JPS5941051A - Character pattern generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To change easily a font or character width, by forming a unit storage area by a part storing character signals and a part storing divided position signals, and by printing out characters in each unit storage area. CONSTITUTION:A controller 12 stores character signals out of printing data outputted from a host machine 10 in a character part of a line buffer 11 and divided position signals corresponding to the character width in a character width controlling part of the line buffer 11. Said operation is executed in each unit storage area. Subsequently, the controller 12 transfers the printing data from the buffer 11 to a font memory 13A and a fixed font memory 13B. In case of proportional printing mode, the memory 13A is selected and outputs the information for a prescribed pitch to a printer 14 in each unit storage area of the buffer 11 in accordance with the timing obtained by inputting a transfer timing signal from the printer 14 to the memory 13A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a character pattern generator, and particularly relates to a data output method in which the meaning of output data differs depending on a strobe signal, or a data output method in which not only character data but also predetermined control data is output. (hereinafter simply referred to as the "host machine") and a serial printer capable of dot printing, such as a multi-dimensional deflection type inkjet printer, which prints based on this output data. The printer, which is a device, generally uses an impact method using type, such as a Tigi-foil printer, in which type is pressed onto a predetermined paper via an inkliden, thereby printing.

However, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for improved printing quality and easy-to-read printing in such printers, and for this reason, kanji.

There is a need for a printer that can print hiragana, alphabets, and other special symbols (hereinafter simply referred to as "characters").

On the other hand, printers are also required to speed up information processing, and low-noise printers are preferred from environmental considerations.

For this reason, inkjet has recently become popular.

Non-innocent type dot printers such as laser and thermal type dot printers and stylus type dot printers have come into widespread use. When using these dot printers, it is necessary to convert character signals transferred from the host machine and signals related to the character signals into dot numbers and turns. Considerable consideration must be given to printing speed, and furthermore, it is necessary to support a wide variety of printing modes or special processing specified by signals related to the character signal.

In particular, printing by changing the character width such as half-width characters or global printing, or changing the font such as italics or bold can eliminate unnatural impressions, and improve the readability and emphasis of characters. This is preferable from the viewpoint of speed and efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is possible to easily compensate for discontinuities in data transfer speed, and also to change fonts and character widths, especially in one line. The object of the present invention is to provide a character/guttern generator that can easily change the characters.

This object has a memory circuit that corresponds to a unit recording area in the output of the printer, the memory circuit has a plurality of unit memory areas, and the unit memory areas can be used in the output of the printer by combining one or more unit memory areas. The unit storage area corresponds to a printing unit in which the character width changes, and the unit storage area is formed by a first part that stores a character signal and a second part that stores a division position signal. , has a font memory in which pattern data divided corresponding to the unit storage area is stored, and the control unit:
This is accomplished by a character mark or turn generator that stores the division position signal in the second portion in response to a signal related to the character signal.

Furthermore, the object is to have a memory circuit corresponding to a unit recording area in the output of the printer, the memory circuit having a plurality of unit memory areas, and the unit memory area being combined with one or more, the printer The unit storage area is formed by a first part for storing a character signal and a second part for storing a division position signal and a font flag, and corresponds to a printing unit in which the character width changes in the output of the character. The pattern forming section has a plurality of font memories in which pattern data divided into each unit storage area is stored and formed for each different font, and the control section is configured to perform font memory according to a signal related to the character signal. and stores the division position signal in the second portion, and selects a font memory for outputting turn data based on the font flag. This can also be achieved by a turn generator.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a character/gutter generator according to the present invention. In this figure, a character signal (a signal that specifies the character to be printed) and a signal related to the character signal (the font of the character specified by the character signal, such as Italic, Ri, or Gothic, and the enlargement/reduction of the character) are shown. , a signal specifying addition of a code, etc.) is connected to a line buffer 11 which is a storage circuit by a predetermined path 101, and is connected to a line buffer 11 which is a storage circuit by a predetermined path 101.
It is connected to a controller 12 which is a control section.

