JPS62199459A - Apparatus for processing document - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce labor for replacing a character kind and to enhance docu ment output efficiency, by mounting an input buffer, a frame memory, a charac ter pattern generator, a detachable character pattern generator, an RAM, a display means and the display and switch part of a means indicating the finish of replacement. CONSTITUTION:The code information of the document stored in an input buffer 10 is subjected to pattern development to be stored in a frame memory 5. At this time, information not present in both of a character pattern generator 3 and a detachable character pattern generator 4 is stored in RAM of CPU2. After the pattern development to the memory 5, the memory content of RAM is investigated and, if there is unprocessed document information, the replacement demand of the detachable character pattern generator 4 is displayed on a display and switch part 11. When the finishing of replacement is informed, the pattern development of unprocessed document information is performed to the memory 5 if there is the character pattern corresponding to the unprocessed document information in the pattern generator 4. When the development of one page is finished, a document is printed by a printer 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application in Industry] The present invention relates to a document processing device that is capable of outputting documents in which a plurality of patterns coexist.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a document processing device having a removable pattern generator, such as a DigiWheel in a Dizzy printer, when a character type change instruction is issued from a host computer that generates output data, an instruction to change the character type is sent unconditionally. After stopping the output and displaying the need for wheel replacement, or determining whether the character type is different from the currently installed wheel,
Only when the current wheel does not have a character type, a message indicating that the wheel needs to be replaced would be displayed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in any case, if a character type that is not on the wheel is designated, the printout will stop. Therefore, when standard characters or italic characters are printed repeatedly on each line as shown in Figure 2, for example, when the installed wheel has only one type of character, the wheel must be replaced after each line. This has the disadvantage that printing operations are time-consuming.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a document processing device that reduces the effort required to exchange character types and improves the efficiency of document output.

[Means for Solving the Problem] As a means for solving this problem, for example, the document processing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a character pattern generator 3 as a pattern generating means, a removable character pattern generator 4, a RAM of the CPU 2 as a storage means, a display means and a display and switch section 1 as a means for instructing the end of exchange.
1.

[Operation] In the first configuration, the code information of the document stored in the manual buffer 1° is sequentially developed into patterns by the character pattern generator 3 and the removable character pattern generator 4, and is stored in the frame memory 5. Ru. At this time, if there is document information that does not exist in any of the character pattern generators 3.4, this information is stored in the RAM of the CPU 2 as the number of lines, number of digits, number of character codes, and character code string. When one pattern has been transferred to the frame memory 5, the RAM 7
, and if there is unprocessed document information, a request for replacement of the removable character pattern generator 4 is displayed on the display and switch section 11. When the end of the exchange is notified by the switch 15, the removable character pattern generator 4 is checked to see if there is a character pattern corresponding to the unprocessed document information, and if so, the removable character pattern generator 4 is read out and the unprocessed part is stored. The document information is pattern-developed into the frame memory 5. When the development of one page in the frame memory 5 is completed, the printer section 13
Output the head dot image and print.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Description of Document Processing Apparatus (FIG. 1)] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a document processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a control section of the document processing apparatus that receives document information from various host computers 14, converts it into a dot image, and outputs it to the printer section 13.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a CPU that controls the control unit 1, and is composed of, for example, a microprocessor, and includes a ROM containing a control program for the CPU 2, a RAM as a work area, and the like.

3 is a character pattern generator built into the control unit 1;
is a removable character pattern generator that contains character patterns of other fonts, for example.

5 is a frame memory that stores a dot image corresponding to one page of output paper from the printer section 13; 6 is a frame memory that stores the dot image of the frame memory 5, such as a serial electric signal (for example, a laser on/off signal in a laser beam printer); ) and outputs print data to the printer unit 13.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an unprinted page buffer for storing character codes and the like for which no pattern generation has been performed, which will be described later. Reference numeral 8 is a font table for storing fonts for which no pattern has been generated, and 9 is an interface circuit for connection with the host computer 13, such as an interface section such as R5-233C. 10 is an input buffer for temporarily storing character codes and control commands from the interface unit 9; 11 is a display and switch unit; 12 is a buffer for attaching and detaching the removable character pattern generator 4 to the main body of the control unit; It's a socket. 13 is a printer unit such as a laser beam printer that performs print output, and 14 is a host computer that is a source of print data.

In such a configuration, the CPU 2 is the host computer 1
The print data from 4 and control commands including font change commands are stored in the input buffer 10 via the interface section 9. When the character pattern of the character code in the input buffer 10 exists in either the character pattern generator 3 or the installed character pattern generator 4, the CPU 2 develops the character code into a font pattern and stores it in the frame memory 5. Store in. If the font pattern corresponding to the character code in the input buffer 10 does not exist in any of the M pattern generators 3.4, the font specified at that time is transferred to the font table 8, and the font pattern for which no font pattern exists is printed. The data is stored in the unprinted page buffer 7.

