JP3503586B2 - Printer, printer character conversion method, and computer-readable recording medium. - 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 technology, and more particularly, to a character code transmitted from a host device.
The present invention relates to a technique for converting a given character by referring to a character table.

2. Description of the Related Art In a technique for displaying desired characters on a display screen of a host device or a technique for printing desired characters by a printer, it is necessary to replace these characters with a certain code in the host device or the printer. Is being done.
That is, the host device or the printer handles the character not as the character shape (image) but by replacing the character with a character code encoded according to a certain rule.

Further, the host device or printer has a character table in which characters and character codes are associated in a one-to-one relationship, and when the host device displays characters or the printer prints characters. The character code is converted into characters by referring to this character table.

Therefore, when instructing the printer to print a predetermined character, the host device transmits the character code corresponding to the character to the printer. Then, the printer converts the received character code into a character having a desired shape by referring to the character table, and prints the converted character.

However, in the above conventional technique, even when the character table is referred to, the character corresponding to the received character code is converted, and the converted character is printed, There was a problem that it might not be the correct notation in that language.

In recent years, the types of character codes and character tables used in printers are increasing. This is because with the spread of computers in the world, character codes and character tables adapted to the languages of each country have been developed and adopted. That is, in order for the printer to be used in more countries, it is desirable that the character tables corresponding to the languages of the countries in which the printer is used are developed and the printer has these character tables. As a result, the printer, based on the character code sent from the host device,
This is because it is possible to convert the character code into the character of the country and print it.

Here, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, the relationship between the character and the character code is made to correspond one to one,
In the character table, characters and character codes are defined based on the correspondence. When the printer receives the character code from the host device, the printer converts the character code into characters in order and prints the characters.

However, in a wide variety of languages, the notation of individual characters may change depending on the combination before and after the characters. That is, depending on the combination before and after the character, there are cases where the character corresponding to the specified character code is in the correct notation and cases where the character corresponding to the specified character code is not the correct notation.

For example, in a language such as Thai consisting of a plurality of elements, a specified character code is converted into a corresponding character, and the converted character is printed as it is.
Depending on the combination of characters, it may not be the correct character notation.

In a printer in which the printing of characters is very important as a product value, it is a serious problem to print an incorrect character as a character notation. Therefore, the present invention provides a printer that supports a wide variety of languages,
The challenge is to be able to print correct characters.

That is, an object of the present invention is to consider a predetermined combination of characters when converting a character code into characters,
It is to provide a printer capable of selecting characters to be converted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of the present invention is to convert a character code received by a printer into character data.
That is, the character data to be converted can be selected based on the combination of the character codes.

More specifically, a printer according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is based on a character table that stores a character code and a character in association with each other, and an input character code and the character table. And a generation unit configured to generate a predetermined character according to a predetermined combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code. And a determination unit that determines whether or not the input N-th character code and N +
When it is determined that the combination with the first character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination, the character corresponding to the character code different from the N + 1th character code is associated with the N + 1th character code. Selecting means for selecting from the character table as a character to be written.

Further, the selection means is the determination means,
When it is determined that the combination of the input Nth character code and the N + 1th character code corresponds to a predetermined combination set in advance, the N + 1th character code is replaced with a plurality of character codes, A plurality of characters corresponding to the plurality of replaced character codes are selected from the character table as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code.

Further, the selection means is the determination means,
When it is determined that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination, a character corresponding to a character code different from the N-th character code Is selected from the character table as a character corresponding to the Nth character code, and a character corresponding to a character code different from the N + 1th character code is defined as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code in the character table. It is characterized by selecting from.

Further, the character code is preferably a Thai character code.

Further, the invention of the printer described above is also realized as an invention of a printing system including a host device and a printer and an invention of a method. Further, the above invention is also realized as a program for causing a printer to realize a predetermined function or a recording medium recording the program.

In this specification, the term "means" does not simply mean physical means, but also includes the case where the functions of the means are realized by software.
Further, the function of one means may be realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or more means may be realized by one physical means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] (Hardware configuration of printer according to the present embodiment) FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a printer according to this embodiment. In the figure, the processor 11 is
It executes various programs stored in the ROM 12 and the RAM 13. In other words, the various programs are executed by the processor 11 so that the printer realizes a predetermined function. In this embodiment, a communication function, an image generation function, and a print control function are mainly realized as the predetermined functions.

