, respectively.

In the main scanning direction (5-nilla direction), the pixel counter 280
The ffi power signal is input to the spacing control circuit 2faK to obtain a decode signal 128 every 6 dots, and the decode signal 128 clears the pixel counter 28 and counts up the 1 unit address counter s01+1. Note that the depth value 112B is the shift register read deviation amount in the vertical printing mode.

IIl The scanning direction (row direction) is the line counter 53O.
Hexadecimal digit is signal 134t - block counter 34kI
In the case of Ij, one row of n sub-scanning lines (n is given from the host machine, for example, in the case of 1/6 inch rescue, 60 lines, 50/300-1/6 inch) in the row direction. Calculate the number of scans (m), and decode counter No. 3 to the decoder 35.
HC input and underline timing signal 136,
Line sub-counter 36, block sub-counter 3
A preset signal 13 and a control signal to the line feed control circuit 41 are obtained.

In addition, a line counter 33, a block counter 34
The 0 output is input to the selector 43, and a bit select signal 1101 (block serena) signal 116 is obtained.

In addition, a line middle counter 33, a bootsta counter 3
The output of the number is input to the comparison sound 46, and the line feed amount register 440 is set in advance at the start of printing W/g.
It is compared with the content 154 (n scanning lines constituting one row) to obtain a one-row end signal 133. 1 line end signal 133
increases the batting power counter 39 by +1 and clears the line counter 33 and block counter 34.

Note that the line end signal 138 is transmitted to the line feed control circuit 4.
1. It is also used to control the spacing control 1 circuit 127.

In the horizontal printing mode, signals 104 to 106 t- are sent to the pixel/line counter 28 (which serves as a line counter).
, line/pixel counter 33 (becomes a pixel counter) K
Signals 101-103 are supplied respectively.

In the main scanning direction (row direction), the lfi
(n is given by the host machine, for example, in the case of 1/6 inch line break, δ0 dot F%
50/300-1/6 inch) in the main scanning direction, and the count output is manually input to the decoder 35 to generate an underline timing signal 136, 13 preset signals for the pixel sub-counter 36, and the block 9 sub-counter 37. and control 1 to line feed control circuit 41
Get 48.

Further, the output of the block counter 34 is input to the selector 43, and all the so-called push selection signals 116 are obtained. Furthermore, the contents 154 of the line feed amount register 44 are input to the comparator 45 and set in advance at the start of printing.
(main scanning line dots constituting one row) number n) is compared,
1 line end signal 133 is obtained. The one-row end signal 133 increments the row counter 39 by +1 and clears the pixel counter 33 and block counter 34.

The signal 134 in the upper octal digit of the drawing counter 33 is input to the selector 43 and becomes the horizontal print shift) ψ register load signal 129.

In the sub-scanning line direction (unit direction), line counter 2
8, the sub-scanning lines are counted, the output is input to the spacing control circuit 29, a decode signal is obtained every 6 lines, the unit counter 30 is counted up by +1, and the line counter 28 is cleared. . Further, the output of the in-line counter 28 becomes a chip select signal 109.

FIG. 18 is a detailed diagram of the spacing control circuit of FIG. 17.

In the spacing control circuit 29 of FIG.
,1(lδ9) ,3w4(166) ,n=6(1δ
7) and n-7 (158), each becomes a decode signal.

The selector 49 is a control signal ON selection circuit, and in the vertical printing mode, outputs I0 to I, input cam, to m.

Select Yr and output τ when in horizontal printing mode, ~! , selects inputs 1° to B. output! ,, Y□ controls the count period of the pixel/line counter 28, and in the case of vertical printing, the period is set to one of b-adic, septa-adic, and octal O.
If one is specified and horizontal printing is O, it is fixed to the hexadecimal O period. From this k, when the selector 48 is in the vertical printing mode,
Selector 480 manpower 1,,I,ha! l-4 (quintal), I
o selects Otori-6 (Teshin), 1, (octal) 01, horizontally printed one selects 480 people crab, selects only m-4 (quintal), selector 480 Output 128 becomes a vertical print load signal.

Output Y is a signal that latches the spacing control bladder 127, which is the data of the page mesh, to the 7-lip/7-ship 51. In the vertical printing mode, the output Y is a signal that latches the spacing control bladder 127, which is the data of the page mesh, to the 7-lip/7-ship 51. .28, When in horizontal printing mode F, specify single-handed operation, that is, the line end signal 133.

output! , is a signal to generate an O complement in order to subtract one unit from the address value of the printer counter 30F).Only in the horizontal printing mode, 1. Input [Specify and fix the input so that it is not used in vertical print mode.

The pattern memory 2701 unit corresponds to the δ dot of the printer, and since 1 dot of the printer is 1/300 inch, 1 unit) tJ 5/δ00-'1/6
Corresponds to 0 inches. Therefore, the space control of 1/60 inch can be performed by one unit) o non-printing, and the present invention can also control the space of L/120 inch.

★、If you need a deviation of 1/120 inch, 0P
U3 outputs 7 bits of spacing control (Hff) to the page memory 9 during the 7-bit control.

First, in the case of vertical printing, if there is no spacing control 7 (81) during DMA operation, the selector number/O output terminal,
! , there is no 7 lip/7 field knob 510 output, so it is an input cam. 127. Incoming cam, 162 becomes k(0,0), -km, l#48&c! , 156 are selected, and a vertical print mode signal 128 is obtained every six dots.

A vertical print load signal 128 is obtained every 6 dots). There is no misalignment of the printing position between the two.

1) Spacing 1 flag (house 1) 12 during M operation
If 7 is output, Y, Y is 7 rip・70
Since the knob 51 causes the vertical printing p/-do signal 01 period O to be carried, it becomes (E, Y, ) - (1, 0), and this value controls the selector 48 and selects the input x1, so the pixel counter 28 is made to function as a hexadecimal counter. Therefore, in the first cycle when Bν is output, the vertical print read signal is output at the 7th dot, 05 of the 7 dots are image information, and 2 dots are the white level and the dot data is shifted) from the register. There is a difference of two dots when output. When Sl is subsequently output, (y, ding,) becomes (
1,1) and selector 480! , the pixel counter 28 functions as a hexadecimal counter and performs the same control as when sy is not present. When 11 is no longer output, the period becomes (τ, Y,)-(0, 1), the selector 48 selects input, and the pixel counters function as octal counters. Therefore, in the period in which the output of 81 disappears, the vertical print mode signal is output at the 8th dot, 6 out of 2 dots are image information, and 3 dots are the white level, and dot data is output from the shift register.
O deviation occurs.

Therefore, while the spacing control flag (Sl) is being output, there will be a K22 pixel O deviation in the character direction (animation direction), so a deviation control of 2/300 to 1/150 inch will be performed, and the spacing control flag (Sl) will be output. 11) stops being output midway, a shift of 3 pixels occurs in the character direction, and shift control of 3/300 - 1/100 inch is performed, making it possible to control a total shift of 1/150 + 1/1OO - 1/60. .

Next, in the case of horizontal printing, the line counter 28 always functions as a hexadecimal counter during DM operation, and this is TQ:
L-nit address counter 30 counts every 511 scan lines. In addition, the output of the line counter 28 is 10
9 is pattern memory 2701: 6 R in L knit
It is used as the OM chip select signal 116.

The spacing control flag (s y) is different from that in the vertical print mode when the same
Since it is set to the any address, the line end signal 1
Output of selector 49 at 33! , 7 lips, 70 tubes 5
1 glue p ivy, and at this timing 7 lag (s p
) is latched into the 7-lip prop 61. This specifies that the current row has a spacing shift. The first line counter 28. When the second sub-scanning line is output (n = 0.1), the output of the decoder 47 and the
The logical product with the output of the 0-tube 51 is taken, the complementer 32 is driven via the input 1° of the selector 49 and the output Y, and the adder 31 converts it to the previous enit address.

That is, while the #f/horizontal printing mode signal 111 specifies horizontal printing, the selector 49's (B, !1□) - (0
,0) K I! Therefore, the selector 48 selects the input I0, and the line counter 28 increments the δ line mK any address counter 30, but the complementer 3
2 generates minus 1, and the addition l131 immediately precedes O:L! @Therefore, while the spacing control flag (sl) is being output, the next line to which Sl is set will be printed with a two-line offset in the sub-scanning line direction. The deviation of /300-1/160 inch can be controlled. In addition, if the output of the spacing control flag (8?) stops being output midway through, by inserting the non-printing of 7 Ohmatsu)
0 inch square deviation can be controlled, 1/150 + 1/10
0-1/60 inch control is possible.

FIG. 19 is a detailed diagram of the line feed control path in FIG.

The line feed amount register 41 is the host ! This is a register that holds the line pitch information specified from line l.If one line is vertically printed, how many sub-scanning lines are used, and when one line is horizontally printed, how many dots in the main scanning line are used, respectively. The configuration is set before printing starts.

The resolution of the laser printer is El/ml for both main/ml scanning.
300 inch pitch, and the line pitch of typical printers is 1/6 inch or 1/8 inch, respectively. l/8 cod 38/30
0 and 50.3811 scan lines or 50.3
One line is printed with 8 main scanning dots.

On the other hand, word processors and the like have recently come to be required to have arbitrary line pitches, without being limited to general line pitches.

In such a case, 1 is set in the line feed amount register 41.
If a value that is an integer multiple of /300 inch is divided by seven F, the values of the row address counters 33 and 340 and the value of the line feed amount register 440 are compared, and the match signal from the comparison a45 is used to register the row address counter 33. , reset 34 to 1
At the same time as ending the row, a tally mark is applied to the row address counter 39 to update all 90 rows of the page memory.

However, since 48 dots (6 blocks x 8 dots) are allocated to the character pattern memory 1001 characters in the line direction, in the case of printed characters with a general line break pitch of 1/8 inch, 1/8 - 38/300, it is necessary to design the character matrix within 38 dots, and in the case of 1/6 inch line breaks, the dot matrix has only 48 dots, but it is 1/6-50/30.
Since 50 dots are counted with 0, it is necessary to insert two dots worth of non-printing in terms of hardware. For this reason, a 7-lip/70-tub 53 is installed, and this 7-lip prop 53
It is set at the output of the 47th (48th dot), and remains set until a match signal is obtained from the comparator 45.

This set state new is given to the output data inhibit signal 130 via OR'i, and the shift register 23
Controls the output data from to be forcibly made non-printable.

Also, if the line feed amount is set to 48 dots or more, which is outside the design range of the dot matrix,
Setting this flip-70 tab 53 provides the same function as above.

Note that in the present invention, printing can be performed between lines. In FIG. 17, address sub-counter 3
6 and 37 are counters for printing superscripts and subscripts that are counted 24 decimals apart from row address counters 33 and 34, and address counter 39 is a counter that counts all 90 row addresses of the page memory. be.

Now, if it is necessary to print a print character between lines, and if it is a superscript character, the blank code and line feed control 7 ladder (L OIF) are stored in the necessary unit of that line of page memory. The character code to be printed on the line before that line and the line feed control 7 code (Lo
t) t', if it is a subscript character, set the character code to be printed and line feed control 7 ladder in that line O required eet of the page memory, and set the non-printing code and the line next to the 0 line. Line feed control flag (L OIF) is set to O
Set when controlling 7-o-one by Pυ.

Line feed control 7 ladders ('Loy) during p-mode operation
When is output from the page memory 9, it is logically ANDed (AND) 5 with the output 148 of the sub-scanning line number n-24 from the decoder 33 and the shift F register p-do signal 1↓3.
4) The 7-rip/7a knob 52 is set by K.

Even if the fin feed control flag (TJay) 126 is output, during the sub-scanning line number 5=0 to 230 period, the AND gate 69K prohibits output data, so the printer does not print ξ.

