JPH03240124A - Printing action controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To designate the new printing action instruction information with a printer device itself and to easily perform the corresponding processing by providing a printing action control program storage means and a storage means which stores the specific printing action instruction information. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 2 controls each part of a printer device 1 based on a system program stored in a ROM 3. This ROM 3 can be freely attached to and detached from the device 1, and the new print control processing is carried out just by replacing the ROM 3 with new one that stores a program to process a new function. Meanwhile an EEPROM 5 stores the printing action instruction information which is not received from a host device 11 and the instruction contents of the instruction information, i.e., the registered data on the new function of the device 1 and the data on the instruction contents of the registered data at the initial action of the device 1 or after the printing action of each page. In such a constitution, the device 1 itself can designate a new function and easily carry out the corresponding processing without using the printing action instruction information received from the device 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to printer devices such as LED printers and LCD printers, and particularly relates to a printing operation control device that controls printing operations.

[Conventional technology]

Since printer devices capable of high-speed printing, such as LED printers and LCD printers, are generally expensive, one printer device is shared by multiple host devices. In this case, if the host device connected to the printer device is different, the format and data structure of the print operation command information input to the printer device will be different.

For this reason, the design of the printer device, which requires versatility as described above, must be designed so that it can at least correspond to the commands included in the print operation command information of various host devices. For this reason, it is usually designed to correspond to printing operation command information used by printer devices that are the most mainstream in the market.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, we have developed a device that is not only compatible with the host device at a minimum, but also incorporates new functions as a printer, and is designed to be able to support new commands that will later be added to the host device. are doing.

[Problems with conventional technology]

However, even if a printer device with improved functions is developed as described above, application software that uses the new functions is not immediately developed. For this reason, even if printer devices incorporating new functions were released on the market, these functions could not be used immediately and effectively.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional art, the present invention provides printing that allows new printing operation command information to be designated by the printer itself and the corresponding processing to be easily performed, without depending on the printing operation command information output from the host device. The object of the present invention is to provide an operation control device.

[Key points of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing operation control device for a printer that controls a printing unit to perform a corresponding printing operation in accordance with printing operation instruction information sent from a host device, which corresponds to the printing operation instruction information. a first storage means for storing a print operation control program; designation information for selecting and specifying a specific print operation control program; and information for instructing an execution mode for executing the specific print operation control program specified by the designation information. an information input means for inputting information, a second storage means for storing both of the information inputted from the information input means, and an information input means for storing information in the first storage means based on the information stored in the second storage means. The present invention is characterized by comprising a processing means for executing a specific printing operation control program.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of a printer device including a printing operation control device according to an embodiment. In the figure, the bottom of the system tank in the printer device 1 is the interface control unit 1.
The printer section 1b is configured to include a printer section 1a and a printer section 1b that performs actual printing processing. This interface control unit 1a is a CPU
(Central processing unit) 2, ROM 3, RAM 4, EEFROM 5 which is a non-volatile memory, a character generator (CG) 6, a frame memory 7, a CG controller 8 for controlling the character generator 6, a frame memory controller 9, etc. ing. Further, a host computer 11, which is a host device, is connected to the interface control unit 1a via a host interface (hereinafter referred to as host I/F) 10. This host computer 11 is a host device with respect to the printer device 1, and character codes and printing operation command information are outputted from the host computer 11 to the interface control section la.

The CPU 2 controls each part of the printer device 1 according to the system program stored in the ROM 3. For example, the character code and print operation command information output from the host computer 11 are input to the reception buffer in the RAMd through the host I/F 10, and when the manual input of the data to the reception buffer is completed, the data is subsequently received. Controls reading of character codes and print operation command information from the buffer.

For example, the character code is output to the character generator 6 via the CG controller 8, and converted by the character generator 6 into corresponding dot pattern data. In addition, the printing operation command information is stored in the ROM by the CPU2.
The command analysis process is performed according to the command processing program stored in the computer 5, and the corresponding printing control process is executed.

Furthermore, the ROM 3 is configured as a card or a cartridge and is configured to be detachable and attachable to the printer device 1 via a connector (not shown), so that a new function can be installed simply by replacing the ROM 3 with a ROM 3 that stores a program for processing a new function. It is configured to execute print control processing.

