JPH03114856A - Printer data management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize a memory efficiently by increasing the data-hold area of intermediate data for a band having a large quantity of printing data in one document in response to the quantity of data for that band. CONSTITUTION:Intermediate data are held in a basic block first, and an extension block is assigned when the data exceed the capacity of the basic block. Consequently, since the areas (capacities) of intermediate-data holding memories assigned to each band are varied by the number of intermediate data, the data of each band in the intermediate data holding memories are managed by an intermediate-data management table. When the intermediate data of a plurality of documents are held, a document management table, by which the intermediate-data management table and a plurality of the documents are made to correspond, is mounted, and intermediate data are managed for every document. Accordingly, intermediate data converted for developing a dot image from printing data can be held efficiently in the memories.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a data management system in a character generator of a printer.

(Prior Art) A printer prints a text or graphic document received from a host (such as a host computer). A character generator (controller) in a printer converts character data, etc. into a dot image based on character data, graphic data, various commands, etc. received from a host, stores it in a memory, and prints the dot image.

Conventionally, a character generating device of a printer has a bitmap memory for one page, and develops all dot images for one page on the bitmap memory based on character data and graphic data received from a host. When the development for one sheet is completed, the dot image data is sent to the printing section. This eliminates problems caused by the difference in timing between developing a dot image on the bitmap memory and sending data to the printing section.

In this method, when data is transferred to the printing section, all image data for one page to be output is developed in the bitmap memory. Therefore, the dot image data is transferred to the printing section at high speed in synchronization with the printer output, and the printing section performs printing.

In order to output data to the printing section at high speed, it is necessary to reduce the processing time for image development into the bitmap memory as much as possible. However, in general, processing graphic data involves a large amount of data, so it takes time to receive the data, and vector graphic data in particular takes a very long time to analyze commands and develop images.

Therefore, it may be possible to increase the speed by using a dedicated LSI for image development, but this increases the cost.

On the other hand, in the case of software processing, high-speed output cannot be achieved if all processing of command analysis and image development is attempted to be performed in synchronization with the time of output to the printing unit.

Therefore, in order to reduce the burden as much as possible when developing data received from a host into a bit image, intermediate processing such as editing (converting) the data into intermediate data and storing it in an intermediate data holding memory is performed.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) A method for developing image data in a character generating device of a printer is to divide one page of document into n bands (n is a positive integer) in the sub-scanning direction, and perform data processing. It is conceivable to perform this on a band-by-band basis. In this method, one l/n
Equipped with two band memories (partial bitmap memories) with a storage capacity of . This is n
When printing is performed alternately on two image memories for each band, printing of one document is completed.

Even in this method, the dot image development process to the band memory must precede the data output to the printing section, so the data output speed to the printing section is limited by the dot image development speed to the band memory. Therefore, in order to perform dot image development at high speed, it is advisable to once edit (convert) the data received from the host into intermediate data. This intermediate data consists of information (size, source address, etc.) of character data and graphic data to be loaded into the band memory.

In this type of character generator, it is necessary to perform dot image development for each band memory at high speed, so it is necessary to create one page's worth of intermediate data required for development before printing. It is desirable to access intermediate data to the band memory as continuously as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a memory area for holding intermediate data for each band within one document.

However, with the method of allocating the memory area for holding intermediate data equally for each band in the intermediate data holding memory, in the case of a document where the print data exists in uneven positions, depending on the memory capacity, the print data may A situation may arise in which intermediate data of a band with a large number of print data cannot be held, while a holding area larger than necessary is secured for a band with little or no print data. Furthermore, securing more holding space than necessary for a band with little print data reduces memory usage efficiency. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency of data management, it is necessary to secure a large holding area each time for a band with a large amount of print data. However, the method of simply increasing the holding area for every l data is undesirable because it takes processing time to search for the holding area.