Of these, the line buffers ii are
The unit recording area on the paper PA to be printed as shown in FIG.
One unit has a character section 11A, which is a first part, and a character width control section 11B, which is a second part. To be more specific, the character width varies in various ways as shown in FIG. 3 (4) to (2). Of these, (A) is the character width that is a combination of six 1/60 inch characters, and the character pitch is 6 x 1/60 inch.
60 = 1. /10 inches. Same figure (B),
The same applies to (C). ) in the same figure indicates the case of proportional printing, "W" is the character width that is a combination of eight 1/60 inch characters, and "■" is the character width that is a combination of three 1/60 inch characters. . One unit of the line buffer 11 is a common divisor of these various character widths, for example, 1/60.
A unit storage area iig corresponding to the length of inches is formed, as shown in FIG. 4, for example. This figure shows a character section 11A and a character width control section 11B arranged vertically for the sake of explanation. A character width rWJ shown in FIG. 3(B) is set in each unit storage area 11g located at the nth to n+4th positions. That is, in the character section 11A, "
"57" which is ASCII code 9 of "W" is memorized,
Numbers 0 to 4 representing the division positions of the character width, that is, division position signals, are sequentially input to the character width control unit 11B, and the character width is determined from these numbers to 5×1. It is shown that /60 = 1/12 inch.

Similarly, the character width rIJ shown in FIG. In addition, as a method of specifying the character width in the character width control unit 11B, the unit storage area 11 corresponding to the character width is
F is set to "1", and the last unit storage area 1.
1E only]-〇” may be set. Furthermore, the code of the character signal stored in the character section 11A is not limited to the above-mentioned ASCII code, but may also be a code of other similar standards such as JIS. As mentioned above, unit storage area 1
By combining one or more 1g, a storage area corresponding to the recording area of the unit character is formed even if the character width changes, and the recording area corresponding to the unit storage area 11E is formed by the division position signal and the character signal. 8 turns are specified.

In short, the size of the unit storage area 11E is the size of the printer 14.
It is determined to correspond to the greatest common divisor of the various character widths that can be used in , or its integer fraction (i.e., common divisor), and in this example, it is determined to correspond to the width of 1/60 inch of the printed character width. There is.

The controller 12 is connected to the DMA controller 13C and the printer 14 via a path 105, and is connected to the host machine 1.
It has a function of controlling the operation of each part so that the data from 0 is outputted to the printer 14 in a good manner. The controller 12 connects the PS, which is part of the control unit, by a path 103.
It is connected to the character width storage ROM 16 and according to a print mode signal (for example, specifying proportional printing or fixed pitch printing) transferred from the host machine 10,
The character width specified by the corresponding character signal is determined, and the character width storage ROM 16 converts the print mode signal into a division position signal, which is then transmitted to the character width control unit 11.
It has the function of storing data in B.

The character/mother turn forming unit 13 has an interface 13D connected to the line buffer 11 by a path 104, a DMA controller 13C connected to the controller 12 and the printer 14 by a path 105, and a DMA controller 13C connected to the line buffer 11 by a path 104.
The font memory 13A has a PS font memory 13A and a fixed pitch font memory 13B connected by 06 and 107.

13B is directly accessed.

In the PS font memory 13A, for example, the dot/soturn shown in FIG.
1B, font memories 13A, 13A, 13B, in which dots and patterns suitably designated as fixed pitches among fonts 3 to 3 (C) are similarly divided and stored, for example.
B are connected to the printer 14 by paths 108A and 108B, respectively, so that the dot pattern described above is output to the printer 14.

The DMA controller 13C stores the font memory 13A according to instructions from the controller 12.

13B and outputs a readout signal to the selected font memory.

