JPS6136832A - Print information controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the speed of a KANJI (Chinese characters) printer, etc. and also to reduce the capacity of a font buffer, by shifting the necessary characters and marks to the font buffer of a high speed and small capacity from a font memory of a low speed and large capacity and deleting the undesired characters and marks. CONSTITUTION:A character control part 121 receives character and mark codes from an input data buffer 110 and decides the correspondence with the character and mark codes and the type style numbers of a font pattern registered to a font control table 125 and stored in a font buffer 150. When no correspondence is secured, the record contents of the divided areas are deleted from the oldest page and line numbers. Then the character/mark codes, type style number, page number and line number required by the type style to be registered are written. Then an index is registered on a read table 126, and the font pattern is stored in the buffer 150 from a memory 140 of a low speed and large capacity based on the information on the characters of the table 126.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a high-speed printing information control device for characters, symbols, etc. In particular, when receiving signals from electronic computers, etc.
The present invention relates to an inexpensive information control device that efficiently outputs various characters, symbols, etc. to a printer at high speed.

These characters and symbols include kanji, katakana, hiragana, alphabets, numbers, and many other symbols, including many fonts such as Mincho and Gothic.
In addition, each typeface is suitable when there are many types of characters, and the present invention is suitable for printing these on the same page with a number of dots (hereinafter referred to as pattern length) corresponding to each character/symbol. Regarding a control device.

[Conventional technology]

Devices that handle various characters and symbols, such as kanji printers, handle many kanji, and the pattern of a single kanji character contains a large amount of information, so in order to memorize that pattern, a large-capacity storage device is required. Requires.

Such storage means include those capable of high-speed operation such as IC memory and wire memory, and those capable of low-speed operation and large capacity such as disk memory and drum memory. If the former is used, it is possible to read out kanji patterns at high speed and print them at high speed, but on the other hand, it becomes extremely expensive if it is provided with many fonts and character types. When the latter is used, the memory is inexpensive, but the reading speed is slow, and as a result, the recording speed of the printer becomes extremely slow.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, only the characters and symbols of the necessary font are transferred from the slow, large capacity font memory to the fast, small capacity buffer memory for each page to be printed, and the fonts of unnecessary characters and symbols are moved. , we have taken measures to remove it from this buffer memory (%Kasho 54-6052)
4, Special Publication No. 51-28371).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, when handling a large number of typefaces, it is necessary to have a large number of expensive high-speed memories if buffer memories are individually assigned to each typeface with a different pattern length. Also, if characters and symbols are replaced by each page to be printed, a font buffer is required, which is the buffer memory necessary to output the entire text of one page.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-60524).

If characters can be replaced at high speed on a line-by-line basis rather than on a page-by-page basis, the capacity of the font buffer can be significantly reduced, which is extremely advantageous in terms of cost.

[Means for solving problems]

In view of these problems, the present invention moves necessary characters and symbols from a slow, large-capacity font memory to a high-speed, small-capacity font buffer, and deletes unnecessary characters and symbols from the buffer memory. Furthermore, various typefaces with different turn lengths can be managed simultaneously within the same font buffer, and character/symbol replacement targets can be managed on a line-by-line basis, thereby speeding up kanji printers and reducing the size of the font buffer. The aim is to make it cheaper.

The first means of the present invention is to replace the pattern (font pattern) for characters and symbols on a line-by-line basis. Mincho font and 64x64
The third method is to process multiple typefaces, such as dot Gothic, within the same font buffer.The third method is to incorporate the concept of basic typefaces in which characters and symbols are exchanged, so that each typeface is processed as a unit (basic typeface). unit). Here, the basic font is the font most frequently used in general; for example, the 32x32 dot Mincho font is the basic font.

In order for these means to perform their functions,
A management department was established.

As a result of adopting the three methods described above and the management section that manages them, the font buffer has a small capacity, but
By pre-processing the information to be printed, it has become possible to provide printing information to the printer continuously or virtually continuously at high speed.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained below with reference to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment.

Reference numeral 100 is, for example, an electronic computer that outputs data to be printed, and reference numeral 10 is an input data buffer that temporarily stores the information to be printed.

