JP2754630B2 - Page printer control method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Table of Contents] Outline Industrial application Field of the Invention Prior Art and Problems to be Solved by the Invention Means for Solving the Problems Action Embodiment Effects of the Invention [Overview] Equipped with Form Overlay Mechanism Regarding the control method of the page printer, the object of the present invention is to provide a page printer control method capable of driving a printer engine with high efficiency, flexibly corresponding to various kinds of print data, and storing print data and overlay data. In a page printer having a buffer and two bitmap memories for storing dot development data of the data,
A print control switching unit for conditionally comparing the development time of the print data to the bitmap memory and switching the print control method;
A timer for measuring a time for developing the print data in the bitmap memory; and a control means for copying the contents of one of the two bitmap memories to the other memory and then synthesizing the overlay data. In the case of printing using form overlay data, the timer detects the time taken to develop the first page of the print data,
When the condition of “expansion time> transfer time + time to copy contents of bitmap memory” is satisfied, the developed dot development data is stored in one bitmap memory, and the stored contents are stored in the other bitmap memory. After the copying, the overlay data is synthesized and controlled so as to be transferred only from the other bitmap memory. If the above condition is not satisfied, the other bitmap memory is transferred while the contents of one bitmap memory are being transferred. The contents of the next transfer are dot-developed in the map memory, and the contents of the two bitmap memories are transferred alternately.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a control method of a page printer having a form overlay mechanism.

Heretofore, printers have been developed with priority given to a printing mechanism (a so-called mechanism) for the purpose of shortening the printing (transfer) time.

However, in recent years, laser printers, LEDs (light emitting diodes)
With the spread of page printers such as printers,
Print data processed by the page printer has been diversified.

That is, in the print data, for example, simple data such as emulation of a conventional line printer does not take much processing time to develop a bitmap memory, or complex graphic data. ,
There is a wide variety of data up to data that takes a very long time to develop into bitmap memory.

Therefore, a printer control method that can flexibly cope with these various data has been required.

[Problems to be solved by conventional technology and invention]

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a conventional page printer control system, in which (a) shows a two-plane operation, and (b) shows a bitmap retain operation.
(A) shows a configuration example, and (b) shows an operation sequence.

Generally, a page printer having a bitmap memory performs printing in the following process.

1) Development: The print data is developed into an actual print image on the bitmap memory. The time required for the development usually differs depending on the print data.

2) Overlay development: Fixed data such as titles and frame lines are registered in the printer, and are synthesized (overwritten) with the print image developed in the bitmap memory on the bitmap memory.

3) Transfer: In order to actually print the print image developed in the bitmap memory, the contents of the bitmap memory are read and sent to the printer engine.

Until the transfer is completed, the contents of the bit map memory cannot be destroyed. Therefore, normally, the next print data is developed after the transfer is completed.

Hereinafter, each of the two-plane operation and the bitmap retain operation will be described more specifically.

[2-plane operation] In a page printer where printing performance, specifically, printing speed is important, two bitmap memories 2 and 3 are provided, and transfer from one bitmap memory 2 or 3 to the printer engine is performed. During this operation, the next page is expanded in the other bitmap memory 3 or 2, and control is performed so that the printer engine operates at the highest speed. This control method is called “two-plane operation”.

As shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and (a), in the two-plane operation, two bitmap memories 2, 3 are provided.
The expansion operation or the transfer operation is switched by the expansion switching instruction and the transfer switching instruction from the plane control unit 10.

First, the two-plane control unit 10 issues a development switching instruction to the development switching unit 11 so as to use one of the bitmap memories 2 and 3 for development.

Here, assuming that the bitmap memory 2 is initially selected, the rasterization control unit 7 or the overlay rasterization control unit 8 stores the print data and the overlay data (the above-described frame information etc.) Development is performed on the map memory 2.

When the development is completed, the two-plane control unit 10 sets the transfer switching instruction to the transfer switching unit 13 to the bitmap memory 2, and transfers the development image to the printer engine while transferring the developed printing image to the printer engine. The expansion switching instruction to the switching unit 11 is set to the bitmap memory 3 and the next expansion operation is performed.