When one page worth of data is stored in the input buffer 10, C
, P'U2 checks the font table 8 and unprinted page buffer 7 to see if there is an unprinted character code. If there are unprinted characters, the unprinted font is displayed on the display and switch section 11 to prompt replacement of the removable character pattern generator 4. When the removable character pattern generator 4 is replaced and the switch 15 indicating completion of replacement of the display and switch section 11 is pressed, the CPU 2 reads out the removable character pattern generator 4 and stores the font table in the removable character pattern generator 4. It is checked whether there is a character code stored in the unprinted page buffer 7 for the font corresponding to 8. If there is a character code for the corresponding font, the character pattern is read out from the removable character pattern generator 4 and stored in the frame memory 5.

In this way, when the CPU 2 finishes inputting data for one page and there is no unprinted print data at all, or when it finishes processing the unprinted data in the unprinted page buffer 7, the CPU 2 inputs the data to the printer interface section 6. On the other hand, the printer section 13
Instructs to print to. The printer interface unit 6 controls the paper feed of the printer unit 13, converts one page worth of dot images in the frame memory 5 into a serial laser on/off signal for a laser printer, for example, and
Outputs one page of paper.

[Explanation of Printing Example (FIG. 2)] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a case where one page of print data is composed of normal characters and italic characters on each line.

In Figure 2, the character string 20 in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th lines
22 are normal characters, and the character strings 23 and 24 in the second and fourth lines are italic characters.

[Explanation of font change command (FIGS. 3 and 4)] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the format of a font change control command from the host computer 14.

30 indicates that the font is changed by the font change start command. This code is a special code, for example ESC:7-
(X'lB', Contains character codes and control codes that are actually printed.

FIG. 14 shows a font change command for the printing example shown in FIG.

40 is the data format of the character string 20 in the first line of Figure 2, and the font name 31 is "NOR" indicating that it is a normal character.
MAL”, character code string 32 is “123ABC”
character code string, CR (carriage return code),
It includes LF (line feed code) and FF (form feed code). Specifically, the codes of the character code string 32 are, for example, X "31' (1), X '
32° (2), X'33° (3), X'41°
(A).

X '42'' (B), X '43° (C),
X 'OD' (CR), X 'OA' (LF
). Similarly, 43 indicates the data of character string 23 on the second line, and font name 31 indicates an italic font.
ITALIC”.

[Explanation of the font table and unprinted buffer (Figures 5 and 6)
Figure S is a diagram showing the relationship and structure of the font table 8 and the unprinted buffer 7.

The font table 8 has font names 50. It is provided with a print completion flag 51 that indicates whether printing of the font has been completed, and a pointer 52 that indicates the address of the unprinted buffer 7 that stores the print data of the font.

The unprinted page buffer 7 includes, for each unprinted print record, a line 54 indicating the character position of the unprinted print record;
A digit 55 indicating the number of characters, the number of bytes 56 of the unprinted character code string, a character code string 57 which is the actual print data, and a pointer 53 indicating the start address of the unprinted print record of the same font. Contains.

In the print data example shown in Figure 2, the character pattern for italic characters is generated by the built-in character pattern generator 3 or the removable device installed at the time the print data and control commands are sent as shown in Figure 4. If it does not exist in the character pattern generator 4, the print data for italic characters will not be printed. FIG. 6 shows a specific example of the font table 8 and unprinted page buffer 7 in such a case.

The data column 60 of the font table 8 has the font name “ITAL”.
IC", and the printing completion flag 51 becomes X' indicating that it has not been printed.
It is l°. The pointer 52 stores the start address of the data string 63 in the unprinted page buffer 7. Data columns 61 to 62 of font table 8 are all NuJ1.
This is the M code (0), indicating that there are no other unprinted fonts.

The data string 63 for unprinted pages is data string 6.
Due to the relationship with 0, data "123ABC" for six characters from the first character on the second line is in italics and indicates that it is not printed.

The pointer 53 of the data string 63 stores the start address of the data string 64 in the unprinted buffer 7, and the data string 64 stores the unprinted data string in italics in the fourth row. Note that Nu of the pointer 53 of the data string 64
The text (0) code indicates that the data string 64 is the final unprinted data in italics. In the figure, "123ABC" is stored as a character code such as an ASCii code.

[Explanation of expansion ring to dot pattern (Figures 7 to 9) Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation in which the CPU 2 stores code data in the input buffer 10 expanded into a font pattern in the frame memory 5. is CPU
It is stored in the ROM of 2.

