JPH0272973A - Character data storing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To restrains a CG fault with the same character from being generated due to deletion of a transient character once stored and shorten the period of time required for expanding a character by expanding a transient character pattern storage area through effective utilization of a character-expanding area in a bit map memory. CONSTITUTION:A printing screen-expanding area 11 is provided in conformity with a maximum expanding area, but a free area is generated depending on paper size. A free area control table 2 is provided for storing the first address in the free area in the printing screen-expanding area 11 and a residual capacity, based on each resolution and each paper size. At the time of storing a transient character pattern, a checking means 3 for a free transient character area checks free areas in a transient character pattern storage area 13. When there are no free areas in the storage region 13, a relevant part of the table 2 is read based on a resolution and a printing paper employed for printing, and the pattern to be stored is stored from a starting address indicated by a free area controlling means 4 which controls the starting address for the next storage. It is thereby possible to reduce the number of occurrences of CG fault, and to shorten a processing time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a character pattern storage method in a printer control device equipped with a print expansion memory, there is a method for storing non-resident character patterns that are expanded as needed in the print expansion memory. For the purpose of streamlining processing, the printer control device is equipped with a print development memory that is divided into a print screen development area, a resident character pattern storage area, a non-resident character pattern storage area, and a work area. A free space management table that manages the start address and remaining capacity of free space for each printing resolution and paper size in the area, a non-resident character area free check means for checking whether there is free space in the non-resident character pattern storage area, and a printing a free space management means for reading a corresponding free space management table based on the desired resolution and paper size and managing a starting address to be stored; and a character pattern storage means for storing a non-resident character pattern from the starting address indicated by the free space management means. , and is configured so that when a non-resident character is requested to be developed and there is no space in the non-resident character pattern storage area, the non-resident character is stored in the free area of the print screen development area.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method for storing character data, and more particularly to a method for storing non-resident characters in a printer control device equipped with a print development memory (bitmap memory).

[Conventional technology]

Laser beam printers are generally equipped with print development memory (bitmap memory) in order to print one page at high speed.

In systems that perform high-speed printing, the laser beam printer's control device is equipped with a large-capacity bitmap memory, and in addition to the print screen development area, there is also an area to develop and store the character patterns used for printing. There are some that have the following.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bitmap memory in this type of laser beam printer system. In this example system, the bitmap memory space is divided into the following four logical spaces. In the figure, the area shown with diagonal lines is an area that is not mounted.

■Print screen development area ■Resident character pattern storage area ■Non-resident character pattern storage area ■Work area The print screen development area of ■ is an area where dot pattern data for one page being printed is developed, and the work area of ■ This is an area for developing dot pattern data for one page to be printed next, and ■ and ■ are used alternately.

The resident character pattern storage area (2) stores character patterns downloaded from the host computer when this system is started up.

■The non-resident character pattern storage area is an area that stores character patterns downloaded from the host computer when the character pattern requested for printing is not stored in the bitmap memory (this is called a CG fault). be.

In this example system, 240dpi (dots/inch)
It is now possible to print at two different resolutions: 400 dpi and 400 dpi, and character patterns for each are stored. Resident characters are 240/400 dpi alphanumeric characters, JIS level 1 characters, etc. Non-resident characters are 240/400 dpi JIS level 2 characters, extended kanji, user-defined patterns, etc., and are in the ■ and ■ areas, respectively. The characters are stored in designated areas for each character type.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing character development processing in the printer control device of this example.

Character expansion processing is performed as follows.

■Receive resolution (240/400 dpi) setting information from the host computer.

■Receive print control information from the host computer, such as whether it is a 1-hide code system, a 2-byte code system, or the paper size.

■Receives the character code string to be printed and prints it.

The character code and storage address stored in the memory are compared with the character management table.

■Determine whether the character pattern of the input character code is not stored in the bitmap memory (CG fault), and if it is a CG fault, proceed to step knob ■; otherwise, proceed to step ■.

■Notify the host computer of the CG fault and wait for - hours (
During the wait period, print screen development processing is performed, and if a non-resident character pattern is sent from the host computer, proceed to step (3).

■Perform non-resident character storage processing. The detailed contents are shown in steps ①-1 to ②-4 below.

■-1 It is checked whether there is any free space in the non-resident character pattern storage area. If there is free space, the process proceeds to step (2), and if there is no space, the process proceeds to step (2)-3.

(2) Store the character pattern in the empty space and return it.

■-3 Non-resident character - Delete character.

■-4 Store the character pattern at the deleted location and return.

■Expand in the print screen expansion area.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of allocation of character storage areas on the bitmap memory. In the figure, the shaded area is a non-resident character pattern storage area, and the other areas are resident character pattern storage areas.

In the figure, 240.400 indicates resolution (dpi), ANK indicates alphanumeric characters, and (LP
) indicates characters for line printers.

Non-kanji, 1 water indicates a JIS non-kanji, first level character, and this resident area stores either 7 or 9.12 points, which are mainly used at system startup, and stores other points. The characters are stored in the non-resident character storage area as necessary. The "extension" of the non-resident character area is used for special characters and JIS second level characters.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As explained above, conventionally, in the character processing unit of the printer control device, if there are many unstored non-resident character development requests during non-resident character development/management processing, the character processing section of the printer control device stores When the area becomes insufficient, the character patterns previously stored and registered from the beginning of the storage area are deleted, and the character management information is also erased.

Therefore, when a request is subsequently made to develop a non-resident character that has already been erased, a CG fault will occur for the same character, and the non-resident character will be developed and managed again, resulting in a corresponding delay in character processing. There was a problem.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a character storage system that eliminates the above-mentioned conventional problems.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of means for solving the above problem.

In the figure, ■ is a print development memory (bitmap memory), 11 is a print screen development area within it, and 12 is a print development memory (bitmap memory).
is a resident character pattern storage area, 13 is a non-resident character pattern storage area, and 14 is a work area.

2 is a free space management table, and print screen development area 1
The head address and remaining capacity of free space for each print resolution and paper size in 1 are managed.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a non-resident character area free space checking means, which checks whether or not there is space in the non-resident character pattern storage area 13.

Reference numeral 4 denotes free space management means, which reads the corresponding free space management table 2 based on the resolution and paper size to be printed and manages the start address to be stored.

5 is a character pattern storage means, and free space management means 4
Stores the non-resident character pattern from the starting address indicated by .

[For production]

In the present invention, in order to reduce the number of occurrences of CG faults for non-resident characters, the non-resident character pattern storage area is expanded and attention is paid to the free space in the print screen development area 11 on the bitmap memory.

The print screen development area 11 is the maximum development area bone (400dp
i, A3 size), but the actual area used varies depending on the printing resolution and paper size.
Depending on the specified resolution and paper size, an empty area as shown in FIG. 2 may occur.

Therefore, in the present invention, a free space management table 2 is prepared that stores the start address and remaining capacity of the free space in the print screen development area 11 for each resolution and paper size.

When storing a non-resident character pattern, the non-resident character area free space check means 3 checks the free space in the non-resident character pattern storage area 13, and if there is no free space, the corresponding free space management table is created based on the resolution and paper size to be printed. 2 and stores from the start address indicated by the free space management means 4 which manages the start address to be stored next.

As a result, the number of occurrences of CG faults can be reduced, and processing time can be shortened.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3 shows a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

This system uses character patterns and other patterns stored in optical disk devices and magnetic disk devices connected to the host computer, and also uses image data read from scanner devices and microfilm leagues. This is a system that prints created documents using a laser beam printer.

The RAM within the printer controller includes a bitmap memory area. Firmware is stored in the RAM. R.O.
An initial program loading program is stored in M.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of firmware within the printer control device shown in FIG. 3.

The character control unit is a part that executes character pattern expansion and registration processing, and character storage in the present invention is performed here. The vector control section controls generation of vectors for drawing figures, the image control section controls development of image data read by a scanner, and the overlay control section executes development and registration of overlays such as form forms. The printer control unit controls the laser beam printer.

The system management section manages the above five control sections as a whole.

The input/output control section controls human power signals from the host and output signals to the laser beam printer. The initial processing section initializes the entire firmware. The error processing section performs error processing when an error occurs. The operating spring control unit controls signals to and from the operator panel.

The monitor is a unit that performs task control, interrupt control, etc. for the entire firmware.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing character expansion processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the main flow of steps (1) to (2) is the same as the flow according to the conventional example shown in FIG.

The processing flow in steps 11 to 2-14 is as follows.

■-11 Check whether there is space in the non-resident character storage area to store a pattern of one character. Step if there is space■
Proceed to -12, and if there is none, proceed to step ■-13.

■-12 Store the character pattern in the empty space and return.

(1)-13 Extract the storage start address of the expansion area prepared in the free area of the print screen development area.

(2)-14 Store the non-resident character pattern in the extended area, update the storage start address, and return.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, by effectively utilizing the character expansion area on the bitmap memory, the non-resident character pattern storage area is expanded and non-resident characters stored at − degrees can be deleted. This has a great effect in suppressing the occurrence of CG faults in the same character and contributing to shortening character expansion processing time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the free space in the print screen development area, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a bitmap memory; FIG. 7 is processing according to a conventional example. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of character storage area allocation. In the drawing, ■ is a bitmap memory, 11 is a print screen development area, 12 is a resident character pattern storage area, 13 is a non-resident character pattern storage area, 14 is a work area, 2 is a free space management table,
Reference numeral 3 indicates non-resident character area free checking means, 4 indicates free area management means, and 5 indicates character pattern storage means. 240 dpi 83 24 (klpi 84 2 f) dpi R4 40 dp House 400 dpi A3 4 (Xklpi 84 400 dpi R4 400 dpi B5 E Figure 2 shows the free area of the notebook surface development area) A block diagram showing the principle of the present invention Fig. 1 shows the system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention Fig. 3 shows the firmware structure of the first embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a monochrome memory Flowchart illustrating processing according to one embodiment (character development processing) Flowchart illustrating processing according to conventional example

Claims (1)

[Claims] Print development memory (1) that is divided into a print screen development area (11), a resident character pattern storage area (12), a non-resident character pattern storage area (13), and a work area (14). In a printer control device equipped with ) and a non-resident character area free check means (3) to check whether there is space in the non-resident character area, and a non-resident character area free check means (3) that reads the corresponding free space management table (2) based on the resolution and paper size to be printed and manages the start address to be stored. Free space management means (4) and character pattern storage means (5) for storing a non-resident character pattern from the start address indicated by the free space management means (4), When there is no space in the storage area (13), the print screen development area (1
1) A character data storage method characterized in that the data is stored in a free area.