When the transfer and development are completed, the two-plane control unit 10
This time, on the contrary, the expansion switching instruction is transmitted to the bitmap
Then, the transfer switching instruction is set to the bitmap memory 3, and control is similarly performed so that the developing operation and the transfer operation are performed in parallel.

(A) and (b) show the operation sequence when such control is performed, and plane 1 and plane 2 indicate the bitmap memories 2 and 3, respectively.

As described above, in the two-plane operation, since the development and the transfer are performed in parallel, when the development time is shorter than the transfer time, the transfer processing can be continuously performed, and the performance of the printer engine is achieved. Can be maximized.

However, if the development time is longer than the transfer time, the printing performance will decrease as the development time increases.

[Form overlay printing] In order to obtain a plurality of different print results such as "original" and "copy" from one page of print data, two or more types of overlay data are registered in the printer device and printed. Data may be overprinted. This is called form overlay printing. In this case, when the print image and the overlay data are combined on the bitmap memory,
Since the original print data cannot be taken out, the print data before combining must be stored somewhere.

Therefore, there are a bitmap retain operation and a code retain operation described below.

[Bitmap Retaining Operation] (b) As shown in FIG. (A), in a printer device having two bitmap memories 2, 3, the bit memory
Print data can be stored in two or three. This operation is called a bitmap retain operation.

In FIG. 1A, one page of print data is stored in a buffer 1. Then, for example, the print data is expanded in the bitmap memory 2 and the expanded print image is stored.

Overlay data (for example, frame data) is developed in the other bitmap memory 3, and the print image developed on the bitmap memory 2 and the overlay data are combined here.

The overlay buffer 6 stores a plurality of overlay data. The bitmap retain control unit 9
Expansion control unit 7, overlay expansion control unit 8, and copy control unit
12 is instructed to perform the bitmap retain operation.

In the above configuration, first, the bitmap retain control unit 9 instructs the expansion control unit 7 to expand the print data stored in the buffer 1 to the bitmap memory 2 (plane 1).

When the development is completed, the bitmap retain control unit 9 instructs the copy control unit 12 to copy the developed print image from the bitmap memory 2 to the bitmap memory 3 (plane 2). I do.

When the copying is completed, the bitmap retain control unit 9 instructs the overlay development control unit 8 to develop the form overlay data on the bitmap memory 3.

When the development of the overlay data is completed, a composite of the print image and the overlay data is recorded on the bitmap memory 3, so that the contents of the bitmap memory 3 are stored in the printer engine. The form overlay is realized.

After the completion of the transfer, copying from the bitmap memory 2 to the bitmap memory 3 is performed again according to an instruction from the bitmap retain control unit 9, and the same operation is repeated by the number of form overlays.

As described above, in the bitmap retain operation, the print data is developed only once in the bitmap memory 2. Instead, a copy time from the bitmap memory 2 to the bitmap memory 3 is required for the number of overlays. However, since the copy time is usually shorter than the development time, the copy performance is not significantly reduced. Absent.
<< Refer to (b) (b) Operation Sequence >> [Code Retain Operation] Some printers have the above-described buffer 1 that can store one page of print data before development. At the time of form overlay printing using the above overlay, print data before development can be saved.

In this case, it is sufficient to simply repeat the development of the print data → the development of the overlay data → the transfer, and the control is basically the same as that of the printing without using the overlay.

Such an operation is called a code retain operation. When the code retain operation is performed, the development of print data is repeated as many times as the number of overlays, so that it is disadvantageous in terms of printing performance, but as described above, the two bitmap memories 2, 3 are used as described above. If it is provided, one bitmap memory will not be occupied exclusively for storing the print image. Therefore, by using it in combination with the above-described two-plane operation, the printing speed can be increased.

[Pros and Cons of Bitmap Retain Operation and Code Retain + 2 Plane Operation] In a printer having both the two bitmap memories 2 and 3 and the buffer 1 for one page, the bitmap retain operation and the code retain + 2 plane operation are performed. Both operations are possible.

Here, when comparing the printing performances of the two methods, in the case of “code retain + 2 plane operation”, when the development time of the print data and overlay data is shorter than the transfer time, the performance of the printer engine is maximized. be able to.

