JP3397514B2 - Output device and output method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device such as a printer which analyzes input information input from an external device such as a host computer to generate output information and outputs the output information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, analysis of various input information sent from an external device is executed after the input information passes through an interface (input means), is stored in a reception buffer (temporary storage means), and is then executed. . In addition, any input information was analyzed and stored once in an intermediate buffer (a buffer that stores intermediate data obtained by processing the input information so as to easily generate output information such as bit image data). Further, once the capacity of the temporary storage means is determined, the storage capacity is insufficient in the internal processing of the output device such as the printer until the operation by the switch of the operation panel or the execution of the command from the external device. I couldn't change it when it disappeared.

[0003]

In the prior art, a process of receiving various input information from an external device in the temporary storage means and a process of reading the input information from the temporary storage means and performing the print processing are asynchronously performed. Therefore, if it is necessary to change the ratio of the storage capacity of the intermediate buffer or frame buffer when executing print processing, if a large amount of input information is stored in the temporary storage means, the storage capacity will change. There is a problem that it becomes impossible and the input information in the temporary storage means is erased.

Further, since any information is processed by storing the data in the intermediate buffer,
There is a problem that the processing is complicated and the processing time is longer than necessary. Furthermore, if the capacity of the intermediate buffer becomes insufficient, the process cannot be continued unless the print process procedure is changed, and the print result will not be normal or the print process must be forcibly canceled. There was a problem that had to be addressed.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an output device and an output method in which input information is not stored in a reception buffer and processing is continued as necessary. . Another object of the present invention is to provide an output device and an output method that simplify the process by omitting the process of temporarily storing the information in the intermediate buffer. Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an output device and an output method that prevent interruption of output processing and illegal output of output results by automatically changing the storage capacity of the temporary storage means.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an output device of the present invention is an output device which generates output information from input information input from an external device and outputs the output information. A frame buffer for storing, a judgment means for judging whether the input information inputted is processed in the first mode or immediately stored in the frame buffer in the second mode, and the inputted input information is judged. When the determination means determines that the processing is performed in the first mode, the input information input is stored in the reception buffer, and the input information is determined by the determination means when processed in the second mode. In this case, the reception buffer and the page buffer for storing the intermediate data generated from the input information are eliminated to expand the storage capacity of the frame buffer and And having a control means for storing in real information in the frame buffer.

In order to achieve the above object, the output method of the present invention is an output method in an output device that includes a frame buffer for storing bit image data and outputs the bit image data to an output section. A determination step of determining whether to process the input information input in the first mode or the second mode in which it is immediately stored in the frame buffer, and determining that the input information input is processed in the first mode If it is determined that the input information input is stored in the reception buffer and the input information input is processed in the second mode, the intermediate data generated from the reception buffer and the input information. The page buffer for storing data is deleted to expand the storage capacity of the frame buffer, and the input information input is immediately stored in the frame buffer. And controlling the input information stored in the reception buffer into bit image data, storing the bit image data in the frame buffer, and then outputting the bit image data to an output unit, or And an output step of outputting the input information stored in the frame buffer to an output unit.

[0008]

In the first mode, the input information is stored in the receiving buffer, and in the second mode, the receiving buffer and the page buffer are eliminated to expand the storage capacity of the frame buffer, and the input information is immediately stored in the frame buffer. .

In the first mode, the input information stored in the reception buffer is converted into bit image data,
After storing the bit image data in the frame buffer, output the bit image data to the output unit,
In the second mode, the input information stored in the frame buffer is output to the output unit.

[0010]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this embodiment, a laser beam printer (hereinafter referred to as LBP) will be described as an example of the output device. In addition,
The output device may be another printer such as an inkjet printer or a display device such as a CRT.

Before describing the configuration of this embodiment, the configuration of the LBP to which this embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an LBP main body for inputting input information such as character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer (from an external device), form information, or a macro command. The output information such as a corresponding character pattern or form pattern is created according to the input information, and an image is formed on a recording sheet that is a storage medium. Reference numeral 300 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED display are arranged, and 101 is a printer control unit (printer controller) for controlling the entire LBP 100 and analyzing character information supplied from a host computer. The printer control unit 101 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs it to the laser driver 102. The laser driver 102 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 103, and switches on / off the laser light 104 emitted from the semiconductor laser 103 according to an input video signal. The laser beam 104 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 105, and the electrostatic drum 10
6 scan over. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 106. This latent image is developed by the developing unit 107 around the electrostatic drum 106 and then transferred to the recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 108 mounted on the LBP 100, taken into the apparatus by a sheet feeding roller 109 and conveying rollers 110 and 111, and then is placed on the electrostatic drum 106. Supplied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control system of the LBP which is the output device of the present invention.

The LBP control system inputs the input information 211 including the character code sent from the host computer 201, which is the source of the input information, the external character font, the form information, or the macro registration information, and page by page. The output information is controlled to be printed. For example, this input information is expressed in a printer language such as PDL.

Reference numeral 202 denotes an input interface (input means) for inputting various input information from the host computer 201. Reference numeral 203 denotes a reception buffer (RAM) for temporarily storing various input information input through the input means 202.
Is a connector for outputting various information from the LBP 100 to the host computer 201 and an external storage means 215 such as a hard disk device. Reference numeral 210 is a character pattern generator that stores pattern information corresponding to character codes.
It also includes M and its reading control circuit, and has a code conversion function of calculating the address of the character pattern according to the code when the character code is input.

Reference numeral 204 denotes a CPU for controlling the entire control system of the LBP 100, which is a CPU 2 stored in the ROM 206.
A control program 04 (for example, a control program shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 11) controls the entire apparatus.

Reference numeral 212 is an analysis unit for analyzing the received input information according to the control program of the ROM 206.
Reference numeral 3 is a developing unit for developing the input information analyzed by the analyzing unit into a bit pattern, 205 is a page buffer (intermediate buffer) for storing intermediate data analyzed and generated by the analyzing unit, and 207 is an output developed into a character pattern. It is a frame buffer that stores information (bit image data) for at least one page corresponding to an output image. An output interface unit 208 generates a video signal corresponding to the output information from the frame buffer 207 and executes interface control with the printing mechanism unit 209 (printer conditioner). A print mechanism unit 209 receives a video signal from the output interface unit 208 and prints an image based on the video signal.

Reference numeral 300 denotes the operation panel described in FIG.

3 to 5 are flowcharts showing the operation of the control program according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in the storage area of the storage means (RAM) inside the output device.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.

Basically, in this embodiment, the input information input from the external device is temporarily stored (hereinafter referred to as the reception buffer 20).
Since the processing for storing in 3), the processing for the input information of the reception buffer 203, and the processing for executing printing are operated asynchronously, the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 are not continuous.

First, the processing when operating in the normal mode will be described (FIG. 3).

Input means 202 for inputting information from an external device
When received through (S301), the input information that has been input is directly written to the reception buffer 203 (S30).
2) After writing the input information, check whether the storage capacity of the reception buffer is full (hereinafter referred to as buffer full) (S303), and if not, return to the original. If the buffer is full, input the reception buffer Wait until some free space is available after the information is used (S304).

The input information analysis and print processing, which operates asynchronously with the above-mentioned reception buffer write processing, operates as follows.

First, the input information is read from the reception buffer 203 (S305), and the input information is analyzed (S3).
06), as a result of the analysis, it is determined whether the input information group includes a special mode command that requires a change in the storage capacity ratio (S307). In the normal mode only, the input information is analyzed as it is (S308), and it is determined whether to start printing (S309). If printing is not performed, the process returns to the original state. If printing is to be performed, the process proceeds to the next process and printing is performed. It executes (S310, S311). If it is determined in step S307 that the special mode command exists, input of input information from the external device is temporarily stopped (S31).
2) After that, if input information remains in the receive buffer,
Processing including printing is performed according to the input information and all the input information in the reception buffer is processed (S313). However, since the input information used in the special mode may remain in the reception buffer, in that case, In order to save the input information, the input information in the reception buffer is saved in the "other processing area" shown in FIG. Next, the position for analyzing the received input information is changed (the processing order is changed) (S31
4) The initialization for shifting to the process capable of executing the special mode is performed and the process is shifted (S315), and the reception of the input information after the initialization is restarted.

Next, as shown in the flow chart of FIG.
In the processing that can be performed in the special mode, when inputting the input information from the external device, when the mode is shifted from the normal mode, it is confirmed whether the input information in the reception buffer is saved,
If it exists, the input information saved is processed, and if the saved input information disappears, the input information is received from the external device (S401). The received input information is immediately analyzed (S402). Then, it is determined in step S403 whether or not there is an end command for ending the special mode, and in step S404 whether or not there is a start command for starting the special mode, and it is determined whether or not the special mode is started. It is determined in step S405 (whether the special mode flag is on). If none of the above applies, the input information is written to the reception buffer 203 (S406). After writing to the receive buffer 203,
A process for checking the buffer full is performed as in the normal mode (S407, S408).

Next, when it is determined in step S404 that the special mode has started, the reception of the input information from the external device is temporarily stopped (S413). Then, it is checked whether or not the input information is stored in the reception buffer, and it is stored. Then, the input information of the reception buffer 203 is processed including the printing (S
414). When there is no input information in the reception buffer 203, the storage area ratio is rearranged (S415). FIG. 6 shows an example thereof. In FIG. 6, the capacity of the frame buffer 207 has been expanded to include the reception buffer 203 and the page buffer 20.
I will lose 5. After that, the flag indicating the shift to the special mode is turned on, and the reception of the input information is restarted (S
416).

