JPH03114850A - Printer control apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce memory capacity and cost and to restrain processing speed from falling down by providing a circuit only for use in generating character font for landscape by rotating character font for portrait through 90 degrees. CONSTITUTION:When the address of font memory A2 from where the memory is transferred is selected by means of a microprocessor 11, character font data is read out from the selected transferring address based on transfer data size and scan width which are set in advance by means of a font rotation circuit 16 so that the character font data is rotated through 90 degrees and transferred to an address which is set in advance in a memory B2. In this manner, character font for landscape is generated in an exclusive circuit, whereby a region for character font for landscape is not needed, resulting in reduction in memory capacity and cost, thereby a lowering of processing speed can be reduced to a minimum.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is directed to a character font used in normal portrait printing (a printing method in which character strings are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of paper). The present invention relates to a printer control device, such as a laser printer, that has a landscape printing function (printing method in which character strings are arranged in the longitudinal direction of a sheet of paper) that prints by rotating it.

[Prior Art] As a conventional printer control device of this type, the one shown in FIG. 6 is known. In the figure, 1 is a microprocessor as the main body of the control unit, 2 is an area AI for a control program for the microprocessor, an area A2 is for storing various character font data for portrait printing, and an area A2 is for storing various character font data for portrait printing. A non-volatile memory consisting of an area A3 for storing character font data for landscape printing rotated by 90 degrees, 3 is a raster area B1 in which each character font data can be written and read, and in particular, various data can be written and read. 4 is a data output circuit for reading character font data from the raster area B1 of the RAM 3 and outputting it to the laser printer engine section 5; This is a laser printer engine unit that prints on paper based on given character font data.

In the conventional device with such a configuration, the microprocessor 1 operates according to a control program in the area A1 in the nonvolatile memory 2, and when performing portrait printing for a desired character, the microprocessor 1 operates based on the code of the desired character in the nonvolatile memory 2. The corresponding address of the portrait character font area A2 is calculated. Then, the character font data at the corresponding address is read from the area A2 and written into the raster area B1 of the RAM 3. On the other hand, when landscape printing is performed for a desired character, a corresponding address 3 is calculated for the landscape character font area in the nonvolatile memory 2 from the code of the desired character. Then, character font data at the corresponding address is read from area A3 and written into raster area B1 of RAM3.

Thus, the character font data written in the raster area B1 is read out and output to the laser printer engine section 5 by the action of the data output circuit 4 for printing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in this conventional device, it is necessary to provide a landscape font area A3 in the nonvolatile memory 2 separately from the portrait font area A2, which increases the memory capacity and increases the cost. There was a problem.

At the time of landscape printing, it is conceivable that the microprocessor 1 reads the portrait character font of the desired character, rotates it by 90 degrees to create a landscape character font, and writes it in the raster area B1. In this case, the microprocessor 1 also performs other processing, which increases the burden and extremely slows down the processing speed.

Therefore, the present invention provides a dedicated circuit for generating a landscape character font by rotating a portrait character font by 90 degrees, thereby eliminating the need for a landscape character font area, reducing storage capacity and cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer control device that can minimize the decrease in processing speed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a microprocessor that causes a printer to perform a printing operation according to a preset control program, a font memory for storing font data regarding the shapes of various characters, a transfer destination memory, to the microprocessor
The character font data is read from the specified transfer source address of the font memory based on the transfer data size and scan width set in advance, and the font of the character rotated by 90 degrees is activated in response to the transfer source address specification of the font memory. This printer control device includes a font rotation circuit that converts the data into data and transfers it to a preset destination address in a destination memory.

The microprocessor has means for setting the transfer data size, scan width, and transfer destination address for the font rotation circuit, and the font rotation circuit has means for setting the transfer data size, scan width, and transfer destination address by the microprocessor. It is desirable to have a memory holding means that rewrites the setting data to the latest data and stores and holds the setting data each time the setting is performed.

[Function] In the present invention having such a configuration, when the microprocessor specifies the transfer source address of the font memory, the font rotation circuit performs the specified transfer based on the preset transfer data size and scan width. Character font data is read from the original address, converted to character font data rotated by 90 degrees, and transferred to a preset destination address in the destination memory.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a control device for a laser printer will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the control device. In the same figure, 11 is a microprocessor as the main body of the control unit, and 12
is an area A1 for the control program for the microprocessor 11, and an area (font memory) A for storing various character font data for portrait printing.
2, a non-volatile memory 13, a RAM (random Φ access memory) in which a raster area B1 in which each character font data can be written and read, a data area 82 which functions as a transfer destination memory, etc. are formed;
, 14 reads the character font data from the raster area B1 of the RAM 13 and outputs it to the laser printer engine section 15.
15 is a laser printer engine unit that prints on paper based on the character font data given through the data output circuit 14;
6 is activated in response to the transfer source address specification of the area A2 by the microprocessor 11, and transfers the area A2 based on the preset transfer data size and scan width.
This is a font rotation path that reads character font data from a designated transfer source address in No. 2, converts it into character font data rotated by 90 degrees, and transfers it to a preset transfer destination address in the data area B2.