On the other hand, if the development time of the print data is longer than the transfer time, it is necessary to repeat the development by the number of overlays in the above “code retain + 2 plane operation”. The above-mentioned "bitmap retain operation" in which the image data is developed into the bitmap memory 2 only once is advantageous in terms of printing performance.

That is, if the development time of the print data is longer than the transfer time, the "bitmap retain operation" is advantageous, and if the development time of the print data and overlay data is shorter than the transfer time, the "code retain + 2 plane operation" is advantageous. .

As described above, in the conventional page printer control system, which of the “code retain + 2 plane operation” and the “bitmap retain operation” is more advantageous in terms of the printing speed depends on the print data and overlay data, especially However, it depends on the development time of the print data, and cannot be unconditionally determined.

Therefore, in a page printer that processes various print data, some print data has a short development time,
Since there is print data that is very long, no matter which method is selected, there is a problem that the printing performance is disadvantageous compared to other methods depending on the complexity of the print data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and in a control method of a page printer having a form overlay mechanism, a page printer control method capable of driving a printer engine with high efficiency in response to various kinds of print data flexibly. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for solving the problem]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of a page printer control system according to the present invention.

The above problem is solved by a page printer control system configured as follows.

Buffer for storing print data and overlay data
In a page printer having two bitmap memories 2 and 3 for storing dot development data of the data, a condition for comparing the development time of the print data into the bitmap memory 2 is compared. , A timer 5 for measuring the time for developing the print data in the bitmap memory 2, and copying the contents of one of the two bitmap memories 2, 3 to the other memory. A control means for synthesizing the post-overlay data is provided, and in the case of printing using a plurality of form overlay data, the timer 5 detects the time required for developing the first page of the print data, and determines the “expansion time> When the condition of “transfer time + time to copy contents of bitmap memory” is satisfied, the developed dot developed data is stored in one bitmap memory 2 and After the stored contents are copied to the other bitmap memory 3, the overlay data is synthesized and controlled so as to be transferred only from the other bitmap memory 3. If the above condition is not satisfied, one bitmap memory is used. While the contents of 2 or 3 are being transferred, the next transferred contents are dot-developed into the other bitmap memory 3 or 2 so that the contents of the two bitmap memories 2 and 3 are alternately transferred. .

[Action]

In other words, according to the present invention, in a page printer having a form overlay mechanism, as shown in FIG. Monitoring is performed by the timer 5, and the print control switching unit 4 compares the development time with the transfer time + copy time. If the development time exceeds the transfer time + copy time, the bit map A "retain operation" is performed, and when the development operation is completed within the transfer time + copy time, a "code retain + 2 plane operation" is performed.

First, when “print data development time + overlay data development time <transfer time” (1) is satisfied, by performing “code retain + 2 plane operation”, printing can be performed with the maximum performance of the printer engine. Therefore, in this case, it is desirable to perform the “code retain + 2 plane operation”.

Next, when the above equation (1) does not hold, which of the “code retain + 2 plane operation” and the “bitmap retain operation” is more advantageous is determined by the aforementioned FIGS. It can be seen from the operation sequence shown in FIG.

When “print data development time + overlay data development time> copy time + overlay data development time + transfer time print data development time> copy time + transfer time... (2),“ bitmap memory operation ”is advantageous.

Here, when Expression (2) is satisfied, Expression (1) is not satisfied, and thus it is understood that the operation should be determined only by Expression (2).

In each of the terms of the equation (2), the print data development time varies depending on the print data, but the copy time and the transfer time are determined by the page printer device and the paper size, that is,
It is fixed by the printing system.

As is clear from FIG. 1 (b), both the two-plane operation and the bitmap retain operation are common in that print data is first developed.

Therefore, the print control switching unit 4 may operate either the bitmap retain control unit 9 or the two-plane control unit 10.

At the time of the first print data expansion process, the timer 5 notified of the expansion start time and the expansion end time from the expansion control unit 7 calculates the expansion time of the print data, and this is used as the print control switching unit 4. To send to.

