JPH04107171A - Printing system and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply output a character to a desired printing position by indicating the position from the end of printing paper by providing conversion function on the side of a printing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:The printer controller 41 of a PR engine 40 obtains the data of a paper size from a paper feed cassette by a paper size detection sensor 43 and transmits the same to an I/F controller 30 through a video interface 50. By this mechanism, the data of the paper size is stored in a RAM 34. The CPU 32 of the I/F controller 30 knows the positions of the upper, left, lower and right ends of the present printing paper on the basis of said data and adds or subtracts the value of the difference of a position indicating printing command from said positions to calculate the position on a frame memory 37. When the calculation of the position is completed, a usual drawing command is printed to make it possible to carry out drawing independent of the size and direction of the paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing system that prints out image data corresponding to character codes and image data generated by a host device such as a host computer.

The present invention also relates to a printing device that receives character codes and image data sent from a host device and prints out image data corresponding to the received character codes and image data.

[Prior Art] In recent years, dot printing devices have become popular as printing devices connected to document creation devices such as word processors and office computers. Such a printing device includes an interface controller for exchanging data with a document creation device as a host device, and a printer engine having a print head (exposure head) and a photosensitive drum. In other words, in this type of printing device, the interface controller converts the character code sent from the host device into a character pattern (image data) made up of dots and develops it on the bitmap memory (frame memory). The image data developed in this frame memory is printed out on printing paper by a printer engine.

By the way, such a printing device can print on several types of printing paper sizes, for example, B5. It is configured to be compatible with A4, 84, etc. Therefore, the frame memory in the interface controller has an address space corresponding to the maximum size of print paper that can be used.

However, in reality, the capacity of the entire size of the maximum usable stamp paper is not required, and an address space is provided that takes into account (that is, omitted) the margins around the paper. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the address of image data formed on the frame memory 1 and the image on the printing paper 2. Paper 2 can be used and the resolution is 240 d.
When printing with an ot/1nch print (exposure) head and the margin (non-printing area) 3 can be set 5 mm above and below and 8 mm left and right, the address space of frame memory 1 will be from 0' to 0' in the X direction. It is sufficient to have "2278' bits, and "0" to "3345' bits in the Y direction.

Then, in the printer engine, the image data developed in the frame memory 1 sent from the interface controller is inputted to the exposure head for image exposure, and the position of the light emitting part of the exposure head, the photoreceptor drum, this Adjust the paper feed position 1 of the printing paper 2 relative to the photosensitive drum, and set the image origin O on the frame memory 1.
The relative relationship between the exposure head, the photosensitive drum, and the paper feeding position is configured so that the transfer image is formed coincident with the image forming origin O' of the printing paper 2.

In this way, image data such as character patterns is generated within the interface controller according to the print data input from the host device, and the image data is expanded to the position on the frame memory 1 according to the output format instruction from the host device. At this time, the interface controller inputs and develops image data in the frame memory 1 according to the image space address. In other words,
Regarding the printing paper 2, the position can only be specified in an area excluding the margin portion 3.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, normally, when an operator attempts to print out characters, etc. on the printing paper 2 while considering the positional relationship, the operator uses the edge of the printing paper 2 as a reference and starts from that edge. It is common to request that a line be drawn at a certain point, or that a logo mark be printed from the end to the cargo area. However, with conventional printing devices, addresses cannot be specified easily because addresses are not specified from the two ends of the printing paper as mentioned above, and the address cannot be specified easily, and the address cannot be specified easily from the upper device (for example, the application of an office computer) considering the width of the non-printing area. It was not possible to print characters, etc. at the desired position unless the output position was calculated by the software (software) and specified.

That is, the printing position is set with reference to the printing paper 2 outside the printing device (that is, the host device), but inside the printing device, the position is set with reference to the origin O of the frame memory 1. Therefore, conversion is required, but the conventional position specification command is
Since this is an instruction, it was necessary to perform this conversion on the host device side. Therefore, the burden placed on the application software of the host device is large, which is one reason why a lot of time and cost are wasted in developing the application software.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by providing a conversion function on the printing device side, it reduces the burden placed on the application software of the host device, and also takes into account non-printing areas (margins). It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system and a printing device that can easily print out characters, etc. to a desired position by specifying the position from at least the edge of printing paper.

