JP2016055605A - Printing device and method for controlling printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing device that can make first print time shorter and speed up a response to a host device while securing continuity of printing, and a method for controlling the same.SOLUTION: The printing device comprises a command analysing portion that analyses a received command, a drawing portion that generates image data on the basis of the analysed command, and a print executing portion that executes print processing according to the image data. The command analysing portion controls processing timing and processing time of the drawing portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus capable of accelerating first printing and speeding up a response to a host apparatus while ensuring continuity of printing, and a control method therefor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer that continuously prints on a plurality of labels formed on a long sheet so as to be peelable is used. In the printer, the processes of receiving a command from the host device, analyzing the received command, generating (developing) image data according to the analysis result, and transferring the image data to the print engine are performed from upstream to downstream. Sequentially executed to processing.

  In addition, since the control unit has a simple hardware configuration in such a printer, processing other than the above-described transfer to the print engine is performed by one CPU, and upstream processing is preferentially executed at that time. There is something.

  As a related technique, Patent Document 1 described below describes an invention of a printing apparatus that prints continuous pages without reducing the throughput of a print engine (print engine). The document describes delaying the start of the print engine based on the next data processing time.

JP 2007-69357 A

  In the case of a printer that preferentially executes the upstream processing described above, the generation processing of the image data requested for printing is not started until all processing up to the command analysis that is upstream processing is completed. After the print request, there is a problem that it takes time until the image data is generated, and the first print (first print output after the print request) is delayed.

  In addition, since such a printer is an apparatus for continuous printing on a plurality of labels, it is not preferable for the user's workability that the printed matter requested to be printed is not continuously printed and interrupted in the middle. . Therefore, there is a demand for ensuring continuity of printing.

  In addition, the printer includes a command that requires a response to the host device in the received command, and if the command analysis process is stopped for a long time, the response to the host device becomes slow. . When the responsiveness is delayed, there is a problem in that the timing for notifying the host device that the command can be received is delayed, thereby delaying the reception of the command from the host device.

  The proposal described in Patent Document 1 does not show means for solving all the above-mentioned problems, although the continuity of the operation of the print engine is maintained.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a control method for the printing apparatus that can speed up the first print and speed up the response to the host apparatus while ensuring the continuity of printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a command analysis unit for analyzing a received command by a printing apparatus, a drawing unit for generating image data based on the analyzed command, A print execution unit that executes print processing according to image data, and the command analysis unit controls processing timing and processing time of the drawing unit.

  Furthermore, in the above-described invention, one preferable aspect thereof is that the command analysis unit performs the command analysis processing for a first processing period, and the drawing unit determines the second timing determined by the processing timing and processing time. The image data generation processing is performed during a processing period, and the first processing period and the second processing period are different periods.

  Furthermore, in the above invention, one preferable aspect thereof is characterized in that the processing of the command analysis unit and the processing of the drawing unit are periodically switched.

  Moreover, in the above invention, one preferable aspect thereof further includes an image data storage unit for storing the generated image data, and the processing time of the drawing unit is the time of the image data of the image data storage unit. It is determined by the quantity.

  Furthermore, in the above-described invention, one preferable aspect thereof further includes a transfer unit that transfers the generated image data to the print execution unit, and the transfer unit receives a predetermined time from the first reception of the command. A transfer process is started after elapse of time.

  Furthermore, in the above invention, one preferable aspect thereof is characterized in that the transfer unit transfers the image data to the print execution unit at a predetermined cycle corresponding to a printing speed.

  Furthermore, in the above-mentioned invention, one preferable aspect thereof is characterized in that printing is continuously performed on a plurality of labels by a line inkjet head.

  In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention provides a print execution unit that executes a printing process according to image data, a command analysis unit that analyzes a received command, and the command based on the analyzed command. In the control method of a printing apparatus including a drawing unit that generates image data, the command analysis unit controls processing timing and processing time of the drawing unit.

  Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention described below.

1 is an external view according to an embodiment of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a top view illustrating an internal structure of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the printer 2. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when a print command is received. 6 is a time chart illustrating processing timings of a reception unit 211, a command analysis unit 213, and a drawing unit 215. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in a command analysis unit 213.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals or reference symbols.

