JP2005178028A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To add an integration result to a display list by integrating the repetition number of times in the case where an object is repeatedly used in the forming of the display list. <P>SOLUTION: The printing apparatus is equipped with a means for integrating the number of times whereby the object is repeatedly used and adding the number of times to the display list in the forming of the display list, and a means for holding object table information and object information until rewriting of a management table takes place on the basis of the integrated number of times added to the object information management table in the display list. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an output device such as a printer connected to a host computer via a bidirectional interface and a drawing data forming method in the device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing apparatus that inputs print data from a host apparatus such as a host computer, the printing apparatus interprets PDL data (Printer Description Languages) input from the host apparatus, creates drawing data, and performs printing. Here, the printing apparatus temporarily converts the PDL data into an intermediate language (display list) that is a format that can be easily processed into drawing data inside the printing apparatus, and actual drawing processing and printing are performed based on the display list. Also, in the conventional image processing apparatus, in order to reduce the amount of image memory required for printing, the printing content per page is divided into a plurality of bands, and the actual printing operation on the recording medium is performed. A method (banding) in which print data creation processing is performed in parallel in band units is known (see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-234949

  The printing apparatus generates a display list according to the contents of PDL data. The drawing unit converted from PDL is performed for each drawing unit (object) such as one character, one image, and one line. Accordingly, the processing time increases as the amount of data to be drawn increases (the number of objects increases). Here, when a plurality of different characters are printed and when the same character is drawn many times, when one type of character is printed, even if the information of the character itself is one, the generated display Since all information such as character designation / drawing position information is required for the list, the size of the list excluding object data is of the same size if the number of characters is the same. In addition, when this display list is sequentially read from the RAM, if data processing is performed according to the display list, the external memory in the same area may be accessed many times in the case of a single character. May be seen.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem. When an object is repeatedly used when generating a display list, an object of the present invention is to add the number of repetitions and add the integration result to the display list.

  The present invention holds the storage address and object data of frequently used objects based on the number of times the object is used, reduces access to the external memory, and secures the external memory bus bandwidth, thereby rendering the drawing process. The purpose is to improve ability.

  The output device of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration.

  That is, it has means for adding the number of times the object is repeatedly used and adding it to the display list when creating the display list.

  That is, it has means for holding the object table information / object information until the management table is rewritten based on the cumulative number added to the object information management table in the display list.

  In more detail, the present invention can solve the above problems by the following configuration.

  (1) In a printing apparatus that performs printing by inputting text data or image data consisting of control codes, character data, etc. from a host device such as a host computer, objects to be drawn are repeated when creating a display list from the input PDL data. A printing apparatus characterized by accumulating the number of times used and adding the accumulated result to a display list.

  (2) In the above (1), a printing apparatus having a function of buffering an object data storage address of object data, which is object information, and object data in the circuit according to the number of times of repeated use.

  According to the present invention, the information on the number of times the object to be drawn is added inside the display list, and based on that, the information in the external memory is pre-buffered to reduce access to the low-speed external memory, There is an effect that drawing processing can be performed at high speed.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  Before describing the configuration of this embodiment, the configuration of a laser beam printer suitable for applying this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Needless to say, the printer to which this embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer, but may be a printer of another printing method. 1 has a one-drum type printing apparatus, the basic function is the same even in a tandem type printing apparatus capable of simultaneous printing of four colors.

  FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied, and shows a case of a laser beam printer (LBP).

  In the figure, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body which inputs and stores print information (character code, etc.), form information, macro instructions, etc. supplied from an externally connected host computer, and responds according to those information. A character pattern, a form pattern, or the like is created, and an image is formed on a recording sheet or the like that is a recording medium. Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED displays are arranged, and reference numeral 1000 denotes a printer control unit that controls the entire LBP main body 1500 and analyzes character information supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1000 mainly converts character information into a video signal having a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1502. The laser driver 1502 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1503, and switches on / off the laser light 1504 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1503 in accordance with the input video signal. The laser beam 1504 is shaken in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 1505 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1506. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1506. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1507 disposed around the electrostatic drum 1506 and then transferred to a recording sheet. A cut sheet is used as the recording paper. The cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 1508 mounted on the LBP 1500, and is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 1509, a transport roller 1510, and a transport roller 1511, and is electrostatically charged. The drum 1506 is supplied. Further, the LBP main body 1500 is provided with at least one card slot (not shown) so that an optional font card and a control card (emulation card) having a different language system can be connected in addition to the built-in font.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer control system according to the embodiment of the present invention. As long as the functions of the present invention are executed, the present invention can be used for a single device, a system composed of 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 the figure, reference numeral 3000 denotes a host computer, which has a CPU 1 that executes document processing in which figures, images, characters, tables (including spreadsheets) and the like are mixed based on a document processing program stored in a program ROM of the ROM 3. The CPU 1 generally controls each device connected to the system device 4.

