JP2871274B2 - Data processing method in printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer which is connected to a host computer by an interface and receives data transmitted from the host computer to perform printing, and more particularly to an improvement in processing of bit image data from the host computer. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, data processing in a printer of the type described above is performed when a data strobe signal which is a synchronization signal is input from a host computer, and a reception interrupt process triggered by the data strobe (DETA / STB) signal is used as a trigger. To read data from the host computer. An acknowledgment (AC), which is the next data transmission request signal to the host computer,
K) The output of the signal is delayed by processing such as a timer interrupt, and during this time, the analysis processing of the already read data is performed.

[0003] Such data processing is performed when a command or character code is received from a host computer as in normal text printing, the received command is analyzed, and a dot pattern corresponding to the character code is developed and printed. As described above, it is effective when the processing time inside the printer is longer than the data transmission time on the host computer side.

[0004]

However, in the case of bit image printing such as that shown in the drawing, the bit image data received from the host computer can be simply developed and the printing pattern can be printed as it is, so that the printing efficiency can be improved. In consideration of the above problem, the processing time of the data is more of a problem than the problem of a large number of bit image data from the host computer.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a data processing method for a printer which efficiently processes bit image data from a host computer to improve printing efficiency.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems A data processing method in a printer of the present invention for achieving the above object, the main connected by the host computer and the interface
In a printer that has an in- CPU and receives and transmits data transmitted from a host computer by the main CPU, the main module of the CPU
The interface control unit of the CPU
Data received from the
When the communication data is text print data,
Create a dot pattern corresponding to the
And analyze the received data
Switches from text print data to bit image
At this point, bit image data is stored in the reception buffer.
Judge whether the data is stored and store the bit in the receive buffer.
If image data remains, this receive buffer
The remaining bit image data is stored in the image buffer.
To the host computer.
Expand image data into the image buffer
Bit image data remains in the receive buffer.
If not, the video from the host computer is immediately
The image data is directly expanded in the image buffer .

[0007]

According to the data processing method of the present invention, the data from the host computer is analyzed, and if the data is bit image data, the stored bit image data in the receiving buffer is batch-developed into the image buffer. Since the bit image data from the host computer is directly expanded, the reception interrupt processing triggered by the data strobe signal from the host computer becomes unnecessary, and the time required to store the data in the reception buffer and to retrieve the data from the reception buffer is eliminated. Can be omitted. In addition, there is no need to delay the acknowledgment signal from the printer.

As a result, data can be received from the host computer at an optimum interval time.

Further, prior to the bit image data expanding process, the data stored in the receiving buffer is expanded all at once, so that the reading point / remaining data usually performed every time one byte of data is extracted. The reception buffer management process such as updating the number is completed only once. As a result, printing efficiency can be improved.
You.

[0010] Further, the analyzed received data is a text mark.
When character data is switched to bit image,
Whether bit image data is stored in the communication buffer
The bit image data in the receive buffer.
If left, the bit input left in this receive buffer
Batch transfer of image data to the image buffer
Bit image data from the host computer
The image data is directly expanded in the image buffer,
If no bit image data remains in the buffer,
Bit image data from the host computer
Data is directly expanded in the image buffer.
Reliable data expansion to the image buffer is possible.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a printer for implementing the data processing method of the present invention.
Has a main CPU 4 connected to the host computer 1 by a parallel interface (I / F) 2. Various switches 5 of an operation panel and a driver 6 are connected to the main CPU 4, and the main CPU 4 outputs a predetermined control signal to the driver 6 by operating the switch 5. The driver 6 includes a print head 7 such as a thermal head for performing printing, a carriage transport motor 8 for reciprocating a carriage on which the print head 7 is mounted, and a paper transport for transporting paper in line units. The motor 9 is connected,
The driver 6 drives the print head 7, the carriage transport motor (CR motor) 8, and the paper transport motor (LF motor) 9 in accordance with control signals from the main CPU 4.

The details of the main CPU 4 are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the main CPU 4 has an interface control unit 10 connected to the host computer 1. The interface control unit 10 controls data reception, reception buffer control, and signal line control. It is supposed to do. A reception buffer 11 for storing data such as character data received by the interface control unit 10 from the host computer 1 is connected to the interface control unit 10.

The main CPU 4 has a main module 12 connected to the interface control unit 10 and the host computer 1, respectively. The main module 12 includes a data analysis unit 12A for inputting the received data received from the host computer 1 by the interface control unit 1 byte by byte and analyzing the data, and a data analysis unit for the data analyzed by the data analysis unit 12A. It has an image creating section 12B for creating a dot pattern corresponding to a character code when the data is print data, and a bit image developing section 12C for directly receiving data from the host computer 1 by a sense method. The main module 12 controls the driving of the print head 7, the carriage transport motor 8, and the paper transport motor 9 when the received data received from the host computer 1 analyzed by the data analyzer 12A is a command code. Driver startup control to perform the operation.