On the other hand, the EEFROM 5 is stored at the initial stage of operation of the printer device 1.
Alternatively, printing operation command information and the contents of the command that are not sent from the host device 11 after each page printing operation, that is, registration data of a new function of the printer f1 and data of the contents of the command are stored.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the memory configuration of the EEPROM 5.

Each storage area of EEFROM5 consists of 1 byte,
In area A, which is composed of a plurality of storage areas, the floors of commands to be executed and processed when the printer device 1 is initialized are registered. Further, in area B, Nα of commands to be executed for each engineering page is registered. Further, in area C, address data in area D in which the ESC code of each of the above-mentioned registered names is registered is stored. In area D, the ESC code of each registration Nα is registered as described above. For example, in the same figure,
Address ■ in area D, registration number, ESC code of 1,
The ESC code of registration No. 2 is stored at address ■, and the ESC code of registration No. 3 is stored at address ■. Registration floor and ESC code recorded in each area A-D above (
Command contents) etc. are set by the printer device 1 itself of this embodiment, which is not output from the host device 11 as described above.

On the other hand, the printer section 1b includes a printing section 13 and a printer control section 1.
4, an LCD display section 15, and a switch section 16. Video data (dot pattern data) is output from the frame memory 7 to the printing section 13 via the video I/F 17, and the printing section 13 performs printing processing on paper according to the input video data. In addition, the LCD display section 15
In accordance with a display signal input via the printer control section 14, for example, a message, etc., which will be described later, is displayed. Further, the switch unit 16 has a plurality of keys, which will be described later, and controls the printer control unit 14 and controls operation signals according to the operation of each key. 111
/F18 to output 7CPU2''-.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific configuration of the LCD display section 15 and switch section 16. The LCD display section 15 and the switch section 16 are arranged on the same panel 19. In addition to the message, the LCD display section 15 displays ES by the above display signal.
Display C code etc. The switch section 16 also includes a selection key 16a1, an execution key 16b, and cursor keys 16c to 16.
It is composed of f.

The printer control section 14 has a built-in document memory that stores a display document for displaying a message on the LCD display section 15 in an interactive manner according to a signal output from the selection key 16a. Then, the printer control section 14 reads out the corresponding message from the document memory in accordance with the control signal output from the CPU 2 based on the key operation signal, and displays the message on the LCD display section 15.
Displays a message.

The processing operations of the printer device f1 including the printing operation control device having the above configuration will be described below.

First, the process of registering the address data and ESC code corresponding to the execution unit in areas C and D in the EEFROM 5 will be explained. FIGS. 4 to 6 are flowcharts illustrating this registration process. This process begins by operating the selection key 16a according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
Display the message on the D display section 15 and press the selection key 16a.
The message is sequentially updated by operating (step (hereinafter referred to as STP) 1.5TP2). All messages necessary for printing by the printer device 1 can be displayed on the LCD display section 15. Operate the selection key 16a until the message "Sequence registration processing" is displayed on the LCD display section 15, and when the message "Sequence registration processing" is selected and displayed, press the execution key 1.
6b, the CPU 2 executes the setting process displayed on the LCD display section 15 (STP3.5TP4).

5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating the above sequence registration process, and the process (step (hereinafter referred to as ST) 1) in FIG. 5 is performed simultaneously by the above process (STP 1 to 4), and The display unit 15 displays "°' Sequence Track". Therefore, next, the cursor keys 16c and 16d are operated to execute the process of setting the registration range (ST2). Operate the key 16c to increase the number 1.2, etc., or operate the cursor key 16d to increase the number 9.8.
, . . . to set the desired registration name. For example, if you set the registration floor to "l" at this time, the LCD
After displaying "1" on the display section 15, the execution key 16b is operated. By operating this execution key 16b, the CPU 2 selects the registration number (1) based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
”) to learn the registration instructions (step (hereinafter referred to as ST'))
1), R the registration M “1” displayed on the LCD display section 15.
Write in a predetermined area of AM4 (Sr2').