The input data consists of code strings such as typeface codes, character/symbol codes, line feed codes, and character position codes.

120 is a character management section 121 that converts the input data from the input data buffer 110 in a management section that manages the flow of information and outputs it to the internal code buffer 130, and reads data from the internal code buffer 130; A dot data management section 122 that outputs font pattern information in the font buffer 150 accordingly. and a management table 123 used in the management unit 120,
The management table 123 includes a font table 124, a font management table 125, and a readout table 126. The internal code buffer 130 temporarily stores data to be sent from the management section 121 to the dot data management section 122, and 140 is a magnetic drum or the like, and serves as a font memory for storing font patterns of characters and symbols. The font buffer 150, which is a functioning low-speed large-capacity storage device, receives and temporarily stores font patterns of necessary characters and symbols based on instructions from the character management section 121. An image output unit 170 receives the font pattern from the dot data management unit 122 in the management unit 120 and outputs an image.
This is a printer that prints images of characters and symbols based on input from the printer 60.

The character management unit 121 that receives the input data from the input data buffer 110 recognizes the basic font from the font code included in the input data at the beginning of the pages to be successively printed. Therefore, the capacity of the font buffer 150 is divided by the pattern length of the basic font (the number of dots that make up the pattern of the basic font), and the number of basic font patterns that can be stored in the font buffer 150 is determined by the maximum storage capacity, which is the number of storage spaces. calculate numbers.

Next, the character management unit 121 refers to the font table 124 to find out how many storage units are required for all the fonts to be used, each having the pattern length of the basic font as one unit.

If this calculation yields a value below the decimal point, round it up.

All font patterns of characters and symbols from the low-speed mass storage device 140 are replaced in the font buffer 150 using the pattern length of this basic font as a reference unit, and the font patterns of each font are replaced. The character management unit 121 processes all the input code strings by referring to the font management table 125 corresponding to the hanger number assigned to each hanger obtained by dividing the font buffer 150 into the maximum storage number.

The font management table 125 includes font banner 1
The character/symbol code, font number, page number, and line number of the font pattern stored in
When a symbol code is received, it is determined whether it corresponds to a character, symbol, or font number that has already been registered in the font management table 125, and if it is registered, it is added to that table. index (index number)
is output to the internal code buffer 130.

If the corresponding typeface is not registered, search the page number and line number and start with the oldest page number, and if it is on the same page, start with the oldest line number, then search for the basic font required by the font to be registered. The recorded contents of the divided areas (divided areas) in the font management table 125 corresponding to the multiple (number of hangars) of the pattern length are removed, and the character/symbol codes and fonts required by the typeface to be registered there are recorded. The number, page number, line number, etc. are written, and the index is output to the internal code buffer 130, and at the same time, it is also registered in the bladder extraction table 126 from which the contents of the low-speed mass storage device 140 are read.

Although it is possible to delete the recorded contents of the section area in the font management table 125 up to the characters in the line before the line that has already been printed by the printer 170, it is not possible to delete the recorded contents of the line currently being printed and the subsequent lines. Cannot be done 0 Therefore, if this expulsion operation is not possible and the registration operation to register a new character/symbol cannot be performed, the conversion operation in which the old one is converted to the new one by this expulsion operation and registration operation is canceled and the conversion operation is continued. The character management unit 121 instructs the low-speed large-capacity storage device 140 about information on characters that have already been registered in the readout table 126, such as the font number, character/symbol code, and the hangar number of the hanger to be stored in the font buffer 150. , based on the instruction, the font pattern for a certain character that has already been registered in the table 126 is stored in the font buffer 1 from the low-speed mass storage device 140.
50.

The condition for discontinuing the conversion operation of the input data occurs not only in the above case, but also when the conversion of the last line of the page to be printed is completed. Due to this interruption, the font pattern associated with the character that has already been registered in the readout table 126 is stored in the font buffer 150 in the same manner as described above.

By operating in this way, the font buffer 15
0 is large enough that conversion operations can be performed continuously for several pages ahead, it is possible to avoid unnecessarily delaying the start of the printing operation for the first page, and at the same time to avoid unnecessarily delaying the start of the first page printing operation. In printers such as those capable of printing on paper, the time between recording pages can be effectively used as a reserve time for reading font patterns from the low-speed mass storage device 140 to the font buffer 150.