Further, the main CPU 4 is connected to the receiving buffer 11 and the main module 12, respectively, and stores an image buffer 13 for storing dot-developed image data. The image buffer 13 is connected to the image buffer 13 and the main module 12, respectively. And a driver control unit 14 for outputting a control signal or an image data signal to the driver 6.

The interface control unit 10
Is activated by a reception interrupt process triggered by a data strobe signal from the host computer 1, and is driven without synchronizing with the operation of the main module 12.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.

First, a flow of processing data from the host computer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, thin arrows indicate the flow of reception interrupt processing triggered by the data strobe signal.
The thick arrows indicate the flow when bit image data is directly received by the sense method.

When a character code such as a normal text print is output from the host computer 1, this character code is received by the interface control unit 10, and this character code is stored in the reception buffer 11, and the reception buffer 11 Perform processing.

On the other hand, the main module 12 is operated by the data analysis unit 12A to operate the interface control unit 1
0 indicates that the received data received from the host computer 1 is 1
Perform the analysis by inputting byte by byte. When the data analyzed by the data analysis unit 12A is text print data, the image creation unit 12B creates a dot pattern corresponding to the character code, and develops the dot pattern on the image buffer 13. When the data analyzed by the data analysis unit 12A is a control code, driver activation control for controlling the driving of the print head 7, the carriage transport motor 8, and the paper transport motor 9 is performed.

By the way, when the data from the host computer 1 is switched to bit image data, the data receiving process is switched by the routine shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, it is determined whether data has been switched to bit image data (step S).
T1) If not switched, the reception interrupt processing by the interface control unit 10 is continuously performed as it is.

On the other hand, if the data has been switched to bit image data in step ST1, step S1 is executed.
As shown in T2, the reception interrupt processing triggered by the data strobe signal is stopped, and thereafter, the mode is switched to the sensing method for directly receiving data from the host computer 1 (step ST3). Next, it is determined whether bit image data has already been stored in the reception buffer 11 (step ST4). If bit image data remains in the reception buffer 11, the image buffer 13 is stored in the image buffer 13 as shown in step ST5. After the bit image data in the reception buffer 11 is transferred collectively, the process proceeds to the next step ST6. If no bit image data is left in the reception buffer 11 in step ST4, the process immediately proceeds to step ST6.

In step ST6, it is determined whether there is data received from the host computer 1. If there is no received data, the process returns to step ST6 again. The processing unit 12C directly receives the bit image data of the host computer 1 by the sense method (step ST7). Then, when the reception of this data is completed, an acknowledgment signal which is the next data transmission request signal is output to the host computer 1 (step ST8).

Next, as shown in step ST9, the bit image data received by the bit image
Expand to Thereafter, the bit image processing unit 12C of the main module 12 determines whether bit image data of the host computer 1 to be received remains by internal processing such as counting (step ST1).
0) If it is determined that bit image data remains, the process returns to step ST6; if it is determined that bit image data does not remain, reception interrupt processing for receiving a character code triggered by a data strobe signal is performed. (Step ST6).

The dot-expanded image data stored in the image buffer 13 as described above is output to the driver control unit 14, drives the driver 6, and the print head 7 performs printing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the bit image data of the host computer 1 is received,
The bit image processing unit 1 of the main module 12 omits the reception interrupt processing by the interface control unit 10.
Since the data is directly received by the 2C, the time required for storing data in the receiving buffer 11 and extracting data from the receiving buffer 11 can be omitted, and it is not necessary to delay the acknowledge signal from the printer 3. As a result, data can be received from the host computer 1 at an optimal interval time.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made as necessary.

[0030]

According to the present invention as described in the foregoing, it can be improved printing efficiency bit image data from the host computer efficiently processed to Image
An excellent effect that reliable data expansion to the buffer can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a printer for implementing a data processing method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a main CPU of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Parallel interface (I / F) 3 Printer 4 Main CPU 6 Driver 7 Print head 8 CR motor 9 LF motor 10 Interface control unit 11 Receiving buffer 12 Main module 12A Data analysis unit 12B Image creation unit 12C Bit image development processing Unit 13 Image buffer 14 Driver control unit

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 5/30 G06F 3/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A main CPU connected to the host computer via an interface;
In the printer that performs printing by receiving the transmitted data from the host computer by U, Mei said CPU
Interface module of CPU
Analyze received data received from the host computer
The received data analyzed is text print data.
The dot pattern corresponding to the character code
And deploy it to the image buffer.
The received data that has been analyzed is
When the message is switched to the image,
Judge whether image data is stored, and
If bit image data remains in the communication buffer,
The bit image data left in this receive buffer is
After batch transfer to the image buffer,
The bit image data from the computer
Decompresses the data into the buffer and bit-
If no image data remains, the host
The bit image data from the computer is directly
Data processing method in a printer, which comprises expansion processing to Jibaffa.