JP3110879B2 - Printing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing method and apparatus for inputting and printing print data from an external device, and more particularly to a printing method and apparatus capable of inputting a page description language for printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a configuration example of a control circuit of a conventional printing apparatus. Print data such as image data sent from a host computer or the like (not shown)
Is input to the input unit 2 via the. The CPU 3 constantly monitors the input unit 2. When print data is input to the input unit 2, the CPU 3 immediately retrieves the data from the input unit 2 and stores the data in the working RAM 4. The font memory 5 stores pattern information of the character corresponding to the character code and the like. Therefore, the CPU 3 expands the print data stored in the working RAM 4 into image data to be actually printed with reference to the font memory 5 and performs the FI processing.
Write to the FO memory 6. The image data written in the FIFO memory 6 is output to the print head control unit 7, and a print head drive signal 8 is output based on this data. The recording head (not shown) is controlled by the print head drive signal 8 to perform printing on recording paper or the like.

An operation panel 10 is used when an operator directly inputs printer status settings. An operation panel interface unit 11 outputs a signal from the operation panel 10 to a data bus 12 or an address bus 13.
Reference numerals 12 and 13 denote a data bus and an address bus, respectively.
The PU3 is connected to each unit such as a memory. A series of operations related to the printing operation by the printer is performed by a program R
CP according to the control program written in OM9
This is achieved by U3 outputting various control signals.
As described above, in the conventional serial dot printer, an input print code is sequentially converted into a dot pattern and printed in line units, and therefore, a bitmap memory for developing an image in page units is not provided. Is common.

[0004]

A conventional dot printer as described above requires a large amount of memory capacity.
Because it does not have a bitmap memory for the page,
The system can be built at very low cost. But on the other hand,
A page printer or the like cannot support a general page description language. This is a dot printer,
This problem can be solved by providing a bit map memory for one page. However, if such a bit map memory for storing image data for one page is provided, the circuit configuration becomes expensive and a serial type The inexpensive printer system which is an advantage of the dot printer cannot be constructed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned prior art, and stores compressed data obtained by compressing print image data based on print code data, together with address information storing the print code data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and method for reading print code data based on address information obtained by scanning compressed data corresponding to a position, converting the print code data into print image data, and printing the print code data. I do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, a printing apparatus for inputting and printing print code data from an external device, comprising: input means for inputting print code data; and print code data input by the input means.
Storage means for storing data, based on the print code data.
Generating compressed data by compressing print image data
Generating means; and the compressed data generated by the generating means.
Data storing the print code data together with address information in the storage unit, a printing unit printing based on print image data, and the printing unit.
Before being stored in the storage means corresponding to the printing position by
The address obtained by scanning the compressed data.
The print code data from the storage means based on the
Conversion means for converting the print image data by reading the chromatography data, in accordance with the printing by the printing means, the print code data from the reference to the storage means the address information of the print code data stored in said storage means reading,
Control means for repeatedly performing the procedure of converting the read print code data into print image data by the conversion means and causing the printing means to print the print code data for one page. Features.

In order to achieve the above object, the printing method of the present invention comprises the following steps. That is, this is a printing method in which print code data is input from an external device and printed, and the print code data is input and stored in a buffer.
Delivery process and print code data stored in the buffer
Generates compressed data obtained by compressing print image data based on
Generating step, and the compression generated in the generating step
The data is stored in the print code data stored in the buffer.
Storage process for storing in a memory together with data address information
And stored in the memory corresponding to the printing position by the printing unit.
Before being obtained by scanning the compressed data
The printing from the buffer based on the address information.
Reads code data and converts it to print image data
Conversion step, and the printing image converted in the conversion step.
A printing step for printing by the printing unit based on the print data, and, in accordance with printing by the printing unit , print code data from the buffer with reference to address information of print code data stored in the memory. reads, the procedure for printing by converting the print code data thus read out to the print image data, to process the print code de <br/> over data of one page, that has a repetitive performing step, the Features.

[0008]

In the above construction, print code data is inputted and stored in the storage means, and compressed data is generated by compressing print image data based on the print code data.
The print code data is stored together with the address information in the storage means. Then, based on the address information obtained by scanning the stored compressed data, the print code data is read from the storage means corresponding to the printing position of the printing means for printing based on the print image data, and converted into print image data. The print data is converted and printed by the printing unit based on the print image data. Further, in accordance with the printing, a procedure for reading the print code data with reference to the address information of the stored print code data, converting the read print code data into print image data, and causing the printing means to print the print code data. The operation is performed so as to be repeatedly performed to process the print code data for one page.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Parts common to those of the conventional printer shown in FIG. 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a data buffer.
The code data (character code or the like) input via the input unit 2 is stored for one page. A compression memory 15 stores the address of the code data in the data buffer 14. It is assumed that the compression memory 15 has a significant reduction ratio with respect to the original bitmap memory. Reference numeral 16 denotes a bit map memory for expanding code data into a bit map when printing data. In this embodiment, the bitmap memory 16 does not have a capacity for expressing all the print images for one page. Reference numeral 3a denotes a CPU for controlling the entire printer of this embodiment, and 9a denotes a ROM that stores a control program of the CPU 3a and various data.