The print control switching unit 4 compares the “copy time + transfer time” determined by the print system with the notified print data development time, and when print data development time <copy time + transfer time, As in the form overlay process for the print data, the two-plane control selection is made valid and the bitmap retain control selection is made invalid, as performed in "code retain + two-plane operation". Conversely, when print data development time> copy time + transfer time, form overlay processing for that print data is performed as “bitmap retain operation”.
Enable bitmap retain control selection and 2
Disable plane control selection.

Therefore, in a series of form overlay processing, if it takes time to develop the print data, a "bitmap retain operation" is performed so that the development is performed only once. Is the time required to expand the first print data for each print data so that “code retain + 2 plane operation” can be performed.
Since it is determined which operation is to be processed and is dynamically switched, there is an effect that as much performance as the printer engine allows is obtained regardless of the form of the print data.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the page printer control system of the present invention, in which (a) shows a configuration example, (b) shows an operation sequence, and FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a time when a print data of a first page is expanded when a form overlay is performed, calculated by a timer 5, and the calculated time and a copy time + transfer time previously set in the printing system. The present invention is implemented by means for comparing time and dynamically switching between "bitmap retain control" and "code retain + 2 plane control" depending on the magnitude relationship for each print data. It is a necessary means to do. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same symmetric objects throughout the drawings.

Hereinafter, the page printer control system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2 while referring to FIG.

In this embodiment, a laser printer is used as an example.
Is composed of a microprocessor (MPU) 401 and a control program group, and includes a print control switching unit 4, an expansion control unit 7, an overlay expansion control unit 8, a copy control unit 12, and a bit map retain control unit shown in FIG. The 9, 2 plane control unit 10 is stored in the main storage device 402 in the control unit 40 as subroutines 4025, 4026, 4026a, b, c, d, e.

A function corresponding to the development switching unit 11 and the transfer switching unit 13 in FIG. 1 is to store the development bitmap address and the transfer bitmap address in the registers 4022 and 4023 in the main storage unit 402.
When subroutines 4026a and 4026b for performing control operations in the bitmap retain control unit 9 and the two-plane control unit 10 switch the bitmap memories 2 and 3, these registers 4022 are used. , 4023, the subroutines 4026d, e, and c corresponding to the control operations of the development control unit 7, the overlay development control unit 8, and the copy control unit 12 in FIG.
The operation is performed by performing operations such as development and transfer in accordance with the addresses set in the registers 4022 and 4023 when operating steps 2 and 3.

The control unit 40, the buffer 1, the overlay buffer 6, the bitmap memories 2, 3, the transfer control unit 60, etc.
Connected to 50.

First, when the host (not shown) indicates that the number of form overlays is one,
For example, overlay printing is performed under two-plane control.

At this time, the print data is temporarily stored in the buffer 1, read out by the corresponding subroutine executed by the control unit 40, and expanded in the bitmap memory 2 or 3.

Similarly, after the overlay data is registered in the overlay buffer 6, it is read out by the control unit 40 when necessary, and is synthesized with the print image developed in the bitmap memory 2 or 3.

When the development of the print data to the bitmap memory 2 or 3 and the synthesis of the overlay data with the developed data are completed, the control unit 40 instructs the transfer control unit 60 to start the transfer to the printer engine 70. .

The transfer control by the transfer control unit 60 is mainly configured by a direct memory access controller (DMAC) 601, and independent of the operation by the microprocessor (MPU) 401, via the system bus 50, The combined data is read out from the memory 2 or 3, and the combined print image is sent to the printer engine 70 via the printer engine interface (printer engine I / F) 602 to perform transfer.

Next, the operation of the present invention when a plurality of overlay numbers are specified will be described.

As described above, in any of the operations of “bitmap retain operation” and “code retain + 2 plane operation”, first, the bitmap memory 2 of the print data, or
3 is performed.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, in the deployment control switching routine 4026 executed by the control unit 40, the deployment routine (development) 4026d is started and the data stored in the buffer 1
The print data for the page is read out and developed in the bit map memory 2.

During the expansion operation, the timer 5 periodically generates an interrupt, so that the timer interrupt routine 4025 is started. In the timer interrupt routine 4025, the number of timer interrupts generated from the start to the end of the expansion operation is counted by the expansion time counter 4024 to calculate the expansion time of the print data.