As shown in FIG.
Eight character rotation registers 21 to 28 into which bit (-1 word) data can be written, and each register 21 to 2.
Selectors 31 to 38 are provided corresponding to selectors 31 to 38 and selectively read 1-bit data from the corresponding registers 21 to 28, and selectors 31 to 38 are provided corresponding to selectors 31 to 38 and selectors 31 to 38 are provided corresponding to selectors 31 to 38 to selectively read 1-bit data from the corresponding registers 21 to 28, respectively.
Temporarily store outputs 1 to 38 and create bit data bltO to b
It has buffers 41 to 48 that output as IL7.

The microprocessor 11 determines the size of font data constituting one character, the so-called transfer data size (word or bit unit), the scan width when reading font data of the transfer data size, and the transfer data in the data area B2. When the transfer destination address of size font data is set, each setting data is stored. Note that this setting data is held until the next data setting is performed, and is rewritten to the latest data each time the corresponding data is set.

Here, the operation of the font rotation circuit 16 will be explained. In this embodiment, one character font (for example, "a") consisting of 32 words (256 bits) of transferred data is divided into 4 blocks of 8 x 8 bits and rotated 90 degrees as shown in FIG. The case of transfer will be explained.

In this case, the microprocessor 11 sets the transfer data size to the font rotation circuit 16 as 327-
The scan width is set to 2 words. Further, for example, [7030Hl is set as the transfer destination address for the data area B2. If it becomes necessary to print the characters raJ in landscape,
In the microprocessor 11, the transfer source address of the portrait character font area A2 is calculated from the character code of the character raJ, and the calculation result is [A 000
Hl is applied to the font rotation circuit 16. The font rotation circuit 16 is activated by inputting this transfer source address and operates according to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is,
The input transfer source address [A OOO[1] is written to the first temporary (-time storage register) TMPI, and the preset transfer destination address [7030
H] to the second temporary TMP2. In addition, a third temporary TMP3 and a fourth temporary TMP
Clear each of 4 to "0".

In this state, one block (8x8 bits) shown in Figure 5
Executes rotation processing. First, let the contents of temporary TMP 1 be address X, and let the contents of temporary TMP 2 be address Y. Also, a counter N is initialized to "0".

Next, one word of data is read from the address X of the portrait font area A2 and written to the character rotation registers 21 to 28 corresponding to the N-bit output. Thereafter, the address X is advanced by a preset scan width and the counter N is updated by "+1". Next, address X of portrait font area A2 is set in the same manner as above.
One word of data is read from the N-bit output and written to the character diversion registers 21-28 corresponding to the N-bit output. thus,
The same process as above is repeated until the counter N reaches "7", and the counter N reaches "7" and the 7-bit output bl
When one word of address X is written into the character rotation register 28 corresponding to number 17 and address X is advanced by the corresponding scan width, the counter N is reinitialized to "0". Next, each character rotation register 21 to 28
The Nth bit is selected and outputted by each selector 31-38 and written to address Y of data area B2 in RAM 13 via each buffer 41-48. After that, the address Y is used for the scan width, and the counter N is set to "
+1” updated. Next, in the same manner as above, the Nth bit of each character rotation register 21 to 28 is set to each selector 31 to 28.
38 and is selectively outputted and written to address Y of data area B2 in RAM 13 via each buffer 41-48. In this way, the same process as above is repeated until the counter N reaches "7", and the 7th bit of each character rotation register 21-28 is selected and outputted by each selector 31-38, and each Buffers 41-48
When the data is written to address Y in the data area B2 in the RAM 13 via the address Y and the address Y is used for the scan width, the rotation process for one block is completed. With the above, addresses [AOOOH], [ in font area A2
AOO2H].

[A004H]... Address [7030] where the 8x8 bit data of [AO14H] is located in the data area.
1, [7028H], [7026H]...
...It is transferred to the 8x8 bit area of [7016H].

Next, "1" is added to the contents of the second temporary TMP2. Furthermore, (8×scan width) is added to the contents of the first temporary TMPI.

Furthermore, the contents of the third temporary TMP3 are changed to (8×
scan width). Next, the contents of the temporary TMP3 of T43 are compared with the preset transfer data size, and if they do not match, the above-described one-block rotation process is executed again.

As a result, the address [AO
16H], [AO18H], [A020H]...
...8x8 bit data of [AO30H] is address [7031H] in the data area.

[7029H] , [7027H] ...
It is transferred to the 8x8 bit area of [7017H].

In this way, the rotation process for one block is repeated until the contents of the third temporary TMP3 match the transfer data size, and when they match, (8X scan width) is subtracted from the contents of the first temporary TMP1, and the value is ``1''
Add. Also, "1" is subtracted from the contents of the second temporary TMP2, and (8x scan width) is further subtracted from that value. Furthermore, the fourth temporary TM
Add "1" to the contents of P4. Next, the contents of the fourth temporary TMP4 are compared with the preset scan width, and if they do not match, the third temporary TMP4 is
After clearing MP3 to "0", the above-described one-block rotation process is executed again. As a result, at L, X [AOOIH], [AOO
3H].