  FIG. 1 is an external view according to an embodiment of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the internal structure of the printing apparatus. The printer 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the printing measure, a process for analyzing a received command and a process for generating image data according to the analyzed command are switched at a predetermined timing. Further, by delaying the process of transferring the generated image data to the print execution unit 22 (see FIG. 3), the print start time after the print request from the host device is advanced (early first print), Ensuring continuity of printing and speeding up the response to the host device (host computer 1 in FIG. 3).

  As an example, the printer 2 is a line inkjet printer that performs printing on a label based on a command transmitted from the host computer 1 (see FIG. 3). The printer 2 includes a housing 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and a paper discharge port 4 is provided on the front surface 3a thereof. A printed label is discharged from the paper discharge port 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 2 includes an operation panel 5 and a display unit 6 for user operations.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer 2 includes a paper guide unit 220 and a printing unit 223 for the paper S that is a printing medium. The paper S is accommodated in the printer 2 as a long roll paper. As shown in FIG. 2, the long roll paper is obtained by affixing a plurality of label papers R to the mount D in a detachable manner. Further, the sheet S is conveyed from upstream to downstream in the direction indicated by the arrow F in FIG. The printer 2 includes side paper guides 221 on both sides of the paper S in the width direction.

  The printing unit 223 is provided with a platen 224 disposed below the sheet S and a carriage 225 disposed above the sheet S. A print head 226 is mounted on the carriage 225, and a head unit 226 for each color is provided on the print head (inkjet head) 226. In this printer 2, as an example, printing is performed using four colors of inks of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). A unit 226k is provided.

  In the printer 2, the printing unit 223 performs a printing process on each label sheet R of the sheet S conveyed continuously in the direction of the arrow F in FIG. The paper is discharged from the paper slot 4. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a cutter unit 222 is provided in front of the paper discharge port 4, and the cutter unit 222 cuts the paper S at a predetermined position.

  FIG. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the printer 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the printer 2 executes printing based on a command transmitted from the host computer 1 that is the host device. The host computer 1 is a computer that is communicably connected to the printer 2 and includes an application that creates the contents of a label to be printed, a printer driver that generates the command in accordance with instructions from the application, and the like.

  The command transmitted from the host computer 1 includes various control commands for requesting a response from the printer 2 in addition to the print command for instructing printing including the data of the label print contents. The control command includes, for example, a transmission permission confirmation command for inquiring whether data transmission from the host computer 1 to the printer 2 may be performed. This transmission permission confirmation command is sent, for example, for each print command for one label (including data for one label paper R) before transmission of the print command, and is it possible to transmit to the printer 2? It is confirmed whether or not.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the printer 2 includes a controller 21 and a print execution unit 22 as functional configurations.

  The controller 21 is a part that controls the entire apparatus of the printer 2 and is configured by a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an NVRAM, an ASIC, and the like (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 21 includes a reception unit 211, a reception buffer 212, a command analysis unit 213, a command storage unit 214, a drawing unit 215, an image data storage unit 216, and a transfer unit 217 as functional configurations.

  The reception unit 211 is a part that receives the above-described command transmitted from the host computer 1 and stores (stores) the received command in the reception buffer 212.

  The reception buffer 212 is a data storage unit that temporarily holds commands received by the reception unit 211. When the free space is reduced, a notification that data cannot be received is transmitted to the host computer 1 as a response to the above-described transmission permission confirmation command.

  Next, the command analysis unit 213 is a part that analyzes the received command. Specifically, since the command transmitted from the host computer 1 is coded for communication, the command analysis unit 213 decodes the coded command, and for the print command, the decoded command is used. Store (store) in the command storage unit 216.

  For the control command, processing corresponding to the decoded command is executed. When the control command is the above-described transmission enable / disable confirmation command, the free capacity of the reception buffer 212 is checked, and a response to the host computer 1 is made according to the result.

  The command storage unit 214 is a data storage unit that temporarily holds the decoded print command.