The development control switching routine 4026 compares the calculated development time with “copy time + transfer time” 4027 which is determined in advance as a printing system.

As a result of the comparison, when the expansion time is longer, the expansion control switching routine 4026 calls a bitmap retain control routine (bitmap retain control) 4026a.

The bitmap retain control routine 4026a calls the overlay development control routine (overlay development) 4026a and the copy routine (copy) 4026c, and uses the bitmap memories 2 and 3 to execute the above-mentioned “bitmap retain operation”. Do.

Conversely, when the print data development time is shorter,
The print data in the buffer 1 is saved, and the two-plane control routine (two-plane control) 4026b is called.

The two-plane control routine 4026b calls the expansion control routine (expansion) 4026d and the overlay expansion control routine (overlay expansion) 4026e, and alternately uses the bitmap memories 2 and 3, thereby obtaining the “code retain + 2”. Plane operation ".

In the above embodiment, when the number of form overlays is one, for example, the form overlay operation is performed in a fixed two-plane operation. In the example described above, the method of dynamically selecting “bitmap retain operation” or “code retain + 2 plane operation” is performed, but the present invention is applied regardless of the number of form overlays. Needless to say, this may be done.

As described above, according to the present invention, every time the print data changes, the development time of the print data is calculated and compared with the copy time + transfer time defined as the printing system. Retain operation "or
"Code Retain + 2 plane operation" is dynamically selected,
The feature is that the printer engine operates most efficiently.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above in detail, in the page printer control method of the present invention, when it takes time to develop print data in a series of form overlay processing, a "bitmap retain operation" is performed and developed only once. Is not performed, and if it does not take much time to develop the print data, any operation is performed with the first print data development time for each print data so that “code retain + 2 plane operation” can be performed. Is determined and dynamically switched, so that there is an effect that as much performance as the printer engine allows is obtained regardless of the form of the print data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of a page printer control system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a conventional page printer control system. In the drawing, 1 is a print data buffer or buffer, 2 and 3 are bitmap memories, 4 is a print control switching unit, 5 is a timer, 6 is an overlay buffer, 7 is a development control unit, and 8 is an overlay development control unit. , 9 is a bitmap retain control unit, 10 is a 2-plane control unit, 11 is a development switching unit, 12 is a copy control unit, 13 is a transfer switching unit, 40 is a control unit, 401 is a microprocessor (MPU), and 402 is a main unit. A storage device, 4020 is an address of the bitmap memory 2, 4021 is an address of the bitmap memory 3, 4022 is a register that holds an expanded bitmap address (expanded bitmap address), and 4023 is a register that holds a transferred bitmap address (transferred). 4024 is a timer interrupt routine, 4026 is an expansion control switching routine, 4026a is a bitmap address In control routine (bitmap retain control), 4026b is 2-plane control routine (2-plane control), 4026c is copy routine (copy), 4026d is expansion control routine (expansion), 4026e is overlay expansion control routine (overlay expansion), 4027 is copy time + transfer time, 50 is system bus, 60 is transfer control unit, 601 is direct memory address controller (DMA
C) and 602 indicate a printer engine interface (printer engine I / F), and 70 indicates a printer engine.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A page printer having a buffer for storing print data and overlay data, and two bitmap memories for storing dot development data of the data, wherein a time for developing the print data in the bitmap memory is determined. Comparing a condition, a print control switching unit for switching a print control method, a timer for measuring a time for developing the print data in a bit map memory, and a bit map memory content of one of the two bit map memories. Control means for synthesizing the overlay data after being copied to the other bitmap memory, and when printing using a plurality of form overlay data, the time required for the timer to develop the first page of the print data Detecting and developing time> transfer time + time to copy the contents of bitmap memory In the case where the above holds, dot development data that has already been developed is stored in one bitmap memory, the stored content is copied to the other bitmap memory, and then overlay data is synthesized, and transfer is performed only from the other bitmap memory. If the above condition is not satisfied, while the contents of one bitmap memory are being transferred, the next transferred contents are dot-developed in the other bitmap memory, and the contents of the two bitmap memories are alternately read. A page printer control system characterized in that it is controlled to transfer.