JP6281400B2 - Printing apparatus and printing method of printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method for a printing apparatus that can prevent the layout of a printing result from being corrupted when print data is supplied to print characters and images using printing apparatuses having different print resolutions.

  When replacing a printer that makes up a POS system, the layout of the receipt issued from the replaced printer is approximated to the layout of the receipt issued from the printer before replacement in consideration of customer convenience. Is required.

  A technique for approximating the layout of the print result before and after the replacement is described in Patent Document 1. In this document, when the print resolution is different between the replaced printer and the pre-replacement printer, the layout of the print result is displayed when character data for printing characters is supplied using the specified device font. Prevents collapse.

  When the printer of the document receives character data, the printer uses a similar device font having a size approximate to the specified size. Then, the number of digits when printing a line of characters using a similar device font is the same as the number of digits when printing a line using a device font of the size specified in the printer before replacement. In this way, the print area width is set. After that, using similar device fonts instead of device fonts of the specified size, the character data is printed with the set print area width. By such a printing process, the line feed position in the character data print result by the printer after replacement is the same as the line feed position in the character data print result by the printer before replacement. Therefore, the layout of the print result is approximated before and after the replacement. The print area width is set smaller than the maximum print area width in the replaced printer.

JP 2012-250507 A

  The print data for printing receipts may include image data for printing images such as company marks and two-dimensional codes in addition to character data for printing characters using device fonts. . Here, when the print data includes character data and image data, the image data is printed when the print area width is set smaller than the maximum print area width in order to maintain the layout of the character print result. Sometimes a part of the image is missing without being printed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to propose a printing apparatus and a printing method for a printing apparatus that can prevent or suppress a part of an image from being lost due to setting of a print area width for printing character data. There is to do.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a printing apparatus that includes a first print head having a first print resolution and a storage unit that stores and holds a first font and is capable of printing a first print area width. Receiving a print data supply for printing a second print area width using a second font by a second print head having a second print resolution different from the first print resolution; and An analysis unit that sequentially analyzes the data portion and determines whether the data portion is character data for printing characters using the second font or image data for printing an image; and the data A character print area width setting unit for setting a character print area width equal to or less than the first print area width when the portion is the character data; and a width equal to or less than the first print area width when the data portion is image data. An image print area width setting unit for setting an image print area width; and, when the data portion is the character data, the character data in the character print area width using the first font instead of the second font And a print control unit that prints the image data with the width of the image print area when the data portion is the image data.

  According to the present invention, the character data included in the print data is printed with the character print area width, and the image data included in the print data is printed with the image print area width set independently of the character print area width. Thereby, it can be avoided that the image print area width for printing the image data is defined by the character print area width set to maintain the layout when the character data is printed. Therefore, when printing the print data including the character data and the image data, it is possible to prevent or suppress a part of the image from being lost due to the setting of the character print area width for printing the character data.

  In the present invention, the character print area width setting unit uses the second font to set the number of digits when printing one line of characters at the first print resolution using the first font. It is desirable to set the character print area width so as to be the same as the number of digits when printing one line of characters at the second print area width at the print resolution. In this way, the line break position in the print result when the character data is printed with the character print area width using the first font instead of the second font is displayed by the second print head with the second print resolution. Can be set to the same position as the line feed position in the print result when character data is printed with the second print area width. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the layout when the character data is printed from being destroyed.

  Here, when the character print area width for printing the character data is set smaller than the first print area width which is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus, the characters are aligned on the left side of the line (left-justified). ) It may appear printed. In order to avoid such a situation, it has a line print buffer for generating line print data for printing one line with the first print area width, and the print control unit sets the character print area width. A buffer partition section for partitioning a buffer section corresponding to the character print area width at a position offset from the head of the line print buffer, and while the data section is determined to be the character data, A character line print data generation unit that sequentially generates the line print data by expanding the character data into the buffer portion using the first font, and the line print data each time the line print data is generated A character printing section that offsets printing of the data portion developed in the buffer portion from the beginning of the print line by printing It is possible.

  In the present invention, the image print area width setting unit sets the first print area width to an image print area width, and the print control unit determines that the data portion is the image data. An image line print data generating unit that develops the image data in the line print buffer and sequentially generates the line print data; and an image print unit that prints the line print data each time the line print data is generated. , Can be provided. In this way, the image data can be printed with the first print area width which is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus. Therefore, part of the image data is not printed, and it is easy to prevent or suppress the image from being cut off.

