JPH01267060A

JPH01267060A - Printer

Info

Publication number: JPH01267060A
Application number: JP63097217A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Kazumi Yanagidaira; 一美柳平
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1988-04-19
Filing date: 1988-04-19
Publication date: 1989-10-24

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the printing speed and also enhance the reliability by providing a sub-CPU which controls a heat, a means to store printing data, a means to calculate a pulse width to be given to a printing head and a means to communicate with a main CPU. CONSTITUTION:If data of a single dot line is sent to a 78C11-mask ROM (sub-CPU) 13 from an built-in software 11 through a main CPU, the data is saved in a RAM area 14 in the 78C11-mask ROM and pulse data required for printing this time is calculated from previous 5-dot data. The resultant data is transmitted to a printing head 16 by a printing timing signal from the soft ware built in the system. During this process, the CPU 10 receives the next data. In addition, it waits for time for the end of printing a single dot and ends printing, then proceeds to next calculation. A signal from the main CPU 10 is connected serially by means of twenty-four signal lines 15 connected in parallel from the 78C11-mask ROM 13 to the printing head 16.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】〔産業上の利用分野〕　。[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field].

本発明は、プリンタ、特にサーマルプリンタに関する。The present invention relates to printers, particularly thermal printers.

[Conventional technology]

従来、この種のプリンタは、組込みソフトの使用するＣ
ＰＵを用いて、組込みソフトの処理の一貫として同し流
れの中で、ヘッドに与える熱制御の処理を行なっていた
。Conventionally, this type of printer uses C
The PU was used to control the heat applied to the head as part of the embedded software processing.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

上述した従来のプリンタは、プリンタの動作の諸処理を
行なう組込みソフトが熱制御を行なっているので、印字
スピードを速くするのに限界があるという欠点がある。The above-mentioned conventional printer has the disadvantage that there is a limit to increasing the printing speed because the built-in software that performs various operations of the printer performs thermal control.

例えは、熱制御の内容として過去の印字ヘッドを参照し
て、それに応じてヘッドに与える印字パルスを変化させ
て、印字品質を向上させなければならない。このため、
過去のデータを記憶し、印字パルスを算出し、ヘッドに
データを転送させる処理に、かなりの時間をついやして
しまい、各プロセッサの固有のスピードに応じてその処
理スピードには限界が存在する。For example, the print quality must be improved by referring to the past print head for thermal control and changing the print pulses applied to the head accordingly. For this reason,
The processing of storing past data, calculating print pulses, and transferring data to the head takes a considerable amount of time, and there is a limit to the processing speed depending on the inherent speed of each processor.

[Means to solve the problem]

本発明によれば、熱制御をするサブＣＰＵと、印字デー
タを記憶する手段と、ヘッドに与えるパルス幅を算出す
る手段と、ヘッドにデータを送る手段と、メインＣＰＵ
と通信する手段とを具備することを特徴とするプリンタ
が得られる。According to the present invention, the sub-CPU performs thermal control, the means for storing print data, the means for calculating the pulse width given to the head, the means for sending data to the head, and the main CPU.
There is obtained a printer characterized in that it comprises: and means for communicating.

〔Example〕

次に、本発明の実施例を示した図面を参照して、本発明
をより詳細に説明する。Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments of the present invention.

第１図および第２図を参照すると、本発明の一実施例に
おいて、メインＣＰＵ　１０を通して組込みソフト１１
から１ドッ１−ライン分のデータを、７８Ｃ］、］マス
クＲＯＭ（サフＣＰＵ）１３に送ると、７８Ｃ１１マス
クＲ，ＯＭ内のＲＡＭ領域１４にデータは保存され、過
去５トツ）〜分のデータから今回の印字に必要なパルス
テータを算出する。計算結果のデータは、本体組込みソ
フトからの印字タイミング信号により印字ヘット］６に
送られ、その間に次のデータを受は取る。更に、１トツ
１への印字終了タイミングを待ち、タイミングにより終
了し、次の算出に移る。本実施例では、メインＣＰ　Ｕ
　］、　Ｏからの信号は、シリアル転送１２により７８
Ｃ］、１マスクＲＯＭ１３から印字ヘラ１−１６への２
４本のデータ転送はパラレルに接続されフコ信号線］５
によって転送される。Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, embedded software 11 is provided through main CPU 10.
When the data for 1 dot 1-line is sent to the 78C],] mask ROM (Saf CPU) 13, the data is saved in the RAM area 14 in the 78C11 mask R, OM, and the data for the past 5) to From this, calculate the pulse tater required for the current printing. The calculation result data is sent to the print head 6 by a print timing signal from the software built into the main body, and the next data is received and received during this time. Furthermore, the process waits for the timing when printing on 1-to-1 ends, ends at the timing, and moves on to the next calculation. In this embodiment, the main CPU
], the signal from O is 78 by serial transfer 12
C], 1 from mask ROM 13 to printing spatula 1-16 2
The four data transfer lines are connected in parallel to the Fuco signal line] 5
forwarded by.

〔Effect of the invention〕

以」二説明したように、本発明によれは、熱制御専用の
ＣＰＵを持つことにより、印字スピードの速い、信頼性
の高い高性能なプリンタを提供できる効果がある。As described above, the present invention has the effect of providing a highly reliable, high-performance printer with a high printing speed by having a CPU dedicated to thermal control.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の一実施例のフロック図、第２図は本実
施例のフローチャートである。１０・メインＣＰＵ、１１・本体組込みソフ１へ（２５
６ＲＯＭ）、１２　ニジリアルインターフェース、１．
３ニア８Ｃ１］マスクＲＯＭ、］４：過去５ドッ１へ分
のデータテーブル、１５：２４本のパラレルの信号線、
１６：印字ヘッド。代理人　弁理士　　内　原　　音ヌ４ンｃｐｕ第２ジｒノ”ＣＰＵFIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart of this embodiment. 10・Main CPU, 11・To the built-in software 1 (25
6ROM), 12 Nijirial Interface, 1.
3 Near 8C1] Mask ROM, ]4: Data table for the past 5 dots, 15: 24 parallel signal lines,
16: Print head. Agent Patent Attorney Otohara Uchihara 4th CPU 2nd Jirno”CPU

Claims

[Claims]

It is characterized by comprising a sub-CPU that performs thermal control, means for storing print data, means for calculating the pulse width applied to the head, means for sending data to the head, and means for communicating with the main CPU. printer.