  Next, the drawing unit 215 is a part that generates image data of a label to be printed in accordance with the print command of the command storage unit 214. The image data to be generated is data in which each pixel has a gradation value of each color (for example, R (red) G (green) B (black)), and the rendering unit 215 performs so-called development processing (rendering processing). The The drawing unit 215 stores (stores) the generated image data in the image data storage unit 216.

  The image data storage unit 216 is a data storage unit that temporarily holds the generated image data.

  Next, the transfer unit 217 constitutes an interface with the print execution unit 22 that transfers the image data stored in the image data storage unit 216 to the print execution unit 22. The transfer unit 217 transfers the image data to the print execution unit 22 at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the printing speed. Specifically, the transfer unit 217 adds color conversion processing or the like to the data read from the image data storage unit 216 and transmits the data to the print execution unit 22 as data that can be processed by the print execution unit 22. The color conversion process is a process of converting image data expressed in the RGB color space into image data expressed in the CMYK color space that is the ink color.

  The reception unit 211, the command analysis unit 213, and the drawing unit 215 described above are configured by a program describing processing contents, a CPU that executes processing according to the program, a RAM, and the like. The reception buffer 212, the command storage unit 214, and the image data storage unit 216 are configured by a memory such as a RAM. The transfer unit 217 is configured by an ASIC or the like.

  In addition, the reception unit 211, the command analysis unit 213, and the drawing unit 215 operate with a single CPU, and it is difficult to cause each unit to execute processing in parallel at the same time. That is, in this embodiment, while one part is operating, the other part is not operating. Note that the transfer unit 217 is configured by an ASIC, and can execute processing in parallel with the above-described units. Next, the print execution unit 22 is a part that executes printing on the print medium (paper S) in accordance with an instruction from the controller 21 and outputs a printed matter (label). The print execution unit 22 includes a printing unit 223 and a conveyance unit. The printing unit 223 includes the above-described print head 226, a carriage 225 on which the print head 226 is mounted, and the like. The above-described head unit 226 for each color includes a plurality of nozzles that eject ink of each color. In addition to the paper guide unit 220 and the cutter unit 222 described above, the transport unit includes a transport roller mechanism that transports the paper S.

  The printer 2 having the configuration as described above executes processing as follows. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when a print command is received. First, according to FIG. 4, a procedure for processing a print command for one unit (for example, one label) will be described.

  As described above, the print command transmitted from the host computer 1 is received by the reception unit 211 (step S1 in FIG. 4) and is sequentially stored in the reception buffer 212. Thereafter, the stored print command is read and decoded (analyzed) by the command analysis unit 213 (step S2 in FIG. 4). The decrypted print commands are sequentially stored in the command storage unit 214.

  Thereafter, the decrypted and stored print command is read out by the drawing unit 215 and subjected to a development process. That is, the drawing unit 215 generates the image data according to the read print command (step S3 in FIG. 4). The generated image data is stored in the image data storage unit 216.

  Next, the stored image data is read by the transfer unit 217, and each process of the transfer unit 217 described above is executed and transferred to the print execution unit 22 (step S4 in FIG. 4).

  Thereafter, the print execution unit 22 operates according to the transferred image data, and print processing is executed on the paper S (step S5 in FIG. 4). That is, a label is printed on the label paper R.

  Printing for one label is performed in such a procedure.

  Next, processing timings of the reception unit 211, the command analysis unit 213, and the drawing unit 215 will be described. As described above, since these units do not execute processing at the same time, a priority order in which processing can be performed is determined in advance. Basically, like the conventional apparatus, the receiving unit 211, the command analysis unit 213, and the drawing unit 215 are designed in the order of high priority so that the upstream processing is executed with priority. That is, if there is data (command) to be processed in the receiving unit 211, the receiving unit 211 executes the process regardless of the situation of other parts. If the receiving unit 211 has no processing target, the receiving unit 211 pauses and passes the processing to the command analysis unit 213, and if there is a processing target command in the command analysis unit 213, the state of the drawing unit 215 is changed. Regardless, the command analysis unit 213 executes processing. Further, when there is no processing target in the receiving unit 211 and the command analysis unit 213, the receiving unit 211 and the command analysis unit 213 are paused, and the drawing unit 215 can execute the processing. If there is a processing target command, the processing is performed. Run. Note that the transfer unit 217 executes processing independently of these, and basically executes processing when there is image data that can be printed in the image data storage unit 216.

