JPH01122264A - Image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output an image without adding hardware in the side of a device which is connected to an image output device, by obtaining an interface having the same information storing form as an existing information storage device. CONSTITUTION:The instruction of a print instruction from an information storing control device writes encoded picture information through an information storing control device interface 1 to a picture information file 2. After the picture information of one printing unit are written, the information storing control device sets a flag, which shows a print attribute and writing completion, to a print attribute information file 3. A control part 5 checks the writing completing flag of the print attribute information file 3 at constant time intervals, and when the writing is completed, the picture information are transferred from the picture information file 3 to a decoding part 6 and further, transferred to a printer part 7 for printing. At the time of completing print, the control part 5 sets a flag, which shows the completion of printing to an operating condition file 4.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Application The present invention relates to an image output device 6. Prior Art Conventionally, this type of image output device has had a dedicated interface to increase the transfer speed of image information. .

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when connecting the above-mentioned conventional image output device and an information storage control device (for example, a personal computer), the information storage control device has a dedicated device for interfacing with the image output device. The drawback was that both new hardware and control software were required.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks inherent in the conventional technology, and therefore, an object of the present invention is to output an image without adding any hardware to the device connected to the image output device. The object of the present invention is to provide a new image output device that can output images.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, an image output device according to the present invention is an information storage control device (for example, a personal computer).
A file in the same information storage format as the information storage device (for example, a disk) of an existing peripheral device that the computer has, a printer section, and a decoding section.

and a control section.

Embodiment Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention includes an image information file 2, a print attribute information file 3, an operation state file 4, a control section 5, a decoding section 6, and a printer section 7.
Each of these elements 2 to 7 is configured in the same information storage format as an information storage device such as a disk, which is an existing peripheral device possessed by an information storage control device such as a personal computer. has been done.

A print instruction from an information storage control device (not shown) writes encoded image information into an image information file 2 via an information storage control device interface 1. After writing image information for one print unit (for example, one page),
The information storage control device sets a flag indicating the print attribute and writing completion in the print attribute information file 3.

The control unit 5 checks the writing completion flag of the print attribute information file 3 at regular time intervals, and if writing is completed, transfers the image information from the image information file 3 to the decoding unit 6 and further to the printer unit 7. to print. The control unit 5 sets a flag indicating print completion in the operation state file 4 when printing is completed.

An information storage control device (not shown) reads the operating status file 4 at regular time intervals, and when printing is completed, processes the next printing unit.

As described above, according to the present invention, the hardware of the device connected to the image output device of the present invention can be improved by having an interface having the same information storage format as an existing information storage device. It is possible to obtain the effect that image output can be performed without any addition.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image output device according to the present invention. 109. Information storage control device interface, 2゜10 information files, 301. Print attribute information file, 4
00. Operating status file, 59. .

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) a file section that is connected to an information storage control device and stores encoded image information according to instructions from the information storage control device; and a decoding section that decodes the encoded image information; An image output device characterized by having a printer section that can print image information pixel by pixel, and a control section that controls the entire device. (2) A file that stores information indicating the operating status of the printer section and the decoding section, a file that stores print attribute information such as the encoding method from the information storage control device, and a file that stores image information. The image output device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the image output device has an information storage format that can be controlled by the information storage control device.