JPH01141763A - Printing controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the deterioration of printing efficiency during the printing operation, by providing at least two groups of page-buffers so that when an abnormal state is found during printing, a group of page buffers for use in normal time is switched to another group of page-buffers for use in abnormal time. CONSTITUTION:Every predetermined amount of data is stored from a host unit to a buffer memory 5, analyzed in a page-buffer unit 6 and stored as a code data per unit of one page which is in turn converted into a dot data in a font memory unit 7. The page-buffer unit 6 is comprised of a page-buffer group 11 for use in normal time and a page-buffer group 12 for use in abnormal time. Therefore, in response to an error information such as a jamming, etc., receiving from a printing unit, the page-buffer group 11 for normal time use is switched by a selector 13 to the page-buffer group 12 for abnormal time use. Accordingly, even in the case where a printing-unable condition occurs, the data can be read out from the page-buffer group 12 without charging any burden to the host unit, whereby an efficient printing can be realized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a print control device, and for example, to a print control device that controls printing by switching between a plurality of page data.

[Prior Art] In conventional printing apparatuses, for example, in order to perform printing operations efficiently, page data received from a host computer is stored in a plurality of page buffers for each page.
Printing is performed by performing controls such as switching these page buffers. For example, if a problem such as a jam occurs in the printing section, the necessary page data must be re-entered from the host computer by accessing it again, or the specified page buffer related to the problem such as the jam must be re-entered on the host computer side. By accessing the system, troubles such as gyms can be recovered.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, when the host computer re-receives the page data due to the above-mentioned trouble, not only does it place a burden on the host computer, but it also takes time to re-receive the data. There were too many problems and points.

Furthermore, if a buffer is provided for recovering page data due to trouble, there is a drawback that new page data cannot be received from the host computer during recovery, which reduces printing efficiency.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the purpose, a print control device according to the present invention is a print control device that controls printing using at least two types of page buffer groups. There it is,
storage means for storing the same data in predetermined page buffers of each of the two types of page buffer groups; a determination means for determining whether printing is normal or abnormal; and when the determination is normal, one of the page buffers; a first selection means for selecting a predetermined page buffer from a group of page buffers; a second selection means for selecting a desired page buffer from the other page buffer group when the determination is abnormal; The present invention is characterized by comprising a reading means for reading data from the page buffer selected by the selecting means or the second selecting means.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, by providing at least two types of page buffer groups, even if an abnormality occurs during printing,
Desired data can be read out favorably by switching from the page buffer group used in normal times to the page buffer group used in abnormal times.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to this embodiment.

In the figure, 1 is a CPU that controls the entire printing apparatus. 2 is a ROM that stores a control program, an error processing program, a program for executing the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later, and the like. A RAM 3 functions as a working area when executing various programs stored in the ROM 3 and as a temporary save area for various data during error processing.

4 is an interface unit for inputting and outputting various data from an external device such as a host computer (not shown);
Reference numeral 5 denotes a buffer memory that stores a predetermined amount of data from an external device such as a host computer (not shown). Reference numeral 6 denotes a page buffer section that analyzes data stored in the buffer memory 5 using a known method and stores code data on a page-by-page basis. This will be discussed later.

Further, 7 is a font memory section that converts the code data output from the page buffer section 6 into dot data, and 8 is a bit map memory section that develops the dot data converted by the font memory section 7 in units of pages. Reference numeral 9 denotes a parallel/serial converter (hereinafter referred to as P/S converter) which reads parallel dot data from the bitmap memory unit 8 and converts it into serial data while synchronizing with the printing unit 10 described later. , 10 is a printing section which inputs serial dot data from the P/S conversion section and prints it on recording paper.

The printing apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above is characterized in that it quickly performs recovery processing especially when a trouble such as a jam occurs.Next, this recovery processing will be explained.

Figure 2 shows the page buffer unit 6 that performs the above recovery process.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the detailed configuration of FIG.

Further, FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a more detailed configuration of the page buffer unit 6 shown in FIG. 2.

In this embodiment, in particular, two types of page buffer groups are provided in the page buffer unit 6, one of which is used during normal operation, and the other is used when an abnormality occurs. According to Figure 2,
11 is a page buffer group used in normal times, and 12 is a page buffer group used in abnormal times. 13 is printing section 1
This is a selector that switches from the page buffer group 11 for normal times to the page buffer group 12 for abnormal times based on error information such as a jam received from 0.

Next, a data input/output method and its configuration in the page buffer groups 11 and 12 will be explained in detail.

