JP2840504B2 - Image data output method and printer controller board - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of outputting image data of a computer and a printer controller board, and more particularly to a method of outputting image data and a printer controller board suitable for a DTP or electronic typesetting system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, using a relatively low-priced computer called a personal computer, a manuscript is prepared and various edits are made on a CRT display or the like.
A DTP or electronic typesetting system that prints on a recording medium such as paper using a desired printer such as a laser beam printer using various characters or the like is frequently used.

In the DTP or electronic typesetting system, the data is used for display image data output on a display screen of a CRT display as a display means and print image data output to an output device such as a printer as a printing means. Basic data, for example, basic data relating to characters, there are various types of fonts such as Gothic type, text typeface, and brush type depending on the character design, and dot font, outline font (vector font), etc. according to the method of storing the character shape. There are various types such as 16-dot font, 24-dot font, and 48-dot font depending on the number of dots constituting a character. Such basic data has a capacity of several megabytes in one type, and differs depending on the manufacturer. Even in the same manufacturer,
It may be different depending on the printer model.

In a normal DTP or electronic typesetting system, it is desirable that the display image data and the print image data be the same. However, in a system using a personal computer, realizing this is costly. There is a little unreasonable look.

[0005] However, even a system using a personal computer requires a function of performing printing using at least various character fonts.

[0006] As the conventional image data output method applied to such a DTP or electronic typesetting system using a personal computer, the following two types are used.

First, a first conventional image data output method will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram showing a main part of an apparatus to which a first conventional image data output method is applied, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an image data output method as a data flow. .

A first conventional method of outputting image data is such that both a computer and a printer individually hold appropriate basic data having the same contents.

As shown in FIG. 4, an apparatus to which the first conventional image data output method is applied includes a computer 1, a desired CRT display 2 as display means, and an appropriate printer 3 as print means. And input / output devices such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown).

The computer 1 has at least a CP.
U4 and a hard disk drive 5 (hereinafter referred to as H) as a storage device having an appropriate storage capacity for storing desired basic data.
DD).

The printer 3 is provided with at least a printer controller board 6 and an HDD 7 having the same basic data as the basic data of the HDD 5 of the computer 1. At least the CPU 8 and the image memory 9 are arranged on the printer controller board 6.

The computer 1 and the printer 3 are connected to the parallel interfaces 10 and 10 provided on both of them.
Connected by

Next, a first conventional image data output method will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the CRT display 2
In order to output a desired image, a control command is issued from the CPU 4 of the computer 1 based on information from an input device such as a keyboard (not shown), and desired basic data, for example, font data is not shown from the HDD 5. While being stored in the memory, the image data is transmitted to the CRT display 2 via the bus as desired display image data.

In order to print an image displayed on the CRT display 2 on paper (not shown) by the printer 3, a control command corresponding to display image data output to the CRT display 2 is used as print data and the computer 1 From the CPU 4 of the printer 3 to the CPU 8 of the printer controller board 6 of the printer 3. Then, the CPU 8 of the printer controller board 6 sends basic data corresponding to the print data, for example, font data to the printer 3.
From the HDD 7 to the image memory 9 of the printer controller board 6 as printing image data, and printing is performed according to the printing image data.

When an image on each CRT display 2 of a plurality of computers 1 is printed by one printer 3, the same image data is stored via a suitable multiplexer, printer switching device or the like (not shown). HDD
The printer 3 is connected to a plurality of computers 1, 1,.

Next, a second conventional image data output method will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a system block diagram showing a main part of an apparatus to which a second conventional image data output method is applied, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an image data output method as a data flow. .

In a second conventional image data output method, a printer controller board is provided in a predetermined computer, a printer is connected, and the computer holds basic data.

As shown in FIG. 6, an apparatus to which the second conventional image data output method is applied includes a computer 1a,
It comprises a desired CRT display 2a as display means, an appropriate printer 3a as print means, and input / output devices such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown).

