JPH04115973A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a non-impact type printer capable of printing on a plurality of different format paper by a method wherein character data and a command specifying a copying printing are received from a data processor, and printing data corresponding to a plurality of different format paper is generated. CONSTITUTION:Data is received by a transmitter-receiver circuit 27. The character data is once stored in an original data memory part 33. A control processor 25 selects either a copying printing or a normal printing, detects the number of copies, checks a printing format, and forms printing data. The character data in the original data memory part 33 is ANDed with a copying mask for the first sheet stored in a mask data memory part 31. The result is ORed with a copying format for the first sheet stored in a printing format memory part 29. The result is stored in a printing memory part 35 as copying printing data for the first sheet. Similarly, copying printing data according to a copying format for the second sheet is generated and stored in the printing memory part 35. After the completion of processing, a printing circuit 37 is driven to start printing in accordance with the printing data stored in the printing memory part 35.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a non-impact printing device that achieves the same functionality as printing using copy paper, it is possible to print multiple sheets in different formats by simply transferring print data from a data processing device once. A print data storage unit that stores print data transferred from a data processing device and a mask that stores mask data that specifies print data to be printed in correspondence with multiple print patterns, with the purpose of printing on paper. When the data storage section and the data processing device specify the copy printing mode, print data is sequentially fetched from the print data storage section and mask data that specifies at least the print data of the copy paper from the mask data storage section, and and a print data generation unit that generates print data corresponding to copy paper, and a print processing unit that performs printing for each paper based on the print data.

(Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to printing using copy paper (hereinafter referred to as "copy printing")
That's what it means. ) relates to a non-impact printing device that achieves functionality equivalent to that of ).

Note that non-impact printing devices are configured to print without applying mechanical impact, unlike impact printing devices, which print by striking the paper surface with an ink ribbon, such as dot matrix printers. can be,
Examples include laser beam printers and inkjet printers.

[Conventional technology]

Since the dot matrix printer prints by hitting the paper surface, it is possible to use multiple sheets of copy paper stacked one on top of the other. Therefore, by transferring data once from the data processing device, copies can be printed on a plurality of different former 7) sheets at once.

Note that with copy paper, it is easy to limit the copy area to a predetermined range for each paper, and it is possible to select printing for each paper and finish it in a predetermined format.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in a non-impact type printing device, since there is no mechanical impact such as hitting the paper surface, it has been impossible to use copy paper.

Therefore, when printing on a plurality of sheets of paper of different formats, it is necessary to transfer the print data corresponding to each sheet from the data processing device and perform the printing operation multiple times. However, selecting and transferring print data corresponding to the format of each paper each time increases the processing load on the data processing device.

In addition, in copy printing, the same characters are naturally printed in the same position on each sheet of paper, but there is no 100% guarantee that the characters will be the same if the print data is transferred repeatedly. There are concerns about a decline in reliability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a non-impact printing device that can print on a plurality of sheets of paper of different formats by simply transferring print data from a data processing device once.

[Means to solve the problem]

The invention according to claim 1 includes a print data storage section 11, a mask data storage section 13, a print data generation section 15, and a print processing section 17.

The print data storage unit 11 stores print data transferred from the data processing device. The mask data storage unit 13 stores mask data that specifies print data to be printed corresponding to a plurality of print patterns.

When the data processing device specifies the copy printing mode, the print data generation unit 15 sequentially generates print data from the print data storage unit 11 and mask data specifying at least print data for copy paper from the mask data storage unit 13. Generate print data corresponding to the original paper and copy paper.

The print processing unit 17 performs printing on each sheet based on print data.

The invention according to claim 2 includes a print format storage section 19 in addition to the printing apparatus according to claim 1.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the invention according to claim 2.

The print format storage section 19 stores print formats corresponding to each of original paper and copy paper.

In addition to the configuration described in claim 1, the print data generation unit 15 takes in a print format from the print format storage unit 19, combines it with print data corresponding to each paper generated from print data and mask data, and generates a print format. The method includes means for generating print data having a gutter.

[For production]

The printing device of the present invention is configured to take in print data and a command specifying copy printing from a data processing device, generate print data corresponding to a plurality of different format/gutter sheets, and print on each sheet. .

In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, when printing on original paper and copy paper, the print data generation section 15 retrieves print data to be printed on the original paper from the print data storage section 11, Mask data storage section 1
By extracting the mask data specifying print data corresponding to each paper from 3 and calculating the logical product, print data corresponding to each paper can be created. Note that the print data corresponding to the original paper may be generated directly from the print data stored in the print data storage section 11.

The printing apparatus according to claim 2 further stores print formats corresponding to each of the original paper and the copy paper in the print format storage section 19, and the print data generation section 15 stores each paper format generated from the print data and the mask data. By logically ORing the corresponding print data and each print format, print data having the print format can be generated.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention.

In the figure, a data processing device 21 sends commands and print data to a printing device 23.

The printing device 23 includes a control processor 25 , a transmitting/receiving circuit 27 connected to the control processor 25 , a print format memory section 29 , a mask data memory section 31 , an original data memory section 33 and a print memory section 35 , the control processor 25 and This configuration includes a printing circuit 37 connected to a printing memory section 35. Note that the data processing device 21 and the printing device 23 are connected via a transmitting/receiving circuit 27.

In this embodiment, we will explain the case of printing on original paper and two copy papers.
The print format, original mask, and copy mask are registered in advance in each memory section 29, 31. Note that the registration method is as follows:
or from a cartridge-type option card (IC card, ROM card, etc.) 39.

Here, an example of print data, mask data, and print format is shown in FIG.

(a) shows print data ■ to ■.