Therefore, the character management unit 121, which receives the input data from the tufa 110, recognizes the basic font from the font code included in the input data at the beginning of the pages to be printed continuously from now on, and repeats the above-mentioned operation. .

Immediately after the above storage operation is completed, the character management unit 121
is notified to the dot data management section 122. Upon receiving this notification, the dot data management section 122 fetches the data from the internal code buffer 130, extracts the font pattern from the address (hanger number) of the font buffer 150 indicated therein, and transfers it to the image output section 160. Then, the printer 170 prints it.0 Once printing has started, the image output unit 160 notifies the character management unit 121 every time one line is printed, and the character management unit 121 then determines which line is currently being printed. The character management unit 121 and the dot data management unit 122 operate in so-called real-time, which operates immediately upon input. The sum of the time T1 required for the conversion operation and the time T2 required for the storage operation performed after the conversion operation is stopped is the time Ts (-T+) required for the printer 170 to print the first to nth lines. 10T2), the operation of the character management section 121 is always the same as that of the printer 17.
If it precedes the print operation of 0 by n lines, this 1
The characters in lines .about.n are not subject to the expelling operation, and the printing operation of the printer 170 is completely continuous. In order to do this, it is sufficient to have a font buffer 150 having a capacity that can store the font patterns of the characters for lines 1 to n and the n+1 line currently undergoing the conversion operation, that is, the n+1 line.

The dot management section 122 reads a font pattern from the font buffer 150 and transfers it to an image output section having image memory for several lines. Image output section 16
0 is scan-converted into data for each line of the font pattern written in this image memory and sent to the printer 170.
Output to. The printer 170 performs dot printing in response to 1'' of data sent every 12 inches.

Although the overall operation of the print information control device according to the present invention has been described above, the operation of the character management section 121, which characterizes the operation of the present invention, is further explained using the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2A to 2E and FIGS. 3A to 3A. This will be explained using the management table shown in Figure 3F. In the following, characters and symbols will be explained using kanji as a representative example. It is assumed that the capacity of the font buffer 150 is 1 kilobyte, and that there are four types of font numbers as shown in Table 1.

(Table 1) Font number 1 16X32 Dot font number 2
32X32 Dot font number 3 48X48
Dot font number 4 64X64 Regarding the dot font table 124, the font table 124 has 7 times the basic font for each typeface.
The number of hangars in the Ontoba software 50 is managed.

(Table 2) Performance is basic typeface 1
16x32 64 1* 2 32x32 128 1
3 48X48 288 34
64X64 512 4
When an instruction to use font number 2 as the basic font is received from the character management unit 121 (BOXI), 1 byte is 8
Typeface number 2, which consists of pits and requires 32x32 dots, has a pattern length of 128 bytes (32x32 bits), which is the basic typeface unit. Since the value obtained by dividing 1 kilobyte, which is the capacity of the font buffer, by 128 bytes, which is the basic font unit, is 8, the font buffer is divided into 8 parts and managed as 8 storages.

The number of multiples of the basic font unit for each font is calculated, the fraction is set to 1, and storage for that number is provided, and this is managed by the font table 124 shown in Table 2.

There are two ways to decide which typeface to use.

The first is that when creating a document using a word processor or electronic computer, the basic font is the font used in the text, rather than the large font used in the title of the document, and the control code or operation panel is used as the basic font. This is the method specified above.

The second method is to calculate the number of characters used for each typeface used on a word processor or calculator while creating a document.
This method uses the most frequently used typeface, for example, the 32x32 dot Mincho typeface, as the basic typeface.

Regarding the font management table 125, the functions of the font management table 125 will be explained using FIGS. 3A to 3F.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the font management table 125 is divided into eight sections indicated by indexes 1 to 8, and each section corresponds to the font buffer 150.
There is a one-to-one correspondence with the eight hangars, and each division manages each hangar. 7 Ont management table 125
Then, the character code, font number, page number, line number,
Flags are managed for each area. Therefore, when the font number of the basic font changes, the contents of the font management table 125 are changed, and the contents of the font buffer 150 are also changed.