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the printing system of the present invention includes print data including at least one of character data representing a character to be printed and image data representing an image to be printed, and a printing position of the print data. A host device that sends control data including print position data representing the starting point from the edge of the printing paper, and a bitmap memory having a storage capacity corresponding to the maximum printable paper, calculates the write address of the print data to the bitmap memory from the control data of the bitmap memory, writes image data corresponding to the print data from the host device to the write address, and writes the image data written to the bitmap memory. The printer is equipped with a printing device that prints out a printout on printing paper.

Further, the printing device of the present invention can print data including character data representing a character to be printed and image data representing an image to be printed, and positioning the print position of the print data at the edge of the printing paper. a receiving means for receiving control data including print position data represented as a starting point; a bitmap memory having a storage capacity corresponding to the largest printable paper; a size detecting means for detecting the size of the print paper; a calculation table memory storing calculation data for calculating a write address of the print data to the bitmap memory from the control data received by the reception means for each determined print paper size; According to the control data and the print paper size detected by the size detecting means, a write address of the print data to the bitmap memory is calculated using the calculation data stored in the calculation table memory determined based on the control data and the print paper size detected by the size detection means. a calculation means; an image generation means for generating image data corresponding to the character data of the print data received by the reception means; and a write address calculated by the calculation means, the image data and The apparatus includes a write control means for writing at least one of the image data generated by the image generation means, and a printing means for printing out the image data written in the bitmap memory on a printing paper.

[Operation] In the printing system of the present invention, in addition to print data including at least one of character data representing characters to be printed and image data representing an image to be printed, the printing position of the print data is transmitted from the host device side. When control data including print position data representing the edge of the printing paper as a starting point is sent, the storage capacity corresponding to the largest printable printing paper, for example, excluding a predetermined margin width on the top, bottom, left and right, for such printing paper, is sent. In a printing device that includes a bitmap memory having a storage capacity of 100%, the write address of the print data to the bitmap memory is calculated from the control data from the host device, and the write address from the host device is sent to the write address. The image data corresponding to the print data of is written, and the image data written to this bitmap memory is printed out on printing paper.

Further, in the printing device of the present invention, the receiving means detects print data including at least one of character data representing a character to be printed and image data representing an image to be printed, and the printing position of the print data, such that the end of the printing paper is When receiving control data including print position data expressed as a starting point,
The calculation means calculates the maximum printable size from the control data received by the reception means for each predetermined print paper size based on the control data received by the reception means and the print paper size detected by the size detection means. Calculation for calculating the writing address of the print data to a bitmap memory having a storage capacity corresponding to the paper, for example, a storage capacity corresponding to such printing paper excluding a predetermined margin width on the top, bottom, left and right sides. The image generating means calculates an address for writing the print data into the bitmap memory by referring to the calculation table memory storing the data, and the image generating means generates an image corresponding to the character data in the print data received by the receiving means. Generate data. Then, the write control means writes at least one of the image data received by the reception means and the image data generated by the image generation means to the write address calculated by the calculation means, and writes the image data to the bitmap memory by the printing means. The image data written in is printed out on printing paper.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing its configuration, in which reference number 10 is a host computer as a host device, and 20 is a printing device. This printing device 20 includes an interface (1/F) controller 30, a printer (PR) engine 40, and a video interface 50 that connects these I/F controller 30 and PR engine 40.

The 1/F controller 30 is the Centro interface 3
1, CPU 32, ROM 33, RAM 34, reception buffer 35, image data generation section 36, frame memory 3
It has 7. The Centro interface 31 is composed of an 8-bit parallel interface (based on Centronics) and a serial interface (based on RS-232C), and sends and receives data to and from the host computer 10 having an interface of the same standard.

The CPU 32 controls each section within the I/F controller 30 according to command analysis and system management programs stored in the ROM 33. RAM34 is CPU32
used as a work area. The reception buffer 35 temporarily stores commands and data received from the host computer 10 via the Centro interface 31.

The image data generation unit 36 is connected to the host computer 10
Character pattern corresponding to the character code sent from (
It consists of a character generator (CG) ROM that stores image data) and a CGRAM that stores character patterns (external characters) designed by the user.

The frame memory 37 is a bitmap memory for developing an image for one page, and stores an amount corresponding to the maximum printable paper (for example, B4) excluding a predetermined margin width on the top, bottom, left and right sides. It has capacity.