The computer 1a has at least C
A PU 4a, an HDD 5a as a storage device having an appropriate storage capacity for storing desired basic data, and a printer controller board 6a are arranged. The printer controller board 6a includes at least the CPU 8a
And an image memory 9a, and at least a bus interface 11 and a video interface 12.

Then, the computer 1a and the printer 3a
Means video interfaces 12 and 12 provided for both.
Connected by

The computer 1a is a host computer, and is connected to another computer 1b, which does not have the HDD 5a and the printer controller board 6a, by an appropriate network cable 13.

Next, a second conventional image data output method will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the host computer 1
In order to output a desired image to the CRT display 2a, a control command is issued from the CPU 4a of the computer 1a based on information from an input device such as a keyboard (not shown), and desired basic data, for example, font data is transmitted from the HDD 5a. Is stored in an appropriate memory (not shown), and is set as desired display image data.
It is sent to the RT display 2a.

To print an image displayed on the CRT display 2a on a sheet of paper (not shown) by the printer 3a, a control command corresponding to the display image data output to the CRT display 2a is used as print data and the computer 1a From the CPU 4a to the CPU 8a of the printer controller board 6a. Then, the CPU 8a of the printer controller board 6a transmits basic data corresponding to the print data, for example, font data to the HD.
From D5a, the image data is expanded to the image memory 9a of the printer controller board 6a, and is printed as image data, and printing is performed according to the image data for printing.

In normal use, the other computer 1b outputs desired display image data to a display (not shown) using a display character font built in a ROM (not shown) provided therein. On the other hand, since the computer 1a and the CPU 4a are connected to each other via the network cable 13, when printing is performed, print data is transmitted to the CPU 1a of the computer 1a.
By transmitting the data to the printer 4a, it is possible to print on a sheet (not shown) by the printer 3 using various character fonts and the like using the basic data of the computer 1a.

That is, the CPU 4a of the computer 1a sends print data from the computer 1b to the CPU 8a of the printer controller board 6a, and the CPU 8a of the printer controller board 6a
The basic data, for example, font data, corresponding to the print data from the printer 5 is developed from the HDD 5a to the image memory 9a of the printer controller board 6a, and is used as print image data, and printing is performed according to the print image data.

[0030]

However, in the above-mentioned first conventional method of outputting image data, large-capacity storage devices 5 and 7 for storing basic data in both the computer 1 and the printer 3 are required. And printer 3
However, providing a large-capacity storage device 7 has a problem that the economic burden is large.

The basic data of the display image data to be output to the CRT display 2 is stored in the storage device 5 of the computer 1, and the basic data of the print image data to be output to the printer 3 is stored in the storage device 7 of the printer 3. When the computer 1 and the printer 3 are connected at random, the basic data of the two, such as the attributes of the font data, do not match, and the image of the display unit 2 and the image of the printing unit 3 do not match. There was a problem.

Further, when a single printer 3 is shared by a plurality of computers 1, 1,..., Many identical computers 1 having a storage device 5 storing at least the same image data must be used. However, there is a problem that the economic burden is increased and the cost performance is inferior.

In the second conventional image data output method and apparatus, the computer 1a and the printer 3
a, the basic data can be shared, but a plurality of computers 1a, 1
When b,... are connected, the computer 1a must be multitasked, and if the computer 1a is multitasked, the load on the CPU 4a of the computer 1a is large, which is not practical. In addition, an appropriate network called an Internet, a token ring, or the like, which is used for a workstation or the like, can be used. In this case, a host computer or a computer 1a in which a dedicated program is incorporated is used. There is a problem that a dedicated program must be stored, a server and the like are required, and the economic burden is large.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and overcomes the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image data output method and a printer controller board in which a single basic data can be shared by a plurality of computers and a single printing unit by a simple method.