The hard disk device 14 stores print job data sent from the host device 1 via the I / F circuit (interface circuit) 15. I / F circuit 15
Sends and receives data to and from the host device 1.

The image memory 16 stores the image data generated based on the print job data.
The engine controller 17 reads the image data expanded in the image memory 16 and supplies the image data to the print engine 18 while controlling the operation of the print engine 18.

The engine controller 17 is activated by a print execution command sent from the processor 11, for example, when bitmap data having a predetermined bandwidth is expanded in the image memory 16. Print engine 18
Is composed of, for example, a paper feed mechanism and a print head, and prints on a print recording medium such as paper. (Flow of Operations for Receiving Print Job Data and Printing Process) The printer described above is connected to the host device 1 to form a print system. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram for explaining the functions of the printer. The flow of operation when the printer according to the present embodiment receives print job data from the host device 1 and executes print processing will be described below.

First, when the host device 1 receives a print execution instruction from the user, it converts the application data to be printed into print job data for interpretation by the printer. Then, the host device 1 sends the converted print job data to the interface unit 205 of the printer. The print job data is composed of a character code corresponding to a character desired by the user, a control code for designating character spacing, line spacing, and the like.

Upon receiving the print job data, the printer interface unit 205 outputs the print job data to the print job receiving unit, and the print job receiving unit outputs the print job data to the spool unit 207. The spool unit 207 outputs the print job data sent from the print job receiving unit 206 to the image generating unit 209.

The image generation unit 209 includes a spool unit 20.
Image data is generated by interpreting the print job data sent via 7, and expanded in the image memory. That is, in this embodiment, the character code included in the print job data is converted into a character by referring to the character table, and is expanded in the image memory. The processing will be described in detail later. When the image generation unit 209 expands the image data in the image memory, the print control unit 2
The print request is notified to 10.

The print control unit 210 instructs the print mechanism unit 211 to prepare for printing based on the print request. Print control unit 21
0, upon receiving from the print mechanism unit 211 that the print preparation is completed, reads the image data expanded in the image memory and supplies it to the print mechanism unit 211. The printing mechanism unit 211 executes printing on the print recording medium based on the supplied image data. As a result, the character desired by the user is printed by the printer.

(Flow of Character Conversion Processing) Next, the flow of character conversion processing executed by the image generation unit in this embodiment will be described. In the printer according to the present invention, when converting the Nth character code transmitted from the host device into a predetermined character, the N + 1th character code is considered,
The conversion processing is performed. In the present embodiment, Thai is used as an example of the language that is the target of character conversion.

First, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are views showing an example of the character table used in this embodiment. The image generation unit 209 is configured to be able to refer to these character tables when converting the character code included in the received print job data into a character image. Note that the printer according to the present exemplary embodiment uses “TIS18” as an example of a Thai character table.
(Fig. 3) "," TIS17 (Fig. 4) "," TIS16 "
(Fig. 5) "," TIS13 (Fig. 6) "," TIS11 "
(FIG. 7) ”and“ KU42 (FIG. 8) ”.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the image generation unit 209 according to this embodiment.
The image generation unit 209 is configured to be activated when print job data is received via the spool unit 207.

Basically, when the image generation unit 209 receives from the host device 1 a table code indicating a table to be referred to, it determines the reference table from a plurality of character tables. Further, when the image generation unit 209 receives the character code for each character in order, the image generation unit 209 converts the character code into a character by referring to the determined character table for each character code.

Specifically, first, the image generation unit 209
Determines whether the referenced character table corresponds to any of TIS18, TIS17, and TIS16 based on the received table code (step S10).
1). In the present embodiment, the character conversion processing will be described for the character tables of TIS18, TIS17, and TIS16 among the plurality of character tables related to Thai.

Then, the image generation unit 209 refers to the character table as TIS18, TIS17 and TIS.
If any of 16 is applicable (step S10)
1: YES), for the current code, the next code is "D
It is determined whether or not it is "3" (step S102). In the following, "N-th character code" for "current code"
The "next character code" is referred to as the "next code".

In Thai, the notation of a given character differs depending on the combination of the characters before and after it. In this embodiment, the character code corresponding to the predetermined character is “D
Since it is "3", "D3" is set to the code to be determined as the "N + 1th character code". Therefore, the code can be arbitrarily set according to the target language and the character table to be referred to.

