JP2913942B2 - Printer control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device for printing data sent from a print information source such as a host computer, and more particularly, to a printer device using a delimited printable character string. The present invention relates to a printer control device capable of selecting an appropriate emulation even for data transmitted in a print control language to be controlled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a general connection relationship between a host computer as an example of a print information source and a printer. The host computer 11 and the printer device 12 are connected by a communication cable 13, and image data and various control codes are transmitted via the communication cable 13. In the printer device 12, a printer control device 14 and a printing unit 15 as a printing mechanism are arranged. Printer control device 14
Is designed to perform image expansion processing for printing and to control printing of the printing unit 15.

In such a printing system, if the host computer 11 and the printer device 12 are products of the same maker manufactured in the same age and both are sold as a set, the host computer 11 and the printer device 12 are supplied from the host computer 11. There is no particular problem when the printer device 12 prints image data.

However, in reality, the host computer 1
In many cases, the manufacturers of the printer 1 and the printer device 12 are not the same, or the date of manufacture differs even if they are related to the manufacture of the same manufacturer. Even in such a case, it is necessary for the printer control device 14 of the printer device to correctly decode the control code sent from the host computer 11 and perform the printing operation.

Therefore, there has conventionally been a printer device in which a plurality of emulations and a changeover switch are arranged in a controller. In such a printer device, an appropriate emulation is selected by switching a switch depending on the type of a host computer to be connected.

[0006] However, in the printer device in which the emulation is switched by the switch, the switch operation is required every time the host computer is changed. Not only is the operation troublesome, but if the switch operation is mistaken, the printer device malfunctions. There was a problem that printing could not be performed at all.

In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a printer apparatus in which emulation switching is automated. In the printing apparatus described in JP-A-1-314177, a plurality of emulations are arranged inside the apparatus, and a control command code received from the outside is compared with the plurality of types of emulations. I have. Then, the most suitable emulation is automatically selected, and the control command is converted.

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-287727,
Similarly, a plurality of emulations are arranged inside the device. Then, the number of times these emulations are selected is stored in a non-volatile storage means, and in a predetermined case such as when the power is turned on, the emulation having the maximum number of selections is selected. .

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Incidentally, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1-3
In the printing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 14177, emulation is selected by identifying a control command in a printer control language. However, some printer control languages do not use such identifiable special control commands as in PostScript, for example, and perform control using only normal characters.
The printing device described in JP-A-1-314177 cannot analyze printing data transmitted in a printer control language using only such characters, and cannot select an optimal emulation. .

On the other hand, in the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-287727, the emulation which has been used most frequently is initialized, so that the printer is controlled by a certain printable character string. The emulation initialization can be performed on the print data transmitted in the printer control language. However, whether or not the selected emulation is optimal is a completely different matter, and if data in a language other than the most frequently used printer control language is transmitted, the emulation selection will not be possible. There was a disadvantage that it was definitely wrong.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to perform processing by identifying print data consisting of a printer control language for controlling a printer by a certain printable character string. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer control device capable of performing the above.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a printer is provided with a printable character code string separated.
For printing described in a first control language for controlling
First emulation to emulate data
Programs and character codes containing non-printable character codes
By a second control language that controls the printer by the
Second emulation of the described data for printing
Host device etc.
Of print data sent from print information sources
Select an emulation program corresponding to your language
(B) to the printer controller that emulates
For printing sent from a printing information source such as
A storage unit for sequentially storing data, and (b) a storage unit for storing the data.
The print data stored is a printable character code.
Determining means to sequentially read and determine whether or not
And (c) the predetermined value read first by the determination means.
All print data in units are composed of printable character codes.
If it is determined that the first emulation
First emulation program to select
Period selection means and (d) this emulation program
The initial selection means selects the first emulation program.
When the emulation is selected
Prints on the data for printing that is subsequently read from the storage means
When it is determined that an impossible character code is included
At least from that point on the second emulation program
Program switching means for switching programs to rams
Are provided.