In addition, with the above method of printing using band memory, when printing multiple documents on one sheet of paper (
Due to the time required to print multiple documents in cases such as double-sided printing and jam recovery, there may be restrictions on the time allowed for editing between documents. On the other hand, in order to completely cope with this, it is necessary to edit data for a plurality of documents (for example, two pages for double-sided copying) before outputting print data. Therefore, it is necessary to manage intermediate data of multiple documents.

A first object of the present invention is to divide one document into a plurality of bands in a character generator of a printer, and convert the print data for dot image development when editing the print data from the host. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer data management method that efficiently stores intermediate data obtained in a memory.

A second object of the present invention is to easily manage intermediate data when it is necessary to manage multiple documents when dividing one document into multiple bands and editing print data from a host. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a printer data management method that enables printer data management.

(Means for Solving the Problems) A first printer data management method according to the present invention divides one document into a plurality of bands in the sub-scanning direction, and divides one document into two bands each having a memory capacity for one band. Equipped with an image memory, print data from the host is edited into intermediate data and stored in the intermediate data holding memory in order to quickly develop the print data as dot image data in the image memory, and the intermediate data held in the intermediate data holding memory is A character generator for a printer that alternately develops a dot image into an image memory and outputs data to a printing unit for each band for two image memories. When this occurs, the intermediate data is first held in a basic block with the minimum capacity required for data management of that band in the intermediate data holding memory, and if the intermediate data of that band is generated beyond the capacity of the basic block, a certain amount of capacity is saved. An expansion block capable of holding data is secured for the band in the intermediate data holding memory, intermediate data is held in the expansion block, and an intermediate data management table is provided that associates the blocks used in the intermediate data holding memory with the band. It is characterized by

A second printer data management method according to the present invention is a printer data management method according to claim 1, in which the packet management table is associated with a plurality of documents. It is characterized by further providing a management table.

Margin below (effect) Divide one page of document into multiple bands in the sub-scanning direction.
The character generator, which is equipped with two image memories with a memory capacity of 871 minutes and which writes and prints out alternately, develops dot images alternately in the two image memories starting from the upper band of the document. to print. In order to quickly develop the dot image in the image memory, print data from the host is developed in the intermediate data holding memory.

In an intermediate data holding memory that stores intermediate data to be converted into a dot image, a basic block and an extended block for holding intermediate data are provided for each band.

Here, the basic block has the minimum capacity required for data management (
For example, the extended block has an area that can hold a certain amount of data (for example, 200 characters). In each band, intermediate data is first held in basic blocks, and when the capacity of the basic block is exceeded, extended blocks are allocated. In this way, the area (capacity) of the intermediate data holding memory allocated to each band varies depending on the number of intermediate data, so
The data of each band in the intermediate data holding memory is managed by the intermediate data management table.

When holding intermediate data of a plurality of documents, a document management table that associates the intermediate data management table with the plurality of documents is further provided to manage the intermediate data for each document.

Margin below (Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(a) Overall configuration of a character generation device for a printer FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a character generation device for a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the interface unit 1 transfers received data (protocol data) from a host such as a host computer or an image league to the reception buffer 2. The reception buffer 2 is a buffer memory that stores data received from the host. The protocol analysis section 3 analyzes the received data, identifies printing section interface control commands, printing data, etc., and sends them to the printing section interface control section 4 and editing control section 5, respectively. The printing unit interface control unit 4 controls the printing sequence of the printing unit that performs printing in an electrophotographic process and controls the LED display on the operation panel.

The editing control unit 5 calculates the cursor position from the received data, creates bucket data (intermediate code) that is information such as characters (size, source address, etc.), and sends it to the bucket buffer 6. In this embodiment, the editing control unit 5 controls printer character generation. Font control section 7
manages ROM fonts and downloaded fonts in the font memory 8. Video buffer control section 9 controls video buffer IO. Also, based on the packet data of the bucket buffer 76, the video buffer l
Expand the image to O. The video buffer 10 is a buffer memory that stores dot images and the like.