  In the present invention, it has a page print buffer for generating page print data for performing printing for one page with the first print area width, and the analysis unit determines whether the data portion is the character data, It is determined whether it is image data or a print mode setting command for setting the operation mode to the page print mode, and if the print control unit is the print mode setting command, the print control unit sequentially A page print data generation unit for sequentially generating the page print data by expanding the data portion in the page print buffer when the data portion to be analyzed is the character data or the image data; and the page print A page printing unit that prints the page print data each time data is generated. That is, when the printing apparatus has an operation mode for operating as a page printer, the layout of the print result can be maintained by functioning as a page printer. Therefore, when the data portion of the analyzed print data is a print mode setting command for causing the printing apparatus to operate as a page printer, the character set with the first print area width that is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus Both data and image data are developed in a page print buffer, page print data which is a print image for one page is generated, and this is printed.

  Next, the present invention provides a printing method for a printing apparatus that includes a first print head having a first print resolution and a storage unit that stores and holds a first font, and is capable of printing a first print area width. The second print head having a second print resolution different from the first print resolution receives supply of print data for printing the second print area width using the second font, and sequentially analyzes the data portion of the print data. And determining whether the data portion is character data for printing a character using the second font or image data for printing an image, and the data portion is the character data. Sets a character print area width equal to or less than the first print area width, prints the data portion with the character print area width using the first font instead of the second font, and the data portion When an image data sets an image printing area width of less than said first print region width, and performs printing of the data portion in the image printing area width.

  According to the present invention, the character data included in the print data is printed with the character print area width, and the image data included in the print data is printed with the image print area width set independently of the character print area width. . Thereby, it can be avoided that the image print area width for printing the image data is defined by the character print area width set to maintain the layout when the character data is printed. Therefore, when printing print data including character data and image data, it is possible to prevent or suppress part of the image from being lost when the image data is printed due to the setting of the print area width for printing the character data. it can.

  In the present invention, when the data portion is the character data, the number of digits when printing one line of characters at the first print resolution using the first font is the second font. It is preferable that the character print area width is set to be the same as the number of digits when printing one line of characters in the second print area width at the second print resolution. In this way, the line break position in the print result when the character data is printed with the character print area width using the first font instead of the second font is displayed by the second print head with the second print resolution. The line feed position in the print result when character data is printed with the second print area width using can be set to the same position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the layout when the character data is printed from being destroyed.

  In the present invention, a line print buffer for generating line print data for printing one line with the first print area width is provided, and when the character print area width is set, the head of the line print buffer is set. A buffer portion corresponding to the character print area width is partitioned at a position offset from the data portion, and while the data portion is determined to be the character data, the data portion is converted to the buffer using the first font. The line print data is sequentially generated by expanding the portion, and the line print data is printed each time the line print data is generated, thereby printing the data portion expanded in the buffer portion. It can be offset from the beginning of. In this way, when the character print area width for printing the character data is set smaller than the first print area width which is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus, the characters are printed on the left side of the line. Can be prevented or suppressed.

  In the present invention, when the data portion is the image data, the first print area width is set to the image print area width, and the data portion is determined while the data portion is determined to be the image data. It is desirable that the portion is developed in the line print buffer to sequentially generate the line print data, and the line print data is printed each time the line print data is generated. In this way, the image data can be printed with the first print area width which is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus. Therefore, part of the image data is not printed, and it is easy to prevent or suppress the image from being cut off.

  In the present invention, a page print buffer for generating page print data for printing one page with the first print area width is provided, and when the data portion of the print data is sequentially analyzed, the data It is determined whether the portion is the character data, the image data, or the print mode setting command for setting the operation mode to the page print mode, and the data portion is the print mode setting command. In this case, when the data portion to be sequentially analyzed is the character data or the image data, the data portion is developed in the page print buffer to sequentially generate the page print data, The page print data can be printed each time the page print data is generated. That is, when the printing apparatus has an operation mode for operating as a page printer, the layout of the print result can be maintained by functioning as a page printer. Therefore, when the data portion of the analyzed print data is a print mode setting command for causing the printing apparatus to operate as a page printer, the character set with the first print area width that is the maximum print area width of the printing apparatus Both data and image data are developed in a page print buffer, page print data which is a print image for one page is generated, and this is printed.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a POS system including a printer to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a control system of a printer to which the present invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing of the expansion | deployment operation | movement of the character data to a line print buffer. 3 is a flowchart of a printing process operation of a printer. It is an example of a receipt issued from a printer. It is explanatory drawing of the receipt etc. which are issued from the printer before replacement.

