JP2006120113A - Processor of data using address book data and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide processing technology of data using address book data which enhances convenience for a user. <P>SOLUTION: The processor (20) of data has a group of items consisting of a plurality of kinds of items including names and addresses by one unit data and has a first input means for inputting the address book data (12) having a plurality of pieces of unit data, a second input means for inputting a template file (26) in which what kind of items are printed at what position of an address print side is defined, an item acquisition means for acquiring items corresponding to kinds of items defined in the template file from the group of items in the address book data and a assignment means for assigning the acquired items at the position of the address print side, which is defined in the template file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a data processing technique using address book data in which names and the like are written.

  As a portable information terminal, for example, there is a mobile phone. The mobile phone stores address book data, and the user can make a call by searching for a desired telephone number from the address book data.

  Conventionally, there is a technique in which a mobile phone transmits the above address book data to a printer, and the printer prints an address using the address book data (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-78782 (paragraphs 35, 44 and 48)

  In the conventional technique described above, the printer displays the contents of the address book data on the display screen of the printer, and after receiving a confirmation instruction or a correction instruction from the user, prints the address.

  However, in this case, since the user's intention confirmation is required one by one, it is troublesome for the user and is considered to be less convenient. Such a problem may exist not only in a printer but also in other types of data processing apparatuses using address book data.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data processing technique using address book data so as to improve convenience for the user.

  Further objects of the present invention will become clear from the description of the embodiments described later.

  The data processing device according to the first aspect of the present invention has an item group consisting of a plurality of types of items including a name and an address for each unit data, and address book data including a plurality of the unit data. A first input means for inputting a template file, a second input means for inputting a template file that defines what kind of item is printed at which position on the address printing surface, and an item defined in the template file. Item acquisition means for acquiring an item corresponding to a type from an item group in the address book data, and assignment means for assigning the acquired item to a position on the address printing surface defined in the template file .

  Here, for example, the assigning means can generate a new file to which the item acquired at the address printing surface position is assigned, and output the file (for example, a module that can interpret the file). Can be output to). Further, for example, when the data processing device is a printing device, the printing device can print the acquired item at the position of the address printing surface defined in the template file.

  In the first embodiment, the template file includes extraction conditions. The processing apparatus further includes means for extracting unit data corresponding to the extraction condition from the address book data. The item acquisition unit acquires the corresponding item from an item group included in the extracted unit data. Further, the processing apparatus may receive an input of at least one of the first extraction condition and the second extraction condition from the user and write the input extraction condition in the template file.

  In a second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the template file includes information relating to a predetermined extraction algorithm as the extraction condition, and the means for extracting is specified according to the extraction algorithm specified from the information The unit data including the determined specific item is extracted from the address book data.

  In a third embodiment, the processing device is a printing device. The printing apparatus has a first print mode and a second print mode, and when the first print mode is set, if the address book data is input, the item acquisition means When the second print mode is set, if the address book data is input when the second printing mode is set, the input address book data is printed.

  The processing device can communicate with a portable information terminal that stores address book data. The portable information terminal can transmit the stored address book data, can download the template file from a server, and can also transmit the downloaded template file. In this case, the first input means receives the address book data from the portable information terminal and inputs the received address book data. The second input means receives a template file from the portable information terminal and inputs the received template file.

  In addition, the processing device may include a first storage unit and a second storage unit. The first storage unit stores the input unit data in a first data storage area (for example, a reception buffer) when the unit data included in the address book data is input by the first input unit. be able to. The second storage means stores one or more types of items acquired by the item acquisition means from the unit data stored in the first data storage area in the second data storage area for each unit data. be able to. In this case, the assigning means can assign one or more types of items stored in the second data storage area to the position of the address printing surface for each unit data. The first data storage area and the second data storage area may exist on the same storage resource (for example, a memory or a hard disk), or may exist on different storage resources. The processing apparatus may further include a deleting unit that deletes unit data including one or more types of items stored in the second data storage area from the first data storage area.