The protocol data received from the host is character data,
Graphic data, download data (font)
, and control commands.

The data flow is as shown in FIG.

The character data is written into the bucket buffer 76 by a packet booter based on the storage address of the bitmap data corresponding to the character code and the virtual address on the print paper corresponding to the print position.

Graphic data includes vector graphic data and raster graphic data.

Graphic data is written to the video buffer IO through the video buffer control unit 9. Furthermore, packet data is created based on the written address and the address of the print position, and is written into the bucket buffer 76.

The download data of 7 onts is written to the video buffer lo through the video buffer control unit 9. Furthermore, the management data of the written font is registered in the 7-ont management table.

Regarding the control commands, commands for controlling the printing section are sent to the printing section, and other commands are used to set internal parameters thereof.

(b) Conversion to intermediate data and data management method The data management method in this embodiment can manage up to six documents. The image data received from the host is first edited (converted) into packet data, which is intermediate data, and the packet data is stored in the bucket buffer 6, as will be explained later. This packet data is usually 1
Once the packet data of the document is stored, it is then converted to bit data and stored in the video buffer IO. The writing and output of this bit data is performed when one document is divided into multiple bands (five in this example) in the sub-scanning direction (paper feeding direction for printing) as shown in Figure 3. Perform this in order for each band. The video buffer 10 does not have a bit map memory for one page, but has two areas with a capacity for 115 pages, and writing and reading of bit data are performed alternately in these two areas.

In this way, one sheet is divided into five bands and bit data is written and output sequentially, so that printing is performed sequentially from the top of the paper. Therefore, in order to print character data or graphic data, it is usually necessary to edit data for one sheet in advance at the printing position. Therefore, print data for one sheet is converted into packet data and stored in the packet buffer 6. Corresponding to printing being performed in units of bands, packet data is also stored in units of bands as shown in FIG. The actual printing process is
After the editing of one sheet of packet data is completed, dot images are sequentially developed in two band buffers alternately using the packet data starting from the first band.

Conversion of character data and raster graphic data into packet data is normally performed continuously in a fixed direction. However, vector graphic data may exist across multiple bands, for example in the case of a straight line, and therefore may be stored in multiple packet areas. Therefore, packet data is not necessarily developed in the order of bands. As explained later, graphic data is stored in units of cells, which are small units within a band, so in the case of a straight line spanning multiple bands, vector graphic data is stored as packet data corresponding to multiple cells in multiple bands. and stored in the associated packet area.

Packet data is written to the packet buffer 76 in a packet area provided for each band. Since the number of characters written in one band is not constant, if the capacity number of packet areas per one band is fixed, the usage efficiency of the packet buffer 6 will deteriorate. Therefore, for each band, we first start with the minimum capacity required for data management (for example, 2
Secure an area for registering packet data for a certain number of characters (for example, 200 characters), and when writing characters beyond this, add a new packet data registration area for a certain number of characters (for example, 200 characters). A packet registration area will be secured for each unit. (The reason why the minimum capacity is set to 2 characters is due to the determination of the presence or absence of data and the possibility of the existence of characters across multiple bands.) Therefore, the packet area is made up of several characters, as shown in Figure 5. It is divided into a basic packet area with a capacity of minutes (2 characters in this embodiment) and an extended packet area with a capacity of many characters (200 characters in this embodiment). Basic packet area P,,P3.
..., P, are provided in advance for all bands, but the extended packet areas P,,P,,...
If there is data from the third character onwards in each band, it is additionally allocated as needed.

1 packet consists of 4 words as shown in FIG. Here, the source address is the start address of the data to be written to the video buffer IO, the video buffer address is the start address (offset) of the video buffer IO as the writing destination, and the cell width is the width of the data to be written. The cell height is the height of the data to be written, and the flag l is the control flag (
Source related).

The amount of data managed by an l packet is, for example, one character for character data, and a 160×160 dot square area (called a cell) for raster graphic data.