Next, the operation of the printer of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S11, code data (print data) sent from an external device such as a host computer (not shown) is input to the input unit 2 via the external interface 1. The code data thus input is stored in the data buffer 14 (step S
12). The CPU 3a constantly monitors the data buffer 14, and checks in step S13 whether a print command indicating the end of a page is input to the data buffer 14.

In step S13, a print code for one page is stored in the data buffer 14, and when the start of the printing process is instructed, the process proceeds to step S14, where the CPU 3a stores the data stored in the data buffer 14 in the compression memory 15
Expands to correspond to the resolution of. Thus, the compressed memory 1
5 stores the address of the code data stored in the data buffer 14. This processing is performed in step S1.
4 to step S16.

These processing steps S14 to S
16 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the relationship between the compression memory 15 and the data buffer 14. FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes the size of the image data when it is developed into a bit map. Reference numeral 22 denotes one block of the compression memory 15, and in this embodiment, 8 × 8 dot image data corresponds to one block of the compression memory 15. 23 to 25 are compression memories 15
Shows an example of data expanded to each word of
Represents the next word data linked following the word 23. FIG. 4 shows an example of data stored in the data buffer 14.

The writing of data to the compression memory 15 is performed as follows. In step S14 of FIG.
U3a corresponds to one block of the compression memory 15,
The code data is expanded in the compression memory 15 with the bitmap resolution set to 1/8. Next, the address (C1) of the expanded code data is written to the address area of the word 23 of the compression memory 15. An "END mark" is first written in the address area of the data following the word 23. Next, when another code data is expanded, a code corresponding to one block of the compression memory 15 is expanded, and C
The PU 3a stores the head address (D1) of another vacant word 24 in the address area of the data following the word 23.
Is stored. Then, the address (C2) of the new code data is stored in the word 24, and the "END mark" is written in the address area of the data next to the word 24.

FIG. 3 shows that three pieces of code data are written in one block of the compression memory 15 in this manner. This corresponds to step S15 in FIG.
This operation is performed for one page of code data.

Returning to FIG. 2, when the processing of the code data for one page to the compression memory 15 is completed, the process proceeds to step S17, and the CPU 3a scans the data in the compression memory 15 in the order in which the print head prints on the paper. If data has been written to the compression memory 15, the corresponding code data is extracted from the data buffer 14 (step S18). The code data extracted in this way is expanded again into a bitmap by the CPU 3a,
It is stored in the bitmap memory 16 (step S1).
9). The resolution at this time corresponds to the resolution of the bitmap memory 16.

Next, the process proceeds to step S 20, and when the data has been completely developed for each bit of the bit map memory 16, the data of the bit map memory 16 is sent to the FIFO memory 6. The data sent to the FIFO memory 6 in this way is sent to the print head control unit 7 and printed on a recording medium such as recording paper. Next, the process proceeds to step S21, where the contents of the bitmap memory 16 are cleared,
The same processing is repeated for the next area until the data of one page is completed.

FIG. 5 shows a block 22 in the compression memory 15.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between the bitmap memory 16 and the memory.

In this figure, a bit map memory 16
Is 8 bits in the vertical direction and the number of dots of the print head in the horizontal direction. In the figure, an area of 8 dots vertically and horizontally in the bit map memory 16 is hatched. This is one of the compression memories 15
This represents the area that the block contains.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Portions common to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Comparing the configuration of the second embodiment with that of the first embodiment, the data buffer 14 is connected to the compression memory 15 via the data input control circuit 26. The data buffer 14 and the compression memory 15 are controlled by the data input control circuit 26 independently of the CPU 3b. In the second embodiment, the data input control circuit 26
Operates to control the data buffer 14 and the compression memory 15 and to expand the code data in the compression memory 15.

The bit map memory 16 outputs print data directly to the print head control unit 7, and is connected to the print head control unit 7 without going through the FIFO memory 6 shown in FIG.

In the configuration of the second embodiment, when code data is input, the data input control circuit 26
The data in the data buffer 14 is expanded in the compression memory 15 regardless of the operation of b. After confirming that the data input control circuit 26 has expanded the code data for one page in the compression memory 15, the CPU 3b scans the data in the compression memory 15 and stores the corresponding code data in the data buffer 14 into the bit map memory 16. Deploy again. Here, the bit map memory 16 is directly connected to the print head controller, and data is written to the bit map 16 and output to the print head controller at the same time.

As described above, according to this embodiment, 1
There is an effect that printing can be performed in a page description language even with a low-cost printer device that does not have a bitmap memory for pages.