First, in step S1, both the read line counter GCNT and the character digit counter KCNT of the input buffer 10 are set to 1. Note that both GCNT and KCNT are RA of CPU2.
It is provided in a predetermined address space of M. Step S2
Now, set "NORMAL" indicating normal characters in the font name area of RAM. In step S3, code data is input from the input buffer 10. Step S
In step 4, this code data is checked to see if it is a font change start command 30. When the font change start command is 30, step S5
The process proceeds to step S3, where the font change process described later is performed.
However, if this is not the case, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, it is checked whether it is a line feed code, and if it is a line feed code, the process proceeds to step S7, where the line counter GCNT is incremented by 1.
In step S8, it is checked whether one page is finished. If one page has not been completed, the process returns to step S3, but if one page has been completed, the process returns to step S3.
9, a page break process to be described later is performed, and the process proceeds to step S10.
Then, the row counter GCNT is returned to 1 again, and the process returns to step S3.

If it is determined in step S6 that it is not a line feed code, the process advances to step Stt to check whether it is a return code (CFL). If it is a CR code, the process advances to step S12, sets the digit counter KCNT to 1, and returns to step S3, but if it is not a CR code, the process advances to step S13 to check whether it is a page break code (FF). If it is a page break code, the process proceeds to step S9 to perform page break processing, but if it is not a page break code, the process proceeds to step S14, where the font pattern is read out from the character pattern generator 3.4 based on the character code and stored in the frame memory 5. Expand and store. In step S15, KCNT is increased by 1 and the process returns to step S3 to repeat the above-described operation.

FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are flowcharts of the font change process shown in step S5 of FIG.

First, in step S20, it is checked whether the built-in character pattern generator 3 or the character pattern generator 4 has a font with the corresponding character pattern.

If there is a font, proceed to step S21 and return, but
If the font does not exist, the process advances to step S22, and it is checked whether a font table is already provided in the font table 8. If no table has been set in the font table 8, the process advances to step S24, and it is checked whether there is an empty area in the font table 8 and it is possible to add a table. If addition is possible, proceed to step S26, but if addition is not possible, proceed to step S26.
The process proceeds to step 25, where an error message is displayed on the display and switch section 11 and the operation is stopped.

In step S26, it is checked whether there is an empty area in the unprinted page buffer 7 and it is possible to add it.

If the font cannot be added, the process proceeds to step S25 as an error, but if the font can be added, the process proceeds to step S27, where the table is added to the font table 8.

When creating a new table, the font name 50 and print completion flag 51 are set to OFF, as shown at 60 in FIG. set. On the other hand, if a font table already exists in the font table 8, data is set in the unprinted page buffer 7. This can be explained with reference to FIG. 6, for example. If the code string 64 in the unprinted page buffer 7 is the last, the Null code in the pointer 53 is changed to the start address of the next code string, and the address indicated by the start address is Add a new code string.

Note that the NufLl code is set in the pointer 53 of this newly added code string.

In step 528, the number of rows 54 and the number of digits 55 of the added code string in the unprinted page buffer 7 are GCNT.
and the value of KCNT are set.

In step S29, the character number counter MJCNT that counts the number of character code bytes, 56, is set to 0, and in step S30
After that, the character code string corresponding to the font will be read out.
When the font change start command 30 is read in step s31, the process advances to step S32, and the value of MJCN is set in the character code byte number 56 of the unprinted page buffer 7. If it is not the font change start command 30, the process advances to step S33, and the process goes to step S38 to check if it is a control code. Note that steps S33 to S40 are the same as steps S36 to S13 described above, and therefore their explanations will be omitted. If it is a character code, the character code is sequentially set in the character code string 57 of the unprinted purge buffer 7 in step 344, and KCNT and MJCNT are incremented by 1 in step 5S45.

When the control code is read, a code string is further added to the unprinted page buffer 7 in steps S41 to S43. At this time, the start address of the next code string is set in the pointer 53 of the code string where the NulfL code was set earlier, the values of GCNT and KCNT are set in row 54 and column 55, respectively, and the character code byte number 56 is set. is MJCNT
Set the value of

, FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a page break process in which, after data processing for one page is completed, the font table 8 is checked to see if there is any unprinted font.