If it is determined in step S405 that the special mode is being executed and the flag is ON, the special mode-specific processing is performed (S409), that is, the input information is not stored in the reception buffer 203. . Also, as a matter of course, when the execution of the printing is instructed, the printing process is executed (S410, S411, S412).

If it is determined in step S403 that the special mode has ended, the reception of input information is temporarily stopped (S4
17) If there is a process being executed, wait for the end of the process (S
418), and thereafter, the storage area is relocated to the state before executing the special mode (S419). Next, the flag indicating the shift to the special mode is turned off, and the reception of the input information is restarted (S420).

In the above processing, the input information accumulated in the reception buffer 203 is processed by the operation shown in FIG. 5 and asynchronous with the processing of FIG.

First, it is checked whether the input information is in the reception buffer 203 (S501), and if there is no input information, the process is terminated. If the input information is in the reception buffer 203, it is read and analyzed (S502, S503). As a result of the analysis, it is determined whether the input information group (normal mode) does not include the special mode command (S504). If the special mode command does not exist, it is determined that the normal mode is set, and the reception is temporarily stopped. Then (S508), if the input information remaining in the reception buffer 203 is the normal mode input information, the input information in the reception buffer 203 is processed (S509).
Next, the position to analyze the received input information is changed (the processing order is changed) (S510), the initialization for shifting to the executable processing of the normal mode is performed, and the processing is shifted (S51).
1) In addition, after initialization, reception is resumed and the normal mode (see FIG.
Processing).

The input information input from the external device is
Output information that can be directly transferred to the printing mechanism unit, that is, in the case of print image data expanded into a bit pattern, or
If the image data is compressed and can be processed continuously without being converted to intermediate data, and the input information can be immediately expanded into bitmap data, the receive buffer and page buffer are not used at all. Even if the input information received from the external device is immediately written to the frame buffer, the same effect can be obtained.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of the above embodiment. Data is written to the frame buffer directly or by a simple process through the path shown by the dotted line in the figure. Descriptions of components having the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 are omitted.

(Embodiment 2) In addition to the above-mentioned embodiment, while processing input information from an external device, the page buffer 2
When the storage capacity of 05 becomes insufficient, the reception buffer 20
The same effect can be obtained by gradually reducing the storage capacity of 3 and using that portion as an intermediate buffer.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the control program in this embodiment.

Input information from an external device is received by the reception buffer 2.
The description will be made assuming that the data is input to 03. First, the input information of the reception buffer 203 is read and analyzed (S8).
01, S802), and then, it is judged whether the storage capacity required for creating the intermediate data can be secured in advance (S
803), if the capacity is insufficient, page buffer 205
Then, the intermediate data is created and stored (S804), and the process for printing is continued (S805, S806, S807).

If the capacity of the intermediate buffer is insufficient, the usage status of the reception buffer 203 is checked to determine whether the buffer 203 is full (S808), and the buffer 2
If 03 is not full, the storage area allocated to the intermediate buffer is increased and the storage area is rearranged (S809), which is shown in FIG. However, the unprocessed input information stored in the reception buffer 203 is always left as it is. If the reception buffer 203 is full, it is checked whether or not printing is currently being performed (S810). If there is a page being printed, the process waits until the end. This is because when printing is completed, the contents of the page buffer (intermediate buffer) used for the page are no longer needed. If printing is not in progress, the contents of the page buffer 205 are expanded in the frame buffer 207 until printing can be executed (S811).

When operating in the normal mode,
When the input information is received from the external device (S1001), the received input information is analyzed before the input information is stored in the reception buffer 203 (S1002). However, the analysis only determines whether or not there is a command to start the high-speed image job (S1003). If it is not the start of the high-speed image job, the input information is stored in the reception buffer 203 as it is (S1004), and normal operations such as confirmation as to whether the buffer is full (S1005, 1006) are performed.

As already described with reference to FIG. 5 and the like, in the normal mode (other than the high speed image job), the input information is analyzed asynchronously with the writing process to the receiving buffer 203,
Printing process is in progress.

Next, a case where it is determined that the job is a high speed image job in step S1003 will be described. When the start of the high-speed image job is designated, the input of the input information from the external device is temporarily stopped (S1007), and the reception buffer 20
If the input information remains in No. 3, processing including printing is performed according to the content, and all the input information in the reception buffer 203 is processed (S1008). Next, step S1009.
Then, the resolution of the image data to be printed in the high speed image job is checked, and in the case of 600 dpi, the capacities of the reception buffer 203 and the page buffer 205 are changed in order to expand the capacity of the frame buffer 207. 30 standard
In the case of 0 dpi, no special processing is performed (the capacity of the frame buffer 207 remains the same), and the processing shifts to high-speed image job processing.

