JP2003175646A - Printing controller, printing control method, storage medium, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently process to test print only necessary output items based on a registered language by registering fonts of the arbitrary language used for environmental variables of a printer within an appropriate quantity of a memory capacity. <P>SOLUTION: In accordance with the language set by a user, font data for printing printing-setting environmental information is registered with ID information into an external memory 14. Output designation information for designating an environmental information candidate to be outputted among the printing- setting environmental information stored in the external memory 14 is obtained from received information received from a host computer 3000. A CPU 12 reads out printing-setting environment item data designated to be outputted from the external memory 14 on the basis of the obtained output designation information and makes a printing part 17 print the data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print control apparatus, a print control method, a storage medium, and a program for analyzing print information that is input and performing print processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printing apparatus having a print control device takes in print information supplied from a host computer via a predetermined interface, analyzes the print information, and outputs it in a predetermined form.

At this time, various environmental variables can be set in the printing apparatus, and the user can perform the setting through the panel operation,
It is configured so that it can be changed by data transmission from the host, and the changed value of the environment variable can be confirmed by information output by test printing or the like by operating the panel of the printing apparatus.

Conventionally, as the values of the environment variables displayed in those test prints, existing fonts such as font ROM built in the printing apparatus are used.

Further, when the environment variables are output, information unnecessary for the user may be output as a plurality of pages as output information.

[0006]

However, if the printer does not have built-in fonts or if it is desired to display environment variables in each country's language, it is necessary to incorporate all of those fonts in terms of memory capacity and cost. Things will be difficult.

[0007] Further, there is a problem in that information of environment variables that is not needed by the user is displayed and that it is printed over a plurality of pages, which wastes resources.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to set font data for printing print setting environment information according to a language set by a user. Is registered in the storage device together with the ID information, and output designation information for designating environment information candidates to be output from the print setting environment information stored in the storage device is received from the reception information received from the external device. The print setting environment item data to be output, which is specified from the storage device, is acquired based on the acquired output specification information and is printed by the printing unit to be used as an environment variable of the printing device. Store any source language font in an appropriate amount of memory and register it.
It is to provide a print control device, a print control method, a storage medium, and a program that are capable of efficiently performing test print processing on only required output items based on the registered language.

A second object is to notify the external device of the print setting environment item data read from the storage device when it is determined that the ID information designating the environment variable is acquired from the external device. (EN) Provided are a print control device, a print control method, a storage medium, and a program by which a user of an external device can freely create font registration data for outputting print setting environment item data.

[0010]

A first aspect of the present invention is a print control apparatus having a communication means for communicating with an external device, wherein print setting environment information is printed according to a language set by a user. A registration unit (corresponding to the functional processing of the CPU 12 shown in FIG. 2) for registering the font data for performing the processing together with the ID information, and the reception information received from the external device by the communication unit are stored in the storage device. Obtaining means for obtaining output designation information for designating environment information candidates to be output from the print setting environment information (corresponding to the functional processing of the CPU 12 shown in FIG. 2).
And output control means for reading out the print setting environment item data to be output designated from the storage device based on the output designation information obtained by the obtaining means and causing the printing section to print the data (the CPU 12 shown in FIG. (Corresponding to functional processing) and.

A second invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the output designation information can designate a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information.

A third invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the output designation information can designate a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information by ID information.

A fourth invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the ID information includes numerical values and variables.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the print setting environment item data output by the output control means includes environment variable item name character data, numeric data representing a numerical value, and environment variable item name character data. It is characterized in that it is either name data for the value of the variable or item name character data for the environment variable.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is an external device (host computer 30 shown in FIG. 2) via the communication means.
(Corresponding to 00), a judgment means (CPU shown in FIG. 2) for judging whether or not ID information designating an environment variable is acquired.
(Corresponding to 12 functional processing), and the I
When it is determined that the D information has been acquired, a notification unit for notifying the external device of the print setting environment item data read from the storage device is provided.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is a print control method for a print control device having a communication means for communicating with an external device, for printing the print setting environment information according to a language set by a user. A registration step (not shown) for registering the font data of the above together with the ID information in the storage device, and output from the print setting environment information stored in the storage device among the received information received from the external device by the communication means. Based on the acquisition step (step S11 shown in FIG. 4) of acquiring the output specification information that specifies the environment information candidate to be output, and the output specified information from the storage device based on the output specification information acquired by the acquisition step. Output control step of reading out the print setting environment item data to be printed and causing the printing section to print (step S1 shown in FIG. It characterized by having a ～S18) and.