The video interface 50 is the I/F controller 30
The image data developed in the frame memory 37 is converted into a video signal and sent to the PR engine 40, and a status signal for monitoring the status of the PR engine 40 is sent from the PR engine 40 to the I/F controller 30. .

The PR engine 40 has various loads such as a printer controller 41, a print head 42, a paper size detection sensor 43, and various sensors and photosensitive drums (not shown). The printer controller 41 is the I/F controller 3
Monitors and operates the overall condition and operation of the PR engine 40 in order to form an image on printing paper from the video signal sent from the PR engine 40.
At the same time, the video signal is converted into image data, and the print head 42 is controlled based on the image data. The paper size detection sensor 43 detects the size of the cassette, that is, the size of the print paper, from, for example, a notch provided in a cassette (not shown) containing the print paper.

This detected paper size is determined by the printer controller 4.
1 to the CPU 32 of the I/F controller 30 via the video interface 50.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the largest printable paper (for example, B4 size) and the address space of the frame memory 37. As shown in the figure, frame memory 3
7 has an address space of the B4 printing paper 60 excluding predetermined margins (non-printing areas) 61 on the top, bottom, left and right sides. Here, to simplify the explanation, the width of the non-printing area 61 is assumed to be 5 mm. That is, assuming that the resolution of this printing device 20 is 240 dat/1 nch, the width of this non-printing area is 47 dat. In addition, B4 size printing paper has a size of 257 mm x 364 im, so it is
The result is 28 dots x 3439 dots. Therefore, the address space of the frame memory 37 is 2334dotX
It has a size of 3345 dots.

Further, the origin O of the frame memory 37 and the coordinate origin of the printing paper 60 differ depending on the orientation of the paper 60.

For example, when landscape printing is specified for B4 printing paper 60, if a command is specified to print a character at the coordinates (xy) with the upper left of the paper 60 as a reference, the frame memory 37 is The coordinates (Xl) are based on the origin O.

Yl) is addressed. As shown in the figure, in this case, the coordinate systems differ by 90 degrees. Also, when portrait printing is specified for the B5 vertically fed printing paper 60, the coordinates (xy) are
When a character is to be printed on the frame memory 37, coordinates (xy)2'2 with respect to the origin O are addressed in the frame memory 37. As shown in the figure, both coordinate systems are the same in this case.

By specifying the reference position of the paper and the coordinates of the print position in that case, the coordinates of the frame memory 37 can be specified regardless of the size and direction of the print paper 60. This specification includes (coordinates from the top edge, coordinates from the left edge) (coordinates from the top edge) for the paper 60.

(coordinates from the right), (coordinates from the bottom, coordinates from the left)
, (coordinates from the bottom edge, coordinates from the right edge) of 4m are used.

Further, in the ROM 33 of the I/F controller 30, a table memory used for address calculation of the frame memory 37 is configured.

This table memory stores an arithmetic program corresponding to an arithmetic table as shown in FIG.

In reality, the paper size, print direction 1 position designation, coordinates (x
. The CPU 32 performs arithmetic processing according to the selected arithmetic program and converts the input coordinates (x, y) into an (X, Y) address on the frame memory 37. Note that for the same arithmetic expressions (portions with the same O numbers) in FIG.
The address of M33 is configured to be accessed. Further, in the calculation table shown in FIG. 3, the width of the margin (non-print area) 61 is all calculated as 47 dat (5 mm).

Next, the operation in the above configuration will be explained.

First, a position designation print command 70 is sent from the host computer 10 to the printing device 20 via the Centro interface 31 to instruct that a logo as shown in FIG. 4 be printed at a position. This position designation print command 70 includes a position designation command 711 a position designation location 72
．． X direction position specification 73. X direction position specification 74. Logo printing specification command 75. It includes logo character data 76 and position designation printing cancellation 77. The position specification command 71 is “ESCO
○([IB] [03[01H)'H] This is code data indicating that a command for specifying a position is input. Further, the position designation location 72 is a parameter code indicating the position on the paper of the position designation. This indicates the position specification based on the upper left reference of the paper when [00]H, and [01].

indicates the position specification based on the upper right corner of the paper, and [10]H
indicates the position specification based on the bottom left reference of the paper, and [11 □
indicates position specification based on the bottom right corner of the paper. The X-direction position designation 73 is a position designation parameter (in dot units) in the X direction from the edge of the paper. For example, if you want to insert a logo mark by opening 5IIl in the X direction from the edge of the paper, if the resolution is 240 dots/1nch, it will be 9.45d.
Since at/■, 5isX9.45i-! 47da
It is sufficient to specify t. The X direction position specification 74 is a parameter for specifying the position in the X direction from the edge of the paper (numerical value in dots).
It is. For example, if you want to insert a logo mark by opening 8 mm in the X direction from the edge of the paper, use 8 mm x 9.4 mm as above.
Enter 5+76dat.