[0035]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a method for outputting image data, comprising: connecting a printing means to a predetermined computer among a plurality of computers having a display means; Storage means for storing predetermined basic data in a computer of at least C;
A printer controller board having a PU, an image memory for printing, a bus interface connected to the predetermined computer, a video interface connected to the printing means, and a parallel interface connected to another computer; And the computer is connected via the parallel interface, the one printing unit is shared by the plurality of computers, and the basic data is freely shareable as image data for printing of the plurality of computers. And

A printer controller board according to a second aspect of the present invention includes at least a CPU, an image memory for printing, a bus interface connected to a predetermined computer, a video interface connected to printing means, and other components. It has a parallel interface connected to a computer.

[0037]

By using the printer controller board of the present invention having the above-described configuration and operating it in accordance with the image data output method of the present invention, basic data can be shared as print image data of a plurality of computers. it can. Therefore, even if a computer that does not have a large number of basic data for printing is used, printing output in various formats can be realized.

[0038]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of an apparatus to which the image data output method of the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system according to the present embodiment has two computers called personal computers, one of which is a main computer 14 and the other is a sub-computer 15, and a display of each of the computers 14, 15. And CRT displays 16 and 16 as means, an appropriate printer 17 as one printing means, and input / output devices such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown) connected to the computers 14 and 15. I have.

The main computer 14 includes at least a CPU 18, an HDD 19 as a storage device having an appropriate storage capacity for storing desired basic data, and a printer controller board 20. The printer controller board 20 has at least a CPU 21
, An image memory 22, and at least a bus interface 23 connected to the bus of the main computer 14, a video interface 24 connected to the printer 17, and a parallel interface 25.

The sub computer 15 is provided with at least a CPU 26 and a parallel interface 25.

The main computer 14 and the sub computer 15 are connected by parallel interfaces 25, 25.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the image data output method of the present invention as a data flow, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printer controller board.

First, in order to output a desired image on the CRT display 16 of the main computer 14, a control command is issued from the CPU 18 of the main computer 14 based on information from an input device such as a keyboard (not shown). The desired basic data, for example, font data, is stored in an appropriate memory (not shown) from the HDD 19 connected to the bus 14 and sent to the CRT display 16 of the main computer 14 via the bus as desired display image data. The desired image is stored in the main computer 1
4 is displayed on the CRT display 16.

To print an image displayed on the CRT display 16 of the main computer 14 on paper (not shown) by the printer 17, the C
The print data corresponding to the display image data output to the RT display 16 is sent to the CPU 1 of the main computer 14.
8 to the CPU 21 of the printer controller board 20 connected by the bus interface 23.
Then, the CPU 21 of the printer controller board 20
Develops desired basic data corresponding to the print data, for example, font data, from the HDD 19 of the main computer 14 to the image memory 22 of the printer controller board 20, creates print image data, and responds to the print image data. To print.

Therefore, since the image displayed on the CRT display 16 of the main computer 14 and the image printed by the printer 17 can use (share) the basic data stored in the same HDD 19, both images can be used. Can be surely matched.

During normal use, the sub-computer 15 uses a display character font built in a ROM (not shown) provided therein to display the CRT display 16.
Output the desired display image data to the CRT display 16 of the sub-computer 15, while printing the image displayed on the CRT display 16 of the sub-computer 15 on a sheet of paper (not shown) by the printer 17.
The print data corresponding to the display image data output to the CPU 6 is transmitted from the CPU 26 of the sub computer 15 to the CPU 21 of the printer controller board 20 of the main computer 14 connected via the parallel interface 25.
Send to Then, the printer controller board 20
CPU 21 stores predetermined basic data corresponding to print data of the sub-computer 15, for example, font data.
While expanding from the HDD 19 of the main computer 14 to the image memory 22 of the printer controller board 20,
The printing image data is created, and printing is performed according to the printing image data.

When a large number of sub-computers 15 are used, each sub-computer 15 may be connected to the parallel interface 25 of the printer controller board 20 arranged on the main computer 14 by a multiplexer or a switch (not shown). .

Next, the printer controller board 20
Will be further described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3. First, the operation of the kernel portion of the printer controller board 20 will be described.

