JP3089014B2 - Output control method and device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an output control method and apparatus, and more particularly, to an output control method for developing a pattern from a vector font or the like into a dot image based on input data, and then performing output. It concerns the device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing apparatus which stores a pattern in a vector font or the like and requires pattern development at the time of printing, a vector font adapted to one type of pattern generation unit and a pattern generation method used in the pattern generation unit is used. And a data storage unit for storing data.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-described conventional example, both high-quality printing and low-quality printing are performed by the same pattern generation method, and thus have the following disadvantages.

(1) When only a pattern generation unit using a method suitable for high-quality printing is used, high-quality printing is performed even when low-quality printing is sufficient, so that it takes time to generate a pattern.

(2) When using only the pattern generation unit that uses a method suitable for low-quality printing, even if high-quality printing is required,
Printing is not possible or the quality is not enough.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an output control method and an apparatus therefor, which eliminate the drawbacks of the related art and can generate a dot pattern by using a generating means for generating an appropriate dot pattern corresponding to the output pattern.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve this problem, an output control device of the present invention includes a first generating means for generating a dot pattern based on first non-dot format data; Second generating means for generating a dot pattern based on second non-dot data having a relatively smaller data amount than non-dot data, and whether or not the dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including ruled lines or symbols; Determining means for determining whether or not the dot pattern to be generated is not an output pattern including the ruled line or the symbol, using the first generating means to determine the first non-dot corresponding to the input data; A dot pattern is generated based on the format data, and when it is determined that the dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including the ruled line or the symbol, the Control means for generating a dot pattern based on the second non-dot format data corresponding to the input data using two generation means. Here, there is provided printing means for printing the generated dot pattern.

The output control method according to the present invention is an output control method for generating an output pattern using a plurality of generating means for generating a dot pattern, wherein the dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including a ruled line or a symbol. Determining whether or not the dot pattern to be generated is not an output pattern including the ruled lines or symbols; and generating a dot pattern based on the first non-dot format data. Generating a dot pattern corresponding to the input data by using the generating means, and if it is determined that the dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including the ruled line or the symbol, the first non-dot format data Using a second generation means for generating a dot pattern based on the second non-dot format data having a relatively smaller data amount, the input data Characterized by a control step of generating a corresponding dot pattern. Here, the printing method includes a printing step of printing the generated dot pattern.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In this embodiment, printing includes symbols and the like.

In the figure, 1 is a host computer for sending data, 2 is a printing device of the present embodiment, 3 is a data receiving unit for receiving data sent from the host computer 1, and 4 is a data receiving unit 3. It is a control unit for interpreting and executing the received data, and has a program area (PA) 4a for storing a control program according to the flowchart of FIG. Reference numeral 5 denotes a high-definition character pattern generation unit that generates a pattern based on data stored in the high-definition character data storage unit 6 when a character is printed, and 6 stores character data used by the high-definition character pattern generation unit 5. The high-quality character data storage unit 7 is a low-quality pattern generation unit that generates a pattern based on the data stored in the low-quality data storage unit 8 when printing a figure, and 8 is a low-quality pattern generation unit 7. This is a low-quality data storage unit for storing data used in. Reference numeral 9 denotes an output interface for sending the print and graphic data generated by the control unit 4 to the printing unit 10, and reference numeral 10 denotes a printing unit for printing the print data sent by the output interface 9.

The high-quality pattern generation and the low-quality pattern generation in the present embodiment mean that, for example, in the case of an outline font, a high-quality pattern has a large number of contour points, and a low-quality pattern has a small number of contour points. can get. In addition, in the case of storage using a vector font, a high-quality pattern shows a delicate shape, so that many feature points are stored, and a low-quality pattern requires only a small number of feature points.