In the case of a high speed image job (see FIG.
1), waiting for input information from an external device (S1101),
When the input information is received (S1102), analysis processing is performed on a limited number of commands that can be used in the high speed image mode (S1103). The processing moves to finish the image job (S110).
4) If not, the high speed image job is processed (S1105).

In the case of a high-speed image job, the image data to be printed is directly written in the frame buffer 207, so the receiving buffer 203 and the page buffer 205 are not used. Even if the image data is compressed, the receiving buffer 203 and the page buffer 205 are not used in the same manner.
7).

Step S11 until the start of printing is designated
01 to S1105 are repeated.

Next, if the print start is designated in step S1106, the data written in the frame buffer 207 is printed (S1107, S1108).

When the high-speed image job is finished, the reception is temporarily stopped again (S1109), and if there is data being executed (if it is the data written in the frame buffer 207), printing is executed and the frame buffer is executed. Two
07 is emptied (S1110).

Further, the resolution of the printed data is 600.
If it is dpi, the capacity of the frame buffer is returned to the standard capacity, and the page buffer 205 (intermediate buffer)
Alternatively, the reception buffer 203 is also returned to the original capacity accordingly, and in the case of the standard 300 dpi, no special processing is performed (S1111).

After that, the process returns to the normal mode processing (see FIG. 10).
Processing).

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the first mode, the input information is stored in the reception buffer and the second information is stored in the reception buffer.
In the mode, the storage capacity of the frame buffer is expanded by eliminating the reception buffer and page buffer, and the input information is immediately stored in the frame buffer to relocate the storage area inside the device and force the output. It is possible to prevent the output from being interrupted and the output result being illegally output.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a laser beam printer taken as an example of an output device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of an output device used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a storage area in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of another control system of the output device used in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another configuration of a storage area according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control program in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 Host computer 202 Input means 203 receive buffer 204 CPU 205 page buffer 206 ROM 207 frame buffer 208 output interface 209 Printing mechanism section 210 character pattern generator 211 Input information 212 Analysis Unit 213 Development Department 214 output means 215 External storage means

Claims (12)

(57) [Claims] 1. An output device for generating and outputting output information from input information input from an external device, comprising: a frame buffer for storing the output information; Determination means for determining whether to process or immediately store in the frame buffer in the second mode, and input if the determination means determines that the input information input is processed in the first mode The received input information is stored in the reception buffer, and the intermediate data generated from the reception buffer and the input information is stored when the judgment means judges that the inputted input information is processed in the second mode. And a control means for expanding the storage capacity of the frame buffer by eliminating the page buffer, and immediately storing the input information input thereto in the frame buffer. An output device characterized in that. 2. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the input information in the first mode is a page description language. 3. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the input information in the second mode is bit image data. 4. The control means stops reception of input information from the external device when the determination means determines that the input information input is processed in the second mode. Item 4. The output device according to any one of Items 1 to 3. 5. The control means changes the storage capacity of the reception buffer and the frame buffer according to the resolution when the determination means determines that the input information input is processed in the second mode. The output device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 6. The output according to claim 1, further comprising a print mechanism unit that prints an image based on a video signal corresponding to output information stored in the frame buffer. apparatus. 7. The output device according to claim 1, which is a printer controller of a laser beam printer. 8. An output method in an output device, which comprises a frame buffer for storing bit image data and outputs the bit image data to an output section, wherein input input information is processed in a first mode, A determination step of immediately determining whether to process in the second mode for storing in the frame buffer, and when it is determined to process the input information input in the first mode, input input information is stored in the reception buffer. When it is determined that the stored and input input information is processed in the second mode, the storage capacity of the frame buffer is eliminated by eliminating the reception buffer and the page buffer storing the intermediate data generated from the input information. To expand
A control step of immediately storing the inputted input information in the frame buffer, converting the input information stored in the reception buffer into bit image data, and storing the bit image data in the frame buffer, An output step of outputting the bit image data to an output section or outputting the input information stored in the frame buffer to the output section. 9. The output method according to claim 8, wherein the input information in the first mode is a page description language, and the input information in the second mode is bit image data. 10. The control means stops reception of input information from the external device when it is determined that the input information input is processed in the second mode. Output method described in. 11. The control means changes the storage capacity of the reception buffer and the frame buffer according to the resolution when it is determined that the input information input is processed in the second mode. Claims 8 to 10
Output method described in any of. 12. The output mechanism is a print mechanism unit that prints an image based on a video signal corresponding to output information stored in the frame buffer. The output method described in Crab.