JPH01120343A - Data output apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output a multicolor to one code indication, by providing the data of the number of bits corresponding to the number of colors per output one pixel. CONSTITUTION:When the setting of a color flag 7a is 'red', a character code sent along with a printing command is supplied to a character font memory 6 and, at first, a red pattern is read from the red data 6a in the character font memory 6 to be written on the bit map of a red buffer 7c as OR and, continuously, a black pattern is read from black data 6b to be written on the bit map of the red buffer 7c as OR. When the setting of the color flag 7a is judged to be 'color mixture', in such a case that setting is 'black', same operation is performed in accordance with 'black'. As mentioned above, when a data code to be printed is successively sent along with color indication and developed in an RAM 7 corresponding to one page or one printing output, a paper delivery command is sent from a host computer 2 by a printing start order.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Application in Business A] The present invention is an information output device capable of converting code-input output data into a corresponding image pattern and printing in at least two colors, such as a character The present invention relates to an information output device capable of multicolor output.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, even information output devices capable of multicolor printing, such as printing devices, have only had means for expressing the color of one character using one color.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, in the conventional example described above, even when it is desired to emphasize a specific part of one character, it is only possible to emphasize the entire one character. The drawback was that it was not possible to emphasize that one part.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-mentioned problems, and as a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment according to the present invention is as follows. Equipped with a configuration.

That is, a conversion means for converting the output data inputted by the code into an image pattern for each corresponding color, a pattern storage means for holding the conversion pattern of the conversion means for each output color, and a pattern storage of the conversion pattern from the conversion means. The apparatus includes a specifying means for specifying a memory color position in the means, and an output means for reading and outputting the stored pattern of the pattern storage means for each color.

[Operation] In the above configuration, by providing data of the number of bits corresponding to the number of colors per output pixel, it is possible to output multiple colors for one code specification.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention can be applied to various printing devices capable of multicolor printing, but for the sake of simplicity, a printing device capable of two-color printing of red and black will be described below as an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is the printing apparatus main body of this embodiment, and 2 is an external host computer that supplies print data to this embodiment and controls the printing operation of this embodiment. 3 is ROM
5, which controls the entire printing apparatus main body 1 according to a program shown in a flowchart shown in FIG. 2, which will be described later. 4 is host computer 2
5 is a ROM that stores various parameters used in this embodiment in addition to the program shown in FIG. This is a character font memory in which a dot character font pattern corresponding to an input character code is stored. In this embodiment, the character font memory 6 includes a red data area 6a for generating a dot pattern of a red part that holds a part to be emphasized, such as a radical, of one character, and It consists of a black data area 6b for generating a dot pattern for the other part of the screen, which is the normal black part, and both data areas 6a and 6b are configured to form one character pattern. There is. Note that the dot pattern from this character font memory 6 is binarized; true (usually "1") is assigned to dots that should be printed in the character pattern, and false (usually "0") is assigned to dots that should not be printed. ”) is stored as the value.

7 is a RAM, which is used as a work area when the CPU 3 executes various processes. This R
The AM7 has a color flag area 7a for storing the color currently specified to be printed out, and a color-specific bitmap buffer (black buffer 7b, red buffer 7c) for storing the print pattern data to be printed out. It is configured. Reference numeral 8 denotes a print output unit that permanently and visually displays the print dot patterns stored in the black buffer 7b and red buffer 7C.

The operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when power is supplied to the device of this embodiment, step S1
Initialize the color graph 7a in the RAMT (in this embodiment, the initial setting value of the color graph indicates a mixture).Next, in step S2, the host computer 2
When the data is received, the received data is stored in the reception buffer 4. When the reception is completed, the process proceeds to step S3, where data for one unit code is read out from the reception buffer 4. In the following step S4, it is determined whether the read data is a color designation command, a paper discharge command, or a print command. This is because the code of the first unit of received data is used to send these printing device control commands. If it is determined in step S4 that it is a color designation command, the process proceeds to step S5, where it is determined whether the color designated by the color designation command is black, red, or a mixture. In the case of a red designation command, the color flag 7a is set to "red" in step s6, and the process returns to step S2. If it is determined in step S5 that the command is a mixture designation command, the process advances to step S7, sets the color flag 7a to "mix", and returns to step S2.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5 that the command is a black designation command, the process advances to step S8, sets the color flag 7a to "black", and returns to step S2. In this way, prior to sending print code data, this color specification command is sent when there is a change in color specification. Here, if a color specification command does not come, the output will be in the color according to the previous color specification.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that it is a print command, the process proceeds to step S10, and the setting of the color flag 7a previously set in steps 36 to 8 is "red", "mixed", or Determine whether it is “black”. If the setting of the color flag 7a is "red" in this judgment, the process advances to step Sll, the character code sent with the print command is supplied to the character font memory 6, and the red pattern is first converted to the red data in the character font memory 6. Read from 6a and write on the bitmap of red buffer 7c with logical sum,
Subsequently, in step S12, the black pattern is read from the black data 6b, and the same as in step Stt, the black pattern is read out from the red buffer 7c.
The logical sum is written on the bitmap, and the process returns to step S2.

The setting of the color flag 7a is "mixed" as determined in step S10.
When it is determined that Then, in step S16, the black pattern is read from the black data 6b and written on the bit map of the black buffer 7b using a logical sum.The process returns to step S2.

On the other hand, step SIO determines that the setting of color flag 7a is “
In the case of "black", the process advances to step S20, where the character code sent with the print command is supplied to the character font memory 6, the red pattern is first read from the red data 6a in the character font memory 6, and the bit map of the black buffer 7b is read out. Then, in step S21, the black pattern is read from the black data 6b, and this is written in step S20.
Similarly, by writing the logical sum onto the bit map of the black buffer 7b and returning to step S2 for 0 or more, the print dot pattern to be printed out has been developed in the RAMT. Then, the next time a print command is received, the RAM? It will be written to the next position on the bitmap that was stored earlier.

In this way, the data codes to be printed sequentially are sent together with the color designation, and when they are expanded into the RAMT for one page or one printout, the host computer 2 sends a paper discharge command, which is a command to start printing. It's coming. Then, since it is determined in step S4 that it is a paper ejection command, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S30, and the black buffer 7b in RAMT is
The data in the red buffer 7c is read out and sent to the print output unit 8, and printed out in black.In the subsequent step S31, the data in the red buffer 7c is read out and sent to the print output unit 8, and printed out in red. When all print outputs are completed, all bits in the black buffer 7b and red buffer 7c are cleared in step S32, and the process returns to step S2.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, by providing one pixel of a character font with data of the number of bits corresponding to the number of colors, it is possible to express a large number of characters, and specify the color. Depending on the command specification, characters can be printed in either red or black, or in a mixture of colors.

[Other Embodiments] In the above description, an embodiment of a two-color printing apparatus was given, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and three
Of course, this method can also be applied to cases involving more than just color.

Further, the output device is not limited to a printing device, but may be a display device such as a CRT. Furthermore, as a color designation command, it is also possible to designate color inversion (red data to black buffer, black data to red buffer), in addition to the embodiments.

Furthermore, the character font ROM may not have red and black in separate areas, but may have odd bits mixed together like black data.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, an information output device capable of printing in two or more colors can express one character in multiple colors, and can also be expressed in -colors. Effects can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment. In the figure, 1...Printing device main body, 2...Host computer, 3...CPU 14...Reception buffer, 5...
・ROM, 6... Character font memory, 6a... Red data, 6b... Black data, 7... RAM, 7a...
. . . color flag, 7b . . . black buffer, 7c . . . red buffer, 8 . . . print output section. Figure 1

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Converting the code-input output data into a corresponding image pattern and converting the code-input output data into an image pattern for each corresponding color in an information output device capable of multicolor printing in at least two colors. a conversion means, a pattern storage means for holding a conversion pattern of the conversion means for each output color, a designation means for specifying a storage color position of a conversion pattern from the conversion means in the pattern storage means, and the pattern storage means It is equipped with an output means for reading and outputting the memory pattern for each color, and by having data of the number of bits corresponding to the number of colors per output pixel, it is possible to output multiple colors for one code specification. An information output device characterized by: (2) The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one code input can be output in a mixed color or in a single color by specifying a color.