[Yes]) to (C) indicate mask data specifying print data. (b) is an original mask that specifies all print data (■ to ■). (C) and (d) are copy masks for the first sheet and the second sheet, and designate print data of ■, ■, ■ or ■, ■, ■, ■, respectively.

(e) - (□□□ indicates the print format. (e)
is an original format, and a column is provided in which all print data ■ to ■ are printed. (f) is the copy format of the first sheet, and columns are provided in which print data (■, ■, ■) are printed. (g) is the second copy format, and columns are provided in which print data (■, ■, ■, ■) are printed.

(c) to (j) show print data generated by combining print data specified by mask data and a corresponding print format. (c) is the original print data, (i) is the first copy print data, and (j
) is the second copy print data.

In addition, in the case of this embodiment, the copy paper used in the impact printing device has columns of print data ■, ■, ■, and print data ■, ■, ■, ■ for each copy paper.
A piece of carbon paper, etc. is placed in each column.

FIG. 4 shows the format of data transferred from the data processing device 21 to the printing device 23.

AI is a copy printing mode designation code, where "1" is the normal mode and "2" to "n" are the number of copies to be printed. In addition,
As shown in this embodiment, when printing on an original sheet and two copy sheets, "3" is specified. Also, A1
If you do not specify or if you specify "1",
It will be printed normally.

A2 is a print format code that specifies print formant data registered in the preliminary print formant memory section 29. Here, original format data, first copy format data, and second copy format data are each designated. Note that when printing on paper on which a format has been printed in advance, it is not necessary to specify the print format code A2.

A3 is a copy mask code, which specifies copy mask data registered in the mask data memory 31 in advance. Here, the first copy mask data and the second copy mask data are respectively designated.

Bl is print data.

A4 is a print data end code.

The characteristic operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 and the flowchart shown in FIG.

The printing device 23 receives the data transferred from the data processing device 21 with the transmitting/receiving circuit 27, separates the received data into a command section (Al-A4) and a print data section (B1), and converts the print data section into original data. It is temporarily stored in the memory section 33.

The control processor 25 analyzes the command part in parallel with storing the print data part. In the command analysis, first, the copy printing mode designation code A1 is analyzed, and depending on whether A1 exceeds 2, copy printing or normal printing is selected. In copy print mode, the number of copies = A1-1 (
Here, 2) is detected, the print format code A2 is analyzed to check the print format to be used, and then the copy mask code A3 is analyzed to check the copy mask to be used. Finally, print data end code A
4, the print data creation begins.

First, print data in an original format is created. That is, the print data (a) in the original data memory section 33 (see FIG. 4; the same applies hereinafter) is ANDed with the original mask etc. in the mask data memory section 31, and the result (all print data) is and the original format (e) stored in the print format memory unit 29, and the result is stored in the print memory unit 35 as original print data (b).

Here, an example is shown in which the original mask (g) is used in generating the original print data (5), but as shown in the flowchart of Fig. 5, the print data (
a) and the original format l-(e) may be directly processed.

Next, print data in the first copy format is created. That is, the print data (a) in the original data memory section 33 and the first copy mask (C) stored in the mask data memory section 31 are ANDed, and the result and the print format memory section 29 are The logical OR with the first copy format (f) stored in is stored in the print memory section 35 as the first copy print data (i).

Similarly, copy print data (j) in the second copy format ((2)) is generated and stored in the printing memory unit 35.

After completing the above processing based on the analysis of the command section, the control processor 25 drives the printing circuit 37 to start printing according to the print data (j) to (j) in the print memory section 35.

Here, when the print format and print data are not used with the double layer overlay function, the print format code A2 is usually left unspecified, and the print data extracted by the mask data is printed on pre-printed predetermined format paper. do.

Note that in a configuration that does not use this overlay function, the print format memory section 29 is not necessary, and there is no need to combine the print format and print data, so that the print processing time is also shortened.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the invention as set forth in claim 1, in a non-impact type printing apparatus, the printing data corresponding to the original paper and each condition for copy printing can be transferred once from the data processing apparatus. Print data corresponding to each paper is generated, and it is possible to realize the same copy printing function.

Therefore, the data transfer time between the data processing device and the printing device during copy printing can be significantly shortened, and copy printing with high reliability can be realized.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, it is possible to further combine the printing formats compatible with original paper and copy paper, and it is possible to easily realize copy printing when preprint paper is not used. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of print data, mask data, and print format. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the format of data transferred from the data processing device to the printing device. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control processor in the embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Print data storage part, 13... Mask data storage part, 15... Print data generation part, 17... Print processing part, 19... Print formant storage part, 21...
- Data processing device, 23... Printing device, 25... Control processor, 27... Transmission/reception circuit, 29... Print format memory section, 31... Mask data memory section, 33... Original data Memory section, 36...
Printing memory section, 37... Printing circuit, 39... Cartridge type option card. Data processing device Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principles of the present invention. ) Original format, etc.) Original print data Figure 8 shows examples of print data, mask data, and print formats.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A print data storage unit (11) that stores print data transferred from the data processing device, and a mask data storage unit that stores mask data that specifies print data to be printed in accordance with multiple print patterns. (13) When the data processing device specifies a copy printing mode, specifying print data from the print data storage section (11) and at least copy paper print data from the mask data storage section (13). a print data generation unit (15) that sequentially receives mask data and generates print data corresponding to original paper and copy paper; and a print processing unit (17) that performs printing for each paper based on the print data. A printing device characterized by: (2) The printing device according to claim 1, further comprising a print format storage unit (19) storing print formats corresponding to each of the original paper and the copy paper, and the print data generation unit (15) A printing device comprising means for capturing a print format from a format storage unit (19), combining it with print data corresponding to each sheet generated from print data and mask data, and generating print data having the print format.