  With this basic configuration, the printer 2 is configured such that the command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215 at a predetermined timing even when there is a command to be processed by itself. This is a major feature of the printer 2.

  FIG. 5 is a time chart illustrating the processing timing of the reception unit 211, the command analysis unit 213, and the drawing unit 215. FIG. 5 shows a case where commands are sequentially sent from the host computer 1 to the printer 2, and it is assumed that the previous command processing has been completed. FIG. 5A is a time chart in the case of operating with only the basic configuration described above. In the chart of each part of FIG. 5, the upper level indicates that processing (operation) is being performed, and the lower level indicates that it is being paused (stopped).

  In the basic configuration shown in FIG. 5A, since the receiving unit 211 executes processing with the highest priority, when a command is transmitted from the host computer 1, the receiving unit 211 starts the above-described receiving processing at timing t1. Then, the process ends at timing t2.

  Thereafter, until the next command is transmitted, that is, from the timing t2 to the timing t6, the command analysis unit 213 operates to execute the analysis processing of the received command. When the command is a control command and it is necessary to respond to the host computer 1, the command analysis unit 213 executes a response process.

  Thereafter, the process returns to the reception unit 211 at timing t6, the reception process for the next command transmitted from the host computer 1 is performed, and the reception process ends at timing t7.

  Thereafter, similarly, the processes of the reception unit 211 and the command analysis unit 213 are executed, and the process of the command analysis unit 213 ends at timing t12.

  At time t12, when the command reception and the analysis of the received command are all completed, in other words, when there is no transmission from the host computer 1 and there is no command in the reception buffer 212, the drawing unit 215 at this time. Then, the drawing process described above is started. That is, after timing t12, the image data is stored in the image data storage unit 216, and immediately after timing t12 (during the period indicated by the bottom arrow in FIG. 5A), to the print execution unit 22 by the transfer unit 217. The above transfer process can be performed.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5B is an example of a time chart in the printer 2, that is, when the above-described feature is executed.

  In (B) of FIG. 5, until timing t <b> 2, the same transition as in the case of (A) of FIG. 5 is performed, and the process moves to the command analysis unit 213, but after that, the command analysis unit 213 starts the process, At a timing t3 when a predetermined time (T1, for example, 50 ms) has elapsed, the processing is paused, and the processing is transferred to the drawing unit 215 for a predetermined time (T2). In accordance with this, the drawing unit 215 executes processing from timing t3, and the processing returns to the command analysis unit 213 at timing t4 when the predetermined time T2 has elapsed. In addition, the command analysis part 213 performs the response process to the host computer 1 suitably, when a control command is processed during the process.

  Thereafter, similarly, the command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215 after continuing the processing for a predetermined time T1 even if its processing is not completed. In FIG. 5B, the process moves to the drawing unit 215 at the predetermined time T1, the timing t5 when the processing is continued, the timing t8, the timing t10, and the like. The command analysis unit 213 performs processing for a period (first processing period) determined by the processing start time (processing timing) and the processing time (predetermined time T1), and the drawing unit 215 performs processing start time (processing timing) and processing. Processing is performed for a period (second processing period) determined by time (predetermined time T2). The first processing period and the second processing period are different periods.

  Thus, in the case of the printer 2, the image data storage unit 216 holds the image data after the timing t3, and immediately after the timing t3 (in the period indicated by the bottom arrow in FIG. 5B). ) The above transfer processing to the print execution unit 22 by the transfer unit 217 becomes possible.

  Accordingly, when the printer 2 shown in FIG. 5B is operated with only the basic configuration shown in FIG. 5A, the print execution unit 22 is earlier. Thus, the first print output after making a print request in the host computer 1 can be accelerated. That is, the first print can be accelerated.

  A plurality of predetermined times T2 during which the command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215 are prepared. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, T3 is also prepared (for example, T2 = 200 ms, T3 = 10 ms). In order to maintain the continuous printability, these times (T2, T3) are switched and used in accordance with the amount of data stored in the image data storage unit 216. Details of this processing will be described later.