[A005H]...The 8x8 bit data of [A015H] is located at address [7014H] in the data area.
], [7012H], [7010H]...
...Transferred to the 8x8 bit area of [7000H]. Next, the address [Ao
17H], [AO19H] [A021H]...
...8x8 pit data of [AO31H] is at address [7015H], [7013H] in the data area
, [7011H]...8× of [7001H]
Transferred to 8-bit area.

In this way, the contents of the third temporary TMP3 match the transfer data size again, and the contents of the fourth temporary TMP3
If the contents of P3 match the scan width, the font rotation circuit 16 stops its operation.

In the printer control device of this embodiment, which is provided with the font rotation circuit 16 that operates as described above, the microprocessor 11 specifies the transfer data size (32 words), scan width (2 words), and scan width (2 words) for the font rotation circuit 16 in advance. ) and forwarding address ([7030H]). Note that these setting data can be changed as appropriate by the microprocessor 111, and the latest setting data is held in the font rotation circuit 16 until the data is changed by the microprocessor 11. Therefore, in the microprocessor 11, it is only necessary to change the settings of desired data as necessary.

In this state, as shown in Figure 3, for example, the letter r a
When it becomes necessary to print J in landscape, the microprocessor 11 calculates the transfer source address from the character code of the character raJ, and prints the calculation result (for example, [AO10
H]) is written into the font rotation circuit 16. By writing this transfer source address, the font rotation circuit 16
starts working. That is, the portrait character font data of the character raJ is read in units of 1 word (8 bits) from the portrait font area A2 in the non-volatile memory 12 indicated by the transfer source address, and the data is read out at 90 degrees in units of 1 block (8 x 8 bits). The data is rotated and written into the data area in the RAM 13 indicated by the transfer destination address. In this way, when the portrait character font data of the character "a" stored in the transfer data size in the portrait font area A2 is transferred to the data area b2 of the same size, the microprocessor 11 The character phant data written in B2 is written in the raster area B1 of the RAM 13 as landscape character font data. The character font data read from the raster area B1 is then transferred to the laser printer engine section 15 by the action of the data output circuit 14.
is given, and the characters raJ are printed in landscape on the paper.

Note that when it becomes necessary to print the character raJ in a portrait format, the microprocessor 11 calculates the transfer source address of the character raJ, and prints the character "a" from the portrait font area A2 indicated by the transfer source address. Reads the portrait character font data and stores it directly in RAM1.
Write to the raster area B1 of No. 3. By doing this, the laser printer engine section 15 prints the characters ra on the paper.
J is printed in portrait.

According to this embodiment, the portrait character font of the desired character is rotated by 90 degrees using the dedicated font rotation circuit 16 to generate the portrait character font of the desired character. Processing time can be faster than when the processor 11 generates landscape character fonts by itself. Further, since there is no need to provide an area for landscape character fonts in the nonvolatile memory 12, the memory capacity can be reduced, and costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the case of landscape printing, the microprocessor 11 needs to provide the calculated transfer source address to the font rotation circuit 16, and write the landscape character font in the data area R2 to the raster area B1. However, this is almost the same load level as the task of reading out a portrait character font from the transfer source address and writing it into the star area B1 during portrait printing. Furthermore, each setting data for the transfer data size, scan width, and transfer destination address for the font rotation circuit 16 only needs to be set as necessary, and there is no need to write the same data every time the circuit operates. Since there is no such thing, it is not a burden. Therefore, the processing speed of the microprocessor 11 hardly decreases, and the decrease in the processing speed is suppressed to a minimum.

It goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to control devices for printers other than laser printers.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, a landscape character font can be generated using a dedicated circuit, eliminating the need for a landscape character font area, reducing storage capacity and cost. , it is possible to provide a printer control device that can minimize reduction in processing speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIG. 2 is a u-path diagram of a font rotation circuit, and FIG. 3 is a character font of the character raJ. is 90
4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the operation of the font rotation circuit, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Microprocessor, 12... Nonvolatile memory, 13... RAM, 16... Font rotation circuit, A2... Portrait phant area (font memory), B1... Raster area, B2...Data area (transfer destination memory).

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A microprocessor that causes the printer to print according to a preset control program, a font memory for storing font data regarding the shapes of various characters, a transfer destination memory, and a transfer source of the font memory by the microprocessor. Activated in response to address specification, reads character font data from the designated transfer source address of the font memory based on a preset transfer data size and scan width, and converts it into 90 degree rotated character font data; A printer control device comprising: a font rotation circuit for transferring a font to a preset destination address in the destination memory. (2) The microprocessor has means for setting a transfer data size, a scan width, and a transfer destination address for the font rotation circuit, and the font rotation circuit is configured to set a transfer data size, a scan width, and a transfer destination address by the microprocessor. 2. The printer control device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory holding means for rewriting the setting data to the latest data and storing and holding the setting data every time any setting of the destination address is performed.