JPH04298372A - Controller for printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a controller for printer device which enables efficient investigation of an error occurring spot by an operator when an error-occurs during development of image data. CONSTITUTION:A number of figure data are present in one page and image data having figure data consisting of a plurality of block data is developed into a bit pattern by means of an image developing processor 51. In this case, the image development processor 51 registers the page number, the figure number, and the block number of block data read from an image page buffer 52, in a monitoring table 54. When an error is detected, data in the monitoring table 54 corresponding to block data under development at present is reported to a host 1 together with an error code.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a controller for a printer device that can develop predetermined graphic data into a bit pattern and provide it to a printing unit.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a controller of a conventional printer device together with a host computer (hereinafter referred to as host). In the figure, 1 is a host which is the source of image data, and 2A is a controller that develops the image data into a bit pattern and supplies it to a printing section (not shown).

In the controller 2A, 3 is the host 1
4A is a control processor (control unit) that performs overall management of the printer device; 5A is an image data expansion unit that creates a bit pattern; 51A;
52 is an image page buffer that can store image data of multiple pages; 53 is a bitmap memory in which the data after expansion, that is, the bit pattern is set;
6 is a text output processing section that converts a text document into a dot pattern, and 7 is an overlay output processing section that converts an overlay pattern into a dot pattern.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to the operation diagram shown in FIG. For example, let us consider a case where the image data shown in FIG. 9 is transferred from the host 1 in order to print out the n figures shown in FIG. When the input processing unit 3 determines that the data transferred from the host 1 is image data, the input processing unit 3 transfers the data to the image data expansion unit 5.
Give to A. The image development processor 51A stores the given image data in the image page buffer 52.

[0005] When one page of image data has been stored in the image page buffer 52, the image expansion processor 51A starts to expand the image data. That is, data is read from the image page buffer 52 (step ST21), each figure number is obtained, and block data constituting each figure is obtained. Then, a bit pattern corresponding to the block data is created and developed in a bitmap memory having a size of one page (step ST22). This operation is repeated over one page (steps ST21 to ST24)
.

When the image expansion processor 51A determines that it is impossible to continue the expansion process due to invalid image data such as incomplete parameter specification or the presence of undefined data, the image expansion processor 51A stops the expansion process. Then, the control processor 4A is notified that an error has occurred (steps ST23 and ST25). When the control processor 4A receives the error notification, the control processor 4A sends the host 1 via the input processing unit 3
is notified that an error has occurred (step ST26).
).

[0007] When the host 1 receives the error notification, it issues a sense I/O command and requests information as to whether the error that has occurred is a programming error or a hardware error and error information (step ST27). Since an error due to invalid image data is a programming error, the control processor 4A notifies the host 1 that it is a programming error and that the content thereof is an image development error.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the controller of the conventional printer device is configured as described above, the host 1 is only notified of a programming error and an image development error, and the image page buffer 52 is If there are multiple pages, multiple shapes on one page, and the shape data consists of multiple blocks of data, the host 1 cannot determine in which part the error occurred. First, there was a problem in that it took a long time to investigate the location where the error occurred.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a printer that can easily recognize in which part an error has occurred when an error occurs during image data development processing. The purpose is to obtain a controller for the device.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] A controller for a printer device according to the present invention has a monitoring table in which a figure number of figure data, a block number of block data, and a page number of a page being developed is set, and an image page buffer. Read the block data, register the block number of the block data, the figure number and page number of the figure and page to which the block data belongs in the monitoring table, expand the block data into a bit pattern, and an image data expansion unit that has an image expansion processor that outputs the page number, figure number, and block number in the monitoring table corresponding to the block data together with the error code of the error that occurred when an error occurs during expansion of the block data; It is prepared.

[0011]

[Operation] The image development processor in this invention is
When performing expansion processing on certain block data, if the page number, figure number, and block number of the page to which the data belongs are set in the monitoring table, and an error occurs, the data currently being expanded among the data in the monitoring table will be The information corresponding to the block data is used as information when an error occurs.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 2 is a controller, 4 is a control processor having an overall control section 41 and an error information sending section 42 that sends detailed error information, and 5 is an image page buffer 52, a bitmap memory 53, a page number, etc. This is an image data development unit that includes a monitoring table 54, an error code table in which error codes corresponding to each error are set, and an image development processor 51 that performs development processing and error control. Other parts are the same as those shown in FIG. 6 with the same reference numerals.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to the operation diagram shown in FIG. Here again, the case where the image data shown in FIG. 9 is transferred from the host 1 will be taken as an example. Input processing section 3
When image data is transferred from host 1 via
The image development processor 51, as in the conventional case,
The image data is stored in the image page buffer 52.

