JPH0339280A - Output apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance memory efficiency by mounting a means controlling writing operation storing data in a memory and the reading operation from the memory and a means controlling the prohibition of writing operation to the same line during the reading of data at every one line by said means. CONSTITUTION:In the output control part 4 started by a control part 1, the synchronism with a printer 3 is taken by an inputted response signal 8 and, when output is possible, the dot pattern data stored in the address of the bit map memory indicated by the control part is outputted to the printer 3 and the indicated address is renewed to continue the output of one line. When the output of one line is executed, the setting of the flag corresponding to one line is performed. One line in the bit map memory completed in output shows such a state that no data is stored. That is, data can be stored in said one line by the control part 1 and the bit map memory is effectively utilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an output device, and particularly to an output device that reads and outputs data stored in a memory.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, an output device that outputs data to a recording device or the like has, for example, a bitmap memory that stores output images for one page, and all data in the bitmap memory for that one page is stored. After outputting the dot pattern, the dot pattern of the next page can be developed on the bitmap memory, or alternatively, two sets of bitmap memories for one page can be provided, and while the dot pattern is developed in one memory, the dot pattern can be developed from the other memory. Two processes are performed in parallel, such as outputting the previously developed dot pattern to the recording device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with the output device in the conventional example described above, the next page cannot be developed until all the dot patterns for one page have been output to the recording device, making it difficult to process quickly. In addition, since two sets of bitmap memories are required, the memory size increases, resulting in poor economic efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide an output device that improves memory efficiency by restricting access to memory.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the output device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in an output device that reads and outputs data stored in a memory, a write operation that stores the data in the memory;
A memory control means for controlling a read operation from the memory, and a control means for controlling prohibition of a write operation to the same line while the data is being read to one line by the memory control means.

[Operation] In the above configuration, while data is being read from the memory, it operates so as to restrict the write operation to the same memory.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Description of Apparatus (FIG. 1)> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an output device in this embodiment and the configuration of data output to a printer, which is a recording device.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit that develops output data to the printer 3 into an image memory 5 and instructs the printer 3 to output data, and is a controller such as a microprocessor or the like.
ROM that stores the PU, its control program, data, etc.
, a RAM, etc., which the CPU uses as a work area when executing processing. Reference numeral 2 designates an output section whose details are shown in FIG. Output to 3.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a printer that receives image data output from the output unit 2 and prints it page by page. Reference numeral 4 denotes an output control unit that outputs (wholesale) the image data stored in the bitmap memory of the output unit 2 based on flag information for each line and a response signal 8 from the printer 3, which will be described later. Similar to part 1 (this consists of CPIJ, ROM, RAM, etc.). 5 is an image memory that stores dot patterns such as expanded character codes. 6 generates character pattern data (dot patterns) based on character codes. It is a character pattern generator.

<Description of Output Unit (FIG. 2)> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the output unit 2 in this embodiment. In the figure, 20 and 21 are both selectors, which select the A input when the S terminal input is 1°, and select the B input when the S terminal input is 0°. 22 is a bitmap memory, and RA is used for writing the pattern data developed in the image memory 5 and for reading it to the printer 3.
It is M.

In this embodiment, the control unit 1 controls the bitmap memory 2.
2, the output control unit 4 reads it out and outputs it to the printer 3. In a specific write operation, first, the developed pattern data is read from the image memory 5, and the address of the bitmap memory 22 is output onto the address bus 9.

Then, after setting the ASL signal 12 to "O" and outputting the read pattern data onto the data bus 10, the R/W signal 1
This is done by setting 6 to "O".

On the other hand, in a read operation, the read address is set to address signal 7.
After outputting to R/W, set ASL signal 12 to “1” and
When the signal 16 is set to "1", pattern data is read out. Then, when the DSL signal 13 is set to 1'', the read data is output to the printer 3 through the selector 21.