[0013] In this invention according to claim 1, purine
The printing data sent from the
The print data of the specified unit first read from the storage unit
Data is composed of all printable character codes
If you do, a printable character code string
Described in a first control language for controlling the printer.
The first for emulating the data for printing
Emulation to use an emulation program
Initial setting is performed by the initial selection means for the application program. So
Unless the judgment of the judgment means is changed, the first
Emulation program is continuously used
The control of the linter is performed. On the other hand,
The first emulation means selects the first emulation program.
Select an emulation program and execute emulation.
The judgment means is subsequently read from the storage means.
Unprintable character code is included in the
If it is determined that the
At least the second emulation program from that point
Program switching. to this
Is incorrect in the first part of the print data.
Even if such a case occurs, the judgment means must be at least
Data that contains unprintable character codes
After that, correct emulation is performed.
And

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a circuit configuration of a printer control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printer control device 21 includes a plurality of host computers 23 such as workstations via a communication cable 22.
₁ ~ 23 _N and are connected, so that the receiving the data for printing. Also, the printer control device 21
Is connected to a printer engine 24 for printing using the created print data. The printer engine 24 is composed of basic components as a laser printer. Then, the laser beam is modulated using the received print data, and the photosensitive drum (not shown) is exposed and scanned to form an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device (not shown) to form a toner image. This toner image is transferred to a printing paper (not shown), fixed, and discharged as a printed paper to a tray (not shown).

The printer control unit 21 has a CPU 31 which is a center of various controls. The CPU 31 is connected to a ROM 33, a RAM 34, a nonvolatile memory (NVM) 35, a network interface (I / F) unit 36, a panel control unit 37, a cartridge control unit 38, and an output interface unit 39 via a bus 32 such as a data bus. ing.

Here, ROM (read only memory)
33 stores a program for performing various controls of the printer control device 21. A RAM (random access memory) 34 has a role as a work memory for storing data temporarily required for the CPU 31 to execute various controls, and also for developing image data. It also has a role as a page memory and a reception buffer for storing received print data. Here, the image data is data sent to the printer engine 24 for printing.

Next, the nonvolatile memo used in this embodiment will be described.
The memory 35 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory.
It contains several commonly used emulation programs.
And the selection of these emulation programs
Escape sequence table used when
Contains the kun table. Where the token and
Is a meaningful string unit that the emulation can interpret.
Means rank. This memory is non-volatile, so turn off the power
The contents are also saved. Rewriting
Possible non-volatile memory is flash electrical erase
ROM (Flash E ^TwoPROM) and electrically erasable ROM (E
^TwoPROM) or hard disk storage device is typical
It is. In this embodiment, the flash electric erase ROM is not used.
Used as volatile memory. Back by battery
The upgraded RAM may also be used as non-volatile memory in some cases.
Can be used.

The network interface unit 36 is provided to provide an interface for communication with a network. Network interface 3
6 takes in the data sent from the host computers 23 ₁ ,..., 23 _N through the communication cable 22,
The state is such that the CPU 31 can perform processing.
Although not shown, the network interface unit 36 has a FIFO (first-in first-out).
A memory is arranged to absorb the difference in data transfer speed. The panel control unit 37 is connected to a control panel 41, and controls input and output of data to and from various keys and a liquid crystal display. An emulation cartridge 42 is detachably attached to the cartridge controller 38 as needed. Emulation cartridge 42
Is a memory storing an emulation program used in addition to a plurality of emulation programs stored in the nonvolatile memory 35 and their emulation tables. Emulation cartridge 42 is divided into several types, the host computer 23 ₁ to be used, select the one that seems best to correspond to the print information source such as ...... 23 _N to be attached to the printer control unit It has become.

FIG. 2 shows a processing procedure for selecting the emulations A and B in a state where programs for the two emulations A and B are stored in the nonvolatile memory 35. It is. Here, emulation A is assumed to be a printer control language for controlling the printer by an escape code or other control code and subsequent printable characters, and emulation B is used to control the printer by a delimited printable character string. It is assumed that the language is a printer control language to be controlled.

First, the CPU 31 is connected to the host computer 23.
_When a file composed of print data is received from any of ₁ to 23 _N (step S101; Y), a predetermined amount of data at the beginning of the file is stored in the reception buffer of the RAM 34 (step S102). . Then, it is determined whether or not this portion is all composed of characters such as characters "a", "b", "c", a tab character, and a sub-character (step S103). If it is composed of only printable characters, space characters, tab characters and carriage return / line feed characters (return characters or line feed characters) (Y), emulation B is selected (step S1)
04). Then, the files received in step S101 are sequentially read into the work area of the RAM 34 and analyzed by the emulation B program (step S1).
05). As a result of this analysis, if a meaningful character string does not appear with a certain probability (step S106; N),
The other emulation A is selected assuming that the emulation selection is wrong (step S107).
If a meaningful character string appears (step S
106; Y), through the output interface unit 39,
The print data is sent to the printer engine 24 (step S108).