The printer of the present embodiment may be, for example, an ink jet printer described below. <Schematic Description of Apparatus Main Body> FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an ink jet recording apparatus IJRA to which the present invention can be applied. In the figure, the carriage HC that engages with the spiral groove 5004 of the lead screw 5005 that rotates via the driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 5013 has a pin (not shown). Then, it is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. 500
Reference numeral 2 denotes a paper pressing plate, which presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the moving direction of the carriage. 5007,50
Reference numeral 08 denotes a home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member for supporting a cap member 5022 for capping the front surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes suction means for sucking the inside of the cap.
, The suction recovery of the recording head is performed. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade. Reference numeral 5019 denotes a member which allows the blade to move in the front-rear direction. These members are supported by a main body support plate 5018. It goes without saying that the blade is not limited to this form and a known cleaning blade can be applied to this example. Reference numeral 5012 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery.
It moves with the movement of 20, and the driving force from the drive motor is controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching.

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the area on the home position side. If a desired operation is performed at a timing, any of the examples can be applied. <Description of Control Configuration> Next, a control configuration for executing the recording control of the above-described apparatus will be described with reference to a block diagram shown in FIG. In the figure showing the control circuit, 1
700 is an interface for inputting a recording signal, 170
Reference numeral 1 denotes an MPU; 1702, a program ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701; 1703, a dynamic RAM for storing various data (such as the print signal and print data supplied to the head).
Reference numeral 1704 denotes a gate array which controls supply of print data to the print head 1708.
It also controls data transfer between the MPU 700, MPU 1701, and RAM 1703. Reference numeral 1710 denotes a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 1708, and reference numeral 1709 denotes a transport motor for transporting the recording paper. Reference numeral 1705 denotes a head driver for driving the head, and reference numerals 1706 and 1707 denote motor drivers for driving the transport motor 1709 and the carrier motor 1710, respectively.

The operation of the above control configuration will be described. When a recording signal is input to the interface 1700, the gate array 1
The recording signal is converted into recording data for printing between the 704 and the MPU 1701. And the motor driver 1
The printheads 706 and 1707 are driven, and the printhead is driven according to the print data sent to the head driver 1705 to perform printing.

It is apparent that the components of the present invention can be incorporated in the above-described control structure of the ink jet printer, and that the present invention can be applied not only to the laser beam printer but also to the above ink jet printer and the like.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the compressed data obtained by compressing the print image data based on the print code data is stored together with the address information storing the print code data, and the printing position is stored. In response to the above, print code data is read out based on address information obtained by scanning the stored compressed data, and the print code data is converted into print image data and printed, so that printing of one page is performed. Even if a memory for expanding image data is not provided, there is an effect that print code data can be input and converted into print image data for printing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control unit of a printer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating processing of the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the concept of a compression memory according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of a data buffer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the correspondence between one block of a compression memory and a bitmap memory according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control unit of a printer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of a conventional printer device.

FIG. 8 is an inkjet recording apparatus I to which the present invention can be applied.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of JRA.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration for executing printing control in the inkjet printing apparatus of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Code data input unit 3, 3a, 3b CPU 4 Working RAM 5 Font memory 6 FIFO memory 7 Print head control unit 9, 9a, 9b Program ROM 10 Operation panel 14 Data buffer 15 Compression memory 16 Bit map memory 26 Data input control circuit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing apparatus for inputting and printing print code data from an external device, comprising: input means for inputting print code data; and print code data input by the input means.
Storage means for compressing print image data based on the print code data.
Generating means for generating a reduced and compressed data, the compressed data generated by said generating means, said
Storage means for storing print code data together with address information in the storage means; printing means for printing based on print image data; and storage means corresponding to a printing position by the printing means.
Obtained by scanning the stored compressed data
From the storage means based on the address information
A conversion unit that reads out print code data and converts the print code data into the print image data; and, in accordance with printing by the print unit, refers to address information of the print code data stored in the storage unit, and
Reading the print code data from the storage unit, converting the read print code data into print image data by the conversion unit, and causing the printing unit to print.
Control means for repeatedly performing processing for processing one page of print code data. 2. A printing method for inputting and printing print code data from an external device, comprising: a storage method for inputting print code data and storing the data in a buffer.
And a mark based on the print code data stored in the buffer.
Generation to generate compressed data by compressing printing image data
And compressing the compressed data generated in the generating step.
Address information of the print code data stored in the
Together with a storage step of storing in a memory,
The compressed data obtained by scanning the compressed data.
The print code is output from the buffer based on the dress information.
To read the print data and convert it to print image data.
And conversion process, converted the print image data based on the above conversion step
A printing step of printing by the printing unit Zui, depending on the printing by the printing unit, referring to the address information of the print code data stored in said memory said
Reading the print code data from the buffer , converting the read print code data into print image data, and printing the print code data. The process is repeated to process one page of print code data. And printing method.