An eighth invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the output designation information can designate a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information.

A ninth invention according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the output designation information, a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information can be designated by ID information.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the ID information includes numerical values and variables.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the print setting environment item data output by the output control step includes item name character data of environment variables, numerical value data representing numerical values, and item name character data of environment variables. It is characterized in that it is either name data for the value of the variable or item name character data for the environment variable.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is a judging step (step S21 shown in FIG. 6) for judging whether or not ID information designating an environment variable is acquired from an external device via the communication means. And a notification step (step S24 shown in FIG. 6) of notifying the external device of the print setting environment item data read from the storage device when it is determined by the determination step that the ID information is acquired. Is characterized by.

The thirteenth invention of the present invention is the seventh to first inventions.
A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for implementing the print control method according to the second aspect of the present invention.

The fourteenth invention according to the present invention is the seventh to first inventions.
It is a program for realizing the print control method of the second invention.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] Before describing the present embodiment, the configuration of a laser beam printer suitable for applying the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. It is needless to say that the printer to which the present embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer, and may be a printer of another printing method.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an output device to which the print control device according to the present invention can be applied. For example, a laser beam printer (LBP) is shown.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body (hereinafter referred to as a printer), which stores print information (character code or the like) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, a macro command, or the like. At the same time, a corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on the recording paper, which is a recording medium.

An operation panel 1012 is provided with switches for operation and an LED display. A printer control unit 1001 controls the entire printer 1000 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1002.

The laser driver 1002 is the semiconductor laser 1
This is a circuit for driving 003, and switches on / off the laser light 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to the input video signal. Then, the laser beam 1004 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 1005 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1006.

As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1007 arranged around the electrostatic drum 1006, and then transferred to a recording paper.
A cut sheet is used as this recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is a paper cassette 1008 mounted in the printer 1000.
And the paper feed roller 1009 and the transport roller 10
It is taken into the apparatus by 10 and the conveyance roller 1011 and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006.

Further, the printer 1000 is provided with at least one or more card slots (not shown) so that an optional font card and a control card (emulation card) having a different language can be connected in addition to the built-in font.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printer control system to which the print control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied. Here, a laser heme printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example. The functions of the present invention can be executed by a single device, a system including a plurality of devices, or a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN. It goes without saying that the invention can be applied.

In FIG. 2, a host computer 3000 is communicable via the input / output unit 18 of the printer 1000 via the one-way interface 21A.

In the printer 1000, 12 is a printer CPU (hereinafter, simply referred to as CPU), which is a system bus 15 based on a control program stored in a program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in an external memory 14. Accessing various devices connected to the printer is controlled comprehensively, and an image signal as output information is output to the printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected via the printing unit interface 16.

Further, the program ROM of the ROM 13
Includes a CPU 1 as shown in the flowchart of FIG.
The control program of No. 2 is stored.

In the case of a printer in which the data ROM of the ROM 13 does not have the external memory 14 such as a hard disk,
It stores information and the like used on the host computer.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, a work area, etc. of the CPU 12, and is constructed so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown).

The RAM 19 is an output information expansion area,
It is used as an environment data storage area, a character bitmap image data storage area, and the like. The hard disk (H
Access to the external memory 14 such as D) and IC card is controlled by a disk controller (DKC) 20.

The data processing operation by the printer control unit 1001 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the printing apparatus and the external apparatus having the above-mentioned configurations will be described below.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of font registration data registered in the external memory shown in FIG. 2, and corresponds to an example of font registration data for displaying environment variables in the present embodiment.

All the environment variables of the printer 1000 are assigned IDs, and the font registration data and the environment variables are associated with each other by assigning the IDs to the respective font registration data.

The registration data is stored in the external memory 14 such as a hard disk as it is.

As shown in FIG. 3, environment variable ID (1)
In contrast, the registration data is represented. Similar font registration data is prepared for all other environment variables such as the ID (2) of the other environment variables.

In this embodiment, one ID is assigned to each environment variable, and each environment variable has one or more setting items (item name, variable name). The output character pattern when set for each is stored as a registered character. A character code is assigned to each character, and when the same character pattern is used thereafter, only the character code is registered and the character pattern is not registered.

In particular, in a character (numerical) pattern representing a numeral, the same character code is assigned to other setting items so that they can be commonly used.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention, which corresponds to the data processing procedure by the printer control unit 1001. In addition, S11 to S18 indicate each step.