It goes without saying that the position designation print command 70 includes, in addition to the logo character data 76, a normal character code. Furthermore, the above-mentioned X-direction and X-direction position specification parameters are not limited to numerical values in dot units, but of course can be specified in any unit such as ml by intervening a conversion program. .

In the printing device 20, the I/F controller 30,
The position designation print command 70 as described above is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 35 through the CPU 32. At this time, the RAM 34 stores in advance information on the printing direction (portrait/landscape) specified by another command input from the host computer 10, button input by the user, or default. Also, P
The printer controller 41 of the R engine 40 obtains paper size information from the paper feed cassette using the paper size detection sensor 43, and transmits this paper size information to the I/F controller 30 via the video interface 50. . As a result, paper size information is stored in the RAM 34. And I/F controller 30
The CPU 32 processes the above information (paper size and printing direction).
Based on the command 70 sent from the host computer 10, position calculation is performed. That is, from the above information, the positions of the top edge, left edge, bottom edge, and right edge of the current printing paper 60 are known, and the position designation print command 7 is executed from those positions.
The value of the difference (x, y) of 0 is added or subtracted (the method of addition or subtraction differs depending on the starting point), and the position gl (
address). Once the position calculation is completed in this way, by printing a normal drawing command (one character, one figure), etc., drawing can be performed independent of the paper size and direction.

Such position calculation and drawing processing will be explained in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, take out one piece of data from the reception buffer 35 (
Step 5TI) and analyze it (Step 5T2)
. If the result of the data analysis is position designation command 71, the RAM 34 is referred to to confirm the designation of the printing direction (step 5T3), and the paper size information is confirmed (step 5T4).

Thereafter, from the receiving buffer 35, the location parameter 72. The X-direction position designation 73° and the X-direction position designation 74 are taken out (step ST5°5T6). Then, based on the confirmed information and the retrieved position parameters, the corresponding address of the frame memory 37 is calculated according to the settlement table stored in the ROM 3B (step 5T7). The address calculated in this way is sent to the CPU3
2 or stored in a starting point address register (not shown) provided in the RAM 34 (step 5T8), or CP
A flag is set in the position designation print flag area (not shown) provided in U32 or RAM34 (step 5).
T9).

Next, when a print position related command, such as a logo print designation command 75, is retrieved from the reception buffer 35, it is determined whether or not the position designation print flag is set (step 5TIO).

Then, if the position designation print flag is set, the position is designated according to the address stored in the starting point address register (step STI 1), and if it is not set, the position is designated based on the origin of the frame memory 37 (
Step 5T12).

Further, when character codes such as the logo character data 76 and image data are taken out from the reception buffer 35, it is determined whether or not the position designation printing flag is set (step 5T13). Then, if the position designation print flag is set, drawing processing is performed according to the address stored in the starting point address register (step 5T14), and if it is not set, normal drawing processing is performed (step S
T 1.5). Here, the drawing process means that image data corresponding to a character code is transferred to the image data generation unit 36.
This refers to both generating the received image data in the frame memory 37 and developing it in the frame memory 37, and developing the received image data in the frame memory 37.

Further, if another command, such as a command for character decoration, is retrieved from the reception buffer 35, the corresponding processing is performed (step 5T16).

Then, when the page break command is retrieved from the reception buffer 35, printing processing is performed (step 5T17).
). That is, the image data developed in the frame memory 37 is converted into a video signal by the video interface 50 and sent to the PR engine 40. This will lead to PR
The printer controller 41 of the engine 40 converts this video signal into image data, controls the print head 42 and load based on the video signal, and forms an image on the print paper 60.

Furthermore, when the position designation print cancellation 77 is taken out from the reception buffer 35, the position designation print flag is turned off (step 5718).