On the other hand, if code information other than printable characters, space characters, tab characters, and carriage return characters (return characters or line feed characters) is stored in the reception buffer in step S103 (N), the emulation A Is selected (step S107). When the emulation A is selected, the files received in step S101 are sequentially read into the work area of the RAM 34, and the analysis is executed by the emulation A program (step S109). Then, the print data obtained as a result is sent to the printer engine 24 (Step S).
108).

In FIG. 2, a printer control language for controlling the printer by an escape code or other control code and a printable character following the same and a printer control language for controlling the printer by a printable character string separated from the printer control language. Has been described, but if a plurality of emulation programs are prepared for each of them, it is necessary to separate the emulation programs in step S103 and select an optimum emulation program among the emulation programs of each group. What should I do? Then, when a printer control language for controlling the printer is selected by a delimited printable character string, and any of the emulations is determined to be inappropriate, the emulation of the side having the control command is determined. What is necessary is just to switch to a group.

FIGS. 3 to 6 show an example of a concrete example of the control flow shown in FIG. 3 and 4 mainly relate to the selection and processing of emulation B, and FIGS. 5 and 6 relate to the processing of emulation A.

First, in FIG. 3, a memory (hereinafter referred to as a file memory) for storing a file in the RAM 34 (FIG. 1) and an area corresponding to the above-mentioned reception buffer are cleared (step S201). Then, it waits for a file to be received (step S202). When the file is received (Y), the file is stored in a file buffer (step S203). The first 128 bytes of data stored in the file buffer are also stored in the reception buffer (step S204). In this state, the CPU 31 checks whether all the data stored in the reception buffer represents printable characters, space characters, tab characters, and carriage return / line feed characters (return characters or line feed characters) (step S205). If only printable characters, space characters, tab characters, and carriage return / line feed characters (return characters or line feed characters) are represented, emulation B is selected for the received file (step S).
206). Then, the receiving buffer is cleared (step S
207), a pointer is set at the head of the file buffer (step S208).

In this state, the CPU 31 reads one byte of data indicated by the pointer, and advances the pointer to a position where the next reading is performed (step S20).
9). Then, it is determined whether or not the read data matches an escape symbol constituting the control command (step S210). There should be no escape symbol in the print data to which emulation B conforms (N). Therefore, in this case, it is checked whether or not the character corresponds to the delimiter specified by the emulation B (step S211). If not (N), this 1-byte data is stored in the reception buffer (step S212). And step S2
Returning to step 09, the same operation is repeated. If the character string corresponds to the delimiter character defining the emulation B (step S211; Y), the character string stored in the reception buffer is used as a token as a meaningful character string unit (step S213). . Then, a search is performed to determine whether the same token exists in the above-described token table for emulation B (step S21).
4).

As a result, if there is a matching token in the token table (step S215; Y),
The token is processed (step S21).
6). At this time, whether the token is a file end symbol indicating the end of the file (step S217) and whether the token is an output command to the printer engine 24 (step S217)
218) are checked again. And
If it is a file end symbol (step S21
7; Y), end the process (END). On the other hand, if it is an output command (step S218;
Y), and sends the processed print data to the printer engine 24 (step S219). Then, the contents of the page buffer provided for printing one page are cleared (step S220). Then, the contents of the reception buffer after the processing are also cleared (step S221), and the process returns to step S209 again to start the processing of the next page.

On the other hand, if the processed token is neither an end-of-file symbol nor an output instruction (step S2).
18; N), the processing result is developed in the page buffer (step S222). Then, the reception buffer after the processing is cleared (step S221), and similarly the step S221 is executed.
209 will be returned. In this way, when the end-of-file symbol finally appears (step S217;
Y), all the processing ends.

The case where the processing by the emulation B is performed smoothly has been described above. Step S
If it is determined in 205 that code data other than characters is contained in the reception buffer (N), the process proceeds to FIG. 5 to select emulation A (step S22).
3). The same applies to the case where an escape symbol exists in step S210 (Y). However, in the latter case, the emulation B is selected once (step S20).
6) Therefore, the fact that a grammatical error has occurred due to emulation B is displayed on the control panel 41 (FIG. 1) (step S224), and thereafter emulation A is selected (step S223). Similarly,
If there is no corresponding token in the token table of the emulation B in step S215 of FIG. 4 (N), the grammar error by the emulation B is displayed, and then the emulation A is selected (step S224). , S223).