  Further, the template file described above may be a file described in a first format (for example, a nested structure) before expansion, for example. The processing device converts the file described in the first format into a template file described in a second format (for example, a hierarchical structure) by expanding in advance, and the second format An expansion means for storing the template file in the third data storage area can be provided. In this case, the allocating means is stored in the second data storage area at the position of the address printing surface represented by the template file of the second format stored in the third data storage area. Various items can be assigned.

  In addition, the processing device may include a compression unit. The compression means is one or more items (or already stored items) stored in the second data storage area after the second data storage area is used in a predetermined situation. Can be compressed. The second storage means can store one or more types of compressed items in the second data storage area when one or more types of items are compressed by the compression means. The one or more types of compressed items can be decompressed, for example, when being assigned by the assigning means.

  A data processing method according to the second aspect of the present invention is data having an item group composed of a plurality of types of items including a name and an address for each unit data, and includes a plurality of the unit data. Inputting the address book data, writing the input address length data to the memory, writing a template file in which the type of item is to be printed at which position on the address printing surface to the memory, Obtaining an item corresponding to the item type defined in the template file written in the memory from the item group in the address book data, and at the position of the address printing surface defined in the template file; Allocating the acquired item.

  The computer program according to the third aspect of the present invention provides an item corresponding to an item type described in a template file in which what type of item is to be printed at which position on the address printing surface as one unit data. Each of which has an item group consisting of a plurality of types of items including a name and an address, and is obtained from the address book data including a plurality of the unit data, and is defined in the template file, A computer-readable computer program for causing a computer to execute the step of assigning the acquired item to a position of an address printing surface. This computer program can be downloaded via a communication network, or stored in a portable storage medium (for example, a CD-ROM) for delivery.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer to which a processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  The printer 20 can communicate with various devices. For example, the printer 20 can communicate with a portable information terminal (for example, a mobile phone) 10 that is a portable information terminal. The portable information terminal 10 stores address book data 12 in a storage device such as a memory 11. The address book data 12 is configured in a predetermined format, for example, vCard format (a standard for exchanging personal information such as name, address, e-mail address, etc. by e-mail). The address book data 12 includes one or more records 12A as shown in the configuration example of FIG. Each record 12A includes a plurality of record elements. Examples of record elements include name, postal code, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and attributes. As the attribute, for example, one or more attribute elements such as sex and a human relationship (for example, relatives, friends, etc.) viewed from the user of the portable information terminal 10 can be adopted. The portable information terminal 10 can print the entire address book data 12 (or a record including the name selected by the user) in a wired or wireless manner (for example, by infrared communication) by the user's operation. Can be sent to.

  Refer to FIG. 1 again. The printer 20 includes an operation unit 21, a printing unit 37, and a printer control unit 30.

  The operation unit 21 is a user interface and includes, for example, a display screen for displaying various information and a plurality of buttons for inputting various information. For example, the operation unit 21 can input an address extraction condition to be printed or which type of address printing surface desired by the user from among a plurality of types of address printing surfaces by a user operation. it can. The operation unit 21 may be a touch panel type.

  The printing unit 37 prints information such as input characters and images on paper. For example, when the printer 20 is an inkjet printer, the printing unit 37 includes a print head that ejects ink droplets, a carriage that conveys the print head in the main operation direction, a paper feed motor that feeds paper in the sub-scanning direction, and the like. can do. In this embodiment, the paper typically has an address printing surface, such as a government-made postcard, New Year's card, or envelope.

  The printer control unit 30 is a part that performs information processing for printing. The printer control unit 30 includes, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM 27, a RAM 31 for temporarily storing data, a CPU 32 for controlling the entire operation of the printer 20, and a computer program read by the CPU 32 And the like, an interface circuit (hereinafter referred to as communication IF) 34 for communicating with a device existing outside the printer 20, and an interface circuit (hereinafter referred to as print IF) 35 for transmitting information to the printing unit 37. And.