According to FIG. 3, 100.101 is page buffer group 1
1 has a page buffer in page units, 200 to 20
Reference numeral 5 denotes a page buffer included in the page buffer group 12 in units of pages.

301 to 304 are switches for switching to a predetermined page buffer in the page buffer group 11 or 12. The switch 301 alternately switches the input light for data to the buffer memory 5 (page buffers 100 and 101), and the switch 303 alternately switches the input light for data to the buffer memory 5 (page buffers 200 to 205). Note that the code data output from the buffer memory 5 is stored almost simultaneously in predetermined page buffers of each of the page buffer groups 11 and 12.

If the printing condition is normal, the selector 13 selects the page buffer group 11, reads code data from a predetermined page buffer selected by the switch 302, and outputs it to the font memory 7. If there is an abnormality, the page buffer group 12 is selected, code data is read from a predetermined page buffer selected by the switch 304, and is output to the font memory 7.

In addition, it is preferable that the number of page buffers used in the case of an abnormality is increased by a predetermined number in the page buffer group, and in this embodiment, if there is room in the page buffer section 6, the number of page buffers can be further increased. Further, it may be set to a smaller value if necessary.

Now, a method of inputting and outputting code data in the page buffer unit 6 when it is normal or when an abnormality occurs will be explained. Incidentally, in this embodiment, abnormality due to a jam is considered to be a cause of inability to print, but the present invention is not limited to this.

First, the print control operation by the CPU 1 of this embodiment will be explained in the fifth section.
This will be explained using the flowchart shown in the figure.

If an abnormality occurs during normal printing, it is determined whether printing is impossible (step S1). If the problem does not affect printing, normal error handling is performed. If it is determined that printing is impossible due to an abnormality such as a jam, the selector 13 switches the input light of the code data to the switch 304 side of the page buffer group 11 (step S2).

If the abnormality is a jam, the recording paper is reset using an external force to make it ready for printing.

If there is an abnormality in the printing device, the CPU 1 side senses whether or not printing is possible until the printing section 10 becomes ready for printing (step S3).

In this way, the start of recovery printing is instructed (step S4). This instruction starts recovery print processing by hardware.

Next, recovery printing processing by hardware will be described below, including an explanation of the operation of the page buffer section 6 during normal operation.

For example, when the printing apparatus of this embodiment performs printing processing for one page of nine pages, the page buffer unit 6 described below
Code data is input and output within.

The method of inputting code data in page units of the page buffer groups 11 and 12 and the correspondence relationship between the pages of each page buffer group are as shown in Table 1 below.

Below, the code data for each page is entered as shown in Margin Table 1 and above.
The switch 301 is alternately switched with the page buffer 101 as the starting position, and the switch 303 is switched from the page buffer 205 to the page buffer 200 as the starting position, and then returns to the page buffer 205 and performs the same switching. Switching of the switches 301 and 303 by input operates in the same manner regardless of the number of pages, and also operates in the same manner even when the number of buffers differs.

Furthermore, when the printing operation is normal, the switch operations in the page buffer group 11 are such that when the switch 301 is switched to the page buffer 100, the switch 302 is switched to the page buffer 101. In this way, data is input and output to and from the page buffer group 11.

Now, when the start of recovery printing is instructed in step S4 of the flowchart of FIG. 5 above, the selector 13
Code data is output from the switched switch 304 side, that is, from the page buffer group 12. In this case, when an error occurs due to a jam, the buffer memory 5
The output of code data from then to the page buffer section 6 is interrupted.

Note that if data is being output to a page buffer when it is determined that printing is impossible, data output continues until all code data is output to that page buffer.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the jam recovery-printing process, and when an abnormality due to a jam occurs, the code data and date data are input in the page buffer unit 6 in the middle of the first to sixth pages. Until now, code data has been output to each page buffer.

In the page buffer group 11, code data from 5 to 10 has already been stored in the page buffer 101, and the 5 to 5 code data in the page buffer 101 selected by the switch 302 is
The code data of the page is accessed from the font memory 7 via the selector 13. At this point switch 3
01 selects the page buffer 100 and stores the code data of the sixth page.

On the other hand, in the page buffer group 12, when a jam occurs in the printing unit lo, code data must be re-outputted from a predetermined page buffer. Therefore, in this embodiment, the page buffer is moved down by five pages uniformly, that is, the page buffer is moved down five pages including the page buffer that stores the code data of the page that is currently being printed. Further, in the present invention, the number of pages to be reprinted is reduced to 5 pages including the page in the middle of printing, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of pages to be reprinted can be set as necessary.