Also, - sub-scanning line number! Between -24 and 470, is the row direction tY force due to the 7th point and 43? The outputs of the printers 36 and 370 are switched to the block select signal 116 and the bit/7 data signal 11 OK in the case of vertical printing, and the tarok/selector F signal corresponding to 1/2 line is output. Therefore, the character code of superscript and subscript and line feed control 7
In the line where the ladder (T, OF) is crossed by 7, the upper half of one character (P4 0 to Boot 2) is printed. Then, the next line is O, where the twin feed control 7 ladder (lLO7) is set at the character position, and the row direction sub-counters 36 and 37 continue to count the sub-scanning lines during the period from mmQ to 2S. Therefore, the decoded value of the decoder 38 *'
-24 to 47 outputs 149 are added to AND/D) 60. The AND gate 600 output is used for row address conversion and sends out an output 139 to drive the complement generator 42.
So 0! Add II number to adder and row address minus 1
Then, the address of the previous row 0 of the memory is sent.

On the other hand, the output 149 of the AND gate 58 is
By giving 3C, the row direction sub-counter continues to be 0.
411t--The selected O outputs a one-punch ±left signal delayed by 1/2 line.

Therefore, the lower half of the pattern memory 100 corresponding to the character code set at the same position in the previous line of the page memo 99 is accessed, so that the lower half of one character is printed. Therefore, when printing the previous page, the top half is printed, and when printing the current page, the bottom half is printed with a shift of 1/2 line.
One character is printed between lines.

The n' first 70 output 149 of the decoder 38 is a signal indicating the end of the row direction when shifted by 1/2 line, and the AND gate 66 selects the shift register pnide signal 0m1ll! I
Accordingly, the 7-rip filter 52 is reset and the normal printing mode is restored. From k, the remaining half of the line is not printed based on the no-print code.

In addition, in FIG. 17, address sub-counter 3
6.37 is a counter for printing superscripts and subscripts that is counted with a 24-base difference from the row address counter 33 and 34, and the address counter 39 is a counter for printing the page memory 90 row address [counting]. It is a counter. Complement generator 42 has line feed control lI7 lag (boy)
When 129 is output, a value of minus 1 is generated and the adder 40! - This is for specifying the row address 108 of the previous row in the intervening page memory 9. 7 lip 7
The 0 tab 46 is for inhibiting all data output in the upper half of one line and outputting only the lower half data when the line feed control flag 126 is output.

FIG. 20 is a vertical print format diagram on a page memory showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The division method of the page memory 9 corresponds to the paper of the printer. In the unit direction, the unit address counter counts up to 496 units, and in the row direction, the row address counter counts up to 64 lines.

First, in the first line, all spaces are specified by host machine 1, so space code 8P is embedded, but units 12 to 16 are specified so that the characters are not shifted upward by 1/2 inch. In O, line feed control 7 lag Lot is embedded after the codes MO to N4. In the next line, the first units 0 to 4 are spaces, so the space code BP is embedded, and the next units 6 to 11 are characters, so they are assigned 722), and the hood of AO to Muro is assigned. is embedded. Unit 1 with letter H shifted upward by 172 inches
2 to 16, after the space code SP, zoy
is embedded. Similarly, the letter 0 is assigned 7 units, and the letter M is shifted downward by 1/2 inch, so the LOI is assigned to unit 8 after MONM7.
F is included. The third line is all space characters, and the fourth line prints an angline below the characters, so an angline 7 lag vy is embedded after the character code or space hood. Also, in order to shift the entire character t1/120 inch for the character 1 in the fourth line,
Space 7 lag Sν is added and wrapped.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a horizontal printing format on a page memory showing an example of implementing the present invention.