Next, the overall operation of the above embodiment will be explained. The outline of this operation is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

First, the controller 12 determines whether there is data in the line buffer 10 (see 501 in FIG. 5), and when it becomes empty, a data request is made to the host machine 10 (see 502 in FIG. 5). ). In response to this request, the host machine 10 sends position data DX indicating the position of the character to be printed in the main scanning direction X (see ω in FIG. 2), position data DY indicating the position in the sub scanning direction Y, and The print data DC regarding the characters to be written are transferred in order while performing a certain exchange confirmation. This print data DC includes the character signal and signals related to the character signal, particularly a print mode signal. That is, the print data DC specifies the character to be printed and its character width, the position data DX determines the position in the main scanning direction The position in the sub-scanning direction Y is determined. Note that when all the data has been accumulated in the line buffer 11, it is determined that the next data is data on a new line with a line break, the line buffer 11 is closed, and the following operations are performed (see 503 and 504 in Figure 5). .

To explain the above operation in detail, the controller 12 determines the print mode based on the print mode signal, and in the case of proportional printing, receives corresponding data from the PS character width storage ROM 16 using the character signal as an address and determines the character width. . Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the controller 12 stores the character signal of the print data DC in the character section 11AK of the line buffer 11, and stores the division position signal corresponding to the character width in the character width control section 11B. The above operations are performed for each unit storage area.

Note that when it is determined that the fixed pitch mode is selected based on the print mode signal, the division position signal is stored in the character width control section 11B by the controller 12 according to the corresponding pitch. In the case of fixed pitch, the character width does not change depending on the character, so PS character width storage ROM 1
6-like memory is not required.

Next, the controller 12 determines whether or not the printer 14 is ready for output (see 505 in FIG. 5), and then uses the DMA
from the line buffer 11 to the interface 1 according to the timing of the transfer request signal output by the controller 13C.
Print data DC is sent to the font memory 13A via 3D.

13B (see 506 in FIG. 5). At this time, by configuring the interface 13D as a toggle latch type, the time from one data transfer to the next data transfer can be shortened, and data transfer can be performed without interruption.

On the other hand, in the case of proportional printing mode, DMA
The PS font memory 13A is selected by the controller 13 CK, J, and the transfer timing signal from the printer 14 is input to the PS font memory 13A via the DMA controller 13C, and the pitch is changed according to the timing of this signal. Output information for minutes.

To explain in detail, first, which printing position among the negative digits of printing is determined by the storage position in the line buffer 11. The character is determined by the character signal in the character section 11A of the line i< buffer 11. Next, the division position in the character width is determined by the division position signal in the character width control section 11B. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 υ) and FIG. 4, the dot pattern to be printed at the address or +7 is determined by the combination of these signals. Therefore, by accessing the PS font memory 13A using these signals as addresses,
No. and turn data are output from the ps font memory 13A for each unit storage area 11E of the line buffer 11, and predetermined printing is performed by the printer 14.

After the above operations have been performed for all data for one digit of the line buffer 11, the line buffer 11 is emptied and is ready for data transfer from the host machine 10 in the next line (507 in FIG. 5). .508).

In addition, in the above embodiment, if printing is to be performed with another character width, a font memory in which the corresponding dora) i9 turn is stored is added to each unit storage area 11E for the character width. good.

Next, a second embodiment of the character pattern generating device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment.

In this figure, a host machine 60 that outputs print data is connected to a line buffer 61 and a controller 62 via predetermined paths 161 and 162. Of these, the line buffer 61 has a character section 61A and a character width control section 61B similar to those in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7(B), and a plurality of font memories 63A to be described later. It has a font flag section 61C that specifies any one of font flags 61C to 63C. In addition,) in Fig. 7 is
This is shown corresponding to FIG. 4 above.

Next, the controller 62 has a function of controlling the operation of each part so that the data from the host machine 60 is outputted to the printer 14 in a good manner. The font flag section 61CK has a function of storing font flags according to the font temporary flags included in the signals related to the signals.