Graphic data is stored in the video buffer lO in cell units.
stored in the graphics holding area.

Here, l cell means, as shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, the cell is divided into 4×7) areas, and a serial number is added to each cell.

As shown in the memory map of the video buffer lO in FIG. 8, the band buffer and graphics holding area are
They are provided on the same video buffer 10, and their capacities vary depending on the paper size and data. Therefore,
Memory is managed using a management table that will be explained later.

The graphic holding area starts from the last address on the video buffer 10 (GRRAS DNAD), and each time a registration area is secured, the holding area end pointer (GRRAS BOT) and the end of the corresponding document in the B table described later are held. Update area.

FIG. 9 shows an address table in which linear addresses on the graphic holding area for cells divided into specific sizes are registered. Each cell on the cell map corresponds to 1 to 1, and a cell whose registration area is not secured in the holding area contains "00pa".

Now, in the cell map shown in FIG. 7, if the corresponding cell number is initially 3 based on the absolute coordinate position within one sheet of graphic data, then the relative address on the video buffer 10 can be calculated as shown in FIG. At the same time, the registration area in cell "3" is secured and data is written, and the holding area end pointer (GRRAS BOT) is updated. Correspondingly, the registration area in cell "3" is A linear address is registered.

Furthermore, in order to overwrite a cell that has been registered twice, the address value corresponding to the number is determined to obtain the address value to be written onto the video memory.

When securing a graphic holding area on the video buffer 10, a packet is created for cell data to be registered on the video buffer 10. That is, the packet data of graphic data is processed in units of cells. When graphic data is expanded into band memory by creating a packet, it is treated the same as character data.

Three tables are used in the editing control unit 5 to manage documents, packet data, and graphic holding areas.

The A table shown in FIG. 1θ is a document management table for the number of sheets whose images need to be held in the printer. For each document, the start point and end point of the B table (described below) that manages basic packet numbers corresponding to bands from band 0 to the bottom margin band, and the start point and end point of the graphic holding area used for that document. Register.

FIG. 11 shows the packet buffer 76 (
This is a table for managing packet data stored in (see FIG. 5). It consists of a basic packet management table that manages basic packet areas for six documents, and an extended packet management table that manages extended packet areas that are added as necessary.

The structure of each packet management table is as shown in FIG. For each band, the currently used divided packet number (used only for basic packets), the next used divided packet number, the number of currently stored patterns,
Character specifications for each band, the first address and segment of the packet, and the next address and segment to be used for the packet are stored in sequence. Here, for the divided packet number currently in use, an end code is written when there are no more usable divided packets. If the next used divided packet number is the end of the band data in that packet, "uQ" is written. The end of the currently used divided packet is detected by comparing and matching 1w and 21.

In the printing process, when packet data is output to the video buffer control unit 9, packets are successively transferred based on the above-mentioned next usage divided packet number. The final data of each band is detected by counting the number of patterns in the printing process.

The C table shown in FIG. 13 is an overall management table for documents, packets, and holding areas, and manages document numbers for which processing such as ejection has been detected and document numbers that are being edited (packets are being created). It consists of a page pointer, a start pointer and an end pointer that manage the extension packet number in use, and a start pointer and end pointer that also manage the holding area address in use. Therefore, the number of the document being managed, the extended packet area used by the document being managed, and the holding area for graphic data used by the document being managed are managed.

(c) Flow of editing control FIG. 14 schematically shows the main CPU 70- that constitutes the editing control section 5. In this flow, initialize the CPU and peripheral circuits at power-on (#201)
, clear the work area, packet buffer 76, and video buffer IO (#202), and clear the initial settings (page counter PG) according to the dip switch and default settings.
-0) (#203). Next, initialize the tables (A, B, C) for managing packets (#20
4).