Next, the N + 1th character code is "D3".
If it is (step S102: YES), the image generation unit 209 determines that the Nth character code is “A1, A2.
.. "CE" is determined (step S103), and if the Nth character code corresponds to any of "A1 to CE" (step S103: YE
S), the Nth character code is converted into the corresponding character and stored in the image memory (step S104).

Then, the image generator 209 outputs N + 1
For the second character code “D3”, this is replaced with “ED and D2”. That is, the image generation unit 209 adds the code ED, converts the code ED into the corresponding character and stores it in the image memory (step S105), and converts D2 into the corresponding character and stores it in the image memory. (Step S106). As a result, the character code “D3” becomes the character code “D3”.
The characters corresponding to the character codes “ED” and “D2” are not converted into the characters corresponding to “3”, but are printed.

On the other hand, the image generator 209 determines that the Nth code is "A1, A" in step S103 described above.
2 ... CE ”(step S103:
NO), the Nth code is "E8, E9, EA, E
It is determined whether or not any of "B" is satisfied (step S107).

If the N-th code corresponds to any of "E8, E9, EA, EB" (step S107: YES), the image generation unit 209 next changes the currently referenced character table. , KU42 to the character table (step S108). If the desired character is not defined in the referenced character table, the character table in which the desired character is defined is
This is because it is necessary to change the reference table.

Next, the image generator 209 replaces the Nth code (CHRCD) with a code (CHRCD-2) obtained by subtracting 2 from the Nth code, and replaces this replaced code (CHRCD-2). It is converted into the corresponding character and stored in the image memory (step S109). Since the correspondence between the character code and the character differs depending on the character table, the character table TIS1
The character code in 8, 17, or 16 is KU42
This is because it is necessary to replace with the character code of.

Then, the image generator 209 outputs N + 1
Replace the third code, D3, with CE, code CE
Is converted into the corresponding character and stored in the image memory (step 110). As a result, the character code "D3"
Is not a character corresponding to the character code "D3",
It is converted into a character corresponding to the character code “CE”.

Finally, the image generator 209 returns the reference table from the KU 42 to the original table (step S110), and ends the character conversion process.

[Example of Character Conversion Processing] The above character conversion processing will be described in detail. The received character data is converted as shown in FIG. Here, FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a conversion process.

First, the case 1 of FIG. 10 will be described. According to Case 1, the characters transmitted from the host device 1 are composed of consonants, uppers, and vowels in this order. The reference table is one of TIS 18 to 16, and the codes corresponding to the respective characters are A1 and E in order.
8 and D3.

Since the next code of the character code A1 transmitted first is not "D3" (step S102: NO), the image generation unit 209 exits the conversion process and determines one of the TISs 18-16. The table is referred to and the character corresponding to A1 is directly converted.

Next, the image generation unit 209, for the character codes E8 (current code) and D3 (next code), corresponds to the next code "D3" (step S10).
2: YES, the current code corresponds to "E8" (step S103: NO, step S107: YE).
S), change the table to KU42 (step S10)
8).

Then, the image generating unit 209 replaces the character code E8 with the character code E6 and replaces the character code D3 with the character code CE to perform the conversion process (steps S109 and S110).

Next, case 2 in FIG. 10 will be described. In case 2, the characters transmitted from the host device 1 are composed of consonants and vowels in this order. The reference table is one of TIS 18 to 16, and the codes corresponding to the respective characters are A1 and D3 in order.

The image generator 209 first processes the character code A1 transmitted first. Since the next code corresponds to “D3” (step S102: YES) and the current code corresponds to any of “A1 to CE” (step S103: YE).
S), referring to a predetermined table of any of TIS 18 to 16 above, the character code A1 is directly converted into a character corresponding to the character code (step S104).

Next, for the character code D3, the image generator 209 sets the character code to the codes ED and D.
It is replaced with 2 and converted into a corresponding character (steps S105 and S106).

According to the above, as shown in Case 1 and Case 2, the printer according to the present invention can print Thai in the correct character notation based on the character code transmitted from the host device. You can do it.

(Comparison between the case where character conversion processing is performed and the case where character conversion processing is not performed) Here, the Thai character subjected to the character conversion processing in the image generation unit 209 is compared with the Thai character not subjected to the character conversion processing. . FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of Thai characters that are character-converted and Thai characters that are not character-converted in the present embodiment. In FIG. 11, the character codes of Case 1 and Case 2 described in FIG. 10 are used.