The character pattern forming section 63 is connected to the line mapper 61 by an interface 63 via a path 164.
D, controller 62, printer 64, and path 165
DMA controller 63E, connected by!
:, interface 63D and DMA controller a
az has font memories 63A to 63C connected by nozzles 166 and 167. The character pattern forming section 63 has an OR circuit 63F',
This OR circuit 68F is connected to the font memories 63A to 68C by paths 168A to 168C, and to the serial number 64 by a path 169.

Among the font memories 63A to 63C, the first font memory 63A stores, for example, dot patterns of thin characters and normal character widths as shown in FIG. 7, as in the first embodiment. Font flag is "OO"
It is.

Next, the second font memo IJ63B has a normal character width and is bold, that is, 7I? - /IP turn is stored, and the specified font flag is "01". Further, the third font memory 63C stores a dot pattern of seven thin characters with a large character width, and the font flag for specifying it is "10". Note that the division position signal of the character width control section 61B is the same as in the first embodiment.

Therefore, if the data accumulation state of the line buffer 61 in the example shown in FIG. 7(G) is shown in the same manner as FIG. 4, it will be as shown in FIG. 7(B).

DMA controller 6: (Ec) has a function of receiving a font flag from the controller 62 and thereby selecting the font memory 63A to 63C that outputs a turn to a dot and turn, and also sends a control signal for reading dots and turns to the font memory IJ 63A to 63C.

Note that from the line buffer 61 to the interface 68D
When outputting data to the font memories 63A to 63C, a ROM 70 may be provided to store the start addresses of the font memories 63A to 63C. In particular, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the dot patterns stored in the font memories 68A to 63C have different character widths.
Upper address conversion of the output of the line buffer 61, DMA
There may be cases where it becomes difficult to access by specifying the lower address for reading by the controller 63E. In such a case, by providing the ROM 70, appropriate code/address conversion may be performed to obtain the upper address for accessing the font memory 6 (A to 63C.In this case, the upper address The DMA controller 63E may add the font memory address and the lower address for reading by the DMA controller 63E to obtain the font memory address.The same applies to the first embodiment.

Next, the overall operation of the second embodiment will be explained.

First, position data DX, DY is sent from the host machine 10 to the controller 62 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
, print data DC is transferred.

The print data DC includes the character set and the above font memo IJ.
Contains a font flag that specifies any one of 63A to 63C. This font flag may be transferred from the host machine 60 to the controller 62 for each character signal, but in this embodiment, it is transferred only when the designation of the font memories 63A to 68C is changed.

To explain the example shown in Figure 7), for the first ordinary character A t B t C, the first font memory 61A is specified and the font flag is "00". Therefore, the font flag "00" is transferred from the host machine 60 to the controller 62 together with the first A character signal, and this font flag is used as is for the next B and C character signals. Next, since the normal character C is followed by a bold character C, the font flag "
00” is the font flag transferred from the host machine 60.
01”.

This font flag is stored, for example, in the memory 62A in the controller 62 (hereinafter, this flag is referred to as a "temporary font flag" to be distinguished from the font flag stored in the line buffer 61).

Next, the accumulation of division position signals in the line buffer 61 in this embodiment will be explained.

In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, a print mode signal for specifying character width is not transferred from the host machine 60. The character width is specified by the font temporary flag.

To be more specific, one of the font memories 63A to 63C is designated by the font temporary flag.

On the other hand, dot patterns of different character widths are stored in the font memories 63A to 63G. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the first font memory 63A and the second font memory 63B have dot patterns of the same character width, whereas the dot patterns of the third font memory 63C have different character widths. It has become. Therefore, depending on the font temporary flag, the font memory 63A to 63C
The character width is determined by specifying one of them, and the corresponding division position signal is stored in the character width control section 61B of the line buffer 61 by the controller 62 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Note that the font flags stored in the font flag section 61C are
This is the same as the temporary font flag transferred from 0 and stored in the second memory 62A or changed (see FIG. 7(B)).