CPU of printer controller board 20
In step ST10, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the bus interface 23. If YES (input is present), the process proceeds to the next step ST11, fetches print data, and proceeds to the next step ST12. The print data is written in the common area of the image memory 22. Then, the process returns to step ST10 and waits.

If the determination in the step ST10 is NO (no input), the process proceeds to the next step ST10a, where it is determined whether or not there is an input from the parallel interface 25. If the determination is YES (there is input), The process proceeds to the next step ST11a to fetch the print data, proceeds to the next step ST12, and writes the print data in the common area of the image memory 22. Then, the process returns to step ST10 and waits.

If the determination in step ST10a is NO (no input), the process immediately returns to step ST10 and waits.

As described above, the print data is stored in the image memory 22.
Is passed to the bit image creation portion that becomes the print image data.

Next, the printer controller board 20
The operation of the bit image creation portion will be described.

First, in step ST20, it is determined whether or not print data has been input to the common area of the image memory 22. If YES (input has been performed), the process proceeds to the next step ST21, where step ST21 is performed. In step ST22, the print data is analyzed, and the process proceeds to the next step ST22. In step ST22, a predetermined process including reading of basic data is performed in the print data, and a predetermined page, that is, one page in this embodiment, is printed. Create a bit image that is image data. Then, the process returns to step ST20 and waits.

If the determination in step ST20 is NO (no input), the process returns to step ST20 and waits.

As described above, when a predetermined amount of bit image such as a bit image for one page or a part thereof is created, the created bit image is transferred to the transfer portion.

Next, the printer controller board 20
The operation of the transfer section will be described.

First, in step ST30, it is determined whether or not a created bit image exists.
In the case of (there is a bit image), the process proceeds to step ST31 to transfer the bit image to a predetermined portion of the printer 17.

If the determination in step ST30 is NO (no bit image), the process returns to step ST30 and waits.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the basic data stored in the HDD 19 arranged in the main computer 14 is not loaded on the CPU 18 of the main computer 14 and without passing through a special program. , The sub-computer 15 and the printer 17 can be used simply and reliably, so that even if the sub-computer 15 having no basic data such as a variety of character fonts is used, printout in various formats can be performed. It can be carried out.

Further, since the printout can be performed by using the basic data of only the main computer 14, a large number of subcomputers 15, 15,.
Can be selected at random and connected.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, it is assumed that the parallel interface is capable of bidirectional data transfer, and the basic data of the main computer is converted to the display image data of the sub computer. It is also possible to configure so that it can be used as
It can be changed as needed.

[0066]

As described above, according to the image data output method and the printer controller board of the present invention, one computer can share one basic data simply and reliably by a plurality of computers and one printing means. This makes it possible to print out in a variety of formats even if a computer that does not have a large amount of basic data for printing can be used. Since the computer can output the print, there is an excellent effect that a large number of computers and printers can be selected and connected at random.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of an apparatus to which an image data output method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image data output method according to the present invention as a data flow.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a printer controller board.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram showing a main part of an apparatus to which a conventional image data output method is applied.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a conventional image data output method as a flow of image data.

FIG. 6 is a system block diagram showing a main part of another example of an apparatus to which a conventional image data output method is applied.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of a conventional image data output method as a flow of image data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 Main Computer 15 Sub Computer 16 CRT Display 17 Printer 19 HDD 20 Printer Controller Board 21 CPU 22 Image Memory 23 Bus Interface 24 Video Interface 25 Parallel Interface

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage device for connecting a printing device to a predetermined computer among a plurality of computers having a display device, and storing predetermined basic data in the predetermined computer, at least a CPU, and a printing image memory. A printer controller board having a bus interface connected to the predetermined computer, a video interface connected to the printing means, and a parallel interface connected to another computer, and the predetermined computer and the other computer Outputting the image data by connecting the one printing means to the plurality of computers and making the basic data freely sharable as printing image data of the plurality of computers. Method. 2. At least a CPU, an image memory for printing, a bus interface connected to a predetermined computer, a video interface connected to printing means,
A printer controller board having a parallel interface connected to another computer.