In FIG. 11, "TIS18, TIS1"
7 and TIS16 ”are examples in which the Thai characters are printed in correct notation. In contrast,
The Thai characters for "TIS11, TIS13" are examples in which the Thai characters are printed in incorrect notation.

Specifically, the first character from the left among the Thai characters written under each table name is shown in FIG.
The example of the character conversion process of the case 1 of is shown. Further, the fifth character from the left shows an example of the character conversion process of case 2 in FIG.

That is, the character table "TIS18, T
Regarding the first character from the left in "IS17 and TIS16", the same character as the character after character conversion in case 1 of FIG. 10 is represented. The fifth character from the left is the same as the character after character conversion in case 1 of FIG.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is understood that correct characters can be obtained as shown in FIG. 11 even when the writing system such as Thai is used.

According to the present invention, when converting a character code transmitted from a host device into a predetermined character, character conversion processing is performed based on a combination of the Nth character code and the N + 1th character code. Since it is decided to perform, the character code can be converted into a character according to the correct notation and output.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an outline of a printing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a character table.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image generation unit 209.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of character conversion processing.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for comparing a character when character conversion processing is performed and a character when character conversion processing is not performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Host device 205 ... I / F circuit 206 ... Print job receiving unit 207 ... Spool section 209 ... Image generation unit 210 ... Print control unit 211 ... Printing mechanism section

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A character table that stores a character code and a character in association with each other, and a generating unit that generates a predetermined character based on the input character code and the character table.
A printer having a determination unit that determines whether the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a predetermined combination that is set in advance. When the determination unit determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination,
A printer comprising: a selection unit that selects a character corresponding to a character code different from the N + 1th character code from the character table as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code. 2. The selecting means, when the determining means determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a predetermined combination set in advance. Replacing the N + 1th character code with a plurality of character codes and selecting a plurality of characters corresponding to the replaced plurality of character codes from the character table as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a printer. 3. The selecting means, when the determining means determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination. , A character corresponding to a character code different from the Nth character code is selected from the character table as a character corresponding to the Nth character code, and a character corresponding to a character code different from the N + 1th character code is selected. , Said N + 1
The printer according to claim 1, wherein the character corresponding to the th character code is selected from the character table. 4. A character conversion of a printer, comprising: a character table for storing a character code and a character in association with each other; and a generating step for generating a predetermined character based on the input character code and the character table. A method, wherein the generating step includes a determining step of determining whether or not the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a predetermined combination set in advance, When the determining step determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination, a character different from the N + 1-th character code A selecting step of selecting a character corresponding to the code from the character table as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code; A character conversion method for a printer, comprising: 5. The selecting step, if the determining step determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and the N + 1-th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination. Replacing the N + 1th character code with a plurality of character codes and selecting a plurality of characters corresponding to the replaced plurality of character codes from the character table as a character corresponding to the N + 1th character code. The character conversion method according to claim 4, wherein the character conversion is performed by the printer. 6. The selecting step, if the determining step determines that the combination of the input N-th character code and N + 1-th character code corresponds to a predetermined combination set in advance. , A character corresponding to a character code different from the Nth character code is selected from the character table as a character corresponding to the Nth character code, and a character corresponding to a character code different from the N + 1th character code is selected. , Said N
6. The character corresponding to the + 1st character code is selected from the character table, and the character table is selected.
How to convert characters on the listed printers. 7. The printer or the character conversion method for a printer according to claim 1, wherein the character code is a Thai character code. 8. A printing system comprising: a host device that sends a print request to a printer; and a printer that inputs the print request and executes a printing process, wherein the host device sends a character code to the printer. The printer receives the character code transmitted from the host device, a character table storing the character code and the character in association with each other, and the receiving unit receives the character code. Generating means for generating a predetermined character based on a character code and the character table, wherein the generating means is a combination of the Nth character code and the (N + 1) th character code received by the receiving means. , A judgment means for judging whether or not a predetermined combination is set, and the judgment means for judging whether the N-th character code received by the reception means. When it is determined that the combination of the character code and the N + 1th character code corresponds to a preset predetermined combination, the character corresponding to a character code different from the N + 1th character code is set to the N + 1th character code. A printing system comprising: a selecting unit that selects from the character table as a character corresponding to a code. 9. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the printer character conversion method according to claim 4.