JPH01234926A - Method for controlling printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To satisfy all requests for printing formats without increasing cost by executing a program (secondary program) which is not written in a program ROM without replacing the program ROM. CONSTITUTION:When printing based upon the secondary program is required, the secondary program is temporarily transferred to a program RAM 16 through the program ROM 12, written in the program RAM 16 and then a command for executing the written secondary program is generated to executed prescribed printing along the secondary program. Thereby the secondary program which is not written in the program ROM 12 can be executed without replacing the program ROM 12. Consequently, all requests for printing formats can be satisfied and the increment of cost satisfying the requests is also unnecessary.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer control method for controlling printing operations, etc. of a printer, which is a type of output device of various information processing devices.

[Conventional technology]

This type of printer is operated according to a program and is designed to perform predetermined printing.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a conventional access space 1 accessed by a CPU that issues a print command to a printer. This access space 1 is formed by a memory block or the like. In the conventional example, a program for controlling all printing operations performed by the printer is written in the program ROM 2 portion of the access space 1. Further, the print data to be output is written in the data RAM3 portion. Further, in the access space 1, there is a character generator 4 that stores data such as fonts of characters to be printed. Also provided is an interface unit 5 that controls input/output and the like.

Printing according to such a conventional example is performed as follows.

First, a cloak based on a print command is sent from the CPLI to the program ROM 2 in the access space 1. and,
The program ROM 2 sends printing operation commands corresponding to the data contents written in the data RAM 3 to each component of the printer in accordance with a program corresponding to the command, thereby causing predetermined printing to be performed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Today, information processing using computers is performed in all fields, and users have a wide variety of requests regarding output modes of processed information.

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional method, the printing mode of characters etc. is limited to only the contents written in the program ROM 2, so it cannot meet the various demands of today's printing mode.

Therefore, conventionally, when printing in a manner not written in the program ROM 2, the program ROM 2 itself had to be replaced in order to add or change a program for executing the printing manner.

Such additional printing modes include, for example, emphasizing and enlarging characters to be printed, double striking, and underlining.

Therefore, in order to meet the needs of individual users regarding their unique printing style, it takes time to replace the program ROM 2, and there are inconveniences such as the need for a new hexavalent program ROM 2. Ta.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and is a program that is not written in the program ROM (hereinafter referred to as 2).
A printer control system that can execute the following program (referred to as the next program) without replacing the program ROM, and can satisfy all demands regarding printing mode, and eliminates the need for any increase in cost to meet the demands. The purpose is to provide a method.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the printer control method of the present invention, when a secondary program not written in the program ROM is executed, the secondary program is transferred from the program ROM to the program RAM. The secondary program is written into the program RAM, and then the secondary program written into the program RAM is executed.

[For production]

According to the present invention, when printing based on a secondary program is required, the secondary program is first changed to program R.
By transferring the data to the program RAM through the OM, writing the data into the program RAM, and then issuing a command to execute the written secondary program, predetermined printing is performed in accordance with the secondary program.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

143 and 2 show an access space 11 for carrying out the method of the invention.

The access space 11 used in the present invention includes, in addition to a program ROM 12 in which a normal program (hereinafter referred to as a primary program) is written, a program RAM 16 in which a secondary program can be freely written and executed. ing. In addition, in the access space 11, as in the past,
A data RAM 13 in which print data is written, a character generator 14, and an interface section 15 are provided.

Next, a control method of the present invention performed using this access space 11 will be explained.

First, if the printing mode to be printed is not included in the primary program written in the program ROM 12, a secondary program for executing the printing mode is created, and as shown in FIG. (not shown) toward the program ROM 12, both command 1 and its secondary program are sent to the program RΔM16 for the secondary program following the command. Program ROM12
The secondary program sent to the program ROM
By the command processing 1 of No. 12, the data is transferred to the program RΔM16 and written into the program RAM 16, becoming the already written secondary program P1.

After that, the already written 2 written in the program RAM 16
To execute the next program P1, the CPU sends command 2 to execute the same secondary program P1 to the program RAM.
16 to print the contents according to the secondary program P1.

Further, a specific example will be explained.

First, a secondary program indicating a printing mode other than the primary program written in the 1-gram ROM 12 is written as, for example, d, d2. ,,,,,,dn2X 256+n
Create as 1. Printing modes for executing this program include, for example, commands such as character emphasis and enlargement, and 2't
i! The command of Underline Hide is mentioned.

Next, the program ROfV is sent as command 1 from the CPU.
To 112, "ESC, x, nl, n2, dd ・
-・d, 2X256. . Feed 1”112°.

Upon receiving this command 1, the program ROM 12 stores secondary programs d, d2. .......

dn2x 256+nl is transferred to the program RAM 16 and written in the program RAM 16 as the already written secondary program P1. The program RAM 16 should preferably have a sufficiently large capacity to accommodate a wide variety of secondary programs.

Next, when executing a necessary program from the already written secondary program P1, the CPU sends command 2 to the program RAM 16 as "ESC, y, e, e.
2.・----・, eo'' is sent.

Upon receiving this command 2, the program RAM 16 selects el from among the already written secondary programs P.

02, . . . , performs the execution process of eo. The printing mode performed in this way is the secondary program d1.
d2... The text is emphasized, enlarged, etc. corresponding to the text.

By controlling the operation of the printer according to this embodiment, printing modes not written in the program ROM 12 can be realized extremely easily by simply loading the secondary program into the program RAM 16 and executing it. Moreover, there is no need to add a memory chip or the like as in the past, and there is no need for an increase in cost. Therefore,
At the stage when the printer is shipped from the factory and provided to the user, it is possible to extremely easily and quickly add or change necessary printing modes other than the printing mode related to each user's primary program. can.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments,
It can be changed as necessary.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In this way, the printer control method of the present invention, when executing a secondary program not written in the program ROM, transfers the secondary program from the program ROM to the program RAM and writes it to the program RAM; After that, the above-mentioned 2 written in the program RAM
Since it is configured to execute the next program, it is possible to execute the secondary program written in the program ROM without replacing the program ROM, and it is possible to satisfy all demands regarding the printing mode. In addition to being able to do so, it also has the effect of not requiring any increase in costs to meet that request.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of the access space that can be accessed by the CPLI used to implement the printer control method of the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows the state in which command 1 is being executed, and FIG. 3 shows a state in which command 2 is being executed, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an access space used in the conventional method. 11...Access space, 12...Program ROM
. 13...Data RAM, 14...Character generator, 15...Interface section, 16...Program RAM. Applicant's agent Shunsuke Nakao Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] When executing a secondary program that has not been written to the program ROM, the secondary program is transferred from the program ROM to the program RAM and written to the program RAM, and then the secondary program written to the program RAM is A printer control method characterized by executing a program.