  The printer 2 is also characterized by the processing timing of the transfer unit 217. Specifically, there is a print request from the host computer 1, and the printer 2 is configured to start the processing of the transfer unit 217 after a predetermined time (delay time) has elapsed since the reception of the first command for the print request. Is done. This is because the operation timing of the transfer unit 217 is earlier due to the earlier operation timing of the drawing unit 215, but the transfer unit 217 is faster in processing than the drawing unit 215. This is to prevent the amount of data to be stored from decreasing and the image data storage unit 216 from losing data to which the transfer unit 217 performs transfer processing. When there is no more data in the image data storage unit 216, the processing by the transfer unit 217 is suspended, that is, the printing process by the print execution unit 22 is interrupted, and the continuity of printing is impaired. Therefore, in order to prevent this, the printer 2 is configured to start the processing of the transfer unit 217 after the image data storage unit 216 has accumulated as much image data as possible while satisfying the request for early printing. Configured.

  The predetermined time (delay time) for delaying the processing start of the transfer unit 217 can be determined from, for example, an allowable time from a print request that can be accepted by the user to the first print. For example, assuming that the permissible time is 13 seconds, the time until command reception is 1 second, and the time from the start of image data transfer by the transfer unit 217 to the output of printed matter is 5 seconds, the delay time is set to 7 seconds. be able to.

  Next, a specific processing procedure of the command analysis unit 213 will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in the command analysis unit 213. The processing procedure of the command analysis unit 213 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, processing upstream from the command analysis unit 213 (reception unit 211) is not considered.

  First, the command analysis unit 213 checks whether there is data to be processed, that is, an unprocessed command, in the reception buffer 212 (step S11 in FIG. 6). If there is no data to be processed as a result of the check (No in step S11 in FIG. 6), the processing is passed to the drawing unit 215 for a predetermined time T0 (for example, 10 ms) based on the basic configuration described above (FIG. 6). Step S12).

  On the other hand, if there is data to be processed (Yes in step S11 in FIG. 6), the command analysis unit 213 checks whether or not there is free space in the command storage unit 214 (step S13 in FIG. 6). As a result of the check, if there is no free space (No in step S13 in FIG. 6), the command analysis unit 213 cannot perform processing, so the processing is passed to the drawing unit 215 for a predetermined time T0 based on the basic configuration described above. (Step S12 in FIG. 6).

  On the other hand, if there is a free space (Yes in step S13 in FIG. 6), that is, in the situation where the command analysis unit 213 can process, the above-described analysis processing is executed, but first, continuous processing is not performed to the drawing unit 215. Then, it is checked whether or not the predetermined time T1 described above has elapsed for the time during which analysis processing is performed (step S14 in FIG. 6).

  If the predetermined time T1 has not elapsed as a result of the check (No in step S14 in FIG. 6), the command analysis unit 213 executes the command analysis process described above (step S15 in FIG. 6). Thereafter, the process returns to step S11.

  On the other hand, if the predetermined time T1 has passed as a result of the check (Yes in step S14 in FIG. 6), the command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215, but first, the data in the image data storage unit 216 The accumulation amount is checked (step S16 in FIG. 6). Specifically, for example, when printing continuously on a plurality of labels, the command analysis unit 213 stores a predetermined number N (for example, N = 1) of label image data in the image data storage unit 216. Check whether it is accumulated. As an alternative, it may be checked whether image data for a predetermined conveyance distance is accumulated.

  As a result of the check, if the amount of stored image data is small, specifically, for example, if the amount of stored data is less than or equal to the image data for one label (step S16 in FIG. 6). “Low”), the command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215 for a predetermined time T2 (step S17 in FIG. 6).

  On the other hand, if the amount of stored image data is large as a result of the check, specifically, for example, if the amount of stored data exceeds the image data for one label (FIG. 6). The command analysis unit 213 passes the processing to the drawing unit 215 for a predetermined time T3 (step S18 in FIG. 6).

  The predetermined time T2 is set longer than the predetermined time T3. As an example, when it is necessary to transfer image data for one label to the print execution unit 22 in a cycle of 300 ms, the predetermined time T1 = 50 ms, the predetermined time T2 = 200 ms, and the predetermined time T3 = 10 ms can be set. .

  After steps S17 and S18, the process returns to step S11. Note that the drawing unit 215 executes the above-described drawing process (image data generation process) as long as the command to be processed exists in the command storage unit 214 when the process is passed.

  By operating the command analysis unit 213 as described above, even when the processing of the command analysis unit 213 is not completed, the drawing unit 215 executes the processing and generates image data to be transferred to the print execution unit 22. Therefore, as described with reference to FIG. 5, the first print can be accelerated.

  Further, the command analysis unit 213 changes the time passed to the drawing unit 215 in accordance with the data storage amount of the image data storage unit 216, and appropriately sets these times (predetermined times T2 and T3), so that printing can be performed. Continuity can be ensured.

  Further, by shortening the switching cycle (predetermined time T1 + predetermined time T2 or T3) between the command analyzing unit 213 and the drawing unit 215, and by setting the predetermined times T2 and T3 to the minimum necessary time, the command analyzing unit It is possible to shorten the continuous time during which 213 is inactive, thereby improving the responsiveness to the host computer 1.

  Furthermore, since the response of the command analysis unit 213 is improved, the response to the above-described transmission permission confirmation command is also accelerated. As a result, although the host computer 1 waits for the response even though transmission to the printer 2 is possible, the opportunity to forgo the transmission of the print command is reduced. Secured.

  As described above, in the printer 2 according to this embodiment, the time until the first label is output after the print request in the host computer 1 (time until the first print) can be shortened.

  Furthermore, the continuity of printing is ensured by delaying the processing start timing of the transfer unit 217 by a certain time.

  Further, as described above, by appropriately setting the operation switching period between the command analysis unit 213 and the drawing unit 215, the responsiveness to the host computer 1 can be improved and the continuity of printing is ensured.

  As described above, the printer 2 can satisfy the user needs related to accelerating first printing and continuity of printing.

  The present invention is suitable for label printing by a line ink jet printer, but can be applied to printing other than labels and also to printers of other printing methods.

  The protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but covers the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer, 2 Printer, 3 Case, 3a Front surface, 4 Outlet, 5 Operation panel, 6 Display part, 21 Controller, 22 Print execution part, 211 Receiving part, 212 Reception buffer, 213 Command analysis part, 214 Command Storage unit, 215 Drawing unit, 216 Image data storage unit, 217 Transfer unit, 220 Paper guide unit, 221 Side paper guide unit, 222 Cutter unit, 223 Printing unit, 224 Platen, 225 Carriage, 226 Print head, 226c Cyan head Unit, 226m magenta head unit, 226y yellow head unit, 226k black head unit, S paper, D mount, R label paper

Claims (8)

A command analysis unit for analyzing the received command;
A drawing unit that generates image data based on the analyzed command;
A print execution unit that executes print processing according to the image data;
With
The command analysis unit controls processing timing and processing time of the drawing unit. In claim 1,
The command analysis unit performs analysis processing of the command during a first processing period,
The drawing unit performs a generation process of the image data during a second processing period determined by the processing timing and processing time,
The printing apparatus, wherein the first processing period and the second processing period are different periods. In claim 1 or 2,
A printing apparatus characterized by periodically switching between processing of the command analysis unit and processing of the drawing unit. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3, Furthermore,
An image data storage unit for storing the generated image data;
The processing time of the drawing unit is determined by the amount of the image data in the image data storage unit. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4, Furthermore,
A transfer unit that transfers the generated image data to the print execution unit;
The printing apparatus, wherein the transfer unit starts transfer processing after a predetermined time has elapsed since the first reception of the command. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The transfer unit transfers the image data to the print execution unit at a predetermined cycle corresponding to a printing speed. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 6,
A printing apparatus that continuously performs printing on a plurality of labels by a line inkjet head. A control method for a printing apparatus, comprising: a print execution unit that executes print processing according to image data; a command analysis unit that analyzes a received command; and a drawing unit that generates the image data based on the analyzed command. There,
The method for controlling a printing apparatus, wherein the command analysis unit controls processing timing and processing time of the drawing unit.

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