  Embodiments of a printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(POS system)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a POS system equipped with a printer of the present invention. The POS system 1 performs accounting processing at a store. As shown in FIG. 1, the POS system 1 includes a printer 2 (printing device) and a POS terminal device 3 connected to the printer 2 so as to be communicable. The printer 2 is a receipt printer that issues a receipt R.

  The POS terminal device 3 includes a POS application operation unit 5 for performing accounting processing and a printer driver operation unit 6 for driving and controlling the printer 2 in the control unit 4. The POS terminal device 3 performs accounting processing based on information input from the keyboard 7 by the operator, and transmits print data for printing the receipt R to the printer 2.

  When the printer 2 receives the print data, the printer 2 issues a receipt R based on the print data. The print data includes image data for printing an image such as a company mark, and character data for printing characters such as a product name, the quantity purchased, the unit price, and the amount of money. The image is printed.

(printer)
The printer 2 includes a print head 10 (first print head), a transport mechanism 14 that transports a receipt paper 13 fed from the roll paper 12 along a transport path 11 that passes through a printing position P by the print head 10, and a device font. A font storage unit (storage unit) 17 that stores 15 and 16 is provided. When the print data is supplied, the printer 2 transports the receipt paper 13 along the transport path 11 at a constant speed, and performs printing at the print position P. When the printer 2 prints character data, the first device font (first font) 15 or the second device font 16 is used.

  The print resolution (first print resolution) of the print head 10 is 180 dpi (dot per inch). The printing resolution is for forming pixels in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the receipt paper 13. The printable area width (first printable area width) D1 that can be printed by the print head 10 is 512 dots (see FIG. 5). The printable area width D1 is represented by the maximum number of pixels that the print head 10 can form in the width direction. The printable area width D1 is a value that depends on the print resolution of the print head 10 and the size of the print head 10 in the width direction.

  The size of the first device font 15 is 10 dots in the horizontal direction (width direction of the receipt paper 13) and 24 dots in the vertical direction (conveyance direction of the receipt paper 13). The second device font 16 is 12 dots wide and 24 dots long. When characters are printed using the first device font 15, the number of printable digits of characters that can be printed in one line is 51 digits. When characters are printed using the second device font 16, the number of printable digits of characters that can be printed on one line is 42 digits. Here, a value obtained by dividing the printable area width by the horizontal size of the device fonts 15 and 16 is the number of printable digits of the character.

  The printer 2 includes a standard mode and a page print mode as operation modes. In the standard mode, the printer 2 sequentially generates line print data for printing one line from the print data, and prints the line print data every time the line print data is generated. In the page print mode, page print data that is a print image for printing one page is sequentially generated from the print data, and the page print data is printed each time the page print data is generated. The operation mode of the printer 2 is set to the standard mode when the power is turned on.

  Here, the printer 2 of this example is a printer in which a printer 2A (hereinafter referred to as pre-replacement printer 2A) previously connected to the POS terminal device 3 is replaced, as indicated by a dotted line in FIG. The command system for driving and controlling the pre-replacement printer 2A is the same as that of the printer 2, and the pre-replacement printer 2A has the same configuration as the printer 2. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure corresponding between the printer 2 of this example, and the printer 2A before replacement, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  However, the printer 2 of this example is different from the pre-replacement printer 2A in the print resolution and printable area width of the print head 10. The print resolution of the print head 10 (second print head 10) of the pre-replacement printer 2A is 203 dpi, and the printable area width (second printable area) D2 is 576 dots (see FIG. 6A). Therefore, the printer 2 has a lower print resolution and a printable area width D1 than the pre-replacement printer 2A. In addition, the pre-replacement printer 2 </ b> A stores and holds the third device font (second font) 18 in the font storage unit 17. The size of the third device font 18 is 12 dots wide and 24 dots long. Accordingly, the number of printable digits when the pre-replacement printer 2A prints characters using the third device font 18 installed in the printer 2A is 48 digits.