  The EEPROM 27 can store a plurality of address printing surface layout definition files (hereinafter abbreviated as “definition files”) 26. Each of the plurality of definition files 26 describes information on a template of the address printing surface of a predetermined type (for example, a postcard made by a government, a New Year's card, or an envelope of a predetermined type such as a standard A4 size). The definition file 26 is a script file described in a markup language, for example. The “markup language” is, for example, XHTML (eXtensible Hyper Text Markup Language). A configuration example of the definition file 26 will be described later.

  The RAM 31 can store, for example, the address book data 12 received from the portable information terminal 10 via the communication IF 34, the definition file 26 read from the EEPROM 27, and the like.

  The ROM 33 stores a print processing program 22 as one of computer programs read by the CPU 32, for example. The print processing program 22 can operate by being read by the CPU 32. Processing operations performed by the print processing program 22 will be described later.

  The CPU 32 can store the address book data 12 received from the portable information terminal 10 in the RAM 31. For example, the CPU 32 can read the definition file 26 stored in the EEPROM 27 and store it in the RAM 31. As the definition file 26 to be read, the CPU 32 can be, for example, a definition file 26 in which a template of a type (for example, New Year's card) designated from the operation unit 21 is described.

  The CPU 32 can also perform address printing processing by reading the print processing program 22 from the ROM 33. In the address printing process, for example, the CPU 32 interprets the definition file 26 on the RAM 31 to determine what kind of record element is printed on the sheet, and the RAM 31 stores one or more record elements according to the determination result. Extracted from the record in the address book data 12 above, generates print data based on the extracted record element and the print area position of the record element, and transmits the generated print data to the printing unit 37 via the print IF 35. To do. As a result, the address is printed on the sheet.

  Further, the CPU 32 can execute, for example, an address printing mode and a normal printing mode as a plurality of printing modes. For example, if a command for setting the address printing mode is input from the operation unit 21, the CPU 32 sets information indicating that in the RAM 31 (or a register (not shown) of the CPU 32), and then the address book data. 12 is stored in the RAM 31, the address printing process described above is executed based on the address book data 12 and the definition file 26 stored in the RAM 31. On the other hand, if a command for setting the normal printing mode is input from the operation unit 21, the CPU 32 sets information indicating that in the RAM 31 (or a register (not shown) of the CPU 32), and then the address book data. 12 is received and stored in the RAM 31, a process for printing the address book data 12 as a printing target is executed. Thus, whether to print addresses on New Year's cards based on the address book data 12, or to print a list of one or more addresses registered in the address book data 12 on a desired sheet (for example, plain paper). Can be controlled.

  FIG. 3 shows a structural example of the definition file 26. FIG. 4 shows the layout of the address printing surface that can be derived from the definition file 26 shown in FIG.

  The definition file 26 includes a paper type (for example, “New Year's card”), position information of the print area, a record element type (for example, “name” or “address”) to be printed in the print area, and the address book data 12. Record extraction conditions can be registered.

  The position information of the print area can be represented by, for example, a set of coordinates of the upper left vertex and the lower right vertex of a rectangular area on the paper. Each coordinate is a coordinate when a predetermined position, for example, the upper left vertex of the paper is used as the origin. Note that the print area position information can be expressed by another method, for example, a set of a mathematical expression representing the print area and a parameter value in the mathematical expression.

  Various conditions can be registered as extraction conditions. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the extraction condition may include the data “male” as the attribute element “sex”. Although not illustrated, including such data and “Nagano” Satisfying one or both of having an address that includes the address can also be an extraction condition. The extraction condition may be registered in the definition file 26 in advance, or may be input from the portable information terminal 10 or the operation unit 21. In the latter case, for example, the CPU 32 can register the input extraction condition in the definition file 23 selected using the operation unit 21.

  The above is an explanation of an example of the definition file 26. According to the definition file 26 illustrated in FIG. 3, for example, the rectangular area defined by the point A (X1, Y1) and the point B (X2, Y2) is included in the record extracted from the address book data 12. An address is assigned among a plurality of types of record elements.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a processing flow performed by the CPU 32.