Enter the character/symbol code in the character/symbol code column, enter the font number of the character in the font number column, and enter the page number and line number in which the character is used in the page number and line number columns.

Therefore, to determine whether or not the 7-onto pattern of a character/symbol to be printed has already been registered in the font buffer 150, read the character/symbol code and font number of the character (BOX 2), and check the character/symbol code field. and the font number field at the same time, and if both fields are equal to what was read,
This means that it has already been registered in the font buffer 150 (BOX3-Y).

If it is a registered character (BOX 9), page number (B
OX31) Update the line number (BOX32) and output the index of the font management table 125 to the internal code buffer 130 by the character management unit 121.BOX33
．． BOXI2) and are registered in the read table 126 at the same time. This index also matches the hangar number of the font buffer 150.

If the font management table is searched and there is no one with the same character/symbol code and font number, this indicates that the font pattern of that character is not stored in the font buffer 150 (BOX3-N). In this case, it is necessary to decide on unnecessary characters and remove them from 7ontobatsu7a150 to create a vacant hangar. The page number field and line number field are used to manage this deletion.

First, determine whether there are the required number of sections with page numbers older than the page currently being printed.Box 4) Replace them in order from the oldest one.
BOXIO, BOX41-49).

If there are not as many sections with page numbers older than the page currently being printed as there are required (BOX 4-
N), expels and replaces the section with the line number before the currently printed line number (BO
Xll, BOX51-58). In this case as well, the rows are replaced in order starting from the oldest row number.

This procedure is based on the empirical rule that there is a high probability that a previously printed character will be printed again immediately after.

When the character management unit 121 determines a character to be removed, it updates the item of the corresponding partition area, outputs its index to the internal code buffer 130 (BOX 12), and registers it in the read table 126 at the same time.

The conversion operation that performs the expulsion operation of old characters and the registration operation of registering new characters after that explained above has a third function.
There are two operations shown in Figures B and 3C.

Now, the same six characters are registered in each of Figures 3B and 3C.

Each font pattern is stored in a hangar of the font buffer 150 divided into basic font units according to the hangar number. Even if there is a fraction in the basic typeface unit, round it up to 1
Unit. That is, although the character of the font number 1 in the character/symbol code 302 is less than one unit, one hangar is used. The character with the font number 3 in the character/symbol code 301 uses three hangars because it exceeds two units. In this case, in FIG. 3B, they are stored consecutively with hangar number 4.5.6, and in FIG. 3C, they are stored in a distributed manner with hangar number 4.7.8.

Although continuous storage facilitates reading from slow mass storage 140 and outputting font patterns from font buffer 150, the need for continuous storage results in poor utilization in font buffer 150. Distributed storage, on the other hand, requires more complicated processing, but because it allows you to use any vacant space in the hangar,
The efficiency of using Ontonokutufa 150 is good. Both continuous and distributed storage can be used in the device according to the invention.

Figure 3B shows the case of continuous storage, so a flag is not necessary, but Figure 3C shows the case of distributed storage, so the flag column is used to store fonts and graphics that are distributed and stored in multiple storages. It is managed by linking turns with flags and storing them in order from the lowest hangar number to the highest. If the character/symbol code in Figure 3C is 301 and the font number is 3, the 7 lug 7 of index 4 indicates that the following hangar number is 7, and the flag 8 of index 7 indicates that the following hangar number is 8. 7 lag 0 at index 8 indicates that there is no subsequent hangar.

In Figures 3B and 3C, when the character/symbol code is 301 and the font number is 3, multiple division areas are used, but the character/symbol code column is filled with the one with the smaller index number (see Figure 3B). In this case, the character/symbol code is only attached to index 4 (also index 4 in Fig. 3C), and in the following section (indexes 5 and 6 in Fig. 3B and index 7.8 in Fig. 3C), The character/symbol code column is marked with 0 indicating information other than the character/symbol code.