  Further, since the printer 2 in this example replaces the pre-replacement printer 2A, the POS terminal device 3 supplies the printer 2 with print data for driving and controlling the pre-replacement printer 2A and issuing a receipt R. . The character data supplied from the POS terminal 3 to the printer 2 is a 576-dot printable area using the third device font 18 having a size of 12 dots horizontally and 24 dots vertically by the print head 10 having a print resolution of 203 dpi. Characters are printed with a width D2. The image data supplied from the POS terminal device 3 to the printer 2 prints an image of a specified size at a specified position.

  When the printer 2 is supplied in the standard mode and receives print data from the POS terminal device 3, the layout of the receipt R to be issued approximates the layout of the receipt R issued from the printer 2A before replacement. The device font used for printing the character data, the character print area width D3 that is the print area width when printing the character data, and the image print area that is the print area width when printing the image data The width D4 is set (see FIG. 5). Based on these settings, the printer 2 sequentially generates line print data for printing one line, and sequentially prints the generated line print data.

  When the printer 2 is supplied with print data from the POS terminal device 3 while operating in the page print mode, the printer 2 sequentially generates page print data for printing one page based on the print data. Then, the generated page print data is sequentially printed.

(Printer control system)
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the control system of the printer 2. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the character data expansion operation to the line print buffer. As shown in FIG. 2, the control system of the printer 2 is mainly configured by a printer control unit 21 including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. A communication unit 23 is connected to the input side of the printer control unit 21 via a reception buffer 22. On the output side of the printer control unit 21, a print head 10 and a transport motor 24 that is a drive source of the transport mechanism 14 are connected. The printer control unit 21 is connected to a font storage unit 17 that stores and holds the first device font 15 and the second device font 16.

  The communication unit 23 enables communication between the printer 2 and the POS terminal device 3. The reception buffer 22 is a data storage memory. The print data supplied from the POS terminal device 3 is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 22 via the communication unit 23.

  The printer control unit 21 includes an analysis unit 25, a character print region width setting unit 26, an image print region width setting unit 27, and a print control unit 28.

  The analysis unit 25 analyzes the print data stored in the reception buffer 22. That is, the analysis unit 25 sequentially analyzes the data portion of the print data, and determines whether the data portion is character data that prints characters using a device font or image data that prints an image. Is a standard mode setting command for setting the mode to the standard mode, a page printing mode setting command for setting the operation mode to the page printing mode, or other commands.

  The character print region width setting unit 26 sets a device font used for printing character data when the data portion of the print data analyzed by the analysis unit 25 is character data. The character print area width setting unit 26 sets a character print area width D3, which is a print area width for printing character data, in correspondence with the set device font.

  In the device font setting, the character print area width setting unit 26 sets a device font in which the number of printable digits of characters that can be printed in one line is equal to or greater than the number of digits when character data is printed by the pre-replacement printer 2A. . More specifically, character data is printed with a printable area width D2 of 576 dots using a device font having 12 dots wide and 24 dots long when character data is printed by the printer 2. The device font is set so that the number of printable digits (48 digits) of the characters that can be printed in one line at a time is equal to or greater.

  In this example, the number of printable digits when the printer 2 prints character data using the second device font 16 having horizontal 12 dots and vertical 24 dots is 42 digits. On the other hand, the number of printable digits when the printer 2 prints character data using the first device font 15 having a size of horizontal 10 dots and vertical 24 dots is 51 digits. Therefore, the character print area width setting unit 26 sets the first device font 15 having a size of 10 dots wide and 24 dots long as a device font used for printing.

  In the setting of the character print area width D3, the character print area width setting unit 26 determines that the number of printable digits when using the first device font 15 set to be used for printing is the third number in the pre-replacement printer 2A. The character print area width D3 is set to be the same as the number of printable digits (48 digits) of a character when the character is printed using the device font 18. In other words, the character print area width setting unit 26 sets the print area width when printing 48 digits using a device font of 10 dots wide and 24 dots long as the character print area width D3. Therefore, in this example, the character print area width D3 is set to 480 dots.

