JP2003251863A - Printer, and printer control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer enabling an operator to adjust a reference value M for printing a bar-code. <P>SOLUTION: A page description language interpreting section 44 calculates a reference value M by inputting a parameter m in a bar-code printing command received from a HOST 2 via a network interface section 15 and an interface manager 42, and a panel resolution dpi and a bar code width expansion/ contraction ratio bp input via a panel section 19 by an operator to the expression: M=(600×(m+1)/120-1)×dpi/600×bp/100. The page description language interpreting section 44 calculates the width of each of the bars forming the bar code by multiplying the calculated reference value M times of each of modules of the respective bars forming the bar code pattern corresponding to each number forming the data in the bar code printing command to calculate the width of each of the bars forming the bar code. <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 printer for printing a barcode on a print medium according to a command from a host.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Bar codes are widely used because they can reproduce accurate information with a relatively simple reader.
Therefore, printers are required to be able to print such bar codes on labels such as paper and transparent films. In order to print such a barcode, an application on the host may generate barcode image data, but recently, a barcode drawing command for drawing the edited barcode on the host. A language (emulation language) having a function of interpreting the image in a printer and developing a barcode image has been developed and put into practical use.

The bar code drawing command in this language is ESC (B n1 n2 kms v1 v2 c d1 d2 d3 to dk,
The parameters n1 and n2 indicate the barcode setting (kms v1 v2 c) and the total number of bytes of the barcode data in the command, the parameter k indicates the type of barcode, m indicates the minimum module width, and the parameter s Indicates the fine adjustment value of the white bar, the parameters v1 and v2 indicate the height in the vertical direction, the parameter c indicates the setting of the check digit character, etc., and d1 to dk are the data (numerical string) converted into the barcode. Indicates.

The page language interpreter of the printer is
Drawing position indicated by the parameter specified by the bar code drawing command and minimum module width ([unit: do
t], hereinafter referred to as a “reference value”). The function that calculates this reference value from the parameter m is common to all printer models that use that language, and does not differ for each model. That is,
This function has the following contents.

M = (600 × (m + 1) / 120-1) × dpi / 600 (1) However, dpi is the panel resolution (print resolution on the print medium: 300 or 600). Moreover, m is 1-5,
A number in which the calculated reference value M falls within the specified range of the barcode is selected.

[0006]

However, when the engine characteristics, the resolution, and the conveyance direction of the printer are different, the bar code printed based on the same bar code drawing command may shrink or extend. As a result, the minimum module of each bar of the printed bar code is out of the specified range (readable range) of the bar code, resulting in a problem that the bar code cannot be read accurately. .

For example, in the case of POSTNET, according to the rules,
The long bar is 2.92 to 3.43 mm long and the short bar is 1.
02-1.52mm, black bar width 0.38-0.64mm, white bar width
It is specified to be 0.30 to 0.64 mm. Of these, the upper limit value 0.38 mm and the lower limit value 0.64 mm of the width of the black bar are the panel resolution dp.
If i = 600, it is drawn with 8.98 dots and 15.12 dots, respectively. Therefore, in this case, m = leading to M = 9 [dot]
1, or m = 2 leading to M = 14 [dot] is selected as the parameter m. When m = 1 is selected, the minimum module may be narrower than 0.38 mm even if the barcode is slightly contracted for the above reason. Further, when m = 2 is selected, the minimum module may be wider than 0.63 mm even if the barcode is slightly extended due to the above reason. In any of these cases, it is impossible to demodulate the data modulated into the bar code.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems, and its problem is that an operator arbitrarily sets a standard for drawing a bar code depending on circumstances such as engine characteristics of the printer, resolution, and conveyance direction. A printer capable of adjusting the value M and a printer control program for controlling a microcomputer of the printer are provided.

[0009]

The present invention adopts the following means in order to solve the above problems. That is, the printer according to the present invention is a printer which receives a bar code drawing command including a parameter defining the bar code minimum module width and bar coded data from the host and prints the bar code according to the bar code drawing command. A bar code drawing command from the host and a bar code scaling ratio input by an operator, and a parameter included in the bar code drawing command received via the data input section. And a reference value corresponding to the minimum module width of the barcode is calculated by executing a function having these parameters as parameters and the scaling rate as a variable based on the scaling rate, and the calculated reference value and the barcode drawing. Draw a barcode based on the data contained in the command A control unit generating order of the image data, and a printer engine for printing a bar code on a printing medium based on image data generated by the control unit, characterized in that it comprises.

