JPH04175923A - Overlay printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the printer economically with a small hardware quantity by making overlay data to be transferred from a host computer to the printer the dame data format with the original data. CONSTITUTION:The overlay data and original data are transferred with frames of the same shape. A received data control part 6 discriminates whether data are the overlay data or original data from the flags of the received frames, and store the overlap data in a form-over memory 5 and the original data in an intermediate buffer 7. A bit map memory(BMM) expanding means 8 reads the overlay data out of the memory 5, and expands and develops the data on a bit map memory 9, and the original data are read out of the buffer 7 and developed on the memory 9. Consequently, the overlay printer can be realized economically with the small hardware quantity.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Control method for a printing device that performs overlay printing Aiming at reducing hardware and improving control efficiency, the data format of overlay data transferred from a host computer to a printing device and original data are the same. In response to instructions from the host computer, there is a means for registering overlay data in a predetermined memory, a means for reading original data from a buffer memory and expanding it into a bitmap memory, and a means for reading out overlay data from the memory and decompressing it into a bitmap memory. It is constructed by providing means for developing and means for printing data on the bitmap memory.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to the control of a printing device that is connected to a host computer and prints out data transferred from the host computer, and particularly relates to printing by combining character data and compressed graphic data, etc. related to the control of overlay printing devices.

[Prior Art] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional overlay printing device, in which 51 is a host computer, 52 is overlay data, 53 is original data, 54 is an overlay printing device, and 55 is a form overlay. memory(
56 is an intermediate buffer (in the figure, it is abbreviated as FOM), 57 is an overlay data expansion means, 58 is an original data expansion means, and 59 is an overlay A bitmap memory for data (in the figure, bitmap memory is abbreviated as BMM), 60 is a bitmap memory for original data, 61 is a print control unit,
2 represents print output.

In the figure, overlay data 52 and original data 53 have different data formats and are therefore received separately. Overlay data 52 transferred from host computer 51 is registered in form overlay memory 55.

On the other hand, original data 53 is held in intermediate buffer 56.

When overlay printing device 54 performs overlay printing, overlay data development means 57 reads out the corresponding overlay data from form over memory 55, decompresses it, and develops it in bitmap memory 59 for overlay.

On the other hand, the original data is
8 is read from the intermediate buffer 56 and expanded into the bitmap memory 60 for original data.

The print control section 61 reads out the contents of the bitmap memory 59 for overlay and the contents of the bitmap memory 60 for original data, synthesizes them, and outputs them on printing paper as shown by number 62.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, in conventional overlay printing devices, overlay data and original data are received separately, and dedicated data expansion means and bitmap memory are provided for each, so the amount of hardware is reduced. This poses a problem in that it is difficult to realize the printing apparatus economically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of these conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an overlay printing device that can be realized economically with a small amount of hardware.

[Means to solve the problem]

According to the invention, the above objects are achieved by the means specified in the claims.

That is, it has a buffer memory that is connected to a host computer and receives and holds original data transferred from the host computer, and a memory for registering overlay data that has been compressed and transferred. and original data in a bitmap memory, and in a printer device that reads and prints the data developed in the bitmap memory, the data formats of the overlay data transferred from the host computer to the printer and the original data are the same. Then, according to an instruction from the host computer, means for registering overlay data in a predetermined memory, reading original data from a buffer memory and expanding it into a bitmap memory, and reading out overlay data from the memory, decompressing it, and expanding it into a bitmap memory. means and
This is an overlay printing device provided with means for printing data on a bitmap memory.

[Effect]

In the present invention, original data and overlay data are transferred from a host computer to an overlay printing device in the same data format.

The host computer transfers the data using the same transfer path so that the printing apparatus can identify whether the data is original data or overlay data using control information or a flag in the data frame.

The printing device side identifies whether the received data is original data or overlay data, and if it is overlay data, stores it in the form over memory; For example, store it in an intermediate buffer.

The bitmap memory expansion means expands the data read from the form-over memory and expands it into the bitmap memory.

Furthermore, the data read from the intermediate buffer is expanded into the bitmap memory. As a result, the overlay data and the original data are combined and developed on the bitmap memory.

The data expanded on the bitmap memory in this way is read out by the print control section and printed on paper.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a host computer, 2 is overlay data, 3 is original data, 4 is an overlay printing device, and 5 is a form overlay memory (abbreviated as FOM in the figure). 7 is an intermediate buffer (in the figure, the abbreviation is IB), 8 is a bitmap memory expansion means (in the figure, the focus map memory is abbreviated as BMM).
9 is a bitmap memory, 10 is a print control section, and 11 is a print output.

In the figure, overlay data 2 and original data 3 are transferred from a host computer 1 to an overlay printing device 4 via a transfer path indicated by the letter A.

In the present invention, both overlay data and original data are transferred in frames of the same shape.

The received data control unit 6 identifies whether the data is overlay data or original data based on the flag in the received frame, and if it is overlay data, stores it in the form over memory 5; If it is original data, it is stored in the intermediate buffer 7.

The BMM expansion means 8 reads and decompresses the overlay data from the form-over memory 5 and expands it in the bitmap memory 9.

Next, the original data is read from the intermediate buffer 7 and expanded into the focus map memory 9.

In the above operation, for example, if the data stored in the formover memory 5 is like the alphabetic character B (
(Actually, the data is compressed and stored), and when the data stored in the intermediate buffer is as shown by the letter C, the data developed in the bitmap memory 9 is shown by the letter C. It becomes like this.

Next, the print control unit 10 performs printing based on the data developed in the bitmap memory, and a printout as indicated by the numeral 11 is obtained.

In the above description, the overlay printing device 4 simultaneously receives overlay data and original data from the host computer 1 and prints them. However, in this embodiment, the overlay data received from the host computer 1 is printed in a form. The over memory 5 is registered with an identification number, and the host computer 1
Upon receiving the identification numbers of the original data and overlay data from the form-over memory 5, the BMM development means 8 reads out the corresponding overlay data from the form-over memory 5.
It is also possible to combine this with the received original data, develop it in the bitmap memory 9, and print it.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a printing device can be configured without providing dedicated hardware for developing overlay data and a dedicated bitmap memory for writing overlay data, so the amount of hardware can be significantly reduced. There is an advantage that it can be reduced.

Furthermore, since the overlay data and the original data are in the same format, there is an advantage that the data can be created and managed efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional overlay printing apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Host computer, 2... Overlay data, 3... Original data, 4... Overlay printing device, 5... Form over memory, 6...
- Reception data control unit, 7... intermediate buffer, 8...
BMMHVI means, 9...Bitmap memory, 10
. . . Print control unit, 11 . . . Print output.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The buffer memory is connected to a host computer, and includes a buffer memory for receiving and holding original data transferred from the host computer, and a memory for registering compressed and transferred overlay data. The data format of the overlay data and original data transferred from the host computer to the printing device in a printer device that develops overlay data and original data into a bitmap memory, reads out the data developed on the bitmap memory, and prints. and a means for registering overlay data in a predetermined memory according to instructions from a host computer, a means for reading original data from a buffer memory and expanding it into a bitmap memory, and a means for reading out overlay data from the memory and decompressing it into bitmap memory. An overlay printing device comprising: means for developing data in a map memory; and means for printing data on the bitmap memory.