For example, in Figure 3B, index 5
, 6 in the character/symbol code field is 3, same as index 4.
If a character/symbol code of 01 is attached, the index is 5. Or maybe 6, which does not form a letter by itself, K?
However, if the character/symbol code is 301 and the font number is 30 characters, an error will occur where index 5 or 6 is searched, so to prevent this, add the character/symbol code only to the character/symbol code field of the smallest index. That's what I'm doing.

In this way, it is possible to search for a predetermined font pattern as indicated by the flags in ascending order of index.

The read table 126 is a table that stores information for reading seven font patterns that are not stored in the font buffer 150 from the low-speed mass storage device 140.

In this reading, characters that are not stored in the font buffer 150 are read out all at once using this table.
OX6), performs replacement processing (BOX?).

Taking into account the storage state of the font patterns stored in the low-speed mass storage device 140, the character management unit 121 edits the data in the readout table 126 to increase the readout speed from the low-speed mass storage device 140. Maximize it. As a result, reading and storing of the font pattern from the low-speed capacity storage device 140 to the font buffer 150 is performed quickly.

Here, the reading table is constructed as shown in FIG. 4, and the reading information for each character includes a flag, a font number, a character/symbol code, and a hangar number.

Regarding the conversion operation, FIGS. 3D to 3F show the conversion operation of converting the old contents into new ones by expelling the old contents recorded in each section of the font management table 125 and registering the new ones. Explain using.

Font management table 125 and font buffer 1
The information shown in FIG. 3C is recorded in 50, and currently page number 2, line number 3 is being printed, and the input data to the character management section 121 is page number 2, line number 10. shall be.

1) When there is input data for font number 2 and character/symbol code 303, it has already been registered in index 5 (BOX 3, BOX 9) in Figure 3C, and the page number is old, so the character management unit 121 stores the page number. and line number 3
The index 5 is updated as shown in FIG. D and outputted to the internal code buffer 130.

(BOX
3-N), the character management unit 121 searches for pages older than the page number 2 currently being printed, updates the contents of the initially searched section area of index 1 as shown in FIG. 3E, and updates index 1. It is output to the internal code buffer 130 (BOX12).

(BOX
3-N), since font number 4 has a basic font unit of 4 and uses 4 hangars (Table 2), it also requires 4 division areas, and currently page number 20 line number 3 is being printed. ,
The character management section 121 has indexes 2, 3, and 4 in FIG. 3E.
．． Update the contents of section 7 (BOX5.BOXll)
) As shown in FIG. 3F, output KL and index 2 to the internal code buffer 130 (BOXI2).

4) Next, if there is input data with font number 3 and character/symbol code 301, the basic font unit is 3 and 3 hangars are used (Table 2), so 3 partition areas are also required. , because line number 3 of page number 2 is currently being printed,
In FIG. 3F, there is no old page number and only the old line number 2 is at index 8, so the partition area is insufficient (BOX5-N). Therefore, the low-speed mass storage device 140
Based on the data already registered in the readout table 126, the font pattern is read out according to instructions from the character management section 121 (BOX6) and stored in the font buffer 150 (BOX?). When this storage is completed and the line is advanced by the print operation, the conversion operation can be performed again (Box 7).

Regarding input data buffer 110 and internal code buffer 130, input data buffer 110 and internal code buffer 1
Examples of the content of data temporarily stored at 30 are shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively. As is clear from the figure, information about the font pattern, i.e.
It includes not only character/symbol codes and font numbers, but also character pitch, character position, line feed code, etc.

When codes related to typefaces other than these character/symbol codes, such as character pitch, character position, line feed code, page break code, etc., are input from the input data bath sofa 110 to the character management unit 121 (BOXI), read them (BOXI).
BOX2-N, BOX8), please set the font number for the font-related code BOX21゜BOX27),
In the same way, read line feed codes, page break codes, etc. (
BOX22. Box 23), set line numbers, page numbers, etc. to these, and store them in the internal code buffer.

130 stores the font number, line number, page number, etc. (BOX24 to BOX29).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, this device manages down to the line unit, and the low-speed mass storage device 140
If the reading speed of the font buffer 150 is extremely slow compared to the speed of the printer 170, a large capacity font buffer 150 is required; font buffer 150.

By having one page's worth of image memory in the image output section 160, the display can easily be used as a display for outputting characters including many fonts.