In this embodiment, if the number of printed pages is less than five pages, or if printing has not progressed to five pages yet, the switch 304 returns all pages to the page buffer 205.

When it is determined that printing is not possible, the page buffer group 12 transfers the code data of the sixth page to the page buffer 200.
Since it is being stored in the page buffer 200, the switch 303 is
is selected. Therefore, since the first page is the first page when reprinting is started from the printing unit 10, the switch 304 selects the page buffer 205, and the selector 1
Since the selection No. 3 has already become the page buffer group 12, reprinting is started from the first page stored in the page buffer 205. Subsequently, switch 304 causes page buffers 204, 203 . . . . The output light of the code data is switched in the order of 200, and in conjunction with this, the code data is output to the font memory 7 and printing is performed. In this way, 5 pages (pages 1 to 5)
, and prints up to the 6th page where code data was already being input when it was determined that printing was impossible due to a jam.

Also, in the switch 301 and the switch 303 for storing code data in the page buffer, the switch 303
selects the page buffer 200 and finishes storing the code data of the 6th page, switches the switch 301 to the page buffer 101 and stores the code data of the 7th page, then switches to the page buffer 100 and stores the code data of the 8th page. The second code data is stored. Next, the switch 304 is the last of the recovery printing.
In order to print the page, a switch is made to the page buffer 200. In this way, the first page of reprinting ~
When the printing of the Sth page and the 6th page in which the code data was being stored is completed, the end of the cover printing is detected (step S5), and the selector 13 is switched to the page data group 11, that is, the switch 302 side ( In step S6), the switch 302 is switched to the page buffer 101 in which the code data of the seventh page is stored, and printing of the seventh page is started.

Furthermore, when printing of the seventh page is started, input of code data is also started in the page buffer group 12, and the switch 303 is switched to the page buffer 205 to store the code data of the seventh page. Further, the switch 303 is switched to the page buffer 204, and the code data of the 8th page is stored.

In this way, the interlocking operation of the switches 301 and 303 to store code data is interrupted up to a page two pages ahead of the page buffer into which code data is being input when a jam occurs.

Then, from the processing after the input/output of the code data of the ninth page, the normal printing operation in which the switches 301 and 303 are interlocked is performed again.

In addition, if the number of pages to be printed exceeds 9 and the jam described above occurs when printing the 5th page, after recovery, printing will continue based on the printing operation as shown in Table 1 again. Ru.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by providing at least two types of page buffer groups, one of the page buffer groups is used for recovery printing in the event of an abnormality such as a jam, so that the page buffer group can be used for recovery printing in the event of an abnormality such as a jam. , the next code data can be stored in the other page buffer group.

Therefore, the efficiency of the entire printing process can be improved.

Now, the present invention can obtain the same functions and effects as the present embodiment by other embodiments described below.

That is, switches 301 to 304 and selector 1 in FIG.
3. Control of each of the page buffer groups 11 and 12 can be performed easily by a microprocessor; in addition, the hardware-based page buffer section of this embodiment can reduce the burden on the host computer. If we focus only on mitigation, software can also be used to achieve almost the same effect and achieve efficient printing by the printing device.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, even if a printing failure occurs due to trouble during printing, data can be read from the abnormal page buffer group without placing a burden on the host computer. Efficient printing can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the printing device of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the detailed configuration of the page buffer section 6 of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a page buffer of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of jam recovery in this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the detailed configuration of groups 11 and 12. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of print control. In the figure, 1...CPU, 2...ROM, 3...RA
M. 4...Interface section, 5...Buffer American, 6...Page buffer, 7...Font memory,
8...Bitmap memory section, 9...P/S conversion section, 10...Printing section, 11.12...Page buffer group, 13...Selector, 100, 40i, 200-2
05...Page buffer, 301-304...Switches. Niji Isou-1・1.4- Niji 1-i Figure 3

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A print control device that controls printing using at least two types of page buffer groups, the storage unit storing the same data in a predetermined page buffer of each of the two types of page buffer groups; determining means for determining whether the time is normal or abnormal; first selecting means for selecting a predetermined page buffer from one page buffer group when the determination is normal; and first selection means for selecting a predetermined page buffer from one page buffer group when the determination is abnormal; A second selection means for selecting a desired page buffer from a group of page buffers, and a reading means for reading data from the page buffer selected by the first selection means or the second selection means based on the determination. Printing control device. (2) The print control device according to claim 1, wherein the two types of page buffer groups are provided with different storage capacities. (3) The print control device according to claim 1, wherein the storage capacity of the page buffer group used in abnormal times is larger than the storage capacity of the page buffer group used in normal times.