A printer control program according to the present invention is based on an interface for receiving a drawing command from a host, a microcomputer for processing the drawing command received via this interface, and image data generated by this microcomputer. A printer engine for printing an image on a print medium and an input device for inputting data to the microcomputer, and including parameters for defining a minimum module width of a barcode and data to be barcoded to the microcomputer in the printer. When a barcode drawing command is received from the host via the interface, it accepts the scaling ratio of the barcode input via the input device and is included in the barcode drawing command. Based on the parameter and the enlargement / reduction rate, the reference value corresponding to the minimum module width of the barcode is calculated by executing a function having these parameters and the enlargement / reduction rate as variables, and the calculated reference value and the Image data for drawing a bar code is generated based on the data included in the bar code drawing command, and the printer engine is instructed to print on a print medium based on the image data.

With the above arrangement, an operator who wants to print a bar code edits the bar code to be printed on the host (or uses some bar codes prepared in advance by the application). A bar code drawing command is generated by the printer driver, and the bar code drawing command is transmitted to the bar code drawing printer. At the same time, the operator cancels out the reduction or extension of the barcode after printing due to circumstances such as engine characteristics, resolution, and conveyance direction of the barcode drawing printer, and sets the minimum module width of the barcode to be printed within the specified range. The appropriate scaling rate to fit in
Input to the printer driver screen of the host or the input device of the printer. Then, this enlargement / reduction ratio is input to the control unit (microcomputer executing the printer control program) via the data input unit. This control unit (the microcomputer that executes the printer control program) substitutes the parameter included in the received bar code drawing command and the input enlargement / reduction rate into the function to obtain the reference value of the minimum module width of the bar code. To calculate the bar code image data by arranging the white bar and the black bar that are integer multiples of the calculated reference value according to the data included in the bar code drawing command,
The printer engine is instructed to print the barcode according to the generated image data. As a result, a bar code that enables accurate data demodulation without causing a reading error is printed on the print medium.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a printer according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <Hardware Configuration> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a printing system including a printer 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 includes a plurality of host personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as HOST) 2 and an LA.
They are connected to each other via a network 3 such as N.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the printer 1.
As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 1 includes a main controller 10 and an input / output controller 11 that are connected to each other. The main controller 10 has a CPU, a memory controller, an I / O control circuit, and the like, which are not shown.

Further, the printer 1 includes an HDD 12 and an EEPROM 13 which are connected to the input / output control unit 11, respectively.
I have it. The input / output control unit 11 uses the HDD 12,
Data can be written / read to / from the EEPROM 13.

Further, the printer 1 includes an SDRAM 14 connected to the main control unit 10 and a network interface (network I / F) 15 as an interface unit. The SDRAM 14 has a storage area capable of storing data. Network I / F
15 is connected to the input / output control unit 11, and
Each of the HOSTs 2 is connected via a network 3 which is a signal line.

The printer 1 also includes a print engine 16, a transport device 17, and a discharge unit 18, which are connected to the main controller 10. The print engine 16
It has a laser beam scanning optical system (not shown), a drum, a toner supply unit, and the like, and prints on a medium such as a sheet fed from a sheet cassette (not shown) at a resolution of 300 dpi or more. The transport device 17 transports the document printed by the print engine 16 to the discharge unit 18.

Further, the printer 1 has a panel section 19 as an input device connected to the main control section 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the panel section 19 is a liquid crystal panel 19 as a display section for displaying information to the user.
1, and multiple buttons (4
A set of cursor keys 192a, enter key 192b,
Etc.) and the liquid crystal panel 191.
And a control device (not shown) that controls the input unit 192,
It is configured. In the example of FIG. 3, since the menu of the panel barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio is selected, several selectable barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio options are listed in a scrollable manner. A cursor 191a which is moved up and down by the cursor key 192a to indicate any one of the barcode width expansion / contraction ratios is displayed. In this example,
The panel unit 19 is moved by the cursor 191a which is moved up and down based on the operation of the cursor key 192a by the operator.
When the enter key 192b is pressed in a state in which any one of the bar code width enlargement / reduction ratios displayed above 1 is displayed, the bar code width enlargement / reduction ratio indicated by the cursor 191a is selected. The main control unit 1
Input to 0. The panel resolution dpi (300 or 600) described above can also be input from the panel unit 19.

