JP2685773B2 - Printing device and printing control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing control method that can be shared by a plurality of host computers.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, some printers have a function of downloading a character font from a host computer and executing printing using this character font.

This type of printer is used by being connected to a plurality of host computers, and by selecting one of the host computers and electrically connecting it, a character font to be used for printing from this connected host computer. Is downloaded to the printer, the print data is subsequently transferred, and the print operation of the printer is executed.

However, the conventional printer system described above has the following problems.

That is, since the loading of character fonts from the host computer to the printer is unconditionally executed each time the host computer is switched, the character fonts are switched even when the host computer is switched to perform printing without changing the character font. Loading is done automatically.

Therefore, there is a problem that a wasteful loading time is required in the processing operation of the printer, and the printing processing efficiency is reduced.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the conventional printer system, and the same character font is used even if the host computer connected to the printer is switched. In the case of printing by using the character fonts, the character fonts already stored in the character font storage means are used for printing, and it is possible to save the download time of the character fonts from the host computer to the printer. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing device and a printing control method capable of improving the efficiency of printing processing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a printing apparatus that captures characters and print information output from a host computer and performs printing by using the host computer. A character font storing means for storing the fetched character font; a printing means for printing the print information fetched from the host computer based on the character font stored in the character font storing means; and the character font storing means. Character font type storage means for storing information on the stored character font type, and character font type reading means for reading out information on the character font type from the character font type storage means when the character font is loaded from the host computer. And read by the character font type reading means. Based on the information on the type of character font, it is determined whether or not the character font stored in the character font storage means and the type of character font to be imported from the host computer of the type match, and as a result of this determination, both And a character font acquisition control means for acquiring a character font from the host computer and storing it in the character font storage means when it is determined that the two do not match.

Further, the print control method of the present invention is a print control method for a printing apparatus which takes in print information and a character font output from a host computer and performs printing, when the character font is taken in from the host computer. Based on the information about the type of character font stored in the device, it is determined whether the type of character font to be imported and the type of character font that has already been imported match,
As a result of this determination, when it is determined that both do not match, a character font is imported from the host computer, print information is printed based on the imported character font, and when it is determined that both match. Is characterized in that print information is printed based on a character font that has already been imported.

(Operation) According to the printing apparatus and the printing control method of the present invention, when a new character font is imported from the host computer, the new character font type and the character font type already registered in the printing apparatus are used. If the two do not match, the character font is imported from the host computer and printed with this character font. If they match, the character font is not imported from the host computer and the already registered character By printing using the font, it is possible to save the download time of the character font from the host computer to the printing device, and thus it is possible to improve the efficiency of the printing process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printer system of an embodiment to which the printing apparatus and the printing control method of the present invention are applied.

In the figure, 1 is a printer, 2 is a ROM storing an execution program of the printer 1, and 3 is a ROM2.
A CPU that controls the printer according to the execution program stored in. 4 is a plurality of host computers 5,
An interface unit for controlling the input / output of data to / from 6, 7, and 8, and 9 for controlling print data input from the host computers 5, 6, 7, and 8 through the interface unit 4 and other printing operations of the printer. Is a data buffer for temporarily storing the data. Further, 10 is a predetermined storage unit (not shown) of the host computers 5, 6, 7, and 8.
A character font storage unit that stores the character fonts downloaded from 11; a character font type storage unit that stores the type of character fonts stored in the character font storage unit 10;
Reference numeral 12 is a print memory for expanding the print data stored in the data buffer 9 as data for the head pin by using the character font stored in the character font storage unit 10. In addition to the above-mentioned components, this printer 1 has a printing memory.
A head drive circuit that drives and controls the print head based on the print data developed in 12, a carriage drive circuit that drives and controls a carriage equipped with the print head in accordance with a printing operation, a carriage motor, and the like.