  When the data portion analyzed by the analysis unit 25 is image data, the image print region width setting unit 27 sets an image print region width D4 that is a print region width when printing the image data. In this example, the printable area width D1 is set to the image print area width D4. Accordingly, the image print area width D4 is set to 512 dots. The image print area width setting unit 27 acquires attribute information of image data. The attribute information includes a designated size that represents the data amount of the image data and position designation information that designates the position of the image. The position designation information is for performing relative position designation in the width direction, such as left alignment, center alignment, and right alignment.

  Next, the printing control unit 28 includes a character printing control unit 30 that controls printing of characters in the standard mode, an image printing control unit 31 that controls printing of images in the standard mode, and a page printing control unit 32 that controls printing in the page printing mode. A line print buffer 33 and a page print buffer 34.

  The line print buffer 33 is a data development memory for generating line print data for printing one line with the printable area width D1. In the line print buffer 33, the size in the width direction corresponding to the width direction of the receipt paper 13 is 512 dots, and this value corresponds to the printable area width D1 (see FIG. 3). The page print buffer 34 is a data expansion memory for generating page print data for printing one page. Also in the page print buffer 34, the size in the width direction corresponding to the width direction of the receipt paper 13 is 512 dots, and this value corresponds to the printable area width D1.

  The character print control unit 30 includes a buffer partition unit 35, a character line print data generation unit 36, and a character print unit 37.

  When the character print region width D3 is set by the character print region width setting unit 26, the buffer partition unit 35 sets the character print region width D3 at a position offset from the head of the line print buffer 33 as shown in FIG. A corresponding buffer portion 33a is defined. The offset amount O is ½ of the difference between the printable area width D1 and the character print area width D3. By setting the offset amount O to such a value, the buffer portion 33 a is partitioned into the central portion of the line print buffer 33. The offset amount O in this example is calculated by (512 dots−480 dots) / 2, and the value is 16 dots. As a result, the line print buffer 33 includes the 16-dot offset buffer portion 33b from the top, the 480-dot buffer portion 33a continuous behind the offset buffer portion 33b, and the row print buffer 33 from the back of the buffer portion 33a. It is partitioned into a 16-dot second buffer portion 33c that reaches the end. The offset amount O may be an arbitrary value, and the offset amount O may be adjustable by a command.

  While the data portion of the print data sequentially analyzed is determined to be character data by the analysis unit 25, the character line print data generation unit 36 converts the data portion (character data) to 10 dots wide by 24 dots high. The first device font 15 having the dot size is expanded in the buffer portion 33a, and line print data is sequentially generated. The character data is expanded only in the buffer portion 33a, and the character data is not expanded in the offset buffer portion 33b and the second buffer portion 33c.

  Each time the line print data is generated, the character printing unit 37 prints the line print data. Here, when the line print data is printed, the printed characters are offset to the left by an amount corresponding to the offset amount O from the top of the print line. Therefore, for example, when line print data in which character data is expanded is printed in all the buffer portions 33a of the line print buffer 33, the printed character string is positioned at the center of the print line.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image print control unit 31 includes an image line print data generation unit 38 and an image print unit 39. The image line print data generation unit 38 develops the image data in the line print buffer 33 while the data portion of the print data sequentially analyzed is determined to be image data by the analysis unit 25, and the line print data Are generated sequentially. In this example, since the image print area width D4 is set to 512 dots of the printable area width D1 by the image print area width setting unit 27, the image print control unit 31 expands the data portion to the entire line print buffer 33. To do. Each time the line print data is generated, the image printing unit 39 prints the line print data.

  Here, the image line print data generation unit 38 develops the image data in the line print buffer 33 based on the attribute information (specified size and position specification information) acquired by the image print region width setting unit 27. More specifically, the image line print data generation unit 38 monitors the capacity of the data portion (image data) of the print data developed in the line print buffer 33, and executes the image data until the capacity reaches a specified size. The data is expanded in the print buffer 33, and line print data is generated sequentially. Further, the image line print data generation unit 38 expands the data portion (image data) of the print data in the line print buffer 33 so that an image is formed at the position specified by the position specification information.