  When receiving the address book data 12 from the portable information terminal 10 (S10), the CPU 32 writes the received address book data 12 in the RAM 31 and checks the currently set print mode (S20). What is the currently set print mode can be checked by referring to, for example, the RAM 31 (or a register (not shown) of the CPU 32).

  If it is determined in S20 that the normal print mode is selected, the CPU 32 generates print data for printing the address book data 12 received and stored in the RAM 31 (S90), and the generated print data is printed in the printing unit 37. (S100).

  If it is determined in S20 that the address printing mode is set, the CPU 32 interprets the definition file 26 read into the RAM 31 (S30). If there is no definition file 26 in the RAM 31, the CPU 32 causes the user to input a desired paper type via the operation unit 21, retrieves the definition file 26 corresponding to the input paper type from the EEPROM 27, and reads it out. The read definition file 26 is written in the RAM 31.

  Next, the CPU 32 extracts records that match the extraction conditions written in the definition file 26 from the address book data 12 (S40). If the extraction condition is not written, for example, the first record may be extracted.

  The CPU 32 acquires a record element corresponding to the type according to the definition file 26 (specifically, the record element type described in the definition file 26) from the extracted record (S50). By this process, the record element of the type necessary for printing the address among the plurality of types of record elements included in the record is acquired.

  The CPU 32 generates print data in which the acquired record element is assigned to the print area position according to the definition file 26 (S60), and transmits the generated print data to the printing unit 37 (S70). As a result, the acquired record element is printed at the print area position on the address print surface described in the definition file 26.

  The CPU 32 performs the processes of S50 to S70 for all the records extracted in S40.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, according to the description content of the definition file 26, the record elements of the type necessary for printing the address are automatically selected from the records in the address book data 12 received from the portable information terminal 10. And the information represented by the extracted record element type is printed. For this reason, the address book data 12 can be printed without displaying the contents of the address book data 12 on the display screen of the printer 20 or receiving a confirmation instruction from the user, which is highly convenient for the user.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the extraction condition can be described in the definition file 26, and a record that matches the extraction condition described in the definition file 26 is extracted from the address book data 12 and extracted. Only the information contained in is printed. For this reason, even if the contents of the address book data 12 are displayed on the display screen of the printer 20 and the user does not select the desired address from the displayed contents, the desired address is printed. Also, by writing the extraction conditions in the definition file 26, even if the definition file is input to another printer, a desired address can be printed from the other printer.

  By the way, in the first modification of the above-described embodiment, the definition file 26 may be input to the printer 20 via a portable storage medium (for example, a memory card) or a communication network. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the portable information terminal 10 downloads a desired definition file 26 from a plurality of definition files 26 stored in the server 2, registers it in the memory 11, and registers it. The defined definition file 26 may be transmitted to the printer 20, and the printer 20 may write the definition file 26 in the RAM 31.

  In the second modification of the embodiment described above, instead of the print processing program 22, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a first print processing subprogram 22A and a second print processing program 22B are provided. May be. In this case, for example, the first print processing subprogram 22A assigns the record elements extracted from the records in the address book data 12 to the print area information described in the definition file 26, and the second print processing subprogram 22A. A new definition file (for example, script) 28 that can be interpreted by the program 22B may be generated, and the generated new definition file 28 may be passed to the second print processing subprogram 22B. The second print processing subprogram 22B can generate print data based on the new definition file 28 that has been transferred, and can send the generated print data to the printing unit 37. In the new definition file 28, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, a set of information indicating a print area position and a record element to be printed at the print area position is described.

  In the third modification of the above-described embodiment, information on the sender's name and address printing area is described in the definition file 26, and the sender's name and address are printed on the address printing surface of the paper. Good. The name and address of the sender may be recorded in the address book data 12 or may be recorded in data different from the address book data 12. In the former case, for example, information of sender may be set in the record element type of attribute so that it can be understood which is the sender's record. In the latter case, the other data stored in the portable information terminal 12 may also be transmitted to the printer 20 by infrared communication or the like.

