JPH02225070A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase data processing efficiency and print throughput by prompting the process to select between paper feed inlets to a recording medium before and after a specified page based on the results of analyzing a command in print information analyzed using a data analysis device. CONSTITUTION:A data analysis function section 3 judges whether or not the received code is a code for controlling the designation of a surface, and closes a page now being prepared and allows the code for controlling the designation of a surface to be processed for data processing originally intended for, if the judgement result is YES. Next a flag for selecting between paper feed inlets for a page which becomes a front is set in the top column. After this, dots are developed from page buffer memory 4 to image buffer memory 6, and if a page to be output corresponds to the same paper feed inlet as for the preceding page, an instruction for transferring dot information from buffer memory 6 is given to a printer I/F section. Then printing data is received and stored in input buffer memory 2 from a host computer 1. If printing data is completely received, a single page is prepared based on the data, and thus the process is completed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a printing device that processes input print information page by page, and particularly relates to a printing device that processes input print information page by page, and particularly relates to a printing device that processes input print information page by page, and particularly relates to a printing device that processes input print information page by page. The present invention relates to a printing device capable of printing.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of device processes input print information page by page, and then controls the print engine to print the processed print information on both sides of the fed recording medium, thereby achieving advanced printing. Processing is in progress.

In addition to the above printing function, for example, a series of printed information (
There is also a device that is configured so that it can print a certain page on the front side while outputting double-sided printing data (print data), and also feed paper from a paper feed tray that is different from the paper feed tray that is currently feeding paper. Proposed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, when switching the paper feed tray as described above, after issuing a dedicated paper feed control code and switching the paper feed tray, two control codes are issued: a surface specification control code that prints print data on the front surface. After outputting that one page, the paper feed table is switched again, so the same paper feed control code must be output again, which increases the burden of control command analysis and reduces print information analysis processing efficiency. decreases,
Problems such as a decrease in printing throughput were resolved.

This invention was made to solve the above problem, and by prompting the paper feed tray change process accompanying a specific command when analyzing a specific command, the specific command It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can start a paper feed tray change process as an accompanying process.

[Means to solve the problem]

The printing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an accompanying process activation prompting means for urging activation of a series of specific processes associated with a specific command based on a command analysis result in print information analyzed by a data analysis unit.

Further, the accompanying processing activation prompting means is configured to prompt processing for temporarily switching the paper feed port for the recording medium before and after a specific page based on the command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis means. It is something.

(Operation) In the present invention, when a specific command is analyzed as a result of command analysis in the printed information analyzed by the data analysis device, the accompanying process activation prompting device activates a series of specific processes accompanying the specific command. prompt and execute complex processing with a single command.

Further, the accompanying processing activation prompting means prompts processing for temporarily switching the paper feed port for the recording medium before and after a specific page based on the command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis means, and Along with the processing, paper feeding to the recording medium is controlled.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a host computer;
It is connected to the outside and outputs print data (print information) including at least a character code and a control code for editing or outputting the character code to the printer unit.

A manual buffer memory 2 temporarily stores print data sent from the host computer 1.

3 is a data analysis function unit that analyzes the print data stored in the input buffer memory 2 and generates a specific control code (control command (in this embodiment, surface specification control code)).
). 4 is a page buffer memory that stores the paper feed flag and the analyzed print data in units of pages.

Reference numeral 5 denotes an output processing function unit that converts the information in the page buffer memory 4 into corresponding dot pattern information and develops it in the image buffer memory 6, and also outputs the paper feed tray to the printer I/F unit 7 according to the instructions of the paper feed flag. Gives switching instructions.

The printer I/F unit 7 transfers the dot pattern information in the image buffer memory 6 to the printer engine unit 8.

The printer engine section 8 includes a plurality of paper feed trays for feeding recording media, and also includes a known recording medium transport mechanism (not shown) for selectively printing print information on both sides/one side of the recording medium. ) is provided.

Note that the data analysis function section 3. The operation of the output processing function unit 5 is based on the control program stored in the ROM 12, which will be described later.
This is performed by U11. In addition, when a specific command is analyzed as a result of command analysis in the printed information analyzed by the data analysis function section 3, which is a data analysis means, the output processing function section 5, which also serves as an accompanying process start reminder means, It prompts the activation of a series of accompanying specific processes and executes a complex process with a single command. That is, the output processing function unit 5 performs a process of temporarily switching the paper feed light for the recording medium (recording paper) before and after a specific page based on the command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis function unit 3. The paper feed port for the recording medium is controlled as described below in conjunction with specific command processing (in this embodiment, a prompt is issued along with a surface designation control code, and a series of page processing).

Next, the operation shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

In this configuration, when lower paper feeding is instructed for double-sided printing, the host computer 1 sends the created print data to the manual buffer memory 2. Data analysis function section 3
analyzes the print data, and if the control code is a surface designation control code, closes the page being created and checks whether the closed page is the front or back side. If it is "tails", the next process is performed as is.

On the other hand, if the page is "1 front", the corresponding back page is created as a blank page, and the next page is printed on the front page.

For example, when the front side designation control code is analyzed at the beginning of the fourth page, the print data for the fourth page that should be printed on the back side of the third page is printed on the front side of the fifth page,
The back of page 3 will be blank. This processing is the original function of the surface designation control code. However, in this invention, in addition to the original function, a function to switch the paper feed tray is added, so that the character code instructed to be printed on the front surface by the surface specification control code is written to the page buffer memory 4 at the same time. , Concomitantly, the paper feed tray switching flag for the page is set to the upper stage, and the print data is continued to be analyzed.

Next, when the print data to be printed on the front surface is analyzed, the paper feed tray switching flag for the page concerned is set to the lower stage and written to the page buffer memory 4. The output processing function unit 5 converts the contents of the page buffer memory 4 written in this way into dot pattern information, and develops it in the image buffer memory 6. Furthermore, when the dot pattern development process is completed, the printer I/F unit 7 is instructed to transfer the contents of the image buffer memory 6 to the printer engine unit 8, and at the same time, the paper feed tray for the relevant page in the page buffer memory 4 is switched. The paper feed tray instructions according to the flag instructions are sent to the printer I/
A series of processing to pass through the F section 7 to the printer engine section 8 is executed incidentally.

As a result, the paper feed tray was previously switched using a dedicated control code to switch the paper feed tray, but now recording paper is fed from the upper tray using only the surface specification control code, and the next page is fed from the lower tray again. be done. Therefore, chapter divisions, department divisions, etc. can be printed on colored paper without a dedicated paper feed control code.

Next, the printing processing operation according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print information processing procedure in the printing apparatus shown in FIG. In addition,
(1) to (13) indicate each step.

First, from the host computer 1 to the manual buffer memory 2
Receive print data (1). Next, the data analysis function unit 3 determines whether the print data is finished 2)
If No (print data is being received), data analysis processing is executed (3).

Next, it is determined whether the code received by the data analysis function section 3 is a surface designation control code, or not. 4) If no, the analyzed print data is written into the page buffer memory 4 (5). Next, it is determined whether data for one page has been written to the page buffer memory 46)
If No, the process returns to step (1), and if YES, the process proceeds to step (9) and subsequent steps.

On the other hand, if the determination in step (4) is YES, the process proceeds to step (7), the page being created is closed, and the original processing of the surface designation control code is performed.

Next, the paper feed tray switching flag for the front page is set to the upper stage (8). Next, dot expansion from the page buffer memory 4 to the image buffer memory 6 is performed (9). Next, it is determined whether the page to be output is the same as the paper feed tray of the previous page by the paper feed tray switching flag of the page in the page buffer memory 4 (10), and if NO, the printer engine unit 8
Instruct the printer I/F unit 7 to transfer the dot information in the image buffer memory 6 and switch the paper feed tray (11), and return to step (1).

On the other hand, if YES in step (10), an instruction to transfer the dot information in the image buffer memory 6 is sent to the printer I/O.
The signal is given to the F unit 7 (12), and the process returns to step (1).

On the other hand, if the judgment in step (2) is YES, it is necessary to judge whether the data for one page is being created.13)
If so, the process ends, and if YES (in the middle of creation), there is unoutputted data in the page buffer memory 4, so the process returns to step (9).

In the above embodiment, only one CPU II is used, and the data analysis function section 3. Although the case where the output processing function section 5 is configured has been described, this also applies to a multiprocessor system that is equipped with separate CPUs and in which the CPU 11 functions as the data analysis function section 3 and the output processing function section 5 functions as the separate CPU. The invention can be applied.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the print data generation source is configured in the host computer 1 has been described, but other magnetic tape devices or disk devices may be used.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the specific control code is a surface specification control code, but it may also be a control code that indicates a break in a series of data flows, such as a control code for job start, section start, etc. It's okay.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which a specific control code is used as a surface specification control code to perform a series of paper feed port switching processes, but a series of processes associated with a specific control code can be arbitrarily set as appropriate. The present invention is not limited to the above, but can also be applied to, for example, switching development units when specifying colors during continuous printing.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention provides an accompanying process activation prompting means for prompting the activation of a series of specific processes associated with a specific command based on the command analysis result in the printed information analyzed by the data analysis unit. This makes it possible to prompt the start of a series of specific processes accompanying a specific command with a small number of control codes, reducing the transfer burden on the host that is the source of information and the analysis burden on the data analysis means, increasing efficiency. Able to perform information transfer processing well.

Further, the accompanying processing activation prompting means is configured to prompt processing for temporarily switching the paper feed port for the recording medium before and after a specific page based on the command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis means. Therefore, the page after analyzing the specific control code can be automatically fed from the upper or lower stage, eliminating the need to output a paper feed control code to switch the paper feed tray from the information source, and reducing the amount of print data to be transferred. can be reduced.

Therefore, data processing efficiency and printing throughput can be improved. Furthermore, when you want to output the cover page or the beginning of a chapter on colored paper, for example, there is no need to output the paper feed control code to the printing device, and you only need to output a specific control code. It has excellent effects such as easy output.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a print information processing procedure in the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a host computer, 2 is a manual buffer memory, 3 is a data analysis function unit, 4 is a page buffer memory, 5 is an output processing function unit, 6 is an image buffer memory, 7 is a printer I/F unit, and 8 is a Printer engine section, 11 is C
PU, 12 is a ROM.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of paper feed ports for feeding recording media, a data analysis means for analyzing the input print information page by page, and a data analysis means for analyzing the print information for each page analyzed by the data analysis means. In a printing device having a printer engine unit that prints on both sides or one side of a recording medium fed from a paper slot, a printer is attached to a specific command based on a command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis means. 1. A printing apparatus comprising an accompanying process activation prompting means for prompting a series of specific processes to be activated. (2) The accompanying process activation prompting means prompts a process for temporarily switching the paper feed port for the recording medium before and after a specific page based on the command analysis result in the print information analyzed by the data analysis means. Claim (1)
Printing device as described.