When emulation A is selected in step S223 of FIG. 5, the contents of the reception buffer are cleared (step S225). Then, the pointer is set at the head of the file buffer (step S22).
6). In this state, the CPU 31 reads one byte of data indicated by the pointer, and advances the pointer to a position where the next reading is performed (step S227).
Then, it is determined whether or not the read data matches the escape symbol (step S228). If they match (Y), the data indicated by the pointer is further changed to 1
The byte is read, and accordingly, the pointer is advanced to a position where the next reading is performed (step S229). Then, the read data is stored in the reception buffer until the data in the reception buffer becomes 4 bytes (step S230) (steps S231, S229, S23).
0).

When the data of the receiving buffer becomes 4 bytes (step S230; Y), the above-mentioned escape sequence table is compared with the contents of the receiving buffer (step S232). If a matching escape sequence exists in this table (step S233;
Y), the processing is performed (step S234). At this time, the CPU 31 determines whether the escape sequence is an output command to the printer engine 24 (step S23).
5) Or, it is checked whether it is a file end symbol indicating the end of the file (step S236). If the command is an output command to the printer engine 24 (step S235; Y), the processed print data is sent to the printer engine 24 (step S23).
7) The contents of the page buffer provided for printing one page are cleared (step S238). Then, the contents of the reception buffer after the processing are cleared (step S239), and the process returns to step S227 again to start the processing of the next page. On the other hand, if it is a file end symbol (step S236; Y), the work is ended as shown in FIG. 4 (end).

Contrary to the above, if neither the output command nor the end-of-file symbol is present (step S236; N),
Returning to FIG. 5, the processed data is expanded in the page buffer (step S240). Then, it is checked whether or not the page buffer is in a state (full) in which the next data cannot be received (step S241). If it is full, step S23
In step 7, the print data is read from the page buffer, and the print processing by the printer engine 24 is performed. If the page buffer is not full (step S241; N), the process returns to step S227 to accept the next data.

If no matching escape sequence is found in step S233 of FIG. 6 (N), there is no corresponding control command even though the escape symbol is identified. Therefore, in this case, a print error is displayed on the control panel 41 (step S242), and all operations are ended (END).

[0036]

As described above , according to the first aspect of the present invention, all the predetermined portions such as the head portion of the print data are
Check if it is composed of character codes,
First emulation if composed of character codes
I decided to select a program,
Go through and select an emulation program
Not only can you start printing faster than you can,
Memory capacity for storing printing data can be reduced.
The advantage is that Also, emulation programs
This selection decision by the initial
The print data read later from the storage
If it is determined that possible character codes are included
Means that the program switching means has at least
The program to another emulation program
To do. As a result, at least thereafter
Correct emulation will be performed .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of a circuit configuration of a printer control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for selecting emulations A and B in a state where programs for two emulations A and B are stored in a nonvolatile memory 35 in principle.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing when emulation selection control and emulation B are selected.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when emulation B is selected.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when emulation A is selected.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when emulation A is selected.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a general connection relationship between a host computer as an example of a print information source and a printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 ... printer controller, 23 ₁ ~ 23 _N ... host computer, 24 ... print engine, 31 ... CPU, 3
3 ROM, 34 RAM, 35 nonvolatile memory, 3
6 Network interface

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printable character code string which is delimited.
Described in a first control language for controlling the printer.
Emulation of data for printing
Including a non-printable character code
A second control language for controlling the printer by a character code string
Emulation of print data described by
And a second emulation program
For printing sent from a printing information source such as
Emulation program corresponding to data control language
This is a device that selects and emulates a system, and is used for printing sent from a print information source such as a host device.
Storage unit for sequentially storing data for printing, and print data stored in this storage unit can be printed
Whether or not it is composed of various character codes
Determining means for determining, and the mark of a predetermined unit read first by the determining means
Character data consists of printable character codes.
The first emulation program
Emulation program initial selection to select program
Selection means and this emulation program initial selection means
Select an emulation program to emulate
When the judgment is made, the judgment means
Non-printable characters in the print data read afterwards
If you determine that the code is included, at least
From the point of the second emulation program
A printer control device comprising: a program switching unit for switching between programs .