The main control unit 10 and the input / output control unit 11 are microcomputers that function as control units and can execute software, which will be described later.

<Software Configuration> FIG. 4 is a software configuration diagram of the printing system (HOST2 and printer 1). Layers (B) to (D), which are the portions above the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 4, indicate software. However, the layer (A), which is a portion below the alternate long and short dash line, indicates hardware.

Layer (B) shows software dependent on hardware, layer (C) shows software independent of command (language), and layer (D) shows software dependent on command (language).

The HOST2 has a device driver 21,
In addition, an operating system, application programs, tool programs, and the like (not shown) are installed in advance. The device driver 21 converts data created by an application program or a tool program into print data and sends it to the printer 1. The print data includes print target data to be actually printed and a job management language. The data to be printed is the page description language (the barcode edited by the application program is 360dpi.
Or a serial printer emulation language including a bar code drawing command for printing at double the resolution).

The printer 1, in the order of the data processing flow,
It has an interface manager 42, a job management language interpretation unit 43, a page description language interpretation unit 44, a printing manager 45, and an engine controller 46. The printer 1 also has a status manager 47 that monitors the status of the printer 1.

The print data sent from the device driver 21 of the HOST2 is received by the interface manager 42 in the printer 1, the job management language is analyzed by the job management language interpretation unit 43, and various designations regarding the print processing are extracted. To be done. Various designation information (bar code width enlargement / reduction ratio, panel resolution dpi, etc.) input from the panel unit 19 is received by the interface manager 42 and passed to the page description language interpretation unit 44.

The print target data of the print data is interpreted by the page description language interpretation unit 44. That is, the page description language interpretation unit 44 uses the print target data and panel unit 19
Generates the intermediate code data page by page based on various specified information (bar code width enlargement / reduction ratio, panel resolution dpi, etc.) input from, and displays the print structure associated with the generated intermediate code data. create. The intermediate code data and the print structure are stored in the SDRAM 14
It is stored in a predetermined storage area above.

The printing manager 45 converts the intermediate code data generated by the page description language interpretation unit 44 into a print image. Here, when the intermediate code data is converted into the print image, the print structure associated with the intermediate code data is associated with the print image obtained by the conversion.

The engine controller 46 prints on the paper the print image obtained by the conversion by the printing manager 45. That is, the engine controller 46 controls the print engine 16 and the carrying device 17 to feed the paper from a paper cassette (not shown) and carry the paper to the print engine 16 to print the print image on the paper. This printed paper (document) is
It is transported to the discharge unit 18 by the transport device 17.

The status manager 47 is used by the printer 1
Is monitoring the status of.

<Processing Content> Of the above-mentioned programs, the processing content by the page description language interpretation unit 44 will be described below.
Only when the barcode drawing command is received will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the page description language interpreting unit 44 receives the bar code drawing command, the operator operates the panel unit 19 to determine which bar code width enlarging / reducing ratio is set in S1. Wait for selection. Then, when any one of the barcode width enlargement / reduction ratios is selected, the page description language interpretation unit 44 proceeds to the next S2.
Check whether the selected barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio value (bp = [%]) is different from the preset barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio initial value (bp = 100 [%]). Check that. If they match, the initial value of the bar code width expansion / contraction ratio that is held in advance (bp = 100 [%])
Is adopted as is. On the other hand, if the two are different, the value of the selected barcode width expansion / contraction ratio (bp =
[%]) Is adopted.

In the next step S5, the page description language interpretation unit 44
Is the parameter m included in the barcode drawing command, the value of the barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio (bp = [%]) adopted in S3 or S4, and the panel resolution dpi input from the panel unit 19. The reference value M is calculated by substituting the following function (2).

M = (600 × (m + 1) / 120-1) × dpi / 600 × bp / 100 (2) In the next S6, the page description language interpretation unit 44 causes the data included in the barcode drawing command to be included. The reference value M calculated in S5 for each of the two black bars and the two white bars forming the pattern of the bars corresponding to the numbers
Is multiplied by the number of modules (1 to 4) corresponding to the bar to determine the bar width (the number of dots) for drawing the bar. Then, the page description language interpretation unit 44
Configures a bar code with the bar width (dots) determined based on the bar widths (dots) of all bars determined in this way and other parameters included in the bar code drawing command. Intermediate code data for drawing each bar is generated.