First, in step S11, it is determined whether or not the ID of the environment variable to be displayed is acquired. If it is determined that the ID is acquired, the value of the environment variable of the acquired ID is acquired in step S12.

Then, in step S13, it is determined whether or not the acquired value is a numerical value. If it is determined that the numerical value is a numerical value, in step S14 the acquired I
The item name character data of D and the numerical data representing its numerical value are read from the font registration data on the external memory 14 and written in a predetermined location of a page creation buffer (secured in the RAM 19 shown in FIG. 2). Then, step S
Return to 11.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S13 that the value of the acquired environment variable is not a numerical value, step S1
In 5, it is determined whether the value of the acquired environment variable is the value of the variable, and when it is determined that the value of the acquired environment variable is a variable, in step S16, the item name character data of the acquired ID and the environment The name data for the variable value of the variable is read from the font registration data, written in the page creation buffer, and the process returns to step S11.

On the other hand, if the value of the acquired environment variable is not a variable in step S15, only the item name character data of the environment variable is read from the font registration data and written in the page creation buffer in step S17. , And returns to step S11.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that the ID of the environment variable to be displayed cannot be acquired,
That is, when all the IDs of environment variables to be displayed are acquired,
In step S18, output processing is performed on the data written in the page creation buffer, and the processing ends.

In this embodiment, the items of the environment variables to be displayed are set for all the preset IDs. However, if the user registers the IDs of the environment variables to be displayed on the panel or the like. , Only the corresponding items selected by the user can be output.

[Second Embodiment] When a printing system is composed of a printing apparatus capable of bidirectional communication and a host computer, the host computer may notify the printing apparatus of information on environment variables to be output. Becomes possible,
Only the necessary font registration data can be created by the host and registered in the printing device. The embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing system to which the printing control apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be applied. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. is there. The printing system in this embodiment is
This corresponds to a system example in which the host computer 3000 and the printer 1000 can communicate with each other via the bidirectional interface 21B.

In the figure, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer, which executes document processing in which graphics, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets, etc.) are mixed based on a document processing program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 3. To do C
PU1 controls overall.

Further, the program ROM of the ROM 3
The ROM 3 stores a control program of the CPU 1 and the like.
The font ROM stores the font data used in the above document processing.

Reference numeral 2 is a RAM, which functions as a main memory and a work area of the CPU 1. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls key inputs from a keyboard (KB) 9 and a pointing device (not shown). 6 is C
The RT controller (CRTC) controls the display on the CRT display (CRT) 10.

7 is a disk controller (DKC),
Hard disk (HD), flexible disk (FD) that stores boot programs, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, etc.
Access to the external memory 11, etc. is controlled.

8 is a print controller (PRTC)
And a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 2
The communication control processing with the printer 1000 is executed via 1B.

The CPU 1 executes, for example, an outline font rasterizing process to the display information RAM set in the RAM 2, and the W on the CRT 10 is executed.
It enables YSIWYG. Further, the CPU 1 is C
Open various windows registered based on commands designated by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the RT10,
Performs various data processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention, which corresponds to the control processing procedure of the CPU 12 of the printer 1000 shown in FIG. Note that S21 to S24 indicate each step.

First, in step S21, the ID of the environment variable to be displayed is acquired. Then, in step S22, the font name and the character code necessary for outputting the name from the acquired environment variable ID to the environment variable are stored in the buffer for notifying the host computer.

Next, in step S23, the font name and character code necessary for displaying the value of the environment variable set in the printing apparatus are stored in the buffer for notifying the host computer.

After that, the processes of steps S22 to S23 are repeated until the IDs of all the environment variables displayed in step S21 are acquired.

When the processing of all environment variable IDs is completed in step S21, in step S24,
Information is stored in the computer notification buffer and notified to the host computer.

From the notified information, the host computer creates only the character patterns of the variables necessary for output in the font registration data as shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, and the created data is stored in the printer. Send.

In the printer 1000, the received font is stored in the external memory 14 such as a hard disk,
Environment variable output processing is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the font used as the environment variable of the printing device is registered, and the test data of the environment variable is output in the registered language,
Further, there is an effect that only the environment variable selected by the user can be output.

Further, according to the second embodiment, by notifying the host of the information of the environment variable, there is an effect that only the font registration data necessary for output can be created and registered by the host.