  In the fourth modification of the above-described embodiment, the address book data 12 may be input to the printer 20 from a device different from the portable information terminal 10 (for example, a host device or a portable storage medium).

  In the fifth modification of the above-described embodiment, information relating to an extraction algorithm for extracting a record (or extracting a definition file from a record) can be described in the definition file 26 as an extraction condition.

  As an example of the information regarding the extraction algorithm, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, a program for executing the extraction algorithm (hereinafter referred to as an extraction algorithm execution program) can be used. In this case, for example, the CPU 32 interprets the extraction algorithm execution program specified from the definition file 26 and executes the extraction algorithm to determine specific record elements that may exist in the address book data 12, and to determine the specified identification A record including the record element is extracted from the address book data 12. As an extraction algorithm executed here, for example, it is determined whether or not an alphabet is included in a record element described as an address. If the determination result is affirmative, the record element is a specific record. The algorithm can be determined to be an element. In this way, for example, when the definition file 26 according to the layout of the foreign address plane is selected, a record element that is a foreign address is specified, and only the record including the record element is addressed. It can be extracted as a printing target.

  As another example of the information related to the extraction algorithm, a character string can be used as illustrated in FIG. 8B. In this case, for example, when an extraction term (for example, a foreign country) is input from the user via the operation unit 21, the CPU 32 selects a definition file 26 having a character string including the extraction term from the plurality of definition files 26. You can choose. Further, the CPU 32 can specify an extraction algorithm execution program corresponding to the character string described in the definition file 26 from the table 80, interpret the specified program, and execute the extraction algorithm. In the table 80, information about a plurality of extraction algorithm execution programs respectively corresponding to a plurality of character strings can be described. For example, the table 80 can be input to the printer 20 from an external device (for example, a server (not shown)) and stored in a storage device in the printer 20.

  As a sixth modification of the above-described embodiment, the extraction condition described in the definition file 26 can be used as a condition for extracting a record, or can be used as a condition for extracting the definition file 26. . The user can set which one to use, for example.

  In the former case, as already described, for example, if the definition file 26 includes “male” as the extraction condition, the CPU 32 can extract a record including the attribute of male. In the latter case, for example, if the record selected as the address printing target includes the attribute “male”, the CPU 32 may define the definition file 26 including the extraction condition “male” in the plurality of definition files 26. You can choose from. When the address printing is set by the latter method, for example, when the record to be processed is changed from one record to another during the record element allocation process in the address book data 12, As needed, the definition file used is also changed from one definition file to another. Thus, even if records corresponding to a plurality of definition files are mixed in the address book data 12, address assignment processing can be executed without manually switching the definition files one by one.

  By the way, the following other embodiments are also conceivable. Hereinafter, another embodiment will be described. In the following description, points not described in the above-described embodiment will be described in detail, and description of points already described will be omitted or simplified.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

  As described above, the address book data 12 received by the printer 20 includes a plurality of records 12A, 12A,... Respectively corresponding to a plurality of persons. Each record 12A includes a plurality of record elements, and the plurality of record elements include record elements such as a name, an address, and a telephone number. Each record 12A may be, for example, each row of a data table composed of rows and columns, or a first predetermined code (for example, a predetermined start tag) and a second predetermined code (for example, a single data file). Data described between a predetermined end tag) may be used. The address book data 12 is data called vCard or vObject, for example.

  In the printer 20, for example, a reception buffer 31A, an extraction data buffer 31B, and a layout storage area 31C are prepared as a plurality of data storage areas. The plurality of data storage areas can be prepared on the same storage resource (for example, a memory such as the RAM 31) or can be prepared on separate storage resources.

  Further, the address print surface layout definition file 26 described above includes, for example, a definition file 26A before development and a definition file 26B after development. The definition file 26A before expansion is, for example, a file described in a language of a nested structure, specifically, for example, a file in XHTML format. In the definition file 26A before expansion, various elements (for example, print area position information and ID for uniquely specifying the print area) are expressed in a nested structure. The expanded definition file 26B is a definition file generated by performing a predetermined expansion process on the definition file 26A before expansion. The expanded definition file 26B is, for example, a file described in a hierarchical language, specifically a file representing, for example, a DOM (Document Object Model) tree. The definition file 26A before development and the definition file 26B after development are stored, for example, in the layout storage area 26C.