  The page print control unit 32 includes a page print data generation unit 40 and a page print unit 41. When the analyzed data portion is a print mode setting command, the page print data generation unit 40 converts the data portion into the page print buffer when the sequentially analyzed data portion is character data or image data. The page print data is sequentially generated. That is, if the data portion of the print data is character data, the page print control unit 32 prints the data portion as set in the print data without changing the designated font size or the like. The buffer 34 is expanded. Further, when the data portion of the print data is image data, the page print control unit 32 develops the data portion in the page print buffer 34 based on the designated size and position designation information. As a result, page print data to be a print image for one page is generated in the page print buffer 34.

  The page printing unit 41 prints the page print data every time the page print data is generated. As a result, a print result having the same layout as when the print data is printed by the pre-replacement printer 2A is obtained. If the print data includes character data or image data to be printed that exceeds the printable area width D1, the data portion exceeding the printable area width D1 is not expanded in the page print buffer 34. Does not print.

  Here, when the data portion of the print data analyzed by the analysis unit 25 is a command, the printer control unit 21 performs a processing operation corresponding to the command. For example, when the data part is a standard mode setting command, the operation mode of the printer 2 is set to the standard mode. If the data portion is a page print mode setting command, the operation mode of the printer 2 is set to the page print mode.

(Printing operation)
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the print processing operation of the printer 2. The print processing operation of the printer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the printer 2 is activated in the standard mode. The printer 2 is supplied with print data for issuing a receipt R from the POS terminal device 3. At the time when the print data is supplied, the image print area width D4 and the character print area width D3 are in an undetermined state.

  In this example, it is assumed that the print data includes image data and character data in this order. The image data is for forming an image having a width W of 500 dots and a height of 96 dots. The designated size is a data capacity corresponding to the size of the image. Position designation information for arranging images is centered. Character data is for printing characters with a printable area width D2 of 576 dots using the first device font 15 having a size of 12 dots horizontally and 24 dots vertically by the print head 10 having a print resolution of 203 dpi. It is.

  When the print data is supplied to the printer 2, the analysis unit 25 sequentially analyzes the data portion of the print data and determines whether the data is character data (step ST1). If the data portion is not character data (step ST1: No), the analysis unit 25 determines whether the data portion is a command (step ST2). In this example, the data portion is not a command but image data (step ST2: Yes). Therefore, the image print area width setting unit 27 acquires the designated size and position designation information of the image data (step ST3). Further, since the image print area width D4 is not set, the image print area width setting unit 27 sets the image print area width D4 to 512 dots of the printable area width D1 (steps ST4 and ST5). Then, the image line print data generation unit 38 expands the data portion in the line print buffer 33 so that the image to be printed is center aligned (step ST6).

  After that, while it is determined that the data portion is image data, that is, until the capacity of the data portion of the print data expanded in the row print buffer 33 reaches the specified size, the image row print data generation unit 38 The portion is developed in the line print buffer 33, and line print data is sequentially generated (steps ST1 to ST6). In this example, for example, line print data for four lines is sequentially generated. Each time line print data for one line is generated, the image printing unit 39 prints the line print data. The image print area width setting unit 27 does not change the setting of the image print area width D4 while it is determined that the data portion is image data (steps ST4 and ST6).

  The image G printed by the image printing unit 39 is shown at the upper end portion of the receipt R in FIG. That is, the image G is printed with a horizontal width W of 500 dots in the center of the image printing area width D4 of 512 dots. The image print area width D4 is the same as the printable area width D1.

  Next, in step ST1, when the analysis unit 25 determines that the data portion of the print data is character data (step ST1: Yes), the character print region width setting unit 26 selects a device font used for printing the character data. The first device font 15 having a size of horizontal 10 dots and vertical 24 dots is set instead of the device font having the size specified by the print data. In addition, since the character print area width D3 is not set, the character print area width setting unit 26 sets the character print area width D3 to 480 dots (steps ST7 and ST8).

  When the character print area width D3 is set, the character print control unit 30 partitions the buffer portion 33a at a position offset by the offset amount O from the head of the line print buffer 33, and the data portion is stored in the partitioned buffer portion 33a. Is expanded (step ST9). Then, while it is determined that the data portion is character data, the data portion is expanded in the buffer portion 33a (steps ST1, ST7 to ST9). In parallel with this, each time the line print data for one line is generated, the character printing unit 37 prints the line print data. The character print area width setting unit 26 does not change the setting of the character print area width D3 while it is determined that the data portion is character data (steps ST7 and ST9).