The configuration of the data processing program that can be read by the printing system to which the print control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied will be described below with reference to the memory map shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by a printing system to which the print control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

Although not particularly shown, information for managing the program group stored in the storage medium, such as version information, creator information, etc., and information dependent on the OS and the like on the program reading side, such as the program, are stored. In some cases, an icon or the like for identification display may be stored.

Further, the data dependent on various programs are also managed in the directory. In addition, a program for installing various programs in a computer, or a program for decompressing the program to be installed when it is compressed may be stored.

The functions shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 in this embodiment may be performed by the host computer by a program installed from the outside. And in that case, CD-ROM, flash memory, FD
The present invention can be applied to a case where an information group including a program is supplied to the output device from a storage medium such as the above or from an external storage medium via a network.

As described above, the storage medium storing the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MP of the system or apparatus is supplied.
It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by U) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, C
A D-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM, an EEPROM or the like can be used.

Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that this also includes the case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, The CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs a part or all of the actual processing,
It goes without saying that the processing includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized.

[0079]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention
According to the fourteenth invention, font data for printing the print setting environment information is registered in the storage device together with the ID information in accordance with the language set by the user, and the received information is received from the external device. From, from the print setting environment information stored in the storage device, to obtain the output specification information that specifies the environmental information candidate to be output,
Based on the acquired output designation information, the print setting environment item data to be output designated from the storage device is read out and printed by the printing unit, so that an arbitrary original language used for the environment variable of the printing device. The fonts can be stored in a proper amount of memory capacity and registered, and only the necessary output items can be efficiently subjected to test print processing based on the registered language.

In addition, I which designates an environment variable from an external device
When it is determined that the D information is acquired, the font for the user of the external device to output the print setting environmental item data by notifying the external device of the print setting environmental item data read from the storage device. This has the effect of being able to freely create registration data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an output device to which a print control device according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system to which the print control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of font registration data registered in the external memory shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a first data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a print system to which a print control apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a second data processing procedure in the print control apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a memory map of a storage medium that stores various data processing programs that can be read by a printing system to which the print control apparatus according to the present invention can be applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 CPU 13 ROM 14 External memory 17 Printing department 18 Input / output section 21A one-way interface 1000 printers 1001 printer control unit 1012 Operation panel

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A print control device having a communication means for communicating with an external device, wherein font data for printing print setting environment information is registered in a storage device together with ID information in accordance with a language set by a user. Registration means, and acquisition means for acquiring output designation information for designating environment information candidates to be output from print setting environment information stored in the storage device from reception information received from an external device by the communication means. And output control means for reading out print setting environment item data to be output designated from the storage device based on the output designation information acquired by the acquisition means and printing the print setting environment item data by the printing unit. And a print control device. 2. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output designation information can designate a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information. 3. The print control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output designation information is capable of designating a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information by ID information. 4. The print control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ID information includes a numerical value and a variable. 5. The print setting environment item data output by the output control means includes item name character data of environment variables and numerical data representing numerical values, item name character data of environment variables and name data for environment variables, and environment. The print control device according to claim 1, wherein the print control device is any one of variable item name character data. 6. A judgment means for judging whether or not ID information designating an environment variable is acquired from an external device via the communication means, and a case where the judgment means judges that the ID information is acquired. And a notification unit that notifies the external device of the print setting environment item data read from the storage device. 7. A print control method for a print control device having a communication means for communicating with an external device, wherein font data for printing print setting environment information is stored in a storage device according to a language set by a user. Registration step of registering with information, and output designation information for designating environment information candidates to be output from print setting environment information stored in the storage device from among reception information received from the external device by the communication means. An acquisition step of acquiring, and an output control step of reading out the print setting environment item data to be output specified from the storage device and printing it from the printing unit based on the output specification information acquired in the acquisition step. A print control method having: 8. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein the output designation information can designate a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information. 9. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein the output designation information enables designation of a print setting environment item to be output in the print setting environment information by ID information. 10. The print control method according to claim 9, wherein the ID information includes a numerical value and a variable. 11. The print setting environment item data output by the output control step includes item name character data of environment variables and numerical data representing numerical values, item name character data of environment variables and name data for values of variables, environment. The print control method according to claim 7, wherein the print control method is any one of variable item name character data. 12. A determination step of determining whether or not ID information designating an environment variable is acquired from an external device via the communication means, and a case of determining that the ID information is acquired by the determination step. And a notification step of notifying the external device of the print setting environment item data read from the storage device. 13. A computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for implementing the print control method according to claim 7. 14. A program for realizing the print control method according to claim 7.