  The print processing program 22 described above includes, for example, a reception processing task 22A and a print processing task 22B.

  The reception processing task 22A performs processing for storing the received record 12A in the reception buffer 31A every time the record 12A included in the address book data 12 is received. In parallel with the processing, the reception processing task 22A refers to the definition file 26A before expansion (or the definition file 26B after expansion) and extracts a plurality (or one) to be extracted from the description of the definition file 26A. ) Is specified, and a plurality of record elements respectively corresponding to the specified plurality of record element types are extracted from the record 12A stored in the reception buffer 31A, and the plurality of extracted record elements are included. The data (hereinafter referred to as extracted data) 81 is stored in the extracted data buffer 31B. Furthermore, when the extraction data 81 is stored in the buffer 31B, the reception processing task 22A can delete the record 12A corresponding to the stored extraction data 81 from the reception buffer 31A. The reception processing task 22A is, for example, extracted data 81 as shown in FIG. 10A, that is, data having a plurality of record elements respectively associated with a plurality of record element types, as the extracted data 81 including a plurality of record elements. Can be generated for each record 12A. Instead, the reception processing task 22A additionally writes extracted data 81 composed of a plurality of record elements on data 86 in which a plurality of record element types are described, as exemplified in FIG. 10B. You can also. Instead of the record element type, another type of information, for example, a print area ID for uniquely identifying the print area may be employed. In this case, the print area ID may be registered in the definition files 26A and 26B before and after the expansion.

  The print processing task 22B includes, for example, an interpretation unit 72, an XML parser 74, a layouter 75, and a rendering processing unit 76.

  The interpretation unit 72 is a unit that interprets the definition file 26A before deployment, creates the definition file 26B after deployment based on the interpretation result, and outputs the created definition file 26B. Specifically, for example, the interpretation unit 72 instructs the XML parser 74 to analyze the definition file 26A before deployment, receives the analysis result from the XML parser 74 that has performed the analysis, and based on the received analysis result Then, a DOM (Document Object Model) tree (not shown) is created, and a file representing the created DOM tree, that is, the expanded definition file 26B is written in the layout storage area 31C. The interpretation unit 72 can perform this process in advance before the composition process described later by the layouter 75 starts.

  The interpretation unit 72 includes a CSS parser 73 that analyzes a CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) document requested by an initialization process in a link tag (not shown) of the created DOM tree. The interpretation unit 72 can generate a style object (not shown) based on the analysis result of the CSS parser 73 and store the generated style object in the layout storage area 31C.

  In response to the instruction from the interpretation unit 72, the XML parser 74 analyzes the definition file 26 </ b> A before expansion and transmits the analysis result to the interpretation unit 72.

  The layouter 75 converts a plurality of record elements included in the extracted data 81 into a definition file after expansion at a predetermined timing (for example, when it is detected that at least one extracted data 81 is stored in the extracted data buffer 31B). 26B can be executed. Specifically, for example, the layouter 75 reads the extracted data 81 from the extracted data buffer 31B, reads the expanded definition file 26B from the layout storage area 31C, interprets the expanded definition file 26B, and determines from the interpretation result. Then, it is determined which record element included in the read extracted data 81 is assigned to which print area is represented in the expanded definition file 26B. Based on the determination result, the layouter 75 lays out the record elements in the read extracted data 81 for each page (that is, synthesizes the record elements in the definition file 26B), collects them into one page box, The page box is output as a layout object (in other words, synthesized data). The layouter 75 may store the combined data in the layout storage area 31C.

  The rendering processing unit 76 generates image data as RGB data based on the combined data output from the layouter 75. In other words, the rendering processing unit 76 executes a layout process unique to the printer 20 based on the combined data. The rendering processing unit 76 outputs the generated image data to the printing unit 37. As a result, the printing unit 37 performs color conversion processing and halftoning processing on the image data, thereby generating print image data, and a page box (layout record element or the like) represented by the print image data. Print.