After completing the development of the font pattern for one page of data, the CPU 2 checks the font table 8 in step S50 to see if the font name 50 part is null (zero). If there is a font whose font name is not Null in step S51 and the print completion flag 51 is off (x゛1°) in step S52, the process proceeds to step S53, and the font name is displayed on the display and switch section 11. In step S54, the 0 character pattern generator 4 waits for the switch 15 of the display and switch unit 11 to be turned on, that is, the character pattern generator 4 storing the font of the corresponding typeface is attached to the socket 12. switch 1
When 5 is turned on, the process advances to step S55 to check whether there is a corresponding font. If there is a corresponding font, the process proceeds to step S56, where it is developed into a character pattern and stored in the frame memory 5, and the corresponding printing completion flag 51 of the font table 8 is turned on in step S57. If there is no corresponding font in step S55, the process returns to step S53 and the above-described operations are repeated.

To explain the case in Figure 6 as an example, “ITALIC”
is an unprinted font and the CPU 2 detects the operation of the switch 15 described above, the removable character pattern generator 4
Check to see if there is a character pattern for the font “ITALIC” in . If the character pattern for the font "ITALIC" does not exist, the font name "ITALIC" is displayed again on the switch section 11, and the switch 15 indicates that another removable character pattern generator 4 is attached to the socket 12. Wait for the operation.

If the removable character pattern generator 4 has a character pattern for the font "ITALIC", the CPU 2 determines the address of each unprinted character code string in the unprinted page buffer 7 based on the value of the pointer 53 of the font table 8, and calculates the address of each unprinted character code string in the unprinted page buffer 7. The character pattern of the character code string 57 is read out from the removable character pattern generator 4, developed and stored in the frame memory 5. As a result, the character strings in the second and fourth lines are expanded into character patterns and stored in the frame memory 5.

When the above-mentioned processing for each font has been completed, the CPU 2 proceeds to step S57 and turns on the printing completion flag 51 for the font for which the processing in the font table 8 has been completed (x 'o'
), and the replacement of the removable character generator 4 is displayed on the display and switch section 11 until all the printing completion flags 51 for each font with the font name in the font table 8 are turned on.

When all the print completion flags for each font with a font name in the font table 8 are turned on, the process advances to step 358, where a printing instruction is given to the printer interface unit 6, and one page of dot images is sent to the printer from the frame memory 5. 13 to obtain a printed output.

In the case of Fig. 6, “ITALIC” in the second and fourth lines
When the process of developing the font pattern in the font ``'' is completed, the printing completion flag 5 for the font ``ITALIC'' is set.
Set 1 to X゛0°. Since the only unprinted font in FIG. 6 is italic, a print instruction is given at that point, and one page worth of output is obtained.

Although this embodiment has described print output using a video signal, the frame memory is not limited to printing, and can of course also be applied to a video memory for screen output such as a display device.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printer unit is a page printer that prints on a page-by-page basis, and generates a dot image for one page on the frame memory. In the case of a printer that performs output, after printing the current font, the paper may be reversed to return to the top of the page again, and then only unprinted character patterns may be printed. Note that the document information in this embodiment may be graphic information.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, unprinted fonts and their output data are stored, and the unprinted fonts are stored later.
This has the effect of reducing the amount of operations involved in changing the font.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, even when there is no corresponding character pattern due to a change in font, for example.

The input of print data does not stop, and there is no need to exchange font patterns every time a corresponding font pattern is not found, which improves the efficiency of document output.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the document processing device of this embodiment, Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of printed output, Figure 3 is a diagram showing the format of input data, and Figure 4 is the input of the example of printing shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the structure and relationship of the font table and unprinted page buffer; Figure 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the font table and unprinted page buffer in the printing example of Figure 2; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing dot pattern development in the frame memory, FIGS. 8(a) and (b) are flowcharts of font change processing, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart of page break processing. In the figure, 1...Control unit, 2...CPtJ, 3...Character pattern generator, 4...Removable character pattern generator, 5...Frame memory, 6...Printer interface unit , 7...unprinted page buffer, 8...
Font table, 10... Input buffer, 11... Display and character pattern generator, 12... Socket, 13
. . . Printer section, 14 . . . Host computer. Patent applicant: Canon Co., Ltd. - Figure 2

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A first memory for inputting and storing document information, a pattern generation means for patterning the document information in the first memory, and a second memory for storing a patterned document image for at least one page. a memory, and a storage means for storing information corresponding to document information not in the pattern generation means;
Display means for displaying a replacement instruction for the pattern generation means based on information in the storage means, and means for notifying completion of the exchange, and when the exchange is completed, the pattern corresponding to the storage means is read out from the pattern generation means and the A document processing device characterized in that data is stored in a second memory. (2) The second memory comprises a line storage means for document information, a character position storage means, and a code storage means for the document information of the first memory. Document processing device. (3) The pattern generating means includes a fixed pattern generating means and a removable pattern generating means, and the removable pattern generating means is replaced based on a replacement instruction display. The document processing device according to item 1. (4) The document processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a code interface unit that can be connected to various host computers.