As an initial setting for each document, first determine whether there is enough room for the maximum number of managed documents (6 in this example), which is determined by the basic performance of the printer #205)
If it is not possible (No), the process waits until the processing of the documents already under management is completed. If it is possible to start editing data from the host (YES), update the current page pointer (Table C).
Set the parameters for the corresponding document number (start B table, start holding area) (#
207). Next, determine whether there is an unused extended packet area in the packet buffer 6 at that point #208
), if not (No), wait until an empty packet area is created.

As shown in FIG. 15, data received from the host is asynchronously received at interface l (#1O1),
It is output to reception buffer 2 (#102).

Returning to Fig. 14 and continuing the explanation, the received data held in the receive buffer 2 is read and analyzed (#209).
, if it is print data (YES in #210), perform each packet creation process depending on whether it is graphic data (vector and raster) or character data (#211).
212, #213).

If the received data is a control command (No in #210), the corresponding processing is performed (#214). Next, it is determined whether or not it is a paper ejection request (#215), and if not, the process returns to #2o9 to continue analyzing the received data.

If the data to be processed is a paper ejection request (YES in #215)
), increment the page counter PG 421
6), it is determined whether the continuous processing determination condition (for example, 2 for double-sided copying) is equal or not (#217). If no, #2
Return to o5 and process the data of the next document.

When the continuous processing judgment condition is reached, the print unit is activated (starting) and the printer itself performs print control processing to expand the dot image data to the band buffer and output the data (#218). P
Reset G (#219). Then, the process returns to #2o5 to process the data of the next document.

FIG. 16 shows timer interrupt processing 70-.

This process is performed at specific time intervals, and the first
The parameters determined in #2o5 and #2o8 of the flow in FIG. 4 are updated here. First, various flags such as error occurrence are read (#251), and if the end of the document is detected (YES in #252), the video buffer IO
Clear the graphics data held on #
253), update the extended packet pointer (C table) #254), delete the corresponding document section of the B table #
255), and updates the end page pointer (C table) (#256).

Figure 17 shows the graphic packet creation process (14th
Figure #212) shows the flow. The character generating device according to this embodiment divides one sheet into a specific number of lines n in the sub-scanning direction,
It has two bitmap memories (band buffers) for n947 bits, and a bucket buffer 6 holds packet data in which data to be printed for each band is temporarily edited. The packet structure is the same as the character packet (6th
figure).

Graphic data includes vector graphic data and raster graphic data, and vector graphic data consists of <drawing instruction command> (straight line, circle, etc.) + <
For example, raster graphic data is sent from the host in the form of command>+<data length>+line raster data>.

Therefore, first, perform command analysis processing (#301)
. As a result, calculate the absolute coordinate position of each dot on one document when the figure is expanded into dots #302).
Search the cell map for the cell corresponding to that coordinate position (#303), and if the registration area for the corresponding cell is secured in the holding area (see Figure 8) located on the same memory IO as the band buffer (#304). YES), calculate the relative address in the corresponding cell #305), and write the data (#306). If there is no registration area (#3
04 (NO), the presence or absence of empty packets (memory free space in the basic packet area and the already allocated extended packet area) (1308), and the presence or absence of extended packet areas (#309), and if there is no free space in either Error handling (#314, see FIG. 19) is performed and the system waits until a free area is available. If the extended packet area can be secured (YES in #309), B and C
Update table and allocate extended packet area.

If the packet area for registration can be secured, check the remaining capacity of the empty video buffer 10 (#311), and if there is an empty area (YES), secure the registration area.
312), calculates the start address, width, height, and expanded address of the cell, creates and registers a packet, and updates the B table (#313). If the registration area cannot be secured (No in #311), perform error processing (#
309).

The above processing (#302 to #314) is repeated for unprocessed target data (if YES in #307). The held packet data is expanded into the band buffer through the video buffer control section 9 when each band is expanded during print control processing (#218 in FIG. 14) (FIG. 3).