  In this alternative embodiment, for example, the printer 20 stores, for each record 12A, the extracted data 81 including the record extracted from the record 12A, but the definition in which the record elements included in the extracted data 81 are synthesized. A number of files 26B are not saved. When the print data of the definition file 26B in which the record elements are combined is generated, the printer 20 performs printing based on the print data.

  Hereinafter, the flow of processing performed in this another embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 11A shows one processing flow performed by the reception processing task 22A.

  Each time the reception processing task 22A receives the record 12A included in the address book data 12 (YES in S301), the reception processing task 22A stores the received record 12A in the reception buffer 31A (S302).

  FIG. 11B shows another processing flow performed by the reception processing task 22A.

  The reception processing task 22A can perform the processing shown in FIG. 11B in parallel with the processing shown in FIG. 11A.

  The reception processing task 22A waits until a predetermined number (for example, at least one) record 12A is stored in the reception buffer 31A (NO in S201). When a predetermined number of records 12A are stored in the reception buffer 31A, the reception processing task 22A refers to the definition file 26A before expansion (or the definition file 26B after expansion) (S202), and extracts a plurality (or One) record element type is specified (S203). The reception processing task 22A extracts a plurality of record elements respectively corresponding to the specified plurality of record element types from the record 12A stored in the reception buffer 31A, and creates extracted data 81 (S204).

  The reception processing task 22A checks the usage status of the extracted data buffer 31B (S205).

  As a result of S205, if the usage status of the extracted data buffer 31B is a predetermined usage status (YES in S205), the reception processing task 22A compresses the extracted data 81 created in S204 (S206) and compresses it. The extracted data 81 is stored in the extracted data buffer 31B (S207). Here, the “predetermined usage status” is, for example, a situation where the size of the free area of the extracted data buffer 31B is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold (less than half of the total storage area of the extracted data buffer 31B). In S206, the reception processing task 22A may compress all or a part of the extracted data 81 already stored in the extracted data buffer 31B instead of or in addition to the extracted data 81 created in S204. it can.

  As a result of S205, if the usage status of the extracted data buffer 31B is not the predetermined usage status (NO in S205), the reception processing task 22A extracts the extracted data buffer 31B without compressing the extracted data 81 created in S204. (S207).

  After the processing of S207, the reception processing task 22A deletes the record 12A corresponding to the extracted data 81 stored in S207 from the reception buffer 31A (S208). The reception processing task 22A may perform the processing in S208, for example, before the storage processing in S207 and after the extraction data 81 is created in S204.

  The above is the flow of processing performed by the reception processing task 22A.

  Although the flow of processing performed by the print processing task 22B is not particularly illustrated, the outline of the processing flow is as follows.

  That is, the print processing task 22B expands the definition file 26A before expansion into the definition file 26B, and stores the definition file 26B in the layout storage area 31C in advance. As a timing for expanding the definition file 26A, for example, when a user-desired definition file 26A is designated via the operation unit 21 (see FIG. 1), or reception of at least one record 12A is detected. Can be adopted. The print processing task 22B extracts the extracted data 81 from the extracted data buffer 31B (decompresses if the extracted data 81 is compressed), and defines the record elements included in the extracted extracted data 81 after the expansion. A page (print data) of the address printing surface corresponding to each record 12A is generated by combining with the file 26B. The generated print data representing the page is sent to the printing unit 37, and thereby the address printing result corresponding to each record 12A is output from the printing unit 37. Note that when the print processing task 22B reads the extracted data 81 from the extracted data buffer 31B (for example, when address printing using the extracted data 81 is successful), the read extracted data 81 is deleted from the extracted data buffer 31B. can do.