Next, the ESC code is manually processed by operating the cursor keys 16cm and 16f (Sr1). This process is carried out in the same way as above, using the cursor keys 16c and 16d to enter the code number on the LCD display section 15 while looking at the manual, etc.
to be displayed. This process is performed sequentially according to the code number to be input, and when all input of one ESC code is completed, the execution key is operated (Sr4 is Y). By operating this execution key 16b, the CPU 2 writes the ESC code displayed on the LCD display section 15, for example, a code number such as "ESCAO", into a predetermined area of the RAM 4 based on the flowchart shown in FIG. Sr3'S
r4').

When the CPU 2 completes the above processing, the CPU 2 writes the ESC code corresponding to the registered floor written in the RAM 4 to EEFRO.
EEPRO the address data of area D to be written to M5.
Executes the process of writing to area C of M5 (Sr5'
). Furthermore, the process of writing the ESC code to the address of the EEPROM 5 stored in the area C is executed (S
r6').

For example, as shown in Figure 2, the ESC code of registration 1 is E.
SCAO” and “ESCBln,” then store the registered floor 1 address ■ in area C in the figure, and store the ESC codes “ESCAO” and “ESCAO” in area D address ■.
Similarly, store the ESC code in area D for the other registered floors 2.3, . . . and addresses ■, ■, . Store in C.

Next, the sequence (registration command) execution registration process will be explained using the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8.

In this process as well, in the process (step (hereinafter referred to as S) 1) in FIG. 7, the selection key 16a is operated to display "sequence execution registration" on the LCD display section 15.

Display the message. Note that the processing at this time is performed in the same manner as the procedure shown in FIG. Next, cursor key 1
Operate 6c to increase the number 1, 2, etc.,
Or operate the cursor key 16d to enter the number 9.8, etc.
・Screen down and select the desired registration number (S2)
. After selecting the desired registration number (registration Nα), the user operates the execution key 16b. By operating this execution key 16b, the judgment (step (hereinafter referred to as S') 1) shown in FIG.
) becomes Y, and the CPU 2 stores the registered floor displayed on the LCD display section 15 in the RAM based on the operation of the execution key 16b.
4 in a predetermined area (S2').

Thereafter, the user operates the selection key 16a again (in this case, the same procedure as shown in FIG. 4) selects one of the following three messages. That is, one is selected from among the messages "Mijikou", "Initial Dokijikou", and "Page Gotojikkou" (S3).Then, the execution key 16 is selected.
By operating b, the judgment (33') in FIG. 8 becomes Y, and the above registered shame stored in RAM 4 is specified.
Write to area A1 or B of EPROM4. for example,
If the registered floor 1 is designated as "Initial Kijikko", the registered floor 1 is stored in area A (S4').

Furthermore, if the registration Na2 is specified as "Page Gotojikko", the registration Na2 is stored in area B (S5
'). On the other hand, if "Gojikou" is specified, its registration number.

is deleted from area A1 or B (S6').

The above processing (S2, S3, 31' to S6') is performed for all necessary registration sequences, and all desired sequence execution registrations are completed.

After data is stored in areas A to D in the EEPROMS as described above, the processing operation when the printer device 1 performs actual printing processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

First, when the main power of the printer device 1 is turned on, the CPU
2 executes the initial setting process shown in FIG. This initial setting processing includes, for example, pre-rotation processing of the photosensitive drum (not shown) constituting the printing section 13, heating processing at a predetermined temperature of the fixing roll, etc., and interface control section 1a and printer section 1.
This is a process such as a circuit check (step (hereinafter referred to as U) 1). At this time, the CPU 2 determines whether an initial execution sequence is stored in area A of the EEPROM 5 as one of the initial settings (U2).

If an execution sequence is stored in area A of the EEPROM 5 (U2 is Y), the stored ESC sequence of Nα is executed (U3). That is, at this time, if registration Nα1 is set in area A as described above, the CPU 2 searches area C and finds that registration Nα1 is set in area A in order to execute the corresponding process during the initial setting process of printer device 1. Read the stored address data (address ■) and select the ES of registration No. 31 stored in area D from this data.
Read the C code. The above processing allows the CPU 2 to perform control processing corresponding to the required ESC code. That is, this processing is printing operation command information processing in which the printer device 1 is not outputted from the host computer 11.