When the storage of one page's worth of image data in the image page buffer 52 is completed, the image expansion processor 51 reads the data from the image page buffer 52 (step ST1). Additionally, the page number, read figure number, and block number of the page are registered in the monitoring table 54 (step ST2).
. Then, as in the conventional case, the block data is expanded (step ST3). If no error occurs,
The block data is read from the image page buffer 52 and the monitoring table 5 is read until the development of one page is completed.
The registration and deployment process in step ST 4 is repeated (step ST
1 to ST5).

When the image expansion processor 51 determines that it is impossible to continue the expansion process due to invalid image data, the image expansion processor 51 stops the expansion process. Then, the error code corresponding to the error is obtained from the error code table 55. Also, the page to which the block data that was the target of expansion processing when the error occurred,
Since the page numbers, figure numbers, and block numbers of figures and blocks are registered in the monitoring table 54, these data are obtained from the monitoring block. Further, the image development processor 51 edits the error code and data obtained from the monitoring table (step ST
6) Output error editing data to the control processor 4.

When the control processor 4 obtains the error edit data, it notifies the host 1 via the input processing section 3 that an error has occurred. When the host 1 receives the error notification, it issues a sense I/O command and requests information as to whether the error that has occurred is a programming error or a hardware error, and error information (step ST12). The control processor 4 notifies that there is a programming error and an image development error (step ST13).

In this case, the host 1 can output an error detailed data request command to the controller 2 in order to obtain detailed error information (step ST1).
4). Upon receiving the command, the error information sending unit 42 of the control processor 4 notifies the host 1 of detailed error information in the format shown in FIG. 3, for example. In the example shown in FIG. 3, an error code is set at the beginning of a series of data, and a figure number, block number, and page number are set at the end.

[0018] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which an error that occurs during image data development is notified. However, when other types of data are developed together with image data development, detailed error information regarding them may be notified. You can also be notified. In that case, host 1
sends different error detailed data request commands depending on the type of error received (image development error, etc.).

Alternatively, if the format of the error detailed data is such that it has an area related to image data development and another area (for example, an area related to graph data development) as shown in FIG. Detailed information about either or both errors can be notified to the host 1 by simply issuing an error detailed data request command. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the error code is set at the beginning, and the error information and page number are set at the rear. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, if a total page count value indicating the cumulative total of printed pages is added, it becomes possible to manage error occurrence situations over a long period of time.

[0020]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the controller of the printer device can be
A page read from the image page buffer 52,
The page number, figure number, and block number for figures and blocks are registered in the monitoring table, and when an error occurs, the data in the monitoring table corresponding to the figure data currently being expanded is output together with the error code. Even if multiple pages of image data are divided into many blocks and exist in the controller, it is possible to easily output the specific location where an error has occurred, and to efficiently investigate the location where the error has occurred. There are benefits to be gained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a controller of a printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the format of error detailed data.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the format of error detailed data.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing still another example of the format of error detailed data.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a controller of a conventional printer device.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a printout of image data.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of image data.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Host 2 Controller 3 Input processing section 4 Control processor (control unit) 5 Image development department 51 Image expansion processor 52 Image page buffer 53 Bitmap memory 54 Monitoring table 55 Error code table

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image page buffer capable of storing multiple pages of image data in which one page has a large amount of graphic data and the graphic data consists of a plurality of block data, a graphic number of the graphic data, and the blocks. A monitoring table in which data block numbers and page numbers of pages being developed are set, and block data is read from the image page buffer and page numbers, figure numbers, and block numbers corresponding to the block data are registered in the monitoring table. At the same time, the block data is expanded into a bit pattern, and if an error occurs during expansion of the block data, the page number, figure number, and block number in the monitoring table corresponding to the block data currently being expanded are an image data expansion unit having an image expansion processor that outputs the error code along with the error code of the error that has occurred, and notifies the outside when the error occurs, and also outputs the page number and graphic number in response to an external request. , and a control unit that outputs a block number and an error code to the outside.