In the next step S7, the page description language interpretation unit 44
Passes the intermediate code data generated in S6 to the printing manager 45 and develops a barcode into a print image based on the intermediate code data.
Then, based on the print image developed by the printing manager 45, the engine controller 4
By controlling the print engine 16 by 6, the barcode is printed on the paper (print medium) carried by the carrying device 17, and the paper is discharged to the discharge unit 18. <Operation of the Embodiment> As described above, according to the present embodiment, the operator relies on a means such as once performing test printing so that the minimum module width of the barcode printed by this printer falls within the specified range. Check if it fits. If the minimum module width is out of the specified range, the bar code width enlargement / reduction value for keeping the minimum module width within the specified range is calculated. Then, in the subsequent main printing, the operator operates the panel unit 19 to input the previously calculated bar code width enlargement / reduction ratio. Then, in the printer 1, the reference value M is increased or decreased according to the input bar code width expansion / contraction ratio. Thereby,
The minimum module width in the final printed barcode will be reduced or expanded to be within the reference range. If the minimum module width still does not fall within the specified range, the above-mentioned work is repeated. In this way, even if the barcode having the minimum module width within the specified range is read by the barcode reader, the barcoded data (numerical string) is accurately demodulated.

In the present embodiment, the bar code width enlargement / reduction ratio is directly input through the panel unit 19, but is input by the operator on the operation screen for the device driver 21 on the HOST2. Is also good.
In this case, the device driver 21 issues a command to specify the input barcode width enlargement / reduction ratio and notifies the printer 1 of the command. Then, this command is passed to the job management language interpretation unit 43 via the network interface 15 and the interface manager, and the job management language interpretation unit 43 extracts the bar code width expansion / contraction ratio from this command, and describes the page description. It will be passed to the language interpretation unit 44.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the operator can arbitrarily adjust the reference value M for bar code drawing in accordance with the circumstances such as the engine characteristics of the printer, the resolution, the conveying direction, etc. The minimum module width of barcode can be set within the specified range.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a printer.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the panel section.

FIG. 4 is a software configuration diagram of the printer system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing contents by a page description language interpretation unit 44.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 printer 2 HOST 10 Main control unit 11 I / O controller 15 Network interface section 16 print engine 19 panel section 44 Page Description Language Interpreter 45 Printing Manager 46 engine controller

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printer for receiving a bar code drawing command including a parameter defining a bar code minimum module width and data to be bar coded from a host and printing the bar code according to the bar code drawing command. From the barcode drawing command and the barcode enlargement / reduction ratio input by the operator, and the parameter and the enlargement included in the barcode drawing command received via the data input unit. Based on the reduction rate, a reference value corresponding to the minimum module width of the barcode is calculated by executing a function having these parameters as parameters and the enlargement / reduction rate as variables, and included in the calculated reference value and the barcode drawing command. Image for drawing a barcode based on the data Printer to a control unit for generating data, characterized in that it comprises a printer engine for printing a bar code on a printing medium based on image data generated by the control unit. 2. The printer engine has a resolution of 3
00 dpi or a multiple thereof, and the control unit includes an emulation language interpretation unit for a serial printer that generates the image data at a resolution of 360 dpi or a multiple thereof based on the barcode drawing command. The printer according to claim 1. 3. An interface for receiving a drawing command from a host, a microcomputer for processing the drawing command received via this interface, and an image is printed on a print medium based on image data generated by the microcomputer. A bar code drawing command including a parameter defining a bar code minimum module width and bar coded data is sent from the host to the microcomputer in the printer including a printer engine and an input device for inputting data to the microcomputer. When it is received via the interface, the enlargement / reduction ratio of the barcode input via the input device is accepted, and based on the parameter and the enlargement / reduction ratio included in the barcode drawing command. Then, a reference value corresponding to the minimum module width of the barcode is calculated by executing a function with these as parameters and the scaling ratio as variables, and based on the calculated reference value and the data included in the barcode drawing command. A printer control program that causes the printer engine to generate image data for drawing a barcode by using the image data and to print on a print medium based on the image data.