In this way, by sending the position designation print command 70 based on the edge of the printing paper from the host computer 10, and by storing the calculation table in the I/F controller 30 of the printing device 20, the printing device The address of the frame memory 37 can be easily determined on the 20 side by referring to the calculation table in response to the position designation print command 70. In other words, by providing a conversion function on the printing device 20 side, the burden placed on the application software of the host computer 10 is reduced, and the margin (non-print area) 61
By specifying the position from the edge of the printing paper 60, characters etc. can be easily printed out at the desired position without considering the above.

In the above embodiment, the width of the margin (non-print area) 61 is set to 5 ms (47 dat), but it may be set to a different width depending on the paper size.

In that case, instead of using the calculation table in Figure 3, the margin width at the leading edge in the paper transport direction should be FM, and the margin width at the trailing edge should be T.
M, the calculation program corresponding to the calculation table in Figure 6 when the right margin width is RM and the left margin width is LM is stored in the ROM.
33 table memory. In this case, the maximum address (X, Y
) max max - (2334, 3345), and the maximum address of the frame memory 37 for A4 paper A4 A4 (X, Y) - (1984-(LM+m
ax max 11vi), 2806- (FM+TM)). Also, the most (LM) of the frame memory 37 for B5 horizontal paper is
+RM), 1720- (FM+TM)), and the frame memo bl for B5 vertical paper; τ B5T 37 maximum address (X, Y)-m
ax max (1720-(LM10RM), 2428-(FM+T
M)).

Also, the specified location 72. A function for registering positional parameters such as X-direction position designation 73 and Y-direction position designation 74 can also be provided. In this way, like the form overlay function, it becomes possible to print a fixed format on each page by registration and generation in a short time with a small amount of data transfer. That is, if there is something you want to always print out at the same position on the paper, such as a company logo, you can register the corresponding position parameter in the RAM 34, and when the item you want to output at that position occurs,
If the registered position parameters can be read automatically, such logo printing can be easily performed.

It goes without saying that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, by providing a conversion function on the printing device side, the burden placed on the application software of the host device is reduced, and the non-printing area (margin) is reduced. It is possible to provide a printing system and a printing device that can easily print out characters or the like to a desired position by specifying the position from the edge of the printing paper without any consideration.

In other words, it is possible to easily print characters or images at a desired position on a sheet of paper without having to perform complicated conversion calculations or check margin width arrangements (specifications).

Furthermore, it is possible to print ruled lines, logo marks, etc. at accurate positions relative to the edges of the paper.

Furthermore, there is no need to change the address designation of the frame memory every time depending on the type of paper size.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the largest printable paper and the address space of the frame memory, and FIG. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a calculation table used for address calculation, Figure 4 is a diagram showing a position designation print command, Figure 5 is a flowchart of position calculation and drawing processing, and Figure 6 is a calculation table in another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the conventional positional relationship between the address of image data on a frame memory and the image on printing paper. 10...Host computer (upper device) 20...
Printing device, 31... Centro interface (receiving means), 32... CPU (calculation means and writing control means), 33... ROM (calculation table memory),
36...Image data generation section (image generation means)
, 37...Frame memory (bitmap memory)
40... Printer (PR) engine (printing means), 4
3...Paper size detection sensor (size detection means) 7
0...Position specification print command (control data).

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Control including print data including at least one of character data representing characters to be printed and image data representing an image to be printed, and print position data representing the print position of the print data starting from the edge of the printing paper and a bitmap memory having a storage capacity corresponding to the largest printable paper, and writes the print data from control data from the host device to the bitmap memory. and a printing device that calculates an address, writes image data corresponding to print data from the host device to the write address, and prints out the image data written in the bitmap memory on printing paper. Characteristic printing system. (2) Print data that includes at least one of character data representing the characters to be printed and image data representing the image to be printed, and print position data representing the print position of the print data starting from the edge of the printing paper. A receiving means for receiving control data, a bitmap memory having a storage capacity corresponding to the largest printable paper, a size detection means for detecting the size of the printing paper, and a receiver for each predetermined printing paper size. a calculation table memory storing calculation data for calculating a write address of the print data to the bitmap memory from the control data received by the reception means; the control data received by the reception means; and the size detection means. a calculation means for calculating a write address of the print data to the bitmap memory using calculation data stored in the calculation table memory determined according to the printing paper size detected by the printing paper size; image generating means for generating image data corresponding to character data in the received print data; and image data received by the receiving means and the image data generated by the image generating means being applied to the write address calculated by the calculating means. A printing device comprising: a write control means for writing at least one of image data; and a printing means for printing out the image data written in the bitmap memory on a printing paper.