On the other hand, in judgment (U2), area A of EEPROM5
If the execution sequence is not stored in (S2 is N)
, without executing the above process (U3), the CPU 2 executes the normal printing process after completing the initial setting process. This printing process is output from the host computer 11 as described above,
The character codes and print operation command information stored in the reception buffer area in RAMd are read out and analyzed, and the character codes are sequentially converted into corresponding dot pattern data by the character generator 6 and written into the frame memory 7. Further, various commands included in the print operation command information are sequentially analyzed by the CPU 2 and corresponding controls are performed.

In performing this control, the CPU 2 executes the process shown in FIG. That is, it is determined whether or not data remains in the reception buffer in the RAMJ (step 1) (hereinafter denoted by ■), and if data remains, the above-mentioned analysis process is started. Then, before analyzing various commands, it is first determined whether the data read from the reception buffer is the first data of the page (U2). At this time, if it is the first data of the page (U2 is Y), area B of the EEPROM 5 is searched and it is determined whether or not there is an execution sequence in area B (U3). Then, if there is an execution sequence, the execution sequence in area B is executed (U4). That is, at this time, if registration Nα2 is set in area B as described above, then the CPU 2 searches area C and finds the address data (address ■
) and read the ESC code of registered floor 2 stored in area D from this data. By the above process, CP
U2 can perform control processing corresponding to the required ESC code. Then, each time data indicating the beginning of a page is discovered during the analysis process of data read from the reception buffer as described above, the execution sequence registered in area B is executed. That is, in this process, the printer device 1 can perform processing based on the above-mentioned new functions of the printer device 1 for each page by processing print operation command information that is not output from the host computer 11.

By performing the print control processing as described above, for example, if the ESC code for index printing processing is registered in the D area and its execution mode designation is set in the B area, the host Printing is performed on the paper P according to the character code and printing operation command information from the computer 11, and the index Z is printed on the edge of the paper P based on the sequence set on the printer device l side as described above. Can be displayed.

In this embodiment, the registration number, ESC code, etc. were entered by operating each key of the switch unit 16 as described above, but the relationship between the registration number and the ESC code is fixed in advance, and this relationship is stored in the EEPROM 5, etc. For example, it may be configured such that only the registration number is input from the switch unit 16 after being stored in the register and set in a manual or the like. With this configuration, efficient printing operation command information setting processing can be performed.

In addition, the ESC code registered in the EEPROM 5 is not only the one corresponding to the index printing mentioned above, but also the ESC code registered in the EEPROM 5.
Any ESC code can be used as long as it specifies the processing program stored in 3. Therefore, even if a ROM 3 containing a new processing program is installed in the printer device 1 due to a version upgrade, etc., as long as the ESC code specifying that program is registered in the EEFROM 5, printing operation processing corresponding to that program can be performed immediately. It becomes possible to use it.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in a printer device to which a new function is added, the new function can be specified and easily handled by the printer device itself, without depending on print operation command information output from the host device. can be processed.

Furthermore, by storing the relationship between the registration number and the ESC code in advance, more efficient manual processing of the printing operation command information can be performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system block diagram of a printer device including a printing operation control device of one embodiment, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of an EEPROM, Fig. 3 is an arrangement configuration diagram of an LCD display section and a switch section, and Fig. 4 is A flowchart explaining the operation of the selection key and execution key, Figures 5 and 6 are flowcharts explaining sequence registration, Figures 7 and 8 are flowcharts explaining execution registration processing, and Figure 9 is a flowchart explaining the initial settings. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the processing operation for each page; Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the processing for each page;
The figure is a diagram illustrating an example of index display. 1... Printer device, 2... CPU, 3... ROM. 4...RAM. 5...EEFROM. 6...Character generator, 7...Frame memory, 11...Host computer, l3...15...l6...16a...16b...6cm1 Printing section, LCD display section, switch・Selection key・Execution key 6f...Cursor key

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printing operation control device for a printer that controls a printing unit to perform a corresponding printing operation according to printing operation instruction information sent from a host device, a first printing operation control program that stores a printing operation control program corresponding to the printing operation instruction information; a storage means; an information input means for inputting designation information for selecting and designating a particular print operation control program; and information for instructing an execution mode of the particular print operation control program specified by the designation information; and an information input means for inputting the instruction information. a second storage means for storing both of the information inputted from the means; and a processing means for executing a specific printing operation control program in the first storage means based on the information stored in the second storage means. A printing operation control device comprising: