JP2522600B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a printer used for a label printer or a POS (Point of Sales) terminal for physical distribution management, for example.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a printer, for example, a host computer receives format data and data to be printed based on the format data, draws and develops the format data in a frame buffer, and synthesizes the data to be printed with the drawn format data. In a label printer that prints and prints a label afterwards, the frame buffer is cleared once by a clear command from the host computer, the format data is received again from the host computer, and the data is drawn and expanded in the frame buffer. It receives data to be printed and synthesizes it with the format data that is rendered and expanded in the frame buffer, then calls the data from the frame buffer and prints it on the label. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, when a label is printed, there are cases where only the data to be printed is changed based on the format without changing the format.

However, conventionally, after clearing the frame buffer with a clear command from the host computer, the host computer receives new format data and data to be printed based on the format data and draws and develops in the frame buffer. The format must be transmitted many times, and the printer must repeatedly receive the same print format and draw and develop it in the frame buffer, resulting in poor workability and efficiency.

Further, depending on the circumstances, it may be desired to print only the print format on the label, but in such a case, conventionally, only the format data must be transmitted from the host computer each time, and there is also a problem in workability in this respect as well.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a printer in which the same format data only needs to be set once, and printing of only the format can be realized by a simple operation, thus improving workability and efficiency.

[Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention relates to a format drawing holding unit for drawing and holding format data in a printer that draws and outputs format data and print data to be printed based on the format after drawing and developing in a frame buffer,
A feed key for feeding the print paper, a means for copying the format data drawn and held in the format drawing holding means when clearing the frame buffer based on the clear command, and a means for copying to the frame buffer when the feed key is operated And a means for printing and outputting the formatted data.

[Operation] In the present invention having such a configuration, when the format data and the print data to be printed based on the format are input, the data is drawn and developed in the frame buffer. At this time, the format drawing holding means for the format data is used. Also draw and expand.

If there is no change in the format data, when the frame buffer is cleared by the clear command, the format data held by the format drawing holding means is copied to the frame buffer.

Therefore, after that, only the print data may be input and the print data may be drawn and synthesized in the frame buffer in which the format data is already drawn.

When the feed key is operated, the format data copied in the frame buffer is printed out.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a CPU (central processing unit) that constitutes the main body of the control unit, and this CPU 1 is a ROM (read only memory) that stores program data for various processes performed by this CPU 1 via a system bus 2. Memory) 3, RAM (random access memory) 4 that forms various memories used by this CPU 1, communication I / F (interface) 5 that is connected to the host computer by a line and controls communication, and keyboard 6 that controls the keyboard 6. It is connected to a control unit 7 and an I / O (input / output interface) unit 8.

In the RAM 4, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a frame buffer 4a and a protect memory 4b as a format drawing holding means are formed.

Data is stored in a dot pattern format in the frame buffer 4a and the protect memory 4b, and the protect memory 4b is not cleared even when the frame buffer 4a is cleared by a clear command from the host computer.

The keyboard 6 is provided with feed keys and the like.

The I / O unit 8 includes a sensor 9, which constitutes a printing unit,
A thermal head control unit 11 that controls the thermal head 10 and a stepping motor control unit 13 that controls the stepping motor 12 are connected.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a printing process performed by the CPU 1.

That is, when the clear command is received from the host computer via the communication I / F 5 while the format data is drawn and expanded in the protect memory 4b, the frame buffer 4a is cleared. Then, the format data is called from the protect memory 4b and copied to the frame buffer 4a. That is, at this point, as shown in FIG. 5, the same format data as in the protect memory 4b is drawn and developed in the frame buffer 4a.

Next, when data to be printed based on the format is received from the host computer via the communication I / F 5, in the frame buffer 4a, the print data is combined with the previously expanded format data as dot data expanded into a dot configuration. Let

Then, based on the dot data combined in the frame buffer 4a, the thermal head control unit 11 and the stepping motor control unit 13 are driven, and the thermal head 10 and the stepping motor 12 are controlled to print out.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the print processing of only the format performed by the CPU 1.

That is, when the feed key of the keyboard 6 is turned on, the frame buffer 4a is cleared.

Then, the format data is copied from the protect memory 4b to the frame buffer 4a. Then, the copied format data is called to call the thermal head controller 11 and the stepping motor controller.
13 is driven to control the thermal head 10 and the stepping motor 12 to print out.

In the embodiment having such a configuration, when the format data is first transmitted from the host computer, the format data is developed into a dot configuration and drawn in both the frame buffer 4a and the protect memory 4b.

Subsequently, when data to be printed based on the format is received from the host computer, the print data is combined with the format data in the frame buffer 4a.

Then, the thermal head control unit 11 and the stepping motor control unit 13 are driven to control the thermal head 10 and the stepping motor 12 to print out on, for example, a label.

Next, when changing only the print data without changing the format, when the clear command is received from the host computer, only the frame buffer 4a is cleared. Then, the format data is called from the protect memory 4b and copied to the frame buffer 4a.

In this state, the host computer sends only print data. When the printer receives this print data,
The dot data is drawn on top of the format data already drawn in the frame buffer 4a.

Then, the data is read from the frame buffer 4a and the thermal head controller 11 and the stepping motor controller 13 are read.
Is driven to control the thermal head 10 and the stepping motor 12 to print out.

As described above, the host computer only needs to send the format data once, and thereafter, only the print data to be changed is sent, which improves the workability. Further, it is not necessary for the printer side to receive the format data from the host computer every time the print data is changed and draw it in the frame buffer 4a, so that the efficiency can be improved.

When it is desired to print only the format, the feed key on the keyboard 6 is operated. As a result, the frame buffer 4a is cleared, the format data is copied from the protected memory 4b to the frame buffer 4a,
Further, it is printed out.

In this way, when it is desired to print only the format, it is not necessary to send the format data from the host computer each time, and it is only necessary to operate the feed key, which also improves workability.

In the above embodiment, the format data and the print data are received from the host computer and printed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the format data and the print data may be input from the keyboard.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the same format data only needs to be set once, and moreover, only the format can be printed by a simple operation, thus improving workability and efficiency. It is possible to provide an improved printer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main memory configuration of a RAM, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a printing process by a CPU, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the print processing of only the format by the CPU, and FIG. 1 ... CPU, 4a ... Frame buffer, 4b ... Protect memory, 6 ... Keyboard, 10 ... Thermal head.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printer that draws and outputs format data and print data to be printed based on the format in a frame buffer and then prints it out, and format drawing holding means for drawing and holding the format data, and feeding a print sheet. A feed key, a means for copying the format data drawn and held in the format drawing holding means to the frame buffer when the frame buffer is cleared based on a clear command, and a means for copying the format data to the frame buffer when the feed key is operated A printer provided with means for printing out format data.