  Although some embodiments and some modifications of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is limited only to these embodiments and modifications. It is not the purpose. The present invention can be implemented in various other forms. For example, in the embodiment and the modification, the description has been made by taking the printer as an example, but the contents of the embodiment and the modification can be applied to various processing apparatuses such as a digital camera or a personal computer. For example, in the case of a personal computer, a record element corresponding to the record element type associated with the address surface position defined in the definition file is assigned to the address surface data 12 defined in the definition file. And assigns the extracted record element to the address face position, and outputs the contents after assignment, for example, displays an image with the record element on the address face that can be derived from the definition file, or assigns it A new definition file 28 representing later contents can be generated and stored or transmitted.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer to which a processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a figure showing the example of a structure of address book data. An example of the conceptual structure of the definition file is shown. The layout of the address printing surface which can be derived from the definition file shown in FIG. 3 is shown. 2 shows an example of a processing flow performed by a CPU of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the 1st modification of one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the 2nd modification of one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 8A shows an example of a definition file in the case where the information regarding the extraction algorithm is a character string. FIG. 8B shows an example of a definition file in the case where the information related to the extraction algorithm is a program for executing the extraction algorithm. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10A shows one configuration example of the extracted data. FIG. 10B shows another configuration example of the extracted data. FIG. 11A shows one processing flow performed by the reception processing task 22A. FIG. 11B shows another processing flow performed by the reception processing task 22A.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Portable information terminal, 11 ... Memory, 12 ... Address book data, 20 ... Printer, 22 ... Print processing program, 26 ... Address printing surface layout definition file, 30 ... Printer control part, 31 ... RAM, 32 ... CPU, 33 ... ROM, 34 ... Communication IF, 35 ... Print IF

Claims (8)

A first input means for inputting address book data including a plurality of types of items including a name and an address for each unit data, and a plurality of the unit data;
A second input means for inputting a template file in which what kind of items are to be printed at which position on the address printing surface;
Item acquisition means for acquiring an item corresponding to the item type defined in the template file from the item group in the address book data;
A processing apparatus comprising: an assigning unit that assigns the acquired item to a position of an address printing surface defined in the template file. The template file includes extraction conditions,
The processing device further comprises means for extracting unit data corresponding to the extraction condition from the address book data,
The item acquisition means acquires the corresponding item from an item group included in the extracted unit data.
The processing apparatus according to claim 1. The template file includes information regarding a predetermined extraction algorithm as the extraction condition,
The extracting means determines a specific item according to the extraction algorithm specified from the information, and extracts unit data including the determined specific item from the address book data.
The processing apparatus according to claim 2. The processing device is a printing device;
The printing apparatus has a first print mode and a second print mode. When the first print mode is set and the address book data is input, the item acquisition unit And when the second print mode is set, if the address book data is input, the input address book data is printed.
The processing apparatus according to claim 1. The processing device can communicate with a portable information terminal storing address book data,
The portable information terminal can transmit the stored address book data, can download the template file from a server, and can also transmit the downloaded template file,
The first input means receives address book data from the portable information terminal, inputs the received address book data,
The second input means receives a template file from the portable information terminal and inputs the received template file;
The processing apparatus according to claim 1. First storage means for storing the input unit data in a first data storage area when unit data included in the address book data is input by the first input means;
Second storage means for storing one or more types of items acquired by the item acquisition means from unit data stored in the first data storage area in a second data storage area for each unit data; Prepared,
The assigning means assigns one or more types of items stored in the second data storage area to the position of the address printing surface for each unit data,
The processing apparatus according to claim 1. Data having an item group consisting of a plurality of types of items including a name and an address for each unit data, the address book data including a plurality of the unit data being input, and the input address length data Writing to memory,
Writing a template file in memory that defines what kind of items to print at which position on the address printing surface;
Obtaining an item corresponding to the item type defined in the template file written in the memory from the item group in the address book data;
Allocating the acquired item to a position on the address printing surface defined in the template file. Multiple types of items including name and address for each unit of data corresponding to the item type described in the template file that defines what type of item is printed at which position on the address printing surface Obtaining from the address book data comprising a plurality of the unit data,
A computer-readable computer program for causing a computer to execute the step of assigning the acquired item to a position of an address printing surface defined in the template file.

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