  The ROM 3 program ROM stores a control program of the CPU 1, the ROM 3 font ROM stores font data used for the document processing, and the ROM 3 data ROM. Stores various data used when performing the document processing or the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a RAM which functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 1. A keyboard controller (KBC) 5 controls key input from a keyboard 9 or a pointing device (not shown). Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC) which controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 10. Reference numeral 7 denotes a disk controller (DKC) for accessing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, edit files, and the like to an external memory 11 such as a hard disk (HD) or floppy (R) disk (FD). Control. A printer controller (PRTC) 8 is connected to the printer 1500 via a predetermined bidirectional interface (interface) 21 and executes communication control processing with the printer 1500. The CPU 1 executes, for example, an outline font rasterization process on the display information RAM set on the RAM 2 to enable WYSIWYG on the CRT 10. The CPU 1 opens various windows registered based on commands instructed by a mouse cursor (not shown) on the CRT 10 and executes various data processing.

  In the printer 1500, reference numeral 12 denotes a printer CPU, which accesses various devices connected to the system bus 15 based on a control program stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13 or a control program stored in the external memory 14. The image signal serving as output information is output to a printing unit (printer engine) 17 connected through the printing unit interface 16 with overall control. Further, the control program of the CPU 12 and the like are stored in the program ROM of the ROM 13. The font ROM in the ROM 13 stores font data and the like used when generating the output information. In the case of a printer without the external memory 14 such as a hard disk in the data ROM in the ROM 13, a host computer is used. -Stores information used on the computer. The CPU 12 can communicate with the host computer via the input unit 18 and is configured to notify the host computer 3000 of information in the printer. Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM that functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 12, and is configured so that the memory capacity can be expanded by an optional RAM connected to an expansion port (not shown). The RAM 19 is used as an output information expansion area, environment data storage area, NVRAM, and the like. Access to the external memory 14 such as the hard disk (HD) or IC card is controlled by a disk controller (DKC) 20. The external memory 14 is connected as an option and stores font data, an emulation program, form data, and the like. Reference numeral 18 denotes an operation panel on which the switches for operation and the LED display are arranged, and the drawing unit 20 generates drawing data from the intermediate code.

  Further, the number of external memories is not limited to one, and at least one external memory is provided so that an optional font card and a plurality of external memories storing programs for interpreting printer control languages with different language systems can be connected in addition to the built-in font. It may be configured. Further, a nonvolatile memory 22 may be provided to store printer mode setting information from the operation panel 1501.

  In the printer control system configured as described above, when a print command of a character string “AABCCC” as shown in FIG. 3 is sent from the host computer 3000, this print data is stored in the RAM 19 and sequentially displayed by the CPU 12. It is converted into a list 30. The display list 30 includes a drawing list 31 stored on the RAM 19 indicating the type, size, position, etc. of the object to be drawn, and an object table list 32 stored on the RAM 19 which is a management table indicating the storage destination address of the object. And actual object data 33 stored on the RAMorROM.

  Here, the CPU 12 creates a drawing list 31 for each object sent from the host computer, and creates an object table indicating the storage address of the object data to be used. Add the accumulated value of the object usage count. Alternatively, a printing apparatus that adds the number of times of use to the object table portion.

  An actual drawing method will be described with reference to FIG. When the display list is generated and the preparation for printing is completed, the CPU 12 sends a print start command to the drawing unit 20. First, the drawing unit 20 sequentially reads the display list stored in the RAM 19 and reads the object table information stored in the RAM 19 in order to obtain information on the object necessary for the first drawing, and the object table is displayed there. In order to obtain the object information that is the storage location of the data, the RAM 19 or the font ROM of the ROM 13 is accessed again to finish drawing one object. This is continued until the display list is finished, and one-band drawing is finished. As described above, at least three low-speed external memory accesses are required to draw one object, and the same area is accessed many times even when the same object is used. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, by reading the usage count information of the object added in claim 1 above, when the first drawing list is read, the RAM is accessed, and after the second time, the buffer is used. Since the ringed value is read, the external memory access to the object table can be reduced and the acquisition of the object data can be reduced, so that one object can be drawn with one memory access.

  Here, the buffering is eliminated because the number of times of actual drawing is subtracted from the number of times of drawing, and when the number of times of drawing becomes 0, the object information is deleted from the buffer.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the 1st output device which can apply this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the display list of the printer control system which shows 1st Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the display list processing method of the drawing part which shows the 1st Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the 1st Example of invention, and shows the processing method when the frequency | count of an object is acquired.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
3 ROM
4 System bus 12 CPU
13 ROM
19 RAM
3000 Host computer 1500 Printer

Claims (2)

  In a printing apparatus that prints text data and image data consisting of control codes, character data, etc. from a host device such as a host computer, objects to be drawn are repeatedly used when creating a display list from the input PDL data. A printing apparatus that accumulates the number of times and adds the accumulation result to a display list.   2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of buffering a memory storage address of object data, which is object information, and object data in the circuit according to the number of times of repeated use.

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