In horizontal printing mode, units and lines are interchanged with those in vertical printing mode. That is, the upper right corner of Figure 21 is the second
0 corresponds to the upper left corner of Figure 0, and the character storage direction is 701 to 0. The method of storing character codes is exactly the same as for vertical printing, and as shown in Figure 21, the embedding of space code 19P, line feed control flag -01, and Angline 7 lag U1 is also done in the same way. It will be held in In addition,
The space flag S1 is set at the same character position in the line one line before the line to be executed.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform print position control in the line direction in units smaller than dot matrix units without increasing the page memory capacity. It is extremely effective if applied to one-page inline layout control such as the following.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall pull-down diagram of a printing device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the character width of each character, FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram showing an example of a character pattern memory, and FIG. The figure is an explanatory diagram of the pattern memory in Figure 3, Figure 6 is a configuration diagram of the address bits of the pattern memory, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of vertical printing and horizontal printing, and Figure 7 is the maximum printing on one page. Figure 81J is a diagram showing the fixed number of data bits of page memory, Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of data bits of page memory, and Figure 1O is the configuration of address bits of page memory. Figure 11 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the 7-ont control bit, Figures 12 and 13 are character position storage diagrams for vertical and horizontal printing in page memory, respectively, and Figure 14 is a DM
An overall block diagram showing the operation of the A control circuit, FIG. 15 is D.
The MA clock time chart, Figure 16 is the character pattern, the printer diagram of the memory control section, and Figure 17 is the 14th [
Figure 18 is a detailed diagram of the spacing control circuit in Figure 17. Figure 19 is a detailed diagram of the line feed control circuit in Figure 17. FIG. 20 is a diagram of a vertical print format on a page memory showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 21 is a diagram of a horizontal print format on a page memory showing an embodiment of the present invention. l: host machine, 2: interface circuit, 3: a
pu, 4 nib 4 gram memory, 6: working memory,
6: Memory multiplexer, 7: DuAllji1
1 circuit, 8: printer control interface, 9: page memory, 108 character pattern memory, 11: data interface circuit, 12: laser printer, 22
: Angline control gate, 23: Shift register,
15: Clock select circuit, 16. l'7 S D
MA address counter, 18: Page memory address selector, 19: Pattern memory address
Selector, 20: Font control circuit, 24: Chip selection circuit, 25: Vertical printing bit/dragon selector, 26: Horizontal printing chip/selector, 28; Pixel/line selection counter, 29
Varnish basing control circuit, 30x unit address
Kara' Nta, 31.4. O: Adder, 32. +2:
Complementor, 33 lines/pixel counter, 34 nib counter, 35.38: decoder, 39: row address counter, 411 line feed control path, 43: selector, supply two line feed amount register, +5: Jl
i device, +6 two underline control game),! 7: Decoder, 48.49: Selector, 52.53 Near Lip 7
0 knob, IC) 9: Chip select data, 111
: IF horizontal printing mode, 128 : $l printing 4th road number,
129: Horizontal printing load signal, 127: Space system ji1
tI flag, 107: page 1 memory unit address, 138 space seven seat signal, 133: end of line signal, 136: underline timing, 11
2+underline request, 135: subcarry, 12
6! Line control flag, 140: Select signal, 130
: Data output prohibited, 113: Parallel data load signal, 116! push select signal, lIQ: bit select signal, 139: l/2 row shift signal. Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 10 Figure 11

Claims (1)

[Claims] α) Print character code transferred from the host machine,
Similarly, based on the print control code transferred from the host machine, there is a page memory for storing one page, a pattern memory for storing a dot matrix character pattern corresponding to the above print character code, and the above. In a printing device f#c having first and second address generating means for generating an address in the character direction and an address in the line direction of the page memory, respectively, the line feed unit is set to the basic line pitch by the above print control code. It is calculated in units of integer multiples or less,
The value of the twin feed amount register to be held and the line feed amount register and the second address generation means O
A hand R is provided for comparing the value of the lower part, and the lower part S of the second address generation means is reset by the comparison hand yo match signal output, the upper part is updated, and the printing TrIs for one line is completed. A printing device featuring: ■If the value set in the line feed amount register is larger than the value in the row direction of one character assigned to the pattern memory, IK inhibits output pattern data. The printing device according to item 1.