Next, when outputting data from the line buffer 61,
The font flag is transmitted via DMA via the controller 62.
It is manually operated by the controller 63E. The DMA controller 63FJ selects the font memory 6 according to the font flag.
Select one of 3A to 63C, and pattern data is output. For example, in the case of ordinary characters, pattern data is output from the first font memory 63A, and in the case of ordinary bold characters, turn data is output from the second font memory 63B. In the case of a character with a large character width, pattern data is output from the third font memory 63C.

These output turn data are output to the printer 64 via the OR circuit 63F, and printing as shown in FIG. 7(A) is performed on a predetermined paper PB.

In the second embodiment, font memories 63A to 63C for different fonts are provided, but if necessary, a plurality of font memories may be provided to enable printing in a variety of fonts. . When proportional printing is performed in this case, since the character width differs depending on each character, a ps character width storage ROM is provided in the controller 62 as shown in the first embodiment.

As explained above, the character pattern generation device according to the present invention has a memory circuit corresponding to a unit recording area in the output of a printer, and this memory circuit has a character width that changes depending on one or a combination of two or more. It has a plurality of unit storage areas corresponding to the recording area, and each unit storage area is formed by a first part for storing a character signal and a second part for storing a division position signal. Since we decided to perform printing by outputting dots and turns, even if the data output from the host machine is discontinuous, it is possible to continuously output data to the printer at a constant speed, which eliminates the problem of transfer speed. This has the excellent effect of easily compensating for continuity and being able to adequately cope with changes in character width.

Furthermore, since a plurality of font memories with different fonts are prepared and a font flag for selecting one of them is stored in the second part to output a dot pattern, even in one line, various fonts can be used. This has the effect that printing can be performed continuously and satisfactorily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a character pattern generating device according to the present invention, FIGS. 2(A) to C) are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of a line buffer, and FIGS. 3(A) to (D) is an explanatory diagram showing examples of zo-turns in various character widths, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the storage state of print data in line and buffer, Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an overview of the operation, and Fig. 6 is A block diagram showing a second embodiment of the character and turn generation device according to the present invention. FIGS. 7(A) and 7(13) are explanatory diagrams showing printing examples and the storage state of the corresponding line buffer. 10.60...Hoss) machine, 11.61...Line buffer, 11A, 61A...Character section, 11B, 61B...Character control section, 61C...Font flag section, 12.62. ...Controller, 13.63...Character pattern generation section, 13A, 13B
, 63A, 63B, 63C... font memory, 13
C, 64E...DMA controller, 14.64...
・Printer, 16...ps character width storage ROM.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A character/guttern forming section that outputs pattern data constituting the character based on a character signal indicating a character to be printed on a near 'lJ printer and a signal related to the character signal;
and a control section for controlling the character/guttern forming section, the device having a memory circuit corresponding to a unit recording area in the output of the printer, and the memory circuit having a plurality of memory circuits. a unit storage area, the unit storage area is made to correspond to a printing unit whose character width changes in the output of the printer by combining one or more of the unit storage areas, and the unit storage area is a first storage area that stores character signals; part and
and a second part that stores a division position signal, and the character/guttern forming section has a font memory that stores pattern data divided in correspondence with the unit storage area, and the control A character pattern generating device characterized in that a part stores the division position signal in the second part according to a signal related to the character signal. 2. A character pattern forming section that outputs pattern data constituting the character based on a character signal indicating a character to be printed on the printer and a signal related to the character signal, and a control section that controls the character pattern forming section. In the character pattern generation device, the device has a memory circuit corresponding to a unit recording area in the output of the printer, the memory circuit has a plurality of unit storage areas, and the unit storage area has one or two or more unit storage areas. 2, the unit storage area corresponds to a printing unit in which the character width changes in the output of the printer, and the unit storage area includes a first portion for storing a character signal;
a second part that stores a division position signal and a font flag; The control unit has a font memory, and the control unit stores the division position signal in the second portion according to a signal related to the character signal, and selects a font memory for outputting pattern data based on the font flag. A character/guturn generator that is characterized by the following.