Furthermore, in conventional devices, font patterns in the font buffer are replaced in fixed units, and once the system is designed, it can only be replaced in that unit.

On the other hand, according to the device according to the present invention, it is possible to set a basic typeface unit based on the concept of a basic typeface, and the most efficient basic typeface unit can also be arbitrarily selected. Since the font pattern can be replaced in units of fonts, it is possible to realize an extremely high-speed and efficient device.

Also, due to the characteristics of the hardware, 7 oz.
In some cases, continuity of font patterns, that is, physically continuous storage is required, and this requirement can be satisfactorily met by the above-mentioned continuous storage.

Furthermore, the reason why many typefaces can now be stored in the same font buffer without requiring many font buffers is because the basic typeface unit that characterizes the present invention allows for efficient processing. The effect that makes it extremely easy to process many typefaces is the dog.

Cache memory used in electronic computers, etc. (References: For example, Information Processing Handbook, pages 13-57,
(editor: Information Processing Society of Japan, publisher: Ohmsha, publication date: May 30, 1972) requires real addresses and real data, whereas this device requires information about font patterns, etc., which are real addresses and real data. need only be processed before printing, so it does not need to exist in the font buffer 150 when performing a conversion operation including a purge operation and a registration operation. Because it performs the conversion operation prior to printing, the time required for this can be predicted, and the font pattern can be stored in the font buffer at the optimal time without sacrificing printing time. be.

This device can be used not only in printing systems such as typesetting systems combined with word processors and electronic computers that require high-quality characters, but also in display systems that require high resolution.
This device has a wide range of applications and its effects are extremely large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, and 2E are flowcharts for explaining the operation of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C, FIG. 3D, FIG. 3E, and FIG. 3F are diagrams for explaining the font management table and font buffer, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the readout table. 5
Figure A is a diagram showing the contents of the input data buffer, and Figure 5B is a diagram showing the contents of the internal code buffer. 110... Input data buffer, 120... Management section,
121... Character management section, 122... Dot data management section, 123... Management table, 124... Font table, 125... Font management table, 126...
. . . Read table, 130 . . . Internal code buffer, 140 . . . Low-speed mass storage device, 150 . . . Font buffer, 160 .

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) Input data buffer means for temporarily storing input data, low-speed large-capacity storage means for storing font patterns of characters and symbols, and receiving and temporarily storing required font patterns from the low-speed large-capacity storage means. a font buffer means for storing data, a management means including a character management section, a dot data management section, and a management table operated by input data from the input data buffer means; and an internal code buffer for temporarily storing internal codes in the management means. and image output means for receiving a font pattern temporarily stored in the font buffer means and outputting an image signal according to an instruction from the management means, wherein the management table is a font table, a font management Including table, read table,
Print information characterized in that the character management unit manages the font management table to process font patterns in units of basic fonts, and the font buffer means sets a storage in units of basic fonts. Control device. (2) The character management unit manages a font pattern representing one character/symbol to be stored in consecutive hangars when the hangar stores font patterns in units of basic typefaces. The print information control device according to item 1. (3) The character management unit manages the font pattern representing one character/symbol to be stored in separate hangars when the hangar stores font patterns in units of basic typefaces. The print information control device according to item 1. (4) The character management unit manages font patterns representing one character/symbol to be stored in consecutive or dispersed hangars when the hangar stores font patterns in units of basic typefaces. Range 1
Print information control device described in Section 2. (5) The management means performs a purge operation to purge old recorded contents from a partitioned area provided corresponding to the hangar in the font management table and new characters and
2. The print information control device according to claim 1, wherein not only pages but also lines are managed as targets for conversion operations including registration operations for registering symbols. (6) The print information control device according to claim 1, wherein the management table is capable of specifying a font pattern based on a character/symbol code and a font number. (7) The print information control device according to claim 1, wherein the management means manages the most frequently used typeface as the basic typeface. (8) When a font pattern representing one character/symbol is distributed and stored in multiple hangars, the character management section links the partitioned areas of the font management table corresponding to each hangar with a flag. The print information control device according to claim 3 or 4, which manages the print information.