  The characters printed by the character printing unit 37 are those shown in the lower part of the receipt R in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, characters are printed in a character print area width D3 of 480 dots out of a printable area width D1 of 512 dots. The character is printed at the center of the printable area width D1 of 512 dots.

  In step ST2, when the analysis unit 25 determines that the data portion of the print data is a page print mode setting command, as shown in FIG. 4, the page print data generation unit 40 performs data sequentially analyzed thereafter. When the portion is character data or image data, the data portion is developed in the page print buffer 34 to sequentially generate page print data. In this case, the printable area width is set to 512 dots of the printable area width D1 of the page print buffer 34 (step ST10). When the page print data is generated, the page printing unit 41 sequentially prints the page print data.

  In step ST2, if the analysis unit 25 determines that the data portion of the print data is a standard print mode setting command, the printer control unit 21 determines that this operation mode is set when the operation mode is set to the page print mode. Switch to standard mode. Then, the printer control unit 21 sets the image print area width D4 and the character print area width D3 in an unconfirmed state (steps ST11 and ST12).

  In step ST2, if the analysis unit 25 determines that the data portion of the print data is another command, the printer control unit 21 performs a processing operation corresponding to the command (step ST13).

  Here, FIG. 6A shows the result of the receipt R ′ when the print data is printed by the pre-replacement printer 2A. The receipt R issued by the pre-replacement printer 2A has a printable area width D2 of 576 dots. The image G having a horizontal width W of 500 dots is printed at the center of the printable area width D2. The character data is printed using a third device font 18 having horizontal 12 dots and vertical 24 dots, and the number of printable digits in one line is 48 digits. The characters are printed in the range of 576 dots that is the printable area width D2.

  As can be seen by comparing the receipt R shown in FIG. 5 and the receipt R ′ shown in FIG. 6A, the layout of the receipt R issued by the printer 2 of this example is the same as the receipt R ′ issued by the pre-replacement printer 2A. The layout is the same as the print result layout. That is, the entire image G is printed with the center aligned. The characters are printed with 48 digits. Further, the character is not left-justified and is located at the center of the printable area width D1.

  Note that when the print data is printed by the printer 2 of this example, the second device font 16 having the size (12 dots wide, 24 dots high) specified in the print data is used, and the printable area width D1 is 512. A receipt R ″ issued when a dot is set as the character print region width D3 is as shown in FIG. In this case, the entire image G is printed with the center aligned. However, the characters are printed with 42 digits. Accordingly, the line feed position is shifted, and the layout is significantly different when compared with the receipt R ′ shown in FIG.

  In addition, when printing data is printed by the printer 2 of the present example, the first 10 dots wide and 24 dots vertical instead of the device font of the size (12 dots wide and 24 dots vertical) specified in the print data. Issued when the character print area width D3 is set to 480 dots using the device font 15 and the value of the image print area width D4 is set to 480 dots which is the same as the value of the character print area width D3. The receipt R ″ ″ is as shown in FIG. In this case, the characters have the same layout when compared with the receipt R ′ in FIG. 6A, but the image G does not enter the image print area width D4, and a part of the image G is displayed. Cuts without printing.

(Function and effect)
According to this example, the character data included in the print data is printed with the character print region width D3, and the image data included in the print data is with the image print region width D4 set independently of the character print region width D3. Printed. Thereby, it can be avoided that the image print area width D4 for printing the image data is defined by the character print area width D3 set to maintain the layout when the character data is printed. Accordingly, when printing the print data including the character data and the image data, a part of the image G is lost due to the setting of the character print area width D3 for printing the character data as shown in FIG. 6C. This can be prevented or suppressed.

  In the printing of character data, the character printing area width D3 is adjusted by using the first device font 15 having a size of 10 dots horizontally and 24 dots vertically instead of the device font having the size specified by the print data. The number of printable digits in one line is the same before and after replacing the printer 2. Also, when printing character data, the characters are offset from the beginning of the print line. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the layout when the character data is printed from being destroyed.