Next, a typical operation of the printer system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When executing the printing operation based on the print data from the host computer 5 in the initial operation of the printer system, first, the character font is downloaded from the predetermined storage section of the host computer 5 to the character font storage section 10. At the same time, the character font type storage section
In 11, the type of character font stored in the character font storage unit 10 is registered. Thereafter, the print data is transferred from the host computer 5 via the interface unit 4, and the print data is temporarily stored in the data buffer 9. Then, the print data stored in the data buffer 9 is exchanged with the character data for the head pin by using the character font stored in the character font storage unit 10 and developed in the print memory 12. After that, the CPU 3 controls the head drive circuit based on the contents of the print memory 12 and controls the carriage drive circuit and other drive circuits to execute actual printing.

When the printing operation of the printer 1 based on the print data from the host computer 5 is completed and then the printing operation of the printer 1 by another host computer 6 is performed, the host computer 6 first connects to the printer 1. A request signal is sent (step a).

After the connection request is accepted by the printer 1 (step b), the host computer 6 then notifies the printer 1 of the type of character font stored in the character font storage unit 10 to the host computer 6. The requested signal is sent (step c).

As a result, the CPU 3 reads the contents registered in the character font type storage unit 11 and notifies the host computer 6 of this (step d).

Receiving this notification, the host computer 6 determines whether or not the type of character font is the same as the type of character font used for the printing operation to be executed by the host computer 6 (step e).

When it is determined that the character fonts are of the same type, the print data is transferred to the printer 1 without downloading the character font from the host computer 6 to the printer 1 (step g), and the printer 1 is transferred to the printer 1. The printing operation using the character font stored in the character font storage unit 10 is executed (step h).

Further, when it is determined that the character fonts are different types, the character fonts used for the printing operation to be performed from the host computer 6 to the printer 1 are selected.
To the character font storage unit (step f)
The character font is stored in 10. At the same time, the contents of the character font type storage unit 11 are updated.

Thereafter, the print data is transferred from the host computer 6 to the printer 1 (step g), and thereafter, the normal printing operation using the character font stored in the character font storage unit 10 is executed (step g). h).

Thus, according to the printer system of this embodiment, even when the connection of the host computers 5, 6, 7, 8 is switched, printing is performed using the same character font as that used in the immediately preceding printing process. Does not download the character fonts from the switched host computers 5, 6, 7, 8 and uses the character fonts already stored in the character font storage unit 10 for the printer 1
The printing operation can be executed, and as a result, the efficiency of the printing process in the printer 1 can be improved.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the printing apparatus and the printing control method of the present invention, when a new character font is fetched from the host computer, the type of the new character font and the new character font are already registered in the printing apparatus. The character font type that is already registered is compared with the character font type that is already registered, and if both match, the character font is not imported from the host computer and printing is performed using the already registered character font. By making it possible to save the download time from the computer to the printing device, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the printing process.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the printer system of FIG. 1 ... Printer, 2 ... ROM, 3 ... CPU, 4 ... Interface section, 5, 6, 7, 8 ... Host computer, 10 ... Character font storage section, 11 ... Character font type storage section.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing apparatus for printing by printing characters and print information output from a host computer, comprising: a character font storage unit for storing a character font read from the host computer; and a character font storage unit. Printing means for printing the print information fetched from the host computer based on the stored character fonts; character font type storage means for storing information on the type of character fonts stored in the character font storage means; A character font type reading means for reading information on the character font type from the character font type storage means when reading the character font from the host computer; and a character font type reading means for reading the character font type information read by the character font type reading means. The character font memory It is determined whether the type of character font stored in the column and the type of character font to be imported from the host computer match, and if the result of this determination is that both do not match, the character from the host computer A printing apparatus comprising: a character font fetching control means for fetching a font and storing it in the character font storage means. 2. A print control method for a printing device, which prints by incorporating print information and a character font output from a host computer, wherein the print information is stored in the printer when the character font is loaded from the host computer. Based on the information about the type of character font, it is determined whether the type of character font to be imported matches the type of character font that has already been imported, and as a result of this determination, it is determined that they do not match. Reads the character font from the host computer and prints the print information based on the read character font. On the other hand, if it is determined that the two match, the print information is printed based on the already loaded character font. A printing control method comprising: