JP2664697B2 - Character printing device and character printing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a character printing apparatus and a character printing method for a printing apparatus that performs printing using an ink ribbon having an end. (Prior Art) In a document creator such as a personal word processor, a printing apparatus such as a serial thermal transfer type using an ink ribbon having an end is widely used. A conventional document creator using this type of printing apparatus, when a ribbon end (that the ink ribbon reaches the end and makes it impossible to print further) occurs during printing, printing is performed at the point when the ribbon is cut. The printing is not completed, and the printing of the line where the ribbon is broken ends incompletely. Therefore, in this case, there is an inconvenience that the printing must be restarted from the beginning of the line or sheet where the printing was interrupted. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the related art, if the ribbon breaks during printing, the paper becomes defective in printing, and there is a disadvantage that the printing must be performed again from the beginning by replacing the paper. . The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and even if a ribbon break occurs during printing, a character printing device capable of printing continuously on an unprinted portion on paper by replacing the ink ribbon and restarting the printing operation. An object of the present invention is to provide a character printing method. [Structure of the Invention] (Means and Actions for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that performs printing using an ink ribbon having an end, and a flag that is set when the ribbon of the ink ribbon has run out. A register for holding the digit position when the ribbon has run out, means for instructing the start of printing, and referring to the flag in accordance with the instruction for printing start, and printing from the digit position indicated by the register when the flag is set. Means for determining a restarting digit position, so that printing after replacement of the ink ribbon can be started from the printing restarting digit position. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the waste of printing from the beginning and to continue the smooth printing operation. (Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU which controls the entire apparatus, and has a function of executing processing as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. Reference numeral 2 denotes a printing device that performs printing under the control of the CPU 1, and performs printing using an ink ribbon having a termination. 3
Is a line buffer for storing a dot image of one line to be printed. Reference numeral 4 denotes a print start digit register that stores a digit position on the line buffer 3 at which printing is started. Reference numeral 5 denotes a print end digit register for storing a digit position on the line buffer 3 at which printing ends. 8 is a line buffer 3 during printing
Current column register (hereinafter C
Register). Reference numeral 7 denotes a ribbon end flag that stores that a ribbon end has occurred during printing. 8
Is a display device for displaying to the user a message to replace the ink ribbon. An input device 9 allows the user to notify the CPU 1 that the replacement of the ink ribbon has been completed. 2 to 4 are flowcharts each showing a processing flow of the above embodiment. 5 to 8 are diagrams showing examples of printing states for explaining the operation of the above embodiment. Here, the operation according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the above-described drawings. Here, a case where the dot pattern shown in FIG. 5 is printed by a serial printer of a thermal transfer system will be described as an example. First, the CPU 1 develops a dot pattern for one line on the line buffer 3 (step A1 in FIG. 2). Here is the fifth
The pattern shown is developed in the line buffer 3. Next, the print start digit is set in the print start digit register 4 and the print end digit is set in the print end digit register 5 (step A2 in FIG. 2). Here, as an example, the print start digit = [6] and the print end digit = [22] are set. Next, the CPU 1 outputs to the printing apparatus 2 a command to move the carriage to the print start digit stored in the print start digit register 4 (step A3 in FIG. 2). The printing device 2 moves the carriage to the print start digit in accordance with a command from the CPU 1. Next, the printing apparatus 2 is activated and "printing" is executed (FIG. 2, step A4). In this "printing" process, the CPU 1 first resets the ribbon end flag 7 (step B1 in FIG. 3). Next, the CPU 1 reads the state of the ink ribbon from the printing apparatus 2 and checks whether or not the state is the ribbon end state (step B2 in FIG. 3). If it is the ribbon end state, the ribbon end flag 7 is set (step B8 in FIG. 3). If the state is not the ribbon end state, the CPU 1 outputs a head down (pressing the head to the paper) command to the printing apparatus 2 (step B3 in FIG. 3). As a result, the printing apparatus 2 performs head-down according to the above instruction from the CPU 1. Then, after head down, printing is performed (step B4 in FIG. 3). FIG. 4 shows a process flow of this “print execution”. In the "print execution" process, the CPU 1 first reads the print start digit from the print start digit register 4 and sets it in the C register 6 (step C1 in FIG. 4). Here, C = [6]. Next, the CPU 1 outputs a command to move the carriage by one step to the printing apparatus 2 (step C3 in FIG. 4). The printing device 2 moves the carriage by one step in accordance with the above-mentioned command from the CPU 1. Thereafter, the CPU 1 reads the C-th digit pattern according to the value of the C register 6 from the line buffer 3 and outputs it to the printing device 2 (step C4 in FIG. 4). The printing device 2 prints the pattern output from the CPU 1. Here, the sixth digit in FIG. 5 is printed. Next, the CPU 1 outputs an instruction to wind the ink ribbon for one step to the printing apparatus 2 (step C5 in FIG. 4). The printing device 2 winds up the ink ribbon by one step in accordance with the command from the CPU 1. Then, it waits for a certain time determined by the mechanical characteristics of the printing apparatus 2 (step C6 in FIG. 4). After the waiting time, 1 is added to the contents of the C register 6 (step C7 in FIG. 4). Here, C = [7]. Thereafter, the contents of the C register 6 and the contents of the print end digit register 5 are compared (step C8 in FIG. 4). Here, C = [7], print end digit = [22],
Since the print execution digit has not yet reached the print end digit, CPU1
Reads the state of the ink ribbon from the printing apparatus 2 and checks whether or not it is the ribbon end (step C2 in FIG. 4). If the state is the ribbon end state, the ribbon end flag 7 is set (step C9 in FIG. 4). If the state is not the ribbon end state, the same operation as described above is repeated (steps C3 to C8, C2 in FIG. 4). Here, the same operation as described above is repeated from the 7th digit to the 19th digit of the line buffer, and if the ribbon end occurs after printing is completed, at this time, the contents of the C register 6 are as follows: [20], the ribbon end flag 7 is set, and the process ends (steps C2 and C9 in FIG. 4). The print result at this point is as shown in FIG. At this time, the CPU 1 performs the above-described head-down (step
In the same manner as in the case of B3), a command is issued to perform a head amplifier (to separate the head from the paper), and after the head is amplified, the ribbon end flag 7 is checked (FIG. 3, steps B5 and B6). Here, if the ribbon end flag 7 is not set, the printing process is terminated. In this case, since the ribbon end flag 7 is set, a value obtained by subtracting [1] from the contents of the C register 6 is newly printed. It is set as the starting digit (step B7 in FIG. 3). Here, the print start digit = [19]. As described above, by subtracting [1] from the contents of the C register 6, printing before and after replacing the ribbon can be performed by one digit. By overlapping by one digit, it is possible to prevent a printing gap caused by double-pressing. After setting the content of the C register 6 to [-1], the CPU 1 checks the ribbon end flag 7 (step A5 in FIG. 2). Here, if the ribbon end flag 7 is not set, the process is terminated. However, here, since the ribbon end flag 7 is set, the CPU 1 outputs a command to move the carriage to the center to the printing device 2 ( FIG. 2 step A6). The printing apparatus 2 moves the carriage to the center in accordance with a command from the CPU 1. This is to allow the user to easily replace the ribbon. Thereafter, the CPU 1 displays a message to the user to replace the ink ribbon (for example, "Please replace the ribbon and press a key") on the display device 8 (second display).
Figure Step A7). Then, the user waits for an input from the input device. When there is an input (print start instruction) from the user, the CPU 1 moves the carriage to the print start digit (step in FIG. 2).
A8, A3). Here, the carriage is moved to the 19th digit. Thereafter, the printing process shown in FIG. 3 (steps B1 and B4 in FIG. 3) is executed as in the previous case. The printing process at this time prints the 19th to 22nd digits in the same manner as the previous time (steps C1 and C4 in FIG. 4). Here, after printing the 22nd digit, the contents of the C register 6 are
C = [23], and since the end digit has been reached, the process is terminated and the process returns to the head-up process described above (step in FIG.
C5 to C8, FIG. 3, step B5). In the second printing, the portion shown in FIG. 7 is printed. After head-up, it is checked whether the ribbon end flag 7 is set (step B6 in FIG. 3). This time, since the ribbon end flag 7 is in the reset state, the CPU 1 recognizes the end of printing of one digit and ends the printing process (step A5 in FIG. 2). FIG. 8 shows the result of printing at this time. In the above description, the digit position where the ribbon end has occurred is stored.
The same effect can be obtained by clearing the portion not printed for the second time (the portion already printed) of the above pattern and skipping the cleared portion when printing the second time. . With the above-described print control function, even if a ribbon end occurs during printing, there is no need to restart printing from the beginning of the paper, and printing can be performed without waste. Although the above description has been made with respect to the serial type thermal transfer printer, the present invention can also be applied to a parallel type printer. [Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the character printing apparatus and the character printing method of the present invention, when the printing process is interrupted, the position of the print restart digit position is determined from the pattern data for one line to be printed. By clearing the pattern data at the previous printed digit position, the pattern data to be printed when printing is resumed is created.When printing is resumed, only the printing process of the created pattern data need be performed. Printing can be resumed without being conscious, and processing at the time of printing restart can be simplified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are flow charts showing the processing flow of the above embodiment, and FIGS. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a printing example for explaining the operation of the embodiment. 1 ... CPU, 2 ... printing device, 3 ... line buffer,
4 ... print start digit register, 5 ... print end digit register, 6 ... current column register (C register), 7
... Ribbon end flag, 8 display device, 9 input device.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a character printing apparatus for printing using an ink ribbon, a print pattern data storage means for storing pattern data for one line to be printed, and a ribbon break occurrence detecting means for detecting occurrence of a ribbon break in the ink ribbon A print resume digit position determining means for determining a print resume digit position based on a digit position of the pattern data in the print pattern data storage means when the ribbon break occurs when the ribbon break occurrence detection means detects the ribbon break. In the pattern data for one line of the printing object stored in the printing pattern data storage means, the pattern data is stored in a printed digit position before the printing restart digit position determined by the printing restart digit position determining means. A print restart pattern that creates pattern data to be printed when printing is restarted by clearing the Turn data creating means; and printing means for printing pattern data in the print pattern data storage means in a state where the pattern data is cleared by the print restart pattern data creating means when printing is resumed. Character printing device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. In a character printing method in which characters to be printed are expanded into pattern data and printed in line units, it is determined whether or not the printing process was interrupted during the printing process for one line of pattern data to be printed. When the interruption of the printing process is detected, the printing resume digit position is determined based on the digit position at the time of interruption of the printing of the pattern data for one line, and the pattern for one line of the printing object is determined. By clearing the pattern data existing at the printed digit position before the print restart digit position from the data, the pattern data to be printed when printing is restarted is created, and when printing is resumed, the printed data before the print restart digit position is printed A character printing method characterized by printing one digit of pattern data to be printed in a state where pattern data at a digit position is cleared.