With reference to the control flow chart of FIG. 2, a control procedure of the printing apparatus of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

In step S1, the data transmitted from the host computer 1 is received, and in step S2, it is determined whether or not a pattern has occurred. If a pattern has occurred, the process proceeds to step S3; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S3, it is determined whether the data to be printed is a character or a figure. If it is a character, the process proceeds to step S4; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S5. In the case of a character, in step S4, the high-quality character pattern generating unit 5 generates the specified character with the specified attribute (size, thickness, etc.) using the data of the high-quality character data storage unit 6. In the case of a graphic, in step S5, the low-quality pattern generation unit 7 uses the data of the low-quality data storage unit 8 to specify the specified graphic (attribute, size, thickness, etc.).
Generated by

If no pattern is generated, it is determined in step S6 whether the command is a print command. If the command is a print command, the process proceeds to step S7; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S8. In step S7, a print command is sent to the printing unit 10 through the output interface 9, and printing is performed in the printing unit 10. If it is not a print command, normal processing is performed in step S8. Normal processing contents include selection of a font, designation of a size, determination of a printing position, and the like.

As described above, the present embodiment enables the following.

In the case of printing, printing is performed with emphasis on quality, and in the case of graphic printing, printing with emphasis on something other than quality such as improvement in printing speed becomes possible. In other words, patterns that do not degrade even when low-quality printing is performed, such as simple shapes such as ruled lines and symbols, can be generated at high speed in low-quality mode, so the printing speed can be reduced without lowering the quality. It is possible to give.

If the print quality is not deteriorated even if a part of the data is printed in the low-quality mode, the function to automatically generate the pattern in the low-quality mode can be used without changing the data sent from the host computer. In addition, the overall speed can be improved.

As described above, since the printing apparatus has the high-quality pattern generation unit, the low-quality pattern generation unit, the character data storage unit for high-quality pattern generation, and the data storage unit for low-quality pattern generation, the printing speed can be easily improved. There is an effect that can be performed.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an output control method and an apparatus thereof capable of generating a dot pattern by using a generation unit that generates an appropriate dot pattern corresponding to the output pattern.

For example, when the dot pattern to be generated represents an output pattern that is desired to be output with high quality even when the speed of characters or the like is reduced, the first non-dot format data that can generate a high-quality output pattern even when the speed is reduced is used. If the dot pattern to be output represents an output pattern including a ruled line or a symbol that is desired to be output at high speed even if the quality of the dot is reduced, the first non-dot format capable of generating the output pattern at a reduced speed and high speed By outputting from the second non-dot format data having a relatively smaller data amount than the data, desired output can be obtained while maintaining the quality and speed with the use of less memory as a whole.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the printing apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the printing apparatus of this embodiment. In the figure, 2 ... printing apparatus, 3 ... data receiving section, 4 ... control section, 4a ... program area, 5 ... high-quality character pattern generation section, 6 ... high-quality character data storage section, 7 ... ... Low-quality pattern generator, 8 ... Low-quality data storage, 9 ...
... Output interface, 10 ... Printing unit.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A first generating means for generating a dot pattern based on the first non-dot format data; and a second non-dot format data having a relatively smaller data amount than the first non-dot format data. A second generation unit that generates a dot pattern based on the following: a determination unit that determines whether a dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including a ruled line or a signal; When it is determined that the output pattern does not include the output pattern, a dot pattern is generated based on the data in the first non-dot format corresponding to the input data using the first generation means. Or, if it is determined that the output pattern includes a symbol, the second non-dot format data corresponding to the input data is determined by using the second generation means. Output control apparatus characterized by a control means for generating a dot pattern based on the data. 2. The output control device according to claim 1, further comprising printing means for printing the generated dot pattern. 3. An output control method for generating an output pattern using a plurality of generating means for generating a dot pattern, wherein it is determined whether or not a dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including ruled lines or symbols. When it is determined that the dot pattern to be generated is not an output pattern including the ruled line or the symbol, a first generating unit that generates a dot pattern based on data in a first non-dot format is used. Generating a dot pattern corresponding to the input data, and if it is determined that the dot pattern to be generated is an output pattern including the ruled line or the symbol, the data amount is relatively smaller than the data in the first non-dot format. Using a second generating means for generating a dot pattern based on the second non-dot format data having a small number of dots, the dot corresponding to the input data. Output control method characterized by a control step of generating a pattern. 4. The output control method according to claim 4, further comprising a printing step of printing the generated dot pattern.