  Furthermore, in the printing of image data, the image print area width D4 is set as the printable area width D1 of the printer 2. Therefore, when image data is printed, it can be suppressed that a part of the image is missing without being printed.

(Other embodiments)
Note that the image print control unit 31 may include an image data processing unit that processes image data so as to enlarge or reduce the print image. For example, when the horizontal width of the image G printed by the image data is larger than the image print area width D4, the image data processing unit prints the image data so that the entire image G is printed with the image print area width D4 or less. Can be reduced.

  In the above example, the image print area width setting unit 27 sets the printable area width D1 to the image print area width D4, but sets the image print area width D4 to a value smaller than the printable area width D1. You can also In this case, the buffer portion having the set image print area width D4 may be partitioned in the line print buffer 33, and the data portion (image data) may be developed in this buffer portion.

  Further, the print head 10 may be a line-type inkjet head.

  In the above example, the printer is replaced with a printer having a print head having a lower print resolution. However, a printer having a print head having a lower print resolution is replaced with a printer having a print head having a higher print resolution. Even in this case, the present invention can be applied.

1. POS system 2. Printer (printing device) 2A ... Pre-replacement printer 3. POS terminal device 4. Control unit 5. Application operation unit 6. Printer driver operation unit 7 .. Keyboard 10... Print head 11.. Transport path 12. Roll paper 13. Receipt paper 14. Transport mechanism 15. First device font (first font) 16 .. Second device font, 17 .. Font storage unit (storage unit), 18 .. Third device font (second font), 21 .. Printer control unit, 22 .. Reception buffer, 23 .. Communication .., 24..Conveyance motor, 25..Analysis unit, 26..Character print area width setting unit, 27..Image print area width setting unit, 28..Print control unit, 30..Character print control unit, 31.・Image print control unit, 32 .. page print control unit, 33 .. line print buffer, 33 a .. buffer portion, 33 b .. offset buffer portion, 33 c .. second buffer portion, 34 .. page print buffer, 35 .. Buffer partition section 36.. Character line print data generation section 37 37 Character print section 38 38 Image line print data generation section 39 Image print section 40 Page print data generation section 41 ..Page printing section, D1 ..Printable area width of printer (first printable area width), D2 ..Printable area width of printer before replacement (second printable area width), D3 ..Character printing area Width, D4 ·· Image print area width, G ·· Image, O ·· Offset amount, P ·· Print head printing position, R · R '· R''·R''' ·· Receipt, W ··· Next to image

Claims (5)

A printing apparatus capable of printing in the first area width,
  A printing section for printing at a first resolution;
  A storage unit for storing the first font;
  A control unit for controlling the printing unit based on the received print data,
  The controller is
  When the print data instructs to print at a second resolution higher than the first resolution using a second font in a second area width larger than the first area width;
  Analyzing whether the print data includes image data or character data,
  When the image data is included in the print data, the image data is printed in an image area width equal to or less than the first area width,
  When the print data includes the character data, the character data is printed using the first font instead of the second font in a character region width equal to or less than the image region width.
  A printing apparatus characterized by that. The control unit is configured to print the character data at the first resolution using the first font, and the number of characters for one line when the character data is printed at the second resolution. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the character area width is set so that the number of characters for one line when printing character data is the same. The controller is
  When the print data includes the character data,
  The character data is expanded up to a position corresponding to the character area width with reference to a position offset from the head of the print buffer, and is expanded in the print buffer every time one line of the character data is expanded in the print buffer. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printed character data is printed using the first font. The controller is
  Setting the image area width to the first area width;
  When the image data is included in the print data,
  The image data is expanded to a position corresponding to the image area width with reference to the position offset from the head of the print buffer, and each time the image data for one line is expanded in the print buffer, the print buffer The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the developed image data is printed. A printing method of a printing apparatus comprising a printing unit that prints at a first resolution and a storage unit that stores a first font, and capable of printing in a first area width,
  When the received print data instructs to print at a second resolution higher than the first resolution using a second font in a second area width larger than the first area width,
  Analyzing whether the print data includes image data or character data,
  When the image data is included in the print data, the image data is printed in an image area width equal to or less than the first area width,
  When the print data includes the character data, the character data is printed using the first font instead of the second font in a character region width equal to or less than the image region width.
  A printing method characterized by the above.

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