JPH06171151A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printer which corresponds to a large capacity of a document file by detecting whether or not there are compressed image data in an external storage means and providing a means which decodes the compressed image data. CONSTITUTION:A disk device 14 is mounted to a disk interface 15 and a recording disk such as a floppy disk is put into the device 14. A decode unit 16 retrieves the interior of memory of the recording disk to detect compressed image data and at the same time paper size, print color, and command (set value) for setting a printer such as resolution are detected. In such a case, the set value is sent to a CPU 2. The image data are decoded at the unit 16 so as to be printed out and print sample data are prepared, which data are sent to a panel device 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer which reads image data from an external storage means such as a floppy disk and prints it out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a word processor software of a personal computer or a document file created by a document creation device such as a word processor is stored in a storage device such as a floppy disk, and the storage device is installed in a printer having an interface with the storage device. There is an offline printer that is mounted, causes the printer to read the document file, and prints out.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an off-line printer that exchanges image data and prints out by using a storage device such as a floppy disk without directly connecting to a document creation device such as a word processor, colorization and As the resolution increases, the size of the created document file increases, and one floppy disk cannot accommodate one document file.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of coping with the large capacity of the above document file.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has an interface section for interfacing with external storage means, and prints by reading image data stored in the external storage means. The output printer is provided with means for detecting whether or not there is compressed image data in the external storage means, and decoding the compressed image data.

Further, it is characterized by further comprising display means for displaying print output contents based on the decrypted data, and selecting means for selecting whether or not to perform the print output based on the decrypted data. .

Further, it is characterized by further comprising means for reading the printer setting data stored in the external storage means together with the compressed image data and changing the print mode based on the printer setting data.

[0008]

According to the above means, when the compressed image data exists in the external storage means such as the floppy disk, the compressed image data is decoded and printed out (output) in the printer. So colorization,
Even if the image data has a large capacity due to the higher resolution, the data can be exchanged without using, for example, a number of floppy disks as external storage means.

Further, by displaying the decoded image data on the display means so that the decoded image data can be confirmed before actually printing it, it becomes possible to obtain only the printout in a desired print state. Eliminate required printouts.

Further, by storing the printer size setting values such as paper size, color, and resolution together with the compressed image data in the external storage means, the setting values are automatically read by the printer side, and the printer setting values are changed. It is possible to obtain a desired printout without changing the setting on the operation unit of the printer every time the printout is performed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention, where 1 is the whole controller and 2 is a program in a program ROM, which will be described later, a mode instruction from a panel device, and a host device. A CPU (central processing unit) for controlling the entire controller 1 by commands from the CPU 3, an IC card 3 for supplying font data and programs from the outside, and a memory 4 for storing the contents of a mode instruction from a panel device described later. A non-volatile storage device (NVRAM) 5 is a program ROM in which a control program of the controller 1 is stored, and 6 is a font RO for storing font pattern data and the like.
M and 7 are used as a work memory of the CPU 2, an input buffer for input data, a page buffer for print data, a memory for download fonts, and the like.
AM.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an engine 9 which performs a printout operation, and an engine interface which communicates commands and statuses, and print data. Reference numeral 10 informs a user of the current printer status and gives a mode instruction.
A panel device that is a display unit for searching the contents of image data, 11 is a panel interface that communicates commands and statuses with the panel device 10, 12 is a host device that is a higher-level device of the printer, and 13 is a host device 12 and A host interface (usually a Centro interface or RS232C) for communication, 14 is a disk device (a floppy disk, a hard disk, etc.) which is an external storage means for storing various data such as font data, programs and print data. , 15 is a disk interface for communicating with the disk device 14, and 16 is a decoding unit which detects whether or not there is compressed image data in the disk device 14 and performs decoding.

It should be noted that the function of detecting whether or not there is compressed image data in the decoding unit 16 and the function of decoding may be performed by means independent of each other.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

A disk device for the disk interface 15
14 is loaded and a recording disk such as a floppy disk is loaded in the disk device 14 (S1 YE
S), the decoding unit 16 searches the inside of the memory of the recording disk to detect the compressed image data (YES in S2), and, together with the file of the compressed image data, the paper size, print color and resolution. If the presence of a printer setting command (setting value) such as is detected (YES in S3), the setting value is sent to the CPU 2 to change the print mode of the printer to the set one (S4), and the image is displayed. The decoding unit 16 decodes the data into printable data and generates print sample data (S5).

The print sample data is a panel device.
It is sent to 10 and a print sample is displayed based on that data. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of an operation panel in the panel device. The operation panel 20 has an LCD display unit (liquid crystal display unit) 21 for displaying settings such as paper size.
An LED display section (light emitting diode display section) 22 showing the operating state of the printer, a switch section 23 for setting various modes, and an LCD displaying the print sample.
A sample display unit 24 including the above is provided. The sample display section 24 may use a part of the LCD display section 21.

The user sees the display of the print sample and selects whether or not to print out by a copy switch of the switch unit 23 which is a selection unit. When printing out (YES in S6), the copy switch is turned on to start the engine 9 and execute printing out based on the decrypted data (S7). After printing out, it becomes idle (S8).

The function of recording the printer setting data in the disk device 14 and the function of displaying the print sample may be appropriately selected and provided.

[0020]

As described above, according to the configuration of the first aspect of the present invention, when compressed image data is stored in the external storage means, the printer can automatically decode and print out. Therefore, it is possible to store the data at a high density in the external storage means, and it is possible to cope with the increase in the capacity of the document file in the external storage means.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the printout contents can be confirmed by the display, unnecessary printouts can be eliminated.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the printer setting data can be read together with the compressed image data, and the print mode automatically set by the data can be changed to improve the operability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller in an embodiment of a printer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a printing operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the panel device of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... CPU (central processing unit), 10 ... Panel device (display unit), 14 ... Disk device (external storage unit), 15 ... Disk interface, 16 ... Decoding unit, 23 ... Switch unit (selecting unit).

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printer having an interface section for interfacing with an external storage means, which prints out by reading image data stored in the external storage means, wherein the compressed image data is stored in the external storage means. A printer comprising means for detecting whether or not there is and decoding the compressed image data. 2. A display means for displaying a print output content based on the decrypted data, and a selection means for selecting whether or not to perform the print output based on the decrypted data. The printer according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A means for reading printer setting data stored in the external storage means together with compressed image data and changing a print mode based on the printer setting data. The listed printer.