A flag memory 24 stores the FLGIN signal 14 as flag information in synchronization with the write cycle to the bitmap memory 22. The flag signal 17 from the flag memory 24 is the output data of the flag memory 24. 16 is a bitmap memory 22 and a flag memory 2.
This is a signal instructing writing to or reading from 4.

<Description of Processing Procedure (FIGS. 3 and 4)> Next, the processing procedure in this embodiment will be explained below according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The flowchart in FIG. 3 is the processing procedure of the control section, and the flowchart of FIG. 4 is the processing procedure of the output control section.

First, in step S1 of FIG. 3, when print data is output from an external device (not shown), it is determined whether the data can be expanded and stored in the bitmap memory of the output section 2. Now, flag information is provided for each line of the bitmap memory, and the flag is checked. For example, if the flag is on, it indicates that the expanded data stored in one line of the corresponding bitmap memory is not being output, and the data is being output by the output processing in the output control unit 4, which will be described later. Then, the flag turns off, indicating that data can be stored in the corresponding l line.

In step S1, if the flag is off, the process proceeds to step S2, in which the dot pattern of the input print data is developed into the image memory 5 using the character pattern generator 6. The process then proceeds to step S3, where the developed dot pattern is stored in the bitmap memory mentioned above. Then, in step S4, whether or not one line of data has been stored is determined by the address of the bitmap memory. If one line has not been completed, the process returns to step S2, and the process of developing and storing data into a dot pattern is repeated. However, if one line has been completed, step S5
The process proceeds to , and a flag corresponding to that one line is set.

Next, in step S6, the state of the output control section 4 is checked, and if it has already been activated and is in output operation, the process advances to step S8. However, if it is not in operation, step S7
Then, the output control section 4 is activated by specifying the address of the memory stored in the above process. By this activation, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4, which will be described later, is carried out, and one line worth of data stored in the bitmap memory is output to the printer 3. Next, in step S8, it is determined whether or not the development process has been completed for all input print data, and if it has not been completed, the process returns to step S1 to continue the process. Then, when the expansion and storage processing for all data is completed, the processing is ended.

On the other hand, the output control section 4 activated by the control section 1 synchronizes with the printer 3 using the input response signal 8 in step S10, and if output is possible, step S1
Proceed to process 0. Then, in step S10, the dot pattern data stored at the bitmap memory address specified by the control section 1 is output to the printer 8.

Next, in step S10, the specified address is updated, and it is checked whether one line of data has been output, and if one line has not been output, the process returns to step S11.
Continue data output.

However, if one line has been output, the process advances to step S13, and the flag corresponding to that one line is reset. As a result of this processing, one line in the bitmap memory whose output has been completed represents a state in which no data is stored.

In other words, in the control section I, data can be stored in one line, and the bitmap memory can be used effectively.

Next, in step S14, the flag corresponding to the updated address is checked, and if it is on, the process returns to step S10 and the data output process described above is continued. However, if the flag is off, this indicates that no output data is stored in that line, and this output processing is terminated.

According to this embodiment, since a circuit is provided for detecting the execution of a data output operation and the end of output data, there is an effect that other processing can be executed even while data is being output.

In this embodiment, the case where print data is output has been explained, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to outputting data to a display device such as a display.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, by controlling access to memory, memory efficiency can be improved and processing time can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the output device and the data output configuration to the printer in this embodiment, Figure 2 is a block diagram of the output circuit in this embodiment, and Figures 3 and 4 are the processing in this embodiment. It is a flowchart showing a procedure. In the figure, 1... control unit, 2... output unit, 3... printer, 4... output control unit, 5... image memory, 6... character pattern generator, 7...・Address signal, 8...Response signal, 9...Address bus, O...Data bus. Patent applicant Canon Stock (): 0

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an output device that reads and outputs data stored in a memory, the memory control means controls a write operation for storing the data in the memory and a read operation from the memory, and the memory control means controls the data to be read from the memory. 1. An output device comprising: control means for controlling prohibition of a write operation to the same line while reading the same line by line.