Figure 18 shows the character packet creation process (#212 in Figure 14).
) shows 70-. The character generating device according to this embodiment includes 1
Divide the sheet by a specific number of lines n in the sub-scanning direction, and divide the sheet into 024
It has two 2-minute bit map memories (band buffers), and the packet buffer 6 holds packet data in which data to be printed for each band is temporarily edited. If there is space in the packet area of the band corresponding to the cursor position (YES in #401), calculate the font address and linear address when expanding to video buffer IO, create packet data, and register it in the packet area. and update the B table, which is its management table (#
402). If there are no empty packets and there is an unused extended packet area (YES in #403), B and C
The table is updated and an extended packet area is assigned to the target band (#404). As with the graphic packet, if there is no empty packet and no empty extended packet area, error processing (see FIG. 19) is performed (#405) and the process ends.

Figure 19 shows the extended packet area and video buffer l.
Error handling when O is insufficient during editing process (No. 17)
The flow shown in FIG. #314 and FIG. 18 #405 is shown. For example, when the printer prints a plurality of documents on one sheet of paper, the number of sheets is set in the initial setting (#203 in FIG. 14) as a condition for determining continuous processing. The continuity determination condition is determined by conditions such as the structure of the printer. For example, in the case of double-sided printing, it is 2. If the difference between the document number currently being edited in which an error occurred in the C table and the document number for which processing has been completed is less than the continuous processing judgment condition (#110
1 (YES), it means that there is absolutely insufficient memory for editing multiple documents for that paper, and an error is displayed for waiting (#1103). If the difference is greater than the continuous processing judgment condition, the paper is ejected,
Wait until the extended packet buffer and video buffer IO become empty by updating the processing end (#11
04, #1105). When memory becomes available, the error display is erased (#1106).

The following margins (effects of the invention) In the first printer data management method according to the present invention, for a band with a large amount of print data in one document, the data holding area of intermediate data for that band is Since the amount of data increases accordingly, it is possible to handle documents with uneven amounts of data, and memory can be used efficiently.

In the second printer data management method according to the present invention, intermediate data of multiple documents can be easily managed without changing the management of a single document.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a character generating device of a printer. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the flow of data. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one document divided into five bands. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the development of characters and graphics data into bit images. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the area configuration of the packet buffer. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of packet data. FIG. 7 is a diagram of a cell map. FIG. 8 is a diagram of a video memory map. FIG. 9 is a diagram of the address table. FIG. 1O is a diagram of the document management table A. FIG. 11 is a diagram of the packet management table B. FIG. 12 is a diagram of each packet management data in the packet management table shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a diagram of the overall management table C. FIG. 14 is a flowchart of control by the editing control section. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of data reception processing. FIG. 16 is a 70-chart of timer interrupts. FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the graphic packet creation process. FIG. 18 is a 70-chart of the character packet creation process. FIG. 19 is a flowchart of error processing. 5... Edit control unit, 6... Bucket buffer, lO
...Video buffer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) One document is divided into multiple bands in the sub-scanning direction, two image memories with memory capacity for one band are provided, and print data from the host is quickly stored in the image memory as dot image data. Edit the print data into intermediate data for development and store it in the intermediate data holding memory, develop the dot image of the intermediate data held in the intermediate data holding memory into the image memory, and output the data to the printing unit for each band. This is a character generator for printers that alternately uses two image memories, and when intermediate data is generated for each band during editing to intermediate data, the intermediate data holding memory first generates the minimum capacity necessary for data management of that band. intermediate data is held in the basic block of the band, and when the intermediate data of that band exceeds the capacity of the basic block, an expansion block that can hold a certain amount of data is secured for that band in the intermediate data holding memory, A printer data management method characterized by holding intermediate data in the extended block and providing an intermediate data management table that associates blocks used in the intermediate data holding memory with bands. (2) In the printer data management method according to claim 1, the printer further comprises a document management table corresponding to each document to be managed, for associating the packet management table with a plurality of documents. Data management method.